POSTERIZED: Joe Jackson with a nasty dunk in a loss

The USA U-19 team got lit up by Lithuania over the weekend, losing 101-72.

That's embarrassing. I don't care how good Lithuania's 19 year olds are. We are America. We shouldn't lose in basketball, period. A 29 point loss is like my beer league softball team beating the Yankees.

We got a measure of revenge, however*, as Joe Jackson threw down a nasty dunk in transition (go to the 2:05 mark):



*(Actually, we got no revenge. None. We lost by 29 in basketball to another country. That should never, ever, EVER happen.)
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Tuesday Morning Dump

Things you may have missed from Monday: Michigan-recruit Austin Hatch is still in critical condition after a plan crash that took the lives of his father and his stepmother. A look at the 2011 NBA Draft class five years from now. Old Dominion head coach Blaine Taylor got rid of his trademark 'stache. Former-Illinois freshman Jereme Richmond didn't get drafted, and his uncle is kinda pissed off. PLUS be on the lookout for quite-possibly the most epic breakdown of the coaching carousel you have ever witnessed

- Lorenzo Charles, the man who dunked-in Derek Whittenberg's three-point attempt to win the 1983 National Championship for North Carolina State, was killed in a bus accident in Raliegh, NC on Monday. Charles was the man responsible for sending Jim Valvano into a hug-seeking frenzy. Charles' dunk is arguably one of the top-two greatest college dunks of all time



(R.I.P "On the Dunk")

- Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish provide a 2012 Mock Draft...with copious ammounts of childish banter

- The new Pac-12 TV network might not be on TV at all. The conference is looking into negotiations with Apple and Google about a revolutionary internet broadcast partnership

- Andy Katz provides some solid news and notes from a busier-than-usual summer weekend of college hoops

- Joe Lunardi details how four teams put their tournament bids on the line before the season even begins (Insiders Only)

- An interesting-read form the USA Todayy on the NCAA and the use of player likenesses in video games

- Rick Barnes hasn't had the best off-season. First his team makes another early exit from March Madness. Then the entire state slams him for his contract extension. Now Jordan Hamilton is saying that Barnes tried to hurt the draftee's stock by telling NBA execs that he was "Uncoachable" (In Barnes defense, not only is Hamilton uncoachable, he's not a good shooter nor does he play defense)

- Jason King believes that Detroit could be the next mid-major Cinderella

- Rutgers' walk-on Frank Mitchell is transferring

- This Friday, the Pac-10 will officially become the Pac-12. In honor of this occasion, ASU beat writer Doug Haller provides a list of the top-ten Pac-10 teams of all-time

- Former-Illinois star Roger Powell has joined the Valparaiso staff as an assistant coach

- Due to heavy rain damage, the Keady Court at Purdue is getting an early facelift

- No this isn't a business plan for summer school ECON221, it's an comparison of John Calipari's new contract to his old one. Speaking of Coach Cal's new contract, does the new deal put him out of the price range for the NBA market?

- Derrick Williams is the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year honors

- The elligibillity of incoming-Georgia freshman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope may be at risk due to a cell phone bill that was paid for by his AAU coach

- By enrolling early at UNC instead of finishing high school, James McAdoo has raised the level of his self-confidence

- Erik Murphy and Cody Larson, the two Florida players who were arrested for trying to break into a car, are on campus in Gainesville taking summer school classes and are still indefinitely suspended

- The First Four is staying in Dayton for the next two season

- The Only Colors wants to know if Draymond Green can make it as an NBA pro?

- It's never too soon to predict next year's draft lottery or provide a mock draft for said lottery

- More draft grades

- Mormon-ism is taking over Sacramento

- Should it really surprise us that Josh Harrellson can beat box? (Starts at the 5:00 min mark). Speaking of Harrellson, If you want a piece of Carmello, you are gonna have to go through Jorts first

The unfortunate backboard that was broken by Oregon State Sophomore Devon Collier

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Where does Lorenzo Charles' dunk stand?

The college basketball world was rocked on Monday when news broke that Lorenzo Charles, the hero of the 1983 National Championship game, was killed in a bus accident in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Charles, 47, etched his place in the annals of college basketball history when he dunked home a Derek Wittenberg 3-pointer as time expired, to give Jim Valvano's North Carolina State Wolfpack the victory over the Houston Cougars.

You have all seen the video. You all have seen the aftermath, Jim Valvano running around the court, arms flailing, looking for somebody, anybody, to hug. The video is a staple of any good college basketball highlight video. Charles moment captured the two things college basketball fans love the most: dunks and buzzer-beaters. It is one of the quintessential March Madness moments.

I watched this video close to 15 times last night. And it got me to thinkin': Where does this dunk rank amongst the all-time best in college basketball?

As an expert in college basketball dunks and slams, I believe it's one of the top-2, with "Send It In Jerome" taking No. 1.

But it's a great debate. Is it top-5? has to be, right?

Is it top-3? which two are better?

Is it the most memorable dunk of all-time? The only other dunk that can hold weight is "Send It In Jerome".

What say you college basketball fans?

"...With The Dunk"



"Send It In Jerome"





R.I.P Lorenzo Charles (November 25, 1963 – June 27, 2011)

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Jereme Richmond's father and uncle provide a glimpse into his decision-making process

Crawford Richmond seems like he is just a bit off his rocker.

The uncle of Jereme Richmond, who left Illinois after one lackluster season in Champaign, made the ill-advised decision to pop-off to Chicago Tribune reporter Chris Hine over the weekend. In the process, he blamed seemingly everyone except Jereme for his nephew going undrafted on Thursday night.

"NBA executives have to be a fool not to consider him," the self-described 'passionate basketball uncle' told Hine. "They have to be fools and they are fools, but what they're going to do is they're going to get him for cheap. He's going to play in the NBA."

"He's way better than (No. 1 overall selection) Kyrie Irving. He's right there with (North Carolina's) Harrison Barnes. I can't tell the difference. Jereme is soft spoken and he's different, but that doesn't make him a bad person."


Crawford went a step further than that. After stating that Jereme's off-the-court issues didn't involve the police -- like Klay Thompson of Washington State, who went 11th to Golden State -- Crawford proceeded to rip Illinois assistant coach Jerrance Howard:

Crawford Richmond blames undue influence on his nephew from a young age, a mantra telling him he was a "one-and-done" prospect.

He says it was a constant chorus from friends, agents, the media and, in particular, Illinois assistant coach Jerrance Howard. Howard handled Richmond's recruitment at Illinois after former assistant Tracy Webster left for an assistant's job at Kentucky.

...

"I have a lot of other kids I'm coaching right now and Jerrance Howard can't talk to them," Richmond said, not elaborating on who those players are.

