178 Days to Late Night!

Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self was presented with the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards in Oklahoma City Monday.
 
A native of Edmond, Okla., Self was informed in November of 2013 that he would be honored in the ceremony at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The College Basketball Awards are produced annually by Access Sports in conjunction with the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Self shared the stage with college basketball's 2014 Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year (Jabari Parker of Duke), the 2014 National Player of the Year (Doug McDermott of Creighton), who received the Oscar Robertson Trophy, and the 2014 Henry Iba National Coach of the Year (Gregg Marshall of Wichita State).
 
The Tisdale Humanitarian Award recognizes an individual involved in college basketball that has had a significant and positive impact on and away from the court. Previous honorees include legendary ESPN and hall of fame announcer Dick Vitale, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski and Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo. The award's namesake, Wayman Tisdale, died in May 2009 after a two-year battle with cancer.
 
"I was very aware of this award but I had absolutely no idea that I was in consideration for anything like this," Self said in a media session prior to the banquet. "They could have picked a lot of guys more deserving than of a humanitarian award than me. It means a lot because it's happening in Oklahoma City and then having Wayman's name on it. I was by no means in competition with him but I did play during the same era and I saw how he revolutionized basketball in our state. You could say Billy Tubbs and Nolan Richardson had a strong hand in doing that but Wayman changed the whole climate of everything going on here. And to have a guy do it that was such a personality, and maybe as good of an ambassador as anybody as our state has known, is very cool."
KUAD


“My first trip with Wayman ... we had 15 people on a 15-passenger van, which doesn’t seem like it would be that crowded except we were going from Oklahoma City to Las Vegas, and a 26-hour van trip didn’t really bode well,” Self recalled. “But I just remember this big ol’ dude, because there was nowhere for him to put his legs. He had to drape his legs over my shoulder, and I’m in the seat in front of him, and I’m saying, ‘Who is this dude?’

“That first game that we played, I had 26 points, he had two, and I’m thinking, ‘I’m going to start getting recruited.’ Not one coach spoke to me, and Wayman had a wedding-reception line waiting to say, ‘Hey, great game, Wayman.’ I knew then what the difference was between potential and actually having one decent game against bad competition,” Self added, laughing.

Self said the 6-foot-9 Tisdale, who was three-time Big Eight Conference player of the year and three-time first-team All-American, “was a special guy. Nobody lit up a room more than him. He changed the mood of a building, let alone a room. I mean, he probably had as much personality and as much charisma as anybody that I’ve been around, period, and certainly did more for our sport where I’m from than anybody ever has. And even people that met him later on in life when he was doing his music (he recorded eight albums), they all felt the same way.”

Self was honored Monday for his work with his own Assists Foundation, as well as work with Coaches Vs. Cancer and the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

“When you look at Bill Self’s record on the court and combine that with what he does off the court in the community and with his players, you see the very essence of what the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award stands for,” said David Gillikin, Chairman of the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards. “We are very pleased to be able to recognize coach Self and his accomplishments with this prestigious award.”
LJW

5. Kansas 94, Duke 83 (Nov. 13): To understand how much hype there was for the meeting between prospective No. 1 picks Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker, consider this for a moment. The Champion's Classic's other game featured No. 1 Kentucky and No. 2 Michigan State, and that was clearly the less anticipated of the two blockbuster showdowns. The matchup between Duke and Kansas met expectations too even though the Jayhawks pulled away late as both freshmen whet our appetite for a fun season ahead. Parker finished with 27 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Wiggins bounced back from a lackluster first half to score 22 points, grab 10 rebounds and lock up Parker down the stretch to help his team win.

10. Colorado 75, Kansas 72 (Dec. 7): Colorado's run of futility ended against longtime nemesis Kansas ended on an improbable buzzer beater. With 3.0 seconds left in regulation and the score tied at 72, Askia Booker took an inbound pass near mid-court, shook free of his defender and floated a running 3-footer at the rim. To the delight of Booker and his Colorado teammates, the shot found all net, giving the Buffaloes a 75-72 victory and snapping the program's 19-game losing streak at the hands of the Jayhawks. At the time, it seemed that victory might pave the way for a special season for Colorado. Alas, the Buffaloes lost leading scorer Spencer Dinwiddie for the season a month later and had to settle for scraping into the NCAA tournament.
Yahoo: Top 10 games of the season

UDK image

When Elden Tefft created his bronze sculpture of James Naismith five years ago, he thought the most natural place for it would be the University of Kansas. Now, after completing and placing two other versions — one in Canada and one in Massachusetts — his third replica of basketball’s inventor will finally make it to campus.

