A number of top basketball players around the country may have to deal with some amateurism questions as Stack.com, the website for a magazine geared towards athletic training, posted a number of videos using the players to promote a new basketball shoe from ADIDAS.
The kids involved -- Providence commit Kris Dunn, Baylor commit Isaiah Austin, Texas commit Javan Felix, and Kentucky commit Archie Goodwin from the Class of 2012; Elijah Brown from the Class of 2013; and the teams from St. Xavier and Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati. You can find all the videos here. (UPDATE: It looks like the videos have been taken down. If anyone has a link to the video, PLEASE send it our way. Contactbiah at gmail dot com.)
As you can imagine, this may be an issue for high school kids. They aren't supposed to be endorsing products. And while we can argue all day about whether or not its fair that these kids are unable to capitalize off of their notoriety and basketball ability, the fact of the matter is that the current rules strictly forbid it. It's essentially the opposite of amateurism. (So is the NCAA, but that's a different post for a different day.)
But the biggest issue deals with the biggest player involved -- UConn freshman Andre Drummond. One of the videos featured him and Dunn. The Norwich Bulletin pulled a couple of quotes before the videos were pulled:
In the video, Dunn, while holding a shoe, says, “I like to run up and down the court and with these shoes I’d probably run faster, make better decisions out there. If you get more speed, you can see things quicker.”
Drummond looks into the camera and says, “I want them.”
If an individual accepts remuneration for or permits the use of his or her name or picture to advertise or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service prior to enrollment in a member institution, continued remuneration for the use of the individual's name or picture (under the same or similar circumstances) after enrollment is permitted without jeopardizing his or her eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics only if all of the following conditions apply:
(a) The individual's involvement in this type of activity was initiated prior to his or her enrollment in a member institution;
(b) The individual became involved in such activities for reasons independent of athletics ability;
(c) No reference is made in these activities to the individual's name or involvement in intercollegiate athletics;
(d) The individual does not endorse the commercial product; and
(e) The individual's remuneration under such circumstances is at a rate commensurate with the individual's skills and experience as a model or performer and is not based in any way upon the individual's athletics ability or reputation.
Not a single one of the player's listed above qualifies beyond the first condition. But for the kids still in high school, the fact that the videos have been scrubbed from the web should limit NCAA issues as long as they weren't paid.
Drummond will face more serious questions, however, since he is currently enrolled at UConn. Bylaw 12.5.2.1 specifically states that a player is immediately ineligible if he "Accepts any remuneration for or permits the use of his name or picture to advertise, recommend or promote directly the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind." According to the article from the Norwich Bulletin, it doesn't matter whether or not the video was posted prior to Drummond's enrollment at UConn. The fact that it was still in circulation when he finally did enroll means that he is ineligible and will have to apply for reinstatement.
Stay tuned. We'll update this as we get more information.
"UConn was made aware of the video in question late this afternoon and has reviewed it," the school said in a statement. "Our compliance staff is comfortable that the video was made in advance of Andre’s enrollment at UConn. Our next step is to simply follow up with the website on which it is posted and ask that it be removed, which we have already done."
Gavin Keefe of the New London Day spoke with UConn's SID Kyle Muncy about the video.
"Obviously, every case is treated on a case by case basis," Muncy told Keefe. "It wouldn't be exaggerating to say we dealt with this identical situation eight to 10 times last year and never had any athlete lose eligibility. ... We will inform the NCAA what the issue was and they’ll review it. We anticipate everything will be fine ... There's not any concern."Continue reading...
Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.
40. George Mason Patriots:
Last Season: 27-7, 16-2 (Colonial)
Head Coach: Paul Hewitt
Key Losses: Luke Hancock, Cam Long, Isaiah Tate, Jim Larranaga
New Additions: Eric Copes, Corey Edwards, Vaughn Gray
Projected Lineup:
- G: Andre Cornelius, Sr. - G: Vertrail Vaughns, So. - F: Sherrod Wright, So. - F: Ryan Pearson, Sr. - C: Mike Morrison, Sr. - Bench: Eric Copes, Fr.; Corey Edwards, Fr.; Bryon Allen, So.; Johnny Williams, Jr.; Vaughn Gray, Fr.
Outlook: George Mason is going to be a very interesting team to watch this season. On the surface, this team looks to have the pieces necessary to win the CAA title even with the change in coaching regimes. They start three seniors, they have a big and talented front line, and they have a couple of young kids that should be able to excel playing a role. Ryan Pearson -- a crafty and bearded 6'7" lefty that looks and plays like the old guy at the park -- will have to take over the role of go-to guy for this team, and should be capable of doing so. Mike Morrison and Eric Copes should provide plenty of size, rebounding and shot-blocking on the interior. Andre Cornelius, when (if?) he returns from a suspension for an arrest for credit card fraud, is their senior ball-handler. Vertrail Vaughns is a sharp-shooting off-guard that did a lot of damage in limited minutes. Sherrod Wright missed last season with an injury, but he had some big games late in his freshman year. The question mark, as I see it, will be replacing the playmaking of Luke Hancock and Cam Long. Those two were responsible for 240 of Mason's 483 assists last year. Can freshman Corey Edwards or sophomore Bryon Allen play the role of creator? Will Cornelius, Wright or Vaughns be able to expand their game? If yes, Mason should once again be competing for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
- G: Franz Massenat, So. - G: Chris Fouch, Jr. - G: Derrick Thomas, Sr. - F: Samme Givens, Sr. - F: Daryl McCoy, Jr. - Bench: Dartaye Ruffin, So.; Damion Lee, Fr.; Tavon Allen, Fr.; Aquil Younger, Fr.; Casey Carroll, Fr.; Kazembe Abif Fr.
Outlook: Drexel returns six of the seven players that were in their rotation from last season's 20-win team and will be a trendy pick to win the conference this season. Drexel is one of the most unique teams in the country playing the game in the simplest manner -- getting stops. They led the country in defensive rebounding percentage and were seventh nationally in defensive effective field goal percentage, which is a long-winded way of saying they forced their opponents into taking tough shots and then cleaned the glass on those misses. Expect more of the same this year. The undersized Samme Givens is a potential player of the year in the league, a guy that, at 6'5", averaged a double-double last season. With Daryl McCoy and Dartaye Ruffin joining him up front, the front court should once again be rugged, physical and dominant on the glass. Sophomore Franz Massenat will be expected to, once again, be a playmaking force on the offensive end of the floor. Their are two keys to the season. The first is on the offensive end of the floor. Derrick Thomas will be counted on to up his production on the perimeter, but more importantly Chris Fouch is going to have to stay healthy. Fouch was as dangerous as any perimeter threat at the mid-major level early in the season, but he went cold late in the year as injuries kept him out of practice and out of a rhythm. The other key will be their depth. They have a solid, five-man recruiting class. If a couple of those guys can become reliable options on the bench, Drexel will make quite a bit of noise.
38. Purdue Boilermakers:
Last Season: 26-8, 14-4
Head Coach: Matt Painter
Key Losses: JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore, Patrick Bade
New Additions: Jacob Lawson, Donnie Hale, Anthony Johnson,
Projected Lineup:
- G: Lewis Jackson, Sr. - G: Ryne Smith, Jr. - F: DJ Byrd, Jr. - F: Robbie Hummel, Sr. - C: Travis Carroll, So. - Bench: Kelsey Barlow, Jr.; John Hart, Jr.; Terone Johnson, So.; Anthony Johnson, Fr.; Jacob Lawson, Fr.; Donnie Hale, Fr.; Sandi Marcius, So.
