For better or worse, one of the things that is exceptional about Twitter is that it allows us regular folk into the inner workings of the minds of everyone from our best friend to celebrities.
Sometimes, it is great. I don't think we would ever have known that Kim English was a fan of early 20th century British poetry if it wasn't for twitter. Other times, it works the other way. Am I the only one that thinks Rashard Mendenhall and this random hockey agent regret their recent twitter activity?
Enter Kenneth Caldwell, the man at the center of the scandal at Central Florida exposed by Pat Forde and Pete Thamel. He has taken to twitter to air out his grievances with the media:
Twitter meltdowns are twitter meltdowns, so I don't really have much to say about Caldwell's comments on the media. I do, however, want to know what Caldwell is referring to when he says its time for the truth to come out.
For me, the more interesting comments that Caldwell made were in support of AAU basketball. I'm not going to post all of the tweets here (there are a good 20 or so), but some of the highlights were:People who coach AAU is because they have a child on the team or they have a really good team or they flat out love the game
AAU is the most thankless business in the world. Coaches don't get paid. Spend there entire summer with kids that arent there's
AAU is all about winning.... The thing is how to teach kids on how to behave when loosing.
NCAA has nothing to do with AAU but it wants to play God when there is a discrepancy and charge for it.. #clearinghouse WOW
AAU basketball has a tremendously bad reputation. Grassroots basketball is often cited as the reason for the downfall in hoops in this country. The assumption is that the focus is entirely on playing games and all about individual showmanship and the showcasing of one's skill at the cost of team play and fundamentals.
And while that is, in part, true, the reason is legitimate.
AAU basketball is a means to an end for a lot of kids. Its a way to gain exposure. The point isn't to win games and lose games, its about earning a scholarship. Its about playing your way into the college ranks.
At the highest level of AAU basketball, there is plenty of dirt. Coaches get paid by shoe companies to steer players to certain events and specific schools. Agents and runners are far too prevalent. Players, and the members of a player's inner circle, are on the take.
But that is only a small minority.
The overwhelming majority of kids playing AAU basketball are in it for the love of the game and for the opportunity to prove themselves against the best players in the country, and to do it in front of coaches from all levels of hoops. I'd be willing to bet that 99% of the college basketball players in this country -- D-I, D-II, D-III, NAIA, JuCo -- played AAU basketball. Many of those kids probably would not have gotten a chance to play college ball if it weren't for AAU. At the very least, that much is true for this writer.
The same goes for the AAU coaches.
Some are dirty, I'm not here to argue that. But a huge number of AAU coaches are doing it because they love being around kids and they love being around the game. Its not a means to an end for most. In fact, I'd bet that most AAU coaches operate at a loss when you factor in the money they spend on gas, food, and hotels on road trips.
The highest level of AAU basketball can be an ugly place.
But that is only the highest level.
For most, AAU basketball is about nothing more than improving and trying to get noticed.
Continue reading...
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Kenneth Caldwell takes to twitter to respond to the media |
Aquille Carr, a 5'6" guard, gets a six figure contract offer? |
Aquille Carr is an incredibly entertaining basketball player to watch. The 17 year old rising junior out of Baltimore stands just 5'6", but he is insanely quick, he has And 1 mixtape handle, and his vertical is probably somewhere around 40".
I got a chance to see him play this past weekend down in Hampton, VA. Guarding him is like trying to catch a fly with your bare hands, and he is every bit as impressive as this mixtape shows (although, the reckless abandon with which Carr attacks to basket does result in a high volume of bad shots and turnovers):
The latest report on Carr is quite intriguing.
Apparently, the diminutive point guard received a $750,000 offer from Lottomatica Virtus Roma in Italy. If that name sounds familiar, it should; it is the same team that Brandon Jennings played for during his one year abroad.
The offer stems from a trip that Carr took to the Junior International Tournament in Italy during April. He led a United States team to a title while averaging more than 40 ppg, at one point reportedly being carried off the court by Italian fans.
That said, the offer does sound a bit too good to be true. Jennings, who was finished with high school and a top five player in his class, got a three-year, $1.2 million contract from Virtus Roma. Carr is six inches shorter than Jennings, two years younger, and is a borderline top 50 prospect. Jeremy Tyler got even less when he went to Israel, signing just a $140,000 contract after his junior season. I won't go as far as Jonathon Givony of Draft Express -- who questioned the intelligence in giving Carr $750,000, an amount made by a select few number of players in Europe, when he could be signed for much less and called "major BS" on the whole story -- but I remain skeptical about the whole situation.
This opens up the door for the debate about student-athletes being paid -- or at least capitalizing on their market value through sponsorships -- but I have neither the desire nor the energy to open that Pandora's Box this afternoon.
What I will say, however, is that Carr, assuming that this offer actually does exist, would be a fool not to accept it.
Carr is already old for his class. At 5'6", there is already concern that his size will prevent him from playing at the high-major level, let alone in the NBA. $750,000 is a lot of money. I value an education as much as anyone, but it is also true that Carr may never have this much value as a basketball player ever again. There is a reason that guys like Earl Boykins, Muggsy Bogues, and Spud Webb aren't the norm in the NBA. And there are ways to get a high school and college degree later on in life.
That $750,000 is not a life-changing amount of money. But it may be more than Carr will be able to make six years down the road when he is a college graduate.
Continue reading...
Wally Judge to Rutgers |
Mike Rice continues to rake in the talent at Rutgers as he has landed Kansas State transfer and former McDonald's all-american Wally Judge.
Judge, who averaged just 5.5 ppg and 3.8 rpg at KSU, left the team in late January after being forced to sit out by Frank Martin while dealing with personal issues. According to Jeff Borzello over at CBSSports, Dave Cox -- a current Rutgers assistant and a former member of the DC Assault AAU program that Judge was a part of -- played an instrumental role in getting Judge to New Jersey.
Its ironic that Judge, who came down to choosing between Maryland and Rutgers, made his decision on the same night that Mark Turgeon took over the head coaching gig at Maryland. Jeff Goodman tweeted out that he had heard Judge was hours away from committing to Maryland before Gary Williams retired.
Maybe Judge simply didn't want to play for Turgeon?
If that's the case, is that a bad omen for Turgeon's tenure?
Continue reading...
Mark Turgeon a very good hire, but not great ... yet |
As you are certainly well aware by now, last night Mark Turgeon, the former Texas A&M head coach, accepted an offer from Maryland to replace Gary Williams.
"It was just too good an offer for me to pass on. The thing that made it the most difficult was the players," Turgeon said in a statement. "Those guys have done everything I've asked for four years and we've had a great ride. (Director of Athletics) Bill Byrne has been real good to me too. Those are the hardest parts of the whole thing. It's been a tough day. I've been back and forth many times. I just felt like Maryland was a great opportunity for me and my family."