For good measure, he added: "I would never want to talk to Jerrance Howard again in my life. (That is) on the record."

It was bad enough that Jereme's father, Bill, called Hine on Sunday to try and perform some damage control.

"Jereme doesn't feel that way about the process, Illinois or Jerrance Howard," Crawford's brother said. "We love Jerrance. He's like a friend to me, he really is. He's a good guy and he's never done anything but try and help our kid get to where he wanted to go."

"[Jereme] doesn't have any character issues. He might have some sense of entitlement, based on being put in this position for so many years. … It has to go into your head at some point. He's been humbled by this process, believe me."

When you hear Crawford Richmond spouting off about how Jereme is better than Kyrie Irving, this year's No. 1 pick, or Harrison Barnes, who may very well be next year's No. 1 pick, its easy to write off what he is saying. But if you dig a little bit, what Crawford is saying actually makes sense.

Jereme Richmond was a top 25 recruit in the country. He was a McDonald's all-american. He was talented enough that, as a freshman, he was able to commit to play at Illinois. Think about that. He was 14 years old when he gave his collegiate commitment. And you don't expect him to have a sense of entitlement? If he had been hearing how great he was since he was in middle school, you don't think that is eventually going to go to his head?

To a point, Crawford is right. When you are an elite recruit like Jereme was, its important to keep the people around you grounded and level-headed.

But the fact that Crawford is the one saying all this is a bit ironic. Because based on how he sees Jereme in comparison to Barnes and Irving, I don't think it is a stretch to say that he's at least partly responsible for the player's inflated sense of his ability.

If anything, the Jereme Richmond saga should serve as a cautionary tale.

Don't buy the hype. Understand that any ranking you receive is based as much on your potential as your talent. IF you don't continue to work on your game, you will end up being the same player as a college freshman that you were as a high school sophomore. That's not a good thing, and that's not the way to fast track yourself to NBA stardom.
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RIP Blaine Taylor's 'stache

Old Dominion's basketball team is going to look much different next season.

Four of their top five scorers graduates, including big men Frank Hassell and Ben Finney. With 58.5% of their scoring and 55% of their rebounding going pro in something other than sports, guys like Trian Iliadis and Chris Cooper are going to be counted on to provide Kent Bazemore with some support.

So with a new crop of front court players next season, its probably safe to say that the rough and tumble Old Dominion teams that we have come to know and love won't be quite as rough or as tumble next season.

But that's that the biggest change the Monarchs will undergo.

You see, for the first time since he was playing at Montana in the late 1970's, ODU head coach Blaine Taylor is mustache-less. The Virginia-Pilot broke the unfortunate news:

"I'd been contemplating it for a few years, just kind of cutting it off," he said Thursday.

Taylor did so unannounced, stunning his four adult daughters who had never seen their father clean-shaven.

Mustachioed men are no longer the popular look.

These days, folks that grow a flavor-saver are doing so to be ironic. Or to be funny. Or because they are planning on starring in To Catch a Predator. Taylor's mustache was a throwback, a relic from another era when mustaches were cool and guys like Burt Reynolds and Tom Selleck were American Idols.

With Blaine Taylor's decision to bust out the bic, a little piece of american history was washed down the drain.

Take not, Evan Fjeld.

Losing the 'stache may lose you some fans.
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Projecting the Future: The 2011 Draft Class in 2016

It was a weak draft. It had no all-stars. It was the worst draft in NBA history. yada-yada-yada.

Say what you will about the 2011 NBA draft, but since the upcoming season is still in doubt, it is hard to project how this draft class will turn out. But we here at B.I.A.H pride ourselves on going the extra mile, and fighting for every inch. So instead of projecting how this draft class will pan out in 12 months, we are taking a five-year look-forward-look-back at the 2011 NBA Draft class. The accuracy of these projections is questionable at best, but the entertainment value can not be understated.

So read ahead and enjoy our yearbook-esque "In Five Years" look at the 2011 NBA Draft Class.

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, Duke

Kyrie Irving will spend five mediocre seasons averaging 12-points and four assists for a mediocre Cleveland team. He will then leave the mediocre state of Ohio via free agency in a mediocre publicity stunt called "The Announcement" held on Ustream by mediocre "video-vixen" @RealMissHawaii. Kyrie's toe will achieve much greater success, as it is inducted into the athletic Hall of Fame at UNC-Chapel Hill in the Spring of 2014.


#2 Minnesota Timberwolves: Derrick Williams, Arizona

Williams will be the first player from this draft to play in an All-Star game. Unfortunately, it will go largely unnoticed in the state of Minnesota, where most fans will still be under the impression that he is a one of the nine defensive tackles for the Minnesota Vikings with the last name Williams.


#3 Utah Jazz: Enes Kanter, Kentucky

The Mormon nation of Utah will deem Kanter ineligible to participate in the state due to his affiliation with John Calipari. However, Kanter will have to most productive career out of anyone in this class. He will just have to find an organization willing to let him participate.


#4 Cleveland Cavaliers: Tristan Thompson, Texas

There must be a reason why the Cavs took Thompson so high. Hopefully five years is enough time for us to figure out why they did. But in all seriousness, next too Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Thompson will be the best foreigner ever drafted by the Cavaliers (He's Canadian).


#5 Toronto Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas, Lithuania

Valanciunas is a key-cog for the Raptors towards the end of the decade. Unfortunately, the Raptors will still stink and they will still play in Toronto, where nobody gives a crap about basketball. But in hindsight, the Raptors made a good pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft.


#6 Washington Wizards: Jan Vesely, Czech Republic

In five years Vesely's career highlight will be one of two things: 1) The first European to win a NBA Slam dunk contest, 2) His epic makeout session with Mrs. Central Europe 2011 in the NBA draft Green Room.


#7 Sacramento Kings: Bismack Biyombo, The Republic of Congo (Traded to Charlotte)

Like many Bobcats first round selections, he will get traded no less than three times in three years, finally landing in Memphis, where he becomes a halfway-decent starting forward. However, officials find out that Biyombo was 27 years old when he was drafted, instead of 18 as draft reports indicated. His knees start to deteriorate and is out of the League before 2016. He uses his NBA earnings to help raise the quality of living in his home country of Congo.


#8 Detroit Pistons: Brandon Knight, Kentucky

Knight will be one of the names you remember from this draft class. He will spend 2-3 unhappy years with the Pistons before Dwight Howard will announce his intentions to stay in Orlando, and the Magic will trade their spare parts to Detroit for Greg Monroe and Knight. Orlando makes it to the the NBA Finals in 2014 with Knight as the team's starting point guard.


