Bruce Pearl to cover the NBA Draft

Bruce Pearl is nuts.

He is certifiable.

He has hit on Erin Andrews. He has sat in the student section (shirtless) for a women's game. He has been photographed (shirtless) with random coeds (multiple times). He got on stage (shirtless) with Bobby Maze and Renardo Woolridge and rapped.

Now? He will be doing NBA Draft analysis. For NBA TV. And for his blog, "Pearl's Gems" (Pearl's Gems? Really? I'll let The Dagger handle that one).

This could have been awkward if Tyler Smith had actually stayed in the draft.

Personally, I love this decision. Bruce Pearl is a character, and he is (clearly) not afraid to make a fool out of himself to draw a couple laughs. Isn't that exactly what you are looking for if you are NBA TV? To give the viewing audience an alternative to hearing Jay Bilas tell you how every big man is "long" with "tremendous upside potential"?

As if that wasn't enough, this is how he told the world of the news, via Twitter (where else?):

NBA tv invited me to be a draft analyst next week. I will be working with Kenny Smith and Steve Smith. Yes I will have a shirt on.

Continue reading...

Remember the name Nigel Williams-Goss

How often do you see it?

A high school player entering his senior season leaves the school he has attended for three years to go to a "basketball academy", where he can focus on his skills on the court and his grades in the classroom.

It happens all the time. Think about how often you see names like Oak Hill Academy (Carmelo Anthony, Michael Beasley, Ty Lawson) or Montrose Christian Academy (Kevin Durant, Greivis Vazquez) associated with some of the best players in the country.

One of the newest basketball academies has popped up in Henderson, Nevada. Findlay Prep is essentially a basketball program financed by a UNLV booster named Cliff Findlay. Players that go to Findlay live in a house owned by the booster and all attend class, on a scholarship provided by Findlay, at the Henderson International School.

Why do I bring this up now?

Because Findlay Prep just landed their first four-year player.

Nigel Williams-Goss is widely considered one of, if not the, best players in the class of 2013. Currently standing 6'2", 165 lb, Williams-Goss, who is 14, is in the middle of his second season playing for Ime Udoka's I-5 Elite U-17 AAU team.

Nigel Williams-Goss is considered the best rising high school freshman in the country.
(photo credit: OregonLive)

He was set to attend Clackamas High School, but he and his parents decided that it would be best for them and best for Williams-Goss as a player to attend Findlay for four years.

From the Portland Tribune:

“Once the scholarship was offered, it was an easy call,” Virgil Williams-Goss says. “From an academic standpoint as well as athletically, there is not a better situation for Nigel.

“A lot of people have tried to tell me the things that Nigel could do in Oregon as far as records and all that, but they’re not important to me. I want him to continue to grow as a player. I didn’t think he would grow at the pace I would like playing against the local competition.”

Nigel says he doesn’t have mixed emotions about the decision.

“I know it’s the best thing for me,” he says. “I still have strong feelings for Clackamas. I love all the coaches there, and I know it kind of hurts them, but it was the right decision for me to help me get to where I want to go.”

I'm sure your initial reaction to hearing this news was the same as mine - a 14 year old being sent to a basketball factory?!? Isn't that just a bit too young? He can't drive, vote, or legally look at internet porn yet, and you going to send him off to a school in the middle of nowhere in Nevada where he will spend all day living in, essentially, a dorm with a bunch of older kids, with nothing to do but go to class and go play basketball? That won't ruin this kid's childhood?

Normally, I would agree with that sentiment. For starters, I loved high school basketball. Playing with kids you grew up with in front of a packed gym of friends and family against your hometown's biggest rival ... sports in their purest form. Some of my greatest memories (both good and bad) come from high school hoops.

Texas-recruit Avery Bradley cuts down the nets after
Findlay won the National High School Championship.
(photo credit: ESPN)

You don't want to see a 14 year old miss out on those memories because he wanted to get the jump on his chase of NBA riches.

And that doesn't even take into consideration the possibility of academic fraud, illegal benefits, or recruiting violations (hey, Nevada is the home of Vegas and Cliff Findlay is a booster for UNLV. I'm just sayin').

So, yes, as I said before, I would normally be appalled by this decision.

But I am not.

Why not?

Because Williams-Goss is a different kind of kid. He has a 4.0 GPA. He is fluent in Chinese. He is, by all accounts, a dedicated, hard-worker committed to being the best at everything he does.

And he won't be living in the dorm.

His parents will be moving from Oregon to Nevada and Williams-Goss will be living with them.

Not exactly like freshman year of college, huh.

But the most important issue is that it is, in fact, what is best for this kid as a basketball player. The fact of the matter is that when you are the cream of the high school athletic crop, if you are still playing in your local high school's public league, there is no chance that you are facing the kind of talent that will challenge you on a consistent basis.

Not in games. Not in practices. Sure, there may be a couple of other D1 prospects in the area, but if this kid lives up to his reputation, he would have been the best player in Oregon by the end of his sophomore year. How much is he really going to develop going against point guards like this (the video is of Kevin Love, also from Oregon, breaking a backboard in a high school game)?

At Findlay Prep, not only will he be going up against the best in the country every game, but every day in practice as well.

Given the fact that this youngster seems to have his head screwed on pretty straight and will be taking his education (at the least) semi-seriously, I think that he is making a good move here.

Anyway, here is an interview with Nigel. He is quite a well-spoken and intelligent young man, and sure carries himself well.



Continue reading...