"I told the players it was the hardest decision I've ever had to make. Marriage was easy for me, I knew I was in love. Going to KU was easy, that's where I always wanted to play college basketball. Going to Wichita State was easy. Going to Texas A&M was an easy choice. Today was one of the hardest choices I've had to make because of the young men in that locker room."
While some Maryland fans will be disappointed that AD Kevin Anderson wasn't able to land a name like Shaka Smart, Sean Miller, or Jay Wright, it should be known that Turgeon is one of the most underappreciated coaches in the country. Simply put, he is a winner. He's had two losing seasons in 13 years as a head coach -- his first season at Jacksonville State and his first season at Wichita State. He's won at least 24 games in each of the past four years at Texas A&M.
Critics will point out that Turgeon has just one conference championship in his career -- the 2006 MVC regular season title. That's a fair point. But he should also get a massive amount of credit for keeping Texas A&M's basketball program afloat, a program that is a distance second to football in terms of fan interest.
In all actuality, Turgeon is a very similar coach to Gary Williams.
Like Williams, Turgeon doesn't recruit the McDonald's all-american. He doesn't worry about how many stars Rivals or Scout gives a player. He's not concerned about the hype factor. He brings in players that are willing to learn, willing to work, and willing to be coached. He gets his teams to defend and to execute offensively, which is why his Aggie teams consistently overachieved.
And like Williams, the key for Turgeon is going to be rebuilding the bridges with the AAU and high school programs that have been mass-producing talent in the DC-Baltimore region. Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, Nolan Smith, and Ty Lawson -- as well as many, many others that I'm not going to take the time to list -- have come from the area. Since Turgeon has no East Coast ties, and since he hasn't been involved with a program that recruits at an elite level since he was an assistant at Kansas from 1987-1992, the key will be his coaching staff.
Will he keep guys like Rob Ehsan and Orlando "Bino" Ranson? Will he find someone else to help him tap into that pipeline?
And, perhaps more importantly, should he land that talent, will he be able to get them to buy into a slow, methodical style of basketball that can easily be described as non-descript and boring?
(Another thing to think about -- Maryland is sponsored by Under Armour. They have Under Armour shoes and Under Armour jerseys. What high profile players want to wear Under Armour? Can a school sponsored by someone other than Nike, Adidas, or Reebok compete for the best recruits in the country? Will AAU teams that are sponsored by Nike, Adidas, or Reebok allow their players to go to an Under Armour school?)
Turgeon will have success at Maryland, there is no doubt in my mind. He will win games, he will finish near the top of the ACC year in and year out, and he will have the Terps in the NCAA Tournament on a consistent basis.
But will that be enough?
Will fourth and fifth place finishes satisfy one of the most rabid fan bases in the country? Will being a perennial after thought -- like the Aggies were under Turgeon -- appease a program that won a national title in 2002?
Only time will tell.
The next question is now who becomes the head coach at Texas A&M.
The obvious name is Buzz Williams, the Marquette head coach who just signed an extension last month. He was an assistant with the Aggies from 2004-2006, he was an assistant at Texas-Arlington and Texas A&M-Kingsville, and he is a native of Greensville, TX. Its a natural fit if he opts to leave Marquette.
Josh Pastner is another name that has popped up, but there is no chance that he leaves Memphis. The Tigers are a better program with a better fan base and he has a roster stocked with elite talent. He's not leaving. Fran Fraschilla, the former St. John's head coach, has covered the Big 12 for ESPN as a color commentator, he lives in Dallas, and he has established relationships with a number of high school and AAU coaches down there. Tulsa's Doug Wojcik probably deserves heavy consideration as well. Tim Floyd and Billy Gillispie -- the baggage handlers? -- are currently coaching at UTEP and Texas Tech, respectively. Could they garner interest?
If I'm A&M, however, I go right back to Wichita State and try to bring in Gregg Marshall. Marshall made seven NCAA Tournaments in nine seasons at Winthrop, winning six regular season titles and finishing lower than second just once. He's finished second in the MVC the past two seasons after taking over a program that was in bad shape.
Hey, the Turgeon hire worked out for A&M, didn't it?
Continue reading...
Tuesday Morning Dump |
Sadly, you will find no links about the Grizzlies/Thunder bonkers Triple-OT game from last night. But, Maryland finally found a head coach to replace Gary Williams. Plus, we provide links to a bunch of reactions from the early entry deadline decisions
- It took Maryland just four days to find a new head coach. Mark Turgeon, who has spent four years at Texas A&M, will reportedly make close to $2.5mil a year as the new head coach of the Terrapins. Matt Norlander wonders if Turgeon is a good fit for the Terps. Sean Miller cleared up the confusion about his role in Maryland's coaching search. Turgeon might not be the "sexiest" hire, but it may be the savviest. Testudo Times grabbed the reactions of media members on this decision. Mike DeCourcy says Turgeon is a safe hire, but not the right one. A nice recap of the whole process
- Eric Angevine wonder if George Mason would ever name their home court after Jim Larranaga. Speaking of court names, Halcyon Hoops provides a fantastic break down of coaches who could see their names etched on the hardwood sooner or later
- Gus Johnson recently parted ways with CBS (Shame on CBS). But not it seems as though Gus-Jeezy is taking his talents to Fox Sports and the Pac-12. Apparently some CBS execs were jealous of Johnson's rise to fame
- Eamonn Brennan analyzes some of the players who made interesting choices by staying in the draft. He also provides analysis of the players who decided to stay in school. Brennan also explains why Arizona might be the biggest winner from the weekend
- Rush The Court details how "the law of unintended circumstances" will affect the NBA draft (Must-Read stuff as usual)
- RTC also provides their post-deadline top-25. Mike Miller does the same, as does Gary Parrish. Jason King provides a post-decision top-10
- The NCAA is going to begin running a "enforcement experience" somewhat similar to their mock NCAA selection process
- A look at the Big East players who made NBA draft decisions this weekend. The same goes for the Big-Ten, and the Big XII
More from the world of hoops after the jump
- A top-ten list of the biggest losers from the early entry deadline
- Mike DeCourcy provides his list of winners and losers list from the deadline
- A top-ten list of the biggest winners of the early entry deadline, highlighted by UNC and Ohio State
- More insight on who made a bad choice and who made a wise decision
- Ralph Sampson III was supposedly staying in the NBA draft. But now it appears as though the shot-blocking center will stay at Minnesota after all
- Could Northwestern's John Shurna be a first-round pick next year?