Outlook: Purdue is one of the most difficult teams in the country to peg this season. There are just so many unknowns surrounding this team. For starters, they are losing two of the best players in the Big Ten the past few seasons in JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore. Their star heading into this season, Robbie Hummel, has complete just a single practice with the team since tearing his acl in February of 2010 -- he missed last season after tearing his acl again on the second day of practice last season. Just how good is he going to be coming off of back-to-back devastating knee injuries? And who is going to step up and replace the 38.5 ppg, 13.7 rpg, and invaluable leadership on the court provided by Johnson and Moore? I like Lewis Jackson at the point, but who is going to join him on the perimeter? Ryne Smith and DJ Byrd both started over 20 games as sophomores. Kelsey Barlow, a junior now, and Terone Johnson, a sophomore, started a handful as well. Junior John Hart and freshman Anthony Johnson will no doubt be looking for an opportunity to prove their worth. Will a young front line of sophomores Travis Carroll and Sandi Marcius and freshmen Jacob Lawson and Donnie Hale be able to battle with the bigger teams in the Big Ten? There is no doubt that Purdue will be well-coached and physical defensively this season, a credit to the coaching of Matt Painter. And there certainly are some talented pieces on this roster, the question is simply how are they going to fit together?
37. Cal Golden Bears:
Last Season: 18-15, 10-8 (Pac-10)
Head Coach: Mike Montgomery
Key Losses: Gary Franklin, Markhuri Sanders-Frison
New Additions: Justin Cobbs, Alex Rossi, David Kravish, Christian Behrens
Projected Lineup:
- G: Brandon Smith, Jr. or Justin Cobbs, So. - G: Jorge Gutierrez, Jr. - F: Allen Crabbe, So. - F: Richard Solomon, So. - C: Harper Kamp, Sr. - Bench: Cobbs or Smith; Bak Bak, Jr; Jeff Powers, So.; Alex Rossi, Fr.
Outlook: Cal is a sleeper in the Pac-12, a team that may end up competing for the league title depending on how things shake-out this season. This is a group that won 10 league games a year ago and returns their big three. Jorge Gutierrez, a 6'4" off-guard, is the heart and soul of this team, a potential first-team all-league player and one of the best all-around guards in the country you've never seen. He defends, he can shoot, he can put the ball on the floor and create and he's not afraid to mix it up with an opponent to defend his team. Allen Crabbe, who averaged 13.4 ppg as a freshman, was the rookie of the year in the conference last season and also has a chance to be an all-league player. Senior Harper Kamp is an experienced low-post presence and consistently underrated from a national perspective. The question for the Bears will be how they fill the holes in their line-up. Brandon Smith, who played well filling in for Gary Franklin when he transferred to Baylor in the middle of the season, and Justin Cobbs, a transfer from Minnesota, will battle it our for the right to start at the point and should combine to solidify the position. Richard Solomon showed flashes as a freshman, but he'll struggle to fill the void left by Markhuri Sanders-Frison as he is literally half the size of the burly Sanders-Frison despite being three inches taller. Bak Bak will get some help from a couple of freshmen to provide front court depth, while Jeff Powers and Alex Rossi, a redshirt freshman that missed last season with an injury, will give the Bears some perimeter depth. The big three on Cal are good enough to get them to the NCAA Tournament, but how well the rest of the Cal roster developed during the off-season will determine whether this has a shot of competing for a league title.
36. St. Mary's Gaels:
Last Season: 25-9, 11-3 (WCC)
Head Coach: Randy Bennett
Key Losses: Mickey McConnell
New Additions: Paul McCoy, Elvidas Petrulis, Brad Waldow, Zach Sanchez
Projected Lineup:
- G: Matthew Dellavedova, Jr. - G: Stephen Holt, So. - F: Clint Steindl, Sr. - F: Rob Jones, Sr. - C: Kenton Walker, Sr. - Bench: Jorden Page, So.; Tim Williams, Jr.; Paul McCoy, Jr.; Mitchell Young, Jr.; Kyle Rowley, Jr.
Outlook: There is no question that losing a player of Mickey McConnell's caliber will hurt. He was so efficient and so smart and such a threat from the perimeter. But the Gaels have enough perimeter talent returning this season that they may be able to nullify that loss. Matthew Dellavedova will take the reins of this team as a junior and he should be primed for a big season as the feature guard in Randy Bennett's offense. He will likely be joined in the back court by sophomore Stephen Holt, a highly-regarded recruit when he entered the program that had a couple of impressive performances late in the season. Jorden Page missed most of last season with a knee injury. He had a couple of big games in the WCC Tournament two seasons ago and should provide a spark off the bench. Same with Paul McCoy, a transfer that averaged 13.4 ppg as a freshman in 2008-2009. In the front court, Clint Steindl and Rob Jones will start at the forward spots. Steindl is a lanky, 6'7" sharpshooter at the small forward spot while Jones, despite standing just 6'6", is the team's second-leading scorer and best rebounder. He's more of a combo-forward than a pure power forward, but Jones plays with a mean streak. Kenton Walker got 26 starts last season, but only played 15 mpg. Mitchell Young actually played more minutes that Walker and averaged double figures off the bench. Tim Williams and Northwestern transfer Kyle Rowley will also be in the front court rotation. If Dellavedova embraces the role of the leader and youngsters like Page and Holt develop into big-time players, ranking St. Mary's 36th may look silly come March. Continue reading...
Over the next month and a half, we will be rolling out all of our 2011-2012 Season Preview posts. You can find a full schedule of all the preview posts here. If you want to browse through the rest of the conference previews, click here.
AWARDS
Player of the Year: Drew Gordon, Sr., New Mexico
Simply put, Gordon is a force on the block for the Lobos. One of the best big men in the country as a high school senior, Gordon never found his rhythm at UCLA. But in Steve Alford's uptempo offensive system, Gordon flourished. After becoming eligible in December, Gordon finished the season as one of the best big men in a conference with a number of quality front court players. On the season, he averaged 13.0 ppg and 10.5 rpg. While his rebounding numbers may end up taking a hit if Alex Kirk and Cameron Bairstow see a jump in production as sophomores, Gordon should become a productive offensive force. He will have had a year to learn the system, Steve Alford will have had an offseason to figure out how to run an offense through Gordon and with Dairese Gary gone, someone on the Lobos is going to have to become the offensive focal point.
And a close second goes to...: Chace Stanback, Sr., UNLV
There isn't much that Stanback can't do on a basketball court. A 6'8" wing, he's extremely valuable to the Runnin' Rebels spread attack. He's big enough that he can rebound like a power forward, but his range and perimeter ability make him a matchup nightmare for opposing fours. And believe it or not, Stanback's DUI arrest over the summer may end up being the reason that he finally puts all of that talent together. Instead of returning home to LA for the summer, Stanback stayed in Vegas and refocused himself towards becoming a better player. He was inconsistent throughout much of conference play a year ago, but if a summer of work can build on his strong finish to the 2010-2011 season, Stanback should finally develop into the star most believed he would be when he first arrived on the UNLV campus.
Breakout Star: Kendall Williams, So., New Mexico
Williams can flat out play. As a third and fourth option for the Lobos as a freshman, Williams -- who won the freshman of the year award in the MWC -- finished with averages of 11.5 ppg and 4.0 apg despite playing alongside Dairese Gary. Gary graduated in the offseason, which means that Williams, along with Drew Gordon, will become the center of the New Mexico attack. To get an idea of what kind of production can be expected, Williams scored 18 points in both of the Lobo's NIT games after Gary suffered a season-ending knee injury. Ironically enough, Williams was originally committed to UCLA, which means that Ben Howland actually could have had Gordon, Williams and Stanback on his roster at the same time.
