Let's not blow DeMarcus Cousins' maturity out of proportion

If I were to ask you to put together an NBA mock draft, odds are pretty good that you would have John Wall going No. 1 to the Wizards with Evan Turner getting scooped up by the Sixers as the No. 2 pick.

Hell, that's what 90% of the basketball-watching world would have said even before we found out the draft order last Tuesday.

Wall is the kind of talent that can change the course of a franchise if that organization uses him correctly. Think Russell Westbrook with the passing ability of Deron Williams. If he can develop a jumper and a mid-range game at some point, he could very well be in the conversation as the best point guard in the NBA.

Evan Turner doesn't necessarily have the same upside as John Wall, but few players have come out of college with the kind of all-around game that Evan Turner has. He does have his limitations -- explosiveness, perimeter jumper -- but would anyone be surprised if Turner averaged 20, 8, and 5 over the next 12 years? Those are some pretty impressive numbers.

After that, the picture gets a little murkier. Will the Nets go with Derrick Favors? Will Al-Farouq Aminu or Wesley Johnson slide up into the three spot? Is there a chance any team like a Greg Monroe or an Ed Davis enough to trade up to get them?

With all those question marks, perhaps the biggest is the biggest player in this draft: DeMarcus Cousins.

(photo credit: Fotolox)

In terms of sheer talent, Cousins is as good as any big man in the draft. He's got the height -- and more importantly the length -- of an NBA center (Cousins' standing reach is 9'5", the highest in this draft class, and equal to taller prospects Hassan Whiteside, Solomon Alabi, and Jerome Jordan). He is checking in at just under 300 lbs, but he is nimble, mobile, and has excellent footwork. He has post moves, he has a soft touch, he can rebound the ball.

While its true that the big man, affectionately known as Boogie, could drop a couple of pounds -- something that almost assuredly will happen once he hits the NBA training -- it seems like the only knock on Cousins coming into this draft is maturity.

We've all seen it. The elbow to Jared Swopshire's head. The pouting on the bench. The attitude he had with his coaches.

Let's just say that DeMarcus Cousins didn't make it difficult for people to question his maturity. And, for the record, he really worked on keeping his emotions under control during the season. By the end of the year, Eric Bledsoe was probably the bigger head case than Cousins.

Its easy to blame Cousins for his attitude and his lack of maturity, but keep this in mind: Cousins is 19 years old.

19.

Think about what kind of dumb stuff you did when you were 19 years old. Think about the level of emotional maturity that you had when you were a freshman and sophomore in college. You never snapped at an authority figure? You never allowed your emotions to get the best of you? You never reacted poorly when things didn't go your way? Do you still act the same way now?

And I bet you weren't faced with the pressure of playing basketball on national television for a school and a state that is hoops-crazy.

At some point DeMarcus Cousins is going to have to grow up and develop the maturity that it takes to play in the league. Anyone that watched him all season long can tell you that he made some pretty impressive strides during this year alone. If he can continue that direction, Cousins has the physical tools that could eventually make him the best NBA player in this draft.

Why am I bring this up now?

Because over the weekend, Daniel Orton was quoted as saying this to reporters:

It's kind of like watching a little kid throw a temper tantrum. But it's a big little kid, so you've got to kind of control him before he gets way out of hand. He might hurt somebody, to tell you the truth. You definitely get out of the way if you can't handle him, if you can't stop him. One time I tried holding him back, and that was a mistake. I think he put a swim move on me.

Sounds like Orton really threw Cousins under the bus, right?

Well, not so much. Go to the one minute mark of this video to see the actual exchange:



Hearing Orton talk about Cousins, and hearing the context in which that quote was made, paints quite a different picture, does it not? Instead of being slightly terrified of ever crossing Cousins, doesn't Orton's quote leave you chuckling?

The bigger question I have is whether or not this kind of scrutiny is fair to Cousins. I understand that its part of the deal in this day and age. Any kid playing basketball at the high major level is going to be under a certain amount of media scrutiny. That scrutiny increases ten fold when you play at a school like Kentucky, for a coach like John Calipari, and enter the NBA Draft after your freshman year.

But it has to be difficult to grow up in the public eye. It can't be easy when teammates are getting questions about your maturity level, and their answers are chewed up and spit out by the blogs (and Big Blue Nation) regardless of the context of the quote.

You're telling me that wouldn't frustrate you?

Part of growing up is learning how to control and channel your emotions. Adults by nature are better at seeing the big picture, at brushing off small slights and focusing on the end game.

John Wall said it best:

People go through a lot of stages. I went through a stage [in high school] when I had an attitude problem, and I worked it out. That's the key [concern] a lot of people have about DeMarcus, but this year showed a lot of how mature he is.

Maybe we should all take a step beck and allow Cousins to get to that point.
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Monday Morning Dump

- Jay Bilas rips the NCAA Tournament (Insider)

- Daniel Orton doesn't do DeMarcus Cousins any favors at the combine

- Draft Express analyzes the draft combine's measurements

- Seth Curry: "I'm going to try to earn a stating spot"

- Will this guy just go away already

- Oregon assistant visited Kentucky

- UAB signs 7-footer and former UNLV center Beas Hamga

- Kevin Dillard of SIU tranfers to Dayton. Good fit

- Herb Pope will play again. Hopefully, he stays healthy

One Missouri recruit dunks on another -- Phil Pressey on Tony Mitchell






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Weekend Dump

This might be the most impressive Weekend Dump I've put together in 2010. Either I'm a total waste of company money or I don't have any friends extracurriculars....or possibly both. You be the judge.