The new sculpture will depict Naismith sitting down on a bench-like granite base with two peach baskets between his legs and on his right knee and a soccer ball, which he used in inventing the game. Tefft’s idea was to provide room next to Naismith for people to sit next to him.
“I’ve been waiting ever since the beginning,” said Tefft, the 94-year-old sculptor. “This is where I thought it would land first. Finally, after all of these years I’m going to finish it.”
UDK

4/13/14, 9:24 PM On his way to #NBA, @jojo_embiid sitting courtside at #Lakers in his #Kansas hat #kubball @bethharrisap

KU freshman Andrew Wiggins and his brother, Nick, had courtside seats for the Toronto Raptors’ game against New York on Friday in Toronto, the Toronto Sun reports. The paper reports that Wiggins has selected Bill Duffy as his agent and has started preparing for the draft workout process. Duffy represents Canadian sensation Steve Nash, the paper said. KU coach Bill Self said recently Wiggins would “fulfill his academic obligations” the rest of the semester.

“He’s right on track academically,” Self said. “We’ve had a perfect APR for seven years in a row. He knows he has to finish in order for us to (continue that). There’s no question (he will).”
LJW

4/12/14, 5:59 PM @22wiggins with his parents at the 32nd Annual #bbpahja2014. HarryJeromeAthleticsAward pic.twitter.com/FK5PY5MHB2 ‏@TheBBPA

Congratulations Paul Pierce! The Truth becomes 18th man in NBA history (4th active player) to score 25K career Pts.
@SportsCenter

There are plenty of numbers that make the argument for power forward Markieff Morris to be the NBA's Sixth Man Award winner but Morris thinks the one that seals his case is the win column.

"Coming off the bench with energy, scoring, rebounding, making my teammates better and winning games, especially when we were supposed to win 17," Morris said. "When you're supposed to win 17 and you got a guy like me averaging 14 points and we might pull off a playoff run 15 or 16 games above .500. You knew the Clippers (Jamal Crawford reference) were going to be good. You knew the Bulls (Taj Gibson reference) were going to be good, with or without D (Derrick) Rose. Y'all thought we were going after a Number 1 pick. I think I deserve Sixth Man Award for the team success."

Morris has scored more points than any NBA reserve this season and the fourth most of any Suns sub, behind Sixth Man Award winners Leandro Barbosa, Dan Majerle and Eddie Johnson.

"He's a big key for us," Hornacek said. "We expect him to dominate with that group. He's done a great job and that's why we have success."
Arizona Republic

J.J. Redick begins the sequence by putting his hands on McLemore behind the three-point line, and well away from the ball. He maintains the contact as McLemore cuts to the other side, and after battling for position, the two appeared to literally bump heads, which was the final straw for McLemore.

McLemore shoved Redick to the face (albeit only slightly), but it was his second technical foul of the game, and referee Joey Crawford made sure that he knew immediately that his afternoon was finished.
NBC

With a little over eight minutes remaining in the second quarter and New Orleans leading 32-31, Rivers shoved Collison as the Thunder big man tried to set a pick on him. The extracurricular activities continued as the action moved to the other end, with the 6-foot-9 Collison veering into the 6-foot-4 Rivers from behind as they ran up the court.

Rivers immediately took exception to the shove from behind, making a beeline for Collison and hugging him with both arms in the paint. Collison responded by wrapping up Rivers’ head, and the two engaged in a staredown before they were quickly separated.
SI

Los Angeles Lakers guard Xavier Henry has undergone successful surgeries on his left wrist and right knee.

Henry had both surgeries Friday.

The fourth-year pro had a torn ligament in his wrist and a cartilage abnormality in his knee.
Henry already had been declared out for the season by the Lakers. He played his final game April 1 against Portland.

