Did a Washington Post writer cross the line?

The article that set the world ablaze this morning was Eric Prisbell's profile of John Wall in this Sunday's Washington Post.

It is a tremendous read. Prisbell really gets Wall to open up to him about his relationship with his father, who spent much of Wall's childhood in prison. Seriously, if you haven't read it, go do it now.

Like I said, it is a tremendous read, and if it doesn't make you want to root for Wall, then you don't have a heart.

The article isn't perfect, however. At the very end, Prisbell reveals to Wall what exactly his father was in prison for. Wall did not know why his dad had been sent to jail -- he believed it was only for a robbery, but in fact his father had a much longer rap sheet, including second degree murder -- and Prisbell not only revealed it to him, but wrote about his reaction in the article.

Some, including myself, had a problem with this decision. From Kentucky Sports Radio:

Now imagine that scene for a minute. Just days before John Wall reaches a goal that he has worked for his entire life, a reporter for a newspaper, someone who is likely a stranger to Wall, looks at him and informs him for the first time that his father had killed someone. To me, that action is wholly inappropriate and somewhat shameful ... [W]hile I probably would not have done that research into his father’s past and included it in the story, I dont think it is malicious to do so. But once the reporter knew that Wall was not aware of his father’s criminal past, I find it highly inappropriate for him to believe that he should be the one to break the news to Wall. It is clear that both his mother, and for that matter John, have made a conscious decision not to bring up that part of the past in their lives. For a reporter to believe he has the right to report that past is one thing. But then to take the next step and personally tell John and THEN to record his comments and include them in the story, to me that crosses the line ... [T]here are lines that reporters should not cross. If Prisbell felt like he owed the readers a look into Wall’s deceased father’s past, then so be it. But Prisbell should not have made himself the self-appointed messenger to personally tell Wall what is likely one of the most hurtful truths that could exist in his life. And even if he were to do that, to quote his natural reaction in a newspaper story is not a journalistic potrayal, but simply sensationalism.

I wholeheartedly agree with this.

Wall is 19 years old. Wall is still a kid, but he's a kid that has made a conscious decision not to find out why his father was in prison. Maybe it was because he didn't want to tarnish the memory of his father. Maybe it was because his mother didn't want him to know. Maybe Wall simply did not care.

Whatever the reason, it was not Prisbell's place to disclose this information to Wall.

The issue, however, is that this is Prisbell's job. He's a reporter, and if he is writing an article on the relationship between John Wall and his father, how can he not include these facts if he has them. And if he has this information, how can he not get Wall's reaction? Prisbell addressed these issues in a live chat on the Washington Post's website (consider everything sic'd):

i was uncomfortable being in the position knowing such information that John may not have known (I didn't know what he knew before I talked with him). But when I got the records, it was then that I realized how long of a record the dad had. Before that, I just wanted to get the gist of what he had done if we had to include the background information.

Once I got the records, then I found myself in a situation that I found to be unsettling. I've been in a lot of odd situations in my career, but this made me uncomfortable. First, I wrestled with the idea of IF I should tell John, etc. But, hey, the driving force in his life is his dad, and he cherishes the memories from those prison visits. If I incldue that, how do I not include what the dad did and how long he was in there?

Then the question became how to do it. I talked all this through with editors, of course. We wanted to handle this with extreme care. We wanted to be sensitive, delicate, respectful. Both in how we wrote it and how I talked about it with john. I did not want to mention specifics with John, and I did not. John and I got into the heavy stuff about 12 minutes into a 45-minute talk. We talkd for a long while after that. The fact is: Even after I told John, it did not change his feelings toward his father. That says something pretty strong about John and his relationship with his father. The three words that jump out to me when thinking about John: humble, polite and mature.

I udnerstand reasonable people can and will disagree on the disclosure issue. But i am comfortable with the decisions we made because of how I handled it.

I understand, and sympathize, with the position that Prisbell was put in. He's right -- the article was about the relationship between John Wall and his father, and if Prisbell had this information, he had to include into the article, no?

Its a tough call. While I don't necessarily believe Prisbell crossed the ethical guidelines of journalism, I do believe he crossed a line of morality. John Wall may be the subject of an article you are writing, he may be the future of the Washington Wizards franchise, but this is still a human being who was delivered an incredibly important, meaningful, and potentially hurtful piece of information by a reporter.

But being a reporter, isn't his job to get the story? To ask the tough questions?

It is an incredibly difficult position to be in for Prisbell. And, to his credit, I think he handled it well. My one hope is that he ran this by Wall's mother before divulging it to Wall.

And for what its worth, Prisbell said that he disclosed this to Wall about a third of the way through a 45 minute conversation. If the information was that hurtful, would Wall have continued the interview?

Wall knew his father was in prison for a long, long time. If you're in prison for a long, long time, odds are pretty good that you committed a serious crime. Wall knew this, and it didn't bother him.

Maybe the crime his father committed truly didn't matter to him.

I've gone back and forth with this in my head all day, so I'll leave it at this: a reporter handled a difficult situation about as well as he could have. Hopefully, it didn't take away from what was a sensational article about how John Wall became the person that he is today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(photo credit: Fotolox)

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

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

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

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

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

19.

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

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

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

Why am I bring this up now?

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

John Wall said it best:

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

Maybe we should all take a step beck and allow Cousins to get to that point.
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NBA Draft Prospects: John Wall, Kentucky

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Highlights:





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Dangers in listening to the rumors....

Last night, Adam Schein and Chris Carlin, the masterminds behind the SNY TV show Loudmouths, tweeted and discussed on their show their show how sources close to UConn head coach Jim Calhoun believed he was retiring at year's end.

It wouldn't surprise anyone. Jim Calhoun's health and the Huskie's struggles have led to those rumors all season long.

But alas, they seem to be false, as both Seth Davis and Adam Zagoria went on record saying they spoke to Jim Calhoun's son Jeff and that those rumors were not true.

That wasn't the only rumor-mongering that has occurred over the last 24 hours.