- Tyler Smith explains the New Years Eve fiasco

- Dana O'Neil on the progression of basketball reform

- Andy Katz breaks down "the one that got away"

- Adam Zagoria caught up with new Hofstra coach Mo Cassara

- Jeff Goodman plays catch-up; But not before he let Kyrie Irving take reign

- a good article with a great headline

- Brother of Dexter Pittman tragically murdered

- The storylines from the draft combine

- Draft combine measurements

- Video interviews from the combine

- I hope to god Flip Saunders was taking heavy notes at the combine

- Derrick Favors would be a good fit for the Nets, says his his school coach

- John Wall thinks Coach Cal will stay at UMass Memphis Kentucky

- Picking the brain of Duke's Seth Curry

- The Rivals.com Top 150 of 2011

- Seton Hall signs two frontcourt powers

- LSU guard Bo Spencer ineligible for fall basketball

- Lil' Romeo is done with USC basketball

- Jeffery Jordan given release to transfer from Illinois

- UNC-Ashville will play the Tar Heels in first game at new arena

- Missouri fans must be loving this

- Who does Andy Rautins think he is?

- Former-Hoya is running for Congress (Maybe I'm not as big a Georgetown die-hard as I thought. I've never heard of the guy)

- Double-Byes in the Big East tournament could become a thing of the past

- Your one women's related link of the week: two former college players (and twins!) get arrested for assault (CATFIGHT!)

- Mark Titus bonds with NASCAR

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NBA Draft Prospects: John Wall, Kentucky

Click here to find all of our 2010 NBA Draft prospect breakdowns.

Stats: 16.6 ppg, 6.5 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1.8 spg, 4.0 t/o's, 32.5% 3PT

Listed Size: 6'4", 200 lb, 19 years old


About Him: More than likely, John Wall will be the first player picked come the 2010 NBA Draft. Part of it is his seemingly unlimited potential, part of it is his knack for knocking down big shots and making clutch plays, and part of it is the success that recent John Calipari-coached point guards have had in the NBA. And its easy to pinpoint Wall as a potential superstar in the NBA.

The first thing anyone will notice about Wall is his outstanding athleticism. Simply put, the guy is a freak. He may have been the fastest player in the country with the ball in his hands, and anyone that saw his dunk on Jerry Stackhouse go viral last summer knows the kind of hops Wall has. Did I mention that Wall is also 6'4"? That combination of size and athleticism makes Wall an intriguing prospect on the defensive end as well as the offensive end.

And we all have seen what Wall can do offensively. He can get by just about any defender. He can finish an alley-oop in the half court. He's shown an awesome ability to make shots late in a game. He's a great passer, averaging 6.5 apg with an assist-to-FGA ratio that is similar to guys like Deron Williams.

But Wall is far from a finished product right now. He turned the ball over too much, something that could, in part, be cured with an improvement in his ball handling. His jump shot is not yet where it needs to be. He shot 32% from three this year, a number that he absolutely needs to improve. He also needs to better his mid-range game. Wall had a lot of impressive finishes around the rim this year that he won't be able to get away with at the next level. He needs to add a pull-up jumper and a floater to his repertoire. He could also stand to add some strength to his frame. As many highlight reel plays as Wall had this year, one of the concerns I've seen scouts mention is that he isn't as consistent finishing around the rim as they would like.

Every single issue listed above is fixable. All it will take is hard work and long hours in the gym. Wall reminds me of a big man prospect in some ways. He's going to be drafted first because his tools and his youth give him a very high ceiling. If his skill set can catch up with his physical gifts, Wall will be a scary-good point guard one day soon.

Comparisons: A lot of people are going to make the obvious comparison to Derrick Rose, but I think a better comparison is a rich man' Russell Westbrook, at least until Wall develops the pull-up/mid-range game that Rose has. Westbrook isn't quite the playmaker that Wall is, but their athletic profiles and limited (comparatively) offensive games make them an interesting match. And anyone that saw the Thunder's playoff matchup with the Lakers knows this comparison is not meant as an insult.

Outlook: John Wall is more than likely going to be the first pick in the 2010 draft, and rightfully so. He is really the only guy in this draft with the potential to be a franchise changing player. That said, Wall isn't a sure thing to be one of the best point guards in the league. He has the athleticism, yes, but there are still a few things he needs to work on before he gets mentioned in the same breath as a Deron Williams, a Chris Paul, or a Steve Nash.

Highlights:





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Some links on Terrence Jones

Terrence Jones is not the most popular guy in the Pacific Northwest right now.

You can't really blame them for being upset, either. I mean, Jones did toy with their heart. He did renege on a commitment. And he did it in a way that made him seem like more of an attention whore than a torn teenager.

I written enough words on Jones, but here are a couple of the columns I have come across the last few days. I have a feeling these guys are not anywhere near done.

John Canzano, the Oregonian (he's the guy that wrote this glowing defense of Jones):

I don't believe Jones' change of heart on Wednesday -- dumping his commitment to Washington for a promise to Kentucky -- was rooted in academics, or campus life, or the promise of better competition.