Essence in Rome: The Brandon Jennings Mixtape

Obviously, this is a mixtape, so it is going to highlight his, well, highlights, and ignore his flaws. But watching this you can really see that Brandon Jennings has some serious talent. Some of his crossovers are absolutely vicious (at 1:55 some poor Euro-sucker gets abused), and he can clearly lead a break.

Again, take this for what it is worth, as it is a mixtape.

But who doesn't love a good mixtape.



Continue reading...

NBA Draft Prospects: DaJuan Summers, Georgetown

Stats: 13.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2.6 t/o's, 1.1 spg, 47.4% FG, 38.5% 3PT, 71.3% FT

Listed Size: 6'8", 241 lb, 1/24/1988 (21 years old)

(photo credit: Flickr)

About Him: DaJuan Summers has the physical tools to be a solid NBA player. He is a strong 6'8" with a huge wingspan (7'2") and an above average athlete. He is the kind of player that could cause match-up nightmares for NBA teams, being that he is big enough to play in the post (on both ends of the floor) but also has the athleticism to play on the perimeter.

The issue with Summers is not his athleticism, it is his game. Right now, he really only has one skill that is NBA ready, and that is his jump shot, specifically his stand-still three. Summers hit 38.5% of his threes this past season, but according to Synergy Sports, almost 50% of his catch-and-shoot threes were taken with a hand in his face. The difference in his percentages are startling - 14/54 when contested, 27/60 when open.

This can tell us two things. First, Summers is a very good catch-and-shoot guy. But more importantly, it exemplifies one of the biggest cons against Summers - his decision making. Playing in an offense like Georgetown's, Summers should not be taking 20% of all his shots from three with a hand in his face.

Summers just is not a very efficient player - he averaged .96 PPP over all, 1.16 PPP finishing at the rim, and just 1.3 apg vs. 2.6 t/o's. It isn't just a case of efficiency, it seems to be a matter of decision making. Summers often forced drives to the rim, which resulted in tough shots at the rim or tough pull-ups (which he does not shoot at a very good slip).

Summers has a ton of potential on the offensive end, but he is still a long way from fulfilling that potential. Outside of his jumper, he does not do much well offensively. He is not a great ball handler (although he did show an ability to get to the rim on straight line drives), he does not have much of a post game, and when he isn't shooting from a standstill, he is not very effective.

Defensively, it is tough to know how good Summers will be as G'Town played quite a bit of zone. He looked a bit lazy at times during his Hoya career, but, like his offensive game, his athleticism and tools give him a lot of potential.

Comparisons: Best Case: Tim Thomas, Donyell Marshall; Worst Case: James Jones.

Bottom Line: It is all going to come down to work for Summers. Will he put in the effort to become an effective player in the league? If he does, his mismatch potential could allow him to be one of those guys that hangs around for a while.

Highlights:





Continue reading...

Thursday Morning Dump

- Is Lance Stephenson headed to Europe? Maybe so.

- Momo Jones to visit Arizona and Florida.

- CJ Aiken, the #4 center in the class of 2010, is headed to St. Joe's.

- BYU coach Dave Rose has pancreatic cancer.

- USC to interview Reggie Theus.

- NBA Draft video diary with Jonny Flynn.

- Texas, Ohio State, and Florida generated the most money from college sports last season. Each brought in over $100 million, with Texas leading the way at $120.3.

- Akron coach Keith Dambrot gets a two year extension to 2016.

- Getting caught up with the happenings on the U-19 and World University Games rosters.

- Interview with Ricky Rubio.

- Top 10 moments in Sports Blog history.

- In all major league baseball, there are just 26 guys with college degrees.

- Paramedics drop an injured soccer player on the pitch.

- That's a pretty cool trick.

- MMA reporter gets choked out during an interview.



- Models, in their underwear ... on roller coasters?


Continue reading...

Drew Gordon of UCLA tears knee ligament

I'm not sure how much more difficult things could be on Ben Howland right now.

For the second straight season, he will be losing a ton of talent from his roster. After Kevin Love, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and Russell Westbrook bolted for the pros in 2008, Howland loses essentially his entire starting line-up this off-season as Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, and Alfred Aboya graduated and Jrue Holiday made the leap to the league.

With a roster that will be obscenely young (Michael Roll, James Keefe, and Nikola Dragovic are the only players that will see minutes that aren't freshmen or sophomores), Howland will have to depend heavily on some of the sophomores that saw minutes as freshmen in leadership roles.

That task just got more difficult as Drew Gordon, a 6'8" forward that averaged 3.6 ppg and 3.4 rpg in 10.9 mpg and was projected to start as a sophomore, injured his knee on Tuesday. The injury was suffered during the 2009 USA U19 team trials in Colorado Springs.

Gordon apparently partially tore the patellar tendon in his right knee. It is not yet known exactly how serious the injury is, whether surgery will be required, and how long Gordon will be out of commission.

But I can tell you one thing: anytime "tear" and "knee" are involved in the same sentence, it is not a good sign.

If Gordon is not ready to go by the start of the season, expect Keefe, sophomore J'Mison Morgan, and freshmen Brendan Lane and Reeves Nelson to compete for the minutes.

Continue reading...

"This is why Tubby don't work in Kentucky no more"

That quote right there is a comment from Bsquared-2 on a blog post from Gary Parrish.

The post is about Tubby Smith's decision to not hold an Elite Camp at Minnesota this summer. If you don't know what an Elite Camp is, read this.

Essentially, this is how it works. A school will host a basketball camp during the summer with the sole intention of getting the top 10 or 20 or 50 kids they are recruiting onto their campus. They then pay the recruit's AAU coach, father, brother, or someone else with influence over the recruit a large sum of money to come speak at or work the camp. The understanding is that some of that money goes into the pocket of the person of influence (usually the AAU coach), while some of that money is to be used to assure that the player can get on campus for the camp.