Yesterday after, LEO Weekly, an "alternative magazine" based out of Louisville reported that there was a "national media race" to expose John Wall and/or DeMarcus Cousins for receiving "cash money and, perhaps, real estate."

But once again, those rumors seem to be false, as KSR's Matt Jones made some calls and found "absolutely no validity or even a shred of truth" to them.

Like they say, don't believe everything that you read.

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The John Wall ... song?

Is it bad that I kind of like this song?



Bang on them, flex on them, then do the John Wall. That's where I had it wrong. I kept flexing first.

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Can we forget about the "rift" between Cal and Wall now?

A lot has been made of a "rift" between John Wall and Coach Cal today, stemming from this quote from Wall made after Kentucky's game against Vanderbilt:

I don't know. He said I played awful. ... I didn't think I played that bad. I don't know what to expect. He's probably going to say I played bad today too so. I don't know. I just try not to listen to him and go out and play basketball and try and help my team win. ... To be honest, I really haven't been having fun for the last two weeks. It's just being frustrated and things like that so, I just got to figure it out before we go further in league play.

Wall should be frustrated with the way he has played the last few games.
(photo credit: ESPN)

Calipari responded as only Calipari can, spinning this into a "teaching point" and saying that this is just another step in the learning process.

While some have said that this is typical Cal sweeping issues under the rub, the fact of the matter is that he is right.

John Wall is an 18 year old kid. Just because he happens to be an uber-talented 18 year old kid doesn't mean that he is more mature than your average college freshman. Hes played a couple subpar games in a row - something he probably hasn't done before in his career - and took some of his coach's tough love a little too personally.

It happens.

As conference play is now in full swing, competition has gotten tougher and rivalries have gotten more intense. Wall has been the focal point for the Wildcats for most of the season, and with that comes opposing coaches game-planning to slow you down. They've had 21 games to learn how to do it. Wall now needs to learn how to adjust to the defense's he is facing, which he likely will. He's too talented to continue struggling.

The results haven't been all bad, either. As defenses focus on him, it has opened up opportunities for DeMarcus Cousins inside. Now, Cousins looks like the most unstoppable player in the country. The next step is that as opposing coaches start to center their game plan around slowing down the big fella inside (which they should be doing), more opportunities will open up for Wall.

This is just one of those things that happens during hoops season.

If this wasn't Kentucky, and this wasn't John Wall, and this wasn't Coach Cal, it likely would not have gotten anywhere near the coverage it has.

So lets put this behind us, and try to figure out how Ole Miss plans on slowing down the Wildcats tomorrow.

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President Obama gives UK a call, gets challenged to a game of horse by John Wall

10 days ago, on the first Sunday after the earthquake that hit Haiti, Kentucky held a fundraiser called Hoops for Haiti that raised $1.3 million to help aid Haitian recovery efforts.

We lauded them for it after it happened.

On Tuesday afternoon, President Obama did as well. Have a look:



First reaction?

I think that's the first time I've ever seen Calipari look in anyway nervous.

Second reaction?

(Insert corny, played out Obama-jinx joke here).

Third reaction?

LOVED DeMarcus Cousins telling Obama that he was looking forward to meeting him at the White House (although, I wonder how Kentuckians will take that).

In all seriousness, it was great what the Wildcats were able to accomplish, and even better that they are being rewarded for it. $1.3 million is a lot of money.

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Droppin' Dimes: A Sea of Blue

Droppin' Dimes is a new feature we are trying out at BIAH this year. A couple of times a week, we are going to catch up with the bloggers behind the best team-specific sites on the web. If the internet really is becoming the new newspaper, then the writers at these sites are the de facto beat writers. They know their teams inside and out, and hopefully will provide you (and us) with some detailed insights. If you would like to recommend a site or pose a question for a certain team, you can reach us at contactbiah@gmail.com or @ballinisahabit.

In our newest edition of Droppin' Dimes, we had a chance to catch up with Glenn Logan, the mind behind A Sea of Blue, a Kentucky basketball blog and a must-read for any hoops fan in the Commonwealth. Hit the jump to hear Logan's thoughts on UK2K, Kentucky's freshman class, and the way Calipari has been treated by the media (trust me, it is more than worth the read).


1. Kentucky won their 2,000th on Monday night, the first program to do so. While this is clearly an impressive statistic, there has been some debate around the blogosphere as to whether it matters to anyone other than Big Blue Nation. What does this number mean to Kentucky fans? In your opinion, is it an accurate way to rate the greatest program of all-time?

I think it is a significant milestone, much as the 1,000th victory was. Of course it will be a bigger deal to fans of the UK program than it will be to non-fans, and in a real sense, I don't know if it is a huge factor toward "greatest program of all time" status. After all, North Carolina is only a few games behind, and so is Kansas, so does the fact that UK got there first by eight games mean that they are 0.4% better than UNC, for example? That's not much of an argument.

Kentucky was the first school to wins 2,000 games.
(photo credit: Examiner)

So in a real-world context, winning the race to 2,000 by such an insignificant amount is little more than a reason to celebrate, and UK fans have not had a lot to celebrate in terms of basketball for the last four years. But it is reasonable to assume that winning the race to 2,000 victories is one more small argument to add to the case that the Kentucky program is the best in the country from a historical standpoint.


2. When Kentucky hired Coach Cal, one of the criticisms from media-types was that Kentucky was hiring a coach that has had both of his Final Fours erased from the record books. Big Blue Nation has rallied around their new coach, citing the fact that Cal never actually was implicated at either UMass or Memphis. Are Kentucky fans at all concerned about this happening at Kentucky?

Some are, remembering the horrors of 1989 and the reputation Kentucky has had over the years for NCAA rulebreaking. Make no mistake, UK fans do not want a rulebreaker here who will win a championship only to have it forfeited by the NCAA, nor do fans want a coach who will constantly be answering questions from the NCAA Committee on Infractions. Kentucky has had a record clean of major NCAA infractions for 20 years. At some point, it's time to recognize that.

