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Maybe they're not old enough to remember how ridiculously good Michael Jordan was. Maybe they misunderstood the question. Maybe they were just joking around and it didn't come through in print.
Regardless, the answers some of the class of 2013's top high school prospects gave USA Today when asked how they'd fare in a game of one-on-one against Jordan in his prime are just plain bizarre.
Three of the eight players polled actually predicted they would defeat Jordan, though the comments by Duke-bound Matt Jones have enough false bravado to them that it appears he's kidding. There's no such obvious nuance to the quotes attributed to Kentucky-bound recruits Dakari Johnson and Andrew Harrison.
Said Johnson: "I’m taking him to the post every time. He’d stop me a couple of times, but I’d just keep going back down there. I’d just contest his jump shots and pray that he’d miss. I think in the end, I’d get him though. I’m too big down there."
Said Harrison: "I think he’d get a couple buckets here and there, but then I’d start to lock him down and give him buckets. Yeah, I think I’d get him."
A couple buckets here and there?! Seriously?!
Johnson is an elite center and Harrison is the nation's most coveted point guard, but the idea they'd get more than a bucket or two off early-90s MJ is laughable. After all, 50-year-old MJ reportedly had his way with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist recently, and I'd take my chances with Kidd-Gilchrist against either Johnson or Harrison in a game of one-on-one right now.
Again, I hesitate to be too critical of either of these players because it's possible the tone of their response failed to come through in print. But if that's not the case, they're going to be in for a rude awakening in college and at the professional level as the competition begins to get tougher.
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Regardless, the answers some of the class of 2013's top high school prospects gave USA Today when asked how they'd fare in a game of one-on-one against Jordan in his prime are just plain bizarre.
Three of the eight players polled actually predicted they would defeat Jordan, though the comments by Duke-bound Matt Jones have enough false bravado to them that it appears he's kidding. There's no such obvious nuance to the quotes attributed to Kentucky-bound recruits Dakari Johnson and Andrew Harrison.
Said Johnson: "I’m taking him to the post every time. He’d stop me a couple of times, but I’d just keep going back down there. I’d just contest his jump shots and pray that he’d miss. I think in the end, I’d get him though. I’m too big down there."
Said Harrison: "I think he’d get a couple buckets here and there, but then I’d start to lock him down and give him buckets. Yeah, I think I’d get him."
A couple buckets here and there?! Seriously?!
Johnson is an elite center and Harrison is the nation's most coveted point guard, but the idea they'd get more than a bucket or two off early-90s MJ is laughable. After all, 50-year-old MJ reportedly had his way with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist recently, and I'd take my chances with Kidd-Gilchrist against either Johnson or Harrison in a game of one-on-one right now.
Again, I hesitate to be too critical of either of these players because it's possible the tone of their response failed to come through in print. But if that's not the case, they're going to be in for a rude awakening in college and at the professional level as the competition begins to get tougher.
Y! SPORTS
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Michigan point guard Trey Burke will announce his decision Sunday on whether he enters the NBA draft, according to the official Twitter account of Michigan men's basketball.
Yahoo Sports reported Burke was headed to the NBA, citing unnamed sources.
Burke previously said he was still undecided on whether he would turn pro or return to Michigan for his junior season.
Burke is projected to be a top-10 pick, coming in at No. 6 overall on NBADraft-net's most recent mock draft.
After leading the Wolverines to last Monday's NCAA national championship game, Burke is projected to be a lottery pick in the June 27 draft. He averaged 18.6 points, 6.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals a game during his sophomore season and swept every national player of the year award.
Michigan star Trey Burke plans NBA draft announcement
Yahoo Sports reported Burke was headed to the NBA, citing unnamed sources.
Burke previously said he was still undecided on whether he would turn pro or return to Michigan for his junior season.
Burke is projected to be a top-10 pick, coming in at No. 6 overall on NBADraft-net's most recent mock draft.
After leading the Wolverines to last Monday's NCAA national championship game, Burke is projected to be a lottery pick in the June 27 draft. He averaged 18.6 points, 6.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals a game during his sophomore season and swept every national player of the year award.
Michigan star Trey Burke plans NBA draft announcement
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Georgetown star sophomore Otto Porter Jr. has decided to forgo his final two years of eligibility and enter the NBA draft.
"My coaches and teammates got me prepared, on and off the court, as a human being," Porter said Monday on Georgetown's campus in Washington. "I'm prepared to take on the world. ... The toughest part is knowing you have to leave a place like this behind."
Porter said he plans to prepare for the draft at Georgetown and return there to complete his degree. He has not signed with an agent.
"He's ready," said John Thompson III, Georgetown's coach. "I mean that as much mentally, emotionally, as it relates to basketball. I thought he went about the process in an educated manor and didn't make a rushed decision. ... In our many conversations, I made it very clear to him, 'You don't have a bad choice.' "
Thompson said people he has spoken to in the NBA have been impressed with Porter's versatility (including an ability to play multiple positions) and his work ethic.
"A lot of people come into this -- a lot of players -- with the notion of 'I want to leave as soon as possible.' They enter college, they walk in the door thinking about walking out the door. That has never been the case with him. ...
"On draft night, we don't expect him to be sitting around too long."
Entering the season, Porter's parents knew their son had pro potential, but they said they'd let him focus on the season before making the decision to go pro or stay in school. He went home to talk to his family after Georgetown's season ended with a round-of-64 loss to No. 15 seed Florida Gulf Coast in the NCAA tournament, and he spoke with his coach while mulling over options these last few weeks -- before ultimately deciding it's time to go pro. CBSSports.com first reported that Porter would declare for the draft earlier Monday. A 6-8 forward, Porter led the Hoyas in scoring (16.2 points per game), rebounding (7.5) and steals (1.8) this season, while also 2.7 assists and one block per game. Suffice it to say, he filled the stat sheet.
Porter was named the Big East Player of the Year after an exceptional conference season in which he scored 18.1 points and shot 49.8% from the field and 44.1% from beyond the arc.
Porter is finalist for both the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award, honors given out annually at the Final Four to the National Player of the Year.
All this has followed a rather unusual path to college basketball -- Porter did not play in the AAU circuit. He grew up scrimmaging with and against his father and uncles, who had all won state championships at their local high school in rural southeast Missouri. That upbringing has always garnered a great deal of praise for Porter and his mental toughness.
"He's never been babied," Otto Sr. told USA TODAY Sports in November. "He's never been put up on a pedestal. He's never taken the attitude that, 'It's about me.' "
Said Georgetown coach John Thompson III: "That mental toughness that he brought from days and months and years of getting beat up and pushed around by his uncles and father and family made him ready to compete. He was ready to compete at this level."
And, after two years of Big East play, Porter now feels he's ready to compete at the next level.
Most mock drafts and analysts project Porter as a lottery pick in June's NBA draft. DraftExpress.com projects a scenario of Porter being taken with the eighth pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
NBA draft early entrants
"My coaches and teammates got me prepared, on and off the court, as a human being," Porter said Monday on Georgetown's campus in Washington. "I'm prepared to take on the world. ... The toughest part is knowing you have to leave a place like this behind."
Porter said he plans to prepare for the draft at Georgetown and return there to complete his degree. He has not signed with an agent.
"He's ready," said John Thompson III, Georgetown's coach. "I mean that as much mentally, emotionally, as it relates to basketball. I thought he went about the process in an educated manor and didn't make a rushed decision. ... In our many conversations, I made it very clear to him, 'You don't have a bad choice.' "
Thompson said people he has spoken to in the NBA have been impressed with Porter's versatility (including an ability to play multiple positions) and his work ethic.
"A lot of people come into this -- a lot of players -- with the notion of 'I want to leave as soon as possible.' They enter college, they walk in the door thinking about walking out the door. That has never been the case with him. ...
"On draft night, we don't expect him to be sitting around too long."
Entering the season, Porter's parents knew their son had pro potential, but they said they'd let him focus on the season before making the decision to go pro or stay in school. He went home to talk to his family after Georgetown's season ended with a round-of-64 loss to No. 15 seed Florida Gulf Coast in the NCAA tournament, and he spoke with his coach while mulling over options these last few weeks -- before ultimately deciding it's time to go pro. CBSSports.com first reported that Porter would declare for the draft earlier Monday. A 6-8 forward, Porter led the Hoyas in scoring (16.2 points per game), rebounding (7.5) and steals (1.8) this season, while also 2.7 assists and one block per game. Suffice it to say, he filled the stat sheet.
Porter was named the Big East Player of the Year after an exceptional conference season in which he scored 18.1 points and shot 49.8% from the field and 44.1% from beyond the arc.
Porter is finalist for both the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award, honors given out annually at the Final Four to the National Player of the Year.
