Bleacher Report - Articles by Rob Dauster

Georgetown's Role Players Will Be The Difference Makers for the Hoyas

Rob Dauster — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:36:11 -0500

Talent is not an issue at the top of Georgetown's roster.

With Chris Wright handling the ball, Austin Freeman on a wing, and Greg Monroe manning the paint, the Hoyas have one of the best 1-2-3 punches in the country. Most pundits, especially the ones worth paying attention to, would agree with that statement.

Through the Hoya's first five games, those three have lived up to all expectation.

While he is still clearly a work in progress, Monroe has been much more assertive on the offensive end and on the glass this season, bumping his averages up to 14.8 ppg and 9.4 rpg. Chris Wright's scoring is up to 13.8 ppg and he is coming off his best game of the year, scoring 18 points and going 4-5 from three against Mt. St. Mary's. Austin Freeman, who is the third or fourth option on the offensive end right now, is still averaging 11.8 ppg despite not having hit his stride this season.

The issue is not what those three bring to the table.

Those three can play, and for the most part they are a great fit for the offense John Thompson III likes to run.

The issue is what they don't bring to the table.

Monroe, for as talented as he is, is not what you would call a banger. He blocks some shots, but is not all that physical inside on either end, especially on the glass. If and when he has the ball in the low-post, you can be pretty certain he will use his left hand.

Part of the reason that his field goal percentage is down 100 points this season is that he has made a concerted effort to improve his right hand.

This is where Julian Vaughn comes into play.

Vaughn came out of Oak Hill Academy with a lot of hype, but played limited minutes at Florida State as a freshman and at Georgetown as a sophomore. With DaJuan Summers gone to the league, Vaughn has slid into the starting "4" spot very nicely this season. He's provided some muscle and toughness on the block, a big reason why Georgetown has looked better on the glass this season.

But Vaughn also has the perimeter skills to fit in with JTIII's Princeton offense. He is a capable passer, with 10 assists and just six turnovers in five games this year, with the ability to knock down a jumper from the perimeter.

In the back court, the one thing that Georgetown was lacking last season was a dynamic play maker and athlete on the defensive end.

Sophomore Jason Clark is that guy.

Clark has been a terror on the defensive end of the floor. He is quick with long arms and great anticipation, allowing him to get into the passing lanes. He creates easy baskets for the Hoyas in transition, which is really important for a team that likes to play at a controlled pace.

Like Vaughn, with more playing time has come the emergence of Clark as a threat in the half court offense Georgetown runs. He has the quicks to get to the rim, the hops to finish around the rim, and the stroke from the perimeter that forces a defense to play him honest.

Don't be surprised if Clark becomes the Hoya's most valuable backcourt player by season's end.

The Georgetown big three is as talented as any in the country, but with a limited bench, the production of the other two starters will go a long way in determining Georgetown's success this season.

If you like what you have read here, check out Rob's blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow him on Twitter @ballinisahabit .

BIAH Season Preview: Breakout Players

Rob Dauster — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:45:14 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit . For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season preview, click here .

Cole Aldrich averaged just 8.3 mpg as a freshman, before becoming one of the best centers in the country this past season.

Jodie Meeks had two unimpressive, injury-plagued seasons before becoming one of college basketball's most electrifying scorers as a junior.

Every season, there are kids that come from college basketball obscurity and burst onto the national scene. Who will have a breakout year in 2009-2010?

Ed Davis, North Carolina - 6'10" 225lb: Davis is in kind of the same boat Aldrich was last season. As a freshman, he was a promising prospect that was stuck behind a loaded front line.

Davis is long, athletic, and plays with a great deal of energy. He has shown the ability to be one of the better defenders and rebounders in the country, and with the added scoring opportunities with the graduation of Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson, it isn't a stretch to think Davis could average 15 and 10 as a sophomore.

Ed Davis could be the next great Tar Heel big man.
(photo credit: Raleigh Durham About)

Kemba Walker, UConn - 6'1" 172lb: Walker was stuck playing behind AJ Price as a freshman. But with Price's graduation, this will be Kemba's UConn team to run. And run they will. The last two seasons, UConn has played a much more controlled pace than you expect from a Jim Calhoun team. Price, Hasheem Thabeet, and Jeff Adrien were all more suited to a slower paced, grind-it-out style.

With those three gone, UConn will rely on Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson to lead them, all of whom could be considered the most athletic player at their positions. UConn is going to press defensively and run offensively, and Walker is going to be the catalyst.

Kim English, Missouri - 6'6" 200lb: Anyone that watched the NCAA tournament (and if you read this blog, that means you) should know what English can do when he gets hot: during a four-minute stretch against Marquette in the second round, English hit three threes and scored 15 points.

A 6'6" two-guard, English is tall enough to get his shot off over most perimeter defenders, but he also has enough athleticism to survive in the 40-minutes-of-hell style the Tigers play. With guys like Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll, JT Tiller, and Matt Lawrence all graduating, expect English to get many more minutes and shots.

Chris Wright, Georgetown - 6'1", 208lb: Wright was a much-hyped recruit coming out of St. John's high school in Maryland, but an injury to his foot severely limited his court time as a freshman. Combine that with playing behind Jonathon Wallace, and last season was essentially Wright's first in the Big East.

With that came the growing pains—at times he was brilliant, but overall he had an inconsistent season. He now has a year of experience under his belt, and knowing what to expect in a watered down Big East, Wright should be more comfortable and confident leading the Hoyas.

Wesley Johnson, Syracuse - 6'7", 198lb: Johnson was a player for two years with Iowa State, averaging 12 ppg both seasons. But during his sophomore year, he played on an ankle that required surgery after the season was done. Now that he has had 16 months to get healthy, Johnson will start over in a program looking for their own fresh start.

The Orange lost a ton of talent on the perimeter, and Johnson will be expected to shoulder the scoring load from day one. Johnson is a tremendous athlete with a jumper that is very effective when he doesn't fall in love with it—which is what happened during his sophomore season (although, that was most likely a result of his injury).

If he can become the player he was as a freshman—attacking the glass, going to the basket, defending—Johnson should put up impressive scoring numbers and thrive playing the back line of the Syracuse zone.

Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson will be counted on to replace the scoring of Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf.
(photo credit: Flagrant Fouls)

Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Washington - 6'9", 240lb: A lot of people are predicting the Huskies to be the best team on the West Coast, and that prediction could very well hold true as U-Dub will field one of the most dynamic back courts in the country.

But back court play will only get you so far during the season.

Washington will be heading into this year with a gaping hole in their frontline courtesy of Jon Brockman's graduation. Bryan-Amaning will be the guy called upon to fill a lot of those minutes. He has shown signs of being a star-in-the-making during his first two seasons, but both seasons faded down the stretch as his minutes and production tailed off during Pac-10 play.

The Huskies, if possible, are going to play an even faster tempo than they did last season, and given Bryan-Amaning's length, athleticism, and face-up game, he should be able to thrive.

Malcolm Lee, UCLA - 6'5", 180lb: Lee has been getting a ton of attention during the offseason, and it isn't hard to see why—the kid looks like he could be the second coming off Russell Westbrook. If you remember, Westbrook flew under the radar as a freshman before exploding as a sophomore and becoming the fourth pick of the 2008 draft.

Like Westbrook, Lee is a rangy combo guard with outstanding athleticism. He struggled to find minutes in a crowded back court last season, but that doesn't mean that he isn't blessed with loads of talent. Lee is still a bit raw, especially on the offensive end, but he has already garnered a reputation for being a playmaker defensively. If he is allowed to take some advantage of his outstanding ability to create in the open court, Lee could be a first team all-Pac 10 player.

Can Malcolm Lee follow in Russell Westbrook's footsteps?

Roburt Sallie, Memphis - 6'5", 196lb: Remember what I said about Kim English? If you watched the NCAA Tournament, you know what this guy is capable of. The exact same can be said about Sallie.

Sallie spent most of the season on John Calipari's bench, but exploded for 35 points and 10 three's as he carried the Tiger's to a first round win against Cal State Northridge. One of the best shooters in the country, new coach Josh Pastner is going to need a big season out of Sallie, as the NBA Draft and a disappearing recruiting class has left the Tiger's cupboard pretty bare.

Ishmael Smith, Wake Forest - 6'0", 175lb: As a freshman, Ishmael Smith was one of the most promising point guards in the country, averaging 6.0 apg. But something happened over the past two seasons, and that something was named Jeff Teague.

Teague dominated the ball during his time in Winston-Salem, forcing Smith into a much less significant role. But that doesn't mean Smith can't play. He is not a great scorer, but what he does well is break down a defense and lead a break. In other words, he can create scoring chances for others, which is going to be so important for a Wake team that doesn't have a lot of polished offensive weapons.

Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh - 6'2", 200lb: Pitt will be heading into this season with basically a whole new team. With four starters gone, and two of their top returners out to start the season (Jermaine Dixon's foot injury and Gilbert Brown's suspension), Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker will be basically the only two guys back.

Gibbs played a limited role as a freshman for the Panthers, but in those limited minutes he produced. He also had an impressive summer playing for the U-19 World Champions (coached by Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon).

Gibbs will be counted upon immediately to produce for the Panthers, and he should be up to the task. He proved his ability to shoot from the perimeter last season, but this year he will be asked to lead this team as a scorer and playmaker.

William Buford, Ohio State - 6'5", 185lb: Buford took some time to find a rhythm as a freshman, but once he got comfortable, he really started to show some promising signs at the end of the year.

Buford is one of the most fluid scorers in the Big Ten. He is so good at reading a defense and coming off of a screen, and is deadly when shooting in the 15-18 foot range. If Buford can expand his ability to slash to the rim, he could prove to be a deadly complement to Evan Turner.

Honorable Mentions:

Michael Dunigan, Oregon
Paul George, Fresno State
Demetri Goodson, Gonzaga
Terrence Jennings, Louisville
Larry Sanders, VCU
Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt

Ole Miss Basketball: 2009-2010 Team Preview

Rob Dauster — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:03:38 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit. For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season preview, click here.

2008-2009 Record: 16-15, 7-9 SEC (t-ninth)

Key Losses: David Huertas (18.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg), Malcolm White (7.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg)

Key Returners: Chris Warren (19.1 ppg, 4.0 apg), Terrico White (13.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg), Zach Graham (8.5 ppg)

Newcomers: Reginald Buckner, DeAngelo Riley

Mississippi had what you might call a hard luck season in 2008-2009.

They lost three players, including star sophomore Chris Warren, to season-ending knee injuries; had their coach involved in a potential hate crime after he allegedly beat up a cabbie in Cincinnati; and then leading scorer David Huertas bolted for pro ball in his native Puerto Rico.

But it wasn't all bad for the Rebels.

If Warren, Eniel Polynice, and Trevor Gaskins hadn't gone down with their injuries, odds are good that Ole Miss never would have found out how talented sophomore Terrico White is.

White has shown a ton of promise, both in being named SEC Freshman of the Year and during his performance with Team USA this summer. Standing 6'5" and 211 lb, White is a terrific all-around athlete - quick and strong, with some bounce. While he is still a bit toolsy, he knows how to score.

If he can improve his understanding of the game—don't settle for as many three's, stop over dribbling, learn off-the-ball defense—White can be a special player at this level.

What is going to help White the most during his sophomore season is the return of point guard Chris Warren, which will allow White to move back to his more natural off-guard spot.

Warren was in the midst of a huge sophomore campaign, averaging 19.6 ppg, when he landed awkwardly on a drive to the rim in the last minute of a loss to Louisville. Warren is small (5'11") but quick and crafty with his dribble, knowing how to get his defender off-balance. He can get into the paint and score but, like White, he has a tendency to settle for tough, deep three's too often.

It will also help to get back Eniel Polynice and Trevor Gaskins.

In '07-'08, Polynice was arguably the Rebels' most versatile player, averaging 10.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 4.1 apg. A tough defender and good play maker, Polynice should be an excellent complement to White and Warren in the Rebels' back court.

Gaskins was an all-SEC freshman pick in '07-'08, averaging 5.9 ppg. He can shoot the ball pretty well, and will probably be counted on for an offensive spark off the bench.

Also expected to see time in the back court is 6'6" wing Zach Graham. Graham is the Rebels' best perimeter defender, and during conference play last year he boosted his scoring average from 8.5 ppg to 10.8 ppg.

The inside is where the question marks will be for this team. The Rebels will basically be working with a five man rotation.

The best of the bunch is probably 6'7" Murphy Holloway. A 225 lb bruiser, Holloway is mostly athleticism right now, but he plays with energy to burn and has shown a developing touch on the interior.

I would expect freshman Reginald Buckner to start alongside Holloway. Standing 6'9", Buckner is a phenomenal athlete who was known for his shot-blocking ability in high school. A lefty, Buckner can run the floor like a deer and should provide us with a couple YouTube-worthy moments this season.

Sophomore Terrance Henry and senior DeAundre Cranston should be the first two bigs off the bench for Ole Miss, while JuCo transfer DeAngelo Riley and sophomore Kevin Cantinol should also make a push for minutes.

Outlook

Ole Miss is probably the second-most talented team in the SEC West, behind Mississippi State. The Rebels have a very good back court, led by Warren and White.

The issue is up front. Holloway is tough, and Buckner could end up being a star at this level, but they really do not go all that deep.

The key to the season is going to be how well Warren, Polynice, and Gaskins recovered from their injuries, and whether or not they can work effectively on the court with White and Graham.

I think these guys have an outside shot at making the NCAA Tournament, but they are going to need to have an impressive resume as they play in the SEC West.