- Former-Kansas State guard Wally Judge has chosen Rutgers as his new collegiate home
- Don't know how I missed this one, but apparently Kelly Olynyk is thinking about possibly transferring from Gonzaga. The Bulldogs have already lost Demetri Goodson and Mangisto Arop due to transferring. With Steven Grey graduating, the Bulldogs could take a step back next season. However they will return Robert Sacre and Marquis Carter, who started to come into his own at the end of last season
- Iowa State has dismissed Calvin Godfrey for violating multiple team rules. Apparently Godfrey was recently busted for marijuana possession
- Robert Morris guard Karon Abraham has been suspended for the entire '11-12 season for violating athletic department policies
- Washington State's 2008 recruiting class was pretty stacked. But with Klay Thompson and Deangelo Casto headed to the draft, it looks rather weak now
- Cardiac Hill explains exactly how much the return of Ashton Gibbs means to the Panthers. Pitt Blather does the same
- Penn State continues to see roster turnover in the off-season. First Taran Bouie announced he was leaving the program. Then Juwan Staten decided to chose Happy Valley as his landing spot after transferring from Dayton. Now word has it that JuCo guard Matt Glover has signed a LOI to play at Penn State.
- West Virginia big-man Kevin Noreen has been granted a hardship waiver from the NCAA and will receive an extra year of eligibility
- Cracked Sidewalks provides some analysis of Eric Williams decision to transfer
- Navy head coach Billy Lange is leaving the academy to join Jay Wright's staff at Villanova. Lange spent three seasons as an assistant under Wright before leaving to take the head coaching position at Merchant Marine
- Ed Cooley has signed his first player as head coach at Providence in inside/outside scoring threat LeDontae Henton
- Towson's new head coach Pat Skerry has made quick work on the recruiting trail. Highly-touted recruit Kelvin Amayo committed to the Tigers and will be a huge boost for a team that did not win a single CAA game last season
- A look at the recent off-season happenings taking place in the CAA
- Former-UNC-Wilmington head coach Jerry Wainwright will join the Fresno State coaching staff as an assistant coach. Wainwright was fired as head coach at DePaul after the '09-10 season and recently spent time receiving treatment for prostate cancer
- The NBA playoffs are a great time to revisit the "state of college basketball"; Rock Chalk Talk addresses the nation
- A great-look at the future of the "Frank Haith Era" at Missouri
- A recap of the 2010-2011 season for the Niagara Purple Eagles (The team might suck, but this post certainly does not)
- John Calipari explains why he has an open invitation for all former Wildcats to return to Lexington
- !!!NEW Club Trillion Post
Continue reading...
Monday, May 9, 2011
Terrence Jones returns, lockout affected the decision |
Perhaps the most surprising ending to the are-they-in-or-are-they-out drama of the NBA's Draft Deadline came from Kentucky.
With all of the smoke now cleared, Terrence Jones is returning to school while Brandon Knight and DeAndre Liggins are both heading to the NBA. Who predicted that in March?
As recently as a month ago, Jones seemed to be the most likely candidate to head to the league. He struggled late in the season and his on court body language seemed to indicate that John Calipari's coaching techinique's were weighing on him. Combine that with the prospect of going somewhere in the late-lottery to mid-first round, and I'm sure I am not the only one that assumed Jones was gone.
Knight's exit was expected, but with his well-noted academic acumen, it would have been less of a surprise if he had been the only one to stay. As far as Liggins is concerned, he's a known quantity. His role on Kentucky won't change next season -- he'll still be their lockdown perimeter defender and designated three point threat -- which means that there is not much room for improvement in his draft stock. Throw in the fact that Liggins is already 23 years old and that he may be able to sneak into the first round, and it makes sense that he opted to leave this season.*
(*An interesting argument to come out of these developments is whether or not Liggins would have been a more valuable piece for Kentucky to get back. Jones has the potential to be an all-american, yes, but the Wildcats will already have quite a bit of front court talent with Anthony Davis and Kyle Wiltjer coming in. Liggins played a specific and valuable role for UK last year. Can Michael Gilchrist fill the role of defensive stopper? Will Doron Lamb and Darius Miller be able to provide the same perimeter shooting threat?)
Jones is far from the first potential lottery pick to make the surprising decision to return to school -- Perry Jones, Jared Sullinger, and UNC's front line all did the same.
But Jones was the first of that group to publicly acknowledge that the looming NBA lockout played a role in his decision. From The Oregonian:Jones' mother said perhaps the strongest influence that kept her son in school was the possibility of an NBA lockout. The NBA collective bargaining agreement expires June 30.
Regardless of the reason, Jones' return means that Kentucky will be ever better than expected next season.
"At least you know school is a for-sure thing," Linda Mashia-Jones said.
Kentucky will have at least four lottery picks on their roster next season, yet they may not even be the preseason No. 1.
I just sent in my credential request for the Tar Heels' trip to Rupp Arena.
Continue reading...
Sean Miller's return, and Maryland's coaching search |
While everyone spent the weekend focused on who was staying and who was leaving in regards to the NBA Draft, the most interesting -- and possibly the most important -- decision on whether to stay or to go didn't involve a player.
It involved a head coach.
After the typical flip-flopping reports we are used to in the twitter-age, Miller opted on Saturday to return to Tucson, turning down the advances from the now coachless Maryland terrapins.
"I am very pleased with my situation here at Arizona and feel that President Shelton, Greg Byrne and the UA have made every effort to provide our program with the tools necessary to be successful," Miller said in a statement. "Over the last two days, the amount of inaccuracies that surrounded this entire process has been very disappointing. Hopefully, this will put an end to such speculation. Believe me when I tell you, our administration has done everything to keep me here and ensure that this will be among the elite programs in the nation."
That everything included an extension for Miller, as well as more money for the people on his coaching staff.
Its not hard to see why Miller turned down the job. He's bringing in his third straight talented recruiting class -- and this one is probably the best of the bunch -- that includes the likes of Nick Johnson, Angelo Chol, Sidiki Johnson, and Josiah Turner. He also had Shabazz Muhammed, a top five recruit in the class of 2012, on campus on Sunday and is in the lead for Chris Thomas, a top five recruit in the class of 2013.
Coming off of a trip to the Elite 8, Miller is well on his way towards building Arizona back into a national power. With everything established for next season, it simply didn't make sense for him to move his family across the country to take on another rebuilding effort at a program that is not that much of a better job than the one he currently has. In fact, Maryland is, more than anything, a lateral move from Arizona, especially considering the expected increase in exposure that comes with the Pac-12's new TV deal with ESPN.
Maryland has also been turned down by Mike Brey, Brad Stevens, Jamie Dixon, and Jay Wright, which begs the question -- is this job really as good as people have speculated?
Well, yes, it is. There is no denying the facts. The Terps have a dedicated and passionate fan base. The school is located in the middle of the fertile recruiting grounds of DC and Baltimore. They have tradition, winning the 2002 national title and sending numerous players to the NBA.
But it is also true that no established coach is going to want to leave their current job this late in the year. Recruiting is finished. Lineups and rotations are in the process of being established. Vacations need to be taken. It would be one thing if this was UCLA or Duke or Kentucky that opened up, but Maryland isn't quite on that level.
The Terps may be better off riding out interim head coach Rob Ehsan for a season before trying to land a big name candidate in next year's coaching carousel.
It worked for Arizona.
After Lute Olsen retired, the Wildcats went through both Kevin O'Neill and Russ Pennell before hitting a home run with Miller.