Calipari gets a very bad and unfair rap for NCAA compliance, and it is becoming a downright witch hunt. People choose not to remember that it was Calipari who reported Marcus Camby to the NCAA, who essentially said that Calipari was a victim of Camby's misbehavior.

When players hide lawless behavior from coaches and get arrested, nobody blames the coach. When players hide NCAA rulebreaking from the coach and the school gets punished, everybody blames him. That's unfair and unethical. Either the coach, as the man at the top of the program, is responsible for both, or neither, and obviously lawbreaking is far more serious. This "coach is responsible for what the players do" is simply a cudgel selectively used by wrong-thinking people to bludgeon those coaches they happen to dislike. If the coach is responsible for everything their players do, then it's everything, not just NCAA compliance.

Kentucky fans have embraced Coach Cal.
(photo credit: Wildcats Thunder Blog)

In addition, I don't get how the Calipari detractors can ignore the fact that Calipari was exonerated on both occasions. Oh, they mention it, but somehow, they decide that it's justified for them to substitute their own judgment for that of the NCAA Committee on Infractions, and fair for them to ignore germane and important facts selectivly under the questionable rubric of "The buck stops here (with the coach)." It's a sad commentary on the Calipari detractors, and not on Coach Cal himself.

As a parting shot on this, North Carolina coach Roy Williams was held responsible by the NCAA for Kansas' going on probation when for giving gifts just as Williams was leaving Kansas for the UNC job. Directly, knowingly responsible. Yet everyone wants to talk about Calipari, a man whom the NCAA has specifically exonerated in both instances of NCAA difficulties, and in the UMass case Calipari was actually characterized as a victim of Canby's shenanigans. That mostly goes unmentioned by Calipari's critics. If that doesn't illustrate a clear double standard, nothing does.


3. A lot of the pundits have said that DeMarcus Cousins is the x-factor for the Wildcats, whether or not he can show the maturity and intensity during games to allow him to live up to his potential. What are your thoughts on Cousins through 12 games?

Well, I hardly think intensity is his problem any more, but I think that the Kentucky team and fans do have to worry about that intensity morphing into behavior that will get him thrown out of games. In the most recent game when UK played Long Beach State at Rupp Arena, one of the 49er players seemed to bait Cousins with a little touch and some smack-talk. It worked, and both he and Cousins got a technical. He nearly got another on a bad block-charge call when he went bounding around in disgust.

So yes, controlling and harnessing Cousins' emotions is a concern. He seems to have gotten well past the lack of intensity that plagued his early games, but now the fear is becoming the flip side -- will his intensity result in on-court demonstrations that get him technical fouls? Cousins is growing up, but he still has some growing up to do.

As far as his game goes, it is still a bit raw. For 6'11"/260+ pound guy, Cousins has astonishing quickness and body control. That's why he gets nearly half of his own misses back for another try. Not only that, Cousins is single-minded around the rim -- he won't stop until somebody gets clear control of the ball away from him, or he scores. Relentlessness is an underrated characteristic in a ball player, and Cousins defines it.

I would like to see DeMarcus pass out of the post more. He is a bit of a black hole in there -- when the ball comes to Cousins in the post, it rarely comes back out. Part of his maturation needs to be passing out of double- and triple-teams to the open shooter, rather than running over or through them.


4. After the UConn game, Cal had a quote where he said that Kentucky was "a 4-5 team", referring to the struggles Kentucky has had this season. A large part of that can be attributed to the fact that so many freshman are playing such significant roles and that everyone on the roster is learning a new, and complicated, system. Will this be a problem as the season progresses? Where have you seen a positive change?

Wasn't it the irrepressible Al McGuire who said, "The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores."? The question becomes, then, when do Kentucky's freshman mature into sophomores? Will it be next semester, or next school year? I think that answer will define the Wildcats' success this year.

If Kentucky hopes to win, or even compete for a national championship, they absolutely must defend better. Very few college freshmen at this level have ever had to defend anyone in their lives -- their job in high school or AAU was to score a lot. John Wall, for example, should be a great defender with his size and quickness, but he is absolutely not any good at defense yet. Everyone notices his breathtaking speed and ambidextrous ball handling but nobody says boo about the fact that he still can't defend a decent high-school player.

But Wall is not the only one -- in fact, Darius Miller, a sophomore, has had struggles defensively, and lack of defense has cost Darnell Dodson a ton of playing time. To his credit, Cousins is improving faster defensively than either John Wall or Eric Bledsoe, and that even though that is great, all one has to do is look at Kentucky's defensive 3-point percentage (UK is giving up 36% from the arc, 235th in the nation) to see how vulnerable the Wildcats are to good shooting teams.

Kentucky fans have seen improvement, especially versus Drexel the other day, but then UK regressed against Long Beach State. It is a work in progress, and when the SEC season gets here, everybody will know if that progress has been enough.


5. You knew that I was going to ask a question about John Wall: through 12 games, can you call him the best Kentucky freshman of all time? If he continues to post these numbers, continues to hit as many big shots, and the Wildcats win a national title, where do you see him in terms of greatest Wildcats ever?

It is a little awkward to use the words, "of all time" when freshmen haven't always been allowed to play as freshmen, and the rules of college basketball have been changed so significantly over the years. But if we confine the answer to recent history (let's say since the advent of the 3-point shot), I think I can make an attempt.

It kind of depends how you rate players. Based on the Tendex rating system, DeMarcus Cousins actually eclipses Wall by a fairly wide margin. On the Prouty System, Wall is substantially ahead of Cousins. But I can say, with relative confidence, that the best freshman player UK has ever had is on this team, at least at this point in the season.

Statistically speak, is Cousins having a better year than Wall?
(photo credit: Kentucky Sports Radio)

If this Kentucky team wins a national title, I think Wall will be lauded as one of the best players ever, but I don't know if his jersey will ever be hoisted into Rupp's Rafters, even if he leads the Wildcats to a win. As far as I know, UK has no "one and done" players who have retired jerseys, and for a fact, I believe Wall will be the first "one and done" that I can actually remember at Kentucky.