2009-2010 Minnesota Golden Gophers Team Preview

Rob Dauster — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:24:27 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit. For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season preview, click here.

2009-2010 Minnesota Golden Gophers

2008-2009 Record: 22-11, 9-9 Big Ten (T-Seventh)

Key Losses: Jamal Abu-Shamala (3.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg), Travis Busch (3.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg).

Key Returners: Lawrence Westbrook (12.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg), Damian Johnson (9.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.9 spg, 2.0 bpg), Al Nolen (6.5 ppg, 4.3 apg, 1.9 spg).

Newcomers: Trevor Mbakwe, Rodney Williams, Royce White, Justin Cobbs.

There really is only one way to describe the 2009-2010 version of the Golden Gophers—balanced.

Last season, there were 11 guys that averaged double figures in minutes played (with no one playing more than 27 per) and nine guys that averaged 5.0 ppg or more on a team that ranked 214th in terms of adjusted tempo last season.

Put a different way, they got a lot of scoring from a lot of guys for a team that didn't score a lot of points.

The depth of Minnesota's roster this year is impressive, but the most important player on the court is going to be senior Lawrence Westbrook. Westbrook's game changed a bit last year as he developed into more of a scorer (he shot more, looked to pass less), and it seemed to pay off as Minnesota went 15-3 in games Westbrook bested his season average of 12.6 ppg.

Westbrook, who was able to average 12.6 ppg in just over 24 mpg, is at his best when he is attacking. He is built like a running back (6'0", 195 lb of muscle) and is quick, which means that once he gets his shoulders by a defender, he is getting to the rim.

But Westbrook also has three point range and made some strides in his mid range game as last season progressed.

Joining Westbrook in the backcourt is junior Al Nolen. Nolen is a quick little point guard capable of scoring when he needs to, but he is at his best when he is creating and running Tubby Smith's offense.

Perhaps Nolen's most valuable attribute is his ability to harass the opposing point guard defensively (case in point: Kalin Lucas shot 7-for-24 and averaged just 11 ppg in two games against Minnesota).

Ideally, Nolen will be a guy that averages 7.5 ppg, 5.5 apg, turns it over less than twice per contest, and knocks down free throws down the stretch.

Perhaps Minnesota's most important player is going to be Damian Johnson. A 6'7", athletic wing, Johnson has arms that extend for days, which allows him to be one of the best all around defenders in the Big Ten.

Johnson is also a threat on the offensive end, as he was the second leading scorer for the Gophers last season.

Not a great shooter, Johnson is excellent around the rim, whether he gets there via a post-up, penetration, or an offensive rebound.

Starting inside for the Gophers will probably be a pair of 6'11" sophomores, Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III.

Iverson is a bit more polished offensively than Sampson is, but Sampson is more of a threat defensively as he is a bit longer and more athletic.

The two complement each other really well when they played together last year. It wasn't uncommon to see Tubby allowing Sampson to step out to the perimeter while Iverson worked down low, as Sampson has pretty consistent range out to about 17 feet.

It may be a moot point for one of those two, however, as Tubby landed arguably his best recruit at Minnesota.

Royce White is a 6'8", 240 lb forward out of Minnesota. White may very well take over a starting spot by the end of the season.

He is a bruiser down low with a decent array of moves, but also has a fairly well-defined perimeter game for a kid his age. He can knock down a college three with time, and has shown the ability to get out and run the floor as well.

The place where Tubby is going to gain his biggest advantage is his depth, as the Gophers will likely have 12-13 guys that will be good enough to see minutes (although it is highly unlikely that will happen).

Up front, 6'8" JuCo transfer Trevor Mbakwe (if he gets cleared to play) will provide some added muscle for the Gophers.

Junior Paul Carter and freshman Rodney Williams, both long, 6'8" wings, will provide Tubby with plenty of athleticism (and highlights).

Sophomore Devoe Joseph and senior Blake Hoffarber are the shooters.

Senior Devron Bostick is the defensive stopper on the perimeter, and freshman Justin Cobbs may even see some minutes backing up the point.

Outlook

When you talk about this Minnesota team, what you have to mention is team play. They are patient offensively, working the ball around to find a good shot. They don't turn the ball over (Westbrook, who averaged just 2.1 turnovers, was the only player with more than two per game).

They can play man just as well as a zone in the full court just as well as in the half court and they seamlessly shuffle through defenses from possession to possession.

They are as well coached and as smart as any team in the country.

There are two problems, however.

First of all, I don't know if the Gophers really have a go-to scorer. Is Westbrook ready (and capable) of taking that role? Will he be able to break his man down and get the Gophers a bucket when they really need one? That is going to be important in a Big Ten conference with a lot of good defenses.

The other problem is the fact that Minnesota plays in the very good and very balanced Big Ten. I could legitimately see the Gophers finishing anywhere from third to ninth.

Most likely, they are going to finish in the pack of three or four teams that will inevitably form two or three games behind Purdue and Michigan State.

I'd expect in the neighborhood of 22-25 wins and another NCAA tournament trip.

2009-2010 Vanderbilt Commodores Team Preview

Rob Dauster — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:57:33 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit. For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season preview, click here.

2008-2009 Record: 19-12, 8-8 SEC (t-7th)

Key Losses: George Drake (5.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg)

Key Returners: AJ Ogilvy (15.4 ppg, 7.1 ppg), Jermaine Beal (12.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.2 apg), Jeff Taylor (12.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Brad Tinsley (11.0 ppg)

Newcomers: John Jenkins

AJ Ogilvy will anchor the Commodores, who bring back essentially everyone.
(photo credit: VUCommodores blog)

Vanderbilt brought in one of the best recruiting classes in the country last year, and when paired with veterans AJ Ogilvy and Jermaine Beal, those freshman helped lead the Commodores to a reasonably successful season given their youth. With basically everyone returning, Vandy could be a sleeper in the loaded SEC East.

Vanderbilt's success this season will start with the interior play of Ogilvy. As a freshman, Ogilvy was the horse inside for a highly ranked Vandy team. While the Commodores last season did not come near the success of that '07-'08 squad, Ogilvy continued to prove himself a force in the paint. There may not be a more skilled low post player in the country. Mechanically and fundamentally, he has all the tools you want in a back to the basket big man. Far from the world's best athlete (the biggest knock on his game is his lack of leaping ability and a slow first step), Ogilvy gets by thanks to a dazzling array of post moves. If he can continue to improve his face-up game and jumper, he could be a monster this year thriving in Vanderbilt's Princeton-style offense.

Joining Ogilvy up front is a slew of guys standing about 6'8". The best of the bunch is sophomore Jeff Taylor. Taylor, who is originally from Sweden, was one of the best freshman in the country you never heard about last year. His long, 6'7" frame already has NBA scouts drooling (he was named the best NBA prospect in the SEC by Draft Express). Taylor is a phenomenal athlete, excelling in the open floor and on the defensive end. While his skills have yet to catch up to his tools, Taylor should be effective running back door cuts and attacking the offensive glass in Kevin Stallings system. Taylor is going to be key in helping Vandy match up with the oustanding athleticism of teams like Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida.

The Commodores front court will be deep this year. Junior Darshawn McClellan and sophomores Steve Tchiengang and Fetsus Ezeli were all part time starters last year. Given Ogilvy's so-so defensive ability (and the fact that he has is a bit foul prone), these three will be counted on for toughness inside, both defensively and on the glass, and their 15 combined fouls.

Senior leader Jermaine Beal will once again be the rock at the point for the Commodores. Beal is everything you look for in a point guard in this type of system. He is a good decision maker (3.2 apg, 2.0 a:t/o ratio), can create at the end of the shot clock, and last year showed the ability to be a spot-up three point shooter. He is a physical guard with a great understanding of the system and how he fits into it.

Joining him in the back court will be sophomore Brad Tinsley, who proved as a freshman to be one of the best spot-up shooters in the league as he tied a school-record of 69 3's by a freshman. That shooting prowess will help keep the floor spread for Ogilvy inside. The Commodores really have just two other returners on their perimeter—Lance Goulbourne and Charles Hinkle. Goulbourne, who is 6'8", is an athletic wing with a bit more of a polished perimeter game than Taylor. He had a promising freshman year despite a bout of mono early in the season. Hinkle is a tough defender who can guard multiple positions and will provide Stallings with the ability to use different line-ups. He is the typical glue guy most teams need.

Perhaps the x-factor for this year's team will be freshman John Jenkins. Jenkins, who was a top 25 recruit, is a big time scorer and shooter, averaging over 40 ppg as a senior in high school (he had 30 in every game). His offense is geared around his exceptional shooting ability, which extends well beyond the three point line, although he has shown some ability to put the ball on the floor and pull-up in the mid-range. He will remind a lot of Vandy fans of Shan Foster. He fills a hole for the Commodores as a big-time scorer on the wing.

Outlook: Vandy will be an interesting team to keep an eye on this season. They return basically their entire team. But so does the rest of the SEC. Case in point: while the Commodores will be a borderline top 25 team in the preseason, they are arguably the fifth best team in the SEC East. They are not only deep and talented, you would be hard-pressed to find a more balanced team in the country—a big-time low post scorer, a experienced senior leader at point, multiple shooters on the perimeter, and enough size and athleticism to match up with just about anyone. I really like this team, and would expect them to hang around the top of the SEC. 25 wins and a 4-6 seed come tournament time is not a stretch by any means.

2009-2010 Maryland Terrapins Team Preview

Rob Dauster — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:09:24 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit. For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season preview, click here.

2008-2009 Record: 21-14, 7-9 ACC (seventh)

Key Losses: Dave Neal (8.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Braxton Dupree

Key Returners: Greivis Vasquez (17.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 5.0 apg), Landon Milbourne (11.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Eric Hayes (10.3 ppg, 3.2 apg)

Newcomers: Jordan Williams, James Padgett

In late January last season, after the Terrapins had lost four of five, speculation over the job security of head coach Gary Williams came to a head, as he and the Terps' athletic director had a very public feud in the media about the reason a couple recruits were not allowed into Maryland.

But the Terps were able to rally at the end of the season, knocking off a couple of the ACC bigwigs en route to a trip to the NCAA Tournament's second round and earning Williams a contract extension.

The Terps hope to carry some of that momentum into 2009-2010 as they return basically everyone. They caught a break when Greivis Vasquez, their leader and a potential first team All-American, decided to return to College Park for his senior year.

Vasquez is a bit of an enigma. There may not be a more passionate player in the country, but that passion does not always manifest itself in the right way; Vasquez has a reputation for being vocal with opponents, the media, and the fans (sometimes even Maryland fans), and not necessarily in a good way.

The thing you cannot deny about Vasquez is his talent. While he has been inconsistent from game to game throughout his career, when he is clicking he can take over against any team in the country (case in point: the 35-point, 10-board, 10-assist, three-steal, and three-block performance he had in an OT win over UNC last year might have been the best all-around game of the '08-'09 season).

There isn't much Vasquez can't do on the offensive end, but his biggest problem might be that he knows that. He has three-point range, can score in the mid-range, is able to drive and find the open man, and can also finish around the rim.

The problem is the degree of difficulty of the plays he tries to make. For example, during his breakout sophomore season, Vasquez averaged 6.8 apg but also 4.4 TOs. As a junior, he averaged just 5.0 apg but cut his turnovers to just 2.8 per game.

That was a result of better decision-making—he didn't try to make the spectacular play as often, instead making the smart pass even if it didn't draw the wows. If he can continue to mature in his play and decision-making, a 20, 6, and 6 season is not a stretch.

But Vasquez can only take the Terps so far by himself. As a team, Maryland had two major issues last year—they did not have really have a second option offensively, and they were small on the interior.

The Terps lost both Dave Neal and Braxton Dupree, returning just Dino Gregory in the paint. I did like some of what I saw from Gregory in the limited minutes he got last year, but he is going to be counted on for much, much more production this year in an expanded role.

Williams did address the issue up front, adding two big man recruits. The better of the two is Jordan Williams, a 6'9", 250-lb. Connecticut native (you may know him as this kid).

Williams does show promise, as he is a big body that he can get out and run the floor but also absorb contact in the paint. If he can improve his conditioning (aka trim the baby fat) and continue to improve his developing back to the basket game, Williams could be a significant factor for the Terps this year.

The other newbie is James Padgett, a 6'8" athlete from Lincoln High School in NYC. Padgett is raw on the offensive end, but he has long arms, some serious hops, that NYC mean streak, and he plays hard. He will provide Maryland with some excellent energy off the bench.

Also expect 6'9" junior Jerome Burney and 6'10" Steve Goins to compete for minutes.

The two most important players for this Maryland team will probably be seniors Eric Hayes and Landon Milbourne. Both have been solid role players for the past two seasons, but if Maryland has any hope of competing in what is a wide-open ACC race, they are going to need to have a second legitimate scoring option.

The issue is that both guys are stuck in a bit of a tweener role. Milbourne is a swingman, most effective when he can slash to the basket and utilize his length and athleticism, but he has been forced to play a lot on the interior as Maryland has lacked size. While it could be to his advantage when he is guarded by a four (he can get by his man), he does not yet have a perimeter shot that is consistent enough to be respected.

Hayes has basically been a spot-up shooter for the Terps the last two seasons, but he can do much more than that when given the opportunity. He can create shots for himself and others, but he is most effective playing on the ball, which he can't do as much playing with Vasquez.

The one place Maryland is set is with perimeter depth. Adrian Bowie, Sean Mosley, and Cliff Tucker are all capable players on the perimeter. While they each bring a different skill set to the table (Bowie is the most dangerous penetrator, Mosley is a shutdown defender, and Cliff Tucker, at 6'6", is probably the most versatile and best shooter), what they give Gary Williams is the ability to use a variety of different combinations on the perimeter.