I'm not buying that Jones was motivated solely by the idea of a bigger national stage at Kentucky. Or the idea that the Wildcats are a better fit for his style of play. And I certainly wonder about the people who surround Jones today, including his summer coaches, because they feel a lot like a pack of guys sucked into the jet stream of grandeur they found drafting behind the kid.

We're being told the chapter on Jones recruitment is closed. Nothing more to say. Nothing more to see. Move along, right? Except, Kentucky coach John Calipari is involved.

So I'm not buying this is the end. And neither should you.

Steve Kelley, Seattle Times:

Yo, Terrence! If you make a statement at a news conference, you're supposed to honor it. There's a responsibility that come with calling a news conference. It isn't some whimsical event. It's serious business.

I'm sure your post-conference phone call to Kentucky coach John Calipari didn't help the situation. At the time, I thought that calling Calipari was a touch of class. You turned it into a touch of weakness.

I'm sure Coach Cal slick-talked you into postponing a final choice. I'm sure he preyed on your immaturity.

Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't have chosen Kentucky. I'm saying you shouldn't have called a news conference, soaked up all that glory, then quickly backpedaled from your decision.

And if you change your mind, you don't spend a month hovering in "Twitter world," tweeting and teasing people, wavering between Washington and Kentucky.

You leveraged one school against the other, and obviously you enjoyed the national attention you attracted. You were the last blue-chipper standing and you bathed in the buzz.

Nick Daschel, The Oregonian:

Does Jones wish he could take back April 30, when he announced he would join Jefferson classmate Terrence Ross at Washington? Ross, a blue chip guard who was Oregon's Class 5A Player of the Year in 2008, signed a letter of intent with Washington in April.

Jones flatly said no.

"I feel players decommit all the time. Everybody knew me not signing anything knew I had options," Jones said.

Why pick Washington in the first place?

"A little bit of just not knowing, being close to home. You can't go wrong being that close. It was a spur of the moment thing, not really thinking about it. Picking something just because it was there," Jones said.

Jones described the recruiting process as "fun," and said he did not feel embarrassed about how it played out during the final weeks.

"I didn't let anybody rush me. I did it my way," Jones said. "I didn't care what anybody had to say and how I was doing it my way. Honestly, I only cared about the two coaches I was dealing with, and my family."

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Omar Samhan beer night

Those of us that follow college hoops religiously have known the name Omar Samhan for a while.

During this year's NCAA Tournament, Samhan became a household name, and it wasn't just because of the 30 and 10 he dropped in the first two rounds of the big dance.

It was more than just the numbers. Samhan is a chubby, 6'11" dude that slightly resembles Shrek. He also is one of the most outgoing players to ever set foot on a college campus, giving writers around the country quote after quote after quote. Hell, he even interviewed his own teammates for his blog during the Gaels tourney run.

Samhan may be the most hated man in Spokane, but in Moraga, CA, he may be the most loved.

Which brings me to my point -- Omar Samhan drink specials.

That's right.

He got his own drink special.

The owner of McCovey's Restaurant in Walnut Creek, CA, is a St. Mary's alum, and last night he retired Omar Samhan's jersey, as well as Patty Mills'. In honor of the Samhan, McCovey's offered a unique drink special -- if you buy a drink, you got another beer or rail drink for just $.50, Samhan's number.

Now, I don't know what beer prices are like in Walnut Creek, CA, but if this were to occur in a place like DC, or NYC, or LA, where $6 beer night specials are a common occurrence, McCovey's would have been over run with fans of booze, and not necessarily fans of the Gaels.

My biggest question: did Samhan have to pay for his own drinks?


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Friday Morning Dump

Theo Epstein went to a Pearl Jam concert...so what?; The only golf course in the world that uses sherpas instead of caddies; What's with all the tazing?; It's "bring-a-homeless-man-to-the-ballpark day" in Altoona; More Minor League rediculous-ness; These Syracuse guys keep thinking Chipotle is trying to take over the world (I think it's just because their precious lacrosse team got bamboozled by Army in an epic 2OT first-rounder)

- Mike DeCourcy interviewed new Clemson head coach Brad Brownell

- Andy Katz on Coach Cal's busy spring

- Jeff Eisenberg details the "Tobi Oyedeji Charity Game"

- Hartford head coach John Gallagher has stolen Jeff Goodman's blog

- Gary Parrish has a go at the Terrence Jones flip-flop situation (And once again, I totally agree with GP)

- Luke Winn provides the ten biggest developments of spring recruiting

After the jump, a shot from a moving airplane?

- John Wall compares himself to Derrick Rose. I like Russell Westbrook better

- The AP's write up of what a new, 68 team field could look like

- Justin Knox is choosing between Georgia Tech and UNC

- A great-read on what Terrence Jones means to Kentucky

- Now is the best time to get 2011 NCAA Final Four tickets

- Trial date set for Oklahoma State's Matt Pilgrim

- Boston College transfer Brady Heslip considering Georgetown

- Lil' Romeo is leaving the USC team. I hear Bow Wow is still unsigned

- Kyle Singler vows to bring more leadership next season

- It's official: Omar Samhan is the man!