#9 Charlotte Bobcats: Kemba Walker, UConn

In five years, Walker will be the only first-rounder from this class to win an NBA Championship. In his third season, he will lead the Bobcats to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Like he did so often in college, Kemba will "Go Ham", averaging 23 ppg, 8 apg, 5 rpg, and 3 spg en route to the organization's first Championship. Oh yeah, they will do it by going a perfect 16-0 in the post-season. This will give Walker a post-season record of 28-0 since 2010.


#10 Milwaukee Bucks: Jimmer Fredette, BYU (Traded to Sacramento)

Jimmer will be a life-long King. His arrival will be a blessing for the city of Sacramento. The team's attendance will steadily increase, as will their popularity amongst the Mormon community. In future year's they will refer to Jimmer as "The Man That Saved Sacramento". By 2013, Sacremento will trail only Salt Lake City in number of Mormon residents. By his fifth year, Jimmer will be the NBA leader in jersey sales and number of offspring. He will win the 2014 and 2015 NBA Three Point contest, forcing the NBA to added a second line to the court, which will be referred to as "From beyond Jimmer range". Shots from here are worth four points.


#11 Golden State Warriors: Klay Thompson, Washington State

Two scenarios for Thompson in five years: 1) The tides turn in the West. The Lakers, Spurs, Suns and Mavericks fall to the back of the pack and teams like the Warriors, Clippers, Thunder and Blazers become the cream of the crop. Thompson will be a key contributor for the Warriors, who make consecutive playoff runs for the first time since the 80s. 2) Thompson takes full advantage of California's marijuana legalization, becomes good friends with Snoop Dogg and Katt Williams, but ends up getting traded...to the Nuggets or Blazers.


#12 Utah Jazz: Alec Burks, Colorado

Burks will become one of the better players from this draft class. Teamed with Enes Kanter, Al Jefferson, Paul Milsaps, Devon Harris and Harrison Barnes, who they will draft in the first round of the 2012 draft, the Jazz will become one of the best teams in the West. They will make it to two consecutive Western Conference finals, but will come up short, causing the organization to do an unnecessary overhaul of the team. Burks will get traded to Denver, where he will become a fan-favorite.


#13 Phoenix Suns: Markieff Morris, Kansas

After a brief stint in Phoenix's version of the Big-3, known as "The Brothers From Another Mother" featuring Taylor Griffin and Brooke Lopez, 'Kieff will leave Phoenix in order to be closer to his brother Marcus. Unfortunately for him, this comes in the form of a D-League contract with the Austin Toros.


#14 Houston Rockets: Marcus Morris, Kansas

Marcus will have a lengthy pro career in which he spends the majority of his time in Houston. in 2016, he will have played 342 NBA games. However, 78 of those games will be played by his brother Markieff, unbeknowst to Rockets fans or League officials.


#15 Indiana Pacers: Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State (Traded to San Antonio)

Kawhi Leonard will make it eventually. He will continue to improve on a year-to-year basis. He will never be an All-Star, and will never win any individual accolades, but he will be a starter for a NBA team at some point or another. It's not the sexiest "Five Years From Now" prediction, but well, the dude will still be in the League. And that can't be said for everybody in this draft.


#16 Philadelphia 76ers: Nicola Vucevic, Southern California

Vucevic will have a much better career than people expected. He will be part of the 2011-2012 Rookies vs. Sophomores game at All-Star weekend and will be a surprise candidate for Rookie of the Year. But a few years into his young career, he will get into an altercation with a fan. (The details are sketchy, but Ric Flair-style knife-edge chops were involved), The Philly Phaithful will chase Vucevic out of town. He will fail to regain the form that brought him success in Philly, and will be on his way out of the league by 2016.


#17 New York Knicks: Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech

Shumpert does not last long in New York City. Not even a cameo in a Spike Lee joint can save him from the enraged Knicks fans He ends up finishing his first contract in in Oklahoma City, New Orleans or Brooklyn, as part of a large trade that gives the Knicks a superstar point guard.


#18 Washington Wizards: Chris Singleton, Florida State

Singleton will become a long-term pro because of his defense. He will be nothing more than a stopper, as his offensive game will not improve playing next to ballhogs like JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche. But Singleton will have had moderate success by 2016, which will make New York Knicks fans even more irate at Iman Shumpert.


#19 Charlotte Bobcats: Tobias Harris, Tennessee (Traded to Milwaukee)

Say hello to the 2011-2012 Rookie of the Year. Yup that's right, Tobias Harris won the 2011-2012 Rookie of the Year Award. The Bucks will be a top-5 team in the east and compete for the Central Division title on a yearly basis with the Chicago Bulls. Harris will become the face of the "NBA Cares" program, spending time starting water balloon fights with underprivileged teens in the greater-Milwaukee area.


#20 Minnesota Timberwolves: Donatas Montiejunas, Lithuania (Traded to Houston)

In 2016, Montiejunas will be on a NBA roster, and here's how it happens. He will have stayed in Europe for the 2011-2012 season, then played a starring role for the Lithuanian National Team that wins the Bronze Medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. in 2013, he's touted as the next Arvydas Sabonis. After a successful "rookie" season a la Louis Sciola, he gets traded to Oklahoma City. But like Sabonis, he's already old (21 in 2011) and has the knees of a 50-year old. He finishes out his "career" on the pine.


#21 Portland Trailblazers: Nolan Smith, Duke

Smith spends two seasons in Portland as a moderately-used backup guard. But he will ultimately end up where all the prolific, well-known college players of the last decade end up: As a member of the Indiana Pacers.


#22 Denver Nuggets: Kenneth Faried, Morehead State

Unfortunatly for professional scouts and draftniks, Faried is not the next Dennis Rodman. He becomes an excellent "energy guy" but that is about it. Luckily, he is paired together with Denver's other "energy guy", Chris "The Birdman" Anderson. The two join forces to form a tag team known as "High Voltage". They become spokeman for various local companies. Fried chicken throughout Denver is renamed "Faried Chicken".


#23 Houston Rockets: Nikola Mirotic, Montenegro (Traded to Minnesota, then to Chicago)

Do you remember the last native of Montenegro to get drafted? You know, that guy who got picked between LeBron and Carmello? Well, things don't end up much better for Mirotic. Picked No. 23rd overall, Mirotic is the first member of the 2011 draft class to crash and burn. In five seasons he plays a total of 26 games for six different teams. He ends up having a hot girlfriend, but that's about it.


#24 Oklahoma City Thunder: Reggie Jackson, Boston College

Jackson becomes the full-time starter for the Thunder after an locker room altercation takes place between him and Russell Westbrook. The Thunder cut ties with Westbrook, and Jackson goes on to make one all-star game as a reserve. He also becomes the second player from the draft to win a title, as the Thunder defeat the Orlando Magic in the 2015 NBA Finals.