Outlook

With Greivis Vasquez on the court, Maryland is going to have a chance to win every single game they play. However, as they proved last year, they are also capable of throwing up as poor of a showing as anyone in the country (losses to Morgan State and to Duke by 40).

Maryland has to be in the conversation as a sleeper in a wide-open ACC, but unless a secondary scorer emerges and their inexperienced front line develops, Maryland will probably be a middle of the road ACC team and headed to the NCAA tournament.

2009-2010 Memphis Tigers Men's Basketball Team Preview

Rob Dauster — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:24:00 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit. For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season preview, click here.

2008-2009 Record: 33-4, 16-0 C-USA (1st)

Key Departures: Tyreke Evans (17.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.9 apg, Robert Dozier (12.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg), Shawn Taggart (10.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg), Antonio Anderson (10.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.5 apg)

Key Returnees: Doneal Mack (8.7 ppg), Roburt Sallie (5.8 ppg)

Newcomers: Elliot Williams, Will Coleman, DJ Stephens, Malik Thomas, Tyler Foster, Drew Barham, James Harvey Jr.

Doneal Mack will be the Tiger's leading returning scorer.
(photo credit: Reuters)

The Memphis basketball program had an off-season to forget.

It started with John Calipari bolting for greener pastures in Lexington, and taking his loaded recruiting class with him. It continued with the school being stripped of its 38-win,Final Four 2007-2008 season. It ended with the Tigers losing three kids who would have contributed significant minutes this season; Latavious Williams decided to play pro ball overseas while Martin Ngaloro and Angel Garcia both suffered season ending injuries.

But that doesn't mean the Tigers will be devoid of talent this season, as they do add two potential stars to a group of proven role players.

The biggest addition, figuratively, was guard Elliot Williams, a former McDonald's All- American who was cleared to play this season after transferring from Duke to be closer to his ailing mother. Williams should fit in perfectly with this Memphis squad as he is a tough defender and an athletic slasher. He showed flashes of promise on the offensive end as a freshman at Duke, and with the Tigers losing their three leading scorers, they will be looking for someone to help handle the offensive load.

The rest of the Memphis back court consists of names that you should recognize. Willie Kemp and Doneal Mack, both heading into their senior seasons, seem like they have been Tigers forever.

Kemp will have his work cut out for him. He started as a freshman, but with one-and-dones Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans handling the point guard duties the past two seasons, he was relegated to a bench role. If Memphis wants to win another C-USA title, they are going to need a big year out of Kemp at the point. As I said before, there isn't really a big time scorer on this team like there has been the last few years. For the Tigers to be successful, Kemp is going to have to be able to get in the lane and create.

Mack is the Tiger's leading returning scorer. Known primarily as a shooter, he has struggled with that aspect of him game a bit as his percentages have dropped from 41% as a freshman to just 33% last year. He is streaky, however, and if he can build some confidence early in the season he can be a dangerous weapon for the Tigers.

The x-factor for this team may be Roburt Sallie. Sallie has been a bit of a basketball vagabond, bouncing around from school to school (he originally committed to Nebraska) before finally settling with the Tigers last season.

It took him a while to really break into the Memphis rotation, but he is a tremendous shooter, knocking down 47 percent of his three's. When he gets hot, there may not be a better shooter in the country. Anyone that doubts that should take a glimpse at what he did in last year's tournament—16-24 from deep in three games, including a 35-point performance (including 10-15 from deep) where he single-handedly kept the Tigers in their first round game against Cal St. Northridge.

The biggest addition, literally, for the Tigers during the off-season was forward Will Coleman, a Junior College transfer. Coleman is a freak of an athlete, checking in at 6'9", 255 lb with a 40" vertical. Coleman may be more Joey Dorsey than Blake Griffin at this point in his career, but there's no denying the potential of someone who can do this.

His front court mate will be senior Pierre Henderson-Niles. Niles has constantly battled weight problems since enrolling with the Tigers, but word out of Memphis is that Niles is down to 278 lb. A top-30 recruit before he put on the weight, Niles has a soft touch and quick feet for a big man. If he ever figures it all out, he could end up being a tattooed Big Baby.

The other two players expected to get minutes for the Tigers are sophomore Wesley Witherspoon and freshman DJ Stephens.

Witherspoon is a rangy 6'8" wing that is good enough with the ball that he played some point during his freshman season. A fantastic athlete with all the tools you ask for in a prototypical NBA wing, last season he showed that he still needed a lot of polish on the skills aspect of his game.

Stephens was a late signee by Pastner after Latavious Williams decided to head to Europe. The 6'5" forward out of Texas is a fantastic athlete (reports say he has a 43" verticle), but not much more should be expected out of him outside of a few dunks and some defense.

Outlook: Depth is going to be the biggest issue for the Tigers this season.

They only have eight healthy scholarship players, and just two true post players. If Memphis wants to win this season, my personal feeling is that they are going to need to rely on their defense.

They have athletes at every position, and if they can play a pressuring defense (and not necessarily in the full court as mush as a smothering half court defense), they should be able to force a lot of turnovers. And with the athletes on this team and the lack of a truly developed offensive weapon, an emphasis on the transition should suit them just fine.

While the conference won't be a cakewalk for the Tigers like in years past (especially with how good teams like Tulsa, Houston and UTEP should be), they should still be considered the favorite heading into the season. But if the Tigers disappoint in the non-conference (big games are Kansas, @ UMass, Tennessee, @ Syracuse, and Gonzaga), that sentiment could change rather quickly.

Florida Gators Basketball: 2009-2010 Team Preview

Rob Dauster — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:48:00 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit. For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season previews, click here.

2008-2009 Record: 25-11, 9-7 SEC (fifth)

Key Losses: Nick Calathes (17.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 6.2 apg), Walter Hodge (8.9 ppg, 2.3 apg)

Key Returners: Alex Tyus (12.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Erving Walker (10.1 ppg, 2.4 apg), Chandler Parsons (9.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg)

Newcomers: Kenny Boynton, Vernon Macklin, Erik Murphy, Nimrod Tishman

The biggest change for the Gators this offseason was the loss of point guard Nick Calathes to Greece.

Calathes will be difficult to replace, not only because of the number of points he produced (17.2 ppg and 6.4 apg is a huge chunk of offense), but because of how instrumental he was in Billy Donovan's offense.

Everything ran through Calathes, especially the Gator's transition game, and he was as good as anyone in the country leading the break.

But even with the loss of their starting back court (Walter Hodge is gone too), the Gators will still field a talented roster that is full of potential. The issue will be whether or not that potential will manifest itself in wins.

It starts with the Gators' front court, which is overloaded with length and athleticism. Alex Tyus is probably their best returner up front, coming off of a season where he averaged 12.5 ppg and 6.2 rpg.

But Tyus has not always seemed happy playing in Florida (he came very close to transferring out of Gainesville around the time of the NBA Draft). Tyus' game is all about energy, as he is a slender 6'8". He is never going to out-muscle someone in the post, but he is bouncy and very aggressive going to the offensive glass.

The two guys that are going to make or break this season for Florida are Chandler Parsons and Vernon Macklin.

Parsons, who was a top 20 recruit in 2007, has all the makings of a star. As a 6'8", athletic small forward with the ability to hit the three, he has the tools to make scouts drool. But Parsons has yet to be able to put together a consistent offensive performance over the course of his first two seasons.

Macklin, who was a McDonald's All-American in high school before struggling through two seasons at Georgetown, is another guy who has yet to live up to his potential. Macklin is a big, strong body with excellent athleticism, but he struggled to get time at Georgetown.

Macklin doesn't have the polish on his offensive game to succeed in the one the Hoyas run. As a result, he never really was able to build his confidence or the confidence of coach John Thompson III. I expect him to have a much better year playing in a more open and fast-paced system in Florida.

Dan Werner and Adam Allen also will both play an important role for Donovan. They are, for the most part, the same player - a strong 6'8" forward that can play either the three or the four with the ability to knock down perimeter jumpers. They will both be needed to help spread the floor as Florida is not a great perimeter shooting team.

Werner is the lone holdover from Florida's 2006 title team and has started 71 of the last 72 games. The other two Gator big men that could see time this season are sophomore Kenny Kadji and freshman Erik Murphy.

While the front court is full of x-factors, freshman guard Kenny Boynton will be the star of this team.

Boynton might be the best scorer in the incoming freshman class (he averaged over 30 ppg in high school) and will be counted on to help fill the scoring void left by Calathes. Listed at just 6'2", Boynton has been focusing this summer on his ability to play the point as well.

Boynton's back court mate will be Erving Walker. Walker is just 5'8", but he is quick with the ball. He also showed an excellent shooting touch last year as he was forced to play off the ball much of the season. Coming into last season with a lot of hype as a distributor, Walker seemed to be more effective as a scorer and a shooter (although much of that had to do with the fact that Calathes dominated the ball).

Regardless, with two talented guards that are able to move between the point and the two, Florida's back court looks pretty solid.

While Walker and Boynton are talented, the Florida bench does not have a ton of depth. Sophomore Ray Shipman will see a lot of time at the two, but he is much more of a three than a guard (think Paul Harris from Syracuse) as he is at his best when he is defending and attacking the rim, either off the dribble or for a board.

The x-factor for this team could be Israeli freshman Nimrod Tishman. Tishman is a big point guard (listed at 6'5") that has drawn rave reviews after his performance at the U-18 World Championship (18.6 ppg 4.6 rpg, 2.4 apg, 53.3% 3's). Draft Express even compared him to Calathes given his size.

Tishman, however, was rated just a three star recruit, so how much of an impact he truly has is yet to be seen. Most importantly, he is another body in a back court that would otherwise go just three deep.

Outlook: The SEC is going to be much better than it was last season, when Florida went just 9-7 in the eastern division and failed to make the NCAA's. The Gators also lost their best player to pro ball in Greece.

That said, this line-up has a ton of talent and potential. If Parsons and Macklin develop into above-average players at this level, Boynton turns out to be as good as advertised, and guys like Walker, Werner, and Tyus continue to improve, Florida could make some noise in the SEC.

I'd expect 10 league wins and a tournament trip from this group.

2009-2010 Gonzaga Bulldogs Team Preview: Backcourt the Key to Zags' Season

Rob Dauster — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:02:34 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit. For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season preview, click here.

2008-2009 Record: 28-6, 14-0 WCC (First)

Key Losses: Jeremy Pargo (10.2 ppg, 4.9 apg), Josh Heytvelt (14.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg), Austin Daye (12.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Micah Downs (9.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg)

Key Returners: Matt Bouldin (13.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.4 apg), Steven Gray (9.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg), Demetri Goodson (3.8 ppg, 1.6 apg)

Newcomers: Bol Kong, Mangisto Arop, Sam Dower, Elias Harris, Kelly Olynyk, David Stockton, G.J. Vilarino, Andy Poling (RS), Mike Hart (RS), Grant Gibbs (RS)

The 2008-2009 version of the Gonzaga Bulldogs was probably the most talented that Mark Few has had during his tenure in Spokane. With the majority of that talent—Josh Heytvelt, Austin Daye, Micah Downs, and Jeremy Pargo—gone, Few is left with a lineup full of inexperience and unknowns.

That is not necessarily a bad thing, however. The Zags built their program on the shoulders of a bunch of guys that no one had ever heard of—Richie Frahm, Matt Santangelo, Dan Dickau, and Blake Stepp.

Next in that line is Matt Bouldin, who will be the senior leader for this group and anchor what could turn into the best backcourt out west.

Bouldin is one of the most underrated guards in the country. There is nothing he does not do well—he scores, he can pass, he can shoot, he can defend, he doesn't turn the ball over. Expect his numbers to make a big jump this year as his workload offensively will increase.

Joining Bouldin in the backcourt will be point guard Demetri Goodson and sharpshooter Steven Gray.

Gray is your prototypical scorer—his game is based on an excellent jump shot, and when he is on, he can go for 25. But if he's off, he may go scoreless. For example, against UConn and Tennessee, Gray went for 23 and 19, respectively, but scored just one point in two games against San Diego.

With a more consistent role on the team this season, expect Gray to post some more consistent numbers, especially if he continues to improve on his ability to get to the rim.

Goodson, who you may remember as Gonzaga's first round hero, is a tough and quick little point guard. He played behind Pargo as a freshman, but in his limited minutes he showed some flashes. He could be the X-factor for the Zags if he can develop into a playmaker offensively, taking some of the pressure off Bouldin.

Personally, I think Goodson is going to have a breakout season, especially if he develops his perimeter jumper to the point where you have to respect it. There aren't many defenders that will be able to stay in front if they have to crowd him at the three-point line.

Beyond those three, the rest of Gonzaga's backcourt (and their roster in general) will be largely unproven and inexperienced. On the perimeter, the Zags will have three newcomers seeing time—freshman Mangisto Arop, redshirt freshman Grant Gibbs, and sophomore Bol Kong.

Arop is a slasher with an excellent mid-range game that was the most highly touted of the three recruits (top 100 by Rivals). Gibbs seems to be a bit of a Bouldin clone—a big, strong guard converted to the two after playing the point in high school.

Kong is the biggest question mark of the group. An athletic, 6'7" wing, he posted impressive numbers against subpar competition in his few years in Canada, but he also had big games in scrimmages against D-I teams. For Zags fans, I see him being another Erroll Knight.

The Zags' front line is loaded with question marks. How good are freshmen Elias Harris and Sam Dower? Will Robert Sacre develop into a dominant post player? How good is redshirt freshman Andy Poling going to be after putting on some 30 pounds of muscle?