All this has followed a rather unusual path to college basketball -- Porter did not play in the AAU circuit. He grew up scrimmaging with and against his father and uncles, who had all won state championships at their local high school in rural southeast Missouri. That upbringing has always garnered a great deal of praise for Porter and his mental toughness.
"He's never been babied," Otto Sr. told USA TODAY Sports in November. "He's never been put up on a pedestal. He's never taken the attitude that, 'It's about me.' "
Said Georgetown coach John Thompson III: "That mental toughness that he brought from days and months and years of getting beat up and pushed around by his uncles and father and family made him ready to compete. He was ready to compete at this level."
And, after two years of Big East play, Porter now feels he's ready to compete at the next level.
Most mock drafts and analysts project Porter as a lottery pick in June's NBA draft. DraftExpress.com projects a scenario of Porter being taken with the eighth pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
NBA draft early entrants
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James Naismith's original rules of basketball are about to have a permanent home.
Appropriately enough, right on Naismith Drive.
The University of Kansas plans to build an $18 million facility that connects to Allen Fieldhouse and will house the original two-page document on which, in 1891, Naismith outlined the 13 basic rules for what would become the game of basketball.
The three-story facility will be known as the DeBruce Center in honor of Paul and Katherine DeBruce, who donated the bulk of the private funding. Along with housing the rules, it will have dining and meeting spaces available for students, faculty and visitors.
Construction is expected to begin later this year.
''The DeBruce Center will serve not only as a 'must-see' destination landmark for sports fans and history buffs, but also as an important, integral part of campus benefiting students, faculty and visitors alike,'' Kansas athletic director Sheahon Zenger said Wednesday.
In 2010, Kansas alumnus David Booth purchased Naismith's original rules at an auction for $4.3 million, at the time the highest price ever paid for sports memorabilia.
Booth's intention was for the rules to reside at Kansas, where Naismith founded the school's basketball program in 1898 and then spent nine years as its coach. The story of Booth's purchase was detailed in an ESPN ''30 for 30'' documentary, ''There's No Place Like Home.''
The acquisition of the rules became the catalyst for a new building on campus.
''Our years on the Hill helped provide a foundation for each of us to be successful and give back to our community,'' said Paul DeBruce, who founded a grain company in the late 1970s.
''Part of that experience was academic,'' DeBruce said, ''but a lot of it included the many friends we made there and the fond memories of attending basketball games at Allen Fieldhouse. We hope the new center will be a place on campus that students and faculty will want to come to and enjoy. It will be a meeting place for friends and a place to further honor KU traditions.''
Y! SPORTS
Appropriately enough, right on Naismith Drive.
The University of Kansas plans to build an $18 million facility that connects to Allen Fieldhouse and will house the original two-page document on which, in 1891, Naismith outlined the 13 basic rules for what would become the game of basketball.
The three-story facility will be known as the DeBruce Center in honor of Paul and Katherine DeBruce, who donated the bulk of the private funding. Along with housing the rules, it will have dining and meeting spaces available for students, faculty and visitors.
Construction is expected to begin later this year.
''The DeBruce Center will serve not only as a 'must-see' destination landmark for sports fans and history buffs, but also as an important, integral part of campus benefiting students, faculty and visitors alike,'' Kansas athletic director Sheahon Zenger said Wednesday.
In 2010, Kansas alumnus David Booth purchased Naismith's original rules at an auction for $4.3 million, at the time the highest price ever paid for sports memorabilia.
Booth's intention was for the rules to reside at Kansas, where Naismith founded the school's basketball program in 1898 and then spent nine years as its coach. The story of Booth's purchase was detailed in an ESPN ''30 for 30'' documentary, ''There's No Place Like Home.''
The acquisition of the rules became the catalyst for a new building on campus.
''Our years on the Hill helped provide a foundation for each of us to be successful and give back to our community,'' said Paul DeBruce, who founded a grain company in the late 1970s.
''Part of that experience was academic,'' DeBruce said, ''but a lot of it included the many friends we made there and the fond memories of attending basketball games at Allen Fieldhouse. We hope the new center will be a place on campus that students and faculty will want to come to and enjoy. It will be a meeting place for friends and a place to further honor KU traditions.''
Y! SPORTS
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Alabama guard Trevor Lacey, who led the team in assists and 3-pointers, is transferring before his junior season.
Crimson Tide coach Anthony Grant said Tuesday that he has granted the two-year starter a release from his scholarship.
''It was a family decision to pursue other opportunities,'' Lacey said in a release from the university. ''This definitely was not an easy decision to make. It's been great at Alabama during my two years. It was tough my freshman year coming off surgery and having to work my way back. I wanted to improve during my sophomore season and I thought I did that. I want to thank the coaches and staff, my teammates and all the fans for their support.''
He didn't say where he planned to finish his career.
Lacey was the only Tide player to start all 36 games last season. He averaged 11.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He also made a team-high 62 3-pointers.
Lacey started 52 of 69 games the past two seasons. He was a two-time Alabama Mr. Basketball at Huntsville's Butler High School and a Parade All-American who was rated a five-star recruit.
''I enjoyed having the opportunity to coach Trevor for the two years he was here,'' Grant said. ''We certainly wish him the best of luck as he continues to pursue his education and his basketball career.''
Center Moussa Gueye, who started 27 games, announced earlier that he was transferring.
Y! SPORTS
Crimson Tide coach Anthony Grant said Tuesday that he has granted the two-year starter a release from his scholarship.
''It was a family decision to pursue other opportunities,'' Lacey said in a release from the university. ''This definitely was not an easy decision to make. It's been great at Alabama during my two years. It was tough my freshman year coming off surgery and having to work my way back. I wanted to improve during my sophomore season and I thought I did that. I want to thank the coaches and staff, my teammates and all the fans for their support.''
He didn't say where he planned to finish his career.
Lacey was the only Tide player to start all 36 games last season. He averaged 11.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He also made a team-high 62 3-pointers.
Lacey started 52 of 69 games the past two seasons. He was a two-time Alabama Mr. Basketball at Huntsville's Butler High School and a Parade All-American who was rated a five-star recruit.
''I enjoyed having the opportunity to coach Trevor for the two years he was here,'' Grant said. ''We certainly wish him the best of luck as he continues to pursue his education and his basketball career.''
Center Moussa Gueye, who started 27 games, announced earlier that he was transferring.
Y! SPORTS
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In a sense, Russ Smith has always had to adapt his game just to get in the game.
So Wednesday's announcement that he'll return to the University of Louisville to play his senior year should come as no surprise. Smith will be "back in the lab" focused again on changing, this time into an NBA player as an undersized guard.
Louisville coach Rick Pitino gathered information for Smith about what the pro teams think of him. He put Smith on the phone with Stu Jackson, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations, for more input. The 6-foot, 165-pound Smith led the national champion Cardinals at 18.7 points per game, but there's more to the NBA than just being a scorer. What he learned was that he'd probably be a second-round pick if he entered this year's draft.
"The pros want to see a different Russ," Pitino said. "They want to see 10 more pounds of muscle. They want to see better shot selection, a higher assist-turnover ratio."
The challenge confronting Smith sounds a lot like what he faced between his freshman and sophomore seasons at Louisville. He had been conditioned to believe scoring was the way to get playing time. That didn't work under Pitino, and it didn't help that he was hampered by injuries. He played in just 17 games as a freshman and averaged five minutes in those games.
At the time many observers thought the safe bet would be that Smith, a New Yorker, would transfer to Manhattan when former Louisville assistant Steve Masiello became the head coach there. Certainly nothing in Smith's past hinted that he could become the leading scorer on a championship team.
"Not a lot of people knew me because I was, what, a half star?" he said of his recruiting ranking in high school. But he believed in himself. So did Russ Sr., who suggested his son get "back in the lab," a reference to his summer workout regimen.
"After that season was over, I didn't go home that summer, I didn't stay at my house, I didn't do all those other things I used to do when I was in high school," Smith said. "I didn't have no distractions. I worked really hard on my offseason. Me and my dad take pride in that."
That summer helped Smith go from an afterthought to a spark plug off the bench as a sophomore, when he averaged 11.5 points and set a school season record with 87 steals.
"Some of you may remember that freshman year, he didn't guard anybody," Pitino said. "Now he's become one of the better defensive players on the ball in the country."
The thought now is that Smith can make tweaks to his game that the NBA personnel crowd will enjoy. He showed flashes of it during the first four games of the NCAA Tournament, when he shot 54 % from the field partly because he was precise with his shot selection. But in the two Final Four games he reverted to his sometimes reckless habits and shot just 9 of 33.
Pitino tried to take some of the blame for those habits Wednesday, saying Smith merely did what the team needed him to do, which was to score. "Some of his — what would be deemed weaknesses — are because I've asked him to do it," Pitino said. "He had that freedom because I needed him to have that freedom."