Bonus: In a number, what are the chances that John Wall returns for his sophomore season? DeMarcus Cousins? Patrick Patterson? Daniel Orton? What are the odds of Coach Cal landing Brandon Knight?

John Wall returning: 5% (injury only) -- It would be irresponsible of Wall to return, and Calipari will not let him barring extraordinary circumstances.

Demarcus Cousins: 60% -- His game is not NBA ready, even if his body is.

Patrick Patterson: 5% (injury only) -- Patrick Patterson will have no reason. He will graduate this year, one year early. See John Wall above.

Daniel Orton: 95% -- Orton is not ready, his knee is still only about 95%, and he doesn't have a pro game. Plus, he is a smart kid to whom a college degree means something, much like Patterson.

Chances of landing Brandon Knight? I am not a recruiting analyst, it isn't my thing, but I would say that our chances are a bit better than 50%. You can never tell what these kids are thinking, and Selby may beat him to the punch. Other factors may also figure in, such as closeness to home, other good recruiters, etc.

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The John Wall Dance sweeps the nation

It started with just a simple, spur of the moment dance move during Kentucky's Big Blue Madness.

"It's not really my dance; it's just something I saw in a video and decided to do at Midnight Madness," John Wall told the Charlotte Observer. "I never thought it would get so big."



Well, now the dance is everywhere, from deer hunts to the Great Wall of China. Hell, the John Wall Dance facebook page has almost 15,000 fans as of this morning.

Perhaps the biggest sign this dance is here to stay?

It made an episode of Cougar Town.



I wonder how long it will be before Wall does the John Wall Dance after dunking on someone.
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Top 15 Freshmen

After watching John Wall on Wednesday night in the Garden, its safe to say that John Wall is far and away the best freshman this season, if not the best player in the country. But there have been some great freshmen over the years, so the next logical step is to ask who were the best freshmen of all time.

Honorable Mention: Shareef Abdur-Raheem, Johnny Dawkins, Penny Hardaway, Allan Houston, Larry Hughes, Bobby Hurley, Allen Iverson, Kevin Love, Stephon Marbury, Alonzo Mourning, Troy Murphy, Lamar Odom, Derrick Rose, Dwayne Washington, the Fab Five


15. Pervis Ellison, Louisville - 13.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.2 bpg

Ellison is on this list not because of his overall performance as a freshman, but a result of his incredible NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18 and 12 as the Cardinal beat LSU and Duke to win the 1986 title. He won the tournament MOP, and picked up the nickname "Never Nervous Pervis".




14. Shaquille O'Neal, LSU - 13.9 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.5 bpg

Shaq wasn't the force he would eventually turn into as a pro, but a large part of that was a result of sharing the court with Chris Jackson and Stanley Roberts. While the footwork and skill level wasn't there yet, the overpowering physical presence and athleticism was. He was the first freshman to ever post two triple-doubles.


13. Patrick Ewing, Georgetown - 12.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.2 bpg

Ewing's numbers look paltry in comparison to the rest of the players on this list, but from the second he stepped on the Hoya's campus, he was the centerpiece for John Thompson's aggressive defense. Ewing would lead the Hoyas to the 1982 title game, becoming the standard with which all defensive centers are now compared.




12. Michael Beasley, Kansas State - 26.2 ppg, 12.4 rpg

All Michael Beasley did at Kansas State was produce. He led the nation with 28 double-doubles, three 40 points games, 13 30-10 games, and 22 20-10 games; he set the Big XII single-game scoring record with 44 points in a loss to Baylor; his per game averages of 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds were Big XII records; he helped K-State beat Kansas in Manhattan since 1983; overall, he set 30 K-State and 17 Big XII single-season and career records.


11. Mark Aguirre, DePaul - 24.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg

Aguirre was a prolific scorer in his college basketball career, leading the Blue Demons to an upset win against UCLA as DePaul reached the 1979 Final Four, where they would lose to Larry Bird's Indiana State team.




10. Kenny Anderson, Georgia Tech - 20.6 ppg, 8.1 apg

Teaming with Dennis Scott and Brian Oliver to form "Lethal Weapon 3", Anderson was the spark plug for a Yellow Jacket team that made it to the Final Four. One of a long line of NYC "point gods", Anderson hit one of the controversial shot to force overtime in the Sweet 16 against Michigan State.




9. Kevin Durant, Texas - 25.1 ppg, 11.4 rpg

Despite being built like a pipe cleaner, Kevin Durant dominated a physical Big XII conference to the tune of 28.9 ppg and 12.5 rpg in league player. Twenty times, Durant eclipsed the 30 point mark as a freshman as he was named national player of the year.


8. Tyler Hansbrough, UNC - 18.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg

Hansbrough kicked off one of the most debated careers in college hoops history with an all-american season as a freshman in 2006. He carried a Tar Heel team that was devastated by the loss of their stars after the Heels' 2005 NCAA title with a combination of skill and effort.


7. Bernard King, Tennessee - 26.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg

Teaming with TNT's own Ernie Grunfeld to form the "Ernie and Bernie Show", King dominated the SEC, winning the player of the year award as a freshman while being named an all-american.




6. Magic Johnson, Michigan State - 17.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.4 apg

Magic Johnson almost didn't go to Michigan State, opting for the Spartans over the Wolverines because Jud Heathcote would allow him to play the point. Good decision by Heathcote, as Sparty won the Big Ten title and reached the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament riding their 6'9" point guard.


5. Ralph Sampson, Virginia - 14.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.6 bpg

Sampson, despite not being named to the first or second all-ACC team, was named first team all-america as he led the conference in rebounding and blocked shots as UVA won the 1980 NIT title. At 7'4", Sampson was one of the most intimidating interior presences in college basketball history.




4. Wayman Tisdale, Oklahoma - 24.5 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.5 bpg

Tisdale was Blake Griffin before there was a Blake Griffin. As a freshman, Tisdale was named Big Eight Conference player of the year and was named a first team all-american, the first freshman to do so after they were allowed to play again (the '71-'72 season).