How else would 16 and 17 year old kids be able to afford to fly all over the country during the summer?

Brothers Will and Antonio Barton, from Baltimore, committed
To Memphis after the Tiger's Elite Camp.
(photo credit: Commercial Appeal)

The craziest part of all is that this is perfectly legal. The NCAA cannot regulate who the school hires for its camps, the same way it cannot regulate who the school hires as a coach. Furthermore, they cannot regulate how much the school pays these "employees" so long as they are relatively similar across the board (i.e. if UConn hires both myself and Brandon Knight's AAU coach to work their Elite Camp, we both better be making $1,000, or $3,000, or whatever it is the Huskies staff decides to pay).

$3,000 minus travel expenses does not sound like a huge payday, until you consider the fact that each school can hire these guys multiple times during the summer. If an AAU coach works two camps each at ten different schools recruiting one of his players, that is a quick $60,000 into that coaches pocket (and god knows how much into the players pocket).

But, again, this is all legal.

And everyone does it.

It is part of what makes a great basketball coach, finding the loopholes in the rules that allow you to throw a little money around and get the top recruits and their families/inner circles onto your campus.

Like it or not, this is how recruiting at the big-time programs work. It is how you land players that will win you national titles.

And Tubby Smith doesn't believe in it. After running Elite Camps in his first two summers at Minnesota (the 2007 Elite Camp he ran at Minnesota was his first - he said he never had one at Kentucky), Smith and the Gophers will not be hosting any this summer. From the Big Ten Network:

There's been some concerns as coaches with kids that are traveling that far for a day or two-day elite camp. We don't want anything to suggest that there's any type of (wrongdoing). But I think the best way to be is to be a guy that says we're going to do it this other way (to host only day, overnight and team camps). An elite camp is legal. I think guys are doing the right things, but there are some things that can look like they're not, so you have to be real careful.

While it may not be the smartest decision given the nature of his profession, it is quite a noble gesture.

Tubby Smith is breaking trend and not hosting an Elite Camp at Minnesota.
(photo credit: Twin Cities Daily Photo)

And one of the reasons he was run out of Lexington.

Which brings me to Bsquared-2's point.

All told, Tubby did not have a bad run while at the helm of the Wildcats. But he was not landing blue-chip recruits. As we have said so many times on this blog, successful recruiting is the biggest key to a successful program. Since he wasn't landing the cream of the recruiting crop on a consistent basis, he was not hanging banners which is, when it comes down to it, what they care about in Big Blue Nation.

Tubby will continue to nobly run his Minnesota program, and, as he did at Kentucky, he will continue to compete atop the conference and make NCAA Tournaments, with an occasional Sweet 16 or Elite 8 run mixed in. Those results are perfectly OK at a school like Minnesota.

But they are not at a school like Kentucky.

As Bsquared-2 so aptly put it, "This is why Tubby don't work in Kentucky no more". Continue reading...

NBA Draft Prospects: Darren Collison, UCLA

Stats: 14.4 ppg, 4.7 apg, 1.6 spg, 2.5 t/o's, 50.9% FG, 39.2% 3PT, 89.7% FT

Listed Size: 6'1", 165 lb, 8/23/1987 (21 years old)

(photo credit: Achievement Journal)

About Him: A lot of people questioned Darren Collison for going back to school for his senior season. He had already been to three Final Fours and every in the country recognized him as one of the best point guards around. How much more could he really prove to NBA scouts?

For the most part, we knew who and what Collison was as a player. Offensively, he really doesn't do anything spectacularly, but he does everything well. He's quick enough to get by his man and into the lane. He is a good finisher around the rim, using a variety of floaters and short pull-ups when he can't get all the way to the bucket. He's a good three point shooter (the 53% he shot as a junior came back to earth his senior year - 39%), but oddly enough he seems to be more comfortable shooting off the dribble. He doesn't have the quickest release in the world, but when he does get his feet set he can knock them out pretty consistently.

The place he really improved as a senior was with his pull-up jumper. Collison used to be a guy that would only shoot a three or go to the rim. This season, he showed some ability in the mid-range game, knocking down 15 foot pull-ups regularly. This is an important shot to have for an NBA point guard, as finishing at the rim is much more difficult with 7 footers on every team.

Collision had his best season yet as a playmaker, averaging 4.7 apg with an almost 2:1 a/to ratio. But Collison does not really project as a play-making point guard at the next level. While he is good at breaking down his defender, he is not great at drawing extra defenders and finding an open man.

What he does do well is control the game. Collison can get a team into their offense, he won't turn the ball over, and he can run a team. This is important, because Collison does not look to be a starter down the road, but rather a back-up.

Collison's biggest effect on the game comes on the defensive end. He is an extremely pesky defender that will be able to harass most NBA point guards. He also has excellent timing and anticipation, and showed a knack for getting into passing lanes and forcing turnovers.

Comparisons: Best Case: Chris Duhon, Mario Chalmers.

Bottom Line: Collison's a great possession point guard and a very good defender. While he is not great on the offensive end, he projects as an excellent candidate to have an extended career as a back-up in the league.

Highlights:





Continue reading...

Wednesday Morning Dump

- The trial of Karen Sypher, Rick Pitino's alleged extorter, has been pushed back six weeks.

- Top 25's: Andy Katz, Gary Parrish, BIAH.

- Rutgers player is skipping senior year to play pro ball in Europe. The catch? Its Epiphanny Prince, a star for the women's team.

- Mick Cronin signed a two year extension. So did Oliver Purnell.

- Candidates for the USC coaching job.