All-Conference First-Team:
- POY: Drew Gordon, Sr., New Mexico - G: Hank Thorns, Sr., TCU - G: Kendall Williams, So., New Mexico - G: Anthony Marshall, Jr., UNLV - F: Michael Lyons, Jr., Air Force - F: Chace Stanback, Sr., UNLV
- Realignment: The MWC has been in the midst of conference realignment since the first rumors were floated a year and a half ago. They were also the first league to go ahead and make a move. It started with Boise State's addition to the league, a move made for football that backfired when both Utah (to the Pac-12) and BYU (WCC and Independent) left the conference. The next step was TCU jumping ship to join the Big East, where their football program will reign king while their basketball team may go winless for a decade. Next summer, it will be Nevada and Fresno State coming into the conference. That's it, well, for now at least. If the Big 12 manages to remain an entity, some believe that the MWC could see a couple of their programs fill in the gaps.
- Key players that aren't returning: The future of a number of players was up in the air this summer, and unfortunately many of the kids in question will no longer be playing in the Mountain West. Perhaps the most important was the saga of Brian Carlwell, the San Diego State big man. Carlwell, if you remember, was originally a member of Illinois when he was injured when teammate Jamar Smith crashed his car when driving drunk. He applied for a sixth year of eligibility but was denied. TCU's star guard Ronnie Moss was kicked off the team in January and he will not be returning to the program. Wyoming was able to make a solid hire by bringing in former Florida assistant Larry Shyatt, but that was not enough to keep the Cowboy's two leading scorers -- Desmar Jackson and Amath M'Baye -- from transferring out. Emmanuel Negedu's career is officially over, which may actually be a good thing. He's the former Tennessee forward that nearly died when his heart gave out during a workout two summers ago. Perhaps the only player whose future was in doubt that returns is Player of the Year candidate Chace Stanback at UNLV, who changed his lifestyle after getting a DUI during the offseason.
- Kevin Young vs. Steve Fisher: With Malcolm Thomas, Billy White, Kawhi Leonard and Brian Carlwell all leaving the program this offseason, Steve Fisher knew that he needed to bring in some front line players that would be able to contribute immediately. So Fisher recruited former Loyola Marymount power forward Kevin Young, who committed to SDSU only to change his mind in June and opt to transfer to Kansas. It was a no-brainer for Young to make the move -- when a top-six program of all-time offers you a scholarship and has minutes available, you go there -- but it put Fisher in a terrible position. He didn't have any big men because he stopped recruiting them when Young committed. Fisher spouted off in the media, Bill Self responded, and that was the end of it, at least publicly. I have to admit, I was happy to hear about this decision by Young. If Fisher had been taken a job at one of the high-major openings this offseason, would he have been concerned about Young's commitment?
- Old faces back at UNLV: Rice is a former player at UNLV. He was a member of Jerry Tarkanian's Runnin' Rebel teams of the early 90's, warming the bench for the likes of Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony. Rice will be attempting to bring UNLV back to their glory years, and what better way to do that than by creating as many ties to those great teams. He added Stacey Augmon to his coaching staff. His next move should be to make amends with Grandmama.
Four storylines heading into the season
- The holdover season?: In many ways, the 2011-2012 season seems like one where the Mountain West will be playing the waiting game. For starters, the league is down to just eight members this year with BYU and Utah leaving and Boise State joining the fray. With Nevada and Fresno State on the way for the 2012-2013 season, the league moves back to ten teams -- well, at least that's the plan -- while also bolstering their basketball product. Nevada and Fresno State both have solid basketball programs with some national relevance. The Wolfpack were down last season, but they have a talented young nucleus while Fresno State is just a year removed from sending Paul George to the lottery.
But its more than just what programs the league is waiting for. Boise State is a young team, but Leon Rice has done a good job bringing in some young talent. They may need a year to gel, but don't be surprised if they are competing for conference titles sooner rather than later, especially if he is able to tap the Australian pipeline he started by bringing in freshmen imports Anthony Drmic and Igor Hadziomerovic. Colorado State also seems to be in a holding pattern this season. Most of their core are juniors, and with Colton Iverson (a Minnesota transfer) and Daniel Bejarano (an Arizona transfer) sitting out this season, they may be competing for a spot in the NCAA Tournament in a year. San Diego State's core will be in the fold for two more seasons -- Chase Tapley and James Rahon are juniors and Xavier Thames is a sophomore -- that will be joined by Dwayne Polee (a St. John's transfer) and JJ O'Brien (a Utah transfer) in a year.
- Who is third?: New Mexico and UNLV are the clear favorites to win the Mountain West. Both are borderline top 25 teams and, barring something unforeseen, both will be playing in the NCAA Tournament come March. After that? Who knows. San Diego State has a talented back court but they will struggle to fill the void in their front court. Boise State brings in quite a bit of talent, but their roster is has 10 freshmen and sophomores. Colorado State has an experienced team, but they lack a go-to scorer. Air Force and TCU have two of the best players in the conference in Michael Lyons and Hank Thorns, respectively, while Wyoming might have the third most overall talent on their roster if they can keep their players healthy. The MWC is going to be a two-horse race for the top spot, but the battle to finish in third may end up being more exciting.
- Shabazz Muhammad: UNLV has always been able to mix-it-up with the big boys when it comes to recruiting. They've been an ideal landing spot for transfers that fizzled out at some major programs -- Tre'Von Willis transferred in from Memphis, Quintrel Thomas began his career at Kansas and Mike Moser and Chace Stanback are both former UCLA Bruins. Bryce Jones (a USC transfer) will be sitting out this season per NCAA rules while Reggie Smith (a Marquette transfer) won't become eligible until December. Katin Reinhardt is a top 100 point guard currently committed to the Rebels, but perhaps their biggest splash will be if they can land Shabazz Muhammad. With Andre Drummond now a member of the Class of 2011, Muhammad is hands down the best high school senior in the country. He also happens to hail from Vegas. Will Rice and company be able to keep him home?
- How long does Jim Christian have?: TCU may be on their way out of the MWC, but it will be interesting to see if head coach Jim Christian makes it through the season. The Horned Frogs have gone a combined 24-41 the last two seasons and just 6-26 in league play. With leading scorer Ronnie Moss now out of the program, TCU doesn't look like they will be getting much better this year, and that's coming off of a 1-15 campaign in league play. If you can't win in the Mountain West, what makes you think you will be relevant in the Big East?
Power Rankings
1. New Mexico: The Lobos just never seemed to find a rhythm as a team last season. Whether it was the result of Emmanuel Negedu having his career end in December or the mid-season addition of UCLA transfer Drew Gordon, New Mexico just never quite became the team that many of us expected them to be heading into the season. After starting the season out 10-1, New Mexico lost six of their next nine games -- including four of five to start out MWC play -- before finishing at 8-8 in league play. In addition, they had two four game winning streaks and one four game losing streak in league play, twice beating BYU while getting swept by Utah and losing to Wyoming.