Injuries limited Henry to just 43 games in his first season with the Lakers, but the Kansas product averaged career bests of 10.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

Henry is a free agent this summer.
AP


Tyshawn Taylor landed in Puerto Rico and is set to make his debut in the league with Atleticos de San German
@sportando


Tyshawn Taylor (ex-Nets) scores 23 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in his first game in the BSN of Puerto Rico.
@JMT_PR


Want to be the best? Then come learn from the best! Basketball Camp Season is here
BillSelfBasketballCamp.com


The Aspire Group and the University of Kansas Athletics Department have reached an agreement to form a Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMC) on-campus in Lawrence, Kan. The Jayhawks Athletics FRMC will follow a professional ticketing model with specialized roles for Database Marketing & Analytics, Service & Retention, Group Sales and New Sales and Development. This innovative approach will offer current and new Jayhawk fans unparalleled support by providing them with a personal ticket and Williams Education Fund (WEF) representative dedicated to superb customer service.

The Aspire Group will be executing Strategic Consulting and Research initiatives, including a variety of fan studies and ticket pricing workshops, for KU to optimize the Jayhawks Athletics FRMC and the overall fan experience.
 
"We are excited to partner with The Aspire Group in an effort to encourage Jayhawks fans to support our teams," said Kansas Director of Athletics Sheahon Zenger. "The expertise and understanding that the Aspire Group brings to innovative ticket sales, customer service and outreach will greatly benefit Kansas Athletics and the University of Kansas."
KUAD


“Pay Heed. The game you love began here. Respect those who came before you. Make their legacy your own. Because destiny favors the dedicated. And rings don’t replace work. In this game you don’t get what you want. You get what you earn. We are Kansas. Together we rise. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

Big 12 / College News

Federal tax returns for the Big 12 and SEC show why it pays to belong to a major conference, and provides insight into why power conference schools want their own voting structure.

Total revenue from television contracts, bowl games, NCAA tournaments and ticket sales to league championships are the primary sources for the conferences. Big 12 revenue totaled $214.8 million in 2012-13; the SEC totaled $314.5 million.

The returns for the 2013 financial year, which spans July 1 to June 30, are the first with new conference members — Missouri and Texas A&M in the 14-team SEC, and TCU and West Virginia in the 10-team Big 12.

Missouri reported $21.1 million in conference revenue in 2012-13, almost doubling its income from the final years in the Big 12. The Tigers’ biggest windfall from their Big 12 era came in 2011, when they received $12.8 million.

TCU received $9.8 million and West Virginia $8.8 million from the Big 12 for 2012-13. The schools are being phased into the Big 12’s distribution process. They’re expected to receive a 67 percent share in 2013-14, 80 percent in 2014-15 and full shares by 2015-16.

Additional income is held from West Virginia because the Big 12 helped the school pay its exit fee from the Big East.

Income from conferences is becoming a greater percentage of schools’ athletic budgets. Ticket sales, especially from football season passes, has historically been the main driver of college athletic income, but no longer.

At Kansas, conference revenue in 2012-13 was greater than ticket sales to football and men’s basketball for the first time. It was almost even at Missouri and K-State.

As recently as 2010, ticket revenue at Missouri and Kansas nearly doubled conference income.
KC Star


UNLV transfer Bryce Dejean-Jones has committed to Iowa State. Immediately eligible in 14-15
@JonRothstein


Harrell returning to Louisville, WCS returning to UK


Jonathan Duncan has been selected as the NCAA’s vice president of enforcement.

Before joining the NCAA in March 2013 as the interim vice president of enforcement, Duncan worked with the Association for 15 years as outside counsel from multiple perspectives, including service to both the Enforcement and Rules Working Groups.

“As interim vice president of enforcement, Jon led the team through a difficult time, and the enforcement team, and national office as a whole, grew and benefited from his service.” said Mark Emmert, NCAA president. “As Jon’s term as interim vice president drew to a close, I knew he was the best person to continue leading our enforcement team.”

…Duncan is a graduate of William Jewell College, now part of Division II, and graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1995, where he was a published member of the Kansas Law Review.  After law school, he spent two years working as a law clerk for the Honorable D. Brook Bartlett, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. Since then, he has spent much of his professional career forging relationships inside the NCAA national office and among the NCAA's member schools.
NCAA


Tennessee's Cuonzo Martin has agreed in principle to become the next head coach atCalifornia, a source confirmed to CBSSports.com on Tuesday.

A formal announcement is expected soon.

ESPN.com initially reported the development.

