May 2009 - Posts
Taking a litany of tests and long, grueling interviews with random questions is typical for college students this time of year. Even NBA hopefuls.
The NBA draft combine – formerly called the pre-draft camp; more on that later – came to a close Sunday after four days of poking, prodding and probing about 50 of the nation’s top college players.
OK, it’s not like taking the bar or a series of finals, but six hours of interviews can’t be easy. It’s been a while since I did the post-college job interview marathon, but the pressure of saying something wrong to a prospective employer is nerve-racking. Just ask Jonny Flynn.
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The “I told you sos” will surely come Kentucky’s way. But I’m not sure school officials will lose too much sleep over them. They knew this was coming.
It sounds batty – cocksure, perhaps – to suggest that Kentucky isn’t worried about NCAA allegations regarding Memphis’ 2007-08 men’s basketball season. After all, that’s where new Wildcats coach John Calipari spent the previous nine seasons. The 2007-08 season was a biggie, too. Calipari helped lead the team to a Final Four berth and an NCAA record 38 victories that season.
Yet, it’s one player on that team – reportedly Derrick Rose, now a guard with the Chicago Bulls – who is the focal point of those NCAA allegations of “knowing fraudulence or misconduct” on an SAT exam, not Calipari. The coach will cooperate with the investigation, and Kentucky made clear that he “is not at risk of being charged with any NCAA violations in this case.”
In fact, Calipari told Kentucky about the allegations during his March job interview. How’s that for be upfront with your prospective employer?
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Simple question: Is John Calipari now the biggest name in college basketball?
Thanks to his recruiting prowess, non-stop Twittering and general media onslaught (a dream for those of us dreading the summer doldrums), Coach Cal’s owned the college hoop headlines every since the NCAA tournament ended.
But how long can that go on?
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LeBron James’ magnificent game-winner against the Magic (and because I’m at work on a long weekend) just makes me want to watch more buzzer-beaters.
That’s normal, right? One good buzzer-beater deserves another – even if it isn’t March…
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Pretend you’re building a team of returning college players to compete in an international competition. Would it look like this?
James Anderson, G/F, Oklahoma State
Talor Battle, G, Penn State
Trevor Booker, F/C, Clemson
Craig Brackins, F, Iowa State
Da'Sean Butler, F, West Virginia
Sherron Collins, G, Kansas
Mike Davis, F, Illinois
Corey Fisher, G, Villanova
Lazar Hayward, F, Marquette
Robbie Hummel, F, Purdue
JaJuan Johnson, F/C, Purdue
Quincy Pondexter, F, Washington
Deon Thompson, PF, North Carolina
Evan Turner, G/F, Ohio State
Jarvis Varnado, C/F, Mississippi State
These 15 players will compete for 12 spots on for USA basketball’s World University Games Team to be coached by Wisconsin’s Bo Ryan.
Would yours look much different?
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Kentucky’s recruiting class for the ages is in place. Now the real challenge begins.
Kentucky added John Wall, the nation’s top recruit, to a class that already featured three other five-star recruits. Throw in a new coach who’s won 137 games in the last four seasons and it’s enough to make Big Blue Nation throw up their hands and shout Hallelujah!
That salivating is from hoops pundits around the country who are proclaiming Kentucky the team to beat in 2009-10. They may not be wrong.
The only thing scarier than the loaded roster? The sky-high expectations heaped upon the ‘Cats.
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Now’s the time to buy in college hoops – if you’re in the market for a piece of parquet. (OK, it’s not parquet, I just like the alliteration.)
Starting Friday, North Carolina fans can nab a piece of the court from the 2009 Final Four. Cost for the price of owning some of the Heels’ fifth NCAA title? $250.
Too cheap? Don't worry. There is plenty of floor to be had -- for much more money.
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Today’s radical idea in a cash-strapped economy? A salary cap for college coaches.
Think about a world where John Calipari wouldn’t have his eight-year, $31.65 million deal, or Bill Self doesn’t get $30 million for the next 10.
OK, maybe it’s not so radical.
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Jack Wooten, take a bow.
The North Carolina senior spent the last two seasons as a little-known reserve on the men’s roster. In 37 career games, he played 70 minutes, scored a total of 15 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished five assists. The Burlington, N.C. senior got his championship ring like the rest of the squad when the Heels beat Michigan State in April.
Yet, it was his role during a scrimmage last spring that will forever immortalize Wooten’s playing career.
Wooten decided to guard Barack Obama. And I mean guard.
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Rick Pitino could probably use a trip to the beach about now. But first, he better call any recruits to let him know he isn’t going anywhere…
Louisville’s coach said there is “absolutely no truth” to the rumors that he’s returning to the NBA to take the Sacramento Kings job.
Count that as a win for the school, for college hoops and the Kings.
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Every now and then, the NCAA tries to fix a dumb rule. Thursday was one of those times.
Thankfully. This was a win for common sense.
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It didn’t take long for John Calipari to follow through on his promise to recruit the “best of the best.”
Still, recruiting the best players is one thing. Getting commitments is another. And Calipari’s already exceeded any reasonable expectations in his first month on the job.
Wednesday was just the latest example.
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Could be a big week for new Arizona coach Sean Miller. He could use it.
Miller became the official replacement for longtime coach Lute Olson – after the school had nearly two seasons of interim coaches Kevin O’Neil and Russ Pennell – last month, and has spent that time adjusting to life in the desert and loss of the Wildcats’ three best players to the NBA draft.
But after securing a commitment from small forward Kevin Parron last week, Miller and Arizona are going one of the biggest recruits still available: New York shooting guard Lance Stephenson.
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Good news for those tired of the John Wall recruiting saga. One writer thinks it’s nearing an end.
Wall – the nation’s top recruit according to both rivals.com and scout.com – reportedly is considering Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, Miami, North Carolina and N.C. State. Yeah, it’s quite a list. At one point, the NBA was floated as a possibility.
Thankfully, Tim Stevens of the News & Observer thinks Wall may settle on a school soon. Not that Wall ever explicitly says as much in the story…
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