There is definitely some potential along this front line, but three of these kids have never set foot on a college court, and the only one who has (Sacre) played five games last season due to injury and has a career average of 2.8 ppg in 34 games.

The Zags play a very difficult non-conference schedule (Michigan State, the Maui Invitational, Washington State, Wake Forest, Duke, Oklahoma, Illinois, Memphis), which means that these inexperienced bigs are going to be thrown into the fire right away.

Outlook

This Zags team is going to go as far as Bouldin, Gray, and Goodson carry them. They are probably still the favorite in the WCC (although Portland looks pretty good on paper), but with a brutal early schedule and such an inexperienced team, the Zags may take a while to find their rhythm.

As far as the NCAA Tournament is concerned, I think Few's squad will probably need to win the conference to make it. But the Gonzaga teams that everyone fell in love with in the late '90s and early '00s were just like this—a couple good guards surrounded by a bunch of "what's-his-names" that made a run through their league and deep into the tourney.

2009-2010 Florida State Seminoles Basketball Preview

Rob Dauster — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:34:11 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit. For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season preview, click here.

2008-2009 Record: 25-10, 10-6 ACC (4th)

Key Losses: Toney Douglas (21.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Uche Echefu (8.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg)

Key Returners: Solomon Alabi (8.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg), Chris Singleton (8.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Derwin Kitchen (7.9 ppg, 2.5 apg)

Newcomers: Pierre Jordan, Michael Snaer, Terrence Shannon, Jon Kreft

If there is one word to describe this Florida State team, it is potential. Three guys on this rosters—sophomores Solomon Alabi and Chris Singleton, and freshman Michael Snaer—may all one day end up being lottery picks. But they are also all just as likely to never average double-digits in a Seminole uniform.

Alabi is the anchor to what could be one of the best front lines in the ACC. In terms on athleticism, you really cannot ask for much more out of a seven-footer. He can run the floor, he has above-average footwork, he can jump (and has an excellent reach, making him a good shot blocker), and is as mobile—and agile—as big guys come.

The problem is he still needs to add some weight and strength, as he gets pushed around too much on the block. Joining Alabi in the starting front court is Ryan Reid, a 6'8" muscle-bound senior who provides the toughness and strength Alabi lacks. With Uche Echefu graduating, 6'11" sophomore project Xavier Gibson could see more time.

The 'Noles could also get a boost up front if another seven-footer, Jon Kreft, is ever able to make it into school. Kreft was a five-star recruit in the class of 2006, but did a year in jail for some drug charges.

He was enrolled at a juco (Chipola College) and was supposed to be eligible to enter FSU in the fall, but did not receive his degree. Hopefully, he will be ready by the start of the winter semester, but FSU does not have him on their roster as of now.

On the wing, it is all about length for Leonard Hamilton's team. The guy you need to watch for is Chris Singleton. A big-time recruit for Hamilton last year, Singleton got off to a hot start, but struggled mightily once ACC play started. Cut from the same cloth as UConn's Stanley Robinson, Singleton will be counted on for defense, energy, and an increased scoring load.

Also on the perimeter will be top-10 recruit Michael Snaer. Snaer still has a ways to go before his skill level catches up with his athleticism, but what is going to make him effective is his motor. He is a tenacious rebounder and defender with energy for days. FSU does have quite a bit of depth on the perimeter as Luke Loucks, Deividis Dulkys, and Jordan DeMercy should all see a lot of times.

One guy to keep an eye on here is freshman combo forward Terrence Shannon. Shannon flew a bit under the radar after he tore his ACL playing AAU ball before his senior season. He is 6'7", athletic, aggressive, and if he gets paired up front with Singleton and Alabi, FSU will be able to get up and down the floor with any team in the country.

When it comes down to it, the most important player on this team is going to be Derwin Kitchen. FSU didn't just lose 21.9 ppg when Toney Douglas graduated. They lost their point guard, their leader, and their best play-maker.

Derwin Kitchen was as hyped as they come, but it took him some time to get into Florida State (he finally joined them midway through last season as a 22-year-old). Kitchen showed flashes of being able to handle a play-making role last season, but overall seemed to struggle a bit with his decision-making and shooting.

It will be interesting to see if Kitchen can live up to the potential he had coming out of high school now that Douglas is gone.

Outlook: Potential, potential, potential. So much of what FSU does this season will be determined by how well some of these guys develop. Will Alabi be a force in the paint on both ends? Can Kitchen handle the point guard duties? Will Singleton and Snaer be able to provide a scoring punch from the perimeter? How will the guys on their bench develop?

Pesonally, I think FSU is still a year away. They have too many question marks and "what-ifs?" I don't see Singleton or Snaer developing into a consistent scoring threat from the wing, and I doubt Kitchen can carry the team like Douglas did. While they have enough talent to win a couple games they shouldn't, I'm betting the will end up around .500 in league play.

2009-2010 Cincinnati Bearcats Team Preview

Rob Dauster — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:36:33 -0400

2008-2009 Record: 18-14, 8-10 Big East (t-9th)

Key Losses: Mike Williams (9.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg), Alvin Mitchell (6.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg)

Key Returners: Deonta Vaughn (15.3 ppg, 4.7 apg), Yancy Gates (10.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Dion Dixon (7.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg)

Newcomers: Lance Stephenson, Ibrahima Thomas, Cashmere Wright

Senior Deonta Vaughn will lead the Bearcats in '09-'10.
(photo credit: ESPN)

Mick Cronin's 2009-2010 Bearcat team will be by far the most talented in his four years at Cincinnati.

It starts with senior Deonta Vaughn, a potential first round pick who just may be the best player in the Big East you've never heard of. Vaughn is an explosive scorer (15.7 ppg for his career) whose offense is based around his ability to hit the three.

When he gets hot, going for 30 is not an uncommon occurrence.

But he isn't just a shooter; Vaughn is able to put the ball on the floor and either get to the rim or draw an extra defender and find an open man.

Vaughn's numbers dipped quite a bit during his junior season (17.3 ppg to 15.3 ppg; 40% 3's to 34% 3's; 1.36 pps to 1.22 pps).

Thanks to an injury to Cashmere Wright, a freshman who was expected to start at the point, Vaughn was forced to play out-of-position. (He is much more effective as a scorer when he can play off the ball.)

The other issue was a lack of depth on the perimeter for opponents to fear. Every night, he would face defenses completely geared towards slowing him down.

That will change this year.

Not only is Wright returning from injury, but the Bearcats also added all-world recruit Lance Stephenson to the mix.

I know that Stephenson is a freshman, but already he is as talented a scorer as there is in the country: He's the all-time leader in points scored in the state of New York.

There may not be a more potent "1-2 punch" in the country, let alone in the Big East.

The Bearcats will also have a lot of back court depth, as juniors Larry Davis and Rashad Bishop, sophomore Dion Dixon, and freshman Sean Kilpatrick will compete for minutes.

As ridiculous as it may sound, Wright may be the most valuable of the three starting guards.

There really isn't another point guard on the Bearcat roster.

Sure, Vaughn can slide over and do a serviceable job, but having your senior leader playing out-of-position (especially on a team with this much talent) is less than ideal. Wright was a top 100 recruit before hurting his knee, but he will be entering this season with no college basketball experience after rehabbing a knee for a year.

While he will take a while to get back to his pre-injury form, the Bearcats will not need much more out of Wright than to avoid turnovers and get the ball to Stephenson and Vaughn in places where they can score.

Up front, Cincy will be strong as well.

Yancy Gates, a sophomore who entered Cincinnati with a lot of hype but had an up-and-down first season, could be headed for a breakout year. He is a load to handle on the block and when he goes to the glass hard, but he was incredibly inconsistent finishing in and around the basket.

The biggest issue is that Gates is a bit of a head case, allowing his emotions to get the best of him at times.

They do lose Mike Williams, a workhorse in the paint who decided not to apply for a fifth year of eligibility, but senior Steve Toyloy should be more than ready to fill his shoes.

The x-factors up front will be seven foot junior Anthony McClain and 6'11" transfer Ibrahima Thomas.

Thomas averaged 8.3 ppg and 3.9 rpg in seven games with Oklahoma State last year before deciding to transfer. He will be eligible to play after the fall semester ends, and his ability to hit shots from the perimeter could make him an excellent complement to Gates on the inside.

McClain has all the length in the world, but he has yet to prove he has the strength, coordination, and ability to be a significant factor at this level.

I foresee one major problem: Stephenson and Vaughn are both volume shooters, meaning they take a lot of shots.

Will there be enough shots for both of them?

Will Stephenson be able to defer to the senior Vaughn, or vice-versa if Stephenson turns out to be an All-American at this level?

If Gates continues to develop, will he be able to handle being the third or fourth option?

Outlook

With just Deonta Vaughn and Lance Stephenson on the roster, the Bearcats could probably make a run at the NCAA tournament.

If Cashmere Wright is healthy and effective, and Yancy Gates is a threat in the post, Cincinnati might be the third-best team in the Big East. I don't think a 25-win season and a trip to the Sweet 16 is out of the question if Stephenson and Vaughn are able to co-exist.

But with the number of volatile personalities on this roster, Mick Cronin will have his work cut out for him.

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit or follow me on twitter @ballinisahabit. For the complete list of the BIAH 2009-2010 season preview, click here.

Pac's Thin: UCLA, USC, and Co. are Light This Year, Expectations Scaled Down

Rob Dauster — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:42:02 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit.

During the 2007-2008 season, the Pac-10 was arguably the nation's best conference. Six of the ten teams reached the dance (and Arizona State was probably the first team left out). The league was well represented in the 2008 draft—five of the first eleven picks, seven of the first 21 picks, and twelve players overall were taken. In the 2009 draft, seven more players that were on a Pac-10 roster in '07-'08 were picked, including James Harden and Jordan Hill, who both went in the lottery.

It is safe to say that the league has produced as much, if not more, NBA caliber talent as any conference the last two seasons.

But that may change this season.

Each summer, Draft Express runs a segment breaking down the top 15 NBA prospects in each conference. This year, the pickins are quite slim out west (to note: DX does not count freshman, although it may be a moot point—Washington's Abdul Gaddy is the only Rivals top 25 frosh headed to the Pac-10). Take a look at their top 10 (which came in two parts, here and here):

PG Malcolm Lee, UCLA
PF Michael Dunigan, Oregon
SF Klay Thompson, Washington State
SG Patrick Christopher, Cal
SF Quincy Pondexter, Washington
SG Dwight Lewis, USC
PF Drew Gordon, UCLA
SG Jerime Anderson, UCLA
PG Isaiah Thomas, Washington
PG Jerome Randle, Cal

There may not be a lottery pick in that group. Outside of Isaiah Thomas and maybe Jerome Randle, there may not be a single pre-season all-american vote (although, I think Klay Thompson is going to surprise a lot of people outside Pullman). Thomas and Randle both posted impressive numbers last year, but with each standing around 5'9", we aren't exactly dealing with the next Derrick Rose.

Look, we know this season is a rebuilding one for the Pac-10 as a whole. UCLA is going through a changing of the guard as four year stalwarts Darren Collison, Josh Shipp, and Alfred Aboya have finally graduated. Ditto for Arizona State, who lost James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph. Arizona, who is in danger of missing the tournament for the first time in a quarter century, and USC, who has seen as much talent pass through their program as any in the nation the last five years, are both essentially starting from scratch with new coaching staffs. Stanford and Washington State are down, and the Oregon schools are, well, just not that good right now.

Outside of Cal and Washington, there may not be another top 25 team, at least in the preseason. Whether it is losing players to the draft, a coaching change, a scandal, or just simply a couple unlucky years recruiting, just about every team in the Pac-10 has suffered a setback in the last two year.

But that's the way it goes with the BCS conferences.

The SEC was a joke last season, but this year they boast one of the best teams in the country, and could realistically send six or seven teams to the dance.

The Big East was stacked in '08-'09, but this year they are probably only better than, well, the Pac-10.

So if you are a fan of the Pac-10, just sit tight this year. Things will swing back your way. Hey, if UCLA doesn't lose anyone to the draft, you could be looking at the 2011 national champs.

Marquette Loses Cadougan, West Virginia Reinstates Bryant

Rob Dauster — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:37:12 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit.

Buzz Williams' Marquette squad suffered another setback on Friday as freshman point guard Junior Cadougan ruptured his achilles' tendon in a conditioning drill and will be out for the season.

With the Golden Eagles' losing their entire back court to graduation, Cadougan, a top 100 recruit, was expected to at least contribute significant minutes, if not start. With JuCo transfer Darius Johnson-Odom currently sidelined with a sprained ligament in his foot, Marquette's back court depth is severely depleted.

Junior Cadougan could miss the season with an Achilles injury.
(photo credit: ESPN)

How important is Mo Acker's decision to return to school now? Seniors Acker, who had originally decided to focus on his studies during his last year at Marquette, and David Cubillan will now be expected to handle the majority of the back court minutes, with junior Dwight Buycks coming off the bench.

.....................................................................................

Down in Morgantown, Mountaineer fans got some great news today as sophomore Truck Bryant has been reinstated by head coach Bob Huggins. Back in July, Bryant was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident after crashing into a car driven by a fellow WVU student.

In early September, he pleaded no contest to the charges, racking up some court fees and fines, but avoided jail time.

Truck Bryant has been reinstated at West Virginia.
(photo credit: Scout)

This news comes three weeks after fellow point Joe Mazzulla, who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury, was also reinstated.