#25 Boston Celtics: Marshon Brooks, Providence (Traded to New Jersey)

In 2016, Brooks will be a member of the Brooklyn Nets and will average just under 6ppg. He will have set a D-League single game record, dropping 94 points against the Maine Red Claws in 2013. The following year, he's a reserve player for Nets but also starts a brand of low-price alcoholic energy drinks with Net's co-owner Jay-Z. A year after that, he's engaged to Kim Kardashian.


#26 Dallas Mavericks: Jordan Hamilton, Texas (Traded to Denver)

Hamilton plays five games for the Mavericks and a full-season in the D-League before he realizes the NBA is no place for an uncoachable forward who can't shoot and won't play defense. He ends up in Italy, not playing defense and missing shots, but making good money.


#27 New Jersey Nets: Ja'Juan Johnson, Purdue (Traded to Boston)

In five years Ja'Juan Johnson will be be solid every-day NBA player. But he will have taken five years worth of Kevin Garnett nut-shots, politically-incorrect statements and general douchebaggery in order to get there.


#28 Chicago Bulls: Norris Cole, Cleveland State (Traded to Minnesota, then to Miami)

By 2016, Norris Cole will have a solid role on one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Cole will make it to the NBA Finals six, seven or maybe even eight times in his career. Unfortunately Lebron James will play hide-and-seek during the fourth quarter every time.


#29 San Antonio Spurs: Corey Joseph, Texas

Corey Joseph will be the second of three Texas players taken in this draft to be out of the league with-in five years. After what seems like a decade worth of great late-first-round draft picks, the Spurs draft an absolute bust. But as a consolation prize, Joseph will become the leading scorer on the Canadian National team.


#30 Chicago Bulls: Jimmy Butler, Marquette

Jimmy Butler will have a longer NBA career than 96% of the first round picks taken in this draft. His stats will not not be overwhelming but his presence on the court and in the locker room will be. Multiple teams will be upset that they a) drafted a European and b) passed on Butler.

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UPDATE: Michigan recruit injured in a plane crash; father, step-mom killed

UPDATE: Instead of writing a new post, we figured just updating this one would be easiest. Austin Hatch is currently in a medically induced coma. He's suffered broken ribs, a fractured skull, two punctured lungs, and some deep facial cuts. He is expected to survive, although just how good that news is can be debatable.

The other information that came out about this case is that the only reason Austin survived the first plane crash -- which happened eight years ago and killed his mother and his big sister and little brother -- is that his father threw him out the winder of a burning plane.

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Sad, sad news coming out of Charlevoix, MI, today.

The father and stepmother of Michigan recruit Austin Hatch -- class of 2013, he committed last week -- were killed in a plane crash Friday night ay 7:45 pm. Austin is currently in serious condition in the ICU in Traverse City. The family was on the way to their lake house when the plane reportedly started experiencing engine troubles and crashed into the garage of a house in Charlevoix.


This story is sad enough, but it gets worse. You see, this isn't the first time that Austin and his family have been involved in a plane crash. Eight years ago, Austin's dad clipped a telephone pole while flying, which resulted in a plane crash that killed Austin's mother, 11 year old sister, and five year old brother.

Send one up for Austin tonight.

If he makes it through, he'll have no family left.
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Monday Morning Dump

- If you haven't read it yet, make sure to check out our Draft Diary from Friday afternoon.

- Creepy? Yes. Funny? That too.

- Robbi Pickeral put together a very nice read on James Michael McAdoo, a stud in the class of 2011 that is headed to North Carolina this season.

- This all-undrafted team would win a lot of basketball games at the college level.

- Ishmail Wainwright has decommitted from Missouri. He is a top 50 player in the class of 2013.

- Weather in the Midwest has been crazy this spring, but how about this -- it has rained so much in West Lafayette, IN, that Purdue is going to have to replace Keady Court.

- Coach Cal had his contract extended.

- I don't think the T-Wolves have a shot at getting Coach K.

- I hate reading stories about players who didn't hear their names called during the NBA Draft. Here is one of Fresno State's Greg Smith, and here is one of St. Louis' Willie Reed. The only thing you can hope for is that the players realize that the NBA Draft is not a determinant of a player's future.

- Kemba and Jimmer were both nominated for ESPY's.

- Ben Hansbrough signs with a team in Germany.
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Thursday's Draft highlights why we need testing the waters to stay around

No one is going to argue that the 2011 NBA Draft was one of the most exciting.

Confusing? Yes.

With pick after pick being traded -- and with some picks changing hands multiple times during the night -- it was at times difficult to figure out what team was actually picking and where that player would be spending his rookie season. How many different hats will 28th pick Norris Cole wear tonight?

Once you got past the wheeling and dealing, however, the draft was fairly boring. Realistically speaking, there were maybe three players picked with the chance of one day becoming a franchise player -- Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, and Enes Kanter. Tristan Thompson was picked fourth. A player that averaged single digits as a 21 year old in the Euroleague was picked sixth. An 18 year old that couldn't crack the starting lineup of a middling Spanish League team was picked seventh. If there was an underlying storyline, its probably that this draft may rival the 2000 draft in futility.


But that's the NBA.

In the college ranks, the story is the disappointment for the players that didn't hear their name called, the players that decided to leave school with eligibility remaining that will now have to wait for the lockout to end before they can try and earn their way onto a team. And they'll have to do it despite there being no NBA Summer Leagues to use as a proving ground. That's not going to be an easy thing to do.

Look at Scotty Hopson. Hopson was the No. 5 recruit in the country when he was a senior in high school, but thanks to an inconsistent collegiate career, Hopson's stock as a prospect plummeted. There was hope that the 6'7" wing would get picked in the second round, but when Adam Silver announced that Washington's Isaiah Thomas would be the NBA's version of Mr. Irrelevant, Hopson's name had yet to be called. Preparing for a senior season as the focal point of the Tennessee attack must seem much more attractive than trying to find a spot in a league that is facing a long work stoppage.

What about Terrence Jennings? The powerful Louisville big man became the second straight early-entrant for the Cardinals that failed to get a guaranteed contract. Samardo Samuels was able to latch on with Cleveland this past season, even starting 10 games. Will Jennings be able to do the same? Will Louisville fans lose sleep over the possibility of having a front line of Jennings, Samuels, Gorgui Dieng, and Raheem Buckles?

Perhaps the biggest head scratcher in this draft class was Jereme Richmond. For elite prospects looking for a way to stifle a promising career, follow in Richmond's footsteps. He committed to Illinois back in his freshman year of high school, but he couldn't find any kind of consistency on the court. He couldn't find any consistent way to avoid being suspended, either, as he Richmond was disciplined by Bruce Weber multiple times this past season. And don't forget about Demetri McCamey, the other Illinois "star" that went undrafted on Thursday night.