- Citadel coach Chuck Driesell hires his staff

- A Washington/Kentucky rivalry?; Isiah Thomas can't wait for Maui

- Colonel Sanders new arena to play host to WKU and Butler



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Wednesday Where Are They Now?: Kevin Pittsnogle

Ever wonder what happened to those college stars that couldn't catch on in the NBA? The guys that put up the great numbers or the guys that left early, and were never heard from again? Every Wednesday, we at BIAH will take a look at a former college star that never made it in the NBA, and we will update you on where he is playing or what he is doing. We're guessing the results will surprise you. To request a player, hit us up on twitter @ballinisahabit or via email at contactbiah@gmail.com.

Kevin Pittsnogle, West Virginia

I still remember the first time that I ever noticed Kevin Pittsnogle as more than the goofy, 6'11" white guy on West Virginia that shoots threes and has tattoos. It was February 5th, 2005, and West Virginia looked like they were headed for another disappointing end to a season.

Did you know Cletus the slack-jawed yokel had a jumper?
(photo credit: Draft Express)

In Pittsnogle's first two seasons, West Virginia had finished below .500 in the Big East and missed the NCAA Tournament. The Mountaineers looked like they were going to buck that trend in 2004-2005 after starting out the year 10-0, but losing seven out of nine -- including a 2-6 start to Big East play -- seemingly wiped out that chance. To make things worse, D'or Fischer, West Virginia's starting center, was sick and unavailable on February 5th, meaning that Pittsnogle, the back up, would be getting the start.

Pittsnogle got winded early in the game, but once he caught his breath, Pitt didn't have an answer for him. He would finished the game with 27 points, including 8 in overtime, as West Virginia won the Backyard Brawl and sparked what turned into a fantastic finish to the season.

The Mounties would go 6-2 over their final eight regular season games, which was enough to get them to 8-8 in the conference. In the Big East Tournament, West Virginia made a run to the title game -- which included upsets of Boston College, the regular season champ, and Villanova -- before losing to Syracuse. And in the NCAA Tournament, the Mounties just missed a trip to the Final Four as a seven seed, playing two of the best games in recent tournament history -- their 111-105 double overtime second round win against Wake Forest, and the 93-85 Elite 8 loss to Louisville, which saw the Cardinals rally from 20 down despite West Virginia's 18-27 performance from three.

Pittsnogle played a huge role in West Virginia's turnaround. He is a two-guard trapped in a 6'11" body, which is perfect for the system that John Beilein likes to run. He could defend in the post on one end, but stand on the perimeter and allow the floor to be spread on offense. He flourished. The 27 points he scored against Pitt were a career high, and he proceeded to drop 20 five more times in the 2005 season. He had scored 20 points four times in his career prior to Feb. 5th, 2005.

Pittsnogle became a sensation. Its not often that you see 6'11" players knocking down 25 footers. He was the only player on that West Virginia team from the state of West Virginia, and the Mountaineer fans adored him. "Pittsnogled" became a part of our lexicon.

That success continued into Pittsnogle's senior season. He averaged 19.3 ppg and 5.5 rpg while leading West Virginia to another 20 win season and a trip to the Sweet 16. Unfortunately, the NBA didn't have much of a market for 6'11" jump shooters, and Pittsnogle went undrafted after his senior season in 2006.

Pittsnogle signed with the Celtics in July of 2006, but by October he had been released. He signed with the Pittsburgh Xplosion of the CBA, and became an all-star, averaging 23.5 ppg. He got a shot with the Cavalier's summer league team in 2007, but he did not make the squad, instead entering the D-League. Pittsnogle was also waived by a team in France in the fall of 2007.

During the 2007-2008 season, Pittsnogle started the year with the Austin Toros of the D-Leauge, where he averaged 7.6 ppg during the first 15 games of the year. He was cut in January, but the Albequerque Thunderbirds scooped him up. Pittsnogle flourished in Albequerque, averaging 15.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg.

After the 2008 season finished, however, Pittsnogle left basketball to be with his family back in West Virginia. He volunteered as an assistant basketball coach at the high school where he taught kids with special needs. (Read this fantastic profile of him from the New York Times. Its mandatory.) He tried to make a comeback, rejoining the Thunderbirds in 2009. He averaged 11.8 ppg over the first 28 games of the year, but on February 16th of this year, Pittsnogle left the team for "personal reasons", which was a thinly veiled way of saying he wanted to be with his family.

Pittsnogle may never be a professional basketball star, but the way he tore through college basketball in 2005 is something this writer will always remember.

Kevin Pittsnogle, you will be missed.


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What do Derrick Caracter and the Village People have in common?

Derrick Caracter hasn't taken the easiest path when it comes to his basketball career.

Once the No. 1 recruit in the country, a combination of weight gain, attitude, and a lack of a work ethic cost Caracter a lot more than just a chance to play at Louisville for Rick Pitino.

Many thought it could have cost him a shot at an NBA career.

Derrick Caracter averaged 14 and 8 for UTEP this year.
(photo credit: NJ.com)

And while the 22 year old had a good year at UTEP this season, he still looks like a long shot to be taken before the late second round.

The good news for Caracter is that he finally seems to "get it". Take a look at this profile from HoopsHype. He seems to finally be realizing that surviving on talent alone will get him no where, that the way to resurrect his basketball career is by proving that he is willing to work hard; that he is willing to get into shape; that he is willing to learn how to be a professional.

That still may not be enough to allow him to cash NBA paychecks, but if he can keep his weight down, he should be able to make a living off of his basketball ability.

Its nice to see that kind of attitude from Caracter, and if his work ethic really has improved and his personality really has changed, it would be tough not to root for the kid.