West Virginia sorely needed these two point guards. Last year, the Mountaineers were as good as anyone in the conference in terms of toughness, defense, and hitting the glass (especially on the offensive end). But they struggled offensively at times. Outside of Da'Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff, they did not really have a player that could create offensively.

With Ruoff gone, the 'Neers needed options on the offensive end. Both Mazzulla and Bryant are both solid playmakers - Bryant is probably a better scorer, but Mazzulla is more of a true point guard—and should be effective playing alongside each other.

With these two on the roster, expect the Mountaineers to compete for the Big East title with Villanova.

Is John Pelphrey on the Hot Seat in Arkansas?

Rob Dauster — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:01:31 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' s a Habit.

Earlier this week, a female student at the University of Arkansas claimed that she was raped by three members of the basketball team. No charges were filed in the matter because there was not enough evidence to prove the girl was unaware of the sex act. (If you really want the sordid details read them here.)

The bigger issue now is the state of John Pelphrey's Arkansas program. Pelphrey has only been at the helm for two seasons, and they already have had a laundry list of problems:

Aug. 8 Patrick Beverley withheld for season. Beverley left the team and later admitted to academic fraud.
Oct. 24 Courtney Fortson, Jason Henry suspended.
Nov. 3 Courtney Fortson remains suspended.
Nov. 22 Jason Henry suspended.
Nov. 29 Montrell McDonald indefinitely suspended.
Dec. 17 Montrell McDonald quits the team after four-game suspension.
Jan. 24 Marcus Monk withheld from competition because of "eligibility" issue a month after joining the team. He never returns.
Feb. 1 Brandon Moore suspended following DUI arrest.
Feb. 12 Courtney Fortson suspended.
March 10 Jason Henry suspended.
May 6 Basketball program put on notice for 888 Academic Progress Rate. NCAA standard is 925.
June 1 Marcus Britt suspended follwing DUI arrest.
July 8 Jason Henry no longer part of basketball team. He is the fourth member of a six-person recruiting class to leave the program.
July 10 Stefan Welsh reportedly suspended indefinitely.
Sep. 9 Reports linking three UA basketball players, including two newcomers, to an alleged rape surface. No charges were filed.

The most recent allegation?

Courtney Fortson's failed attempt at humor. In a tweet, Fortson posted "Im gettin it at workouts like a dude who doesnt understand the word no from a drunk girl lol." Fortson could be facing his third suspension since he joined the Razorbacks.

Apparently, when your athletics program is dealing with allegations of rape against three of your teammates, they don't appreciate jokes involving sexual assault. Who'd-a-thunk it?

In all seriousness, Pelphrey's job may actually be in jeopardy. Here is a guy who won just two games in the SEC last season, and has seen his team deal with everything from academic fraud (Patrick Beverly said that papers were written for him and his teammates) to allegations of rape, with a couple DUI's and a smattering of suspensions thrown in.

What is going on in Fayetteville?

How long will the athletic department put up with this behavior before they blame the coach? And it sure doesn't help that Pelphrey isn't winning games.

The most frustrating part about it is that Arkansas has a chance to be pretty good this year. They bring back an excellent inside-outside combination in Fortson and 6'9" senior Michael Washington, a potential first rounder.

Both Rotnei Clarke and Stefan Walsh and above-average wings (all four of those returners started and averaged double figures last season), and Pelphrey has added a couple talented newcomers on the interior in freshman Marshawn Powell and JuCo transfer Delvon Johnson.

Remember, this Razorbacks team did beat both Oklahoma and Texas (when the 'Horns were still in the top 10) last season. If Pelphrey can get control of this team, they have enough talent to make a push for the SEC West crown.

But that's a really big IF.

Dick Vitale Is a Great Person

Rob Dauster — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:51:27 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit.

Dick Vitale is one of the more polarizing personalities in college basketball.

While there may not be a single person that truly loves college basketball as much as Dickie V, that energy and enthusiasm has a tendency to manifest itself in the form of a dizzying array of "dipsy-doo, dunkaroos", "diaper dandies", and "PTPers".

Simply put, its not hard to understand why there is a large contingent of the population that cannot stand to watch a game announced by Vitale.

Here at BIAH, we have given Vitale plenty of ridicule during this off-season, but the honest-to-goodness truth is that we like him. His passion for the game, and his general zest for life, is unparalleled in the industry.

Do you find Dick Vitale annoying? Yeah, sometimes we do too.
(photo credit: TheUConnBlog)

But it goes beyond that.

Dickie V is also one of the most caring and generous people I've come across.

Everyone knows about his work with the V Foundation and his efforts in finding a cure for cancer. While you may grow tired of him pronouncing it "CAN-suhh" or hearing him wax poetic about his good friend Jim Valvano, I challenge anyone to question his motivation or desire to put an end to the deadly disease.

But if you want to get a real feel for the type of person Vitale is, take a look at this story coming out of Tampa. From TampaBayOnline.com:

ESPN commentator Dick Vitale spoke this morning with Raechelle James, the mother of Jazmine Thompson, the Bayshore High School cheerleader who was fatally shot Friday night.

Vitale said he has made arrangements with the family to help with funeral expenses. James recently lost her job and does not have insurance.

"I didn't know Jazmine. I just know what I read, and it tears my heart out," Vitale said. "There's no way there should be a funeral for that young girl this weekend. She did nothing wrong. She was minding her own business."

Vitale also said he will speak with Bayshore High officials about establishing a scholarship fund in the names of Thompson and Dejuan Williams, a Bayshore graduate who was shot and killed Aug. 4.

Now, anyone that wants to hate on Vitale for his inability to provide color for a game above the fifth grade level, feel free. You will hear no objection from me. And if you're asking after I've been forced to listen to Vitale provide on-air sexual favors to Coach K's Blue Devils for the umpteenth time, odds are good I would agree.

But do not question Vitale's integrity. Do not question the genuineness of his character.
Do not question his intentions when he helps people like Raechelle James.

Because I can guarantee that his decision to help pay for this funeral (and for a scholarship fund in the name of these two kids) has nothing to do with his standing in the court of public opinion. It has nothing to do with Vitale trying to protect his image.

This was something Vitale did because he cares. Because he wants to help people in need.

That's just the kind of person he is.

Kentucky's Singing the Blues Over President Obama Rocking a Wildcats Jersey

Rob Dauster — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:48:07 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit.

John Calipari has been a busy man since he landed the head coaching gig at Kentucky. He's put together one of the most talented recruiting classes in recent memory; he's had a second Final Four vacated as a result of SAT fraud involving Derrick Rose; he's had a public feud with ESPN's Pat Forde via Twitter, although he did find time to make amends with ESPN sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards. Hell, he was even the subject of a Lexington rapper's song.

Essentially, what Coach Cal has done is keep Kentucky basketball in the forefront during the college basketball offseason. I mean, since UNC ran roughshod over the NCAA Tournament back in the spring, has a week gone by where Coach Cal was not being talked about, be it on the blogs, by the water cooler, on Sportscenter, etc.?

And that is exactly what he wants to do. Keeping the Cats in the news is, when it comes down to it, free marketing for the university and for the basketball team. For a kid that wants to be a star, don't you think it would be appealing to play at a place with enough of a national following that a facebook post by the daughter of the head coach becomes national news?

How's the saying go? There's no such thing as bad publicity?

The bottom line is that there is probably not a more rabid fan base in the country than Big Blue Nation, and playing for the Wildcats when they are good is enough to make you a legend in the state.

One of Cal's recruiting tools is to relentlessly promote that fact. That is exactly what he was trying to do when he decided to send President Barack Obama a jersey with his name on it along with Cal's new book.

Well, some Kentucky fans were not happy that Calipari sent Obama a jersey. I guess Calipari was too busy working to realize that while he may head Big Blue Nation, the Commonwealth of Kentucky is as red, politically, as any state in the union.

In fact, he received so much negative attention that Cal posted an apology on his facebook page. That post was taken down two hours later because it generated a large amount of racist and derogatory comments.

Now, we all know UK fans are passionate, and if you are that passionate about something in your life, odds are good that will carry over to other aspects of your life.

Like politics.

But I don't understand how it could possibly be a bad thing for the president of the United States to own a personalized Kentucky basketball jersey. I really doubt that there was any political motive behind the move, but Cal did learn a valuable lesson in that sports and politics do not always mix.

The racism aspect in all of this is the most ironic part. Those UK fans have an issue with a black president wearing a Kentucky basketball jersey, but there is no problem with the overwhelming majority of the UK basketball team being black?

How does that make any sense?

It doesn't.

But I'd be willing to bet that anyone that had an issue will be singing a different tune if Cal wins six straight during March Madness and Obama greets the Wildcats at the White House rocking his UK jersey.

Billy Gillispie Checks Into Rehab?

Rob Dauster — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:43:12 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit.

Reports are circling that Billy Gillispie has checked himself into rehab after being arrested a third time for DUI on August 27th. He will be headed to Texas to the John Lucas Center, which happens to be the same place Michael Beasley is going.

This is a good thing for Gillispie, and for more than one reason. For starters, he clearly needs the help. During his tenure, there were numerous rumors and stories going around regarding his behavior when he was on the sauce, and that is leaving out his three DUI arrests.

Billy Gillispie checks into rehab.

And for what its worth, I'm sure that admitting you have a problem and checking into rehab can only help with his most recent DUI (although I doubt it helps his case against Kentucky).

But this is a college basketball blog, which means that we care the most about the hoops aspect.

By checking into rehab, Gillispie may have just saved what is left of his career. I mean, this guy turned around two downtrodden programs (UTEP and Texas A&M) before heading to Lexington.

Despite what Big Blue Nation may believe, Gillispie is an excellent coach. It is the reason that you hired him with such fanfare back in 2007.

But I don't know if I can think of a situation in which a coach flamed out as badly as Gillispie did at Kentucky (maybe Matt Doherty at UNC). It was epic.

Whether it was the high profile that comes with holding that position, the pressure to win, the booze, or a combination of the three, it is clear that Lexington and Gillispie just weren't a good fit.

Between his meltdown in the last three months at UK and his affinity for alcohol, Gillispie is currently untouchable for AD's looking to hire a coach.

His ability as a coach, however, should still be there. Hopefully, he can make a quick and full recovery, both in regards to his health and his public image, and get back on the sidelines.

Worth the Weight?: Memphis' Pierre Henderson-Niles Is Getting His Life in Shape

Rob Dauster — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:40:26 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit.

As a high school underclassmen, Pierre Henderson-Niles was one of the most dominating inside presences in the country. As a junior, he peaked as high as 33rd in the country, according to Scout.

But that is when the hefty PHN started to put on weight. At his heaviest, he was tipping the scales at 347lb, a weight that would make NFL lineman jealous. At the start of the summer, Niles was checking in at 327lb.

This summer, however, things have changed. Memphis head coach Josh Pastner has gotten his senior forward to buy into a workout regimen and a strict diet, which has helped him drop an impressive amount of weight, trimming down to 278lb.

Combined with the loss of the Tigers starting front court, this change in PHN's body has led Gary Parrish to believe the big fella could be poised for a breakout season.

It does make sense. Niles, along with JuCo transfer Will Coleman, will be logging a ton of minutes up front this year. And with a svelte new body and healthier diet, he should be able to handle the increased minutes.

But before Memphis fans out there go predicting an All-American season, let me forewarn - this isn't the first time we've heard about Niles getting into shape. At right around the same time last year, news started to leak out that John Calipari had been able to whip Niles into shape, as he found himself below 300lb for the first time in a long while.

The outcome?

Not exactly the kind of breakout year some expected. Niles did boost his numbers to 2.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, and 12.4 mpg (up from his career stats 1.1, 1.5, and 5.6), but he still was a relatively ineffective option off the bench (he only reached double figures once in scoring and twice in rebounding).

So will PHN finally grow into his potential this season?

Who knows, your guess is as good as mine.

But it is also besides the point.

You see, 347lb is not a healthy weight for anyone. Its one thing if you are an offensive lineman - you need that weight in order to earn your paycheck - but it is a completely different beast when you are a 6'8" basketball player that size. Clearly, Niles had some extremely unhealthy habits that, if left unchecked, would not only derail a once promising basketball career, but could endanger his life down the road.

More than the possibility of a professional basketball career, more than the chance to excel at your hometown school, this weight loss makes me believe that Niles could be in for a lifestyle change.

Think about it. In dropping from his heaviest (347) to his current weight (278), Niles lost 20% of his body mass. That is a lot to lose while still keeping up the strength and caloric intake necessary to compete at a high level of basketball.

I want to see Niles turn into the player that everyone thought he would be in high school.

But it is more important for this young man to get himself prepared for a long and healthy life after basketball.

Hopefully, he has done just that.

The SEC Is Going to Be Good

Rob Dauster — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:31:18 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog, Ballin is a Habit.

There were a lot of teams that can be considered "winners" now that we have concluded the early-entry process.

Maryland gets Greivis Vazquez back, which puts them in the hunt for another NCAA Tournament berth, gives Gary Williams at least two more years at the helm of the Terps, and makes passing on Lance Stephenson not seem like a big deal.
Notre Dame will slide into the conversation atop the Big East, as they get back Luke Harangody and add transfers Ben Hansbrough and Scott Martin.
Texas looks like a Final Four team with Dexter Pittman and Damion James both back in Austin.
Miami and Georgia Tech will be able to contend for NCAA Tournament berths with Dwayne Collins and Gani Lawal, respectively, back on campus.
Villanova was probably already a top 10-15 team, but with Scottie Reynolds back in the fold, they are the early favorite in the Big East.
I could even be convinced teams like Kansas (Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich), Iowa State (Craig Brackins), and West Virginia (Da'Sean Butler, Devin Ebanks) were winners simply because the parenthetically mentioned players did not enter the draft in the first place.