- Tweet of the day?

- Maryland out of Lance Stephenson sweepstakes.

- Duke's Olek Czyz had minor knee surgery.

- Yup, Sammy Sosa tested positive for steroids. Surprised? Will Congress come after him for perjury?

- Great story about a high school soccer player whose heart stopped on the field.

- Knee to the face. Awesome.

- Is this real? I mean, its gotta be, right? Can they fake that? If it is real, can someone get that kid a scholarship?



Continue reading...

The SEC is going to be pretty damn good

There were a lot of teams that can be considered "winners" now that we have concluded the early entry process.

• Maryland gets Greivis Vazquez back, which puts them in the hunt for another NCAA Tournament berth, gives Gary Williams at least two more years at the helm of the Terps, and makes passing on Lance Stephenson not seem like a big deal.
• Notre Dame will slide into the conversation atop the Big East as they get back Luke Harangody and add transfers Ben Hansbrough and Scott Martin.
• Texas looks like a Final Four team with Dexter Pittman and Damion James both back in Austin.
  
• Miami and Georgia Tech will be able to contend for NCAA Tournament berths with Dwayne Collins and Gani Lawal, respectively, back on campus.
• Villanova was probably already a top 10-15 team, but with Scottie Reynolds back in the fold, they are the early favorite in the Big East.
  
• I could even be convinced teams like Kansas (Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich), Iowa State (Craig Brackins), and West Virginia (Da'Sean Butler, Devin Ebanks) were winners simply because these players did not enter the draft in the first place.
  

But the real winner in all of this?

The SEC.

Last year, the conference was pathetic. Without as much as a top 25 team for most of the season, the SEC sent just three schools to the NCAA tournament, none of them higher than an 8 seed (LSU). One of those three teams (Mississippi State) was a 13 seed after clinching a bid by winning the conference tournament.

But things are looking up, as the SEC as a whole lost just two players to early entry (Nick Calathes, who signed with a Greek team, and Jodie Meeks).

Now, there are two ways to look at this. The reason that the SEC got so many people back is that they simply did not have all that much talent in the league last year. Only two guys (Calathes and Patrick Patterson) were even projected as potential first rounders, so it isn't like they are getting a Michael Beasley or a Derrick Rose to stay an extra season.

The other way to look at it is that this means that the SEC is going to be a much better league in 2009-10. Let's take a look at who the winners and losers were in the league:

SEC East:

• Do I even need to address Kentucky? As far as early entries are concerned, Kentucky was a bit of a wash. Patrick Patterson returned, while Jodie Meeks stayed in the draft despite not being a first round lock (to be honest, I'd almost consider them a loser. Meeks would have been much more valuable, because of his shooting ability, than Patterson, who will lead a loaded frontcourt). But with Coach Cal, John Wall, and everyone else headed to Lexington, the Wildcats will still be loaded next year.
  
• Tennessee returns basically their entire roster, capped off by the surprise decision of Tyler Smith to return to the Vols. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Tennessee will have some of the same issues they had last season - too many athletes, not enough skilled players/shooters, and only one (talented yet inconsistent) point guard on the roster. The only addition that Tennessee made was Kenny Hall, who definitely helps solidify the Vols front court depth. If Bruce Pearl can get this team to put it all together, they have the talent to be a top 10 team.
• South Carolina caught a couple of breaks as Dominique Archie and Devan Downey both decided to return to school. Archie had been adamant that he was just going through the motions, and his intent was to head back to school the entire time. Downey, for a while, looked as if he could follow Calathes to Europe, but in the end decided to return to school. A core of Downey, Archie, and big men Mike Holmes and Evaldus Banilius should be enough for the Gamecocks to make a run at the NCAA Tournament.
• Florida is pretty much the only team in the conference that can be considered a loser coming out of the early entry process after Calathes signed with Greek club Panathiakos. But the Gators did catch a break when Alex Tyus decided not follow Jai Lucas and transfer out of Gainesville. So with the addition of Kenny Boynton, an excellent defender and scorer, to play in the backcourt along side Erving Walker combined with the continued maturation of Donovan's last two recruiting classes, Florida should find themselves in the conversation for a tournament bid at season's end.
  

SEC West:

• LSU was one of the bigger surprises in the country last season, but it is pretty safe to say that the Tigers will fall off this season. They lose Marcus Thornton, Chris Johnson, and Garrett Temple, three senior starters that combined to play over 90 minutes a game. With not much depth last season and without much of a recruiting class coming in, the Tigers looked to be in trouble. But they caught a break when Tasmin Mitchell decided to return to Baton Rouge. With an inside-outside combination of Bo Spencer and Mitchell, LSU should at least be competitive in the SEC.
• The Mississippi State Bulldogs had just about as lucky of an off-season as you can have. First, center and shot-blocker extraordinaire Jarvis Varnado decided to return to school. Then, two talented and unwanted recruits, Renardo Sidney and John Riek, happened to fall into the lap of Rick Stansbury. MSU already had a solid backcourt/perimeter with Dee Bost, Ravern Johnson, Barry Stewart, and Phil Turner coming back. So if Riek can get healthy (question mark) and Sidney can get eligible (bigger question mark), the Bulldogs could be looking at an SEC West title and another trip to the dance.
• Arkansas was terrible last season. They were the last place team in what was by far the worst major conference in the country. But that doesn't mean there isn't talent on this roster. Courtney Fortson put up great numbers (14.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.9 apg) when he wasn't suspended. Rotnei Clarke can light it up from deep with the best of them. Stefan Welsh is one of the more underrated guards in the league. When Michael Washington decided to return to Fayettesville, it gave Arkansas enough talent to make some noise in the conference. While it may not be enough to get them dancing, it should be enough to get them out of the cellar.
• Can you consider Ole Miss a loser? Sure, leading scorer David Huertas left school to play pro ball in Puerto Rico. But the Rebel's 2009 season ended as poorly as it did because three key players (Chris Warren, Trevor Gaskins, Eniel Polynice) suffered season-ending knee injuries. With those three back in the mix (especially the speedy Chris Warren), Ole Miss should be much better.
  