The best part about that interview? Caracter's plan B:

If Plan A doesn't work out, Plan B would be joining the Navy. I would do something like that. Seriously. I think it would be a great experience. You travel, you train, you can be chillin' in Japan. You get to see different things and differents parts of the world. That's something I always wanted to do: travel around the world. See different things, new people, cultures and lifestyles.

Really?

If he can't work his way onto an NBA roster, he is going to join the Navy?

I don't know too much about the Navy, but I'm fairly certain their training is more difficult than basketball training. I'm also fairly certain that at no point would he be just "chillin' in Japan".

But, hey, who am I to kill a kid's dream?

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University of Georgia lands Georgia's Mr. Basketball

Mark Fox was hired to replace Dennis Felton at UGa in an attempt to turn around the Bulldog's basketball program, and he appears to be well on his way to doing just that.

Fox will get back four of his top five scorers from last season, including big man Trey Thompkins and the uber-athletic Travis Leslie, both of whom considered entering the NBA Draft.

But perhaps the most important off-season happening came yesterday, when Marcus Thornton, a 6'7", 225 lb workhorse and 2010's Mr. Basketball is Georgia, committed to play for the Bulldogs. Now, Marcus Thornton is not Terrence Jones. He isn't a top ten recruit, he didn't have every school in the country knocking down his door, and there wasn't a large contingent of the country following his every move during this recruitment.

But Thornton is still a big get for Fox simply because he hails from Georgia.

The state of Georgia puts out a ton of talent on a yearly basis. In the class of 2010, there are 17 players that Rivals ranks as at least a three-star recruit. Six of those 17 are four or five star recruits. Those six are head to NC State, Memphis, Miami, UConn, and two are going to Tennessee.

If Mark Fox is going to build the Georgia program up to a point that it can compete with teams like Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky, he is going to have to compete on the recruiting trail in his own state. While keeping five star recruits like Jelan Kendrick and Ryan Harrow in-state would be ideal, landing a former Clemson-signee and the state's Mr. Basketball isn't a bad was to start.


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Thursday Morning Dump

Bobba Fett rules!; Amare Stoudamire's mom gets arrested; It's times like these when watching pro wrestling is useful; Mayweather Jr. is always prepared to make it rain; Now this ladies and gentleman, is what we call a comeback; So it looks like we chose the correct Miss USA (Would have liked to see Miss Oregon USA take the sash, but whatever, they are all hot); Spanish league soccer team beats 200 children; 2012 Olympic mascots revealed

- Prep schools are less foreign to International players as they used to be

- A discussion on college athletes preparing for the business of pro sports

- So the class of 2007 was a pretty good one...

- Conference USA has moved their tournament from Tulsa to El Paso. Geoff Calkins isn't a fan, and that's putting it mildly

- Quotables from the Draft lottery; a quote I never thought I'd see or hear: "If he [Eric Devendorf] were black, he would be an absolute sensation."

- Scout's top 100 recruits of 2011

- What pick will Wes Johnson be in the NBA draft?

- Oklahoma is being investigated by NCAA....again

- Indiana is out of scholarships for next year, but they still want more recruits. What are they to do?

- Minnesota guard Justin Cobbs is transferring to California

- Louisville guard Russell Smith undergoes minor surgery

- Charges have been dropped against Washington State's DeAngelo Casto

- Hawaii's Dwain Williams is done playing college ball

- Roburt Sallie won't return to Memphis following graduation

- Former Binghamton player pleads gulity to drug charges

- AAU coach says Austin Rivers is leaning towards Duke

- The Jaspers sign 6-foot-7 Norweigan shooting guard

- Freshman guard Chaz Williams is transferring from Hosftra

- A look at the most disappointing recruiting classes of the past five years

- Jeff Goodman loans out his blog again, this time to scout Dave Telep; Ryan Freeberg

- A look at Villanova's 2010-2011 schedule

What is wrong with Big Baby's face? (LOST spoiler alert!!!)

'Lost' audio: Garnett explains the island to 'Big Baby' from The Basketball Jones on Vimeo.

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Terrence Jones finally signs with Kentucky, but the story may not be finished

I'll be honest: if I don't hear the name Terrence Jones until September, I'll be happy.

But unfortunately, that may not happen.

You see, this evening Terrence Jones, the 6'9" power forward and consensus top 20 recruit that had previously committed to Washington (joining Enes Kanter as the second player to spurn Washington for Kentucky), signed with Kentucky. As of today, Kentucky has, without a doubt, the best recruiting class in the country, and one that may very well be better than last season's.

Its official. TJ is a Wildcat.
(photo credit: KATU)

Yes, you heard that right. This recruiting class may be better than the one that is about to produce four first rounders.

Brandon Knight (6th on Scout, 6th on Rivals, 4th on ESPN) will be running the point. Doron Lamb (28, 21, 29) will be joining him in the backcourt. Stacey Poole (67, 33, 51) will be running alongside those two on the wing. And Enes Kanter (3, 3, 25), Terrence Jones (8, 13, 9), and Eloy Vargas (a four star JuCo recruit) will be manning the paint.

Throw Jon Hood, Darnell Dodson, Darius Miller, and DeAndre Liggins into the mix, and voila, Kentucky should once again be competing for the Final Four.