But the real winner in all of this?

The SEC.

Last year, the conference was pathetic. Without as much as a top-25 team for most of the season, the SEC sent just three schools to the NCAA tournament, none of them higher than an eight seed (LSU). One of those three teams (Mississippi State) was a 13 seed after clinching a bid by winning the conference tournament.

But things are looking up, as the SEC as a whole lost just two players to early entry (Nick Calathes, who signed with a Greek team, and Jodie Meeks).

Now, there are two ways to look at this. The reason that the SEC got so many people back is that they simply did not have all that much talent in the league last year. Only two guys (Calathes and Patrick Patterson) were even projected as potential first rounders, so it isn't like they are getting a Michael Beasley or a Derrick Rose to stay an extra season.

The other way to look at it is that this means that the SEC is going to be a much better league in 2009-10. Let's take a look at who the winners and losers were in the league:

SEC East

Do I even need to address Kentucky? As far as early entries are concerned, Kentucky was a bit of a wash. Patrick Patterson returned, while Jodie Meeks stayed in the draft despite not being a first-round lock. To be honest, I'd almost consider them a loser. Meeks would have been much more valuable, because of his shooting ability, than Patterson, who will lead a loaded frontcourt. But with Coach Cal, John Wall, and everyone else headed to Lexington, the Wildcats will still be loaded next year.
Tennessee returns basically its entire roster, capped off by the surprise decision of Tyler Smith to return to the Vols. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Tennessee will have some of the same issues they had last season—too many athletes, not enough skilled players/shooters, and only one talented (yet inconsistent) point guard on the roster. The only addition that Tennessee made was Kenny Hall, who definitely helps solidify the Vols frontcourt depth. If Bruce Pearl can get this team to put it all together, they have the talent to be a top-10 team.
South Carolina caught a couple of breaks, as Dominique Archie and Devan Downey both decided to return to school. Archie had been adamant that he was just going through the motions, and his intent was to head back to school the entire time. Downey, for a while, looked as if he could follow Calathes to Europe, but in the end decided to return to school. A core of Downey, Archie, and big men Mike Holmes and Evaldus Banilius should be enough for the Gamecocks to make a run at the NCAA Tournament.
Florida is pretty much the only team in the conference that can be considered a loser coming out of the early-entry process after Calathes signed with Greek club Panathiakos. But the Gators did catch a break when Alex Tyus decided not follow Jai Lucas and transfer out of Gainesville. So with the addition of Kenny Boynton, an excellent defender and scorer, to play in the backcourt alongside Erving Walker, combined with the continued maturation of coach Billy Donovan's last two recruiting classes, Florida should find themselves in the conversation for a tournament bid at season's end.

SEC West

LSU was one of the bigger surprises in the country last season, but it is pretty safe to say that the Tigers will fall off this season. They lose Marcus Thornton, Chris Johnson, and Garrett Temple, three senior starters that combined to play more than 90 minutes a game. With not much depth last season and without much of a recruiting class coming in, the Tigers looked to be in trouble. But they caught a break when Tasmin Mitchell decided to return to Baton Rouge. With an inside-outside combination of Bo Spencer and Mitchell, LSU should at least be competitive in the SEC.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs had just about as lucky of an offseason as you can have. First, center and shot-blocker extraordinaire Jarvis Varnado decided to return to school. Then, two talented and unwanted recruits, Renardo Sidney and John Riek, happened to fall into the lap of Rick Stansbury. MSU already had a solid backcourt/perimeter with Dee Bost, Ravern Johnson, Barry Stewart, and Phil Turner coming back. So if Riek can get healthy (question mark) and Sidney can get eligible (bigger question mark), the Bulldogs could be looking at an SEC West title and another trip to the dance.
Arkansas was terrible last season. They were the last-place team in what was by far the worst major conference in the country. But that doesn't mean there isn't talent on this roster. Courtney Fortson put up great numbers (14.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.9 apg) when he wasn't suspended. Rotnei Clarke can light it up from deep with the best of them. And Stefan Welsh is one of the more underrated guards in the league. When Michael Washington decided to return to Fayettesville, it gave Arkansas enough talent to make some noise in the conference. While it may not be enough to get them dancing, it should be enough to get them out of the cellar.
Can you consider Ole Miss a loser? Sure, leading scorer David Huertas left school to play pro ball in Puerto Rico. But the Rebel's 2009 season ended as poorly as it did because three key players (Chris Warren, Trevor Gaskins, and Eniel Polynice) suffered season-ending knee injuries. With those three back in the mix (especially the speedy Warren), Ole Miss should be much better.

Even the teams that didn't have anyone even declare for the draft are expected to be much better. Vanderbilt returns everyone, including A.J. Ogilvy and Jermaine Beal, while adding a top-20 recruit in John Jenkins. Alabama hired Anthony Grant to replace the fired Mark GotFired...Gottfried, and while they lose Alonzo Gee, the Tide still brings back four starters, including JaMychal Green.

So while the SEC is not going to be the 2009 Big East, expect more than three teams to be dancing in 2010.

Jodie Meeks Made the Right Decision, but How Will It Affect Kentucky?

Rob Dauster — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:28:42 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog, Ballin is a Habit.

Everyone in Big Blue Nation had already scripted their fate.

Billy Gillispie had been replaced by John Calipari. Coach Cal had brought a number of his recruits with him to Lexington, landing one of the best recruiting classes in recent memory. Then Cal managed to convince a potential lottery pick in Patrick Patterson to come back to school.

All that was left to do was to wait for Jodie Meeks to come to his senses and pull out of the draft, setting up the Wildcats with the inside track to their eighth national title.

It a bit of a surprising move yesterday, Meeks decided to remain in the draft.

Now I know what you are thinking: "Meeks was an All-American guard that averaged 23.7 points per game in the SEC. Should I really be surprised that he went pro in this day and age?"

Yes, considering where he is being projected by NBA scouts.

Meeks is far from a first-round lock, and there is even some talk that he could go undrafted (which, in my opinion, is highly unlikely. Why can't he be the next Michael Redd?). There is no question that Meeks is an outstanding shooter that can bury some tough jumpers, but what about the rest of his game?

He is a bit on the small side for a two guard (6'4"), and while he is strong enough to play in the league, he is not an NBA-level athlete. He is not all that quick or explosive, and he doesn't have enough length to make up for it.

Think J.J. Redick or Trajan Langdan.

So Meeks is leaving Kentucky, most likely without a first-round guarantee. He is leaving behind a chance to be a pre-season All-America and the face of the No. 1 team in the country (who also has the most rabid fan base). With the talent on this Wildcat roster, if Cal had kept Meeks on campus, there would not have been a single writer in the country that did not have UK winning it all.

Tell me again, why did Meeks make a good decision?

Because this was a career move. There is no denying that this is a weak draft class. With the number of potential first rounders that went back to school (Patterson, Cole Aldrich, Al-Farouq Aminu, Craig Brackins, the list goes on and on), and the strength of next season's freshman class (John Wall, Derrick Favors, John Henson, Avery Bradley), Meeks was almost assured to fall (or stay) out of the first round.

Hell, there are three, possibly four, players on the UK roster (Wall, Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton) that would likely be selected higher than Meeks in the 2010 draft.

With all the talent, all the bravado, and the I-need-more-shots mentality that will be inhabiting the UK roster next year, there was no chance Meeks would have been able to put up the numbers he did last season. His draft stock could probably never be higher than it is right now, which is perfect given the weak draft class this year.

As much as you may enjoy watching these "amateurs," the one thing that needs to be kept in mind is that these kids are developing a skill that they are going to use to make a living. If your best chance at earning a guaranteed, seven-figure contract is to enter the draft early—even if it means leaving behind titles and All-American honors—then by all means, do it.

What's the saying? Strike while the iron is hot?

But this is a college basketball blog, so we are more worried about...college basketball. Losing Meeks will hurt Kentucky a lot more than you think. For starters, the Wildcats will now have a backcourt rotation almost entirely made up of newcomers. As good as Wall, Eric Bledsoe, and Darnell Dodson may be, senior leadership is important, especially when so many freshman are involved.

Coach Cal and his four star freshman.
(photo credit: Jersey Chaser)

There is a bigger issue. The past two seasons, one of the biggest knocks on Coach Cal's Memphis teams has been the inability to consistently knock down perimeter shots. Yes, Cal runs the Dribble-Drive Motion offense, which is predicated on the ability of the perimeter players to break down a defender.

But the Wildcats have a ton of size inside and two electric freshman point guards. How many times per game will the combination of Wall and Bledsoe beat their defenders and get into the lane? The defense is either going to rotate correctly, which will result in open looks from deep, or try to prevent the three from happening by staying home on the shooters, thus opening up passing lanes to the big guys.

Wouldn't have it been nice having Meeks, a 23.7 points-per-games corer and All-America, out beyond the three-point line, lining up open look after open look?

Now, this isn't to say that Kentucky won't be good this season. They probably still have the talent to be a top-five team.

But would UNC have been the unanimous preseason favorite in 2008-09 if Wayne Ellington had stayed in the draft?

"This Is Why Tubby Smith Don't Work In Kentucky No More"

Rob Dauster — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:25:52 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin is a Habit.

That quote right there is a comment from Bsquared-2 on a blog post from Gary Parrish.

The post is about Tubby Smith's decision to not hold an Elite Camp at Minnesota this summer. If you don't know what an Elite Camp is, read this.

Essentially, this is how it works. A school will host a basketball camp during the summer with the sole intention of getting the top 10 or 20 or 50 kids they are recruiting onto their campus. They then pay the recruit's AAU coach, father, brother, or someone else with influence over the recruit a large sum of money to come speak at or work the camp. The understanding is that some of that money goes into the pocket of the person of influence (usually the AAU coach), while some of that money is to be used to assure that the player can get on campus for the camp.

How else would 16- and 17-year-old kids be able to afford to fly all over the country during the summer?

The craziest part of this is that all of it is perfectly legal. The NCAA cannot regulate who the school hires for its camps, the same way it cannot regulate who the school hires as a coach. Furthermore, they cannot regulate how much the school pays these "employees" so long as they are relatively similar across the board (i.e. if UConn hires both myself and Brandon Knight's AAU coach to work their Elite Camp, we both better be making $1,000, or $3,000, or whatever it is the Huskies staff decides to pay).

$3,000 minus travel expenses does not sound like a huge payday, until you consider the fact that each school can hire these guys multiple times during the summer. If an AAU coach works two camps each at ten different schools recruiting one of his players, that is a quick $60,000 into that coach's pocket (and God knows how much into the player's pocket).

But, again, this is all legal.

And everyone does it.

It is part of what makes a great basketball coach: Finding the loopholes in the rules that allow you to throw a little money around and get the top recruits and their families/inner circles onto your campus.

Like it or not, this is how recruiting at the big-time programs work. It is how you land players that will win you national titles.

And Tubby Smith doesn't believe in it. After running Elite Camps in his first two summers at Minnesota (the 2007 Elite Camp he ran at Minnesota was his first—he said he never had one at Kentucky), Smith and the Gophers will not be hosting any this summer. From the Big Ten Network:

"There's been some concerns as coaches with kids that are traveling that far for a day or two-day elite camp. We don't want anything to suggest that there's any type of (wrongdoing). But I think the best way to be is to be a guy that says we're going to do it this other way (to host only day, overnight and team camps). An elite camp is legal. I think guys are doing the right things, but there are some things that can look like they're not, so you have to be real careful."

While it may not be the smartest decision given the nature of his profession, it is quite a noble gesture.

And one of the reasons he was run out of Lexington.

Which brings me to Bsquared-2's point.

All told, Tubby did not have a bad run while at the helm of the Wildcats. But he was not landing blue-chip recruits. As we have said so many times on this blog, successful recruiting is the biggest key to a successful program. Since he wasn't landing the cream of the recruiting crop on a consistent basis, he was not hanging banners which is, when it comes down to it, what they care about in Big Blue Nation.

Tubby will continue to nobly run his Minnesota program, and, as he did at Kentucky, he will continue to compete atop the conference and make NCAA Tournaments, with an occasional Sweet 16 or Elite 8 run mixed in. Those results are perfectly OK at a school like Minnesota.

But they are not at a school like Kentucky.

As Bsquared-2 so aptly put it, "This is why Tubby don't work in Kentucky no more".

Scottie Reynolds Returning to Villanova

Rob Dauster — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:57:35 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out Ballin is a Habit.

Good news for Villanova today, as point guard Scottie Reynolds has withdrawn his name from the NBA Draft.

Smart choice.

Reynolds was projected as possibly being able to sneak into the end of the second round, but was expected by many to go undrafted.

Reynolds provides a lot of leadership for this team, and the Wildcats will need it next year as they are losing seniors Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson, and Shane Clark.

But don't expect Villanova to fall off next season after making a run to the Final Four in 2009. Yes, losing Cunningham, Anderson, and Clark is going to hurt, but the Wildcats bring back an excellent back court as Reynolds will be teaming with The Two Coreys (Fisher and Stokes) and Reggie Redding.

They also bring in the best recruiting class in the country this side of Lexington, which includes four top-100 players, and three in Rivals top 30: big men Mouphtou Yarou and Isaiah Armwood, and guards Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek.

So yes, Villanova will once again have a talent-laden roster, and has already been tabbed by one national college hoops writer as a top-5 team. But I warn you, Wildcat fans, don't underestimate what the Wildcats are losing to graduation.