On another note, I would urge everyone to read what Joe Ovies has to say about the differences between the coaching searches of NC State and Maryland. I would add one more point: NC State couldn't land a head coach because, most believe, no one wanted to compete with Duke and North Carolina in The Triangle and no one wanted to deal with Debbie Yow. With Maryland, the consensus seems to be that the Terps are struggling due to the timing of the job opening.
Whether or not that is what is actually happening is up for interpretation and only truly known by the people that turned down the respective jobs.
But it is a difference that must be pointed out.
Continue reading...
So is Ralph Sampson gone? UPDATE: Nope |
It appears as if Ralph Sampson III has had a change of heart.
The assumption Sunday night was that Sampson, a center for Minnesota, was going to be leaving his name in the NBA Draft. But according to athletic director Joel Maturi, that's not the case. Maturi texted Gophers beat writer Myron Medcalf that he "expects Ralph to be here next year".
If Sampson does, in fact, return to Minnesota, it would be a steal for Tubby Smith. Minnesota has had quite a bit of roster fluidity over the past few seasons. In addition to the transfers of Royce White, Devoe Joseph, Justin Cobbs, Colton Iverson, and Paul Carter, there were the injuries to Al Nolen and the ineligibility of Trevor Mbakwe to deal with.
A front line of Sampson and Mbakwe will be one of the best in the Big Ten.
UPDATE: He's coming back.
Continue reading...
POSTERIZED: Shaquille Johnson ... oh my |
Shaquille Johnson is not a top 50 or top 100 recruit in the country.
Hell, he's not even ranked in the top 50 at his position by ESPN. That may change soon, however, if Johnson -- a 6'4" Georgia native currently committed to Auburn keeps doing things like this:
The craziest part about this dunk? Johnson waited for the defender to get back simply so he could posterize him. You think he knew the Hoopmixtape guys were there to film him?
h/t Justin Young
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Dave Bliss, still a dirtbag |
You remember Dave Bliss, right?
How could you forget him?
He's the former Baylor head coach that tried to cover up his illicit payments to recruits and players by attempting to frame Patrick Dennehy -- a player murdered by his teammate Carlton Dotson -- as a drug dealer.
Scumbag-tastic, amirite? (I shouldn't be joking or snarky. What Bliss did is sickening to the umpteenth degree.)
Well, Bliss is back at it. Last summer, he was hired by Allen Academy, a small private school in Texas, to be their basketball coach and athletic director. It was championed as Bliss' chance at redemption, but that notion took less than a year to dissolve.
Last November, the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools ruled that two of the numerous players that Bliss recruited to Allen Academy received "improper inducement". In other words, they didn't have to pay the full $10,000 tuition to go to school there. Bliss also forged the signature of the school's headmaster for a player that did not end up enrolling at the school.
The punishment? A year suspension for Bliss and two years probation for the school. Instead of succumbing to those sanctions, Allen Academy opted to switch affiliations to the lesser Texas Christian Athletic League. They also downplayed the wrongdoing. From the AP:Bliss has been admonished by the school for signing Rouse's name without authorization on the transfer form, but school officials downplay the matter.
Others don't see it that way, however. One man is quoted in the AP story as saying that this scandal wasn't like opening a can of worms, it was a "can of snakes".
"It's not like he forged his name and cashed a check for $100,000," said Jerry Bullin, who chairs the school's board of trustees.
Bliss said he signed the headmaster's name on the form because he was facing a deadline. There was no intent to deceive, he said.
"I have my scarlet letter, and I understand that," he said. "The only thing about it is, from this point forward, I am trying to do the right thing."
Bliss has spent the past eight years trying to rebuild his image. Part of his getting this job was to prove that he has seen the light, that he realized the err of his ways and to receive some kind of redemption.
Instead, he cheated -- again -- and is trying to cover it up and run from it -- again.
Good thing this guy is allowed to work with kids still.
h/t Lost Lettermen
Continue reading...
Deadline Decisions: Who were the losers? |
Yesterday was the (ridiculously early) end to the testing the waters period for players with college eligibility remaining. Here is the full list of players that have decided to keep their names in or pull their names out of draft contention.
Who were this year's deadline losers?
Texas: The Longhorns were as brutalized as anyone in the past decade by early entry. Jordan Hamilton announced his intentions to remain in the NBA Draft a while back. Speculation about Tristan Thompson having hired an agent as gone on for nearly a month. And now, it is official that Cory Joseph will be headed to the NBA as well. That means that the Longhorns return ... J'Covan Brown and Alexis Wangmene? Texas went from a top five team to potentially missing out on the NCAA Tournament.
Tennessee: Over the weekend, both Tobias Harris and Scotty Hopson confirmed their intentions of remaining in the NBA Draft. For Harris, it wasn't much of a surprise. Most believed he was destined to be a one-and-done player since the time that he was in high school. It was a bit different for Hopson. He has the talent and the potential to be a lottery pick, but he was simply never able to put it (or keep it) all together while at Tennessee. Even with Bruce Pearl gone, Tennessee had a chance to be good with Cuonzo Martin coaching those two. With Harris and Hopson gone, things will be interesting in Knoxville. There are some interesting players -- Renaldo Wooldridge, Jeronne Maymon, Trae Golden, Cam Tatum, etc.
Michigan: The Wolverines suffered a pretty big blow when Darius Morris decided to keep his name in the draft. It looks like a good decision for now; Morris should sneak into the back end of the first round. That said, with Morris back, Michigan had a chance to be a top 10-15 team next season. With the amount of youth on that roster, John Beilein should still have a pretty good team in Ann Arbor. But Morris was one of those players that made everyone around him better. It will be interesting to see just how good players like Jordan Morgan and Tim Hardaway Jr are without him.
Butler: Its tough to say anything negative about Butler in this situation. Shelvin Mack was instrumental in getting the Bulldogs into back to back national title games. Keeping him around for three seasons is a win in this day and age. That said, losing him for next season will hurt. Matt Howard, Shawn Vanzant, and Zack Hahn are also gone, which means that the Bulldogs will be left with a lot of young players. It will be interesting to see how guys like Chase Stigall and Chrishawn Hopkins develop in the back court. If Khyle Marshall lives up to his potential next season, Butler should once again compete for the Horizon league title.
Maryland: Jordan Williams decision to enter the NBA Draft not only left the Terps devoid of any kind of experience (or talent) along their front line, it is also feasible to think that it caused Gary Williams to retire and could cost them a couple of talented recruits in Sterling Gibbs and Nick Faust. This story is far from complete, but its not to think that, when all is said and done, Williams' departure may have the most damaging long-term effects.