The good news for the Lobos is that they return essentially everyone from last year's team. Drew Gordon, who turned into a double-double machine by the end of the season, will be back and should be the best big man in the conference. Joining him up front will be fellow senior AJ Hardeman and talented sophomores Alex Kirk (Ed. Note: Kirk had surgery on his back in August)and Cameron Bairstow, giving the Lobos one of the best front lines out west if the young guys can grow into the potential they displayed as freshmen. Shooting guard Kendall Williams is back after earning MWC Freshman of the Year last season. He'll be joined on the perimeter by Philip McDonald, who averaged double figures as a junior, and Tony Snell, a promising sophomore that had a couple of big games as a freshman. Arizona State transfer Demetrius Walker, whose name should sound familiar to you, will become eligible this season, and don't be surprised when freshmen Dominique Dunning and Hugh Greenwood crack the back court rotation as well. There are two keys to the season for Steve Alford's club. The first is how well the young guys develop. Will Kirk, Snell and Bairstow be more consistent this season? Can Walker, Dunning and Greenwood have an impact immediately? The second, and more important, factor will be at the point. The only player New Mexico loses is Dairese Gary, who was one of the most underrated point guards in the country. He could score, he was a tough defender and he was a leader for this club. Junior Jamal Fenton will get first crack as his replacement. After Gary blew out his knee in the MWC Tournament, Fenton shot 3-14 in the NIT but did have 12 assists to just four turnovers. New Mexico has the potential to be a top 25 team and will contend for the league title.
2. UNLV: The Runnin' Rebels had a bit of disappointing season in 2010-2011. Most people had them pegged as the third best team in the conference heading into the season, and that's exactly where they finished, the margin between them and co-champs BYU and SDSU was significant. It seemed like UNLV, at times, struggled with a lack of leadership. They didn't have a go-to player offensively with Tre'Von Willis battling knee problems. And while there were times when the Rebels looked borderline unstoppable offensively -- they had a litany of options -- there were times were it seemed apparent no one wanted to take a big shot.
This season, Willis is gone. He graduated along with Derrick Jasper. Lon Kruger left for the opening at Oklahoma. But the core of this team returns to play for Dave Rice, a former BYU assistant and a member of UNLV's teams in the early '90's. As was the case last season, UNLV's back court is going to be their stretch. Oscar Bellfield will probably be listed as the team's point guard -- and most likely will be their primary ball-handler -- but he will share playmaking duties with Anthony Marshall, an athletic, left-handed junior that does a little bit of everything. Sharpshooter Kendall Wallace is back after tearing his acl and missing the 2010-2011 season, as is defensive stopper Justin Hawkins. Marquette transfer Reggie Smith may also see some minutes once he gets eligible in December. Up front, Quintrel Thomas will be counted on to have a big season. The former Kansas big man is capable of putting up big numbers, but struggles with his consistency. Sophomore Carlos Lopez and senior Brice Massamba, who both provided quality minutes off the bench, return to the rotation and will be joined by UCLA transfer Mike Moser. The x-factor is going to be Chace Stanback. With much of the MWC's star power gone from last season, Stanback has a real shot at being the Player of the Year in the conference. A 6'8" wing, he can do a lot of different things on the floor -- shoot from deep, score, rebound, defend multiple positions -- but is he ready to become "the man"? Will he take that next step towards being a star? If he does, UNLV has a very good chance of winning the MWC.
3. San Diego State: The Aztecs had, without a doubt, the best season in the program's history in 2010-2011. They won 34 games. They were ranked in the top ten for much of the season. They won their first ever NCAA Tournament game, advancing to the Sweet 16 before succumbing to the powers of Kemba Walker. It will be tough for Steve Fisher's club to build on that success, however. They lost their entire front line -- Billy White, Malcolm Thomas and Brian Carlwell all graduated while Kawhi Leonard went pro -- and their starting point guard in DJ Gay. That is a lot of talent and production to replace.
There are some pieces at Fisher's disposal, however. For starters, he does get back the perimeter tandem of Chase Tapley and James Rahon. Throw in Washington State transfer Xavier Thames, who averaged 4.6 ppg and started four games as a freshman, and the Aztecs have a solid core in their back court. It will be interested to see if Jamaal Franklin or LaBradford Franklin can handle an expanded role as well, paticularly LaBradford, who will have a shot at significant minutes at the point. The front court will be a much different story. Fisher caught a break when Garrett Green, a 6'11" forward who started for LSU, opted to transfer to SDSU for his final season. He will be eligible immediately. Where the rest of the help comes from up front will be interesting to watch, however. Tim Shelton is an injury-prone senior. Alec Williams played all of 10 games as a junior. DeShawn Stephens is a JuCo transfer. Seeing the lack of size up front should tell you why Steve Fisher was so upset with Kevin Young changed his mind and transferred to Kansas. SDSU should have enough talent to finish above .500 and in the top half of the league, but they likely won't be competing for the MWC crown.
4. Colorado State: Its hard to call Colorado State's 2010-2011 campaign anything but disappointing. At least the finish, that is. After starting the year 18-7 overall and 8-3 in the MWC and finding themselves firmly in the bubble conversation, the Rams lost four of their last five in the regular season -- including an inexcusable 17-point loss to Air Force -- and fell in the first round of both the conference tournament and the NIT. To make matters worse, Tim Miles' club will lose first-team all-conference forward Andy Ogide and his front court mate Travis Franklin to graduation.
The strength of Colorado State's team this season is going to be the back court. They return Dorian Green, a junior point guard that has started every game since he's been on campus, and sharpshooting junior Wes Eikmeier, a transfer from Iowa State that averaged 9.1 ppg last season. Throw in junior Jessie Carr -- a kid that has all kinds of potential as a freshman before getting injured and missing most of the 2009-2010 season -- and freshman Cody Mann, and the Rams have a solid group in their back court. The issue is going to be replacing the production up front, where they lose 29.0 ppg and 12.2 rpg in Ogide and Franklin. The two most likely replacements will be Greg Smith and Paul Hornung. Hornung is a more physical presence on the block and while Smith is a more dangerous offensive option, he did grab 15 boards against Fairfield in the NIT. Both are a bit undersized, however, which raises the importance of the development of redshirt freshman Chad Calcaterra and redshirt sophomore Trevor Williams. Can either provide minutes inside this season? There are a number of solid pieces that Tim Miles has at his disposal, but without a real go-to scorer on the roster and a lack of size inside, Colorado State's upside is limited.
5. Boise State: The Broncos, under the tutelage of former Gonzaga assistant coach Leon Rice, finished second in the WAC a year ago. And while a late-season eight-game winning streak vaulted Boise into second-place and carried them to the WAC Tournament final and the CBI semis, their move to a new conference next season is going to come with a new-look team. Boise graduates their top four scorers from a year ago, including star guard La'Shard Anderson.
Boise is going to be very young this season. In addition to the seven freshmen and three sophomores on the roster, junior Drew Wiley is a transfer from Oregon that sat out last season and the two seniors -- Westly Perryman and Tre Nichols -- are both Juco transfers in their second year in the program. There is some reason to be optimistic about the Broncos next season, however. Both Perryman, who started last season, and Nichols, who came off the bench, had some big games late in the year and will provide as experienced of a back court as you can hope for on this roster. Sophomore forwards Ryan Watkins and Thomas Bropleh both had promising freshmen campaigns, as did sharpshooter Jeff Elloriaga. Throw in the 6'7" Wiley, who played in 46 games with Oregon in his two years there, and Rice has some pieces to build around. The biggest question mark is at the point. Can Perryman and Nichols become playmakers and facilitators, replacing the production BSU got from Anderson? The x-factor are the newcomers. Rice has an incoming class of eight kids -- including two JuCo transfers -- that can make an impact. Point guard Mikey Thompson and big man Darrious Hamilton are the two most highly-regarded players in the class, but the two to keep an eye on are Aussie-imports Anthony Drmic and Igor Hadziomerovic, both of whom are 6'5" wings that can score. If everything clicks for the Broncos, there's a shot this team could finish in the top three in the league, although they are probably a year or two away from contending.