3. Fly Williams, Austin Peay - 29.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg

There have been few talents like Fly Williams in the history of college hoops, who twice scored 51 in a game as a freshman. His 854 points as a freshman was a record, only topped by LSU's Chris Jackson who had the benefit of a three point line. Williams was the biggest reason that Austin Peay reached their first ever NCAA Tournament in 1973.


2. Chris Jackson, LSU - 30.2 ppg, 4.1 apg

Hands down, Jackson (who changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) was one of the best scorers college basketball has ever seen. Lightening quick with a deadly cross over and range for days, Jackson would lead LSU to the NCAA Tournament while setting the record for points scored by a freshman, a record which still stands. He was the first freshman named SEC Player of the Year.


1. Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse - 22.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg

This was, in reality, a pretty easy choice. Anthony was the centerpiece offensively for a Syracuse team that won the national title. He was named second team all-america and first team all-Big East as well as being named the 2003 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.


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More John Wall Reactions from around the web

Gary Parrish of CBSSports: "In fairness, Wall was not brilliant from start to finish. He missed the final seven minutes of the first half with two fouls, turned the ball over seven times. ("That's his average," Calipari joked.) Oftentimes, Wall got going so fast he lost control and fumbled the ball away, and there were some stupid moments mixed in, too. So, yes, there is still work to be done. But despite all that -- and this is the part to remember -- I can't imagine there was a basketball mind in the world who wasn't blown away by Wall's performance here at MSG, if only because of the explosiveness he showed early and the poise he showed late."


Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com: "Instead, the talk centered on the legend of John Wall, which continued to grow.

It began with a game-winning jumper with 0.5 seconds left in his first college game to rescue the Wildcats against Miami (Ohio). He also made two huge free throws with 2.4 seconds left to force overtime against Stanford as the Wildcats avoided the upset.

Wall then sealed a win against North Carolina this past weekend with a pair of free throws with 4.3 seconds left and followed with the game-winner Wednesday night.

The guy has played eight games and basically dealt the opposition the knockout blow in four of them."


Luke Winn of SI.com: "Just how valuable is Wall to Kentucky? In a game won by three, the 'Cats were plus-10 when he was on the floor, and minus-7 when he was off it. He spent more than 10 minutes off it, too, most of it because he picked up his second foul -- on a charging call that had UK fans apoplectic at the refs -- with 7:56 left in the first half. "That was the toughest part of the game," Wall said of having to sit until halftime. It was one of his teammates' toughest stretches, too; UK had started the game on a 12-0 run, then let UConn pull even. During the nearly eight minutes Wall was out, the 'Cats managed to score just five points."


Dana O'Neil of ESPN.com: "Labeled the basketball messiah upon his arrival, the freshman is now a full-blown Elvis in high tops, swarmed by fans when he tried to sit in the Madison Square Garden seats to catch a few minutes of the game before his own on Wednesday night.

He has been written about and talked about more than any player this side of Tyler Hansbrough, and has turned cynical sportswriters into middle-school girls penning puppy-love letters while dashing to the thesaurus to find the ideal synonym for awesome."


Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News: The next logical step is to wonder if Wall compares to the best of freshmen: Kevin Durant at Texas, Chris Jackson at LSU, Phil Ford at North Carolina, Kenny Anderson at Georgia Tech, Mark Aguirre at DePaul.

With the limited information eight games provides, Wall would be the choice over any of them.:


RTSMF of Rush the Court: "Ladies and gentlemen, if there was any doubt whatsoever about who the face of college basketball was, is, or will be this season, consider it no more. The buzz was already there. There have been sketchy highlights of Johnathan Hildred Wall from Raleigh, NC, dressed in a Kentucky uniform and easily floating game-winners over Miami and Stanford; there have been a couple of filthy dunks and drives against North Carolina that had you out of your seat shaking your head when you saw them on SportsCenter; but there wasn’t this. No, not this. This being a nationally-televised game with no other competition on the tube where the too-young-to-know-how-good-he-is Mr. Wall emphatically and with reckless abandon introduced himself to the sports world beyond the hoops diehards, shouting from the top of New York’s Empire State Building to the rest of the world… “I am College Basketball.” Dramatic? Possibly. Truthful? Absolutely."

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The Legend of John Wall may no longer be a legend

Kentucky is far from a finished product.

The Wildcats are still learning how to utilize Patrick Patterson in the post. Eric Bledsoe and DeMarcus Cousins are still learning the maturity and decision making it takes to be an elite college basketball player.

But one thing is becoming painfully clear: John Wall may be more than just the best player on this Kentucky team.

He may be the best player in the country.

Wall had 25 points in the Wildcats win over UConn.
(photo credit: SB Nation)

Everyone heard the hype this kid had coming into his first, and likely only, season as a college basketball player. He's the most athletic point guard ever. He would have been the first pick in the 2009 draft had he been eligible. He's destined to become the third freshman in four seasons to be college basketball's player of the year.

The legend of John Wall grew to what seemed like unattainable heights.

After watching his performance tonight against UConn, is it safe to say he has lived up to the hype?

John Wall is going to have the growing pains of any freshman. He is turning the ball over too much. He overpenetrates, picking up too many charges. He dominates the ball at times, taking ill-advised shots early in the shot clock.

"He did some freshman things," Kentucky coach John Calipari said after the game.

"He is a little bit ahead of what we are running on offense."

But without Wall, where is this team?

Probably not sitting at 9-0.

He is the catalyst for the Wildcats. Right now, is there anyone else on the Kentucky roster that can effectively create their own shot? Is there anyone else that you feel comfortable handling the ball in crunch time? Can anyone else consistently and successfully lead the break? Do the Wildcats have another player that you have enough confidence in to take and make a game-deciding shot?

Honestly, do you believe that there is a player in the country that is more valuable to his team than Wall is to the Wildcats?

Greg Monroe? Ehh.

Manny Harris? Maybe.

Evan Turner? There is an excellent argument to be made.

But is anyone putting Georgetown, Michigan, or Ohio State in the national title race, let alone their own conference title?