It wasn't just the undrafted that had a disappointing Thursday.

Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie of Georgia both fell out of the guaranteed contract range with a year of eligibility remaining. Then both ended up getting picked by the Clippers. Tyler Honeycutt and Malcolm Lee fell out of the first round with a combined three years of eligibility left. Josh Selby's tumble may have been the most pronounced. He went from Rivals No. 1 recruit in 2010 to the 49th pick of the draft, four picks after Kentucky's Josh Harrellson.

I promise you I am not bringing this up to chastise these players.

I feel bad for them, to tell you the truth. Every single player that was draft eligible this year was chasing a dream, and every single kid that didn't get picked is, without a doubt, crushed.

But I can't help but believe that some of these poor decisions and some of this heartbreak could have been spared if the NCAA hadn't changed the deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft to May 8th. And it once again shows just how ridiculous the NCAA's rule to eliminate the testing-the-waters process is.

Some of these choices wouldn't have changed. DeAngelo Casto was likely going pro regardless of what the NBA scouts told him. He comes from nothing and has a daughter he needs to support. Money is more important than an education for him, and its commendable that he is putting his family first. Jeremy Green of Stanford would probably have kept his name in the draft as well. He didn't leave Stanford in great academic shape.

But would Hopson have remained in the draft if he had listened to NBA GM's tell him for a month straight that he may not get drafted? Would Thompkins and Leslie have kept their names in the draft if they heard, after every workout, that they needed to do quite a bit or work before they had a shot of sticking on an NBA roster?

Maybe.

Maybe these decisions wouldn't have been affected.

But at least they would have been much more informed.
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Stetson loses their top three scorers

Casey Alexander's job just got a whole lot tougher.

Alexander is the new head coach at Stetson, taking over a team that went 8-23 last season and 6-14 in the Atlantic Sun. There was reason to be hopeful, however. The roster had just one senior and one junior and was talented enough to beat (a really bad, but still) Wake Forest.

Not anymore, however.

Stetson's top three scorers from a season ago have all been kicked off the team for academic or conduct reasons. From the Daytona Beach News-Journal:

Leading scorer Ridge Graham, a sophomore last year, committed a violation of the Stetson student code and is no longer at the DeLand university, Stetson Sports Information Director Dean Watson said.

Former Seabreeze High star Corey Walden, who as a freshman guard was the Hatters' second-leading scorer, and forward Luis Jacobo, also a freshman last season, are both gone from the school after failing to meet academic standards.

Ouch.

Now, I've never been a coach at any level above summer camp, but I'm fairly sure that losing 48.6% of your team's scoring in one fell swoop is not the best way to start things off as a brand new head coach.
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Friday Morning Dump

Today's dump will be light. With all the draft coverage pouring out from all the major outlets, we're taking the training wheels off and letting you gather your own news.

- If you still think Luke Winn isn't the best writer in the college hoops scene, well then, your opinion carries aboslutely no weight around these parts, and we would politely ask you to leave our interweb premiscese and never return. Ever. Winn kills it in his most recent article about what motivates un-heralded draft prospects (Like Hofstra's Charles Jenkins) to achieve greatness

- The staple of any post-draft/selection decision is the "Snubs" list. No selection show, all-star ballot or league draft could be complete without a list of the people who should have been picked, chosen or selected, but weren't

- From the looks of some shaky camera-phone pics, I have to assume blogger extraordinare/struggling amateur photogpraher Matt Norlander was at the NBA draft. He provides some insightful reaction and response from an interesting night of moving-and-shaking

- Mike DeCourcy believes that Kyle Singler didn't hurt his draft stock by finishing his collegiate career


- The Texas Star-Telegram has a great-read on Longhorn fans questioning of head coach Rick Barnes. Texas has pumped out numerous draft picks in the last decade, but fans still want in-season results

- Former-Michigan State star Mateen Cleaves was busted for driving with a suspended liscense

- Andy Katz on Cincinnati's Mic Cronin (He's not actually "on" him. I mean, he's "on" him like he's "covering" him. I mean, like, you know what, just forget it. I mean, read the link. Not like forget "everything". Well forget everything I'm saying, but not what Katz is saying. You know what, I'm just going to stop.)

- For the second year in a row, a Marquette player snagged the last guaranteed contract availible in the draft (And not too many players deserve it more than Jimmy Butler)

- For the second year in a row, Louisville has had a player forgo their remaining elligibillty in order to declare for draft only to end up undrafted

- Two D.C area players were welcomed into the NBA fraternity last night, but a handful of Washingtonian players were left at the doorstep

- In non-draft news, former-Southern Illinois center Gene Teague has announced his intention to transfer to Seton Hall

- Rumors swirled yesterday that Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar was a candidate to become the next head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. On draft day, Romar debunked these rumors

- The Maryland football team announced that they will be playing two future home games in Baltimore at M&T Bank Stadium (home of the Ravens). Now Terps basketball coach Mark Turgeon want's in on the action. In just a few short months, the whole philosophy, approach and dynamic of the program has changed.

- Arizona State recruit Jahii Carson was the only non-college player selected to the USA Under-19 World Championship team

- A Sea of Blue compares the draft production of Kentucky and Duke

- Wake Forest has hired former New York Knicks assistant Jeff Nix as their new Director of Basketball Operations

- Syracuse's Fab Melo has had his court case for fourth degree criminal mischeif charges postponed again

- Speaking of Syracuse, wouldn't you love to spend part of your summer at a Jim Boeheim fantasy camp (Me neither)

- How to beat the NCAA in just five easy steps

My only draft analysis is this: I foresee homemade jean-shorts making a huge comeback amongst the hipster scene in New York City. Just a hunch.


Jan Vesely may never have played college baskletball, but, well, we'll make an exception. Welcome to America, stud.



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Former Binghamton head coach Kevin Broadus joins Georgetown's staff

Kevin Broadus is back.

The former Binghamton head coach and Washington DC native has been hired as a special assistant to Georgetown head coach John Thompson III. Not assistant coach, mind you. Assistant. As in aide. As in he cannot recruit off-campus, he cannot coach the team, he cannot participate in meeting involving coaching activities, and he cannot scout opponents.

Why is Georgetown being forced to bring in a head coach that made the 2009 NCAA Tournament as the nation's highest-paid intern?


Because his flameout at Binghamton was even more impressive than the team that he was able to field.

Long story short, Broadus quickly earned a reputation for recruiting kids with questionable behavioral and academic backgrounds.