Pac-10: 
Terrence Jennings: Louisville should be fine without Jennings. They are solidly stocked with back court talent, and Gorgui Dieng proved to be a more than capable shot blocker and rebounder in his time as a freshman. Throw in the returns of Rakeem Buckles and Jared Swopshire, and Louisville is going to be a top 10-15 team. Jennings, however, has a ways to go before he is an NBA player. He's got the size, the strength, and the athleticism, but NBA big men needs post moves. Jennings doesn't have a move -- singluar -- let alone moves -- plural.
Boston College: BC was going to be a loser this off-season regardless of what happened with Reggie Jackson. They lost eight seniors to graduation. But with Jackson gone, BC's leading returning scorer is not Danny Rubin, also known as walk-on Danny Rubin.
Minnesota: Minnesota is an interesting case for next season. They've had as much roster turnover as anyone in the country the last two years -- Colton Iverson, Trevor Mbakwe, Royce White, Devoe Joseph, Al Nolen. With Ralph Sampson keeping his name in the draft, they lose a front-court scoring threat and now two-thirds of their massive front line from a year ago. But with Mbakwe, Nolen (whoops, he graduted), Rodney Williams, and Austin Hollins all returning, there is still quite a bit of ability at Tubby Smith's disposal. (UPDATE: He may be returning.)
Notre Dame: The Irish could be in trouble next season. Yes, Mike Brey is staying in South Bend, but with Ben Hansbrough and Ty Nash graduating and now Carleton Scott remaining in the draft, the Irish are going to be left with a very thin roster. Eric Atkins looked promising as a point guard as a freshman, and Tim Abromaitis and Scott Martin return, but there is not much beyond that. Scott's versatility as a shooter, rebounder, and shot blocker will truly be missed.
Continue reading...
Deadline Decisions: Who were the winners? |
Yesterday was the (ridiculously early) end to the testing the waters period for players with college eligibility remaining. Here is the full list of players that have decided to keep their names in or pull their names out of draft contention.
Who were this year's deadline winners?
Kentucky: Kentucky lost two of their three early entrants, but would you have expected Terrence Jones to be the lone returnee? Brandon Knight announced last week, while on Sunday night DeAndre Liggins made his decision official as well. Jones, however, will return, meaning that John Calipari will likely be bringing Kyle Wiltjer, a top 25 recruit, off the bench next season. Jones will provide Kentucky with a legitimate front court scoring threat to go along with Michael Gilchrist's perimeter versatility and Anthony Davis' length and athleticism.
Pitt: The Panthers got a whole lot better when Ashton Gibbs made the decision to return to school. Not only was he Pitt's leading scorer a year ago, but he is a potential all-american next season. Gibbs is the only player on the Panthers with the ability to create a shot in a half court setting. And with Brad Wanamaker graduating, Gibbs will have more of a chance to show NBA people that he can create with the dribble.
Xavier: The Musketeers caught a break when Tu Holloway, who could very well end up being the bet point guard in the country next season, opted to return to Xavier for his senior season, making Xavier one of the early favorites to win the Atlantic 10. Holloway was up there with Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker as one of the most valuable players in the country last year, and much of the same should be expected next season.
New Head Coaches:
Hollis Thompson: Thompson has the tools and the skill set to potentially be a first round pick one day. But after spending two seasons playing out of position and in the role of glue guy, Thompson wasn't much more than a Big East afterthought his first two seasons at Georgetown. With Austin Freeman and Chris Wright graduating, and an influx of front court talent, Thompson will be a featured player for the Hoyas next season.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers lost a lot this past season. Casey Mitchell, John Flowers, and Joe Mazzulla graduated. Danny Jennings is no longer with the team. The entire 2010 freshmen class seemingly evaporated. Dalton Pepper, Deniz Kilicli, and Truck Bryant are all back, but without Kevin Jones in the fold, the Mountaineers would have had a long season. It will be interesting to see how Jones develops; he had a bit of a disappointing season as a junior.
Texas A&M: The Aggies are going to be a team to keep an eye on next season in the Big 12. With Khris Middleton opting not to put his name in the draft and David Loubeau withdrawing from consideration on Sunday, Mark Turgeon's team once again has the make up of one that can compete at the top of their league.
Austin Peay: The Governors finished third in the Sun Belt a season a go, behind Murray State and Morehead State. With both MSU's losing a number of key players, Austin Peay jumped up to preseason favorite to win the league with TyShawn Edmundson's decision to return for his senior season. Edmundson averaged 17.3 ppg a season ago.
Olu Ashaolu and Brandon Wood: Ashaolu opted to return to school, but he will transfer from Louisiana Tech for his senior season. Since he has already graduated, he will be eligible to play immediately, which means that the winner will be who ever is able to land him as a transfer. The same can be said for Wood, who withdrew from the draft and instead opted to transfer to Michigan State. The former Valpo guard will be eligible to play immediately after graduating. He averaged 15.1 ppg last season.
Northwestern: John Shurna pulled his name out of the NBA Draft, which means that the Wildcats will have their most talented scorer for his senior season. Will this once again spark the preseason debate of whether or not the Wildcats can make their first NCAA Tournament?
Other Notable returnees: Orlando Johnson (UCSB), Greg Mangano (Yale), Cameron Moore (UAB), Tony Taylor (George Washington)
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Monday Morning Dump |
T'was a busy busy weekend. @Ballinisahabit spent the weekend watching AAU ball at the Hoops Group Jamfest in Hampton Virginia, while I picked crayfish, drank beer and watched tiny little men whip farm animals as they run around in circles. Other than that, not much happened. Well except for the early entry deadline and the continuation of Maryland's coaching search.
It's time to hit the links.
- MAtt Norlander provided an interesting read on Memphis' new strength and conditioning coach, who may or may not have spent time as a member of the special forces
- Jeff Goodman details the legacy of "doing the right thing" that Gary Williams will leave at Maryland
- Butler's Brad Stevens has turned down the offer to become the new head coach at Maryland. Arizona's Sean Miller was in talks with Maryland, but decided to stay with the Wildcats, and in the process got a new contract. Dick Vitale thinks Tubby Smith could end up being the next Terrapins head coach. Testudo Times believes that Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon could be a possible candidate. The Maryland coaching search is starting to resemble North Carolina State's search. Notre Dame's Mike Brey, A graduate of fabled-DeMatha HS in Hyattsville,MD) has turned down the Terrapins offer as well
- Terrence Jones made his decision on Friday to stay for his sophomore season at Kentucky. A Sea of Blue explains how his choice proves that the potential NBA lockout affected early entrant decision. Jones' teammate DeAndre Liggins has decided to keep his name in the NBA draft
A bunch of other NBA decisions after the jump
- For the past couple of weeks, Pitt junior Ashton Gibbs has stated his intentions to keep his name in the NBA draft. But as the deadline passed, Gibbs made the decision to stay at Pittsburgh for his final season
- Notre Dame's Carlton Scott will keep his name in the draft to the surprise of many
- Tennessee freshman forward Tobias Harris has decided to forgo his final three years in Knoxville. What will Cuonzo Martin's team be like without Harris and potentially Scotty Hopson
- Butler's Shelvin Mack won;'t be seeking a Final Four three-peat. The junior guard will keep his name in the NBA draft. With Mack leaving, along with the graduation of Matt Howard, where do the Bulldogs stand for next year?