Smith won't need so much freedom next season. Junior-college transfer Chris Jones, the most likely candidate to take over at point guard for Peyton Siva, and fellow guards Terry Rozier and Anton Gill are skilled scorers, too.
The Cards will have more players who can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, which Smith was clearly the best at doing the past two years. That should allow him to be more selective as to when he attacks. And the pro scouts will need to see he can play under control.
"I feel like I can do whatever I put my mind to, especially because I have a great coach right here and he's directing me to do the right things," Smith said. "If I have to make certain plays or tweak something, which I will, then that's the game plan. I'm all for winning."
Russ Smith forgoes NBA draft, returns to Louisville
So Wednesday's announcement that he'll return to the University of Louisville to play his senior year should come as no surprise. Smith will be "back in the lab" focused again on changing, this time into an NBA player as an undersized guard.
Louisville coach Rick Pitino gathered information for Smith about what the pro teams think of him. He put Smith on the phone with Stu Jackson, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations, for more input. The 6-foot, 165-pound Smith led the national champion Cardinals at 18.7 points per game, but there's more to the NBA than just being a scorer. What he learned was that he'd probably be a second-round pick if he entered this year's draft.
"The pros want to see a different Russ," Pitino said. "They want to see 10 more pounds of muscle. They want to see better shot selection, a higher assist-turnover ratio."
The challenge confronting Smith sounds a lot like what he faced between his freshman and sophomore seasons at Louisville. He had been conditioned to believe scoring was the way to get playing time. That didn't work under Pitino, and it didn't help that he was hampered by injuries. He played in just 17 games as a freshman and averaged five minutes in those games.
At the time many observers thought the safe bet would be that Smith, a New Yorker, would transfer to Manhattan when former Louisville assistant Steve Masiello became the head coach there. Certainly nothing in Smith's past hinted that he could become the leading scorer on a championship team.
"Not a lot of people knew me because I was, what, a half star?" he said of his recruiting ranking in high school. But he believed in himself. So did Russ Sr., who suggested his son get "back in the lab," a reference to his summer workout regimen.
"After that season was over, I didn't go home that summer, I didn't stay at my house, I didn't do all those other things I used to do when I was in high school," Smith said. "I didn't have no distractions. I worked really hard on my offseason. Me and my dad take pride in that."
That summer helped Smith go from an afterthought to a spark plug off the bench as a sophomore, when he averaged 11.5 points and set a school season record with 87 steals.
"Some of you may remember that freshman year, he didn't guard anybody," Pitino said. "Now he's become one of the better defensive players on the ball in the country."
The thought now is that Smith can make tweaks to his game that the NBA personnel crowd will enjoy. He showed flashes of it during the first four games of the NCAA Tournament, when he shot 54 % from the field partly because he was precise with his shot selection. But in the two Final Four games he reverted to his sometimes reckless habits and shot just 9 of 33.
Pitino tried to take some of the blame for those habits Wednesday, saying Smith merely did what the team needed him to do, which was to score. "Some of his — what would be deemed weaknesses — are because I've asked him to do it," Pitino said. "He had that freedom because I needed him to have that freedom."
Smith won't need so much freedom next season. Junior-college transfer Chris Jones, the most likely candidate to take over at point guard for Peyton Siva, and fellow guards Terry Rozier and Anton Gill are skilled scorers, too.
The Cards will have more players who can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, which Smith was clearly the best at doing the past two years. That should allow him to be more selective as to when he attacks. And the pro scouts will need to see he can play under control.
"I feel like I can do whatever I put my mind to, especially because I have a great coach right here and he's directing me to do the right things," Smith said. "If I have to make certain plays or tweak something, which I will, then that's the game plan. I'm all for winning."
Russ Smith forgoes NBA draft, returns to Louisville
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With the NBA's declaration deadline passing Sunday, the burning questions that drastically shape the college basketball landscape have been, for the most part, answered — with players announcing their decisions to either return to school or declare for June's NBA draft. Many early departures, such as Indiana's Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo and Kansas' Ben McLemore, were expected. Other players' decisions were surprising: Louisville's Russ Smith, Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart and Connecticut's Shabazz Napier all decided to stay in school and delay legitimate shots at the next level.
"I think you have to plan for players leaving nowadays in the college game," ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said in a recent phone interview. "When Louisville gets a player like Russ Smith back, it's a big bonus having a national player of the year candidate on your roster. That smart decision changes the entire landscape. ...It also shows how fragile the game has become when we make a big deal about a star player who was expected to leave returning for the right reasons."
Even though Louisville will have a target on its back, the presumable favorite to dominate next college basketball season comes from another team in the Bluegrass State — one that didn't even make the NCAA tournament in 2013.
Despite losing Nerlens Noel to the NBA draft after an injury-shortened freshman campaign, Kentucky's highly regarded recruiting class, led by twins Andrew and Aaron Harrison, is easily rated as the best in the nation. As for coach John Calipari's veterans, Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress return, while Archie Goodwin declared for the NBA draft and Ryan Harrow transferred to Georgia State.
"I think Kentucky will be the No. 1 team in the country next season," said Bilas, who also figures Duke and Florida to be among the top five in the preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. "(The Wildcats) have talented players coming in, but they also have guys with a chip on their shoulder coming back that can be leaders. That's the key ingredient."
With the NBA deadline in the rear-view mirror, USA TODAY Sports examines which teams fared well and which teams are starting to rebuild based on players' decisions.
Teams that got a boost
Oklahoma State: Smart, who averaged 15.4 points and 4.2 assists as a freshman, was projected to be a high lottery pick in the draft, but he announced plans to return for his sophomore campaign — giving the Cowboys another go-around with the Big 12 Player of the Year.
Louisville: Smith's return gives the defending champion Cardinals a legitimate chance to repeat, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since 2006 and 2007 with Florida. Smith, who led the Big East at 18.7 points a game, might get a chance to take on more decision-making with point guard Peyton Siva graduating. Losing Gorgui Dieng to NBA waters could be costly, though.
Creighton: All-American Doug McDermott, a player of the year candidate who averaged 23.2 points and 7.7 rebounds as a junior, will be with the Bluejays as they transition into the new Big East Conference.
Baylor: Isaiah Austin's decision Sunday to return to the Bears gives them three of their top four scorers back for 2013-14. Austin could be a lottery pick in what looks to be a deep draft in 2014.
UConn: The Huskies could be a favorite to win the American Athletic Conference with Shabazz Napier returning. He averaged 17.1 points as a junior.
Michigan: As expected, national runner-up Michigan lost its star-studded backcourt of Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. But the Wolverines get a boost because it could have been worse. With Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III returning after breakout freshman seasons, Michigan remains a Big Ten title contender.
Michigan State: Harris, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, returns to the Spartans after averaging 13.7 points a game. And Adreian Payne decided Sunday to return for his senior season in East Lansing. Payne could be one of college basketball's most athletic big men next season.
To be determined
Syracuse: The Orange lost star sophomore point guard Michael Carter-Williams to the NBA draft, but kept leading scorer C.J. Fair, whose return will aid Jim Boeheim's Syracuse team in its transition into the Atlantic Coast Conference.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels essentially broke even. UNC lost its second-leading scorer, Reggie Bullock, who declared for the draft, but brings back forward James Michael McAdoo, who averaged 14.6 points in a breakout sophomore season.
Teams set back
Marquette: The Golden Eagles would have been in the mix as a top 10 team next season, but losing leading scorer Vander Blue to the NBA draft takes Buzz Williams' squad out of the "elite" category for the start of 2013-14.
Indiana: Losing two national player of the year candidates in one offseason always presents a challenge.
UCLA: New coach Steve Alford will be tasked with trying to remold a program that lost Shabazz Muhammad, whose decision to leave school after one season came as no surprise.
Georgetown: Otto Porter's NBA draft decision was expected, but losing the Big East Player of the Year will put the Hoyas in a major rebuilding phase. Coach John Thompson III will have options, but offense may be a challenge from the get-go.
Miami: Coach Jim Larranaga was already losing most of his Sweet 16 roster to graduation, but point guard Shane Larkin's decision to skip his junior year for the NBA leaves the cupboard bare.
Gonzaga: Already losing Elias Harris, Kelly Olynyk's smart choice to declare for the NBA draft after a standout junior season leaves coach Mark Few with talented pieces from last season's No. 1 team puzzle.
Winners, losers on the college hoops landscape after NBA deadline
"I think you have to plan for players leaving nowadays in the college game," ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said in a recent phone interview. "When Louisville gets a player like Russ Smith back, it's a big bonus having a national player of the year candidate on your roster. That smart decision changes the entire landscape. ...It also shows how fragile the game has become when we make a big deal about a star player who was expected to leave returning for the right reasons."