Even the teams that didn't have anyone even declare for the draft are expected to be much better. Vanderbilt returns everyone, including AJ Ogilvy and Jermaine Beal, while adding a top 20 recruit in John Jenkins. Alabama hired Anthony Grant to replace the fired Mark GotFired Gottfried, and while they lose Alonzo Gee, the Tide still brings back four starters, including JaMychal Green.

So while the SEC is not going to be the 2009 Big East, expect more than three teams to be dancing in 2010.

Continue reading...

NBA Draft Prospects: Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

Stats: 20.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.0 apg, 1.9 t/o's, 51.4% FG, 84.1% FT, 39.1% 3PT

Listed Size: 6'9", 230 lb, 11/3/1985 (23 years old)



About Him: If you read this site, then I'm certain you already know and have formed your own conclusions regarding Hansbrough and his potential as an NBA player. Personally, I think Hansbrough is going to have a decent career as a role-playing type.

Hansbrough is a fairly unique player. Some guys survive simply because they are incredible athletes; other guys are just that talented or fundamentally sound; still others can get by because they are exceptional at one thing. Hansbrough gets by on effort and work ethic. He is going to beat you down the floor, or out hustle you to get to an offensive rebound, or out work you to get position on the block.

That's not to say that Hansbrough isn't a skilled player - you don't put up the numbers he did just because you play hard. He has some decent post moves, but nothing too advanced. His go-to move in the paint is a half-jump-hook, half-turn-around that he can hit going over either shoulder. He probably won't be able to effectively score in isolations situations on the block in the league, however. He got a lot of his points simply because he was stronger than the guys he was going up against, using the strength to go through a defender and draw a foul. That won't be the case in the NBA.

On the defensive side of the ball, there are more question marks. Hansbrough does not have the length required to be a shut-down defender in the post, and one of the biggest knocks on him is his relative lack of athleticism. But Hansbrough tested out better than expected at the combine. More importantly, Hansbrough is the kind of guy that will work hard. When it comes down to it, the willingness to put in the effort defensively is just as, if not more, important than any other tool in projecting how good of a defender a prospect will be.

The one thing Hansbrough really improved upon this past season was the range on his jumper. While he didn't shoot many, he was a threat to knock down a three ball. Being able to knock down an 18 footer will be huge for him. He does not really project as an offensive threat in the pros (at least not on the same level as he was in college), so being able to hit that shot would force defenses to keep honest.

Comparisons: Best Case: Brandon Bass, Paul Millsap, Charles Oakley (stretch); Worst Case: Mark Madsen, Brian Cardinal.

Bottom Line: Hansbrough is a proven winner and a workaholic. He's not the kind of guy that is going to be a cancer in the locker room. While his star potential is not going to be too high, he could carve himself out a nice little career if he lands in the right place.

Highlights:





Continue reading...

Post Early-Entry Deadline Top 25

#1 Kansas: This is a 27 win team that returns everyone significant, including former champions Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, while adding three top 50 recruits, including potential superstar Xavier Henry.

#2 Kentucky: Kentucky is one of the tougher teams to project this year. They are extremely young, and a lot of times it takes a coach a year or two to adapt a program to his system. It is different for Cal, however, as he already has "his guys" on the roster, and the fact of the matter is that UK has three guys that are probably 2010 first-rounders.

#3 Texas: Texas was one of the early entry big winners as they got Damion James back, meaning their dominant front line will remain virtually intact. They also fill in a lot of holes in their back court with Florida transfer Jai Lucas and freshman Jordan Hamilton and Avery Bradley coming into the program.

#4 Michigan State: A lot of times these preseason polls weigh too heavily on freshman (ahem, Kentucky). Michigan State loses a couple key guys in Goran Suton and Travis Walton, but they bring back everyone else, including Kalin Lucas and a healthy Raymar Morgan. Put those two together with the young and talented wings Izzo has (Korie Lucious, Chris Allen, Durrell Summers), and the Spartans look good to win another Big Ten title.

#5 Villanova: The Wildcats bring back a ton of backcourt depth (which you know Jay Wright loves), and adds a loaded recruiting class. With Scottie Reynolds returning, Villanova also keeps their leader and look to be the favorite in a watered down Big East this season.

#6 Purdue: Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore, and JaJuan Johnson will all be juniors this year, and Purdue will also keep Keaton Grant and Chris Kramer for their senior campaigns. If Kramer and Hummel can stay healthy all season, the Boilermakers should be able to contend with MSU for the Big Ten crown.

#7 North Carolina: The Tar Heels will have a loaded front court again this year, as Ed Davis and Deon Thompson return, Tyler Zeller comes back from his wrist injury, and John Hensen and the Wear twins enter the program. This issue is going to be in their back court. Can sophomore Larry Drew and freshman Dexter Strickland adequately replace Ty Lawson?

#8 Butler: The Bulldogs return their entire team from last season. Shelvin Mack and Gordon Hayward will only get better in their sophomore years, Matt Howard is a horse in the paint, and guys like Willie Veasley and Ronald Nored are much better role players than they get credit for. With Xavier, Memphis, and Gonzaga all down this season, the Bulldogs will be the mid-major torch carriers.

