Bleacher Report - Articles by That Big 12 Guy

John Calipari Has Accepted the Job As Kentucky's New Head Coach

That Big 12 Guy — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:30:48 -0400

Well, it's really happening.

WMC-TV out of Memphis and LEX18 out of Lexington are reporting John Calipari will become The Kentucky Wildcats new head coach and he will be taking some players, Witherspoon and Sallie specifically, with him.

This is not good news for diehard Memphis Tiger fans, as a quick fall back to mid-major status surely awaits them. More on this later.

Kansas State Commit Jordan Henriquez Speaks

That Big 12 Guy — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:01:16 -0400

The Bleacher Report had the pleasure of chatting with 6'11 2009 Kansas State Signee Jordan Henriquez, who is a bit of a mystery to many Big 12 and Wildcat fans since he went off to prep school last fall.

Jordan's is a unique story thats pretty hard not to relate to, a story of a kid from a working class tough neighborhood in New York having to work hard towards a goal in the face of some serious obstacles.

When he arrives in Manhattan this summer (and yes thats a 100% probability as you will read below) Kansas State fans will see a kid they might not recognize immediately and he is sure to look even more different as time goes on.

But this Q&A is about a bit more than just his skills on the basketball court and I was surprised as anyone at how frank and honest he was about the recruiting process, his family, and what this year at Winchendon Prep has meant to him.

So lets start off with the easy stuff, whose getting the most play on your iPOD right now?

"Ha Lil Wayne, I've been a fan of his music for years since Hotboys"

Last time you checked in at 6'11 215 pounds going into your year at Winchendon, whats your size like now and how tall you these days?

"6'11 225 and I am looking to add more."

You mentioned your Mom wanting you to go to a private school and play basketball when you were 14, when did you really start to figure out you were going to be so tall?

"Yeah, I grew 6 1/2 inches between 7th and 8th grade."

Do you have a nickname your known by on the floor or with your boys or family?

"Yea everyone just calls me J.o."

The Recruiting process can be intense(calls,letters etc), what was your least favorite part of that process?

"Back when text messaging was going on, getting tons of texts from assistant coaches promising you the world. I knew what was real and what wasn't though."

So during that, with offers from the likes of Kentucky, Missouri, UNLV, Virginia and De Paul, who or what put Kansas State above the rest and led you choose them?

"Kansas State was more straight forward with me, Coach Martin told me himself what kind of player I was and how I fit in the system.

Not over the phone, text message or in email, in a man-to-man conversation face to face as he flew into New York to meet me for the very first time."

You mentioned earlier that you knew at a young age that getting out of your neighborhood and many of the distractions is what drove your focus on basketball, how has the toughness you needed to grow up in that environment shaped your game? How does that toughness translate on the court?

"That translates on the court not by physical strength but mental toughness and playing with heart and bringing your game everyday no matter what."

What have current KSU players told you about Scott Greenawalt and the conditioning program?

"That its hell and its no joke and come somewhat prepared or its going to be a rude awakening." (Laughing)

What's the best part of your game and what are you looking to improve upon?

"The best part of my game is my shot blocking and my rebounding ability. Also, I can hit a jumper within 15 feet and I run the floor really well for a big man.

Where I need to really improve is my physical presence and be stronger with my back to the basket."

What type of role do you think you will play as a freshman and what can fans expect?

"Id really like to be that huge presence in the paint next year with my shot blocking ability and being able to change shots but its also very important to get stronger so I will be able to bang with those big-men in the Big 12,especially Cole Aldrich." (Laughing)

So you went the Prep route at Winchendon this year and played for Coach Byrnes to get some things together, are you on track to arrive in Manhattan next season and when are you planning on moving up?

"Yes definitely, Im just waiting for the day I graduate and passing the clearing house. I've also taken my ACT... but going to the Winchendon school was a huge factor in the outcome. All I can really say is that the people there want to help you and I have no regrets being part of the Winchendon Scl.

So just to clarify because this is the question Wildcat fans wonder the most, your on track and have taken and passed the ACT and sent your stuff to the clearinghouse and are waiting for them to tell you what you already know. That about right?