Even though Louisville will have a target on its back, the presumable favorite to dominate next college basketball season comes from another team in the Bluegrass State — one that didn't even make the NCAA tournament in 2013.
Despite losing Nerlens Noel to the NBA draft after an injury-shortened freshman campaign, Kentucky's highly regarded recruiting class, led by twins Andrew and Aaron Harrison, is easily rated as the best in the nation. As for coach John Calipari's veterans, Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress return, while Archie Goodwin declared for the NBA draft and Ryan Harrow transferred to Georgia State.
"I think Kentucky will be the No. 1 team in the country next season," said Bilas, who also figures Duke and Florida to be among the top five in the preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. "(The Wildcats) have talented players coming in, but they also have guys with a chip on their shoulder coming back that can be leaders. That's the key ingredient."
With the NBA deadline in the rear-view mirror, USA TODAY Sports examines which teams fared well and which teams are starting to rebuild based on players' decisions.
Teams that got a boost
Oklahoma State: Smart, who averaged 15.4 points and 4.2 assists as a freshman, was projected to be a high lottery pick in the draft, but he announced plans to return for his sophomore campaign — giving the Cowboys another go-around with the Big 12 Player of the Year.
Louisville: Smith's return gives the defending champion Cardinals a legitimate chance to repeat, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since 2006 and 2007 with Florida. Smith, who led the Big East at 18.7 points a game, might get a chance to take on more decision-making with point guard Peyton Siva graduating. Losing Gorgui Dieng to NBA waters could be costly, though.
Creighton: All-American Doug McDermott, a player of the year candidate who averaged 23.2 points and 7.7 rebounds as a junior, will be with the Bluejays as they transition into the new Big East Conference.
Baylor: Isaiah Austin's decision Sunday to return to the Bears gives them three of their top four scorers back for 2013-14. Austin could be a lottery pick in what looks to be a deep draft in 2014.
UConn: The Huskies could be a favorite to win the American Athletic Conference with Shabazz Napier returning. He averaged 17.1 points as a junior.
Michigan: As expected, national runner-up Michigan lost its star-studded backcourt of Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. But the Wolverines get a boost because it could have been worse. With Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III returning after breakout freshman seasons, Michigan remains a Big Ten title contender.
Michigan State: Harris, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, returns to the Spartans after averaging 13.7 points a game. And Adreian Payne decided Sunday to return for his senior season in East Lansing. Payne could be one of college basketball's most athletic big men next season.
To be determined
Syracuse: The Orange lost star sophomore point guard Michael Carter-Williams to the NBA draft, but kept leading scorer C.J. Fair, whose return will aid Jim Boeheim's Syracuse team in its transition into the Atlantic Coast Conference.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels essentially broke even. UNC lost its second-leading scorer, Reggie Bullock, who declared for the draft, but brings back forward James Michael McAdoo, who averaged 14.6 points in a breakout sophomore season.
Teams set back
Marquette: The Golden Eagles would have been in the mix as a top 10 team next season, but losing leading scorer Vander Blue to the NBA draft takes Buzz Williams' squad out of the "elite" category for the start of 2013-14.
Indiana: Losing two national player of the year candidates in one offseason always presents a challenge.
UCLA: New coach Steve Alford will be tasked with trying to remold a program that lost Shabazz Muhammad, whose decision to leave school after one season came as no surprise.
Georgetown: Otto Porter's NBA draft decision was expected, but losing the Big East Player of the Year will put the Hoyas in a major rebuilding phase. Coach John Thompson III will have options, but offense may be a challenge from the get-go.
Miami: Coach Jim Larranaga was already losing most of his Sweet 16 roster to graduation, but point guard Shane Larkin's decision to skip his junior year for the NBA leaves the cupboard bare.
Gonzaga: Already losing Elias Harris, Kelly Olynyk's smart choice to declare for the NBA draft after a standout junior season leaves coach Mark Few with talented pieces from last season's No. 1 team puzzle.
Winners, losers on the college hoops landscape after NBA deadline
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Derrick Nix is the Michigan State Spartans' only heavy loss.
His presence in the paint will be missed, but thanks to the return of Adreian Payne, the Spartans will have muscle and finesse under the basket to alleviate pressure and compensate for Nix's departure.
Gary Harris decided not to enter the 2013 NBA draft. The will-be sophomore was projected to be a lottery pick by ESPN's Chad Ford. Spartans coach Tom Izzo can now rest assured that his team will have a steady scorer in 2013-14 in Harris, who will likely declare for the 2014 draft.
Brandon Dawson will be around for at least another season, and forwards like Matt Costello and Alex Gauna took a few steps in the right direction in 2012-13.
Not every team in the Big Ten can report such positive news, though.
In this slideshow, we'll examine how the Spartans stack up against the rest of their conference foes.
Michigan State Basketball: How Spartans Match Up with Every B1G Team Right Now | Bleacher Report
His presence in the paint will be missed, but thanks to the return of Adreian Payne, the Spartans will have muscle and finesse under the basket to alleviate pressure and compensate for Nix's departure.
Gary Harris decided not to enter the 2013 NBA draft. The will-be sophomore was projected to be a lottery pick by ESPN's Chad Ford. Spartans coach Tom Izzo can now rest assured that his team will have a steady scorer in 2013-14 in Harris, who will likely declare for the 2014 draft.
Brandon Dawson will be around for at least another season, and forwards like Matt Costello and Alex Gauna took a few steps in the right direction in 2012-13.
Not every team in the Big Ten can report such positive news, though.
In this slideshow, we'll examine how the Spartans stack up against the rest of their conference foes.
Michigan State Basketball: How Spartans Match Up with Every B1G Team Right Now | Bleacher Report
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Ben McLemore's former AAU coach says he received thousands of dollars in cash, lodging, meals and trips from a middle man who courted the Kansas player on behalf of sports agents and financial advisers during the 2012-13 college basketball season.
Darius Cobb, a St. Louis-based AAU coach, told USA TODAY Sports that he accepted two cash payments of $5,000 during the regular season from Rodney Blackstock, the founder and CEO of Hooplife Academy, a sports mentoring organization based in Greensboro, N.C.
Cobb says he also received three all-expense paid trips to Los Angeles — and that a cousin of McLemore's, Richard Boyd, accompanied him on two of them — for meetings in January and February with sports agents and financial advisers hoping to represent McLemore if he left for the NBA after his redshirt freshman season at Kansas. McLemore, 20, declared for the NBA draft on April 9.
Cobb provided travel itineraries and photos taken of he and Boyd on the trips, however, Boyd denied making the trips with Cobb.
"No, I did not (go to Los Angeles)," Boyd told USA TODAY Sports. "I don't know anything about that. The rumors, that's why I don't want to do interviews because people misinterpret stuff. … There is too much confusion. Everyone is trying to control this and that."
A person who became close to Blackstock to help him build relationships with players and their families confirmed knowledge of Blackstock's payments to Cobb. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity so he would not harm his relationships with those involved.
Blackstock did not return multiple text and voice messages left on his cell phone seeking comment.
Although Boyd denied being on the trips, he acknowledged Blackstock had built a close relationship with the family and defended him, saying Blackstock's involvement has helped because he knows the agent industry and can navigate a landscape strewn with individuals who don't always have the player's best interests at heart.
"He is cool," Boyd says of Blackstock. "He has just given us some pointers. He has been in the business a while and has been overseas. But everything is Ben's and his mom's decisions."
Cobb says Blackstock cultivated a relationship with himself and McLemore's family and introduced them to multiple Los Angeles-based sports agents during the season. McLemore knew "little to none" about Blackstock's financial involvement in the player's life, Cobb said, nor did McLemore know that Cobb had accepted $10,000 from Blackstock.
Documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports via a public records request to the University of Kansas show that Blackstock received complimentary admission as McLemore's guest to three Jayhawks home games during the 2012-13 season. Guest signature reports for the Jayhawks' Feb. 2 game vs. Oklahoma State, Feb. 11 game vs. Kansas State and March 4 game vs. Texas Tech list Blackstock's name as a recipient, McLemore's name as the student-athlete making the request and Blackstock's signature acknowledging he was admitted. Under NCAA rules, players are allotted four complimentary admissions per game for guests. Cobb says Blackstock paid him money because he wanted Cobb to steer McLemore toward Blackstock. Cobb, 41, has known McLemore since the player was in the sixth grade, and he began coaching McLemore when the player was 15 years old. Cobb also said he has helped the family financially from time to time, paying bills and buying McLemore clothes and food. Cobb was on McLemore's guest list for five home games this season, and he said he also attended some road games.