6. Air Force: No one expected much of anything out of the Falcons last season. After going 1-31 in the previous two seasons in MWC play, Air Force was once again expected to bring up the rear of the Mountain West. Losing their second game of the season to D-III Colorado College only reinforced that notion. But Air Force clicked during the year, going 9-4 in non-conference play -- including a win over Wofford -- and finishing 6-10 in league play. While the season as a whole can be seen as mediocre, the Falcons advanced to the CIT where they won a game, just the sixth time in program history that they made a postseason tournament.
There is reason to be optimistic for next season as well. While Air Force loses two starters and three of their top five scorers -- including point guard Evan Washington and second-leading scorer Tom Fow -- they do return Michael Lyons. The 6'6" junior is the kind of athlete and explosive scorer (he went for 20 seven times last season) that rarely makes his way through the program. He averaged 13.9 ppg as a sophomore on one of the slowest teams in the country. He has a chance to be one of the better players in the conference next season. The question is where he will get his support. In addition ot the loss of Washington, Fow, and Brooks, Evan Bohannon decided to transfer out of the program and into Wisconsin, where his brother Jason played. Taylor Broekhuis, a slender 6'10" center, returns inside, although he'll be expected to pick up more of the interior slack. Taylor Stewart, Mike Fitzgerald and Todd Fletcher are all back on the perimeter, although they are going to have to provide more production this season. With a mediocre recruiting class coming in, if Air Force can repeat their success of a year ago, it will be a good season.
7. Wyoming: The Cowboys kicked off the 2011 coaching carousel early, firing head coach Heath Schroyer with seven games remaining after Schoyer coached the team to an 8-15 start and just one win in their first nine conference games. Interim head coach Fred Langley didn't do much better, as the team went 2-6 in his tenure. Wyoming made a solid hire in Florida assistant Larry Shyatt, but he won't have much to work with in his first season. His two leading scorers -- Desmar Jackson and Amath M'Baye -- left the program to transfer to Southern Illinois and Oklahoma, respectively. And Afam Moujeke, who was one of the best young players in the conference two seasons ago, suffered a second catastrophic knee injury in January.
The key to Wyoming's competitiveness next season is going to be health. Muojeke averaged 13.8 ppg as a freshman and 16.8 ppg as a sophomore, but after suffering a season-ending knee injury as a sophomore, he struggled to get healthy last year before a torn meniscus ended his season early. How much is he going to be able to produce this year? The same can be said for Adam Waddell, who averaged 9.4 ppg as a sophomore but played in just 23 games as a junior. Those two will be joined by USC transfer Leonard Washington -- the guy that hit Blake Griffin with this cheap shot -- along the front line, which means there is some potential for the Cowboys. Don't be surprised if freshman Larry Nance, Jr, gets in the mix as well. The back court has some potential as well. Senior point guard JayDee Luster is back, as is Francisco Cruz, who was Wyoming's third-leading scorer a year ago. The x-factor on the perimeter may end up being JuCo transfer Luke Martinez, a high-scoring guard that missed last season with a broken elbow. Shyatt has some potential on his roster, and if his team can stay healthy and play together, finishing in the top-half of the league isn't out of the question.
8. TCU: 2010-2011 was a disaster for the TCU program. After a promising, 9-4 start in non-conference play -- which included wins over Texas Tech and USC -- the Horned Frogs put together one of the worst seasons in Mountain West history. TCU went 1-15 in league play. Their last regular season win came on January 12th, which happened to be 10 days before leading scorer Ronnie Moss was kicked out of the program by head coach Jim Christian. They did beat Wyoming in the play-in game for the MWC Tournament, the second time they beat the Cowboys -- who fired their coach midway through the February. Like I said, last season was a disaster.
The cupboard isn't exactly empty, however. Point guard Hank Thorns led the league in assists (7.0 apg) despite playing on a team that, at times, struggled to score. He's the team's leader. Junior forward Garlon Green (not to be confused with this guy) proved to be a consistent scorer last season. Senior swingman JR Cadot came on strong late in the season and should develop into a double-digit scorer this year. Also expect to see a jump in production from Amric Fields, a sophomore big man. Those are all solid pieces for TCU, but there are still going to be a number of issues with this team. They lack a real go-to scoring threat and they don't have any depth. While Kyan Anderson, a three-star point guard recruit, should help, Ryan Rhoomes getting ruled ineligible by the NCAA is going to hurt. TCU has a ways to go before they are competitive in the MWC, which makes it laughable this team is going to the Big East next season. Continue reading...
- The Big East isn't going to add any schools located in states with current Big East members. So basically, schools in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington D.C., West Virginia, or Wisconsin won't be allowed to join
- Cal State-Fullerton is barely hanging on to it's D-I status. Budget cuts, lack of revenue and a high tuition prices are all reason why CS-F might be forced to cut some of their athletic programs
A major reason why Detroit was a trendy pick to win the Horizon League this season was the presence of center Eli Holman.
Holman, one of the better big men at the mid-major level, was one of five Detroit players to average double figures, posting 11.8 ppg, 9.6 rpg and 1.6 bpg last season for the Titans. But after being asked by the school to take an indefinite leave of absence, its unclear when -- or if -- he will actually suit up for the Titans.
"We have been working with Eli Holman for some time to assist him in addressing his personal matters," Detroit's Director of Athletics Keri Gaither said in a statement. "At this time, we feel it is in Eli's best interest to step away from basketball to allow him to concentrate on these matters. He has been excused from all team-related activity for an indefinite period while actively addressing these issues. We continue to support Eli during this time and we are asking everyone's cooperation in respecting his privacy."
This isn't the first time that Holman has been in trouble. The 6'10" Richmond, CA, native began his career at Indiana, but his transfer to Detroit was suspicious. After a meeting in which Armon Bassett and DeAndre Thomas were told that they were being kicked off of the team, Holman decided to transfer to Detroit, following former IU assistant Ray McCallum in a move that didn't make Tom Crean too happy.
Neither did the way that Holman made his exit -- he threw a potted plant in Crean's office and had to be escorted out by the police.
(UPDATE: For the second straight day, Harvard landed a commitment from a recruit with plenty of high-major interest. This time lefty point guard Siyani Chambers, a Minnesota native, pledged for the Crimson. He had schools like Washington State, Nebraska, and Georgia Tech pursuing him.)
The new Ivy League powerhouse once again reached into the national rankings and snagged a player that should be headed to a high-major program.
This time, Harvard landed a commitment from Mike Hall, a 6'10" Georgia native that cracked Rivals Top 150 list for 2012. Hall was on campus for a visit during one of the Crimson's most important weekends in recent memory. They had a number of talented recruits from the Class of 2012 as well as a handful of Top 50 players in the Class of 2013.
"Just the experience I had this weekend [pushed me over the edge]," said Hall, who noted that he had arrived in Cambridge without expecting to make a decision in the near future. "I really enjoyed my experience up there. It just felt like the right fit for me." "Also, [it was] the fact that I had a really good relationship with Coach Amaker," added Hall, who joins Evan Cummins in Harvard's 2012 recruiting class. “He showed me some film of his style of play. It’s great, and it really seems like a great fit for me."