- Georgetown got a bit of good news this weekend. After losing two rising juniors to transfer, Hollis Thompson has announced that he will return to Georgetown for his junior year
- Troy Gillenwater a junior first-team All-WAC forward will keep his name in the draft and will not return for his final season at New Mexico State
- Northwestern sharpshooter John Shurna is going to return for his senior year
- Miami big-man Reggie Johnson has decided to return to Miami to play under new head coach Jim Larranaga
- West Virginia junior forward Kevin Jones is going to stay in Morgantown for his senior year. The same goes for Texas A&M's David Loubeau
- Klay Thompson, the Washington State scoring-machine, has decided to forgo his senior year and will stay in the NBA draft
- Olu Ashaolu decided to trasnfer out of Lousiana Tech at the end of the season. He also entered his name in the NBA draft. But the six-foot-seven Canadian forward has decided to return to college. However, his destination is unknown at the time, but suitors include Texas, Oregon, Xavier and San Diego State
- Stanford's Jeremy Green is going to keep his name in the draft
- Eric Williams, a Marquette sophomore who played most of last season with a shoulder injury that required surgery, will be transferring from the university
- Texas freshman Corey Joseph surprised many when he decided to test the NBA draft waters. He surprised even more yesterday when he announced he would keep his name in the draft
- Washington's Isaiah Thomas, the back-to-back Pac-10 tournament MVP will keep his name in the draft
- Earlier in the week, Michigan's Darrius Morris announced his intentions to keep his name in the draft. According to the Detroit Free Press, head coach John Beilein did not give any recommendations to Morris
- Gary Williams may never pace a sidelines in College Park every again, but his name will be part of the court for eternity
- South Florida assistant coach Jeremy Cox will is leaving the program to take an assistant coaching position at Nebraska
- Former-Baylor coach Dave Bliss just can't stay away from controversy
- Former-Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel will return to Duke to serve as an assistant coach
- Did you know that Syracuse is the only program in the country with a coaching staff made up entirely of alumni?
- Your weekly update on the UCLA student section fiasco: A rowdy student section would help boost revue
- Huntington Prep star Ibrahima Djimde has committed to Illinois, making the Illini out of scholarships for the 2011 season
- South Orange Juice provides an insightful-read on the four new Seton Hall recruits
- Mid-Major Madness previews the 2011-2012 Binghamton Bearcats season
- In honor of Mother's Day: Kansas' TyShawn Taylor finds consistent support from his mom, whom he also refers to as "his best friend"
Shaka Smart throws out first pitch at Wrigley Field
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Friday, May 6, 2011
Can the NBA right the NCAA's wrong? |
It has now been over a week since the NCAA and college basketball coaches instituted their heinous, self-serving rule that sets the cut off date for declaring for the NBA Draft the day before the start of the early spring signing period, or a week after the season ends.
The rule is atrocious, but you don't need me to tell you this. Every writer on every college basketball media outlet has (justly) ripped this legislation to shreds.
The rule may also be irrelevant.
Let me explain.
The NBA's deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft is 60 days prior to the draft, or somewhere around April 25th. For any and all underclassmen considering declaring for the draft, the smart (read: stick-it-to-the-NCAA) move would be to refrain from making an official announcement prior to the NCAA's deadline. Since testing the waters has been eliminated, any player that chooses to declare will immediately forfeit all remaining eligibility. If the declaration ends their college career, what sense does it make for the player to abide by NCAA rules?
None.
While that only gives the prospects that are not guaranteed to be top ten picks only two extra weeks to gather information and make a decision, it triples the amount of time after the season ends.
But with a little help from the NBA, that time frame could increase. The NBA is currently facing the possibility of a lockout as owners and players try to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement. If the NBA was smart, they would reduce the deadline for underclassmen to enter the draft from 60 days to 45 or 30 days, moving the deadline into mid to late May.
Its not the same as allowing the prospects to test the waters, but more time to decide on their future would mean that fewer players would make poor, rushed, and ill-informed decisions.
That is good for all parties involved.
Except the NCAA and its coaches.
(h/t Marc Isenberg)
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Jamal Coombs-McDaniel transferring; Luke Hancock as well? |
On the same day that he appeared in court due to an arrest for possession of marijuana, it was announced that UConn's Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was transferring out of the program.
JCM, who won high school and AAU national titles with UConn teammates Alex Oriakhi, never was able to figure out a way to get along with Husky head coach Jim Calhoun. He played sparingly during his freshman season, and his sophomore season was following that same trajectory. Until mid-February, that is, when JCM exploded for 64 points over a three-game stretch. While he never was able to defend the way that is required by Calhoun, the 6'7" Dorchester, MA, native proved that his offensive versatility was an asset for the Huskies.
After playing 38 minutes and scoring 23 points in a win over Georgetown on February 16th, JCM's minutes tailed off again down the stretch of the season. He played just 22 minutes in UConn's final three games and scored 12 points in the NCAA Tournament, ten of which came in UConn's win over Cincinnati.
In what is probably bigger news, George Mason granted NCAA Tournament hero Luke Hancock his release to allow him to look into a transfer.
"He requested permission to explore his options and it was granted to him," a Mason team spokesman told Patrick Stevens of the Washington Times. "At this point, all he is doing is looking. In no way, shape or form has he decided to leave."
It makes sense for him to look. As you know, George Mason underwent a coaching change in the past few weeks, with longtime head coach Jim Larrananga taking his staff with him to Miami. Former Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt took over, and according to Brian Mull of the Wilmington Star, Hancock does not believe he fits into Paul Hewitt's system.
If Hancock does decide to leave, it would be a major loss for the Patriots. George Mason's point guard by definition is Andre Cornelius, but Hancock is their playmaker in the half court. The 6'5" wing averaged 4.2 apg to go along with 10.9 ppg and 4.3 rpg as a sophomore, which includes an 18-point, five assist performance against Villanova in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in which Hancock hit the game-winning jumper.
Mason will still be a favorite in the CAA without Hancock.
But they won't be a preseason top 25 team if they lose Hancock and Cam Long, who graduated.
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UVa's Mike Scott receives extra year of eligibility; Cavs now a sleeper? |
In a piece of news that flew under the radar yesterday, Mike Scott -- Virginia's leading scorer and rebounder a season ago -- was granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA.
Scott averaged 15.9 ppg and 10.2 rpg in 10 games last year, but he underwent a pair of surgeries on his left ankle. Scott never suited up after December, and since he only played in 10 games, he remained under the 30% maximum the NCAA requires to grant an extra year of eligibility.
While the 'Hoos lose second-leading scorer Mustapha Farrakhan to graduation, they return the core of a team that had some promising young talent; four of Tony Bennett's top eight were freshmen or sophomores a year ago, when UVa went 7-9 in the ACC and 16-15 overall.