Short story long, he led Binghamton to the America East's tournament title in 2009, but his best player -- DJ Rivera -- was blackballed from first team all-conference by coaches who did not support Broadus' recruiting methods and the high-risk transfers he brought in. No worries, though, as Rivera was one of six players to get kicked off of the Binghamton team that following September after a series of unfortunate events. There was Tiki Mayben's arrest for selling crack. There was Malik Alvin getting arrested after knocking over a 66 year old woman and giving her a concussion while trying to steal a pack of Magnum condoms. There were accusations of academic impropriety. And, worst of all, a former member of the team named Milidan Kovacevic punched a student so hard that he inflicted life-threatening head injuries and damaged his brain so severely that the student lost all of his memory from college, including the classes he had taken. Oh, and Kovacevic immediately fled the country back to his native Serbia.

If that wasn't enough, Broadus committed a recruiting violation just weeks after this scandal hit. The details are here, but essentially he went to Notre Dame Prep in Massachusetts and had illegal contact with a recruit. That, eventually, cost him his job, but not without taking a fifth of Binghamton's athletic budget with him.

"I think that Kevin, like everyone else, has learned from things that have happened in the past," John Thompson III said. "During his time here at Georgetown, he was invaluable to me as a sounding board, and I anticipate that being the case again. ... I did not go into this naive, thinking there wouldn’t be some negative thoughts out there, negative feelings toward him. And with reason. . . . But at the end of the day, Kevin knows how we do things at Georgetown and how we don’t do things at Georgetown."

Personally, I think this is a good move for all involved.

Georgetown doesn't take on much risk that Broadus will commit another violation given that his duties will be limited. (Seriously, does he make sure JT III's coffee stays warm? What will he do at Georgetown?) College coaches are stubborn and set in their ways, but I seriously doubt that Broadus would risk JT III's career by breaking the rules while he is on the Hoya's staff.

For Broadus, this is a no-brainer. Its a chance for him to get back into basketball and to start rebuilding his reputation. Everyone makes mistakes, and like the questionable characters Broadus brought into Binghamton, everyone deserves a second chance, an opportunity to right their wrongs.

Let's just hope that Broadus learned from his mistakes, unlike the players that got the boot from Binghamton.
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Jacob Tucker got drafted?

The internet is a beautiful thing, isn't it?

I can download any movie, TV show, or song that I like. I can watch sporting events half a world away through streaming video on my laptop. Unlimited free porn at my disposal. This guy. What's not to like?

How about this for an internet tale -- using youtube to get yourself a professional basketball contract.

That's precisely what Jacob Tucker did.

You remember Jacob Tucker. He's the 5'11" white kid from Division III's Illinois College. He campaigned his way through youtube -- winning a fan vote -- to earn the right to participate in the college dunk contest. Obviously, he won. (And while we have nothing personally against Tucker, I'm still saying that John Williams was robbed.)

But Tucker did more than just win the heart of the college basketball nation as an unlikely and unexpected underdog story. He managed to get himself drafted ... by the Harlem Globetrotters?

"It's definitely an honor because everybody knows who they are and I know all the good things they do besides just playing basketball," Tucker was quoted in a press release. "I've always wanted to be a part of something like that. I just need to look into the details of it before I agree to anything."

Apparently, what happens next is that Tucker will work out with the team to see if he can earn a spot on the roster. Based on some of the other players the Globetrotters picked, it shouldn't be that difficult. For starters, Lionel Messi -- yes, that Lionel Messi, the greatest soccer player in the world -- was picked. So was 12 year old Jordan McCabe, the dribbling phenom and Paul Sturgess, the 7'8" English center for Mountain State.

Believe it or not, there were a couple of picks that were made for reasons other than potential publicity. Andrew Goudelock, the sharpshooter from the College of Charleston, and Darnell Wilks, Cincinnati's athletic small forward, both were selected.




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Thursday Morning Dump

It's Draft Day 2011, college hoop's equivalent of Graduation Day, except instead of a diploma, players get hat, jersey and photo-op with David Stern.

As required by the BIAH higher-ups:

• Go through and read our draft profiles. They're good. I promise.
• Five players that won't get a second NBA contract.
• Five players that will be second round steals.
• And lastly, here is why you need to be excited for the BIAH Draft Diary, coming Friday. Last year's was hilarious.

But don't think that the draft is hogging all the hoops spotlight. After all, it's a "weak draft", as is the media coverage.

- Andy Katz provides a must-read on the mismanagement of the Venoy Overton situation. The Husky guard was suspended for the Pac-10 tournament because of sexual assault allegations. He was then allowed to compete in the NCAA tournament, before being arrested on promoting prostitution charges in early June. Head coach Lorenzo Romar probably would have done it differently if he had the chance

- Speaking of Washington, according to an interview on GoHuskies.com, former-guard Isaiah Thomas decided to declare for the draft because he was told he would have to share point guard duties next season

- But we're not done with Washington just yet. Rumors are starting to swirl about the possibillity of Lorenzo Romar leaving U-Dub in favor of the Minnesota Timberwolves

- Seth Davis provides draft profiles for 40 of the top NBA draft prospects in the country (It seems like he put in a lot of effort, so give the guy a pageview or two, will ya)

- Boston University has finally hired a new head coach. Joe Jones, a former-Boston College assistant coach will replace Pat Chambers, who left in May to take the opening at Penn State

- According to a rebounding graph put together by Dan Feldman, it's not even funny how much better Kenny Faried is than everybody else at cleaning the glass

- Former-UCLA stars Ed O'Bannon and Baron Davis will be returning to Westwood this summer in order to complete their studies and recieve their degrees

- Former-Binghamton coach Kevin Broadus has been hired by Georgetown University as a special assistant coach. The former-Hoya player served as an assistant as his Alma Mater before taking the head coaching gig at Binghamton, where he was swamped with contreversy and constant allegations of NCAA violations

- It appears that Oklahoma is getting closer towards resolving their NCAA investigation into the recruiting violations involving former center Keith "Tiny" Gallon

- Washington State will have to get over not being able to rely on Klay Thompson and his scoring proficiency. But is there a fool-proof answer as to how the Cougars will go about doing this?

- I missed this from Monday, but since I'm such a huge Mike Rice fan, I have to throw it in here. Jason King details Rice's efforts to resurrect the Rutgers basketball program

- Doug Gottleib isn't like you or I, so clearly, his draft big board is going to be slighty umm... different

- I've been wondering the same thing for a very long time. Words like "upside" and "potential" have become more valuble than "experienced" or "proven winner"

- Tuesday was NBA Draft "Yearbook picture day"
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POSTERIZED: Shaquille Johnson got hops, yo

The name sounds familiar, doesn't it?