Earlier this summer, we wrote extensively about Harvard's recruiting and how they managed to get themselves mixed in with some of the best players in the country. Frankly, its quite simple. They are exhaustive in determining the kids that they believe they have a chance to land -- high-academic players that truly care about their education. And once they get their sights on a player, they are relentlessly thorough in recruiting him.
Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.
45. Kansas State Wildcats:
Last Season: 23-11, 10-6 (Big 12)
Head Coach: Frank Martin
Key Losses: Jacob Pullen, Curtis Kelly, Juevol Miles, Nick Russell
New Additions: Adrian Diaz, Thomas Gibson, Angel Rodriguez, Nino Williams, Jeremy Jones, James Watson, Omari Lawrence
Projected Lineup:
- G: Will Spradling, So. - G: Rodney MacGruder, Jr. - F: Nino Williams, Fr. - F: Jamar Samuels, Sr. - C: Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, Jr. - Bench: Omari Lawrence, So.; Shane Southwell, So.; Martavious Irving, Jr.; Adrian Diaz, Fr.; Thomas Gibson, Fr.
Outlook: Jacob Pullen was, without a doubt, one of my favorite players to watch while he was a member of the Kansas State Wildcats. He was also one of the most valuable, as he almost single-handedly turned around K-State's season and led them to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That kind of player is nearly impossible to replace. Also gone is Curtis Kelly, however, and with the Wildcats being a year removed from the midseason departures of Freddy Asprilla and Wally Judge, Frank Martin's club may actually be better off with fewer distractions. There is still some talent on the roster. Sophomore Will Spradling and junior Rodney McGruder form a solid back court, and both should have big years with the added chances that Pullen's graduation frees up. St. John's transfer Omari Lawrence, Shane Southwell and Martavious Irving will give K-State some depth on the perimeter. The x-factor may end up being Nino Williams, a top 100 recruit that enrolled at Kansas State early but redshirted last season after getting two concussions. Jamar Samuels is an experienced and athletic power forward who, when combined with Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, give the Wildcats a front line with some potential. The front court depth is lacking, as two freshmen and a couple of JuCo transfers are their back ups.
44. Georgetown Hoyas:
Last Season: 21-11, 10-8 (Big East)
Head Coach: John Thompson III
Key Losses: Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, Julian Vaughn
New Additions: Tyler Adams, Otto Porter, Mikael Hopkins, Jabril Trawick, Greg Whittington
Projected Lineup:
- G: Markel Starks, So. - G: Jason Clark, Sr. - F: Hollis Thompson, Jr. - F: Nate Lubick, So. - C: Henry Sims, Sr. - Bench: Tyler Adams, Fr.; Otto Porter, Fr.; Mikael Hopkins, Fr.; Jabril Trawick, Fr.; Greg Whittington, Fr.
Outlook: It will be a changing of the guard in DC this year as Chris Wright and Austin Freeman have finally graduated after what felt like a decade as Hoyas. With a talented recruiting class coming in, and eight underclassmen in the rotation, this may be a rebuilding season JT III's club, but that doesn't mean they won't be able to compete with some of the Big East's big boys. The two guys that Georgetown is going to rely on the most will end up being Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson. Clark has been the third option the past two seasons, while Thompson could end up being a breakout star. He's got some talent, and this season he will be able to play the three, his more natural position. Henry Sims showed some improvements as a junior, especially with his ability to pass from the high post, while Nate Lubick is a solid rebounder and defender at the four. It will be interesting to see what the freshmen group will provide, especially considering how much potential there is on the front court. Otto Porter, 6'9" combo-forward and a Missouri native, is the rookie you want to pay attention to. The x-factor for the Hoyas will be point guard Markel Starks. Georgetown's offense stagnated late in the season with Chris Wright broke his wrist because the Hoyas lost that guy that can create a shot. If Starks can fill that void, Georgetown has a shot to be a tournament team. One thing to note -- will Georgetown's brawl out in China bring this team together?
43. Northwestern Wildcats:
Last Season: 20-14, 7-11
Head Coach: Bill Carmody
Key Losses: Michael Thompson, Mike Capocci
New Additions: Tre Demps, Mike Turner, David Sobolewski
Projected Lineup:
- G: Tre Demps, Fr. - G: JerShon Cobb, So. - F: Drew Crawford, Jr. - F: John Shurna, Sr. - C: Luka Mirkovic, Sr. - Bench: Alex Marcotullio, Jr.; Davide Curletti, Sr.; Mike Turner, Fr.; David Sobolewski, Fr.
Outlook: There is an argument to be made that Juice Thompson, a four-year starter at the point for the Wildcats, will be the most difficult player to replace in the Big Ten next season. Everything revolved around Thompson, especially while Shurna was battling his ankle injury, and he was the unquestioned leader. Two freshmen -- Tre Demps and David Sobolewski -- were brought in to fill the void, but if they are unable to play that role, junior Alex Marcotullio will likely have to slide over and handle the point. The good news is that Bill Carmody's offensive system doesn't necessarily need a point guard; all they need is someone to get them into their continuity sets. If Northwestern is ever going to make an NCAA Tournament, this is the year. John Shurna was having a sensational season before he hurt his ankle. Drew Crawford has the potential to be an all-Big Ten player. So does JerShon Cobb, who averaged 7.4 ppg as a freshman despite being beat up most of the season. Luka Mirkovic is a solid and experienced big man, while Marcotullio and Davide Curletti will provide some depth. Northwestern has so many three point weapons that when they get hot, they will be able to play with anyone in the country.
42. Butler Bulldogs:
Last Season: 28-10, 13-5 (Horizon)
Head Coach: Brad Stevens
Key Losses: Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, Shawn Vanzant, Zach Hahn,
New Additions: Roosevelt Jones, Jackson Aldridge, Kameron Woods, Andy Smeathers
Projected Lineup:
- G: Ronald Nored, Sr. - G: Chase Stigall, Jr. - G: Chrishawn Hopkins, So. - F: Khyle Marshall, So. - F: Andrew Smith, Jr. - Bench: Garrett Butcher, Sr.; Emerson Kampen, Jr.; Erik Fromm, So.; Roosevelt Jones, Fr.; Jackson Aldridge, Fr.
Outlook: Butler will be an interesting team to keep an eye on this season. After making back-to-back national title games, the Bulldogs lost their two stars -- Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack -- and two other key back court players. With a young team this season and Arkansas transfer Rotnei Clarke ineligible until next year, this will be a rebuilding year. But there is still a chance this club competes for their league title and an NCAA Tournament trip. It starts up front, where Andrew Smith has developed into a rock on the block and Khyle Marshall has the potential to be Butler's next star. Ronald Nored, the team's unquestioned leader, is back to anchor a back court that includes a couple of young guys -- Chase Stigall and Chrishawn Hopkins -- that had promising moments last season. Garrett Butcher, Emerson Kampen and Erik Fromm provide Brad Stevens with some depth up front while freshmen Roosevelt Jones and Jackson Aldridge -- who led Australia to a U-18 title -- give the Bulldogs even more young perimeter talent. The future is bright for Butler, but how far away that bright future is is unclear.