Without Wall, Kentucky is very average. Sure, Patrick Patterson is an all-american and, with the jump shot he has added this season, arguably the best all around front court player in the country. But beyond that, the Wildcats are just a bunch of role players and talented, but enigmatic and wildly inconsistent, freshman.

Wall makes this team a Final Four favorite and a legitimate national title threat.

The last two games have proved it.

Against North Carolina, Wall sparked a 26-2 first half run that put the Wildcats up big. But when he started cramping up early in the second half, UNC was able to make a run, mostly because Kentucky no longer seemed capable of scoring.

It was much the same tonight. Wall was the spark plug is a 12-0 run to start this game. He had three steals, six points in the run, picked up an assist in the run. But midway through the first half, Wall had to go to the bench with two fouls.

And what happened?

UConn used a big run to take a six point halftime lead.

But the second half was a different story, as Wall played all 20 minutes. Kentucky would take the lead back and push it their cushion to 54-47. As UConn surged their way back into the game, who did Kentucky go to?

Wall.

He hit big shot after big shot against two excellent defenders in Walker and Stanley Robinson, scoring 12 of the last 15 points for the Wildcats, including an and-one lay-up with 30 seconds left that put Kentucky ahead for good, 63-61.

"We rode John Wall till the end of the game," Calipari said. "We were broken on offense, we just gave it to him and said make some baskets."

And he did.
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John Wall is building quite a reputation as a clutch player

It started with a game-winning jumper in his debut as a Wildcat as Kentucky held-on against a hot-shooting Miami OH team.

Then in the finals of the Cancun Challenge, Wall hit a tough 12 foot fadeaway to tie the game with thirty seconds left before hitting two free throws with 2.4 seconds left to send the game to OT.

Today, he sealed Carolina's fate.

UNC was down by as much as 17 in the first half, but the resilient Heels kept chipping away as Wall dealt with leg cramps in the second half. After a Deon Thompson tip-in cut the lead to three, Wall stepped to the line, shook off a rough second half, and calmly sank two free throws to ice the win. He would finish with 16 points, 7 assists, and 5 boards, going for 13 and 6 dimes in the first half.

John Wall threw down in transition early in a win against UNC.
(photo credit: AP)

Wall struggled a bit in the second half, which, regardless of reputation, should be expected from a freshman playing his first game against a top 10 team after being slowed by cramps.

But that should not diminish how good Wall, and the Wildcats as a whole, looked in the first half.

Wall was the main spark in a massive 26-2 first half run that turned a 9-2 deficit into a 28-11 lead. He looked unstoppable in transition, as he finished three impressive drives early on. First, he crossed over Larry Drew at the foul line before finishing with a dunk. A minute later, he went around two UNC defenders, finishing a tough, acrobatic lay-up on the other side of the rim as he was falling down. A few possessions later, he went left, using his long strides to get around Drew and finish a left-handed lay-up while drawing a foul.

We all know this about Wall, however.

Every basketball fan in the country has seen his youtube mixtapes or the viral videos of NBA players getting dunked on.

What impressed me the most about Wall in the first half is that he not only made the spectacular plays, he made the right plays. The smart passes. He was kicking to open shooters when he drew an extra defender. He attacked back pedaling defenders in transition and pulled the ball out when he didn't have numbers. He was able to get Patrick Patterson touches in the post.

Wall today showed why many believe he is destined to be the first pick in the NBA Draft.

That's not to say that Wall doesn't still have quite a bit to learn.

The biggest issue was his turnovers. Where Wall made the right decision seemingly every time he touched the ball in the first half, the second half was a different story. He over penetrated, he picked up a charge, and, to use a basketball cliche I typically hate, he didn't seem to be as in tune with the flow of the game.

Basically, he played like a freshman.

"John (Wall) turned it over and did some crazy stuff, but that is what a freshman does," Coach Cal said after the game. "We called a play and he drove in and ran a guy over."

"Other than the seven turnovers, if he had three turnovers then he would have played a perfect game for a point guard."
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Monday's Pregame Beat

Despite the two most anticipated collegiate debuts happening tonight, Monday's slate of games leaves us with much to be desired. Well, at least until midnight.

Because at midnight tonight, ESPN's College Hoops Tip-off Marathon gets underway with UCLA hosting Cal St. Fullerton. But we'll get into that preview in a bit. For now, here is a look at what may very likely be another night of blowouts.

7 pm: Miami (OH) @ Kentucky: In what may be the most anticipated debut of the year, John Wall will be playing his first real game in Kentucky blue tonight. The Wildcats could use Wall, as they looked less than impressive on the offensive end against Morehead State. UK turned the ball over 24 times and hit just 4-19 from deep. But wasn't that to be expected? There were times on Friday night that four of the five guys on the floor had never played college ball before. Wall should help the offense run more efficiently when he is in the line-up. He is a better penetrator than Bledsoe, and his ability to get into the lane and draw defenders will help to get better looks for shooters on the perimeter. Miami (OH) is known for their defensive prowess, but they lost two of their top three scorers in the off-season and are coming off of a loss to Towson in their opener.

John Wall will be making his debut tonight.
(photo credit: reflector.com)

7 pm: Penn @ Villanova: Villanova struggled in their opener, needing a hot-shooting second half from Corey Stokes to pull out a win against Farleigh Dickinson. While Scottie Reynolds struggled, Villanova did get promising performances out of freshmen guards Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayns as well as big men Taylor King and Antonio Pena. Penn is not the same Penn you are used, and if Nova can slow down sharpshooting forward Tyler Bernardini, they should win this thing running away. Of note: Denzel Washington's son, Malcolm, is a walk-on for the Quakers.

7 pm: Coastal Carolina @ Duke: The Devils will once again be playing shorthanded as Nolan Smith (suspension) and Mason Plumlee (fractured wrist) will both miss the game. In their first game, the Dukies beat up on UNC-Greenville while playing Kyle Singler at the two for the majority of the game. The key for Duke this year may end up being Olek Czyz. The 6'7", 240 lb forward started and played 24 minutes for Coach K, notching 6 points, 6 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals (he played all of 51 minutes as a freshman). Czyz is an athletic kid, and with Duke's lack of perimeter depth, he may get the call at the three is he can continue to produce like he did on Friday.