Martin just finished his third season at Tennessee. He led the Vols to 24 wins and a trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, and was subsequently considered a candidate at Marquette before Steve Wojciechowski got that job. Martin then publicly stated that he planned to stay at Tennessee, but that changed when California offered.

Mike Montgomery, 67, had been California's coach the past seven years.

His Bears finished 21-14 overall this season, 10-8 in the Pac-12.
CBS


April 9: NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee Application Deadline
April 14: NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee Response Deadline
April 15: NCAA Early Entry “Withdrawal” Deadline
April 27: NBA Draft Early Entry Eligibility Deadline (11:59 pm ET)
May 2: NBA Draft Early Entry Candidates Released – Underclassmen Contact Permitted
May 14-18: NBA Draft Combine (Chicago)
May 20: NBA Draft Lottery
June 16: NBA Draft Early Entry Withdrawal Deadline (5:00 pm ET)
June 26: 2014 NBA Draft
draftexpress.com: Testing the NBA Draft Waters in 2014

Recruiting

Devonte Graham, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound senior point guard from Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, will make an official recruiting visit to Kansas University on Friday, Brewster coach Jason Smith reported Sunday on Twitter.

Graham, who recently was released from his letter-of-intent at Appalachian State, will visit North Carolina State a week from today. Graham also is considering Virginia, Virginia Tech, Providence and Xavier. Graham is currently unranked in the Class of 2014 by Rivals.com.

“Graham is a long and rangy point guard who is deceptively athletic,” writes Eric Bossi of Rivals.com. “He dribbles the ball with purpose, advances the ball up the floor via the pass in transition and is a very good on the ball defender. He doesn’t take a lot of risks and is usually quite efficient.”
LJW

Myles Turner, No. 2 in the ESPN 100, leads the way, followed by No. 94 Elijah Stewart, who was released from his letter of intent to Loyola Marymount following the firing of coach Max Good, and No. 98 Josh Cunningham. 

Devonte Graham wasn’t ESPN 100 eligible by virtue of his post-graduate status, but there is no denying he is a wanted man after receiving his release from Appalachian State. He will take official visits to Kansas and North Carolina State while also considering Virginia, Virginia Tech, Xavier and Providence. 

So where are these remaining four prospects headed? No one knows for sure just yet, but here are a few educated guesses:

Myles Turner:

Adam Finkelstein: Kansas (Biancardi, Rankin, other two pick Texas)
I think the allure of replacing Joel Embiid at Kansas will ultimately be too much for Turner to pass up on given coach Bill Self's track record of developing big men for the NBA. Turner will have as good an opportunity to be a one-and-done lottery pick as any player in the current ESPN 100, all while having an enforcer like Cliff Alexander next to him.

Devonte Graham:

Biancardi: Kansas (3/5 pick Kansas)
The hardest and most important position on the floor to fill is the point guard. Graham’s combination of running a team with extended range on his jumper makes him so valuable. An explosive athlete who has come on as a late bloomer has coaches pouring in to Brewster Academy. In the mix are Kansas, NC State, Virginia, Providence , Xavier and Virginia Tech. He is visiting Kansas this weekend and then heading NC State soon. This one is just starting to heat up, and when it’s all said and done, look for Kansas to land Graham.
ESPN ($)

United by sport. Rivals through competition. Next vs. Next, Friday, April 18. #TakeFlightJBC ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN3 Surround
@Jumpman23

For the second straight year, Barclays Center will serve as the host venue for the 13th annual Jordan Brand Classic. The nation’s premier high school all-star game will be held on April 18 in Brooklyn, NY.

Jordan Brand Classic will feature three epic bouts, beginning with an International Game at 2:30 p.m. EDT. This is the seventh year that the best young talent from around the globe will square off on-court, showcasing the world’s basketball talent. Following the International Game, the New York metropolitan area can support their favorite local talent in the Regional Game, tipping off at 4:30 p.m. The Regional Game is a “City vs. Suburbs” showdown that will feature the top prep players from the area.

Headlining the Jordan Brand Classic is the National Game, with tip-off slated for 7 p.m. EDT. This game serves as an annual showcase for the best talent at the high school level. Jordan Brand signature athletes including Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin are all Jordan Brand Classic alums.    

The top 26 prospects from across the country have been selected to play in the National Game.  Teams are organized by geography.