The payments that Cobb said he received from Blackstock – and the trips to Los Angeles that Cobb says he and Boyd accepted – potentially could have jeopardized McLemore's amateur status because of NCAA rules that prohibit college players' family members, friends and coaches from accepting money or gifts from sports agents or those working on their behalf. The NCAA has historically handled similar situations on a case-by-case basis.
Multiple attempts to reach McLemore were unsuccessful. Read More at: AAU coach: I took money intended to steer Ben McLemore
Darius Cobb, a St. Louis-based AAU coach, told USA TODAY Sports that he accepted two cash payments of $5,000 during the regular season from Rodney Blackstock, the founder and CEO of Hooplife Academy, a sports mentoring organization based in Greensboro, N.C.
Cobb says he also received three all-expense paid trips to Los Angeles — and that a cousin of McLemore's, Richard Boyd, accompanied him on two of them — for meetings in January and February with sports agents and financial advisers hoping to represent McLemore if he left for the NBA after his redshirt freshman season at Kansas. McLemore, 20, declared for the NBA draft on April 9.
Cobb provided travel itineraries and photos taken of he and Boyd on the trips, however, Boyd denied making the trips with Cobb.
"No, I did not (go to Los Angeles)," Boyd told USA TODAY Sports. "I don't know anything about that. The rumors, that's why I don't want to do interviews because people misinterpret stuff. … There is too much confusion. Everyone is trying to control this and that."
A person who became close to Blackstock to help him build relationships with players and their families confirmed knowledge of Blackstock's payments to Cobb. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity so he would not harm his relationships with those involved.
Blackstock did not return multiple text and voice messages left on his cell phone seeking comment.
Although Boyd denied being on the trips, he acknowledged Blackstock had built a close relationship with the family and defended him, saying Blackstock's involvement has helped because he knows the agent industry and can navigate a landscape strewn with individuals who don't always have the player's best interests at heart.
"He is cool," Boyd says of Blackstock. "He has just given us some pointers. He has been in the business a while and has been overseas. But everything is Ben's and his mom's decisions."
Cobb says Blackstock cultivated a relationship with himself and McLemore's family and introduced them to multiple Los Angeles-based sports agents during the season. McLemore knew "little to none" about Blackstock's financial involvement in the player's life, Cobb said, nor did McLemore know that Cobb had accepted $10,000 from Blackstock.
Documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports via a public records request to the University of Kansas show that Blackstock received complimentary admission as McLemore's guest to three Jayhawks home games during the 2012-13 season. Guest signature reports for the Jayhawks' Feb. 2 game vs. Oklahoma State, Feb. 11 game vs. Kansas State and March 4 game vs. Texas Tech list Blackstock's name as a recipient, McLemore's name as the student-athlete making the request and Blackstock's signature acknowledging he was admitted. Under NCAA rules, players are allotted four complimentary admissions per game for guests. Cobb says Blackstock paid him money because he wanted Cobb to steer McLemore toward Blackstock. Cobb, 41, has known McLemore since the player was in the sixth grade, and he began coaching McLemore when the player was 15 years old. Cobb also said he has helped the family financially from time to time, paying bills and buying McLemore clothes and food. Cobb was on McLemore's guest list for five home games this season, and he said he also attended some road games.
The payments that Cobb said he received from Blackstock – and the trips to Los Angeles that Cobb says he and Boyd accepted – potentially could have jeopardized McLemore's amateur status because of NCAA rules that prohibit college players' family members, friends and coaches from accepting money or gifts from sports agents or those working on their behalf. The NCAA has historically handled similar situations on a case-by-case basis.
Multiple attempts to reach McLemore were unsuccessful. Read More at: AAU coach: I took money intended to steer Ben McLemore
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The very public 10-year disassociation between Michigan and Chris Webber ended on Wednesday, and Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon made it known that he’s willing to acknowledge that Webber and company exist again.
Hey, he’ll even talk to them.
“I've never met any of those guys, and I am looking forward to meeting them," Brandon told The Associated Press. “If any of those guys are interested in meeting with me, that would be great."
This was Brandon’s way of putting the ball in Webber’s court. You want to be a part of Michigan? Oh swell. Let’s chat.
That’s not going to be enough. This disassociation was not Michigan’s doing—it was the NCAA’s. But it might as well have been Michigan.
Webber, Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor (now deceased) and Louis Bullock were made out to be the bad guys for accepting money from a bad guy in Ed Martin.
Was it a mistake for them to take money? Yes. But can you really blame them?
Those in charge at Michigan felt like they could. They took every opportunity to turn up their nose at Webber. They’ve asked him to apologize. University president Mary Sue Coleman took down the Final Four banners Webber helped raise, and as recently as a last year, she made it clear those banners aren’t going back up as long as she’s around.
“Some day, I won't be president anymore, and maybe someone else will have a different view,” Coleman told The Michigan Daily, the school’s student paper, last year. “But I think you have to reflect on the larger meaning and that we want to hold ourselves to a higher standard.”
If that’s how Michigan wants to be, fine.
Coleman and Brandon can choose not to forgive some men who made a choice a long time ago as kids that almost any kid would have made. If Webber decided to donate some money to the school, which he ironically is now allowed to do since the disassociation has ended, I’m sure Coleman and Brandon would be more than willing to take his money.
They should also realize that Webber made Michigan a whole lot more money than he was ever given by Ed Martin. They should realize, whether they want to acknowledge it or not, he’s the best player to ever play for Michigan. He is a Michigan legend.
If we’re playing a word association game, when you say Michigan, most the country says Fab Five.
If you show us a picture of Webber, we say Michigan and Fab Five.
This is a relationship worth mending. Michigan still means something to Webber—at least his actions say as much. He attended the national championship game last month. At midnight Tuesday night, when the disassociation officially ended, he tweeted “OK😡""It's not on Chris; it's on Michigan," Jalen Rose told the Detroit News. "They can choose to acknowledge what we accomplished regardless of what he does.
"If it's not something that affects their bottom line, they're not going to be in a rush to act." There was a lot of ugly in this whole situation and there were a lot of hurt feelings. At the very least, Michigan owes it to the other four members of the Fab Five to put their banners back up. They did not get those banners because Martin gave Webber some cash. They are a part of history that should be acknowledged.
Webber doesn’t need to meet Michigan’s athletic director to feel like he’s part of Michigan again. If Michigan really wants to accept Webber as a Wolverine again, they’ll acknowledge what he was on the court.
Webber, the player, deserves to have his jersey hanging from the rafters of Michigan’s Crisler Center. He would come back to see that happen. Webber would feel like a Wolverine again if that happened.
But until Michigan does something like that, nothing is going to change.
Why Michigan Must Retire Chris Webber's Jersey to Enact Real Change | Bleacher Report
Hey, he’ll even talk to them.
“I've never met any of those guys, and I am looking forward to meeting them," Brandon told The Associated Press. “If any of those guys are interested in meeting with me, that would be great."
This was Brandon’s way of putting the ball in Webber’s court. You want to be a part of Michigan? Oh swell. Let’s chat.
That’s not going to be enough. This disassociation was not Michigan’s doing—it was the NCAA’s. But it might as well have been Michigan.
Webber, Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor (now deceased) and Louis Bullock were made out to be the bad guys for accepting money from a bad guy in Ed Martin.
Was it a mistake for them to take money? Yes. But can you really blame them?
Those in charge at Michigan felt like they could. They took every opportunity to turn up their nose at Webber. They’ve asked him to apologize. University president Mary Sue Coleman took down the Final Four banners Webber helped raise, and as recently as a last year, she made it clear those banners aren’t going back up as long as she’s around.
“Some day, I won't be president anymore, and maybe someone else will have a different view,” Coleman told The Michigan Daily, the school’s student paper, last year. “But I think you have to reflect on the larger meaning and that we want to hold ourselves to a higher standard.”
If that’s how Michigan wants to be, fine.
Coleman and Brandon can choose not to forgive some men who made a choice a long time ago as kids that almost any kid would have made. If Webber decided to donate some money to the school, which he ironically is now allowed to do since the disassociation has ended, I’m sure Coleman and Brandon would be more than willing to take his money.
They should also realize that Webber made Michigan a whole lot more money than he was ever given by Ed Martin. They should realize, whether they want to acknowledge it or not, he’s the best player to ever play for Michigan. He is a Michigan legend.
If we’re playing a word association game, when you say Michigan, most the country says Fab Five.
If you show us a picture of Webber, we say Michigan and Fab Five.
This is a relationship worth mending. Michigan still means something to Webber—at least his actions say as much. He attended the national championship game last month. At midnight Tuesday night, when the disassociation officially ended, he tweeted “OK😡""It's not on Chris; it's on Michigan," Jalen Rose told the Detroit News. "They can choose to acknowledge what we accomplished regardless of what he does.