#9 West Virginia: The 'Neers got lucky when Devin Ebanks decided to return to school, who combined with Da'Sean Butler will form one of the toughest forward combinations in the country. Joe Mazzulla, who is coming off of a shoulder injury, and Truck Bryant will make up a solid backcourt, and, like any Huggins team, WVU has a ton of athletes along their front line. If someone can step up and replace Alex Ruoff's shooting, WVU looks like they will be the second best team in the league.

#10 Washington: The Huskies return Isaiah Thomas and replace Justin Dentmon with Abdul Gaddy, which will form a dynamic backcourt. Losing Jon Brockman will hurt, but his replacements will be able to get out and run the floor more, something Lorenzo Romar will want to do with his backcourt. They should walk through the Pac-10 this year.

#11 Duke: Duke got Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer back, but lost Gerald Hendrson to the draft. Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee should help shore up the Blue Devils front line. They still have point guard issues, but if Nolan Smith can get better and Elliot Williams can step up and replace Henderson's production, Coach K's team should be headed for another 25-30 win season.

#12 Tennessee: This is a bit of wishful thinking. The Vols got Tyler Smith back which means hey essentially return thier entire core. But unless Bobby Maze becomes a true point guard, and some of Tennessee's young studs (Cam Tatum, Scottie Hopson) mature and learn to play ball, this ranking will look silly at year's end.

#13 Clemson: The Tigers lose a lot, but with Trevor Booker (who should be a monster this year) and Demontez Stitt (one of the most underrated guards int he ACC) returning and a solid recruiting class (including Kenny Hall Trevor Booker's brother), Clemson should have enough to make some noise in the ACC.

#14 Minnesota: The Golden Gophers will be led by seniors Lawrence Westbrook and Damian Johnson, who will be surrounded by a wealth of young talent. They also add Royce White, a top 25 recruit, into the mix. Once again they will be balanced, but I worry about a go-to scorer for this group. When Tubby Smith needs a basket, who does the ball go to?

#15 UConn: The Huskies lose a lot of talent, but they also return a great deal. Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker make up a solid back court and Stanley Robinson could turn into a star this season. The Huskies also add a very good recruiting class, as Calhoun landed three top 75 recruits. The key is going to be whether or not Ater Majok will be eligible. If he is not, then UConn will not haveenough size inside.

#16 Dayton
#17 Oklahoma
#18 Ohio State
#19 Cal
#20 Michigan
#21 Georgetown
#22 Louisville
#23 Oklahoma State
#24 Georgia Tech
#25 Illinois


Continue reading...

Tuesday Morning Dump

- Draft Express with the latest NBA Draft rumors.

- What does Greivis Vazquez returning do for Maryland's shot at getting Lance Stephenson.

- Brandon Jennings kind of takes back what he said about Ricky Rubio.

- The curse of the #2 pick.

- Roy Williams is writing an autobiography.

- The 16 year old high school baseball player that SI put on their cover is leaving two years early from high school to get his GED, attend a JuCo, and be the first pick in next year's draft.

- I should have gone to Cambridge.

- Joe Buck's HBO show was kind of funny.


Continue reading...

Losing Meeks to the NBA will hurt Kentucky more than you think, but he made the right decision

Everyone in Big Blue Nation had already scripted their fate.

Billy Gillispie had been replaced by John Calipari. Coach Cal had brought a number of his recruits with him to Lexington, landing one of the best recruiting classes in recent memory. Then Cal managed to convince a potential lottery pick in Patrick Patterson to come back to school.

All that was left to do was to wait for Jodie Meeks to come to his senses and pull out of the draft, setting up the Wildcats with the inside track to their eighth title.

It a bit of a surprising move yesterday, Meeks decided to remain in the draft.

Now I know what you are thinking. Meeks was an all-american guard that averaged 23.7 ppg in the SEC. Should I really be surprised that he went pro in this day and age?

Yes, considering where he is being projected by NBA scouts.

Jodie Meeks has played his last game in Rupp.
(photo credit: UKFan.net)

Meeks is far from a first round lock, and there is even some talk that he could go undrafted (which, in my opinion, is highly unlikely. Why can't he be the next Michael Redd?). There is no question that Meeks is an outstanding shooter that can bury some tough jumpers, but what about the rest of his game? He is a bit on the small side for a two-guard (6'4"), and while he is strong enough to play in the league, he is not an NBA level athlete. He is not all that quick or explosive, and he doesn't have enough length to make up for it.

Think JJ Redick or Trajan Langdan.

So Meeks is leaving Kentucky, most likely without a first round guarantee. He is leaving behind a chance to be a pre-season all-american and the face of the #1 team in the country (who also has the most rabid fan base). With the talent on this Wildcat roster, if Cal had kept Meeks on campus, there would not have been a single writer in the country that did not have UK winning it all.

Tell me again, why did Meeks make a good decision?

Because this was a career move. There is no denying that this is a weak draft class. With the number of potential first rounders that went back to school (Patterson, Cole Aldrich, Al-Farouq Aminu, Craig Brackins, the list goes on and on), and the strength of next season's freshman class (John Wall, Derrick Favors, John Henson, Avery Bradley), Meeks was almost assured to fall out of the first round.

Hell, there are three, possibly four, players on the UK roster (Wall, Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton) that would likely be selected higher than Meeks in the 2010 draft.

With all the talent, all the bravado, and the I-need-more-shots mentality that will be inhabiting the UK roster next year, there was no chance Meeks would have been able to put up the numbers he did this season. His draft stock could probably never be higher than it is right now, which is perfect given the weak draft class this year.

