This year will mark the 10th anniversary of LeBron James’s grant entrance into the NBA, when he wore an all-white suit (perfect garb for a Savior) to Madison Square Garden and was chosen No. 1 by the Cleveland Cavaliers out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. Two years later, the NBA and the players union instituted the so-called “one-and-done” rule mandating that players had to be 19 years old and a year removed from their high school graduation class in
While March Madness officially tips off Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio, some of the top college basketball programs and their fanbases are anxiously looking ahead to the recruiting madness that will unfold in the coming weeks. Five elite Class of 2013 recruits remain uncommitted and are expected to make their announcements during and after March Madness. Among the group of five are three who are considered lottery locks for the 2014 NBA draft: Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle and Aaron Gordon. One NBA GM recently
The NCAA’s early signing period ended Wednesday and, once again, Kentucky and coach John Calipari were the big winners. Calipari landed the consensus No. 1 overall recruiting class for the fourth straight year – and he’s not done yet. [Read more…]
College coaches are crisscrossing the country visiting with the top stars in the high school Class of 2013 in hopes of persuading them to choose their schools. In Texas, after Kentucky coach John Calipari showed 6-foot-9 forward Julius Randle his 2012 NCAA championship ring, North Carolina coach Roy Williams one-upped Cal. Or should we say, 29-upped him. Williams brought a case of 30 rings to his home visit with Randle, including Michael Jordan’s 1992 Chicago Bulls championship ring. “He said Jordan gave it to
College basketball teams across the nation begin practice in about three weeks, and the season will be here before you know it — just like the NBA. The major news organizations will be publishing their polls soon enough, but we are getting a jump on them because schools are in session, “informal” practices are already ongoing and a whole new crop of “one and done” players have already discovered that dorm food is never, ever an option. So without further ado, here
16. Wisconsin (26-10) Key losses: Jordan Taylor, Rob Wilson Key returnees: Jared Berggren, Mike Bruesewitz, Ben Brust, Ryan Evans, John Gasser, Frank Kaminsky Key newcomers: Zach Bohannon (Air Force transfer) Sam Dekker, George Marshall, Zak Showalter The skinny: Taylor is gone from the team that gave Syracuse all it could handle in the Sweet 16, but Coach Bo Ryan always has his teams in the mix. Gasser and Brust should form an experienced backcourt, and Dekker, a Wisconsin schoolboy legend, can be one of the top
WASHINGTON – Yeah, Team USA’s here. Big deal. So are hundreds of college basketball coaches and more than a dozen NBA scouts, who converged this weekend on the Nike Global Challenge to evaluate tomorrow’s stars. Here’s a look at some key storylines from the three-day event held at lovely Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va. and the not-as-lovely D.C. Armory. CAL’S BEEN BUSY: After coaching the Dominican Republic within one win of an Olympic berth before Thursday’s loss to Team USA in Las Vegas, Kentucky
Mike Dunlap will be asked to cook the dinner in Charlotte. But he won’t be allowed to shop for the groceries. At least not at the NBA draft. Dunlap, the former St. John’s assistant hired as the new coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, told SheridanHoops he won’t have much input on the team’s No. 2 pick in Thursday’s draft – if it uses the pick at all. “I’m secondary,” Dunlap said in a lengthy telephone interview. “These guys (owner Michael Jordan, president of