"If it's not something that affects their bottom line, they're not going to be in a rush to act." There was a lot of ugly in this whole situation and there were a lot of hurt feelings. At the very least, Michigan owes it to the other four members of the Fab Five to put their banners back up. They did not get those banners because Martin gave Webber some cash. They are a part of history that should be acknowledged.
Webber doesn’t need to meet Michigan’s athletic director to feel like he’s part of Michigan again. If Michigan really wants to accept Webber as a Wolverine again, they’ll acknowledge what he was on the court.
Webber, the player, deserves to have his jersey hanging from the rafters of Michigan’s Crisler Center. He would come back to see that happen. Webber would feel like a Wolverine again if that happened.
But until Michigan does something like that, nothing is going to change.
Why Michigan Must Retire Chris Webber's Jersey to Enact Real Change | Bleacher Report
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As realignment continues to reshape Division I NCAA basketball, some big-time conferences will be getting new title contenders as soon as next season. Of course, whether the names in the standings change or not, there’s always a chance for upheaval at the top.
In the storied ACC, Syracuse and Pitt will now vie with the Tobacco Road powers for supremacy. Unfortunately for the newcomers, it’s a familiar face—North Carolina forward James Michael McAdoo—who will make the difference in next year’s conference race.
Read on for more on the Tar Heels’ league title hopes, along with picks for all the rest of Division I’s 33 conference champs.
Pictures: Predicting the Winner of Each Division I NCAA Basketball Conference | Bleacher Report
In the storied ACC, Syracuse and Pitt will now vie with the Tobacco Road powers for supremacy. Unfortunately for the newcomers, it’s a familiar face—North Carolina forward James Michael McAdoo—who will make the difference in next year’s conference race.
Read on for more on the Tar Heels’ league title hopes, along with picks for all the rest of Division I’s 33 conference champs.
Pictures: Predicting the Winner of Each Division I NCAA Basketball Conference | Bleacher Report
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Texas guard Julien Lewis has been granted his release and will become the third player to leave the Longhorns since they finished a disappointing season 16-18 and missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in 15 years.
The school announced the departure Tuesday.
Guard Sheldon McClellan, who led Texas in scoring most of the season but clashed with coach Rick Barnes, left the team earlier this year. Myck Kabongo, who was voted the team's most valuable player despite sitting out a 23-game NCAA suspension, left school to enter the NBA draft.
Lewis started 21 games and averaged 11.2 points. Texas is now without its top three scorers from last season.
Texas Longhorns guard Julien Lewis transfers
The school announced the departure Tuesday.
Guard Sheldon McClellan, who led Texas in scoring most of the season but clashed with coach Rick Barnes, left the team earlier this year. Myck Kabongo, who was voted the team's most valuable player despite sitting out a 23-game NCAA suspension, left school to enter the NBA draft.
Lewis started 21 games and averaged 11.2 points. Texas is now without its top three scorers from last season.
Texas Longhorns guard Julien Lewis transfers
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Duke always has high expectations for the team. This year is no different.
Of course, to realize the expectations of the team, each individual player must meet his own expectations. Depending on their role, different Blue Devils will be required to meet a variety of different requirements.
For the starters, these expectations will be fairly lofty. And yet, if the starters are able to meet the following expectations then the Blue Devils will be genuine title contenders.
Duke Basketball: Setting Expectations for Each Projected Starter | Bleacher Report
Of course, to realize the expectations of the team, each individual player must meet his own expectations. Depending on their role, different Blue Devils will be required to meet a variety of different requirements.
For the starters, these expectations will be fairly lofty. And yet, if the starters are able to meet the following expectations then the Blue Devils will be genuine title contenders.
Duke Basketball: Setting Expectations for Each Projected Starter | Bleacher Report
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When Mike Krzyzewski and his wife were discussing earlier this spring whether he ought to return as U.S. men's national coach, she asked if that commitment would be easier for him if he resigned from his post at Duke prior to the 2016 Olympics.
Krzyzewski's response will make all Blue Devils fans smile.
"Really it's just the opposite," Krzyzewski told reporters at a news conference in Durham on Thursday. "I don't think anybody should coach the (Olympic) team unless they're still coaching. You've got to stay sharp. I'm coaching in the best league against the best competition and the best players that I can. Doing that, it becomes easier."
Asked to clarify if that meant he'd definitely coach at Duke through at least the 2015-16 season, the 66-year-old Krzyzewski said, "Obviously I'm not going to end before the Olympics."
And with that, any chatter about Krzyzewski retiring soon should die down for the foreseeable future. Barring a sudden reversal, college basketball's winningest coach will be on the Duke bench for at least the next three seasons, and he doesn't sound as though he's certain he'll be ready to step down even then.
Krzyzewski has long maintained coaching the U.S. national team has energized him and rekindled his passion for his profession, a point he emphasized again on Thursday. He reiterated the point Duke president Richard H. Brodhead made earlier in the news conference when he said that Krzyzewski had become an even better coach as a result of taking on the challenge of coaching the NBA's biggest stars.
"I don't think I did it bad before the Olympics," Krzyzewski said. "We weren't bad before then. But I got better from doing it. Just like a player gets better from doing it, we all got better. That energizes you because it's like a teacher learning new material. I'm 66. I don't know how you're supposed to feel at 66, but I never think of my age. I may look my age, but I feel energetic, passionate, wanting to achieve."
That Krzyzewski remains enthusiastic about coaching is great news for everyone from USA Basketball, to Duke, to the sport as a whole.
Since taking over as coach of the U.S. national team at a time when many of the nation's best players weren't representing their country, Krzyzewski has helped change the culture of USA Basketball. In the process, he has accumulated a 62-1 record and captured gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics.
Many originally worried Duke's program might suffer if Krzyzewski was spread too thin, but the Blue Devils have remained one of the nation's elite teams. They won the national championship in 2010, reached the Elite Eight last March and are expected to begin next season in the top five in the polls.
Krzyzewski originally planned to let someone else replace him as U.S. coach, but the relentless courtship by Jerry Colangelo and the encouragement of his family and Duke officials helped change his mind. Once talks with Colangelo heated up after the college season ended, it didn't take long for Krzyzewski to agree to lead the team's quest for a third straight Olympic gold.
"The main thing is will you still have the drive and the energy and can you give the time that's going to be necessary to do it," Krzyzewski said. "The final decision was yes, I can do that."
Y! SPORTS
Krzyzewski's response will make all Blue Devils fans smile.
"Really it's just the opposite," Krzyzewski told reporters at a news conference in Durham on Thursday. "I don't think anybody should coach the (Olympic) team unless they're still coaching. You've got to stay sharp. I'm coaching in the best league against the best competition and the best players that I can. Doing that, it becomes easier."
Asked to clarify if that meant he'd definitely coach at Duke through at least the 2015-16 season, the 66-year-old Krzyzewski said, "Obviously I'm not going to end before the Olympics."
And with that, any chatter about Krzyzewski retiring soon should die down for the foreseeable future. Barring a sudden reversal, college basketball's winningest coach will be on the Duke bench for at least the next three seasons, and he doesn't sound as though he's certain he'll be ready to step down even then.
Krzyzewski has long maintained coaching the U.S. national team has energized him and rekindled his passion for his profession, a point he emphasized again on Thursday. He reiterated the point Duke president Richard H. Brodhead made earlier in the news conference when he said that Krzyzewski had become an even better coach as a result of taking on the challenge of coaching the NBA's biggest stars.
"I don't think I did it bad before the Olympics," Krzyzewski said. "We weren't bad before then. But I got better from doing it. Just like a player gets better from doing it, we all got better. That energizes you because it's like a teacher learning new material. I'm 66. I don't know how you're supposed to feel at 66, but I never think of my age. I may look my age, but I feel energetic, passionate, wanting to achieve."
That Krzyzewski remains enthusiastic about coaching is great news for everyone from USA Basketball, to Duke, to the sport as a whole.
Since taking over as coach of the U.S. national team at a time when many of the nation's best players weren't representing their country, Krzyzewski has helped change the culture of USA Basketball. In the process, he has accumulated a 62-1 record and captured gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics.
Many originally worried Duke's program might suffer if Krzyzewski was spread too thin, but the Blue Devils have remained one of the nation's elite teams. They won the national championship in 2010, reached the Elite Eight last March and are expected to begin next season in the top five in the polls.
Krzyzewski originally planned to let someone else replace him as U.S. coach, but the relentless courtship by Jerry Colangelo and the encouragement of his family and Duke officials helped change his mind. Once talks with Colangelo heated up after the college season ended, it didn't take long for Krzyzewski to agree to lead the team's quest for a third straight Olympic gold.
"The main thing is will you still have the drive and the energy and can you give the time that's going to be necessary to do it," Krzyzewski said. "The final decision was yes, I can do that."