As much as you may enjoy watching these "amateurs", the one thing that needs to be kept in mind is that these kids are developing a skill that they are going to use to make a living. If your best chance at earning a guaranteed, seven figure contract is to enter the draft early - even if it means leaving behind titles and all-american honors - then by all means do it.

What's the saying? Strike while the iron's hot?

But this is a college basketball blog, so we are more worried about ... college basketball. Losing Meeks will hurt Kentucky a lot more than you think. For starters, the Wildcats will now have a backcourt rotation almost entirely made up of newcomers. As good as Wall, Eric Bledsoe, and Darnell Dodson may be, senior leadership is important, especially when so many freshman are involved.

Coach Cal and his four star freshman.
(photo credit: Jersey Chaser)

There is a bigger issue. The past two seasons, one of the biggest knocks on Coach Cal's Memphis teams has been the inability to consistently knock down perimeter shots. Yes, Cal runs the Dribble-Drive Motion offense which is predicated on the ability of the perimeter players to break down a defender.

But the Wildcats have a ton of size inside, and two electric freshman point guards. How many times a game will the combination of Wall and Bledsoe beat their defenders and get into the lane? The defense is either going to rotate correctly, which will result in open looks from deep, or they try and prevent the three from happening by staying home on the shooters, thus opening up passing lanes to the big guys.

Wouldn't have it been nice having Meeks, a 23.7 ppg scorer and all-american, out beyond the three point line, lining up open look after open look?

Now, this isn't to say that Kentucky won't be good this season. They probably still have the talent to be a top five team.

But would UNC have been the unanimous preseason favorite if Wayne Ellington had stayed in the draft?

Continue reading...

Final day to pull out of the NBA Draft

This weekend, we learned that Gani Lawal is headed back to Georgia Tech, Damion James is returning to Texas, Tyler Smith will be back in Knoxville, South Carolina got a pair back, and Jrue Holiday will be staying in the draft.

So who are we still waiting on?

- Jodie Meeks: Staying in the draft.

- Ater Majok: Going back to school.

- Austin Daye: Staying in the draft.

- Luke Harangody: Going back to school.

- Jeff Teague: Staying in the draft.

- Greivis Vazquez: Going back to school.

- Chinemelu Elonu: Staying in the draft.

- Brian Davis and Donald Sloan: Going back to school.

Keep checking back here for updates. The deadline to withdraw is 5pm.

Continue reading...

GANI LAWAL IS HEADING BACK TO GEORGIA TECH: Paul Hewitt got some great news on Sunday as Gani Lawal decided to return the Yellow Jackets for his junior campaign. Lawal looked like he had a shot of being a late first rounder, but apparently realized he still needs to great deal of work on his skill set and his understanding of the game before he is ready for the league.

How often do you hear that?

Lawal's decision to come back gives Tech what could turn into the best frontcourt in the ACC. Joining Lawal up front will be senior Zachary Peacock and two freshman, top 100 recruit Kammeon Holsey and Derrick Favors, considered by some to be the best recruit in the country.

Tech also gets back guards Iman Shumpert, Moe Miller, and DeAndre Bell (who is recovering from surgery to repair spinal stenosis, the disease TJ Ford had). Also in the mix in the backcourt will be two freshmen, point guard Mfon Udofia and shooter Glen Rice Jr, both top 50 recruits.

What does all of that mean?

The Ramblin' Wreck will be good next season. How good? Probably not quite top 10, like the Atlanta Journal Constitution believes, but definitely good enough to make a run at the top of the ACC.

Continue reading...

Monday Morning Dump

- Jim Calhoun crashed his bike during a charity bike ride, breaking five ribs. He finished the last 16 miles before collapsing from exhaustion. He has since been released from the hospital.

- Calhoun also expects Ater Majok to return to school.

- Brandon Jennings called Ricky Rubio overrated. Then he went and outplayed Jonny Flynn in front of the Warriors.

- Providence lands top 100 recruit from class of 2010.

- Billy Donovan hung out with Lions and swam with sharks.

- Tyler Hansbrough calls out bloggers? The Big Lead goes after a Philly columnist who went ripped apart blogging.

- San Diego's Brandon Johnson got an extra year of eligibility.

- New Ameica East travel policy. If you have a game less than 200 miles away, you cannot spend the night there.

- 16,000 word rant against the University of Houston baseball coach. The font and color changes are what makes this gold.

- All that is wrong with college sports.

- Nascar racism.

- Best facial hair in sports.

- Shaq's twitter after last night's Laker win.

- Any chance this is real?



Continue reading...

EARLY ENTRY DECISIONS: We already mentioned the fact that Damion James has decided to return to Texas, but two other fence sitters announced their intentions today.

• Devan Downey has decided to follow teammate Dominique Archie back to Columbia for his senior year. With Archie and Downey back in uniform, the Gamecocks should compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
• No surprise here, as Jrue Holiday will hire an agent and remain in the draft. He is expected ot go in the lottery.
  

And here is the rest of it. Continue reading...

Early 2010 title favorites: Kentucky, Kansas, and ... Texas?

Yes, Texas.

Especially now that Damion James has decided to return to Austin for his senior season. He was a borderline first round pick, but really needs to improve on his ability to play the perimeter before he merits a guaranteed contract.

So once again, the Longhorns are going to be stacked across their front line. It starts with Dexter Pittman, Rick Barnes' gargantuan center who is already returning for his senior year. Pittman was one of the most improved players in all of college basketball last season. The 6'10" center was a force in the paint by season's end, but the problem was endurance - he scored 10.1 ppg and grabbed 5.5 rpg in just 16.6 mpg. Another off-season of conditioning should mean that Pittman can play major minutes. We could be looking at a first team all Big XII performer.