41. Clemson Tigers:
Last Season: 22-12, 9-7 (ACC)
Head Coach: Brad Brownell
Key Losses: Demontez Stitt, Jerai Grant
New Additions: Devan Coleman, TJ Sapp, KJ McDaniels, Bernard Sullivan, Rod Hall
Projected Lineup:
- G: Andre Young, Sr. - G: Tanner Smith, Sr. - F: KJ McDaniels, Fr. - F: Milton Jennings, Jr. - C: Devin Booker, Jr. - Bench: Bryan Narcisse, Sr.; Bernard Sullivan, Fr.; Devin Coleman, Fr.; TJ Sapp, Fr.
Outlook: Given the loss of Trevor Booker to the NBA and the change in coaching staff, its more than reasonable to say that Clemson's 22 win season and trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament can qualify as a resounding success for Brad Brownell in his first season. What's more impressive is that his team seemingly got better as the season progressed, meaning that his players really started buying into his system, which is focuses on half-court defense as opposed to Oliver Purnell's up-and-down style. This year, however, the Tigers will be quite young. The team will be anchored by their senior back court of Andre Young and Tanner Smith, two solid, well-rounded and experienced ACC guards. The rest of the perimeter rotation will be made up by freshmen -- TJ Sapp, Devin Coleman, KJ McDaniels, Rod Hall. The front court will be more experienced, with juniors Milton Jennings and Devin Booker likely starting. Those two both had hype as recruits, but have yet to live up to that potential. Senior Bryan Narcisse -- an athletic, 6'6" ball of energy -- and freshman Bernard Sullivan will provide Brownell with depth up front. Continue reading...
There is an argument to be made the UConn has been the best basketball program in the country over the last 12 years.
In that time frame, Jim Calhoun's club has won three National Titles and made four Final Fours. Throw in two more Elite 8's and another Sweet 16, and UConn has made it past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament seven times in the last dozen seasons. Now toss in the four Big East Tournament titles, the five Big East regular season titles and the 16 players that have been selected in the NBA Draft in that span, and you have a program that has dominated in the best conference in the country despite having to completely rebuild their roster twice in the last five years.
What makes the UConn program's success all-the-more impressive is that Calhoun has been able to consistently stock his roster with talent despite coaching in an area without a natural recruiting base. In other words, the Huskies have to bring in players from around the country because high school basketball in Connecticut is, generally speaking, not overloaded with that kind talent.
Rarely do you see Connecticut natives playing major minutes for the Huskies. That's not to say there isn't talent in the state. This season the Huskies will actually have two contributors that grew up in the Nutmeg State -- Tyler Olander, a sophomore returner that started the national title game, and Andre Drummond, the nation's best post recruit that hails from Middletown. Drummond played AAU ball with Kris Dunn, the top point guard in the Class of 2012 and a New London native currently committed to Providence.
Players of that caliber tend to be the exception, however. Not the rule. Connecticut puts out their fair share of scholarship players, but they aren't necessarily national names. Usually you get a mix of guys that excel at the mid-major level -- kids like TJ Robinson, a product of Kolbe Cathedral in Bridgeport that averaged a double-double for Long Beach State as a junior -- or that can contribute as a role player at the high-major level -- think Olander, who only played seven minutes in the title game after starting.
No one expected much more than that out Tim Abromaitis or Greg Mangano.
They certainly didn't expect those two to be the reason Connecticut was one of just two states to put multiple players on the USA's World University Games team.
"Everyone thought he was a Patriot League or Ivy League kid," Kevin Kehoe, the head coach of the Connecticut Gold AAU program, told me over the phone. "Nobody thought he was a Big East kid."
"They said he was crazy for going to Notre Dame."
Early on in his college career, the doubters appeared to be correct. As a freshman, Tim Abromaitis saw the court just 12 times, playing a whopping 40 minutes and scoring all of 20 points on the season. Those numbers didn't budge during his sophomore year as Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey opted to redshirt him, which only made the people that criticized his decision to play in the Big East look that much smarter.
And while it appeared, on the surface, like Brey was trying to atone for a mistake on the recruiting front, using the redshirt was a calculated move. You see, Notre Dame was loaded in the front court in the first two years Abromaitis was in South Bend. The name that everyone is going to recognize is Luke Harangody, who was one of the most productive big men in the last decade. But kids like Rob Kurz, Zach Hillesland, Ryan Ayers and Luke Zeller were all talented and experienced players that happened to play the same position as Abromaitis, clogging up the depth chart.
The redshirt season was as much about maximizing Abromaitis' eligibility as it was about him needing the season to improve.
That said, spending a year working on his game and on his body did have some impressive results. Abromaitis has developed into one of the best shooters in the league, knocking down 42.9% of his threes while averaging 16.1 ppg and 15.4 ppg the past two seasons.
"It was huge," Abromaitis said of his redshirt year in a phone interview last week. "When I first heard Coach Brey say he thought it would be a good idea for me to sit out the year and get a redshirt, its not the thing you want to hear because you want to be out there playing and contributing."
"But in the long run, I can’t say I regret it at all, because I was in the weight room and I was out on the court for extra workouts pretty much every day. Once my junior year came and I was playing right away, it felt like I had taken three years off, so I was just ready to go and felt so much better as a player. I was just confident in myself."
That confidence was a direct result of the amount of time he spent working on his game as the redshirt season afforded him an opportunity to fine-tune and develop his skill-set. His breakout junior year (which was his sophomore season, Notre Dame lists players not by eligibility but by grade) caught fans and media around the country off-guard, but those that know Abromaitis weren't surprise. The expected it.
"You just knew that Timmy was going to do whatever it took," said Kehoe, who coached Abromaitis and his brother in AAU and remains very close to the family. "God didn’t bless him with unbelievable athleticism, but he did bless him with a work ethic."
Hard work has never been an issue for Abromaitis. This is the same kid that got the keys to the gym from his high school athletic director so he could get in 6:00 am workouts before going to class. This is also the same kid that graduated from the Mendoza College of Business at Notre Dame in three years with a degree in finance and a 3.73 GPA. Last year, he finished up an accelerated MBA program with a concentration in corporate finance. As a fifth-year, he's taking it easy and simply enrolled in a full load of graduate courses as an unclassified graduate student.
That's probably fair. It took him less time to graduate and earn an MBA from Notre Dame than it took me to get my bachelor's degree.
"I think it started from my family and my brother," Abromaitis said when I asked him where he got his work ethic. His brother played at Yale and his father played for UConn and then the New Jersey Nets. "Even before high school. Its something that I’ve always [taken pride in]."
"Its something that Notre Dame really prides itself on too. We’ve had a lot of guys here since I’ve been here that were kind of in my situation. [Success] didn’t come for them right away and they weren’t these highly touted guys, but working hard just got it done for them. So I’m kind of following their lead with that."
Abromaitis is starting to reap the benefits of that hard work. In addition to making the Team USA's World University Games roster, he's been named all-Big East the past two seasons, making the third team in 2011. He's got an outside shot at winning Big East Player of the Year as a senior if he has a big season and is a virtual lock for a long career in Europe if he can't latch on with an NBA team when he finally leaves school. Perhaps most impressive is that he's been a two-time academic all-american first-teamer and won the Big East scholar-athlete of the year award in back-to-back seasons, the first athlete to do that since Emeka Okafor of UConn in 2003 and 2004.
He hasn't just transformed his game to that of an NBA prospect. He's educated himself to the point that every Wall Street firm in the country will come calling when his playing career is over.
It wasn't a lifelong dream, mind you. In fact, it wasn't until he realized that he could turn basketball into an Ivy League education that the idea of being a Yalie started to grow on Mangano. He's a native of Orange, CT, which is a 15 minute drive in rush-hour traffic from Yale's New Haven campus.