KT Harrell and Joe Harris, who combined to average over 18 points a year ago, are back for their sophomore years, as it Akil Mitchell. Point guard Jontel Evans will be a junior. Sammy Zeglinski, like Scott, will be a fifth-year senior while seven-footer Assane Sene will help Scott provide muscle inside on a team with a lot of depth on the perimeter.
Throw in highly-regarded freshmen Malcolm Brogdon and Paul Jesperson, and the Cavaliers have a chance to surprise some people next season.
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Is the retirement of Gary Williams good for Maryland? |
On Thursday afternoon, Maryland head coach Gary Williams hung up his sweat-drenched suits, retiring after 33 seasons as a basketball coach that saw him rebuild Maryland from a program dealing with NCAA sanctions into a national title winner in 2002.
It was a move that was both shocking and long overdue.
Jeff Goodman broke the news of Williams' retirement on Cinco de Mayo, which is well after the coaching carousel usually stops spinning. We rarely get this far into the offseason and see a coaching change at any level, let alone a potential hall-of-famer and national title winner opting to retire. And we rarely see a coach of Williams' stature retire without reading and hearing the rumblings days and/or weeks in advance. Furthermore, Maryland finally got rid of Debbie Yow, the athletic director that Williams had butted heads with for the past 16 years.
But, as Williams told John Feinstein of the Washington Post, "After [Debbie] Yow left, I thought I might enjoy it more this year and I really did like working with Kevin Anderson. He's a straight shooter. But I think I'd been worn down by the previous 15 years [with Yow]. It grinds on you."
Throw in the fact that Williams, who is a less-than spritely 66 years old, got married a few weeks back and that yesterday he officially lost sophomore center Jordan Williams to the NBA, and it makes sense.
Williams has not had the easiest go of things since he won the 2002 national title. The Terps haven't made it to the Sweet 16 since 2003. They've missed four of the last seven NCAA Tournaments. There has been speculation that Williams was on the hot seat for some time. Hell, it has been reported that Williams strongly considered retiring after last season, when he led Maryland from the bottom half of the ACC to a share of the regular season title with national champion Duke.
The biggest criticism against Gary Williams has been the fact that he was unable to tap into the fruitful recruiting pipelines of the DC-Baltimore corridor. The region has been as fertile as any area in the country over the last five years. Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, Ty Lawson, Nolan Smith, Donte Greene, Josh Boone, Carmelo Anthony, and Rudy Gay are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the talent that has come out of that region.
How many of them went to Maryland?
At the same time, that criticism may also be Williams' biggest strength and the main reason that what he has accomplished should be recognized.
Its not a secret that Williams is old school when it comes to recruiting. By-the-book doesn't even begin to describe his methods. He cleaned up a Maryland program that was rattled with sanctions when he took over the job, and has spent his 22 years at the helm of the Terrapins as far away from the NCAA's radar as The Fast and The Furious was from a movie that deserved to have four sequels.
Williams didn't get in bed with AAU coaches. He stayed away from the seedy underbelly of recruiting. And while it probably cost him some player, he was still able to land two future pros in Greivis Vasquez and Jordan Williams. He still brought in a talented recruiting class this season -- headlined by Sterling Gibbs and Nick Faust -- and had the beginnings of a good one next season, with Justin Anderson committed.
Williams wasn't a recruiter.
He was a ball coach. He was a guy that turned good players that were ignored by other programs into great players at the college level.
Maryland basketball will probably be better without Williams. The folks in Durham may disagree, but Maryland is a borderline-top ten coaching gig in the country. They have a terrific natural recruiting base. They have an on-campus arena with a dedicated and passionate fan base. They have one of the best home-courts in the country. They can afford to pay a very good salary and will likely land a big-name head coach to replace Williams.
And you can bet that the next Maryland head coach won't have the same qualms with the current state of recruiting that Williams did.
The Maryland program won't be down for long. Williams' successor may eventually end up with a better resume at the school.
But that shouldn't tarnish the luster on Williams' time in College Park.
Because his success didn't come with an asterisk, a vacated season, or a blemish on his resume.
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CBS doesn't want to be "America's Most Watched Network" |
Apparently, the slipper no longer fits.
According to Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch, Gus Johnson and CBS Sports could not agree on a new contract now that Johnson's current contract has ended. The New York Daily News is reporting that the end is not official yet -- they said that Johnson's people have not yet shown CBS executives the offer that he has received from FOX Sports to call Pac-12 football games -- but the feeling seems to be that it is only delaying the inevitable.
What can we say that has not already been said about Gus Jeezy?
The man epitomizes the NCAA Tournament. He perspires excitement. He makes any game that he is on the call a must-watch. There is a reason that we dubbed him Mr. March Madness. I can honestly say that a majority of my most memorable NCAA Tournament moments are simply the result of Gus Jeezy's call. Not only is he hands down the most popular play-by-play man that college basketball has, but he is a brand in and of himself. How many announcers have enough notoriety to start their own clothing line?
None do.
That's the point.
And that's why everyone would be devastated if CBS were to allow another network to swoop in and outbid them for Mr. March Madness.
The NCAA Tournament will live on no matter who calls the games. The excitement of the first weekend of games will not wane without Gus Johnson flexing his vocal chords. The drama of a 13 seed making the Sweet 16 doesn't hinge on a guy in a suit sitting at half court. CBS still has plenty of talented play-by-play announcers -- Iain Eagle, Kevin Harlan -- to call the games.
Its like The Office without Michael Scott. The show will go on, but it just won't be the same.
So please, CBS, I beg of you: throw Gus Jeezy a couple of Ricky Roe duffel bags.
He is well worth the investment.
We counted down our ten favorite calls from Gus Johnson prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament. Seriously, go watch them. I just wasted the last 15 minutes listening to every single one. And I'm dead serious when I say 'listening'. Play the youtube clips on mute, and then play them with the volume full blast.
Which is better?
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Friday Morning Dump |
It kinda makes sense that the pulse of the basketball world is coming from Washington, D.C. this week. First, Paul Hewitt was named head coach at George Mason. Then there were rumors of a possible Maryland/Georgetown rivalry rekindling. After that came news of Jordan Williams' decision to stay in the NBA draft.
But yesterday, the "outta-left-field" news-story of the week dropped: Gary Williams is retiring from Maryland after 22 seasons at the helm.
Get ready for a Maryland-heavy dose of the Friday Morning Dump
- The Washington Post got some reactions from people familiar with William's work
- Just when we thought the coaching carousel was done spinning, Williams has go to and get it started up again
- Apparently Maryland is already targeting Notre Dame's Mike Brey, even though he is looking for a contract extension from South Bend. Villanova's Jay Wright is also at the top of their list, as is Arizona's Sean Miller
- Eamonn Brennan waives farewell to the least appreciated coach in the ACC
- Mike Miller explains why this decision almost came about last year
- Mike DeCourcy tells us that the circumstance made the retirement decision much easier for Williams
- Despite your reaction on his decision to retire, you have to acknowledge that Williams did it on his own terms. At least that's what Seth Davis says (And who are you to question Seth Davis?)