It should.

Because back in May, we posted a video of Shaquille Johnson throwing down one of the nastiest dunks these eyes have seen in a long, long time. Take a look. He waits for the defender to get back on defense simply so he dish out a savage aerial assault. Then he draws a tech for staring down his victim, who is left lying on the ground, overcome with the realization that he is about to go viral.

As a basketball purist, I hate it.

But as a basketball fan ... god damn that is vicious.

Its also far from the only in-flight entertainment the young man known simply as 747 as provided us this spring:



Its unreal how high this kid an get off the ground. Seriously, look at this picture:


His shoulder is above the bottom of the back board. He head is at the rim. It looks like he can place a quarter on the top of the back board. What's crazier is that, according to ESPN, Johnson is not a top 50 recruit. He's not in their top 100. Hell, he's not even in the top 50 at his position.

Maybe this 6'4" (seriously, 6'4"!!!) Auburn commit should spend some time working on his handle and his jump shot.
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Coach Cal's idea is intriguing, but less than ideal for hoops

Whether you love or hate the fact that a couple of die hard fans were able to turn a sports blog into a radio and TV show, you have to give respect to the guys at Kentucky Sports Radio for the work that they have done building a brand for themselves.

They may have outdone themselves on Wednesday, as Matt Jones and company were able to not only get John Calipari to come on as a guest on their radio show, but they managed to get him to open up about how he feels these college programs can get their student athletes the money and the living expenses that many believe they need.

In short -- Coach Cal believes that the major conference schools should secede from the NCAA and form four superconferences, allowing the TV money to be split amongst the programs that generate the majority of it.

You can listen to it in its entirety here:



Its an interesting idea, and one that many have speculated will be the ultimate result of the latest round of conference affiliation swapping.

Calipari's proposal would probably work better from a football standpoint. Within four conferences that have two divisions of eight or nine teams, a divisional title game would be played for the right to make it to the National Semifinals. Essentially, it would create an eight team tournament that crowns a national champion, which we can all agree works a helluva lot better than the current bowl format.

Logistically speaking, it works for basketball as well. All of the 64 or 72 teams in these superconferences would make the NCAA Tournament, allowing it to keep its current form and retain the three week, win-or-go-home style that makes the tournament the greatest spectacle in sports.

But the tournament would lose the part that makes it so amazing. The upsets. The underdogs. The George Masons and the Butlers and the Gonzagas would no longer be on our national radar. The cinderella stories that make the tournament so endearing would ceast to exist. I don't think any college basketball fan wants that to happen.

So while this is an intriguing idea, one that would sure free up millions of dollars to allow the athletes at the schools that generate the majority of the massive sums of money the NCAA gets to receive some pocket change, it takes away the beauty of the NCAA Tournament.

And it puts Joe Lunardi out of a job.

There is also the issue that the athletes of the non-revenue sports -- soccer, track and field, field hockey, etc. -- would be getting a portion of the proceeds that are generated by football and basketball. Eventually, that will become an issue as well.

Personally, I side with Jay Bilas. Remove the barriers to amateur athletes being allowed to profit off of their likeness while in school. As Jay says:

There is no legitimate reason why a college athlete should be denied the opportunity to enter into legitimate, legally binding contracts to, among other things, hire an agent, do paid appearances, appear in advertisements, endorse shoes and apparel or otherwise profit from their names and likenesses. It would not sink college sports, substantially limit the NCAA’s massive television profits or negatively affect the education of the athletes or any other student. It would simply be fair.

The bottom line here is that there is no easier answer to this question.

Do any BIAH readers have a better idea?
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Five second round picks that will hang around the league

The second round of the NBA Draft is, more or less, simply a chance for some lesser college stars to have their one, last chance at seeing their names on TV.

The NBA is not an easy league to make. There are a limited number of roster spots available and an even more limited number of spots in an NBA rotation. Making a team without getting a guaranteed contract through the draft is tough.

But it can be done. There are many stories of players that have carved out terrific careers despite falling out of the guaranteed money. Gilbert Arenas and Manu Ginobli were both picked in the second round. So were Michael Redd, Monta Ellis, Carlos Boozer, Stephen Jackson, and Rashard Lewis. Those are, or recently have been, stars in the NBA.


Finding a diamond in the rough like that is rare. But finding a solid starter in the second round does happen fairly often. Last year, it was Landry Fields out of Stanford going to the New York Knicks. The year before that, both Sam Young and DeJuan Blair fell to the second round after leaving Pitt. Before that, Paul Millsap, Trevor Ariza, and Mo Williams beat the odds to make it in the league.

It can be done.

Sometimes its simply the result of a fortunate pairing between franchise, player, and available roles. Other times, its the result of fears about a player's injury history that causes him to drop. There are times when a draft is loaded with border-line first round picks, causing players to go 45th that would usually be picked 25th. There are also times where a front office does their homework and finds a guy that has flown under-the-radar.

Landing in the second round shouldn't be seen as a disappointment to these players.

It should be seen as an opportunity to make the other 29 teams regret their draft day decisions.

Who in the 2011 NBA Draft Class will have an extended NBA career as a second round pick?

Jimmy Butler, Marquette: There is nothing about Butler's game that makes him appear to be an NBA prospect. He's a capable shooter, but not a significant three point threat from NBA range. He's a decent ball-handler, but he won't blow by you to get to the rim. He's a solid athlete with good size, but he won't be making Sportscenter's top ten. What makes Butler a promising prospect is the fact that he is a tough defender, a terrific teammate and leader in the locker room, a willing role player, and a guy that can do a little bit of everything. Throw in the success that former teammates Wes Matthews and Lazar Hayward have had landing a spot in the NBA and the rave reviews he received at the Portsmouth Invitational, and Butler appears headed for an NBA career. He certainly deserves it.

Charles Jenkins, Hofstra: Jenkins was a big-time scorer at the college level, thriving on his ability to shoot from beyond the arc and create space in the mid-range game. The problem is that those numbers came against CAA competition, which is a much improved league but still a far cry from the NBA. Regardless of who he is playing against, however, Jenkins is going to be able to shoot and score. He won't be a starter in the NBA, but the fact that he was able to score at the rate he did (22.6 ppg) while taking more than 20 shots just three times, creating for his teammates (4.8 apg), and protecting the ball (2.2 t/o's) makes him an ideal candidate as a scoring infusin


JaJuan Johnson, Purdue: Johnson's physical profile is terrific. He's a legit 6'10" with a 7'2" wingspan, he's exceptionally mobile for a player his height, and he has a 38" vertical. He also has a versatile skill-set. He can block a shot at one end and beat his defender down the floor for an open dunk. If that's not there, he can knock down 20 foot jumpers, use his dribble to get a better look should his defender close out long, and score in the post using his advanced repertoire of finesse moves. The knock on Johnson is that he has a slender upper body that will be difficult to add much mass or strength to. While that will limit his upside, his tools and skill-set should earn him a spot in the rotation of a team that likes to run the floor and pick-and-pop.