"That is absolutely correct!" (emphatically)

When you heading up?

"All summer, I start the early summer school session in Manhattan"

So the eligibility you now have might not have been possible without the support you got at Winchendon?

"Yes absolutely, if it wasnt for this opportunity I dont think I'd be anywhere close to being able to pass the clearing house"

Having played for the same AAU organization as Curtis Kelly and with former Lincoln HS star Devon Peterson also heading to Manhattan, how important was is it to have some NYC guys with you when you chose Kansas State?

"It helped me with my decision at first because going up against Curtis Kelly in practice everyday as a sophomore and him being the New York Player of The Year really helped adjust my game in High School.

Devon Peterson is a good friend of mine and playing against him Niagara Falls was a good experience."

Devon is a bit of an unknown to many Kansas State fans, could you tell me about his game and what to expect?

"He is guard thats physical and knows how to score the ball. He is really quick and can shoot the ball fairly well. He will definitely be challenging for minutes next year."

So he is that good huh? Sounds like he will make an impact for the Wildcats right away!

"Yes, but he will have to work, nothing comes easy."

Lastly, KSU fans are extremely excited about a recruiting class with yourself, Wally Judge, Rodney McGruder, Nick Russell and Devon Peterson. How well do you know most of these guys and what can you tell us about them?

"All I can say is that just being around them on my official visit... They are all really good people and have good personalities and I can see myself playing with them for the next four years."

Final Analysis

Jordan runs the floor extremely well for a kid his size and as his jumper develops his offense will catch up with what is already Division 1 game ready defense that Kansas State desperately needs.

He needs to add a lot of weight to contribute long term, but no team in the Big 12 is a better fit than Scott Greenawalt and Kansas State. His defense will allow him to contribute immediately when he arrives in Manhattan regardless of roster.

This is a great kid thats very tough, its easy to forget how hard it can be for a kid to have to add another year before getting to college and for some its a devastating blow, in Jordan's case its clearly the opposite and this year off may be the best thing that ever happened to him and the Wildcats.

Player Projection

The kid is a raw clone of former LSU and current Golden State Warrior Anthony Randolph.

Their builds are identical at 6'11 with huge wingspans and with Henriquez already weighing more than Randolph does today in the NBA.

While Jordan is not likely a one and done player as Randolph was, all the tools are there and I don't think it will take him long develop them.

Oh how things have changed when Kansas State has three NYC kids on their roster.

Kyle Orton Quietly Emerging Into One of The League's Better Quarterbacks.

That Big 12 Guy — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:24:31 -0400

At the beginning of the year, most Chicago Bears fans didn’t even know who the QB would be on day one.

It came down to a battle between Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton, and after only two preseason games, it was clear that they chose Orton.

Many fans wondered. With an aging defense and really no wide receivers that could find the Pro-Bowl if they were dropped into Hawaii with a map, so its fair to say expectations weren’t high—Cedric Benson was, but the expectations around Orton were not.

What they did know about Orton was that he won 10 games as a starter in 2005 with the lowest QB rating(59.7) in the NFL. To be honest, the Bears' defense won more of those games than Orton did and most fans knew it. They did know he was smart, had a Grizzly Adams Beard and can be seen drinking his face off via any Google image search.

But as the Bears sit at 4-3, atop the NFC North, its surprising.

The defense, while it hasn’t been great, has been good but they haven’t been winning the games—Kyle Orton has.

You wouldn’t know it since he has gotten literally no credit from the mainstream media, but Orton has been good, and at times great, this year for the Bears. Orton’s passer rating is good enough for eighth in the NFC at 91.4, ahead of the likes of Eli Manning and Jake Delhomme.

A knock on Orton has always been he is a serviceable QB but didn’t do anything great, well he is fourth in the NFC in passing yards and led the Bears on a game winning drive to beat Minnesota Vikings.

Orton isn’t just managing the game—he is making plays that win the game. It’s a big step forward and he deserves more credit than he is getting.

But I wouldn’t be a Bears fan if I didn’t note some caution here at the end.