How good Dexter Pittman can be will depend on how good of shape he is in.
(photo credit: USA Today)

Alongside Pittman will be the versatile James, who can play both forward positions, although given the wealth of talent that Texas is bringing in along the perimeter, I would expect James to play the four quite a bit more often than he did this past season. Coming off the bench will be Gary Johnson, who is one of the most underrated players in the conference, and be sure to keep an eye on Clint Chapman, an active 6'10" center that showed some flashes as a sophomore.

If you saw the 'Horns play at all last season, than you should know that the front court is not where their issues were. The biggest problem they faced was the fact that they did not have a legitimate point guard on the roster.

Justin Mason, who did do a solid job when he was asked to run the point, is not a natural point guard. Dogus Balbay, while equally decent in his time as the lead guard, is such a poor shooter that at times the 'Horns were almost playing 4-on-5. AJ Abrams might have been the best point guard on the roster, but he was also really the only guy that could put up points as well.

Barnes solved that problem by landing Florida transfer Jai Lucas. Lucas averaged 8.5 ppg as a freshman, but left the school in November because he did not feel like he was going to get enough minutes, not with Nick Calathes and Erving Walker on the roster, and Billy Donovan bringing in Kenny Boynton this season.

Lucas will be eligible after the first semester.

Just as important is the freshman class that Barnes has landed. 6'3" guard Avery Bradley and 6'7" wing Jordan Hamilton are both consensus top 10 recruits. They should provide a nice scoring punch for the 'Horns from the wing, something they have really been lacking since the days of Kevin Durant.

And don't forget about Shawn Williams, a top 100 recruit himself (Rivals #67). Williams is another big wing (6'7"), who is known for his athleticism.

Last year, Texas relied a lot on a their defense and toughness to get by.

Why?

They were forced too. They just did not have the offensive firepower to put up points with the likes of Oklahoma and Kansas. As good as guys like James, Mason, and Johnson are, the fact remains that they aren't scorers first. They are role players, junkyard dogs by nature.

Bradley and Hamilton? Those guys are scorers. Lucas? He is a pure point guard.

So not only does Texas bring back their toughness, they add the offensive firepower that they were lacking last season.

By the end of the year, the Texas line-up will look something like this:

• G - Jai Lucas
• G - Justin Mason, Avery Bradley
  
• F - Jordan Hamilton, Gary Johnson
  
• F - Damion James
• C - Dexter Pittman
• Bench - Clint Chapman, Dogus Balbay, Shawn Williams, Varez Ward
  

There may not be a better top seven in the country.

Continue reading...

Who are we still waiting on?

Tyler Smith and Dominique Archie have both pulled their names out of the NBA Draft, which provides a huge boost to both schools.

So with four days left for players to return to school, who are the big names we are still waiting to hear from?

- Brian Davis, Chinemelu Elonu, and Donald Sloan, Texas A&M: None of these three guys seem likely to be drafted, and all three should return to school. Elonu is probably the best bet to have a solid NBA career given his size, length, and athleticism. The Two Man Game even compared him Joakim Noah and Tyson Chandler, although I think Louis Admunson is a lot closer.

- Austin Daye, Gonzaga: Daye is in a tricky situation. There have been numerous reports about him - that his dad wants him to stay in the draft and that he has been promised in the top 20. Although he really could use another season in college to let his body (and his personality) mature enough to where he is ready for the league, can you really argue with being a top 20 pick and taking the guaranteed money. Reports yesterday have Daye staying in.

- Devan Downey, South Carolina: Downey would likely not be selected into the NBA, but reports have said that he is interested in doing the Euro route.

- Luke Harangody, Notre Dame: As Andy Katz writes, this is a tough decision for Harangody. He has a chance to be the best player ever at a school with a pretty solid basketball tradition. If he leaves now, odds are he won't be a first-rounder and may even end up in the D-League. 'Gody is exactly the kind of player that should come back to school, especially when you consider that Notre Dame, who returns Tory Jackson and Jonathon Peoples but, more importantly, add transfers Ben Hansbrough and Scott Martin, will be a good team next season.

- Damion James, Texas: James is a crapshoot. He has not impressed many teams thus far with his workouts, as reports have said he is settling too much for his jumper and not attacking the glass the way we have seen. James could probably use another season developing his perimeter game so he can play the wing in the pros, but there is a chance he is a first round pick. With James back, Texas probably vaults into the conversation as a sleeper for the Final Four with their returning front line and incoming freshman class.

- Jodie Meeks, Kentucky: Meeks, along with Harangody, will probably be a pre-season national player of the year candidate. Unlike Harangody, Meeks has an excellent chance of bringing home a national title next season. The biggest issue I can see arising is that Meeks, who is a borderline first round pick (more likely early second), is going to take a hit in his numbers playing a season with that much talent surrounding him. Does he want to risk it?

- Jeff Teague, Wake Forest: Teague was almost a lock to leave, as he has played his way well into the first round while drawing comparisons to solid role players like Louis Williams and Monta Ellis. But after spraining his MCL last week, Wake Forest fans should be hoping the injury, while not too serious, is enough to scare teams off and send Teague back to school.

- Greivis Vazquez, Maryland: Vazquez should return to College Park. He is not a first round pick, and may not even be drafted. He is simply not athletic enough for the NBA. But what if Maryland lands Lance Stephenson? Can two overpowering personalities co-exist on the same team, especially when both players want the ball in their hands every possession? Vazquez, with his dual citizenship, would be a valuable commodity overseas.


Continue reading...