The reason that Villanova was as good as they were last year was their toughness and their versatility, especially on the defensive end. It was guys like Anderson and Clark that could defend all five positions on the floor. They were the reason that Villanova could run so many different defensive looks—switching all screens, switching all exchanges, and straight up man-to-man. And it was the Wildcat's defensive prowess that made them a great team last year.

And don't forget Dante Cunningham, who was basically the Wildcats only inside presence last season, made all the more valuable by the excellent 17-foot jumper he developed over the course of his career.

Now, Yarou is a top-10 recruit, and may be able to come in and provide Villanova with an inside presence as a freshman. And Jay Wright has arguably the best track record of any coach this decade when it comes to churning out talented perimeter players. There is no denying the talent on this roster is as good as any in the country.

I'm simply saying that what Jay Wright is losing with Anderson and Clark graduating goes far beyond the stats those two posted every night.

Tim Floyd Resigns from USC

Rob Dauster — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:53:05 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin is a Habit.

Reports are flying from every major news outlet that Tim Floyd, the head coach of the USC Trojans, has resigned.

The Clarion (Mississippi) Ledger was the first to report it as they were able to obtain a letter from Floyd to USC athletic director Mike Garrett, which read:

As of 1 p.m. today, I am resigning as head basketball coach at the University of Southern California. I deeply appreciate the opportunity afforded me by the university, as well as the chance to know and work with some of the finest young men in college athletics.

Unfortunately, I no longer feel I can offer the level of enthusiasm to my duties that is deserved by the university, my coaching staff, my players, their families, and the supporters of Southern Cal.

I always promised myself and my family that if I ever felt I could no longer give my full enthusiasm to a job, that I should leave it to others who could. I intend to contact my coaching staff and my players in coming days and weeks to tell them how much each of them means to me.

I wish the best to USC and to my successor.

In his four years at the helm of the Trojans, Floyd went 85-50, reaching the NCAA Tournament the last three seasons. But, ever since Yahoo! Sports reported on May 12th that Floyd had paid Ronald Guillory—a runner for the Bill Duffy Associates sports agency and a known associate of OJ Mayo, everything Floyd had built has slowly started to disintegrate.

First, Daniel Hackett, Demar Derozan, Taj Gibson, (Gibson can still return to the Trojans as he has yet to sign with an agent) and later on Marcus Johnson all declared for the NBA Draft.

Then, Floyd's recruiting class started falling apart: Solomon Hill decided to go to Arizona, Noel Johnson backed out of his commitment, and Renardo Sidney was not allowed into USC.

We will be following this story as more information comes out, but according to FOXSports neither Taj Gibson nor the USC coaching staff knows anything about Floyd's decision.

To be completely honest, I really hope that Floyd was fired (UPDATE: The Dagger believes that Floyd was fired/forced to resign).

He got himself into this mess by allowing OJ Mayo and his handlers to take advantage of the situation. Now there is this shitstorm brewing around his program, and this shitstorm is only aiding in the decision of some very good college hoopers to avoid USC like the plague.

or him to walk away right now and leave USC—the players, the fans, and the administrators—in the lurch is cowardly.

You, coach Floyd, brought this on the program.

Not the guy that will be brought in to replace you.

Not the players still left on the team.

Not the fans who started to believe that the Trojans could be a basketball school.

Not any future recruit that will have to deal with any NCAA sanctions handed down.

You should be riding this out with your team and your university.

How does the saying go?

The Captain always goes down with the ship?

Terrible analogy aside, Tim Floyd hopped on the first life boat and left the rest of his crew on the USC ship to drown.

Paul Hewitt Talks with US Congressman Steve Cohen About Cohen's Comments

Rob Dauster — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:00:59 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin is a Habit.

Last week, we talked a bit about Steve Cohen, a congressman from Tennessee, and the letter he sent to the NBA regarding their age limit. Cohen, in my opinion, was completely, 100 percent correct in his conclusions about the NBA's age limit.

But for a congressman, Cohen probably could use a lesson in being a bit more politically correct.

He may have gotten one from Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt.

In an interview with the New York Times, Cohen had some pretty inflammatory things to say:

“It’s a vestige of slavery. Not like the slavery of 150 years ago, but it’s a restraint on a person’s freedoms and liberties.”

“There’s something wrong with keeping kids, who are more likely to be African-American than not, from playing professional basketball and football when they can help their families and communities immediately. They’re forced to go to school when they have no desire or interest in going to school.”

“I think the odds of either of them coming back and getting a degree is probably less likely than the Grizzlies winning the N.B.A. title next year.”

“He [referring to former Georgia Tech player Thaddeus Young] could have gone straight to the pros. I don’t think he’s going to be an engineer. It’s just kind of a mockery.”

Thaddeus Young was at the center of a controversy involving comments
made by a Congressman from Tennessee.
(photo credit: SoulHonky)

First of all, I don't think I even need to mention the problems with Cohen, who is white, comparing anything to slavery.

I understand the point he is making, and I am not disagreeing with it, but to compare "forcing" a student-athlete to attend college for free for a year because he can put a ball through a metal rim to slavery is down right absurd and completely inappropriate.

It makes it worse that the people he is referring too are, in general, African- American youths.

That isn't the quote that upset Hewitt. It was the other three, specifically the way that Cohen spoke about Thaddeus Young. Young, who happens to hail from Cohen's district in Tennessee, was a 4.0 student in high school and left Georgia Tech in good academic standing.

It wasn't just the fact that Cohen blatantly insulted a former player of Hewitt's. Cohen also basically said that getting an education is worthless endeavor for these kids, and that the majority of them simply do not care about schooling. Again, I don't know what he was intending when he said it, but even I got a sense of racial undertones when reading it.

Not surprisingly, Hewitt was upset when he learned of these comments and demanded an apology from Cohen (follow the link, Hewitt's comments are long and, for the most part, scathing in nature).

"Saying a young man choosing to go to school at Georgia Tech, whether it’s one year or four years, is a mockery, I just didn’t think that was an accurate statement and I thought it was somewhat damaging," Hewitt to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We know what we have here and the type of kids we bring here.

...The value of an education for a college basketball player is as significant as for anyone in the country, and I don’t think we should ever downplay that."

Hewitt and Cohen spoke over the phone, and apparently they were able to hash out their differences peacefully. In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, Hewitt said that he was "satisfied with their conversation", but didn't get into what was actually said.

The most ironic part of all this?

Hewitt and Cohen agree on the age issue. Hewitt supports a system similar to that of baseball, where players can go straight to the pros, but if they go to school, they need to spend three years there (personally, I say two years, because it will mean more talent will end up in the college ranks, but the three year argument makes it very easy for a kid to earn his degree in that time if he attends summer classes for each year).

This is what I will leave you with. The gist of what Cohen was saying was essentially correct, and if those quotes came from a group of friends (regardless of race) talking sports, then it is what it is.

But if you are a congressman representing a region that no doubt has a black population, then you cannot be quoted in the New York Times using such rhetoric.

The bottom line is that there is a perception that "jocks are dumb", which isn't entirely untrue. But there are plenty of kids playing a Division-I sport at a very high level that are incredibly intelligent and that could succeed in another career path, just as there are plenty of morons out there that simply are not athletically gifted.

People drop out of college all the time. Musicians, actors, construction workers, and even guys like Bill Gates leave school before earning their degrees to pursue careers. There are also a lot of professional athletes that go back to school to earn their degrees.

Remember the uproar over Vince Carter's decision to go back to North Carolina to graduate during a playoff series?

So while the NBA's age limit is an exploitative rule that is in place to allow the NBA (and, to a certain extent, the NCAA) to maximize their profit margin, using stereotypes and generalities to argue the issues is not the way to go about changing it.

There is a silver lining, however. Maybe this little dust-up will bring the problems of the 19-and-1 to the forefront, and will help in eventually getting it overturned.

NBA Draft Prospects: Earl Clark, Louisville

Rob Dauster — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:35:47 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit.

For a complete listing of NBA Draft prospects and their player breakdown, click here.

Stats: 14.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.4 bpg, 3.2 t/o's, 45.7 percent FG, 32.6 percent 3PT, and 64.7 percent FT

Listed Size: 6'9" and 220 lb, 1/17/1988 (21 years old)

About Him: There is no denying the potential that Earl Clark has. The kid is a fantastic athlete.

At 6'9" and 220 lb, he is big and strong enough to bang on the block, but he is also quick and mobile enough to get out and defend guards on the perimeter. With his frame (big broad shoulders and long arms), he could probably still add 15 pounds of muscle without negatively affecting his athleticism.

This versatility makes him an enticing pro prospect.

The issue is that so much of what Clark brings to the table is potential. One of the biggest problems that Clark faced in his time at Louisville was a lack of identity, so to speak—he was always stuck between being a three and a four.

This season was a perfect example.

Playing alongside Terrence Williams and Samardo Samuels in the front court, it would seem like the four would be the natural fit for Clark. But with the lack of playmaking ability from Louisville's backcourt, Clark (along with T-Will) was forced to be the guy that the Cardinal offense ran through.

This created a bit of a catch-22 for Clark. For starters, he seems to be much more comfortable playing on the perimeter. He does not have a great back-to-the-basket game, and earned a reputation in the Big East for being a bit soft around the rim.

For someone with his size and athleticism, you would expect to see him dunking on people more than he did. Clark has a tendency to shy away from contact, trying to get cute and spin in a ball off the glass as opposed to going through the defender to finish.

While Clark seemed more comfortable playing on the perimeter, it doesn't necessarily mean he is cut out for playing on the perimeter in the NBA. He does have the physical tools, but his skill set has yet to catch up.

One major issue is his aggressiveness.

Clark is not a good perimeter shooter (streaky, but very inconsistent), yet he settled for a ton of threes and deep pull-ups. He seemed afraid at times of the contact that occurs when he takes the ball to the basket.

Another issue with Clark is that he is not the best decision maker. Yes, he can knock down the occasional perimeter jumper, and yes, he is a good passer when he decides to create (as evidenced by his 3.2 apg), but he also turned the ball over at a high rate (3.2 t/o's).

While he does have a solid handle for someone his size, he seemed to get out of control at times—which led to a lot of his turnovers.

Defensively, however, Clark is a pretty good playmaker right now, averaging over a block and a steal per game. One of the reasons that Louisville was as successful as they were in their press this year was his ability to wreak havoc playing the second line in the 2-2-1.

It's tough to know exactly what he can do in a man-to-man situation because Louisville played a lot of zone; his physical tools are good enough that it will be a matter of effort for him. If he is willing to work on that end, he will be a good defender.

But effort is something that Clark does not always put out. As I said, he is a very inconsistent player, putting up 25, 15, and five games just as often as he would go for eight points, four boards, and seven turnovers.

He also built up a bit of a reputation for dogging it in practice (I remember reading a quote from Pitino somewhere that read, and I'm paraphrasing, Earl Clark is a great player, just not in practice).

Comparisons—Best Case: Danny Granger and Boris Diaw (at his best); Worst Case: Julian Wright and Boris Diaw (now).

Bottom Line: Clark has a world of potential.

The question is going to be...will he live up to it?

But it seems like his "stock" soared and fell on a game-by-game basis. For every Ole Miss (25 pts, 16 bs, four asts, and five blks) and Providence (24 pts, 10 rbs, seven asts, two blks, and two stls), he had a West Virginia (four pts, five rebs, and four to's) and a UConn (five pts, three rebs, and 2-16 FG's).

I've read in a lot of places that he has bust written all over him, mostly because of his lacking work ethic. Based on potential alone, he is probably a lock for the lottery, maybe even sneaking into the top 10.

NBA Draft Prospects: Stephen Curry, Davidson

Rob Dauster — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:30:58 -0400

If you like what you read her, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit.

For a complete listing of NBA Draft prospects and their player breakdown, click here.

Stats: 28.6 ppg, 5.6 apg, 2.5 spg, 3.7 t/o's, 45.4 percent FG, 38.7 percent 3PT, and 87.6 percent FT

Listed Size: 6'3" and 185 lbs., 3/14/88 (21 years old)

About Him: As a sophomore, Stephen Curry exploded onto the national scene with what may go down as the single greatest NCAA Tournament performance of this generation, carrying tiny Davidson to within a 25 footer of the Final Four.

But as a junior, Curry's role vastly changed with the graduation of point guard Jason Richards. Already a proven shooter, this allowed Curry to show off what he could do as a point guard, and for the most part, the season was a (personal) success.

The most interesting aspect of Curry, as an NBA prospect, is how different his role will be in the league. At Davidson this past season, everything about the Wildcats' offense was centered around Curry and his ability to create—both for himself and for his teammates.

His usage rate was 31.6 possessions per game, the most of any NBA prospect and 50 percent more than anyone not named Lester Hudson. In the NBA, Curry is going to play a much more marginal role.

I know that this is stating the obvious, but Curry's game centers around his shot—which is as pure a stroke as I have ever seen. If you allow Curry to catch-and-shoot with his feet set and his shoulders square, he is automatic out to about 30 feet (literally).

He also has an incredibly quick trigger, which allows him to get his shot off even when he is defended well. Curry has a great basketball IQ and truly understands how to run off screens and create space off the ball.

But Curry's physical limitations probably mean he is going to end up as more of a point/combo guard than a pure two. He doesn't have the size, the strength, or the lateral quickness/athleticism to defend shooting guards in the league (he does, however, have a knack for disrupting the passing lanes as he averaged almost three thefts per).

He is also going to run into some issues at the point as well. His first step leaves much to be desired, and it more than likely will mean that Curry will have problems beating NBA points off the dribble.