Josh Selby, Kansas: Selby is quite possibly the most unique prospect in this draft class. Coming out of high school, he was considered one of the top five recruits in the country. An explosive perimeter scorer, Selby's freshman season at Kansas was largely forgettable. He battled injuries (a broken hand in the preseason, a stress fracture late in the year), a suspension, and a role that didn't suit his skill set. As a result, he numbers were far from impressive this year. But that doesn't mean that the talent that garnered him so much attention in high school is gone, especially now that he is healthy.

Nolan Smith, Duke: I am a big fan of Nolan Smith's game. He proved this season just what he is capable at the collegiate level when he is the focal point offensively, winning ACC player of the year and finding himself in the conversation for national player of the year before a late slump. But until Kyrie Irving injured his foot, Smith also showed just how good of a role player he can be, ignoring his individual successes and exposure in exchange for winning games with the Blue Devils. Smith can do everything on a basketball court. He can shoot the three, he can beat a defender off the dribble, he can play on the ball or off, and he's a very good defender.

Bold Prediction: DeAndre Liggins, Kentucky: Liggins did not have a great career at Kentucky. As a freshman, he almost left the program due to his lacking relationship with former head coach Billy Gillispie. As a sophomore, in his first year under John Calipari, Liggins struggled to find a role on a team that was stacked with five future first round picks. But as a junior, Liggins really began to come into his own as a player. He embraced the idea that he was a defensive stopper. At 6'6" with length and lateral quickness, Liggins has the potential to guard all three perimeter positions. Throw in his ability to knock down catch-and-shoot jumpers, and I would be surprised if Liggins wasn't able to find a role on an NBA team somewhere.
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Five first round picks that won't get a second NBA contract

Joe Alexander was the rising star of the 2008 NBA Draft.

The 6'8" forward was a first round afterthought for much of the season before a series of monster performances -- including scoring 29 or more points four times in a five game stretch in March -- and a Mountaineer postseason run to the Big East semifinals and the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 sent his draft stock soaring. That tends to happen when you lead a middle-of-the-pack Big East team to wins over Pitt, UConn, Arizona, and Duke in a three week span.

Alexander's stock shot even higher in the draft combine. Not only had he become a star at the collegiate level, but he was a physical specimen. His 38.5" vertical (and over-12 foot max reach), his combine-best 2.99 second 3.4 sprint, and his combine-best 24 reps of 185 lbs on the bench press had scouts drooling.


That success and potential has yet to translate to the NBA, however. Thanks to a series of injuries and a lack of production when healthy, Alexander became the highest-drafted player to have the organization that drafted him opt against picking up the third-year of his rookie contract. (For those unfamiliar, the way the rookie wage scale works is that a first-round pick receives a guaranteed two-year contract at a slotted salary with team options for the third and the fourth years.)

Who in this draft class projected as a first-rounder is at risk of not making it to their second NBA contract?

Marshon Brooks, Providence: There is no questioning that Brooks was an explosive scorer for Providence, but the way he scored in college doesn't necessarily translate well to the NBA. In college, he had free reign to shoot whenever and from wherever he pleased. In the NBA, he will be a role player asked to hit spot-up jumpers, an area of his game he struggles. In college, he played in an uptempo system that allowed him to use his long-strides and massive wingspan to beat defenders in transition settings. At the next level, his lack of a quick first step and his mediocre explosiveness around the rim will hurt him in a half court setting. Perhaps the biggest issue is on the other side of the ball. He wasn't asked to play much, if any, defense in college. Can he defend in the NBA?

Jordan Hamilton, Texas: As a sophomore, Hamilton developed into one of the most dangerous scoring threats in the Big 12, when he was the focal point of the Longhorn offensive attack. But as a freshman, Hamilton was as much of a risk on the offensive end as he was a strength. Hamilton struggles with the term shot selection. His mindset is to score, score, score, and that hurt Texas at times when freshman Hamilton needed to take a backseat to Avery Bradley, Damion James, and Dexter Pittman. In the NBA, Hamilton will be playing a role more similar to the one he played as a freshman than the one he played as a sophomore. Can he handle being the third or fourth option offensively? And, like Brooks, Hamilton will be a liability on the defensive end.


Chandler Parsons, Florida: At 6'10" with a three point stroke and the ability to handle the ball and create open shots for his teammates, Parsons is an intriguing prospect. There aren't many players in this draft class with his kind of versatility, skill set, and physical tools. The problem with Parsons is that while he does a lot well, he isn't great at anything. He doesn't have one skill that is NBA ready. The little things that he did on the court to help Florida win games aren't going to translate to the NBA. He seemingly got lost in the shuffle in college playing with Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker. What happens at the next level?

Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech: On paper, Shumpert looks great. He is a 6'6" combo-guard with a massive wingspan, a 42" vertical, and the strength of a post player. He's also a player that averaged 5.0 apg as a freshman playing a secondary role and 17.3 ppg as a junior is a leading role. But anyone that watched Shumpert play can tell you, he struggles with his shot selection -- forcing far too many jumpers for a player that is a sub-par jump shooter -- and his decision making. He's also a player that played on three disappointing Georgia Tech teams, including one that got an NCAA Tournament bid despite a sub-.500 ACC record.

Klay Thompson, Washington State: There is no question about Thompson's ability to shoot the basketball. Simply put, he has range for days. Combine that stroke with his height (6'7"), his high-release point, and his ability to use off-ball screens to get open, and its no wonder that the son of Mychal Thompson was able to score in bunches at the college level. The problem is that, for the past two seasons, Thompson has seen his performance, specifically his efficiency, slip in Pac-10 play. If he struggled to handle the physicality of the Pac-10 -- the weakest of the six major conferences -- will he be able to handle defenders at the next level?

(And since no list is complete without one):

Bold Prediction: Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State: Leonard, like Alexander, is a physical specimen. He's a smooth player with a terrific motor who has a wingspan typically seen on seven-footers. He's much more athletic than the numbers he posted at the NBA Draft combine -- sitting out the drill work while waiting for 45 minutes in a cold gym is not a way to prepare to test your vertical. There are a lot of things that Leonard can do on a basketball court, but most of those traits -- his defense, his rebounding ability, his hustle -- are the result of those physical tools. Leonard is a power forward trapped in a small forward's body. If he doesn't develop his jumpshot and his ball handling ability, can he play on the perimeter in the NBA?
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