Now, I'm not going to comment on the appearance of sleaziness on the part of John Calipari. I'm sure you will see enough of that. (For the record, I don't necessarily believe that Cal did anything wrong. If Jones called Cal after he committed, the onus should be on Jones. That said, I also don't necessarily believe Cal is innocent. But that's another post for another day.) I'm also not going to comment on Jones' change of heart or how long he dragged out his recruitment. Again, there will be plenty of that to read.

What I will point out to you is that Jones didn't sign a national letter of intent. He signed a financial aid agreement. (There's a joke in there somewhere. He gets eight Ricky Roe duffel bags a year? The agreement he signed must have come in one of Tim Floyd's envelopes? Yeah, I got nothing.) And while a financial aid agreement is binding on the part of the school, it is no different than a verbal commitment on the part of the player.

In other words, Jones is guaranteed a scholarship at Kentucky, but he doesn't have to go to school there.

Its the exact same piece of paper that Brandon Knight put his pen too back in April.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Kentucky's two best recruits -- two of the most sought after high school basketball players in the class of 2010 -- are bound to the school by nothing more than their word.

Now, if I was a less cynical person, I would think that these kids are simply making the correct decision in not signing an LOI. I've railed against LOI's before, and I will likely do it again. But since I am cynical, I can't help but think about the other college basketball story that has been making headlines.

Coach Cal to the NBA.

Think about that.

The two most sought after players in Kentucky's incoming class (and yes, Jones and Knight were the two most sought after. Kanter, the third player that was ranked in the top ten, may very well never play a second of college basketball due to amateurism issues.) refused to sign national letters of intent. Why? Are they worried about Calipari possibly bolting for the league and LeBron? Do they know something we don't? Is Big Blue Nation's position on top of the world about to come crumbling down?

Who knows. I certainly don't.

But I wouldn't be surprised if this sets off another round of speculation.

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Greivis Vasquez, a Dukie?

Brash, arrogant, cocky -- anyone one of those terms could be used to describe Greivis Vasquez.

And you wouldn't be wrong.

But perhaps the best way to describe the now-graduated Maryland star is passionate. As easy as it was to hate him -- even if you were a Maryland fan -- it is nearly impossible to say that the guy didn't love competing and that he didn't do everything he could to win. He loved Maryland.

This picture is quite disturbing.
(photo credit: The Sporting Blog)

And while it took some time, eventually Vasquez was able to win over the fans in College Park. He will go down in history as one of, if not the, best Terrapin of all time.

Maryland isn't UCLA, but it is still quite impressive to even be mentioned in the same breath as players like Len Bias and Juan Dixon.

Logic would lead you to believe that, as a Terp that will spend a long time in the record books, Vasquez would hate Duke. It would only make sense, right? Players and fans alike, people associated with Maryland are supposed to hate the Dukies. Duke-UNC may be the best rivalry in all of college basketball, but Duke-Maryland really is not all that far behind. Hell, Vasquez even called Cameron Indoor Stadium "My house".

The funny thing is, Vasquez doesn't actually hate Duke. In fact, some might even consider him a Duke fan.

Joshua Hairston is Duke-recruit from the DC area, and he has gotten a chance to get to know Vasquez over the years. This morning during an interview with 620 The Buzz, Hairston had this to say about the most universally despised non-Dukie in the ACC:

He talks about Duke all the time, how much he loves Coach K, the staff and the program itself.

...

When I first met Greivis the first thing he kept talking about was how much he loved Duke and how much he loved Coach K. I thought he was being sarcastic at first but he's very serious about it.

When they [Maryland] were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament we were running a camp together at Montrose (Hairston's high school for his senior season). A kid asked him who he wanted to win the tournament and he said 'Duke all the way'. He's always been a big Duke fan and he hopes we can pull it off. He is a true Duke fan even though he plays for Maryland.

Huh?

So Greivis Vasquez roots for Duke?

To be honest, it does not surprise me all that much.

When it comes to rivalries in sports, its a not-so-well-kept secret that the games mean much more to fans than they do to players. Of course, players want to win games. And in general, the biggest rivalries tend to be between teams that are good year in and year out. When Duke played at Maryland late in the regular season, it was a rivalry game, but the importance wasn't in bragging rights; it was in the fact that the two teams were first and second in the ACC.

Keep in mind that both Duke and Maryland have players from all over the country. Nolan Smith is from the DC area, and Greivis Vasquez went to high school at Montrose Christian, which is right outside DC. You don't think they knew each other before the two players enrolled at their respective schools?

Once these rivalry games are over, the players go back to being friends and social acquaintences off the court.

So like I said, it doesn't surprise me that Vasquez would support a team, a coach, and a group of players that he has competed against over the last four years.

But I bet he's unhappy with Joshua Hairston for making it a national issue.
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Terrence Jones to sign today

Today is the last day of the spring signing period, and it appears that it will finally be the last day of the Terrence Jones drama.

Yesterday, the Oregonian reported that Jones "was definitely going to sign" at some point today. Whether he is going to sign a letter of intent or a financial aid agreement, and what school he will be signing with, remains unclear. For what its worth, Pat Strickland, Jones' high school coach, believes he will be signing with Washington, and that he will indeed be signing an LOI.

I never support signing an LOI, but in this case Jones might just want to do that. At this late of a date, being legally bound to a school doesn't really matter -- if Jones is going to attend summer classes, he will be enrolling within the next few weeks -- and if he is truly this torn about the decision, putting a pen to an LOI will finally end all speculation.