After the jump, more links about Williams retirement, and a bunch of other news from the college hoops scene
- The Terps now have a bunch of decisions that they need to make, and they need to make them relatively soon
- Williams' retirement will likely start a "changing of the guard" process in College Park. Williams was never known as a tireless recruiter, so you have to imagine the recruiting philosophy at Maryland is bound to change
- Two of Maryland's star recruits, Sterling Gibbs and Nick Faust, are likely to ask for their release from the program. But Justin Anderson, another highly-touted recruit, remains committed for now
- Testudo Times gathered some twitter reactions, all with the same theme: The Maryland job may be better than you think
- Casual Hoya wonders what this retirement will mean for the Georgetown program
- The big non-Maryland news of the day was that Washington-commit Tony Wroten Jr. is part of an alledged academic investigation. Wroten was apparently given a C in a class he never took nor did any class work for
- If Gary Williams retiring wasn't enough of a bombshell for you, how about this: Gus "Gus-Jeezy" Johnson is leaving CBS. What. The. Hell. Where will "The Law of Gus" end up next?
- Chad Forde provides his first mock draft of the off-season (It's a must-read, but only if you're an Insider)
- Matt Norlander provides a great-read on the anatomy of a mid-major coaching change (really good stuff here)
- Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free-Press believes that if Darrius Morris didn't want to be at Michigan, it's best that he left, even if it does stunt the Wolverines growth
- Is Scotty Hopson staying or going? How does Tennessee move forward with/without him?
- In case you were unaware, the early entry decision has been pretty dicey this season
- Kentucky freshman Brandon Knight will announced his NBA draft decision later today
- The Slipper Still Fits tries to make sense of Demetri Goodson's decision to leave Gonzaga
- Luke Hancock the hero of George Mason's first round tournament upset of Villanova, has announced his intentions to transfer from the University
- Valparaiso-transfer Brandon Wood has narrowed his list to Michigan State and Tennessee. The ex-Crusader let the Horizon League in scoring last year and we be eligible immediately because he is on pace to graduate this month
- Georgetown sophomore Vee Sanford announced his decision to transfer from Georgetown last week. Word on the street is that he will be taking an official visit to Dayton and is "leaning towards the Flyers"
- Jamal Combs-McDaniel has decided to transfer from UConn. This decision comes a week after the backup swingman was arrested on drug charges
- Back in March, Jim Les was fired as head coach of the Bradley Braves. But yesterday news was delivered that Les will be named the new head coach at UC-Davis
- Jay Larranaga turned down an offer to coach under his dad at Miami. He wants to root for the Hurricanes, but he wants to do it from afar
- John Calipari has been officially named the new head coach of the Dominican Republic national basketball team
- Some teams schedule exhibition games again Canadian schools, NAIA schols, and national teams from obscure European countries. But not Marquette. Nope, the Golden Eagles will be scrimmaging Kansas State and USC next season
- I kinda like this idea: A Vanderbilt fantasy mock draft
- I don't think a behind-the-back dribble has ever been broken down this specifically
- Butler's Matt Howard is now on twitter and using it to grow his brand
- Big-Ten bloggers provides advice to the incoming Nebraska basketball program (Entertaining stuff here)
Now, instead of a video or a picture, I thought I'd hit you with my quick opinion on the Gary Williams retirement decision:
I cannot tell you how long I have been anxiously awaiting this moment for.
I hate Gary Williams. I hate his lack of personality. I hate "I don't need you that bad" approach to recruiting. I hate his radio show, his CSN show and the fact that he gets to do golf analysis for the AT&T National and the U.S Open. But I especially hate is over-abundance of sport-coat perspiration.
I acknowledge his coaching acumen, and acknowledge that he's probably not that bad of a person.
But check it: I was born in Washington, D.C. and spent my entire life within a 35-minute drive from College Park. The first memory I have of watching a live college basketball game was the Georgetown/Maryland overtime-thriller in 1993 (The last time the two teams met during the regular season). 90% of my friends growing up were Maryland fans. I have played four athletic contests at University of Maryland, and I was on the losing side all four times, including two overtime losses in Byrd Stadium. Philadelphia fans are like Mormons compared to Terps fans. These people will riot if they lose AND riot if they win. Lighting couches on fire is practically considered a major at College Park. I hate the University of Maryland. There is not one redeeming quality about the College Park Campus.
I guess that I don't really hate Gary Williams that much in the grand scheme of things. I just hate everything about the University of Maryland. But for the past 22 years, he has been the public embodiment of the University.
But I'm not going to sit here and tell you I didn't fist-pump for a good 30 seconds when I heard the announcement on the radio. I'd be lying if I told you I didn't take both hands off the wheel of my car to "clap it up" for 25 seconds when I heard the news.
I dunno, maybe I hate too much. But then again, since Syracuse is a good 800+ miles away, Maryland is the next best thing.
Okay, Okay, I'll give you a video, but only because The Jimmer is in it
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Thursday, May 5, 2011
Jordan Williams to keep his name in the draft puts Maryland in a hole |
In a move that surprised no one except the most delusional Maryland fans, Jordan Williams officially announced that he would be signing with an agent and keeping his name in the NBA Draft.
Williams is projected to go somewhere in the late first round (is it just me, or does everyone project to go somewhere in the late first round this year?), although he probably still has some improvements to make before he is ready to contribute at the NBA level. Williams did average 16.9 ppg and 11.6 rpg, but much of that was the result of his strength and ability to gain position, especially on the offensive glass. Williams needs better developed post moves and can still stand to shed a couple of pounds of baby fat.
The loss of Williams is disastrous for the Terps.
Maryland has already missed four of the last seven NCAA Tournaments. They didn't even get invited to the NIT last season. And now, after losing three valuable seniors in Cliff Tucker, Adrian Bowie, and Dino Gregory, the Terps will be missing their dominant interior presence.
Maryland may end up having one of the better backcourts in the ACC next season. Sophomores Pe'Shon Howard and Terrell Stoglin showed the potential to develop into all-league caliber players, particularly Stoglin. Sean Mosley had a bit of a disappointing year as a junior, but he is an experienced and heady player. Throw in freshmen Nick Faust and Sterling Gibbs, and the Terps have some pieces on their perimeter.
The issue is replacing Williams in the paint. James Padgett and Berend Weijs played in just 54 games combined last season, and averaged a combined 5.1 ppg. Beyond that, Maryland has seldom-used senior (Ersin Levent), an even-more-seldomly-used sophomore (Ashton Pankey), and a three-star freshmen.
Whether or not that crew can provide scoring and rebounding on the interior will determine just how far Maryland goes next season.
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