EAST:
Tyus Jones (Apple Valley, MN/Duke), Joel Berry (Lake Highland, FL/UNC), Isaiah Whitehead (Lincoln, NY/Seton Hall), LJ Peak (Gaffney, SC/Georgetown), Grayson Allen (Providence, FL/Duke), James Blackmon (Marion, IN/Indiana), Rashad Vaughn (Findlay, NV/UNLV), Kelly Oubre (Findlay, NV/Kansas), Justin Jackson (Homeschool Christian Youth Academy, TX/UNC), Reid Travis (De LaSalle, MN/Stanford), Trey Lyles (Arsenal Tech, IN/Kentucky), Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young, IL/Duke), Karl Towns (St. Joseph, NJ/Kentucky).

WEST:
Emmanuel Mudiay (Prime Prep, TX/SMU), Tyler Ulis (Marian Catholic, IL/Kentucky), Devin Booker (Moss Point, MS/Kentucky), Kameron Chatman (Columbia Christian, OR/Michigan), Theo Pinson (Wesleyan Christian, NC/UNC), Justise Winslow (St. John’s, TX/Duke), Stanley Johnson (Mater Dei, CA/Arizona), Cliff Alexander (Curie, IL/Kansas), Chris McCullough (IMG Academy/Syracuse), Myles Turner (Trinity, TX/Uncommitted), Daniel Hamilton (St. John Bosco, CA/UConn), D’Angelo Russell (Montverde Academy, FL/Ohio State), Shaqquan Aaron (Rainier Beach, WA/Louisville).

Tickets for the Jordan Brand Classic are currently on sale at all Ticketmaster locations, the Barclays Center box office, online at ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1-800-745-3000. For more information, visit the official website at www.JordanBrandClassic.com.


ESPN3 Surround delivers exclusive content tied to live events on ESPN linear networks, offering a companion experience in real-time that will complement the big game on television.  It will enable fans to go deeper into ESPN’s biggest live events with alternate camera angles, experiences and stories around the game.

“With ESPN3 Surround, we continue to super serve sports fans with a unique offering around the biggest rivalries, competitions and sporting events,” said Jason Bernstein, senior director of programming and acquisitions, ESPN.  “Its availability on computers, smartphones, tablets, Xbox, Apple TV and Roku make it a true second-screen experience that will engage sports fans in new and meaningful ways.”
Link

No one will mistake the freshmen of 2014-15 for the group that preceded them. Complete and historic dominance is not even in the conversation. But the group will have an impact. Here’s a look at the top 10 as ranked by RSCIhoops.com – a composite of the various recruiting service rankings such as Rivals, Scout and ESPN – and how they might impact their teams.

3. Cliff Alexander, Kansas, F
He doesn’t have the length that predecessor Joel Embiid does, but the 6-8, 240-pound Alexander offers some of the same qualities: A low-post scoring presence who can anchor the rebounding effort but won’t be much of a threat, at least initially, anywhere except the block. Alexander won’t protect the rim as much for Kansas, but he should be able to ensure that the frontcourt dropoff is not as pronounced as it might be with the loss of the 7-foot Embiid.

6. Myles Turner, Undecided, C
The Euless, Texas, native alone could alter the course of a program for at least a year. He has a 6-11, 255-pound frame, a burgeoning face-up game and the ability to change shots at the rim. But Turner combined with, say, the Kansas freshman class or the Duke freshman class or Mudiay at SMU would supercharge the aspirations of a deep March run.

10. Kelly Oubre, Kansas, F
Another rangy 6-7 wing player who can score it? No shocker that Kansas sought out a reasonable facsimile of Wiggins knowing full well that he wouldn’t be around for more than one season. Oubre averaged 22 points per game for Findlay Prep, according to the school’s website, setting a new single-season record for highest scoring average. Given that the super-hyped Wiggins was really good but not consistently so, Oubre might be a more even trade than first imagined,
SI


Jayhawk Invitational (4/25-4/27)


adidas Uprising Spring/Summer Events


2014 Spring/Summer AAU and camp schedule (compiled by CBS Sports)


Recruiting Calendar


My Late Night in the Phog videos, KU Alumni games videos, 2011-12 Border War videos, Legends of the Phog videos, KC Prep Invitational, & Jayhawk Invitational Videos and more now on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/kcjcjhawk