We will update this post when the news breaks.


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Greedy Peterson out at Providence

Yesterday, SLAMOnline reported that Jamine Peterson, a 6'6" forward from Providence College that averaged just under 20 points and 10 boards for the Friars last season, was leaving school with the intention of pursuing a career in Europe.

"I sat down with my family and my coach and we thought it was best thing to do," said the New York City native. "I spoke with some of Brandon Jennings's people. I consulted with them and they told me it's not going to be easy. I like the way it worked out for Jennings. I feel like I can go out there and contribute in rebounding and attacking the rim."

What Peterson didn't mention is that he didn't have a choice.

Regardless of whose decision it was, Greedy Peterson won't be in a Providence uniform next season.
(photo credit: Daylife)

Late yesterday afternoon, Providence announced that Peterson was kicked off the team for the dreaded 'violation of team rules'.

"Jamine Peterson has been dismissed from the men's basketball team for a violation of team rules," head coach Keno Davis said in a statement released by the school. "Jamine had a productive season in 2009-10. However, regardless of his athletic accomplishments, it is essential to the integrity of the program that every student-athlete meets the high standards and expectations we have at Providence College."

Providence was not very good last season, losing their last 11 games before finishing the year 12-19 and just 4-14 in the Big East. With second scorer Sharaud Curry graduating and Peterson out of the picture, it doesn't appear that the Friars will be all that improved next year.

Peterson came to PC in 2008, coming off the bench as a freshman. Keno Davis decided it would be in Peterson's best interest to red shirt the 2008-2009 season, and he was right. Already a physical specimen -- at 6'6", Peterson checks in at a muscular 230 lbs and was one of the best athletes in the Big East last year -- he added range on his jump shot and a much improved perimeter game.

That improved perimeter game is what made Peterson so dangerous this past season. He was big enough to defend a power forward, but there aren't many four men that are capable of defending a player like Peterson on the perimeter.

Peterson will be forced to play at least one season in Europe -- where some believe he can be successful -- before automatically becoming eligible for the 2011 NBA Draft.

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Tobi Oyedeji's high school to play a game in his honor

Tobi Oyedeji was killed early Sunday morning after he lost control of his car on his way home from prom.

Bellaire High School has come up with an interesting way to honor his memory.

You see, for much of the season, Bellaire and Yates High School were the No. 1 teams in their respective divisions in Texas high school basketball, but the two teams never squared off.

Tonight, they will.

Since the game is taking place outside of the actual high school basketball season, neither school's head coach can participate, and only the seniors that have graduated will be allowed to play. Every player in the game will be wearing Oyedeji's No. 35, and Bellaire will begin the game with just four players on the court.

The game is going to be played in Houston's 5,000 seat Delmar Fieldhouse, and the money raised by selling $5 tickets will go to the Tobi Oyedeji Bellaire Class of 2010 Memorial Fund.

Along those same lines, Texas A&M head coach Mark Turgeon has been in Houston all week with the Oyedeji family, helping to cover hospital bills and funeral costs. The school is close to getting the Tobi Oyedeji Endowed Scholarship Fund off the ground.

Notes, cards and well wishes are welcomed and should be sent to the Aggie basketball offices at P.O. Box 30017, College Station, TX 77842.




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Wednesday Morning Dump

So you want to work in sports journalism?; Paris Hilton throws punches (and she's not even drunk or high!; Another female teacher sleeps with a student; LeBron's mom might actually have had an affair...maybe

- The Wizards win the John Wall sweepstakes (Insert locker-room-handgun-jokes here); If Mr. Wall goes to Washington, who will be the odd guard out?

- On Monday we talked about the transfer situation for two forwards in the SEC, and today there have been some updates: Alabama rejects Justin Knox's transfer appeal; Murphy Holloway will walk-on at South Carolina before being on scholarship for his final two year's of eligibility.

- Fran Frascilla revisits the past in regards to Emmanuel Negedu's decision to return to basketball while Andy Katz gives you all the info you could ever need on Negedu

- Rutgers hires Georgetown assistant coach David Cox, who is involved with the DC Assault

- Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany says expansion is months away. When talking about Big Ten expansion, remember the ACC -- it didn't exactly turn into a football powerhouse.

- UNC basketball parties on a boat and proves that they are, in fact, like any other college student -- they enjoy sunshine, alcohol, and chicks in bikinis

- Two Houston high schools will honor Tobi Oyejedi

- Minnesota's legal issues -- Tubby Smith's fraud case, Trevor Mbakwe could end up being the fourth transfer Minnesota loses

- A great article about a future-walk-on at Cornell

- More info on DePaul recruit Cleveland Melvin

- Rutgers to get duo from St. Benedict's HS

- NC State losing two transfers

- Robbie Hummel is a renaissance man, and participates in the takeover of Goodman's blog. Quincy Miller takes over Goodman's blog as well

- Is the draft lottery a flawed system?

- Another mock draft

- Syracuse and North Carolina State will begin home-and-home series in 2010

- BYU has a new assistant



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Will Brown is trying to win over ... someone

Will Brown is a 6'9" sophomore forward for the University of New Mexico that averaged 4.2 ppg and 3.6 rpg last season.