7:30 PM: Prairie View A&M @ Cincinnati: I have been very high on the Bearcats during the pre-season, and tonight we find out if I was right. While Prairie View, a team from the SWAC, is not exactly Kansas, it should be interesting to see how Mick Cronin decides to use Cashmere Wright, Deonta Vaughn, and the newly eligible Lance Stephenson on the court. Lance came off the bench and struggled in his first exhibition game scoring just nine points, but don't expect that to keep up.

Lance Stephenson will also be making his college debut tonight.
(photo credit: palestra.net)

8 pm: Stephen F. Austin @ Minnesota: The Lumberjacks made the NCAA tourney last season, but they lost their top two scorers and a third starter. They will have their work cut out for them against a tough Minnesota team. While Tubby's boys are without a few players due to disciplinary suspensions, the Gophers are still quite deep. With Royce White and Trevor Mbakwe out of the line-up, the Gophers are left without a true power forward. It may be a blessing in disguise, however. For starters, there is a chance that neither player suits up for Tubby this season, which means the experience for the rest of the team will be valuable. But Minnesota may end up being better with guys like senior Damian Johnson, junior Paul Carter, and freshman Rodney Williams in the line-up as they provide a ton of athleticism, especially on the defensive end (Williams and Johnson combined for 8 steals and 7 blocks in the Gopher's opener).

9 pm: Colgate @ UConn: The Huskies looked good and bad on Friday night against William & Mary. Their defensive effort was pretty solid, as Kemba Walker and Jerome Dyson were a terror at the front of their 2-2-1 press. Dyson, in particular, looked like an all-american, finishing with 27 points, 8 assists, and 4 steals as he sliced through the Tribe's defense at will. The issue with the Huskies is the offensive end. They have no one that you would describe as a shooter, and as the Tribe did all Monday night, teams are going to sit back in a zone against the Huskies, cutting down guard penetration and daring them to shoot. If Colgate, who returns their top three scorers, can force the Huskies into a half court game, don't be shocked if this group can hang with UConn for a while.

Other notables:

• 5:30 pm: Milwaukee vs. Western Kentucky in Baton Rouge
• 7:00 pm: Jacksonville @ Florida State
• 7:00 pm: Georgia Southern @ South Carolina
  
• 7:30 pm: St. Francis (PA) @ Notre Dame
• 7:30 pm: Virginia @ South Florida
• 8:00 pm: Indiana State @ LSU
• 8:00 pm: Alabama State @ Ole Miss
• 8:00 pm: Lipscomb @ Vanderbilt
• 11:00 pm: Texas State @ Arizona State
  

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No. 2: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Kentucky Wildcats

2008-2009 Record: 22-14, 8-8 SEC East (t-5th)

Key Losses: Jodie Meeks (23.7 ppg)

Key Returners: Patrick Patterson (17.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg), Perry Stevenson (7.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Darius Miller (5.3 ppg, 2.0 apg)

Newcomers: John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, Jon Hood, Darnell Dodson, John Calipari

Kentucky's crop of newcomers will carry the Wildcats.
(photo credit: Photobucket)

At this point, who doesn't know about the turnover the Kentucky program has had in the last eight months. In short, after two disappointing seasons with Billy Gillispie at the helm, Kentucky fired him and signed John Calipari, who brought with him one of the best recruiting classes in recent memory.

In terms of talent, Kentucky is as loaded as any team in the country. We'll start in the back court, where two freshmen, John Wall and Eric Bledsoe, will run the show. Everyone knows about John Wall by now. At 6'4", Wall is as good of an athlete as you are going to find at the point, and he has the skills to be one of the best point guards in the country. He has the handle and the quicks to break down any defender in the country one-on-one. He can elevate and finish above the rim with either hand. He doesn't quite have Ray Allen's jumper yet, but he is a good enough shooter that a defender has to show respect. Despite being a freshman, Wall is being touted as a possible player of the year candidate. The only thing that will hold him back this season is the transition to playing at the college level. He is a perfect fit for Calipari's dribble-drive motion offense, and should be a pleasure to watch this year.

While you may know about John Wall, what you might not know is that Eric Bledsoe is a heckuva player as well. Bledsoe is much less of a scorer than Wall. He is more of a pass first point guard with the ability to get into the lane, draw defenders, and find the open man. Another guy that is perfectly suited to the DDM, expect Bledsoe and Wall to share the back court and terrorize defenses for quite a few minutes this season.

There is not drop off on the rest of UK's back court, either. There are three returners on the wings in senior Ramon Harris and sophomores DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller. The 6'7" Harris will be a guy that Calipari is going to love having on his team. Not much of a factor on the offensive end, Harris is a blue collar player that will go out and defend, rebound the ball, and make the hustle plays. On a roster full of potential superstars, Harris is going to be the glue guy. Liggins is a bit of a conundrum. He has worlds of potential as he is 6'6" with the skills of a point guard. The problem is that he doesn't understand how to use his talent. Last season, Liggins forced too many bad shots and turned the ball over too much. But his ability to slash and to pass makes him the kind of guy that could be an impact player in the DDM assuming he figures out how to play. Miller is the best of the three. Miller is another guy that is 6'7" but plays almost as a point guard. He is a tremendous athlete that has shown the ability to be a play maker offensively, especially if his handle continues to improve.

The problem for Miller, as well as Harris and Liggins, is that they may never see the floor. That's because Darnell Dodson, a sophomore transfer from Miami-Dade, and Jon Hood, a freshman from Kentucky, also join the team. Dodson and Hood are probably going to be Kentucky's two best perimeter threats this year. Dodson looks to be a better overall offensive player as he has the ability to slash to the rim, but Hood has been very impressive in the early going, knocking down open threes and just playing an all-around tough brand of basketball. Both have looked like major contributors in the early going for Calipari.