Y! SPORTS
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The only folks who didn't see the humor in a Knoxville barbecue chain's clever radio ad poking fun at former Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl were members of the Ohio State compliance department.
They told Sporting News they intervened this week, requesting point guard Aaron Craft's name be removed from the ad out of fear the use of it could result in a minor NCAA violation. NCAA rules stipulate that a current student-athlete’s name or likeness cannot be used for commercial ventures.
"We have taken the necessary steps with all parties involved to alleviate any potential NCAA issues," Ohio State associate athletic director for compliance Doug Archie told Sporting News. "Aaron Craft's eligibility was never in danger. He had no knowledge nor provided consent."
Craft's name pops up in the commercial because of his role in the career-altering mistake that got Bruce Pearl fired as Tennessee's basketball coach.
Pearl hosted a backyard barbecue at his home for Craft while Tennessee was recruiting the point guard, a violation uncovered by the NCAA enforcement staff when they found pictures of the future Ohio State star at Pearl's home. Bruce Pearl later lied to NCAA investigators when questioned about the location of the barbecue, resulting in his firing.
In the radio ad, Steven Pearl, Bruce's son and host of a weekly show on Tennessee Sports Radio, begins by telling listeners "if there's one thing we Pearls know, it's how to throw a barbecue." Then after lauding the food at the restaurant chain, Pearl delivers this hilarious line: "Just remember, my two rules for legendary backyard barbecues – get your food from Calhoun’s and absolutely no photography."
The part of the commercial Ohio State has asked to be removed is the brilliant one-liner in the legal disclaimer at the end of Pearl's pitch. "Offer not available to Aaron Craft," it concludes.
Of course, the purpose of the radio ad obviously wasn't to get Craft in any trouble, but it's understandable Ohio State would send a cease and desist request. The school has endured enough trouble with the NCAA compliance issues recently. It doesn't need a clever but innocuous radio ad creating anymore.
Y! SPORTS
They told Sporting News they intervened this week, requesting point guard Aaron Craft's name be removed from the ad out of fear the use of it could result in a minor NCAA violation. NCAA rules stipulate that a current student-athlete’s name or likeness cannot be used for commercial ventures.
"We have taken the necessary steps with all parties involved to alleviate any potential NCAA issues," Ohio State associate athletic director for compliance Doug Archie told Sporting News. "Aaron Craft's eligibility was never in danger. He had no knowledge nor provided consent."
Craft's name pops up in the commercial because of his role in the career-altering mistake that got Bruce Pearl fired as Tennessee's basketball coach.
Pearl hosted a backyard barbecue at his home for Craft while Tennessee was recruiting the point guard, a violation uncovered by the NCAA enforcement staff when they found pictures of the future Ohio State star at Pearl's home. Bruce Pearl later lied to NCAA investigators when questioned about the location of the barbecue, resulting in his firing.
In the radio ad, Steven Pearl, Bruce's son and host of a weekly show on Tennessee Sports Radio, begins by telling listeners "if there's one thing we Pearls know, it's how to throw a barbecue." Then after lauding the food at the restaurant chain, Pearl delivers this hilarious line: "Just remember, my two rules for legendary backyard barbecues – get your food from Calhoun’s and absolutely no photography."
The part of the commercial Ohio State has asked to be removed is the brilliant one-liner in the legal disclaimer at the end of Pearl's pitch. "Offer not available to Aaron Craft," it concludes.
Of course, the purpose of the radio ad obviously wasn't to get Craft in any trouble, but it's understandable Ohio State would send a cease and desist request. The school has endured enough trouble with the NCAA compliance issues recently. It doesn't need a clever but innocuous radio ad creating anymore.
Y! SPORTS
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Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive said Tuesday that the league’s athletic directors voted unanimously to explore a primary site for the men’s basketball tournament, as opposed to moving it around regularly to different locales. Slive said the league’s success in making Atlanta the host of the football title game and Hoover, Ala., the host of the baseball tournament has spurred interest in anchoring the basketball tourney. However, he stopped short of saying the league would award the site permanently, instead using the word “primary.”
The presumptive leader to become the SEC’s primary site is Nashville, which hosted this year’s tournament and is scheduled to host in 2015, ’16 and ’19. The 2014 site has been awarded to Atlanta. The 2017 and ’18 tourney sites have not yet been determined.
Since 2000, the SEC tourney has been in Atlanta seven times, Nashville four times, New Orleans twice and Tampa once. But as crowds have dipped to sizes too small to require use of the Georgia Dome, Atlanta has not been in the rotation as often recently. Meanwhile, Nashville seems to have overtaken it as the league’s basketball site of choice.
It may never be what Madison Square Garden was to the Big East, but Bridgestone Arena has been a popular venue.
When asked if Nashville would be the leader, Slive responded, “It’s a good city.”
Later, Slive said he didn’t want to discourage other cities from showing interest in hosting the tourney. It would be bad for potential bidding to tout one site as the prohibitive favorite at this point.
“Now we have to go out and negotiate for that,” Slive said. “I’m not going to leave money in the room.”
Slive said there also was discussion with basketball coaches about non-conference scheduling, as the league attempts to improve sagging RPI numbers. The SEC has hired former NCAA tournament guru Greg Shaheen to assist in scheduling, and Shaheen is in Destin to meet with the league’s coaches.
Slive also sits on the NCAA basketball competition committee, and said he expects significant discussion during this offseason on officiating issues within the game.
Y! SPORTS
The presumptive leader to become the SEC’s primary site is Nashville, which hosted this year’s tournament and is scheduled to host in 2015, ’16 and ’19. The 2014 site has been awarded to Atlanta. The 2017 and ’18 tourney sites have not yet been determined.
Since 2000, the SEC tourney has been in Atlanta seven times, Nashville four times, New Orleans twice and Tampa once. But as crowds have dipped to sizes too small to require use of the Georgia Dome, Atlanta has not been in the rotation as often recently. Meanwhile, Nashville seems to have overtaken it as the league’s basketball site of choice.
It may never be what Madison Square Garden was to the Big East, but Bridgestone Arena has been a popular venue.
When asked if Nashville would be the leader, Slive responded, “It’s a good city.”
Later, Slive said he didn’t want to discourage other cities from showing interest in hosting the tourney. It would be bad for potential bidding to tout one site as the prohibitive favorite at this point.
“Now we have to go out and negotiate for that,” Slive said. “I’m not going to leave money in the room.”
Slive said there also was discussion with basketball coaches about non-conference scheduling, as the league attempts to improve sagging RPI numbers. The SEC has hired former NCAA tournament guru Greg Shaheen to assist in scheduling, and Shaheen is in Destin to meet with the league’s coaches.
Slive also sits on the NCAA basketball competition committee, and said he expects significant discussion during this offseason on officiating issues within the game.
Y! SPORTS
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2006/12/07
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Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski believes the new-look Atlantic Coast Conference could be the best basketball league in the country - and should act like it.
The ACC is growing to 15 teams next season when Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Notre Dame join. National champion Louisville comes aboard the following year to replace Big Ten-bound Maryland.
Krzyzewski said Wednesday that ''if you really believe this could be the greatest conference ever, what are all the things that the greatest conference ever would do?''
Speaking during his annual ''K Academy'' fantasy camp at Duke, he said the league needs to ''look at the total package of what we have'' and ''think outside conventional ways'' in everything from its preseason media day to its league schedule and postseason tournament.
The location of future ACC tournaments has been a hot topic of discussion, with commissioner John Swofford raising the possibility that it could be held in New York. It will be played in Greensboro in 2014 and '15, but nothing has been decided beyond that.
When asked where he thinks the tournament should be played, Krzyzewski said the ACC ''should take a look at the total package of what we have right now and not micromanage it,'' adding that he wants the league to think big.
''Look at it as the fact that you might have the best business. And what do you do to make that the best?'' he said. ''Are we a $1 billion business functioning as a $500 million business? Or are we a $1 billion business that wants to be a $2 billion (business)? In other words, think outside conventional ways.''
Krzyzewski, the dean of ACC coaches with a men's Division I-best 957 career victories in 38 combined seasons at Army and Duke, said he voiced those opinions at the league's annual meetings two weeks ago in Amelia Island, Fla.
He said when he came to Duke in 1980 - at roughly the same time Jim Valvano took over at North Carolina State and Bobby Cremins was hired at Georgia Tech - ''everybody was still an ACC guy.
''And I think to me that has to happen now,'' he added. ''That's what I'm trying to promote. I say it publically all the time. We will all be better if we are all better.''
Y! SPORTS
The ACC is growing to 15 teams next season when Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Notre Dame join. National champion Louisville comes aboard the following year to replace Big Ten-bound Maryland.