He's a big, strong, and athletic four man that can bang in the post, block a few shots, and grab a few boards. You can never have too many of those, or at least that's what I thought.

Over the weekend, Emmanuel Negedu, a 6'7" power forward who is also big, strong, and athletic, committed to play for New Mexico after he was cleared medically by the school. He is applying to the NCAA for a waiver that will allow him to play this season, and he may very well get it. He missed all of last season after his heart stopped during a preseason workout.

Negedu is a former top 100 recruit. While his addition surely will help New Mexico whenever he is able to get on the court, its not necessarily a good thing for Brown.

The obvious reason is that Brown could very well find himself one spot lower on the depth chart next year, which means less playing time.

But the more interesting reason is that the addition of Negedu -- along with four freshman coming in and two other transfers -- means that New Mexico will now have 14 scholarship players for next season. The NCAA mandates that you are only allowed to use 13 scholarships. So either one scholarship player has to pay their own way for school, or someone has to transfer.

Again, this is where Brown comes into play. There has already been quite a bit of speculation that he would follow former teammate Nate Garth out of the program, and Negedu only intensified those rumors.

So Will Brown wrote a letter to the Albequerque Journal:



Now, this letter was published on Saturday, which means he likely wrote it late last week, before Negedu was on campus and before he was medically cleared. But Brown had to have known that Negedu was coming to visit the school, and he also had to have known that a commitment would have given New Mexico 14 scholarship players.

I'm not sure that this was the smartest move by Brown. Winning over the fans isn't going to save his scholarship. But I think that this was a move orchestrated by Steve Alford. Reading New Mexico message boards, it seems like Brown has been a bit of a thorn in Alford's side, showing up late to meetings and practices and struggling to give his best effort every day.

Maybe this was a way for Alford to gauge Brown's commitment to the program. Having that letter published by a hometown newspaper is a bit embarrassing.

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Pre-Draft Camp complete list released

Names have been leaking out over the last few weeks, but now its official: here is the complete list of invitees for the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp later this month.

Solomon Alabi, Florida State
Cole Aldrich, Kansas
Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
James Anderson, Oklahoma State
Luke Babbitt, Nevada
Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky
Trevor Booker, Clemson
Craig Brackins, Iowa State
Avery Bradley, Texas
Derrick Caracter, UTEP
Sherron Collins, Kansas
DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky
Jordan Crawford, Xavier
Ed Davis, North Carolina
Devin Ebanks, West Virginia
Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech
Tiny Gallon, Oklahoma
Charles Garcia, Seattle
Paul George, Fresno State
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Manny Harris, Michigan
Gordon Hayward, Butler
Lazard Hayward, Marquette
Xavier Henry, Kansas
Darington Hobson, New Mexico
Damion James, Texas
Armon Johnson, Nevada
Wesley Johnson, Syracuse
Dominique Jones, South Florida
Jerome Jordan, Tulsa
Sylven Landesberg, Virginia
Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech
Greg Monroe, Georgetown
Daniel Orton, Kentucky
Artsiom Parakhouski, Radford
Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
Dexter Pittman, Texas
Quincy Pondexter, Washington
Andy Rautins, Syracuse
Stanley Robinson, Connecticut
Larry Sanders, Virginia Commonwealth
Jon Scheyer, Duke
Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati
Mikhail Torrance, Alabama
Evan Turner, Ohio State
Ekpe Udoh, Baylor
Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State
Greivis Vasquez, Maryland
John Wall, Kentucky
Willie Warren, Oklahoma
Terrico White, Mississippi
Hassan Whiteside, Marshall
Elliot Williams, Memphis

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Tuesday Morning Dump

who says all football players are dumb jocks?; Jason Kidd sure knows how to pick 'em; I never ever thought I'd see Roger Federer do this; Lionel Messi scored 47 goals this season, and here's all of them; Maybe if we had more of these hockey would be more popular; Does Allstate protect against this?; Tim Tebow must be the messiah; People stare at Laker cheerleaders. What else is new?; A note to all future-streakers: conditioning is key; If I knew I'd see this everytime, I'd do all the grocery shopping; Now, this is my type of history lesson; Spellcheck won't fix a headline like this

- Great read on Bernard James, who joined the military at age 16 and is now headed to Florida State at age 25

- Your other must-read this morning: Dan Wetzel on Nolan Richardson

- Howard Beck on the NYT with a good read on the NBA Draft lottery, which is held tonight

- LeBron/Calipari rumors won't go away; Hilarity at it's finest; Public opinion on the matter

- ESPN will broadcast ACC basketball for another 12 years (Which means Dickie V until I'm AARP-eligible)

- Andy Katz details the options discussed at the NCAA meetings

- Interesting post from Jeff Eisenberg, who talked to a former player and current assistant coach who continued his collegiate career after having his heart stop and a pacemaker implanted

- 6-foot-8 recruit Cleveland Melvin (A++ name right there) picks Depaul over Rutgers

- Anyone else see this being a Law and Order episode in the future?

- Georgetown will likely be marquee team in 2010 Charleston Classic

- What lies ahead for the UConn basketball program?

- Macari Brooks: drama...

- John Wall or Evan Turner?

- The leader of "Reggie and the Miracles" is the new head coach at prestigious D.C. Catholic school

If you follow recruiting at all, you've heard the name Tyler Lewis. Here's why:



This isn't basketball, but this is hilarious:



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