Kentucky's front court is basically going to be a four man rotation of big, athletic, talented kids. The best of the group is Patrick Patterson, one of the best big men in the country. Patterson is a load to handle in the paint. His length and athleticism make him a great finisher - and, as was the case with Joey Dorsey and company in '07-'08, Patterson should catch quite a few lobs this season - but his strength when establishing position and holding off defenders is what makes him a dangerous scorer. Patterson averaged 17.9 ppg last season, and while Kentucky will likely be playing a bit of a faster pace under Calipari, Patterson's numbers may take a hit simply because of how much talent their is surrounding him.

Freshman DeMarcus Cousins looks likely to be the other starter up front. Cousins is a big, physical post with an outstanding array of scoring moves. He has quick feet and a strong base on the block, but he also has three point range, is capable of using the dribble to get to the rim, and is a solid passer. Cousins has a bit of a rep for being lazy - not hustling for rebounds, not running the floor - and having an attitude, but if anyone can put a mean streak into a player, it is Coach Cal. Orton may have a better low post game than Cousins. He has a stronger build and is tougher, but he does not have the perimeter game that Cousins does. Like Cousins, Orton is also a good passer, which should lead to some pretty high-low action between the two this year.

Senior Perry Stevenson is the odd man out. Stevenson, despite having a slender frame, has developed into a solid option inside. He is long and athletic, which allows him to be a good shot blocker and rebounder. While he struggles at holding position and he doesn't have much of an offensive game beyond catching-and-finishing, Stevenson's effort and athleticism alone would probably allow him to start for 95% of the teams in the country. Also expect junior Josh Harrellson to see some limited time.

Outlook: The talent is clearly there for the Wildcats. The issue for them is going to be how well they adapt to playing with each other and, for the younger guys, playing at the collegiate level. There are a lot of new faces on this team, including John Calipari, and the DDM is not an easy offensive to learn. If they can get it down quickly against some of their early season opponents, this team could go a long, long way this year. The other problem is going to be perimeter shooting. Jon Hood is really the only guy you would consider a "shooter" on this roster, but guys like Dodson, Miller, Wall, and Cousins are all capable of stepping out and hitting a three. Will there be enough shooting to keep spacing available inside?
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2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Best Dunkers

There aren't too many things that will fire up a crowd more than an electrifying dunk. The momentum of a game can change on just one outlet pass that turns into a thunderous slam. There won't be a shortage of rim-rockers this year, and there are plenty of guys out there with the hops capable of putting on a show for the fans.

With the season tip-off being literally hours away, what better way to get back into the spirit of the game than by going over the biggest high-flyers of the upcoming season.

As we have certified ourselves as the preeminent dunk experts on the intrawebs, here is out list of the top 10 dunkers this season. Don't be surprised if these guys make quite a few Sportscenter top 10's.

Chris "Top Flight" Wright - 6'8" forward, Dayton

I can make this short, because, well, his nickname is "Top Flight". Wright is by far the most talked-about dunker entering this season, and with the high expectations that have been set for Dayton, we could be seeing a lot of the this high-flyer on weekly top tens throughout the year. There are more than a handful of dunks you could pick as being Wright's most memorable. When he dunked over Marquette's Maurice Acker, I was pretty sure he left the atmosphere (seriously, look at where he catches the ball, then think about the fact that he doesn't use a dribble to get to the rim). Not only is Wright one of the best dunkers in the country, he is also one of the most athletic players out there. With Blake Griffin and Gerald Henderson, arguably two of the best dunkers last year, leaving for the NBA, "Top Flight" has become the premiere rim-rocker at the college level.









Trevor Booker - 6'7" forward, Clemson

He's your prototypical power-dunker. The true definition of a rim-rocker. The bulk of his highlight reel dunks come on tip-ins and follow-up slams. Clemson is a widely known as a "push-the-pace" team, and Booker has become an expert at trailing the break and following up on the glass. He's also a beast on the offensive rebounds. His physical strength can get him over, around, or through any defender in his way.









Paul George - 6'8" forward, Fresno State

A lot of people across the country didn't get to see a single Fresno State game on the television last season. They missed out on one of the most entertaining players in the entire country. But George's popularity has soared because of his highlight reel videos across the internet and youtube. He made his case for last season's "Dunk of the Year" with a monstrous one-handed slam from just inside the foul line against St. Marys. Did I mention that he did this in only his second game in his college career? Entering his sophomore season, George will undoubtedly capture the spotlight in the Mountain West Conference. He's long and lanky and is still some-what raw, but he has smooth transitions and can get up off the ground in a hurry.









Stanley "Stix" Robinson - 6'9" forward, UConn

The man known as "Stix" has been soaring across the sky in Storrs for the past two seasons. He had to leave the team to tend to personal issues a year ago, but came back to the team for the second part of last season. Since then, he has been the Huskies resident skywalker. His dunking ability is a combination of great athleticism and entertaining excitement. With the Husky's style of play lending to outside jumpers, "Stix" has a great presence of mind to get to the basket after the shot. However, having said all that, we must remember that he does have a tendency to be on the wrong end of posterizations. See Summers-comma-Durrell or Anderson-comma-Joe for more details.

(first highlight here)









Durrell Summers - 6'4" guard, Michigan State

Mr. Summers makes the list for his ability to be in the right place at the right time along with feeling at home soaring above the rim. A long and athletic wing with a wiry frame, Durrell was MSU’s most dynamic big-play threat last season. His knack for making a big shot, or finishing off a nice transition has made him a star among the East Lansing faithful. He is an integral part of the Spartans transitional play and press-break, usually starring as finishing touch. Spartan fans were acustomed to nightly viewings of Durrell Summers finishing off a Michigan State possesion with a fierce slam. Summers is forever linked to Robinson because of the monumental posterization that Summers laid down during the Final Four.









The best of the rest

Willie Warren - 6'4" guard, Oklahoma





Gerard Anderson - 6'6" forward, Cal State-Fullerton



Will Coleman - 6'9" forward, Memphis





John Wall - 6'4" guard, Kentucky





Carlon Brown - 6'3" guard, Utah





Who did we miss?
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