Krzyzewski said Wednesday that ''if you really believe this could be the greatest conference ever, what are all the things that the greatest conference ever would do?''
Speaking during his annual ''K Academy'' fantasy camp at Duke, he said the league needs to ''look at the total package of what we have'' and ''think outside conventional ways'' in everything from its preseason media day to its league schedule and postseason tournament.
The location of future ACC tournaments has been a hot topic of discussion, with commissioner John Swofford raising the possibility that it could be held in New York. It will be played in Greensboro in 2014 and '15, but nothing has been decided beyond that.
When asked where he thinks the tournament should be played, Krzyzewski said the ACC ''should take a look at the total package of what we have right now and not micromanage it,'' adding that he wants the league to think big.
''Look at it as the fact that you might have the best business. And what do you do to make that the best?'' he said. ''Are we a $1 billion business functioning as a $500 million business? Or are we a $1 billion business that wants to be a $2 billion (business)? In other words, think outside conventional ways.''
Krzyzewski, the dean of ACC coaches with a men's Division I-best 957 career victories in 38 combined seasons at Army and Duke, said he voiced those opinions at the league's annual meetings two weeks ago in Amelia Island, Fla.
He said when he came to Duke in 1980 - at roughly the same time Jim Valvano took over at North Carolina State and Bobby Cremins was hired at Georgia Tech - ''everybody was still an ACC guy.
''And I think to me that has to happen now,'' he added. ''That's what I'm trying to promote. I say it publically all the time. We will all be better if we are all better.''
Y! SPORTS
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At a time when college athletics is overrun with rogue agents, unscrupulous coaches and handlers who exploit athletes for money, it's reassuring to know not every unrepentant rule-breaker goes unpunished.
Hearty congratulations to the NCAA for penalizing a student-athlete from a West Coast Conference school for the unspeakable crime of washing her car with the university's water and hose.
Portland basketball coach Eric Reveno tweeted about the violation Wednesday after he learned of it during conference meetings, punctuating his message with the hashtag #stopinsanity. A spokesman for the WCC did not know any further details, but a source familiar with the circumstances revealed what happened.
A WCC school self-reported an extra benefits violation when university officials caught one of their women's golfers washing her car on campus, according to the source. A secondary violation was ruled to have occurred because the water and hose were not available to regular students and requested the golfer pay back $20, which was deemed to be the value of the water and use of the hose.
NCAA spokeswoman Dana Thomas emailed Thursday that her organization did not participate in the decision and does not consider the car wash to have been an extra benefits violation. Asked why the golfer was penalized, Thomas said "it seems there was a miscommunication at some level" and the WCC is working with the school to clarify.
A WCC spokesman did not immediately return an email seeking further explanation of what happened.
That school administrators actually reported the violation and a penalty was initially assessed is equal parts hilarious and exasperating. What's next? Charging athletes by the sip at drinking fountains? Or by the gallon after locker room showers?
Too many petty rules like this one or the one governing the use of bagel spreads continue to choke the system and prevent administrators at the school, conference and NCAA levels from focusing on what's important. Reform is needed throughout college athletics, yet its leaders are too busy calculating the value of a couple buckets of soapy water to attack the real issues.
source: Y! SPORTS
Hearty congratulations to the NCAA for penalizing a student-athlete from a West Coast Conference school for the unspeakable crime of washing her car with the university's water and hose.
Portland basketball coach Eric Reveno tweeted about the violation Wednesday after he learned of it during conference meetings, punctuating his message with the hashtag #stopinsanity. A spokesman for the WCC did not know any further details, but a source familiar with the circumstances revealed what happened.
A WCC school self-reported an extra benefits violation when university officials caught one of their women's golfers washing her car on campus, according to the source. A secondary violation was ruled to have occurred because the water and hose were not available to regular students and requested the golfer pay back $20, which was deemed to be the value of the water and use of the hose.
NCAA spokeswoman Dana Thomas emailed Thursday that her organization did not participate in the decision and does not consider the car wash to have been an extra benefits violation. Asked why the golfer was penalized, Thomas said "it seems there was a miscommunication at some level" and the WCC is working with the school to clarify.
A WCC spokesman did not immediately return an email seeking further explanation of what happened.
That school administrators actually reported the violation and a penalty was initially assessed is equal parts hilarious and exasperating. What's next? Charging athletes by the sip at drinking fountains? Or by the gallon after locker room showers?
Too many petty rules like this one or the one governing the use of bagel spreads continue to choke the system and prevent administrators at the school, conference and NCAA levels from focusing on what's important. Reform is needed throughout college athletics, yet its leaders are too busy calculating the value of a couple buckets of soapy water to attack the real issues.
source: Y! SPORTS
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2007/02/24
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Arguably the biggest loss for any team in the SEC last season (not named Nerlens Noel) was Tennessee forward Jeronne Maymon, who missed all of the 2012-13 season with a knee injury that eventually required surgery.
Well it looks like Maymon might be close to being completely recovered.
The fifth-year senior told GoVolx247-com that he’ll be back to full health next month.
“I should be 100 percent by the end of July,” he said Saturday.
As a junior in 2011-12, Maymon broke out, averaging 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds in 28.1 minutes per game for the Volunteers. The 6-7 Maymon had averaged 2.6 points in 9.1 minutes as a sophomore in 2010-11. Maymon was an all-SEC performer in 2011-12.
The Madison, Wisc. native won’t be relied heavily upon this upcoming season with Jordan McRae and Jarnell Stokes returning, but his presence will go a long way to giving coach Cuonzo Martin his first trip to the NCAA Tournament as head coach in Knoxville.
Maymon doesn’t have anymore swelling or immediate pain in the surgically-repaired knee, and he’s focused on just getting into shape at the moment.
“God willing, I’ll be out there, 100 percent, and doing everything I used to do and better,” Maymon said. “I’m really excited. I’m really anxious.”
Jeronne Maymon says he’ll be fully healthy by the “end of July” | CollegeBasketballTalk
Well it looks like Maymon might be close to being completely recovered.
The fifth-year senior told GoVolx247-com that he’ll be back to full health next month.
“I should be 100 percent by the end of July,” he said Saturday.
As a junior in 2011-12, Maymon broke out, averaging 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds in 28.1 minutes per game for the Volunteers. The 6-7 Maymon had averaged 2.6 points in 9.1 minutes as a sophomore in 2010-11. Maymon was an all-SEC performer in 2011-12.
The Madison, Wisc. native won’t be relied heavily upon this upcoming season with Jordan McRae and Jarnell Stokes returning, but his presence will go a long way to giving coach Cuonzo Martin his first trip to the NCAA Tournament as head coach in Knoxville.
Maymon doesn’t have anymore swelling or immediate pain in the surgically-repaired knee, and he’s focused on just getting into shape at the moment.
“God willing, I’ll be out there, 100 percent, and doing everything I used to do and better,” Maymon said. “I’m really excited. I’m really anxious.”
Jeronne Maymon says he’ll be fully healthy by the “end of July” | CollegeBasketballTalk
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2006/12/07
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The Associated Press obtained details of the settlement Monday through an open records request with Rutgers. The Star-Ledger had previously reported some details.
Pernetti resigned last week after a video was made public showing former men’s basketball coach Mike Rice shoving players and berating them with anti-gay slurs. Pernetti suspended Rice last December. The coach was fired last week.
Under his agreement, Pernetti is to be paid his base salary of $453,000 per year through June 2014 and a one-time payment of $679,500 in the next month. He gets the money even if he takes another job.
He also gets his $12,000 per year car allowance through June 2014 and health insurance and pension payments through October 2015.
Pernetti also gets to keep his Rutgers-issued iPad and laptop computer.
Rutgers agreed to represent Pernetti in any lawsuits related to his job as athletic director.
The university agreed not to say anything bad about Pernetti to the media or prospective employers.
Kansas State player will transfer
Kansas State says sophomore forward Adrian Diaz has decided to transfer.
Coach Bruce Weber said he was disappointed, but Diaz expressed an interest in playing closer to his home in Miami.
The 6-foot-10 Diaz averaged 2.9 points on 54.8 percent shooting with 1.9 rebounds in 49 career games from 2011-13. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
New Mexico guard to enter draft
New Mexico guard Tony Snell will forgo his senior season to enter the NBA draft.
The 21-year-old Snell made the announcement at a news conference on the school’s Albuquerque campus.
The 6-foot-7 Snell says “in my heart, I feel like it’s a good decision to leave now.”
Newly hired Lobos coach Craig Neal was at Snell’s side when he announced his plan to turn pro.
Snell averaged 12.5 points per game this past season and hit a team-high 64 3-pointers.
College Basketball Notebook: Ex-Rutgers AD gets $1.2 million settlement | jacksonville-com