If you have ever dated a beautiful woman that was absolutely crazy, you may understand. That woman is Rex Grossman, he was amazing at times and god-awful at others, it was the most bi-polar and crazy relationship Bears fans have ever had with any quarterback, so of course the next girl to come along wasn’t quite as pretty but she was reliable and safe—that's Kyle Orton.

Now it's easy to become overly enamored because any form of stability would seem great after Rex, but I caution to do what some have and say Orton is a QB for the future here in Chicago, he needs a few more moments, he needs to make a few more plays, but Kyle Orton is slowly and steadily becoming a very good QB. I’ve heard him compared to another Purdue QB, Drew Brees, I wouldn’t go so far, but nothing is impossible.

Bill Walker: Draft Casualty or Legend in the Making?

That Big 12 Guy — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:04:58 -0400

As a 17-year-old kid he evoked images of a young Vince Carter. Teamed with O.J. Mayo and blessed with seemingly unparalleled athletic ability, Bill Walker was it.

Everyone around him told him he was a no-brainer top five NBA draft pick—it was a sure thing.

But much like life, nothing is guaranteed, and when David Stern announced the new age restrictions on entering the NBA Draft, it was all put on hold. Sneaker legend Sonny Vaccaro called Bill Walker the first casualty of the new rules.

But Bill had a plan—go play for Kansas State and Bob Huggins and make the jump a year later.

But fate had other plans for Bill. Just six games into his first year at Kansas State, he came down hard and tore his ACL.

It was a devastating blow to a kid so close to his dreams, but Walker remained resilient, insisting that this was just one setback, saying, "You've got to take some time away, but you've got to rehab. That's what I've been doing. I'm just going to wait until June to get back out there."

Then as April rolled around, fate had one more sucker punch in store for the talented Walker—his coach and friend Bob Huggins shocked many and left Kansas State after just one year to head to West Virginia.

Nobody was more angry or hurt by this than Walker. He would have followed Huggins to hell and back.

Most people would be angry, alone rehabbing an injury in the middle of Kansas. It was okay for Bill Walker to hate Bob Huggins, but he didn't—he was happy his coach got to go home and continued to work on moving forward

While Walker still had much to learn on the court, it seemed he had figured out how to let go off it.

The 2008 season for Kansas State was, for many, about Micheal Beasley, and Bill Walker was secondary. Bill didn't mind. He had dealt with being the "sidekick" to O.J. Mayo and had just one goal—to win.

For those who saw the same 17-year-old kid leaping out of the gym, 2008 was about the rebirth of Bill Walker.

There were special moments, from an outstanding performance en route to a monumental victory over the National Champion Kansas Jayhawks, to his complete rout over friend O.J. Mayo and USC in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

2008 was a good year for Bill Walker, on the court—16 points, six rebounds per game—and off.

As April rolled around again, it was time—time to fulfill his dream, time to help get his family out of Huntington, West Virginia and the poverty he grew up knowing, time to go the next level.

Bill blocked everybody out: his coaches, friends, and family. He focused on getting ready to work out for NBA teams. He dropped 20 pounds in an effort to be quicker and lighter and by early indications was making a very good case for himself.

Then just one day before the deadline to decide to stay in the draft or return to college, fate stepped in again.

Walker was working out for the Golden State Warriors when he again injured his knee, this time not as seriously, but still a red flag to many in the NBA.

Walker again had a decision to make—follow the lead of players like Dee Brown and Brandon Rush who had withdrawn their names due to injury in the past, or move forward.

Nobody but Bill will know what NBA teams told him and his representatives, but as the deadline came and went, Walker decided to keep his name in the draft—a move that confused many because it had been speculated 2009 would be Walker's year to finally be the star and improve his NBA stock.

But that's the problem—Bill has never cared about being the star or the attention that goes along with it. He wants to be the best, and he wants to win.

Nobody knows if the end to this story will be like that of so many in the past, the mistakes like Lenny Cook (a high school player many said was better than LeBron) or Matt Walsh (former Florida star that played exactly one NBA game after leaving early).

Or maybe, just maybe, it's the beginning of a great story and a great career.

Nobody can know for sure, but there's one thing you can bank on: Bill Walker is ready—ready to deal with anything put in his way. So far nothing has stopped him.

I would bank on Bill.