"Once I got into the process of looking into schools and everything, it was eye-opening that I had the opportunity to go to a school like Yale," Mangano said in a phone interview last week. "When I was a kid, not so much. A lot of that was just because I’m from here. I always thought it was just a little to close to home for me to go, and I wanted to get a little further away."
"When Yale [...] told me that I could play there if I wanted to, [...] I just figured that was kind of an opportunity that you couldn’t turn down. As much as I would love to play basketball for as long as I can, something could happen tomorrow [to end my career]. I just figured having an education to fall back on was just as important."
Mangano committed to Yale early -- before he had even started his senior year at Notre Dame HS in West Haven -- so he is not sure what kind of offers he would have received. The summer after his junior year is when Mangano really started to garner attention from Division I programs, and he chose Yale, an Ivy League school that doesn't offer athletic scholarship, over about 20 other low- to mid-major programs that had offered him a full-ride.
One of those programs that offered a scholarship? Davidson, right in the middle of the Seth Curry years. That should tell you what being a Bulldog meant to Mangano.
Like Abromaitis, Mangano's collegiate success didn't come immediately. He played limited minutes off the bench as a freshman before becoming a stalwart in the rotation as a sophomore, but it wasn't until last season, as a junior, when everything clicked for Mangano. With Yale losing their three leading scorers from their 2009-2010 team, Mangano but the squad on his back. He averaged 16.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg and 3.0 bpg while shooting 36.6% from long range while leading the Bulldogs to a third-place finish in the Ivy.
"He's really good," Yale assistant coach Jamie Snyder-Fair said. "I don't know if he is going to get drafted, but he's got a shot to make an NBA team. He's 6'10", he blocks shots, he can handle it a little bit on the perimeter, he can shoot from anywhere on the court, he’s pretty athletic."
"He had some monster rebounding games last year, and he rebounds the ball above the rim. He doesn’t let the ball come to him, he goes and he gets the ball every single time."
Mangano was good enough last season that he decided to declare for the NBA Draft without signing with an agent. He didn't get any workouts with NBA teams -- most knew that he wasn't going to be keeping his name in the draft -- but he had a number of teams call and inquire about him. Making Team USA increased the buzz and helped to raise Mangano's national profile, but he will be facing an uphill battle in an effort to get drafted. Even with Jeremy Lin of Harvard making the Golden State roster, few, if any, NBA scouts are looking at the Ivy League for NBA prospects.
Without playing on national TV every night, its difficult to establish your name on the NBA's radar.
"I think the goal for us is to try and get him invited to Portsmouth next year," Snyder-Fair said.
Before that happens, Mangano has a season to play with the Bulldogs. And if he is to be believed, the time that he spent with Team USA has made him a better player. Frankly, its not all that surprising. I'd imagine playing against some of the best players in the country for two three-hour practices every day at the USA basketball facility in Colorado Springs will do that. As will getting coached by Brad Stevens, Matt Painter, and Cuonzo Martin for six hours every day.
Mangano said that he "definitely" took the coaching advice to heart and improved some of his fundamentals. But that's not the most important thing he learned with Team USA.
"I learned how to consistently play a lot harder than I was playing," Mangano said. "Its not that I wasn’t playing hard last year in the Ivy League or out of conference games. It was just out there, playing against the kind of caliber kids I was playing against, if I didn’t pay as hard as I possibly could on every possession, [I got] exposed."
"They are just stronger, quicker, faster, more athletic than the people I have been playing with so to make up for that I just had to play hard."
The end-game for Mangano is, he hopes, the NBA. Its the goal of every kid that touches a basketball growing up. But as of now, his attention is focused squarely on the team's sitting in front of him in the Ivy League standings. Yale brings back the league's most dominant player and four starters from a team that finished in third last year and split with Harvard. So where is the hype for the Bulldogs?
"There are articles posted in our locker room right now. There’s no question about it I take offense to [people ignoring us]," Mangano said. "I had the same issue last year as well. While I received some honorable accolades personally, for a team that lost our captain and our senior leader last year, to finish the year in third place as a team that was picked fifth or sixth I think speaks a lot about the team that we have, myself and the team surrounding me. And none of them got recognized, for second team or even honorable mention. I thought that was a little disrespectful."
"But I think that’s good for us. It's something to motivate, and if some guys need that extra motivation, it's right there for them."
Not only did they play together for a summer with the Connecticut Gold AAU team, but Jason Abromaitis, Tim's older brother, played at Yale and still returns upon occasion to play in open gyms.
"I knew him pretty well, being another Connecticut kid," Mangano said. "It was nice when I saw the roster and the list of people that got invited that he was going out there. We had kept contact over the years."
There was more to it than simply knowing another player on the team. For Mangano and Abromaitis, it was a point of pride. It gave them bragging rights. For every AAU team and every state in the country, the Connecticut Gold was the only program with two alumni wearing the red, white and blue at the World University Games.
"We definitely brought up a few times that we were the only state and the only AAU team that had two guys that knew each other before and came from the same team," Abromaitis said. "It was definitely kind of cool to think about that because you don’t think of the Gold as a national powerhouse team."
The Connecticut Gold program is no stranger to sending players to college. In the 20 years that Kehoe has been running the program, over 150 players have gone on to play some level of college basketball. Some end up at big-time programs -- Jeff Farmer played at La Salle and Northeastern, Jeff Viggiano was a starter at UMass, Joe Trapani was all-ACC for Boston College the past two seasons. Most just meander their way through the college basketball underworld -- like one BIAH writer who happened to play a measly two-and-a-half seasons at Vassar.
But the Gold is far from what you would consider a big-time AAU team. They don't even have a sponsorship from a shoe company.
"I would like to say yes," Kehoe said when I asked him if there was a Connecticut Gold way, "but I don't know if we had the blueprint or we just followed [the kid's] lead. Did we make them follow what we believe? Did we morph the kids we brought in? Why didn't they choose the big-time AAU programs?"
"I'm not ready to say we have the blueprint. It was just finding the right people that were committed to being good."
Tim Abromaitis and Greg Mangano are nothing but under-recruited over-achievers.
And I don't mean that maliciously. I mean that as a compliment.
"Coming into college, I don't really know what I was expecting in terms of basketball and playing time and scoring and wins," Abromaitis said. "I knew that Coach Brey was a great coach and was someone that could develop me. I just trusted that and kept working hard."
"I wouldn't say that I surprised myself, but I don't know if I was fully expecting to have the level of success I've had."
Part of the reason that recruiting is such an inexact science is that its impossible to measure how badly a kid wants to be good. If a player has all the physical tools in the world -- height, length, strength, speed, leaping ability -- but he doesn't has the desire or the discipline to spend hours upon hours in the gym developing his basketball skills, he'll never reach his full potential as a player.
On the other hand, you have the kids that aren't quite as physically gifted squeezing every drop of potential out of themselves by spending every waking hour perfecting the details -- getting the correct footwork on a new post move, creating that extra six inches of space that will allow them to get a shot off, doing those extra squat reps to get their lower body strong enough to hold position.
That's the difference. That's what set Abromaitis and Mangano apart. That's why they were able to go from kids that were an afterthought on the recruiting trail to representing their country at the World University Games. Continue reading...
- I really do hate linking to Bleacher Report articlesposts lists, and there are a handful of reasons why. But I just can't ignore this one: The 50 Best Non-BCS Player of All-Time
- The same goes for Jon Rothstein, but he has some good notes on Frank Martin and the new crop of Wildcats
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