Curry did, however, prove himself to be an excellent ball handler in his one season running the show for Davidson.

He can handle the ball with either hand and has a variety of fakes and hesitation moves that he can use to keep defenders off balance and help him create space and get a look off the dribble.

Perhaps his most telling stat was his assist: turnover ratio—even with the ball in his hands nearly every possession (as a playmaker and not just a scorer), Curry doubled his assist numbers while only slightly increasing his turnovers.

Shooting off the dribble is something Curry was forced to do quite a bit this past season, and he proved to be pretty good. He can pull-up going in either direction, and he has a lightening quick and absolutely deadly step-back in his repertoire when going left.

The biggest concern any GM will have with Curry's shooting is how far his numbers dipped this year. Most of that, however, can be explained by his team's dependence on him—he forced a lot of bad shots simply because Davidson needed it.

Comparisons: Best Case: I've seen a lot of people saying Mike Bibby, so I'll go with that; Worst Case: Jannero Pargo, Steve Kerr, and JJ Redick.

Bottom Line: Curry is an incredibly smart player. Not only does he understand the game, he understands his limitations.

He probably is never going to end up being a star in the league because of a lack of explosiveness (meaning he will be a huge defensive liability). He should be able to hang around the league because of the all-around offensive package he brings to the table.

NBA Draft Prospects: Demar Derozan, USC

Rob Dauster — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:28:23 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit.

For a complete listing of NBA Draft prospects and their player breakdown, click here.

Stats: 13.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg (2.4 off), 52.3 percent FG, 64.6 percent FT, 16.0 percent 3PT, 1.5 apg, and 2.1 t/o's

Listed Size: 6'7", 207 lbs., 8/7/89 (19 years old)

About Him: Demar Derozan is a freak athlete. That much is obvious if you scroll down and watch the second highlight clip.

But if you watched Derozan play this season, he was far from ready for the league, and any GM that selects this kid needs to do so with the understanding that he is a clear cut work in progress (and based on what we have heard about Derozan, he is a good kid that does work hard—good sign for a project).

So what can he do now?

Other than jump out of the gym, well...not too much right now. By the end of the season, he became much more aggressive, especially going to the offensive glass (where he can let his tools take over).

But for someone with as much athleticism as Derozan has, he really didn't put down too many "Good God, that's possible?!?" dunks during the year. In general, Derozan just didn't seem to get it for the first half of the season.

A lot of that, I believe, had to do with confidence—no matter how good you are, it sometimes takes a while to prove to yourself what you can do on the court. A lot of it had to do with Tim Floyd finding the right times to get Derozan the ball.

But by the end of the year, specifically tournament time (he averaged 21 ppg and 9 rpg tallying two double-doubles, during the Trojan's run through the Pac-10 tourney, and set his season-high in FT attempts with seven), he finally put it all together and played like a future pro.

Offensively, Derozan can basically do two things—knock down a mid-range jumper and dunk. His ball-handling is very shaky to the point that he even struggles at times with the two dribbles that get him from the perimeter to the rim (he can't change direction either).

He doesn't have range beyond 17 feet. He can't catch-and-shoot when he is moving. His upper-body strength is not where it needs to be in order for him to finish through any kind of contact around the rim.

He is not a great passer (0.7 a:t/o) or decision maker, and does not have a high basketball IQ. But, like I said, his mid-range game is already pretty solid. He can knock down shots off the bounce. When he catches with his feet set, he is an above-average shooter from 15-17 feet.

A guy like that can develop into a pretty solid shooter if he puts in the work.

Another positive sign is how efficient Derozan is scoring the basketball. He averaged 13.9 ppg on just 10.5 shots, which is all the more impressive when you consider he made just six threes and 95 free throws this year (and also hit 56.2 percent from two).

While he might not have been shooting the ball enough, in general he wasn't taking bad shots, and he was making the ones he took.

On the defensive end, Derozan has a lot to learn. His fundamentals are not yet up to par, he sometimes falls asleep (especially on help side), and he never really showed flashes of being a playmaker on this end.

But one thing he did was play hard.

Like I said, for someone as raw as Derozan is—skills, fundamentals, and basketball basics can be taught. Effort, work ethic, and the heart to play hard (on both ends) cannot.

Comparisons: Best Case: Some combination of Josh Howard, Gerald Wallace, Vince Carter, and Jason Richardson; Worst Case: Desmond Mason and Rodney Carney

Bottom Line: Derozan has more potential than any other wing player in this class. If he works his tail off and develops within a team's system, he has enough raw ability that he can be a top 10-15 player in the league.

But that is a ways down the road, and it is always tough to keep working hard when you aren't getting minutes. As to what kind of player Derozan becomes, it is really going to depend on who drafts him and what they are looking for Derozan to be—do they want a scoring guard (a la VC), or do they want a slashing small forward (a la Gerald Wallace)?

Because of how risky (read: how raw) Derozan is as a prospect, he is probably going to fall somewhere in the middle of the lottery (6-12 range), but that is subject to change based on how the draft order shakes out.

Highlights:

Jordan Hill, Arizona: NBA Draft Prospect

Rob Dauster — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:33:01 -0400

Jordan Hill was one of the bigger surprises of the 2008-2009 season. He was lightly recruited coming out of the Patterson School in NC, and did not really look like a guy that could be a top five pick during his first two seasons in Tucson. But as a junior, Hill emerged as one of the most productive big men in the country, averaging a double-double.

Some of the biggest reasons for Hill's success are his athleticism and his tools. He is a legit 6'10" with long arms, big hands, and an explosive leaping ability (see the dunks in the highlight clips below). He is an exceptional finisher at the rim as a result.

The problem? That is about all he is offensively. His back to the basket game is very raw (anyone that saw him struggle to establish position and score on the 6'6" front line of Cleveland State in the tourney can attest), and he got the majority of his points off of put-backs and cutting to the rim (he does operate well off a pick and roll).

He is robotic, in a sense, when making a post move—instead of reading what the defense is giving him, he seems to make up his mind as to what move he wants to make before he gets the ball.

Hill is far from an efficient scorer. As a post, he shoots just 54 percent from the field and only got to the line 5.3 times per game.

This should be worrisome for NBA coaches, as it signals Hill's lack of offensive development (but not a lack of aggression—Hill had a lot of trouble with fouls this year, especially offensive). It is going to take some time before Hill becomes much more than a dunker and rebounder.

He tends to have the same sort of problem defensively. One-on-one, he is a solid defender on the block simply because he is an athlete (although he was hidden a bit thanks to Zona's 2-3). But he tends to run into trouble when he has to come over and help. With his size and length, one would assume his shot blocking numbers would have been higher.

But that is part of what makes Hill an attractive prospect. While his skill set right now does not project to be a game-changing presence (he is more of an energy guy right now), he is still young in a basketball sense, having started playing the game very late.

While his basketball IQ is none too impressive right now, that kind of thing could develop over time as he gets more and more experience and coaching. Remember, this kid developed into an all-american while he endured three different coaches and the Lute Olson soap opera at Arizona.

Comparisons

Best case: A combination of Chris Wilcox (scoring) and David Lee (rebounding); Worst case: Nene Hilario, Ronny Turiaf.

Bottom Line

Outside of Blake Griffin and Ricky Rubio, there may not be a guy that makes an all-star team from this draft class. While Hill's development at Arizona combined with his tools makes him an attractive prospect and could land him in the top five, he may never be more than an energy guy and role player (although, I can see him averaging 12 and 10 at some point).

Stats: 18.4 ppg, 11.0 rpg (4.2 off), 1.7 bpg, 53.7 FG percentage, 65.4 FT percentage
Listed Size: 6'10", 235 lb, 7/27/87 (21 years old)

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit. For a complete listing of NBA Draft prospects and their player breakdown, click here.

Photo credit: Zimbio

NBA Draft Prospects: Ty Lawson, North Carolina

Rob Dauster — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:28:00 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit. For a complete listing of NBA Draft prospects and their player breakdown, click here.

Stats: 16.6 ppg, 6.6 apg, 3.0 rpg, 2.1 spg, 1.9 t/o's, 53.2% FG, 47.2% 3FG, 79.8% FT,

Listed Size: 6'0", 195 lb, 11/3/87 (21 years old)

(photo credit: streetball.com)

About Him: With the return of four underclassmen last season, North Carolina’s high-powered offense became damn near unstoppable. The biggest reason for that was Lawson, who won ACC player of the year honors over his teammate, and fellow first team All-American Tyler Hansbrough.

There is not a faster player in the country with the ball in his hands than Lawson. But what is amazing about his speed is that he rarely seems to be playing out of control, as evidenced by his 3.4:1 a:t/o (assist to turnover) ratio. In the open court there is not much you can do to stop him. He has a great handle, changes directions very well, but usually does not need them as all it takes in one quick move and he is by you.

In the lane, Lawson is an exceptional finisher at the rim. He is built like a running back (really strong with a compact upper body), which allows him to go through contact, bouncing off bigger defenders despite often giving up size. He also is a great passer, knowing when to shoot and when to give the ball up to an open teammate.

This season, Lawson added a very effective three-point shot to his arsenal, although he is limited in when he can use it. He was only a threat to shoot if he caught the ball with his feet set and a lot of space to shoot because his release is very slow. In addition, he was also a threat if he shot off the dribble from a static position. When shooting on the move, either off the dribble or the catch, Lawson is much less dangerous. But given the improvement to his overall shooting ability, I would say he has the potential to become a dangerous shooter with time. Lawson also struggles in the mid-range game. Simply put, if Lawson put the ball on the floor this past season, he was going to the rim - pull-ups are not yet in his repertoire.

For all he can do offensively, Lawson has yet to prove himself to be consistently effective in the half court set. He is clearly a guy that you want if you are playing an up-tempo style of ball (can you imagine Lawson in Mike D'Antoni's system?), but not so much for a team playing a slower tempo.

On the defensive end, Lawson proved himself to be very dangerous, especially off the ball (just look at the title game - eight steals). He is adept at jumping passing lanes or coming from the weak side and stripping a post-up player. His out of this world quickness also allows him to get to a huge number of loose balls. Where he may struggle on the defensive end is in one-on-one situations, simply because of his height.

What was most impressive to me about Lawson was how good of a true "point guard" he turned out to be. Lawson had a knack for getting his teammates shots throughout the first half, and then taking over down the stretch if his team needed it. For example, the LSU game from the second round of the NCAA tournament when Lawson had 21 second half points en route to a 14 point UNC win.

Comparisons: Best Case: Healthy TJ Ford, Ray Felton; Worst Case: Poor man's Jamaal Tinsley

Bottom Line: Lawson is not going to be a guy like Chris Paul or Deron Williams in the NBA. He's not a guy that can really adapt to a system. But if he finds the right team and the right fit, he can absolutely be a productive point in the League.

Highlights:

NBA Draft Prospects: Hasheem Thabeet, UConn

Rob Dauster — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:23:57 -0400

If you like what you read here, check out my blog Ballin' is a Habit. For a complete list of NBA Draft prospects, click here.

Stats: 13.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 4.2 bpg, 64 percent FG, 62.9 percent FT

Listed Size: 7'3", 270 lb, 2/16/87 (22 years old)

About Him: Hasheem Thabeet is a defensive force. It is rare that you can find a player that can dominate and control a game without taking a shot. But that is what Thabeet can do.

Forget for a second that he is 7'3" with the wingspan of a pterodactyl. Forget that he is much more athletic and agile than your typical 7 footer (can a 7 footer be typical?).

The thing that makes him so good defensively is that he has incredible instincts when it comes to blocking shots—he doesn't bite on pump fakes, he's exceptional at blocking shots from the weak side out of his area, and most importantly he can stay out of foul trouble.

That's not to say he is ready to guard NBA centers just yet. He still needs to add a good 20-30 lb's to his 270 lb frame, and really needs to improve on his core strength, leg strength, and balance. But he has the size and the instincts that you can't teach, and he has already proven he has a good work ethic.

As a freshman, Thabeet's offensive repertoire was laughable. He had no back-to-the-basket game at all, he couldn't catch the ball, and he was too afraid of contact to finish with a dunk, instead missing point blank lay-ups all too frequently.

While his offensive game is still greatly lacking, he has shown some serious signs of improvement. He has developed a decent touch on his free throw stroke, and by the tournament he was taking (and making) 12-15 foot jumpers.

He started showing signs of understanding low post positioning offensively as well as finishing off post moves with decent-looking jump hooks.

But most importantly, he dunked as much and as hard as anyone in the college game this side of Blake Griffin and was not afraid to let someone know about it after. With Thabeet, the biggest thing is toughness—playing with a mean streak, with an attitude.

When he did, he had games like the one against Providence (15 points, 11 boards, 10 blocks) or Seton Hall (25 points, 20 boards, 9 blocks). When he doesn't, he gets DeJuan Blaired.

There are two things he really needs to improve on at the next level - defending the pick and roll (which he has actually gotten fairly good at defending) and breaking his habit of putting the ball on the floor in the lane.

Comparisons: Best Case: Samuel Dalembert, Dikembe Mutumbo; Worst Case: Mamadou N'Diaye, Sagana Diop

Bottom Line: Yes, Thabeet got eaten up by Blair this year, but that performance does not really project to the pro's. Blair is a tough match-up for Thabeet (short, stocky, strong vs. long, lanky, not-so-strong), and is one that he is unlikely to see too often in the pros. NBA teams have centers, taller guys with similar centers of gravity to Thabeet.

As he keeps improving defensively against the pick and roll, Thabeet is going to be a guy that can be a difference maker defensively. The question is, will his offense (and his strength) allow him to be more than a situational role player?

Highlights: