With the 7th Pick, the Kings select Ben McLemore! #KingsAllDay http://instagram.com/p/bFQCoGyy3g/
https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings


6/27/13, 7:32 PM
Ben is relieved and happy. Family is feels so blessed. Proud to be here. Our man is so proud to represent Kansas and his teammates.
@CoachBillSelf


6/27/13, 7:34 PM
Me 2! “@Amareisreal: “@KingJames: They sleeping on Ben McLemore. Just watch” I agree Bron !!”
@GregAnthony50


Ben McLemore still on the board?? Kid is gonna be a star in the league
@AaronRodgers12


The Sacramento Kings tonight (Thursday, June 27th) selected University of Kansas' Ben McLemore in the first round (7th overall) and University of Detroit Mercy's Ray McCallum in the second round (36th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft.

"We are very pleased to have just completed our first draft for the new-era Kings," said Kings Majority Owner Vivek Ranadivé. "Ben McLemore was our dream choice from the get-go. I did say that when we got the No. 7 pick that seven was my lucky number. So we felt seven was our lucky number and sure enough, we got the guy that we all were dreaming about."

"It was a special night – Ben is a gifted player," said Kings General Manager Pete D'Alessandro. "He is someone our staff spent hours watching, evaluating and debating. And with the second-round pick, Ray McCallum is just one of the classiest young men you'll ever meet and a heck of a player."

An early entry candidate, the 6-5, 195-pound McLemore averaged 15.9 points (.495 FG%, .420 3pt%, .870 FT%), 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 32.2 minutes per game in 37 appearances for the Jayhawks. McLemore set the KU freshman record in scoring (3rd in the Big 12) and free throw percentage. He was named to the Second Team All-America by the AP, NABC, and USBWA in 2013. A three-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week and one-time league player of the week, the standout guard became only the second Jayhawk in the 17-year history of the Big 12 to win both awards in the same season. He had 11 games of 20 points or more, including three 30-point performances. His 36 points against West Virginia broke the Kansas freshman single-game scoring record and his three 30-point efforts also set a KU freshman single-season mark.

McLemore becomes only the third player to be selected out of Kansas by the Kings in the Sacramento era, joining Ryan Robertson (second round, 45th overall, 1999) and Thomas Robinson (first round, 5th overall, 2012). In franchise history, McLemore is the fourth player from Kansas to ever be selected by the Kings (Carl Henry, 4th round, 1984).
http://www.nba.com/kings/news/kings-select-ben-mclemore-first-round

6/27/13, 7:21 PM
Happy for Ben and the Kings fans. He's going to be a great asset
@colea45


Congrats to my new teammate @BenMcLemore!   Looking forward to meeting you man. #KingsAllDay
@jimmerfredette


VIDEO: Sac fans react


"We’re very, very pleased with the results (of the Draft). Ben McLemore – he was our dream choice, right from the get-go" -- @Vivek
https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings


“We’re still in disbelief that we got (McLemore) at No. 7. It’s just pure joy.” -- @Vivek #KingsAllDay
https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings


Mike Malone and Chris Jent will be perfect for Ben McLemore. Love those 2 guys in Cleveland
@kingjames


USA Today Video: McLemore joins Kings with a chip on his shoulder


Q&A with new Sacramento King Ben McLemore


“Paul went into the draft with the chance to go 1 and he went 10,” KU coach Bill Self told the Journal-World at the draft. “And I think he used that to his advantage. I think Ben should do the same thing. But the best part about Ben is he’s not one bit upset about going seventh or anything like that. He just wants to go play ball.”

Although many, including McLemore, expected the 6-foot-5, smooth-shooting forward to be long gone by the time NBA Commissioner David Stern announced Sacramento’s selection Thursday, one McLemore supporter drew serious attention for voicing that opinion.

With McLemore slowly slipping down the board, his spirits were lifted by a quick message from his brother, Kevin, who told him about a tweet from reigning NBA MVP LeBron James.

At 7:04 p.m., the man many call the best player in the world, tweeted a hefty endorsement McLemore’s way.

“They sleeping on Ben McLemore,” @KingJames wrote to his nearly 9 million followers. “Just watch.”

Less than 15 minutes later, McLemore, who sported a replica of his No. 23 KU jersey sewn into the inside of his suit jacket, was wearing his new Kings hat and blissfully answering questions from the media about his new home.

Asked about the tweet from James and how well he knew him, McLemore tried to play it cool.
“I know him pretty well,” McLemore said. “(From) going to his camps my junior year and then just getting to meet him and stuff like that. He’s a great guy. I looked up to him a lot.”

The look on McLemore’s face while answering the question revealed that the unexpected tweet was a definite highlight.
LJW


“Seven is my lucky number,” new Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said. “When I was at the Warriors we got (Stephen) Curry, (Harrison) Barnes at seven, my birthday is on the seventh, the Mayor (Kevin Johnson) was picked seventh, he wore the number seven and we got the best player in the (draft) at seven.”

…D’Alessandro had McLemore No. 1 on his draft board since he scouted him with Denver’s front office. Ranadive said they even contacted other teams to try to move up in the draft before McLemore was taken.

When Cleveland surprisingly chose UNLV’s Anthony Bennett first overall, D’Alessandro turned to new coach Mike Malone and said, “I think we have a chance to get our guy.”
AP

6/27/13, 10:22 PM
Portland takes Jeff Withey at #39. Kind of surprising he fell this far. Best big man defender in college basketball?
@DraftExpress


Surrounded by family and friends in San Diego, Kansas University center Jeff Withey needed something to break the tension of a stressful draft night, finally deciding to play pool with some of his old high school coaches during the second round.

He was still at the table when the Portland Trail Blazers made him the 39th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft on Thursday night.

“When it was finally called, it was just kind of a relief,” Withey said. “I felt very happy, being able to go to a cool place like Portland.”

Withey, who was projected by some analysts to be a first-rounder, ended up falling to the ninth pick of the second round.

“I know that Jeff is excited,” KU coach Bill Self said. “I know he’s more motivated now than ever.”
For the entire first round, Withey huddled with family and friends around the TV in anticipation of getting taken.

“Watching the draft is a very stressful thing on the TV, because it goes by so slow,” Withey said. “You’re watching it, and you see commercials and everything. My whole thought process was, ‘Maybe the next one. Maybe the next one.’”

Withey said he hadn’t worked out or even been contacted by the Trail Blazers before Thursday.
“The biggest thing is just he’s got to work,” Self said. “He’s got to do a good job in the summer league and probably get a little bit stronger and keep honing his skills.

“I heard he had some really good workouts with several teams. I don’t think he has to change anything. He just has to get a little bit better at everything he does.”
LJW

Looks as though Travis Releford and Christian Watford will both go to Indiana Pacers camp.
https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN


6/27/13, 7:23 PM
Bennett said he was proud to be a Canadian player. Said he expects Andrew Wiggins to go No. 1 next year too
@WolstatSun


6/27/13, 10:10 PM
Next year would be a good year for the Celtics to be bad. #wigginssweepstakes
@EvanDanielsFOX


6/27/13, 10:22 PM
Paul Pierce is 2nd all-time in Celtics history in points (24,021) and PPG (21.8).
#TheTruth
@SportsCenter


Reconstruction is no longer in the “This Old House” phase. Think Egypt before the Pyramids, or the day they tore down the old Boston Garden.

Think about a Celtics team wiped clean of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett — two players who will surely have their jerseys retired before long, but who will not retire in a green uniform.

Ainge, who has been itching to start a new era for the last two years, finally tore his team down to the floorboards yesterday before settling in to trade up to the 13th pick and take Gonzaga center Kelly Olynyk.

When the NBA’s contract moratorium ends on July 10, Ainge will announce that he has traded the soul of the franchise — Pierce and Garnett — in addition to Jason Terry to Brooklyn for first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018, in addition to Gerald Wallace, former Celtic Kris Joseph, Tornike Shengelia, Reggie Evans, Keith Bogans and the expiring contract of Kris Humphries.

The hard pill for the Celtics is Wallace, who has three years and $30 million left on his contract. But they were able to shed the contract of Terry, who has two years and almost $12 million remaining on his deal.

Ainge and Brooklyn general manager Billy King both declined comment last night, but sources from both teams confirmed the trade had been completed.
Boston Herald


The Grizzlies traded forward Darrell Arthur and the rights to Joffrey Lauvergne, the No. 55 pick in the 2013 draft, to the Nuggets in exchange for center Kosta Koufos.
Link

The phone rang and rang, eventually dumping into an automated voice mail that offered no clue if the number belonged to the person I was trying to reach.

I left a message anyway. It was the last chance I had.

For two weeks, I'd been playing a basketball version of "Where's Waldo?" Only instead of trying to find a goofy kid in a striped shirt, I was trying to find an overhyped, once-famous basketball player who should have been impossible to misplace.

Where in the world is Renardo Sidney?

Today seems like a good day to ponder that question. The day after the NBA draft is for the leftovers, the guys who spent the night waiting on a phone call that never came and who now face a life of work without the aide of the draft's Easy Street. The guys like C.J. Leslie and Phil Pressey and B.J. Young.
ESPN


Bill Raftery is switching networks to stick with the Big East.

The popular college basketball commentator will call the reshaped conference's games for new cable network Fox Sports 1. Raftery had worked for ESPN since 1982. He will continue to also call games for CBS.

Fox said Thursday that the former Seton Hall coach will team with play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson for Big East games on FS1, which debuts Aug. 17. Raftery and Johnson previously worked together for CBS.
Link


2013-14 Early-season events schedule

On a night when former No. 1 draft picks Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis were in the gym at Kean University for the Nike Skills Academy, the biggest story of the evening revolved around a 6-foot-11 high school player who was barely on the national radar just a couple of weeks ago.

In a room full of NBA scouts, college stars, media representatives and his own high school peers, Myles Turner of Euless (Texas) Trinity put on a show.

The 2014 big man stepped out on the perimeter and smoothly drained long-range jump shots. He ran the floor like a gazelle and flashed his chiseled frame. And he matched up on the perimeter with 6-11 Kentucky-bound big man Karl Towns Jr.

“It was fun, the best word I can describe it is fun,” Turner told SNY.tv following the performance. “I love going up against competition, especially someone of my caliber.”
Zags Blog


Five-star big man Myles Turner didn't make the biggest jump in our latest update of the class of 2014 RIvals150. But his climb up the rankings from No. 78 to No. 6 has certainly been the most impressive.

Technically, fellow five-star Devin Robinson had the biggest leap based on what has happened so far this summer with an 82-spot jump from No. 106 to No. 24. But Turner's jump placing him comfortably in the top 10 sets him apart.

A 6-foot-11 center out of Euless (Texas) Trinity, Turner was actually expected to make a climb during the spring and early summer. In fact, we wrote before the spring started that he could be a breakout star before slotting him at No. 78 in March.

Even then, there was some worry that the ranking of Turner at No. 78 wouldn't be aggressive enough. However, nobody could have ever imagined that any ranking outside of the national top ten might have been selling him short.
Rivals


More than likely, Jahlil Okafor would be the first to tell you that the spring of 2013 didn't go as he might have hoped. There weren't any issues with the play of the 6-foot-11 center from Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young.

But he battled ankle problems that kept him from playing at 100 percent for the better part of April, May and June.

Now in Prague with USA Basketball's 19 and under national team, Okafor looks to be back to full health and primed for a big July.

Coming off a standout junior season, Okafor certainly had his moments on the spring circuit when he was healthy. Most of all, though, Okafor retains his spot at the top of the rankings because he is a unique prospect.

In an era where every big man wants to face up and show off their perimeter skills, Okafor is a true space-eating, back-to-the basket and highly skilled center who can score in bunches. His combination of size, skill and understanding of position is one that isn't seen very often and he looks like the type of player who could be dropped into a NBA game right now and hold his own.
Rivals 150 Update


Recruiting Calendar


2013 Spring/Summer AAU & Camp Schedule


My KU Alumni games, 2011-12 Border War, Legends of the Phog, KC Prep Invitational, & Jayhawk Invitational Videos, Late Night in the Phog, and more now on YouTube

LJW Live blog from New York and the NBA Draft


Today, live at 12:30 p.m., on PD Sports Insider, join cleveland.com's Glenn Moore, The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw and Dennis Manoloff as they talk about the NBA Draft and potential No. 1 pick Ben McLemore with Kansas assistant basketball coach Kurtis Townsend.
Cleveland Plain Dealer


McLemore has pride, too. You can see it when he's at home. You can hear it when he's around his friends and family. You can tell from his agent choice, Rodney Blackstock, who has been a lightning rod of discussion, that McLemore is sticking true to his relationships. McLemore has taken the side of Blackstock, not his former AAU coach Darius Cobb, who told USA Today that Blackstock had paid him two cash payments of $5,000 each to direct McLemore to Blackstock.

So instead of a more traditional agent-player route, in which the player spends time in a workout gym and then goes to visit teams, McLemore's early draft process was a bit jumbled. But two weeks ago, an attorney who is familiar with NBA players and has worked with them in the past, Rudy Freeman of Los Angeles, was hired by McLemore's advisors to straighten out his draft process.

Freeman ended up organizing the final few workouts and getting McLemore where he needed to go in advance of the draft this week.

"We made it clear to the league that Rodney wasn't flying blind here," said Freeman of Blackstock, who is also embroiled in a controversy regarding whether he provided any extra benefits to North Carolina's P.J. Hairston. Freeman has nothing to do with Hairston, he said.

"I represent Ben," said Freeman. "I'm helping him with this process. He has shown great maturity. He is maintaining counselors and advisors to help him through this. Ben is making the decisions that will suit his life. I have every confidence he has the maturity and those around him will give him the best advice so that nothing jeopardizes his hard work. He has no intention of going backwards."

…McLemore is also about unity. He convinced his mother to have his estranged father, Ben, at the draft, since he had rekindled the relationship.

"It was hard to tell my mom [Sonya Reid] that I wanted my dad to come to the draft," said McLemore. "But she texted me back and said that this was 'your day.' I feel like the only missing piece is not having my older brother there.

"When I walk across that stage, I know I've made it and I can provide for my family. It's a blessing. It's an opportunity and I've put a lot of thought into it."

McLemore said the odds weren't high for someone like him to get out of Wellston. It would be easy to forget his roots but he said he won't.

"I'm never going to forget Wellston," said McLemore. "It's where I grew up. It's my heart and my pride. The people are great here. I'm going to give back. I was born and raised here. I'm a humble person. The community knows that. I want to build it back to how it was and be a happier place than it was."

Whitfield believes in him.

"He said it two years ago [when he went to Kansas]," said Whitfield. "I believe him, but he's got to do it. 'Cause he's a humble person, he's the humblest basketball player I've ever seen in Wellston. I believe him, and I'm going to be on him to do it too. He don't owe us, but please come back and pick one up at a time."
ESPN: From poverty to pros: Ben McLemore


On the eve of the NBA draft, former Kansas star Ben McLemore said one of the best pieces of advice he's been given is to keep his circle of family, friends and advisors small.

That led him to sign with newly certified agent Rodney Blackstock for representation after earlier working with Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Rival Sports Group.

"I was with Rivals and I just fell like Rodney has been the best person for me throughout this process, helping me get through everything," McLemore said Wednesday. "From the beginning, everything has been good. He's a great person, and he's helped me through all of this so that's why I chose that he should be a part of my circle."

Blackstock declined comment when approached by USA TODAY Sports.

…McLemore declined to discuss whether he had talked to anyone at Kansas and the NCAA about the matter.

"I just left that as it is," he said. "Rodney is now my agent, so I'm leaving it at that. I'm just going to keep moving forward … and getting ready for my future."

McLemore said he's "definitely" still in contact with the Kansas coaching staff, and that he expects Kansas coach Bill Self to sit at his table at the draft, along with Blackstock, McLemore's mother, sister and younger brother.
USA Today


If you thought LeBron James was in the zone during Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Ben McLemore says he wasn’t far behind.

McLemore, while rooting for LeBron and the Heat, said he had a pretty good performance of his own.

First of all, he predicted Miami would win. And then he kept making predictions once the game began.

“I was calling a lot of plays before they happened,” McLemore said. “I called ‘miracle shot.’ When Mario Chalmers hit that shot before the fourth quarter, I called that shot.”

If NBA evaluators are convinced McLemore sees the floor that well – many question whether he seizes enough opportunities to be aggressive – he’ll get picked near the high end of his projected range during (the) NBA Draft.

The Kansas guard said he deserves to be in contention for the No. 1 pick. Asked whether he believes there’s still a chance the Cavaliers will pick him there, McLemore gave a one-word answer.

“Yes,” he said.
NBC Sports


The Cavs have the No. 1 pick in the draft again. Nerlens Noel, Otto Porter, Alex Len, Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo and Ben McLemore are all still options.

The Cavs desperately need an upgrade over Alonzo Gee at small forward. They also need an upgrade over Tyler Zeller inside. But simply filling a need shouldn't be the goal with the top pick.

The goal should be to leave the draft with the best player in the draft, the one that will end up being the best long-term.

That player is Ben McLemore.

McLemore has been blessed with immense talent. He showed it in his one season at Kansas. Even though he was just a freshman, McLemore led the Jayhawks in scoring with 15.9 points per game (third in the Big 12) despite taking fewer than 11 shots a contest. That's incredible efficiency. The First Team All-Big 12 marksman shot just under 50 percent from the field, including 42 percent from three-point range.

McLemore has prototypical size for a two-guard. He has very good athleticism, which helps him finish at the rack. He defends his position well (players shot just 25 percent from the field against him when he was the on-ball defender).

But what sets him apart is his silky-smooth shooting stroke. To be considered for the first overall pick, a player has to have at least one elite skill. For McLemore, it's that shooting ability. He's the best in the class.

Throughout the pre-draft process, you've probably heard a lot about McLemore not being able to dribble the way he needs to. About him not being able to create his own shot. About him deferring to his teammates too much. Those criticisms are fair, but when did being unselfish become a bad thing? When did passing the ball mean being branded with some kind of scarlet letter? When did being unselfish start to translate to lack of killer instinct?

And consider this. McLemore played with a ball-dominating senior guard, Elijah Johnson, who wasn't a true point guard. He didn't make players better. It played a factor.

Not to mention, even though McLemore was the most talented player on his team and people were screaming for him to take over games, he was a 19-year-old kid playing on a team coming off a national title game appearance with four seniors. Dominating the ball would have been unwise.
Cleveland Plain Dealer


Although opinions vary, advanced analytical data say the best prospect in this year’s NBA Draft may be former Kansas Jayhawks guard Ben McLemore.

McLemore is efficient on both ends of the court and was extremely valuable to the Jayhawks last season. He led D-I freshmen in win shares -- a metric that estimates the number of wins contributed by a player due to his offense and defense.

On offense, McLemore ranked seventh in points per play among the 220 players with at least 500 plays last season. Seth Curry was the only player invited to the 2013 Draft Combine who ranked higher.

Perhaps more impressive, McLemore’s 1.09 points per play was the highest average by a freshman with at least 500 plays since Michael Beasley and Kevin Love in 2007-08.

McLemore scored in a variety of ways at Kansas. He shot 48 percent on spot-up plays, 57 percent in transition and 60 percent in isolation.

His jump shot is perhaps his best attribute and one reason he's been compared to Ray Allen. McLemore shot 40 percent on jump shots last season, including 43 percent on catch-and-shoot jumpers. Both stats ranked in the top 15 percentile last season.

What about performing in clutch time? In the final five minutes of the second half and overtime with the score within five points, McLemore averaged 1.45 points per play, the most among all draft prospects with more than 10 plays, and shot 67 percent from the floor.

He most notably showed off his clutch shot-making ability in a game against Iowa State, when he made a game-tying 3-pointer to send the game into overtime and carried his team to a victory with 33 points on 10-of-12 shooting, including 6-for-6 on 3-point attempts.
ESPN


As the season developed, it became apparent it wasn’t so much that the Jayhawks weren’t making full use of McLemore, but rather that he declined to assert himself despite coach Bill Self’s constant urging to become a dominant offensive player. Sometimes he did, sometimes he didn’t.

If that’s the biggest problem there is with McLemore, the recent track record with that sort of player is pretty good. Harrison Barnes showed flashes of greatness at North Carolina but mostly declined to dominate; Greg Monroe did the same at Georgetown. They’re now among the biggest success stories from recent drafts.

McLemore is an elite athlete, one of the best in the draft. He is capable of creating his own shot, and he ranks with the best shooters. He is one of the few players in the draft with a legitimate chance to play in the NBA All-Star Game. The Cleveland Cavaliers already have a promising shooting guard prospect in Dion Waiters, so it’s understandable they might look to upgrade in other areas, and the same goes for the Washington Wizards, who last year drafted McLemore’s old AAU teammate, Brad Beal.

But there aren’t a lot of teams that will feel good about passing on McLemore in a few years.
TSN DeCourcy


And yet, many people that know McLemore well are still concerned that his most endearing qualities — his innocence and kindness — could cause him to be chewed up by the system.

“I think it’s all within yourself,” said former KU guard Tyshawn Taylor, who spent a year at Kansas with McLemore. “You’ve got to be able to tell people no.”

Like McLemore, Taylor grew up in a rough neighborhood in New Jersey. He was selected last year by the Brooklyn Nets, and those first NBA paychecks delivered a new kind of freedom. But, as Taylor says, they must come with a certain level of awareness.

“You have to be able to have some good people with you that can tell people no,” Taylor said. “But when you’re in a situation where you come from little and you get enough, you want to be able to help as many people as you can.”
KC Star


SI: NBA team draft needs

In his ten years at the helm of the University of Kansas basketball program, Bill Self has steered the Jayhawks to nine straight conference titles and an NCAA title in 2008. In the 2012-2013 season, Kansas was awarded a 1-seed. Their championship hopes, however, were dashed in the Sweet 16 by the University of Michigan in what was one of the tournament’s most memorable games.

Prior to bowing out to Michigan, Self’s Jayhawks squared off against the North Carolina Tar Heels. Kansas prevailed 70-58, despite a horrific first half. Frustrated with his team’s early struggles, Self slammed his left fist against the scorer’s table, which caused some structural damage. And today Self was publicly reprimanded and fined by the NCAA for his actions.

Also today, he joined Dave Telep on David Glenn’s afternoon radio show to discuss—among a variety of other basketball topics—what caused him to strike the table, and how he felt about the NCAA’s decision (bear in mind that Telep and Self are friends, so while the conversation is light-hearted, we have no doubt Self takes the penalty seriously):

”It was from a squatted position, left hand. I think it was our thirteenth turnover, 7-29 from the field in the first half against Carolina. And for whatever reason, I guess I cracked. I backhanded the scorer’s table—and I didn’t hit it hard—but I must have hit it just at an angle where maybe a few of the lights or maybe a panel or two or three became damaged. I’m sure it was a manufacturer error.
So I have been reprimanded for that, and deservedly so—I shouldn’t be letting my emotions getting the best me. The unbelievable thing I’ve done a lot worse, but I guess I caught this one just right.”

Reprimand and fine aside, Self is more than ready for the 2013-2014 season, when he will be able to coach the nation’s top incoming freshmen, Andrew Wiggins. The Kansas coach is also very excited to see where two of his players—Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey—land in tomorrow’s NBA Draft.

To listen to Self’s full interview with Telep, check out the link below:
Link


Kansas coach Bill Self completed his staff for the 2013-14 season on Wednesday, promoting Brennan Bechard into the Jayhawks’ director of basketball operations role and hiring former St. John’s assistant Fred Quartlebaum as the program’s director of student-athlete development.
KC Star


Quartlebaum has attended one game in Allen Fieldhouse. He was an assistant under Iowa State’s Wayne Morgan in 2003-04 when the Jayhawks needed overtime to beat the Cyclones, 90-89.

“It was an unbelievable environment and great experience. It was one of the remarkable places I’ve ever been in terms of a college basketball game,” said Quartlebaum, who played at Fordham from 1985-89. He’s been an assistant at Fairfield, Holy Cross, Towson and Navy, as well as the schools mentioned by Self.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity. To reunite with coach Roberts, a dear friend of mine who I’ve learned a great deal of basketball on and off the court ... obviously to be part of the historic basketball program of Kansas and work under coach Self’s leadership and direction is definitely a thrill,” Quartlebaum said. “As a basketball coach, you want to learn from different levels. Working with PACT … has really given me a huge confidence boost working with student-athletes in different capacities of their lives.”

Bechard takes over for Doc Sadler, director of operations during the 2012-13 season, who recently was named assistant at Iowa State. At KU, Sadler succeeded current Southern Illinois coach Barry Hinson.

“I couldn’t be happier to be back with the program another year. I’m so thankful to coach Self — how good he’s been to me over the years — giving me this opportunity. It’s exciting,” Bechard said. “I definitely thought I had a chance (when Sadler left for ISU). But coach knows so many people over the years in the business ... so many people have been in high-level coaching. When he did give me the promotion, I was thankful, and I can’t wait.”

Bechard still plans to be an assistant coach, then a head coach someday.

“Growing up a Jayhawk fan and having the unbelievable opportunity to walk on (as player) and be on a national championship team and play with so many great players and work with so many great guys ... it’s been a dream come true over the last seven years,” Bechard, a former Lawrence High guard, said.
LJW


With the NBA draft a little more than 24 hours away, trade rumors involving the Cavaliers have begun to heat up. The latest, according to the Houston Chronicle, has Cleveland interested in the Rockets' 6-foot-10 forward Thomas Robinson in exchange for the Cavaliers' No. 19 pick in the draft.
The move would allow Houston to free up salary-cap space to make a run at free agent Dwight Howard.

The Cavaliers did not respond to a request for confirmation.

According to the Chronicle, both the Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls have shown interest in Robinson, who will make $3.5 million next season. The Bulls have the 20th selection in the NBA draft.
Cleveland Plain Dealer


Golf took a backseat to the First Lady of the Ball’s Charity Golf Classic at the Classic’s annual pre-tournament luncheon.

JoAnn Ball, who helped found the Classic that over the past 32 years ago has raised nearly $5 million for KVC Health Systems Inc. and other charitable organizations, passed away at age 77 on May 14.

“We are deeply saddened by her passing,” said B. Wayne Sims, KVC President and CEO.  “As one of KVC’s ‘Founding Mothers,’ Jo Ann was part of the Junior League that originally recognized the great need of children in our community and helped KVC become the organization it is today. Her kindness, generosity and compassion were remarkable and her dedication to KVC’s children inspired so many in the community to join her in her mission to make a difference.”

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self concurred.

“I’ve seen how so many have been affected in such a positive way,” said Self, a KVC board member. “The sacrifices of the Ball Family have been remarkable. This is a sad time but a great time. The mission JoAnn had, it is important to continue for a long, long time.”

…Boasting one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, Self said the Jayhawks will likely go nine deep this fall – four “bigs” and five perimeter players. “We’re so big inside, we’ll tell our guys to foul although on the perimeter it will be a little different.”

Is there a risk of having too many good players and not giving them enough playing time? “I think that’s always the case but it still comes down to competition,” said Self. ”I’ve always found that most players want to go where they have the best chance of winning. But then it’s not my job to make them happy; it’s their job to make me happy.”

As for the No. 1 recruit in the nation, Andrew Wiggins, Self said: “He’s a terrific talent but it’s not fair to compare him to others. He’s just 18 years old. He’s good, there’s no question about that. But he’s a very humble person who would just like to be just a kid.”

Self expects all five of his starters from this past year to play professionally.

The NBA draft is Thursday and Self said Ben McLemore could go No. 1 and 7-foot Jeff Withey late in the first round or early in the second.

“I don’t know about Travis (Releford). Everyone wants to be drafted but I’m not sure that would be best because then you’re committed to one team. If you’re not drafted, then you can pick and choose. But he could be drafted. He’s such a stud.”

Elijah Johnson and Kevin Young both could be headed overseas, especially Young because he would not count against a limit of American players per team.
KC Kansan

Three months after his college basketball career ended, Rodney McGruder thinks his time at Kansas State couldn’t have gone much better. He will always remember the Elite Eight as a freshman and a Big 12 championship as a senior.

Those accomplishments, along with averaging 15.6 points and 5.4 rebounds as a senior, provided him a solid foundation as he began preparing for his professional career. It wasn’t enough to assure him selection in the NBA Draft, which begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, but it was definitely something he could build on.

That’s what the past few months have been about – reminding NBA coaches of his successful past while also proving there is more to his game than what he showed at K-State. Basically, McGruder has tried to add an improved outside shot and better ball-handling skills to a resume that already featured strong defense and leadership qualities.

After months of practice, and workouts with seven NBA teams, McGruder is optimistic about his NBA chances, even though most experts expect him to go undrafted.

"I feel like I have put myself in position to be a draft pick," McGruder said. "I have been getting positive feedback from teams, but it is really a waiting game. You just don’t know what is going to happen. I feel like I put the work in, so I feel like the opportunity should be there for me."
KC Star


Oregon is the perfect example of this putrid trend, with a court so distracting I can barely stand to watch a game televised from Matthew Knight Arena, even though the Ducks are a terrific team who play the game as it should be played. The stenciling of trees that borders the Oregon court make it virtually impossible to concentrate on the game.

You want to put your school’s logo or mascot—or, for state universities, an outline of the state itself—at center court, that’s fine.

I’ll ask this, however: What’s on the middle of the court at Duke? At Kentucky? At Louisville? Can anyone picture it? We don’t talk about how their floors are designed. We talk about their teams, and perhaps how imposing their homecourt advantages might be on account of overwhelming fan support. I can tell you this for certain: No one leaves Allen Fieldhouse talking about how cool the court design is. But they remember they were there.
TSN DeCourcy


2013-14 Early-season events schedule

The fastest hands in the midwest! Where you at @VICIOUSortiz ??? pic.twitter.com/XuZAXd7wmh
@A_Hudy

Cole Aldrich says he has almost felt guilty when scrimmaging against some of the current Kansas University basketball players in recent weeks.

Though he's going into his fourth year in the NBA, Aldrich, a former KU center, says he feels like one of the least-athletic guys in the building.

“It’s just like, ‘Wow.’ They fit right in with the guys in the league (NBA),” Aldrich said of the current Jayhawks. “They all can jump. They can run. That’s going to be a fun season to watch them this year.”

Aldrich — he talked during a break at his Cole Aldrich Basketball Camp held Monday at Olathe Northwest High — said the biggest surprise for him had been the play of 6-foot-9 Memphis transfer Tarik Black.

“He kind of reminds me of (former KU foward) Darnell Jackson. He really does,” Aldrich said. “A guy that’s not necessarily overly skilled, but really works hard. And he’s a big body.

“Darnell didn’t quite like to hit people like Tarik does, but I’ve had a good time going against him. It’s been fun.”

Aldrich also has been playing alongside the nation’s top-ranked recruit: 6-foot-7 wing Andrew Wiggins.

“Obviously, athletically, he’s one of the best. He’d be one of the most athletic guys in the league right now if he was there,” Aldrich said. “Skill-wise, it’s still early. The kid is 18 years old. He just came from high school. How do you expect him to be the next LeBron (James) or the Kobe (Bryant) or whoever? You put a lot of pressure on a kid like that.

“The good thing is, what I’ve noticed so far, is that he works hard. He has a good head on him. He’s a little quiet, shy kid, but I think once the time comes, he’s going to open up and feel more comfortable, and things are going to come, and he’s going to really excel.”

Aldrich has been linked quite a bit to Wiggins recently after the freshman skied for a dunk in a KU summer scrimmage Wednesday at Horejsi Center. Aldrich — the last player back — chose not to challenge the slam, though he has still received some flak on social media from people telling him that Wiggins dunked on him.

“Did I jump? Did I try to go block it?” Aldrich asked with a grin. “It’s a camp game. You get a bunch of kids that are anywhere between the ages of 8 and 16, and all they want to see is dunks. But it was having a good time.”

Aldrich said he hadn’t lost any sleep over the jabs he’s received, saying if he had challenged the shot, there also could have been a risk of injury for both players.

“If it happened in October, I might have tried to go and block it. Who knows?” Aldrich said. “It’s fun. It’s summertime. It’s for the show for the kids.”
LJW


My Bill Self Camp Games videos


As long as the Big 12/SEC Challenge goes on in men’s basketball, Kansas University will not be facing the Missouri Tigers.

KU coach Bill Self reiterated that point Tuesday during a Big 12 teleconference, responding with a simple “No” when asked if he anticipated playing MU in the conference agreement.

Self later was asked if anyone had approached KU about playing MU in the series.

“That would never come up,” Self said. “I don’t think Texas is going to play (Texas) A&M either.”

The two conferences have not yet determined how many years the Big 12/SEC Challenge will take place.
LJW


Perry Ellis, Evan Manning, Tyler Self & Andrew White III named to inaugural Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team
@KUHoops


No basketball player worth his weight likes sitting on the bench.

Riding the pine is a frustrating, occasionally vexing happening, in particular when the player is talented and resourceful enough to compete in game action.

Former Sunset and Westview hoops star Landen Lucas didn't sign with the University of Kansas in 2012 to be the over-exuberant dude at the end of the bench, madly waving towels, enticing the crowd, cheering on the Jayhawks to victory.

Lucas committed to Kansas because he wanted to be an impact player on the highest level, the post shining on ESPN and CBS every week, getting the pub that accompanies being part of one of the nations' blue-blood programs.

Kansas coach Bill Self and the coaching staff said they thought the world of Lucas' potential to be a key contributor in the Big 12 Conference. After all, 6-foot-10, 240-pound power forwards who can pass the rock from the pivot, knock down jumpers from the outside but don't back down from contact don't grow on trees.

Yet, when Lucas sat down with Self toward the end of Kansas' preseason practices in October and discussed the future, the option of redshirting came up. Redshirting, in a nutshell, means delaying an athlete's participation to lengthen their period of eligibility. In a redshirt year, a student-athlete may attend classes at the college or university, practice with an athletic team and dress for play, but can't compete during the game.

At first, Lucas was reticent to the idea. He couldn't remember the last time he'd missed back-to-back games, let alone an entire season of play. The thought of running into the roaring Phog Allen Fieldhouse before a rabid crowd would have to wait. Playing in the NCAA Tournament, getting on “One Shining Moment,” would be put on ice. The lure of the game wouldn't be there to go after, that carrot to chase.

Then, after a few days talking it over with his dad Richard, who played for the University of Oregon in the late 1980s, and looking at the freight of posts entrenched on the Jayhawk roster, Lucas signed off on the redshirt.

It wasn't an easy decision, nor a very popular one at the time in Lucas' eyes. He's a player who relishes the atmosphere of a big game and the adrenaline that comes with it.

Looking back, Lucas said it might not have been the sought-after, glamorous conclusion that'd he dreamed of on National Signing Day at Westview High, but it was the right one with fathomless, long-lasting rewards.

First of all, Lucas said there wasn't any outside pressure to improve rapidly or take on a role that he wasn't comfortable embracing. He adapted to the speed of the college game at his own pace, and enhanced his skills with the help of the Jayhawk staff while gaining swagger and strength via marathon workout sessions in the Kansas weight room.

“It's paid off big,” Lucas says. “I had to make things fun and competitive. It really gave me a new appreciation for practice that I hope to carry into this year.

"Basketball's a game of confidence, and now I go out there, and it's just a whole new game, everything's a lot slower. It's a lot calmer on the court, and that's a great feeling to have going into my first year of playing.”

…The constant change made the modification of moving from the West Coast to the plains of Lawrence smoother than most freshmen would experience. Lucas says it didn't hurt that Kansas fans treat the players like kings on campus.

The best part about Lucas' redshirt, perhaps, is that he still has four years of eligibility to lace up for Kansas, including next season.

Kansas has Final Four talent, and Lucas is a big piece of the puzzle. The Jayhawks have scoring, rebounding, size, and the ability to lock up opponents both in the halfcourt and fullcourt.

As Lucas sees it, Kansas' overflowing, lavish roster is perfect for him. He won't be asked to score 20 points a game, haul in 10 boards and be the second coming of former All-American Thomas Robinson.

Lucas wants to do the little things, such as playing solid defense in the post and getting primal on the glass. Those are duties that don't necessarily show up in the stat sheet or on SportsCenter but are invaluable on a possible national championship-caliber team.

Fulfilling these commitments could endear Lucas both to the coaching staff and the passionate Jayhawk fan base.

…"You couldn't ask for a better place to play.”

The idea of playing in Phog Allen Fieldhouse — one of college basketball's best and loudest arenas — kept Lucas' flame kindled as he worked his fingers to the bone prepping for his redshirt freshman season.

“There are very few schools in the country where you would get that at, so I'm very happy to be a part of one of them,” he says. “It's a great environment to be a part of. I'm ready to get out there. The season's going to be here before I know, so I just have to make sure I'm prepared and ready to go.”
Portland Tribune


During Tuesday morning’s Big 12 summer media teleconference, Self didn’t avoid the projections about Wiggins’ potential impact in Lawrence.

“I think his ceiling’s high. ... I would hope he’s as talented as any player in the country,” Self said. “From a raw, athletic-ability standpoint, he can do some things that I’ve never had a player be able to do physically.”

That’s coming from a coach who had Ben McLemore -- a probable top-five pick in Thursday’s NBA draft -- last season and multiple lottery picks prior to that.

Wiggins’ arrival is unlike any we’ve ever seen in college basketball. He’s not the first unanimous No. 1 prep to create a frenzy. But he’s the first recruit who’s emerged with this level of anticipation within the social media era, which has added another level of scrutiny and emotion to the entire recruitment process.

These kids are more tangible now as a result.

It’s not like Self said something that wasn’t already apparent beforehand. But it’s always intriguing when a coach confirms the unrivaled buildup.

Self, however, also inserted necessary alerts about Wiggins.

“He’s still just 18 years old,” Self said during the teleconference. “Hopefully by midseason he’s totally comfortable to really just play and not think. … Early in most kids’ freshman campaigns, they’re thinkers instead of reactors.”
ESPN


When the obvious team goal question was asked during the 6-8 forward's first meeting with the media since arriving in Lawrence, Wiggins delivered an answer that will certainly be music to Jayhawks fans' ears.

"I want to win. I want me and my teammates to be the best players that we can be. ...and hopefully, win a national championship," Wiggins said. "That's my main goal."

"I know that college is a big step from high school and coming (to Kansas) early (in the summer) would (raise) my chances of being ready. ...I just take my life day by day. I just try to stay grounded, keep my circle tight, stay close to my family and friends."

In the pickup game against former Kansas players, including Sherron Collins, Wiggins didn't take long to exhilarate the crowd — throwing down a monster slam just 10 seconds into the contest.

"That felt good," Wiggins said, smiling. "It loosened up my nerves."

While he only got a small dose of the fanfare, Wiggins said he's most excited to play in front of a packed arena.

"I've never played in front of 30,000 fans before," he said. "I can tell (KU students) are loyal fans."
"It's been a great vibe since I've been here," Wiggins added. "Everyone in Lawrence has been showing me nothing but love."
USA Today


Who do you see as the most likely redshirt candidates? AWIII (Andrew White)? Frank Mason?

It’s June, of course, which means it’s about four months too early for this question. But this is the summer mailbag, and these questions must be considered. We know one thing: The Jayhawks are not going to have 12 guys in their rotation (Hunter Mickelson, the Jayhawks’ 13th scholarship player, has to sit out after transferring from Arkansas.) But here’s another: KU certainly doesn’t NEED to redshirt anybody.

In the frontcourt, there aren’t many candidates. Jamari Traylor and Landen Lucas have already burned their redshirts; Tarik Black is a graduate transfer; and Perry Ellis and freshman Joel Embiid are out of this discussion.

So we turn to the backcourt, where Andrew Wiggins has added to a logjam of talented wings.

Bill Self has traditionally played a rotation with four “smalls” — and maybe a fifth playing spot minutes. Wiggins and freshman Wayne Selden appear capable of holding down starting spots, and Naadir Tharpe is the only guard with any semblance of experience. Add in freshman sharpshooters Conner Frankamp, Brannen Greene, and Frank Mason, who provides some point-guard skills, and yes, it appears that Andrew White could have difficulty breaking into the rotation.

Let’s pause for a historical footnote: Self has said that his current roster might be his deepest since the 2009-10 team, which featured about eight players that have played (or will play) a minute in the NBA. That KU team had Jeff Withey as its sixth-best big man, and a backcourt that featured Sherron Collins, Tyshawn Taylor, Xavier Henry, Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed and Elijah Johnson. The end result was that Travis Releford redshirted … and he eventually turned into an all-Big 12 second-team wing.

At the moment, it looks like KU will have loads of depth in the backcourt again. Would White benefit from a year on the sideline, following the Releford blueprint? A solid argument could certainly be made.

Of course, it looked like Kansas would be deeper last year as well. And for a while, Self could only count on his five starters. So, yes, we’ll remind again: It’s early.

Who makes the bigger impact this season: Tarik Black or Conner Frankamp?

Based on the competition at the respective positions, we’ll lean toward Black for now. On a young team, Black can bring some experience and toughness. These are important traits to Self, of course. And while his raw rebounding numbers were never eye-popping at Memphis, Black has always been effective at scoring around the basket. All that said, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Black begin the season in the starting lineup alongside Ellis in the frontcourt.

Last week, Frankamp, a 6-foot guard from Wichita, said he wanted to improve his lateral quickness this summer. Frankamp obviously had defense on his mind, and he admitted as such. His shooting ability is a rare gift, but he’ll have to prove he can guard to Self’s liking to command major minutes as a freshman.
KC Star Rustin Dodd mailbag


It will be fascinating to watch how much Self can tap into Wiggins' potential in one season before he is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2014 NBA draft. Wiggins will need to refine his jump shot in time.

And he no longer has to be bored against some competition, as he was at times at Huntington Prep (W.Va.), even when that competition included many future Division I college basketball players. His coaches had to nudge him or find various ways to motivate him because dominating, when he wanted to, came so easy for him.

Wiggins' nutrition has come a long way in two years, since the days when he would crave five Eggo waffles each meal while staying with his host family – Scott and Lesley Thomas – in a 5,000-square-foot home in the tranquil neighborhood of Proctorville, Ohio. And he has started to come out of his shell after being extremely shy earlier in high school, according to other students at Huntington Prep.

Despite his unassuming manner, Wiggins does not lack confidence. He was motivated to outplay Julius Randle during a highly anticipated showdown at an event in North Augusta, S.C., last July because it "solidified" his reputation as the nation's best high school player. And his high school coach Rob Fulford said Wiggins had been "very upset" that touted Jabari Parker was not at the same event because Wiggins was "tired of hearing about him," Fulford said.

Now he is poised to shine on a much larger stage.

College basketball fans are rightly eagerly awaiting the college debut of Wiggins, who blends supreme talent with genuine humility. And some lucky Kansas fans this week were given a sneak preview of a reluctant rock star ready to invigorate the next college basketball season.
USA Today


Kansas Athletics and ESPN have agreed to a seven-year agreement, beginning with the 2013-14 academic year, under which ESPN3 annually will carry a minimum of 70 live events distributed nationally, one of the largest deals the multiscreen network has signed to date.

Kansas Athletics announced recently an agreement under which Time Warner Cable will annually air 50 KU contests - including two exhibition and four non-conference men's basketball games - exclusively on Metro Sports in Kansas City and in the state of Kansas. ESPN3 will deliver those 50 events nationally outside that territory. ESPN3 will also carry - exclusively - a minimum of 20 additional contests nationally, including in Kansas City and the state of Kansas. ESPN3 currently reaches more than 85 million homes nationwide to fans that receive their Internet or video subscription from an affiliated provider. It is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold Members and on Apple TV.
The 70 events include one regular-season football game, the football spring game, six men's basketball games (including two exhibition games) and basketball's Late Night in the Phog, as well as 16 women's basketball games. ESPN3 will also deliver the Kansas Relays and multiple volleyball, baseball, softball and women's soccer games.

"ESPN3 continues to serve as a destination for college sports fans, and our agreement with Kansas Athletics extends that commitment," said John Lasker, vice president of programming and acquisitions, ESPN. "We look forward to delivering these live events to the KU fan base."

"From the start of this process, our goals were to saturate the Kansas City market, distribute Kansas programming throughout the state and make our live events available nationally," Kansas Director of Athletics Sheahon Zenger said. "We are meeting these goals through agreements like these with ESPN and Time Warner Cable. Both are significant steps for Kansas Athletics and we are excited about the future for all Jayhawk fans - wherever they may be watching."
KUAD


While the new Tier-3 deals will put KU athletics in more homes than Texas’ more highly publicized Longhorn Network, they leave in question the availability of six early-season men’s basketball games that KU fans across Kansas have become accustomed to seeing: two exhibition games and four regular-season, non-conference games.

As things stand today — and KU officials were careful to point out that there are a lot of moving parts still associated with this situation — fans without Time Warner or ESPN3 may miss those six games. Even those who have the subscription-based ESPN Full Court service, which only includes regular-season college basketball contests, will miss the two exhibition games.

All other games — basketball and football normally broadcast through KU and Big 12 Tier-1 and Tier-2 partners on ESPN, ESPN 2, CBS, Fox and others — will be unaffected.

Here’s a quick breakdown, by region, of what is required to see the four regular-season games in question:

    •    In Lawrence and throughout Kansas — The games will be available for customers who have Metro Sports or Full Court, but will be blacked out on ESPN3.

    •    In Kansas City — The games will be available for customers with Time Warner, Comcast or Full Court, but not ESPN3.

    •    Across the country — The games will be available via ESPN3 and Full Court, as has been the case during the past several years. Because of the Big 12 Conference’s television agreement with ESPN and Fox Sports, the live-game broadcasts on Metro Sports will be offered only to viewers in Kansas and the Kansas City metro area, but the new shoulder programing, which includes pre- and post-game content as well as weekly features about KU sports, will be available to Time Warner’s millions of customers nationwide.

While those scenarios appear to leave some Kansas cities in the dark, KU officials said today’s reality could change in the future. For example, if Cox Cable in Wichita were to broker a deal with Time Warner to bring Metro Sports to its channel lineup, KU fans in Wichita would be able to see the six games in question along with the more than two dozen others on national television each year.

“With this deal and the excitement and the discussion that it’s causing, it’s possible that developments are going to continue to unfold,” said Jim Marchiony, KU’s associate athletic director for public affairs. “If it happens that a very small minority of Kansas fans are somehow inconvenienced for two exhibition games and four non-conference basketball games, we think those fans would agree that the national exposure for the entire program is well worth it. And I stress that a small minority of fans may be inconvenienced, because the full story may not have been written yet.”
LJW


As recently as a year ago, I would have read the press release about the seven-year deal Kansas made with ESPN and yawned. The Jayhawks sold their local third-tier broadcast rights to a cable company (Time Warner Cable) and their national third-tier broadcast rights to ESPN, which will place those games (one football game, six men's basketball games and more than 50 other games involving Kansas teams) on ESPN3. ESPN3, for those furiously scrolling through their channel guides, is ESPN's web-only streaming service.

Only 12 months ago, I would have said something like this: "Wow. Nice Internet deal. Enjoy all the buffering." Yet on Tuesday, when I read the release, I thought about the way my own family's consumption of media has changed. If the TV is on at home, it's probably streaming an episode of Wonder Pets! for the kids through the PlayStation 3 on Amazon Instant Video. If my wife and I want to rent a movie, we download it from iTunes and play it on our television through AppleTV. If I'm on the road for work, I don't flip through channels on the hotel TV, I call up Netflix on my computer or iPad or phone and watch old episodes of Sons of Anarchy or Breaking Bad or some other show I missed the first time around.

I do this because, with an acceptable Internet connection, these programs don't look much different from the HD feed that comes through a satellite dish or a cable wire. What does this mean for Kansas fans? It means that for those who live outside of Kansas or the Kansas City metro area, the first look at top hoops recruit Andrew Wiggins -- the two hoops exhibition games are included in this deal -- will come over the web. The great preponderance of college sports fans probably won't tune in to watch the 2014 Jayhawks football spring game, but this deal and the next few like it should give us a much better idea about the next step for college sports at large.

There will be another wave of realignment. The ACC's agreement to a Grant of Rights for the remainder of its media rights deal with ESPN merely pressed the pause button. This wave of realignment was defined by cable subscriber fees and new markets. What will define the next one? We're about to find out.
SI


At the end of the third quarter of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Mario Chalmers ran the length of the court, pulled up and drained a 3-pointer off the glass to put the Heat up one headed into the fourth. Miami would hold on and win its second NBA title of the Triad Era and the third in franchise history, in part behind Chalmers' 14 points.

To make the shot, Chalmers had to have the athleticism to get up the court, the awareness to anticipate the clock, the ability to take and make the shot and the luck to use the backboard to bank the shot in.

Standing drenched in sweat and champagne against a wall outside the Heat locker room, Chalmers said, with no doubt or confusion:

"I thought it was nothing but net when it left my hand."

That's Mario Chalmers.

The little brother who now at age 27 is one of the longest-tenured Heat, who has come of age as the starting point guard for this superstar team, the guy who thinks the Big 3 is the Big 4, now has his second NBA championship to go with his 2008 national championship at Kansas. Mario Chalmers has three rings now. Think about that.

"I'm a winner," Chalmers said. "I've been blessed to be in a position to win, and I want to keep winning."

In truth, Chalmers was truly a huge part of these Finals. He had games in which he vanished, most notably in San Antonio. In wins, Chalmers averaged 15 points on 50-percent shooting, in the three losses, just five points on 20 percent.

Chalmers is considered the little brother of the Heat, the player whom guys yell at constantly. But in truth, he has become a reliable shooter, a pick-and-roll ball-handler and most notably an excellent defender. He's a worthy starter on a championship team and has earned the trust that Erik Spoelstra has granted him.

"Spo always tells me he'll go to war with me. I'll always go to war with Spo or anyone on this team. And that's what we did tonight. We went to war and we won."

The little brother, the three-time champion, the most confident player on the Heat. Mario Chalmers, the sub-superstar.
CBS


Ben McLemore 2013 NBA Draft Workout - Potential #1 Pick - Kansas Basketball. Everybody go check out my video
@Humb1e_Hungry23

The NBA has issued 10 preliminary invitations to its "green room" for Thursday night's draft, according to multiple sources.

Those invited are Nerlens Noel (Kentucky), Victor Oladipo (Indiana), Otto Porter (Georgetown), Alex Len (Maryland), Anthony Bennett (UNLV), Ben McLemore (Kansas), Trey Burke (Michigan), Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse), C.J. McCollum (Lehigh) and Cody Zeller (Indiana).
Link


Self said Tuesday that he believes KU shooting guard Ben McLemore’s game will translate well to the next level.

McLemore is expected to be taken somewhere in the first seven picks of Thursday’s NBA Draft.

“Ben is one of those elite, elite shooters. The difference is, he’s a freak athlete, too,” Self said. “ ... Now, he’s got to get stronger. He’s got to be able to put it down (with the dribble). He’s got to be able to have a little bit better vision passing the ball, things like that, but those are things he’ll grow into.”

Self thinks that there might be a several-month adjustment period in the NBA before McLemore starts to show his potential.

“I tell everybody I’ve talked to, I think by January to February, he could be a guy that’s averaging 13 points a game for anybody who picks him,” Self said. “I do think he has that type of ability, and I do think he could be a potential All-Star.

“To me, he’s the one guy in the draft that — there’ll be somebody else emerge — but just looking at it on paper right now, he’s the one guy in the draft I think has the highest ceiling.”

...KU center Jeff Withey also could be taken with McLemore in the first round, and Self believes the best situation for the big man would be getting drafted by a winning team.

“I’ve seen San Antonio or Miami, these teams that are really, really good … good gosh, how nice would it be to have a shot-blocker that’s 7 foot that can come in and change the game and battle guys around the rim and that kind of stuff?” Self said. “He’s not a natural scorer yet. He’s not a guy that you can draft and say, ‘Well definitely, he’s got to give this team 13 points and eight rebounds or he’s going to be a flop.’ I don’t think that’s what he’s going to be.

“I think he’s going to — early in his career — be a very nice complementary guy that can have a role, but kind of find his way and grow into it until hopefully he can be a starter.”

...Former KU guard Ben McLemore has signed with NBA player agent Rodney Blackstock, who just recently was certified to become an agent, Sports Business Journal’s Liz Mullen reports. Blackstock is the man who allegedly paid McLemore’s former AAU coach, Darius Cobb, $10,000 and travel expenses last year in an attempt to be introduced to the KU player.
LJW


There was this 7-foot center from Kansas, a big white guy who can definitely block shots and rebound but has somewhat suspect offensive skills, who was working out for the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

No, thankfully, it was not Greg Ostertag.

On this occasion, it was Jeff Withey, who averaged 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.9 blocked shots per game during his senior season for the Jayhawks in 2012-13.

Withey, a consensus second-team All-American, was one of six players who worked out for the Jazz at Zions Bank Basketball Center on Wednesday morning in hopes of hearing their names called during next week's NBA draft.

…"I thought it went really well," the slender 7-foot, 235-pound Withey said of Wednesday's workout. "I shot the ball very well. We went up and down (the floor) a little bit; the air's pretty thin up here and I'm not used to that. But overall I felt pretty good about the workout. ... They wanted to see how well I shot the ball, and I didn't get to play too much defense."

Withey admitted that his schedule leading up to next Thursday's NBA draft has been hectic to say the least.

"It's been a crazy little ride, you know. I've been all over the place," he said. "This is my 12th workout in about 2 1/2 weeks or maybe three weeks, so I've been all over the place flying.

"It's been a unique experience. A lot of the people that I've talked to just say, 'Have fun with it,' and that's the best advice I've gotten. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I'm trying to look at it like that, but at the same time it is very stressful because it's a job interview everywhere you go and you want to be the best that you can be. And the draft is right around the corner, so it's a pretty crazy time.

"The anticipation of not knowing where you're going to be is pretty tough to deal with," Withey said. "People all over the place are just, you know, (asking) 'Where are you gonna go? Where are you gonna go?' I don't have a choice, so wherever I go I'll be happy and it's going to be an exciting experience."

…Walt Perrin, the Jazz's vice president of player personnel who has overseen the team's workouts of almost 80 potential draft prospects over the past several weeks, was impressed with Withey's performance in Wednesday's session — particularly the big fella's un-Ostertag-like ability to shoot the ball.

"He's more than a back-to-the-basket player. He can really shoot the ball from about 15 feet," Perrin said. "We know he can protect the basket; we know he rebounds. He played extremely hard. But because you don't see him stepping away from the basket at Kansas, he showed us that he can knock down the 15-foot jump shot.

"We had an opportunity to see Jeff shoot jump shots today. ... With the way we run our workouts, we want to take a look at different things so we're able to see if they can get away from the basket, (or) if a smaller guy can post up, (or) we can see how well they're going to work through the altitude, (or) are they going to finish strong.

"That's his main skill — he can protect the basket," Perrin said of Withey's shot-blocking ability. "He does a really good job from the weak side, and it would be intriguing having him and (promising young Jazz big man) Derrick (Favors). But you could say the same thing with some of the other big guys we've brought in, too, so we'll have to see."
DeseretNews


Anrio Adams to Ohio


It isn't easy to overshadow rock stars, superheroes and soldiers, but the state of Kansas seemed to be the real star Friday night.

Five individuals and groups were inducted into the Kansas Hall of Fame Friday night at Washburn University's White Concert Hall.

The laureates were 70s rock band Kansas, which had seven current and former members present; James Naismith, inventor of basketball, represented by his grandson Jim Naismith; the First Kansas Colored Infantry, represented by Gen. Roosevelt Barfield; C.F., Karl and Will Menninger, represented by Roy and Walt Menninger; and Clark Kent/Superman represented by Hutchinson News publisher John Montgomery and Laura Siegel Larson.

Siegel Larson, daughter of Superman's co-creator, Jerry Siegel, said her father wanted to contrast the values of Superman's home planet, Krypton, with the compassion and humility Clark Kent learned growing up in the fictional Smallville, Kansas.

On Krypton “unfortunately they didn't use their intelligence wisely and their planet exploded," she said.

Historian Bill Worley portrayed Naismith, another immigrant to Kansas, though he came a slightly shorter distance from his native Ontario when he became chaplain at The University of Kansas.

"Kansas became our home," he said. "I thank God that Kansas has such fine educational institutions and supports them, and I pray that will always be the case."
TCJ


It didn’t take Angel Goodrich long to learn the WNBA was a bit more rough-and-tumble than the brand of ball she played at Kansas University.

Just a few weeks into her pro career, Goodrich already has sat out one game nursing a sore knee, then most of a week — of practice, but no games — after suffering a concussion.

“It’s a lot faster, and the physicality ... it’s a lot more aggressive,” Goodrich said, comparing the pro to amateur game. “Everything’s bigger and faster and stronger. But these are the top players in the country, and it’s great to be one of them, great to be a part of it.”

That was no sure thing.

Tapped in the third round of the WNBA Draft (29th overall), Goodrich — an All-Big 12 pick and KU’s record-holder for career assists, with 771 — was the second point guard selected by the same team, the Tulsa Shock.

First-rounder Skylar Diggins, of Notre Dame, was penciled in as the starter. Goodrich had to make the team as a backup — the first time, she said, she could recall having to survive tryouts.

“It was definitely a new experience for me,” she said. “Camp was great, though. It was great getting that experience in camp.

“It was different for me, but a good difference. I really enjoyed the experience...."
LJW

An NCAA panel voted Monday to expand the use of replay review in college basketball, and instituted the 10-second backcourt rule for the women's game.

The Playing Rules Oversight Panel also approved a tweak to the charging-blocking foul in the men's game and gave referees leeway when it comes to penalties for accidentally elbowing an opponent above the shoulders.

The approved changes from the panel's conference call are effective immediately.

Under the replay change, officials can use video review to confirm a shot-clock violation or determine who caused the ball to go out of bounds on a deflection involving two or more players in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime.

Changes also were made for reviewing 3-pointers. For the first 36 minutes of play, officials must wait until the next media timeout to review whether a shot was a 3-point field goal. In the last four minutes of the game and the entire overtime, officials will go to the monitor immediately to determine whether a field goal was a 3.

Officials also can use the monitor to determine which player committed a foul. Previously, they were only allowed to use the monitor to determine the free-throw shooter.

The women's game will be played with a 10-second rule next season, meaning the team with possession must advance the ball past midcourt within 10 seconds or it's a turnover. Before the change was approved, teams could use as much of the 30-second shot clock as they wanted to move the ball past half-court.

The change to the charging-blocking foul and a list of points of emphasis for officials is designed to spark an offensive bump for the men's game. The scoring average in Division I last season was 67.5 points, the lowest since 1981-82. Scoring has declined each of the last four seasons in Division I.

The defender is no longer able to slide into the offensive player's path to the basket at the last moment and draw a charge. The defender has to be in position when the player on offense starts his upward motion with the ball. In addition, greater emphasis is being placed on calling fouls on defensive players who keep a hand or forearm on an opponent or use an arm bar to impede the progress of an opponent.

When it comes to an elbow above the shoulders, referees will be allowed to use a video monitor to determine the severity of the blow. If deemed inadvertent, the referee could call a player-control foul or even nothing.

Previously, a referee was required to call a flagrant-1 or flagrant-2. A flagrant-1 results in two free throws and possession for the offended team. A flagrant-2 adds an ejection for the offending player.
AP


If O'Bannon, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson and the other named plaintiffs are allowed to invite thousands of current and former players into the lawsuit -- expect a written decision delivered in the next month or so -- potential damages to the NCAA and its co-defendants from an adverse decision could grow into the billions. Even if they aren't, scenarios exist that still could force the NCAA to revise its ban on athletes receiving more than an athletic scholarship for their services.

If you thought Emmert has lost friends in high places lately, just wait if university presidents have to address an issue they've been able to duck for, well, forever.

Lost in the finger-pointing is the fact that the collective storm of crises confronting the NCAA today was inevitable. It began forming nearly 30 years ago. In 1984, the Supreme Court set the new course for college sports when it ruled on NCAA  v. Board of Regents, an antitrust lawsuit brought by member schools who objected to the NCAA's control over television broadcast contracts.

The NCAA argued that if it lost, it would doom college sports.

The NCAA lost. Since then, the annual growth rate of Division I-A (FBS) college athletic departments has been 8.2 percent, fueled by growing TV contracts negotiated by conferences. Big-time college sports has grown faster than the U.S. economy (5.0 percent). Even McDonald's (7.7 percent) can't compete.

Billion hamburgers served? Try a billion first-and-goals served to grateful fans.

"If the 1984 case was settled differently, we wouldn't have these issues," said Gary Roberts, dean of Indiana University's Robert H. McKinney School of Law and a former NCAA faculty rep. "The NCAA wanted to limit commercialization of college basketball and football to one game a week, and one network. If that lid had been kept on, we wouldn't have the unleashed commercialization we see today."
ESPN


On a spring day last year, Barry Hinson packed for a road trip. The drive would take just four hours, from his office in Carbondale, Ill., to NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. Hinson, a basketball lifer, pointed his car north, toward Interstate 70. He had time to kill, and a message to refine.

He had recently been hired as the head men’s basketball coach at Southern Illinois, and a series of unexpected academic issues in his program had forced this trip. But Hinson, a veteran coach with an affable personality and good ol’ boy charm, was happy to have the ear of the suits in Indianapolis.

There was a relatively new strain of disease infecting college basketball, Hinson thought, and it was hitting home at the mid-major level. Players had begun to be recruited off their own campuses and were landing at more prestigious programs. And Hinson wanted NCAA officials to be aware. The practice, Hinson says, is one of the reasons for a record number of transfers over the previous two offseasons, and he’s not shy about using a one-word term for the trend.

“Poaching,” Hinson says.

“It’s already a mess,” he adds. “It’s just getting ready to be really bad for programs at the mid-major level.”

Hinson’s concerns are not limited to schools like Southern Illinois, but rather the transfer culture that has become a prominent component of college basketball.

After yearly transfer figures held steady in the 10-percent range for most of the past decade, college basketball has seen a moderate increase in the last two offseasons: Close to 11 percent of Division I basketball players transferred in the past two offseasons, with more than 400 players changing schools each season. According to NCAA records, more than 40 percent of college basketball players will switch programs before the end of their sophomore seasons.

Springtime has turned into college basketball’s version of free agency, with the list of transfers turning into unofficial waiver wire.

“Schools are recruiting kids right off of campus,” K-State coach Bruce Weber says.
KC Star


With Jerrance Howard making the move to join Bill Self’s staff at Kansas, SMU head coach Larry Brown had a vacancy to fill. He’s officially done so, as SMU officially announced the hiring of former Wichita State assistant K.T. Turner.

The news that Turner would join Brown’s staff was reported by multiple outlets earlier in the week.
Turner spent one season at Wichita State but it was a successful one, as the Shockers went 30-9 and reached the Final Four. And with Howard being a valuable recruiter for the SMU program, Turner will certainly need to have an impact in that department.

Turner has coaching experience at both the Division I and junior college levels, with stops at places such as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College. Turner joins associate head coach Tim Jankovich and Ulric Maligi on the SMU coaching staff, with Jankovich in line to be Brown’s successor whenever the head coach decides to retire.
NBC Sports


2013-14 Early-season events schedule

Let’s take a look at the final impressions from the NBPA 100 Camp.

Best performers

Myles Turner (Euless, Texas/Trinity) C, 6-foot-11, 225 pounds

Turner went from unranked to No. 10 in the ESPN 100 and has a chance to continue rising. Turner, a LaMarcus Aldridge-type, established himself as the most dominant post player at the event and controlled the glass at both ends of the floor. Where he was truly special was with his elite shot-blocking skills. Turner can block his own man’s shots or come over from the weak side to reject the ball in help situations. His mobility allows him to cover ground quickly and shrink the floor as a true rim protector. He can also hit jumpers at the arc and is a smart passer from the low post.

Most Versatile
Kelly Oubre (Fort Bend, Texas/Findlay Prep) SF, 6-6, 190

When it comes to catch-and-shoot 3s, few were better than Oubre. He was fantastic all camp from behind the line, but also made flash cuts to the mid-post area for closer looks. He was stellar finishing in transition and showed a knack for rebounding well in a crowd.
Link


6/21/13, 10:37 AM
NO ORDER❗❗❗ TOP 10 School
Kansas
Michigan state
Kentucky
Louisville
Illinois
DePaul
Indiana
Memphis
Baylor
Arizona

NO ORDER
@humblekid11 Cliff Alexander


Though Alexander did not begin playing basketball until eighth grade, he picked up offers from Michigan State and Kentucky before his junior year.

Those schools, with their high-profile coaches, were considered the clear leaders, but Alexander's affinity for Illinois coach John Groce is clear.

And with DePaul landing local recruits Billy Garrett Jr. (Morgan Park), Myke Henry (Orr/Illinois) and Tommy Hamilton (Young/IMG Academy), the Blue Demons have remained in the picture.

“Of course with the Michigan State situation, (coach Tom) Izzo and the whole staff have been in there from day one, so you figure they definitely are going to be strong,” said Mike Irvin, Alexander's club coach on the Mac Irvin Fire. “They've done a great job to this point.

“And Kentucky is Kentucky. They are always going to remain solid. But Illinois and DePaul have come on. It is definitely a race.”

Like Alexander — who averaged 21.3 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots in earning first-team All-State honors from the Tribune as a junior — Irvin has been impressed with the job Groce has done since taking over in Champaign last spring.

The Chicago basketball establishment initially was skeptical of the hire, but the skepticism has long since disappeared.

“Once he got the job, he got right in there,” Irvin said. “He and (Illini assistant) Paris Parham have done a great job with Cliff and a great job in Chicago.

“They are in all the gyms, all the AAU games, all the high school games. They want to take the program to the next level, the Final Four. They've got their eyes on the prize.”
Chicago Tribune


Alexander visited Kansas Friday and said the staff told him he could be like Markieff Morris.
“It was great,” he said. “Loved everything about it. Coaches are great. I would love to come and go back down there.”
Zags Blog


Oklahoma State & Kansas offered 2015 PG Jalen Brunson of Mac Irvin Fire (IL).
@TheRecruitScoop


Headed into Peach Jam our goal is to win it. I love this tournament because you get to play against the best players in the most competitive games of the summer. The mindset is to get out of our pool and take it one game at a time.

I've decided to not play with the USA U19 team this year because my grandpa got sick a few weeks back and I just want to stay around and be there for him. He's doing a little bit better. Slowly but surely he's getting better. I just want to be able to be here to help him keep fighting.

My recruitment is still going pretty well.

Right now the only official I've got lined up is to Baylor at the end of August. Me and my boy Jahlil (Okafor) are going together on that one. We'll probably do other visits together we just haven't set them up yet.

You guys already know that me and Jahlil are gonna play together in college, and now we're feeling pretty good about getting our boy Justise Winslow to come along with us as well.

It's looking pretty good for that. We're, all three, really great friends and we've got a close bond so we all like the idea of playing together in college.
USA Today Tyus Jones blog


The Bears have a unique hook in their pursuit of Jones. Jared Nuness is the director of player development for Scott Drew’s team. More importantly regarding Jones is the fact that Nuness and Jones are cousins. Nuness was the 1997 Gatorade Player of the Year in Minnesota and Jones won the award last year to keep it in the family. Nuness also played for Drew’s father, Homer, at Valparaiso.

So there you have it. If you’re looking for Baylor’s connection with the nation’s best point guard, call off the search. Word is that Jones will sign early. I looked at Baylor’s football schedule and there isn’t a good a home game in September that looks appealing. Their best weekend for an official visit looks like Oct. 5 when West Virginia comes to Waco.
ESPN Insider ($)


Justise Winslow has a fairly busy schedule over the next few weeks, what with the FIBA U19 World Championship running from June 27-July 7 in Prague.

Yet even as he practices and prepares for the big event, Winslow is eyeing his future college plans.
“At this point I really don’t have any leaders, everyone’s pretty equal,” the 6-foot-6 forward from Houston St. John’s told SNY.tv Thursday following U19 practice at the Verizon Center.

“I might just cut my list before the July period to help some of those coaches, so they know I’m interested and those that I’m not interested in.”

Winslow is currently considering 10 schools — Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Florida, Houston, Kansas, North Carolina, Stanford, Texas A&M and UCLA — and said he didn’t know which schools would definitely make the cut.

“Not yet, no,” he said.

Still, it would seem likely that Arizona and Duke and possibly Baylor and Kansas could all make the cut.

Arizona and Duke have been perceived as the frontrunners for his services, and Baylor, Duke and Kansas are the three schools that Winslow, Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones all share in common.

Okafor and Jones will take an official visit to Baylor in late August, but Winslow has not yet committed to that visit.

“I haven’t decided yet,” he said. “I don’t have any visits set up yet. I’m just trying to get through this USA experience first and maybe in July, during that live period, I can start thinking about stuff.”

Many observers believe Jones and Okafor will land at Duke, and Winslow is certainly considering the Blue Devils as well.
Zags Blog


Twins Kayla and Chayla Cheadle, seniors from Rock Bridge High in Columbia, Mo., have orally committed to play volleyball and basketball at Kansas University, the Columbia Tribune reports.

Chayla, a 5-foot-11 guard, averaged 10.8 points while hitting 45 percent of her three-pointers for Rock Bridge’s Class 5 state championship team. Kayla, a 6-1 middle blocker, was named all-region as a junior. She also plays basketball.

“We wanted to go to school together,” Chayla Cheadle told the Tribune. “This is the place for us.”
Missouri and Alabama also offered scholarships to both players.

“We could still get away from home but still be really close to our family in Kansas City,” Kayla Cheadle told the Tribune. “We could still be independent away from home but still have each other there, too.”
Link


Recruiting Calendar


2013 Spring/Summer AAU & Camp Schedule


My KU Alumni games, 2011-12 Border War, Legends of the Phog, KC Prep Invitational, & Jayhawk Invitational Videos, Late Night in the Phog, and more now on YouTube

BLUE TEAM (61): Perry Ellis 12, Brannen Greene 9, Naadir Tharpe 9, Landen Lucas 8, Andrew Wiggins 7, Wayne Selden 7, Frank Mason 3, Niko Roberts 3, Joel Embiid 2, Jamari Traylor 1, Tyler Self 0, Conner Frankamp 0.

RED TEAM (66): Tyrel Reed 19, Justin Wesley 14, Cole Aldrich 10, Tarik Black 9, Aaron Miles 6, Sherron Collins 5, Jeff Hawkins 3, Hunter Mickelson 0, Brady Morningstar 0, Christian Garrett 0. Andrew White, sprained knee, did not play.

LJW Photo Gallery


RED (76)

Tyshawn Taylor 19 points, Sherron Collins 16, Landen Lucas 13, Mario Little 9, Joel Embiid 7, Tyrel Reed 6, Justin Wesley 4, Brady Morningstar 2, Jeff Hawkins 0.

x-BLUE (91)

Brannen Greene 21, Perry Ellis 14, Conner Frankamp 12, Wayne Selden 12, Jamari Traylor 11, Tarik Black 10, Naadir Tharpe 6, Frank Mason 3, Tyler Self 3.

x-Blue actually had 92 points; one free throw was not counted on scoreboard

Threes: Greene 5, Collins 4, Frankamp 4, Taylor 3, Little 3, Reed 2, Tharpe 2, Ellis 2, Selden 2, Embiid 1, Self 1, Traylor 1.


Which player impressed Collins the most?

“Conner,” Collins said of Wichita North combo guard Frankamp. “I heard he was really good. I watched a couple videos. To see him up close ... people don’t expect too much. You’ve got some doubters. I think he’s going to be real good.”

Of his own sizzling shooting performance, Frankamp said: “I shot pretty well in warm-ups, so I felt good. I got into a rhythm. I shot open shots. That helps when you can get open shots.

“To be here is awesome. I committed a long time ago (July of 2011). Finally being here is a dream come true. Playing with these great guys is amazing.”

Frankamp said he was impressed with Greene, who can play forward and shooting guard.

“Brannen was on fire. If he keeps shooting like that, we’re going to be tough to beat,” Frankamp said.

Greene couldn’t wait to inform his dad of his performance at Self’s camp.

“I’m pretty sure I’m about to give him a call right now, as soon as I leave,” Greene said. “I’m pretty sure he’ll be excited.”

Taylor impressed: Tyshawn Taylor of the Brooklyn Nets was impressed with KU’s current players: “They are going to be one of the best teams I’ve watched since I’ve been watching college basketball, for sure since I’ve been here. It might be early to say because they are young, but they’ve got a lot of young talent and really good players.”

Highlights: Seven-foot freshman Joel Embiid hit a three, as did 6-8 Jamari Traylor ... Tharpe lobbed to Ellis for an alley-oop slam. ... Red-shirt freshman Landen Lucas dominated the paint en route to 13 points. ... Collins dribbled frantically in the lane, then capped the Harlem Globetrotter-like display by converting off an amazing spin move for a layup. ... Former Memphis center Tarik Black had a vicious dunk ... Frank Mason gave the Blue its first lead off a driving layup, 64-62.

White out: KU sophomore Andrew White did not play because of a sprained left knee. Self said the injury was not serious. .... Andrew Wiggins is not yet in town. Self said Wiggins is completing paperwork before his arrival, which could be Friday.
LJW

Kansas University sophomore forward Jamari Traylor didn’t expect to break down and cry before 800 youths during his appearance as guest speaker at the Bill Self basketball camp on Monday in Horejsi Center.

Yet that’s exactly what happened. The 6-foot-8, 220-pounder wiped away tears as his coach used phrases such as “there’s not a bigger stud in the world” and “I’ve never been prouder of a kid I’ve coached” in reference to the Chicagoan, who survived about a year of homelessness on the cold, mean streets of the Windy City during his freshman and sophomore years of high school.

“Listen,” Self exclaimed to the campers, bringing them to attention. “Jamari lived on the streets for almost a year and in homeless shelters and on his own, sleeping in abandoned cars with no heat. The only reason he went to school was to get a free lunch. A bad day for him is a little bit different than us. Try to go three to four days without eating. That’s a real bad day. That’s why he’ll be an unbelievable father and husband, provider and play pro basketball someday — because he cares so much.”

…Revisiting his life path — and listening to the approving words of coach Self — proved emotional for him Monday.

“That’s coach Self. He knows me. He’s proud of me. It’s good for him to share that with the kids, so I understand,” Traylor said. “Sometimes I just get emotional in talking about it. It’s crazy. Little kids look up to me. My life can inspire other people, so it’s a little touching to me.”

Self said Traylor’s big heart and toughness on the court will enable him to make it big on the court and in the classroom the next three years.

“Some of the things I went through definitely made me a lot tougher, made me a lot smarter, made me appreciative,” Traylor said. “Anything I do, I appreciate it. I always say, ‘Thank you.’ It’s made me more humble.

“It was tough,” he added of a year roaming the streets at night. “No shoulder to lean on as much. It was pretty much a life lesson, helped me get to where I am today. I’m in a good situation now. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It’s definitely made me a lot better.”

...KU freshman forward Andrew Wiggins could be in town by Wednesday, Self said.

“He’s ready to get here,” Self said. “He has some things to tie up from his situation back home with the Canadian National Team. That was a pretty gutsy move to say (Saturday), ‘I’m not going to play (for Under 19 team). I want to come here.’ That wasn’t coerced by us at all. It’s something we were hoping he’d come here. We were going to work with the Canadian team to try to make both things work.”

Self said Wiggins “will probably still go up there at some point in time this summer and participate in some way. I think it speaks volumes he’s trying to get here as soon as he possibly can.”

He will enroll in summer-school classes.

“His life has been so much fast-forward right now,” Self said of Wiggins, expected to be top pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. “I think he should relish being a kid for as long as he possibly can. If he were going to spend nine weeks with that team and come right in and be intense with us right off the bat that makes for a long year for a kid not used to carrying that kind of pounding. I’m excited he’s going to be here and work hard, do what he needs to do but not feel the pressure he has to perform each and every day up until he gets here.”
LJW (Video at the link)


VIDEO: Bill Self Camp Game 6/13/12


VIDEO: Bill Self Camp Game 6/20/12


LJW: Bill Self's best shooting guards


Jeff Withey says Kansas coach Bill Self was “shocked” when he landed Andrew Wiggins and that the Jayhawks can win the 2014 NCAA championship with the Canadian star.

“Everybody [in Lawrence] is excited for him to come in and play big minutes and I think next year they have a chance of winning it all,” the 7-foot Withey said Monday after working out for the Knicks.

“Coach Self is going to develop him and they got a young, athletic team.”

…“I think [Coach Self] was more shocked just because everybody did think he was going to go to [Kentucky or Florida State],” Withey said. “And when he was on his visit to Kansas, he was really quiet so you couldn’t get a good read on it. So everybody there is just really excited to have him and he’s going to have a lot of pressure but hopefully he can develop into a great player and lead that team.”

Wiggins will skip playing with the Canadian U19 team this summer in order to be at Kansas for summer school. Withey thinks that’s a wise move.

“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “Coach Self’s system, it’s hard to learn right away, but if you go early and you put in the work, you’ll learn it and get good from it.”

…Myck Kabongo, a fellow Canadian who also worked out for the Knicks Monday, agreed that Wiggins will have a huge impact at Kansas.

“Oh, man, he’s a great player,” Kabongo said. “With Wigg, he’s talented, man. He’s one of those guys that comes every once so often. He’s done a great job with what he’s done this summer. I know he’s working up there in Kansas, and I know he’s going to be fine with whatever he does.”

Asked if Wiggins makes the Jayhawks contenders for a national title, Kabongo smiled and said, “I go to Texas. I’m rooting for Texas. It is my boy, but at the same time that’s a rivalry right there. I’m all about Texas. Hats off to him at Kansas, but at the end of the day I’m going to root for Texas.”
Zags Blog


NBA Comparison: O.J. Mayo


McLemore has that same eye opening potential that Mayo had coming out of USC. He has the all-around scoring package, combined with the size and athleticism that makes you think he has what it takes to be an All-Star. However, the question with O.J. Mayo was always his drive and determination. With McLemore it’s sort of the same thing. How bad does he really want to be great? Is he content with just being another role player in this league or does he want to take his game to the next level and become the next great shooting guard after the likes of Kobe Bryant, James Harden and Dwyane Wade? That’s something that’s truly up to him.

…McLemore will be a solid guard in the NBA regardless. He has enough talent to have a decent career, but the question is if he’s satisfied with that. For the majority of O.J. Mayo’s career, he has been content with being a decent player. This year he showed flashes of the type of player he could become, but the lack of consistency is what’s holding him back. At worst, McLemore will be another O.J. Mayo. He’ll be a player capable of putting up big numbers occasionally but never on a consistent basis. Hopefully his drive and determination exceeds that of Mayo, so he doesn’t stall out the same way Mayo did.

Athleticism: 9


McLemore is a supreme athlete for a shooting guard. He has all the necessary traits to become an electrifying player at the position. His jumping ability is good enough to catch backdoor lobs. His speed and quickness is good enough to attack the rim with force in transition. His strength allows him to finish at the rim, and his shiftiness allows him to get past defenders.
Dime Mag


In a draft loaded with question marks and devoid of sure-fire NBA stars, it’s going to be really hard to pass on McLemore, even starting at the No. 1 overall pick (especially if Cleveland manages to find a trade partner). He’s that promising, with overt athleticism, very good size and a nice shooting stroke. Like fellow St. Louis native Bradley Beal (last year’s No. 3 overall pick by Washington who had a pretty credible rookie campaign), McLemore’s overall game-to-game contributions were impacted by playing with ball-dominating senior guards. Unlike Beal, though, McLemore’s gaudy college percentages actually underscore his talent.

It’s just the consistency question that’s going to dog McLemore until he shows it at the NBA level, and the team that picks him is going to have to take a leap of faith that he can bring that 41 times a season on the road when he couldn’t inside the relative comforts of an elite college program. McLemore already has overcome a ton of things in life more daunting than making 23-foot jumpers in various cities, but he’s going to have to defeat the self-limitations displayed to this point in order to achieve the level his talent suggests is possible.
SI


Good read on Coach Weis and Hannah and Friends


RockChalk Roundball Classic on June 13

6/10/13, 1:20 PM
I like UF's Kasey Hill as a prospect, but from what I saw at Nike Hoop Summit, he's not ready to run Top 10 team right now.
@franfraschilla


Scottie Wilbekin already may not have been able to maintain his grip on Florida's starting point guard position with McDonald's All-American Kasey Hill arriving.

Now the senior is going to have an even tougher time keeping his job.

Florida announced via Twitter on Monday afternoon that Wilbekin has been suspended indefinitely for an unspecified team rules violation, the second time in seven months coach Billy Donovan has suspended the senior guard. Wilbekin also sat out the first three games of the Gators' season last November as a result of another unspecified team rules violations.

It's unclear when Wilbekin will be reinstated, but the fact this is his second suspension suggests his status on the team could be in some jeopardy, especially if he were to get into further off-the-court trouble this summer. A Florida spokesman declined comment when asked for further information about the cause of Wilbekin's suspension and how it would impact his status with the program.
Yahoo


Missouri basketball coach Frank Haith didn’t need to be reminded how good Sprint Center has been to his program.

“We got a win streak going,” Haith said.

Five games and counting, all from the 2011-12 season. Missouri will look to extend the success on Nov. 16 when it meets Hawaii as part of the Tigers’ 2013-14 nonconference schedule, which was announced Monday.

The game will mark the Tigers’ first appearance in Kansas City since they joined the Southeastern Conference last year, though there was something of an SEC feel to its last trip to KC.

When the Tigers beat Baylor to capture the 2012 Big 12 tournament, Mizzou fans at Sprint Center chanted “SEC” in the game’s waning moments. Missouri had announced its new league affiliation about five months earlier.

That year the Tigers blasted two opponents in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic and swept three Big 12 foes.
KC Star


Missouri has lost assistant coach Rick Carter, Tigers basketball coach Frank Haith said on Monday.
“We’re losing one,” Haith said.

Carter was hired in 2012, joining the program from Western Michigan, and primarily worked with Mizzou guards. A connection with fellow Tigers assistant Tim Fuller — both had worked at Fairfield — helped Carter land the job.
KC Star


Will Iowa State’s self-imposed penalties be tough enough for the NCAA, which is deciding how to sanction the Cyclone athletic department for 79 rule violations?

It may be, if the NCAA’s penalties handed down last week for Mississippi State’s more severe NCAA violations are an indicator — but it’s a cautionary “maybe,” according to someone with knowledge of the NCAA process.

Both schools investigated after learning about wrongdoing by coaches, penalized offenders and filed detailed reports with the NCAA.

Iowa State did it after learning 33 coaches throughout the athletic department violated NCAA recruiting regulations, mostly through planned and accidental cellphone calls and text messages. The school responded by cutting ties to a student-assistant men’s basketball coach, reducing recruiting opportunities for coaches, and by placing itself on two years probation — all of which have been served.
DesMoinesRegister


The trail of evidence surrounding North Carolina's academic scandal continues to grow.

The school's internal investigation has whimpered out, and the NCAA has slowly taken its time fleshing out its own multi-stage probe. But now comes something of a shell in this case. Over the weekend, the Raleigh News & Observer released emails that it obtained more than a year after an open-records request. Those emails are embedded at the bottom of this post.

The emails in question shed light on the nature of the relationship between academic advisors and Julius Nyang'oro. He is the former chair of UNC's African studies program, the wing of academics at the school that received allegations of phony courses and manipulated grades.

The emails show Nyang'oro to be the benefactor of perks from the advisors, including offerings of standing on the sideline at football games and tickets for Tar Heels football as well.
CBS


Kansas State’s John Currie was honored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics on Monday as an Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year.

The honor, which also was given to three other Division I athletic directors, comes following a successful year in which the Wildcats won or shared Big 12 championships in football, baseball and men’s basketball. Off the field, K-State has also undergone recent facility upgrades, including a new $18 million basketball training facility and a $75 million expansion to the west side of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
KC Star


2013-14 Early-season events schedule

Rivals: Elite 100 recap


6/10/13, 10:34 AM
Brekkott Chapman will participate at the prestigious NBAPA TOP 100 Camp this week. Camp is held at the University of Virginia. @Top100Camp
@UtahProspects


Recruiting Calendar


2013 Spring/Summer AAU & Camp Schedule


My KU Alumni games, 2011-12 Border War, Legends of the Phog, KC Prep Invitational, & Jayhawk Invitational Videos, Late Night in the Phog, and more now on YouTube

The top-ranked Jayhawks celebrated their first women’s national track team title by alternately screaming at the top of their lungs, hugging everyone in sight and, unfortunately, singing the alma mater song quite horribly.

“Stick to track,” one man joked.

“I thought we sounded pretty on pitch,” Kansas senior Andrea Geubelle said with a mischievous grin.

Geubelle, who attended Curtis High School in the Tacoma suburb of University Place, produced a team-high 16 points with her runner-up finishes in the long and triple jumps. She said a team title was not a possibility when she first arrived at Kansas.

“We weren’t ranked in the top 25 my first year here,” Geubelle recalled. “When I visited Kansas, they had a passion for their athletes that no other school has ever had, or schools I visited at least.

“I saw in every single coach here that they (eventually) wanted that national championship. They didn’t have the athletes at the time to do it, so I hoped that maybe my recruiting class could change the face of track and field for KU, and we definitely have.”

The fiery Geubelle was left in tears Wednesday and Friday after failing to capture her first NCAA outdoors title. She won the long and triple jumps at the NCAA indoor meet in March, and she owns the best outdoor triple jump mark in the nation this year (45 feet, 5 1/4 inches).

“I had a rough meet, obviously. … I put a lot of pressure on myself,” Geubelle said.

She was quick to add, “No individual title could feel any better than a team title.”

On Friday, sophomore heptathlete Lindsay Vollmer became the only woman in Kansas history to win an individual NCAA outdoor title, yet the Jayhawks ran away with the team race. Kansas finished with 60 points, well ahead of second-place Texas A&M (44) and third-place Oregon (43).
Register Guard


Kansas University athletic director Sheahon Zenger shook the hand of women’s track coach Stanley Redwine and hugged him after Redwine’s Jayhawks on Saturday won the NCAA Outdoor title at University of Oregon’s track.

“I told him how proud I was of him,” Zenger said in a phone interview with the Journal-World. “From where I sit, it was a great effort from coach Redwine to his staff to every last kid on that team — just an awful lot of hard work, heart. It was a group effort.”

It was the first women’s team national championship of any kind in KU history.

“I’m practically speechless,” Zenger said. “I had the opportunity to get to know some of these young ladies. They are as good as gold. Their heart, soul, their work ethic makes you proud to be in the business of education and college athletics.”

He recognized how special it is for a team to win a national title.

“There are only so many sports and so many national championships,” Zenger said. “From my vantage point, it’s certainly not about me, but I’ve always felt track and field is the purest of all sports. It goes back to the history of humankind. To win a championship in that ... we’ve all grown up watching the Olympics.

“This is a special moment, it is what we strive for each and every day — championships and particularly national championships.”
LJW

Andrew Wiggins has decided to spend the summer preparing for his upcoming year at University of Kansas.

Wiggins, who is entering his freshman year, has been a member of the Canadian national team in both 2010 and 2012. Last year, the Junior Men's National Team captured the bronze medal at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship to secure a berth at this year's FIBA U19 World Championship in Prague, Czech Republic at the end of June.  Head coach Roy Rana will begin training camp this Sunday to prepare the team for this competition.



Andrew's presence with the junior team will be missed, but Canada Basketball is confident that with the depth of talent and the excellent staff leading the team, Canada will be prepared for the World Championship tournament.



Rowan Barrett, executive vice-president and assistant general manager of Canada Basketball's Senior Men's program, commented that, "at 18 years old, Andrew has a long basketball career ahead of him. Andrew’s decision to prepare himself this summer for the upcoming season is a decision we acknowledge. Our team will miss Andrew this summer, but we remain focused on Andrew's long-term development and our organizational goals for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and beyond”.
Canada Basketball


One unexpected piece of news at Bill’s Basketball Boogie raised the party atmosphere to a fever pitch on Saturday night at Abe & Jake’s Landing.

During introductions of his players, Kansas University coach Bill Self reported that Canadian freshman sensation Andrew Wiggins likely would be on campus for summer school Monday or Tuesday.

…Wiggins, who is skipping the Under 19 championships with Canada’s junior national team, conceivably still could play for the senior team later this summer.
LJW

The recruiting process for five-star, Top 20-ranked high school boys basketball players can be long, drawn out, excruciatingly painful for those players, their parents and fans.

Not always, however.

“It was never stressful for me,” said Wayne Selden, Kansas University’s 6-foot-5, 220-pound freshman shooting guard from Tilton School in New Hampshire, who, instead of milking the process for months as the country’s No. 12-rated player, announced his commitment to Kansas University last Oct. 15.

That was exactly one day after the conclusion of his only official campus visit.

He revealed his decision to a handful of media members before his first class of the week at Tilton.
“I took the process slow. My circle was able to control it well. I was taking it as it goes and able to make my decision,” Selden said.

…“It came down to a few schools. After my visit (for Late Night in Phog) I was pretty solidified I wanted to come here,” Selden said during a Thursday interview in Allen Fieldhouse. “My parents loved it. During the in-home visit, coach (Bill) Self had made the best impression on my mother, my parents. I wanted to come here.”

Selden actually committed to Self on the Saturday night of his weekend visit, but wanted to return to his hometown of Roxbury, Mass., with his parents so he could phone coaches of his finalists before making the news public.

Coincidentally, the only other freshman in KU’s recruiting class of 2013 who is ranked higher than Selden — No. 1 Andrew Wiggins — also had a low-key recruitment that ended with an announcement on Twitter, not on national TV.

“I was sitting in my dorm (at Tilton). We were all watching ESPN, flipping the channel. Somebody tweeted at me saying ‘Andrew Wiggins to Kansas,’” Selden said of the May 14 morning announcement. “Me and the guys in the dorm were excited. We knew how versatile a player he is and the athlete he is. He’s a great player.

“Before he decided, I was like, ‘We’re trying to win games, do this and that.’ When he decided to come here, I was like, ‘We’re REALLY trying to win games.’” Selden added.
LJW

The University of Kansas men’s and women’s basketball teams will celebrate the beginning of the 2013-14 season at the 29th annual Late Night in the Phog Friday, Oct. 4, in Allen Fieldhouse.

The 2013 Late Night in the Phog coincides with Kansas’ football Homecoming and K Club weekend when the Jayhawks will host Texas Tech at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 5.

The Oct. 4 date is earlier than past Late Nights as the NCAA recently moved the start of fall men’s basketball practice up by two weeks. Traditionally, the first men’s practice of the season has come on or around the weekend of Oct. 15. Women’s basketball practice moved to an earlier start for practice two seasons ago.

Late Night in the Phog is one of the most well-attended ‘midnight madness’ events in all of college basketball. Each year, some 16,000 fans pack into Allen Fieldhouse to catch an off-beat look at the Jayhawks and to get a sneak peek at the highly-touted newcomers. The first Late Night was in 1985 and called Late Night with Larry Brown.
KUAD

College basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb, who this year was co-host of the Boogie with Self, envisions a two-team race for the 2013-14 Big 12 basketball title.

The contenders?

The nine-time defending champion Kansas Jayhawks and Gottlieb and Self’s alma mater, Oklahoma State, which will be led by sophomore standout Marcus Smart.

“It feels like back in the mid-’90s, where you have Oklahoma State and Kansas — two really talented clubs kind of lining up for two, maybe three match-ups to decide who is the Big 12 champion,” Gottlieb said Saturday at Abe & Jake’s.

Gottlieb says the big challenge for OSU is “handling expectations. It’s a lot harder to do when everybody expects you to be great.”

…On the reason he co-hosted the Boogie, Gottlieb said: “Bill called. Bill calls ... you go, ‘Yes, sir.’ Between my appreciation for the program and of course what he does with the foundation ... also our Oklahoma State ties.

“I feel like they are going to present me with some ‘shorts on backwards’ or something or there will be a chant coming tonight,” Gottlieb joked of the party.
LJW


6/7/13, 4:29 PM
Had a great time at the camp with the kids out in Ulysses, Kansas today
@F_Mason15

6/9/13, 2:09 PM
First day of Bill Self Basketball Camp - registering and getting autographs!
@KUHoops


Frank Mason and his Kansas University basketball teammates good-naturedly signed shirts, shoes, basketballs, posters and plain sheets of paper for hundreds of KU coach Bill Self’s basketball campers during a marathon 2 1⁄2-hour orientation session Sunday in Booth Family Hall of Athletics.

“It’s amazing. This is my first event doing something like this. I’m just happy to see all the kids smiling,” said Mason, KU’s 5-foot-11, 180-pound freshman point guard out of Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, Va.

“I knew it would be like this,” Mason added, “because the tradition is very great here. It’s the fans. They are wonderful. I hope to have a lot more events like this.”

Mason has all the makings of a future fan favorite at KU. Self calls the speedy point guard, who averaged 17 points and eight assists a year ago for 30-4 Massanutten, a “jet.”

“I think my strength is getting my teammates involved, getting in the paint, but most of all on the defensive end, being a good defender,” said Mason.

Also ... “being a point guard, being a leader, controlling the tempo,” he added.

…“My goals my first year are to compete every day, work hard and do what I can to help the team win,” said Mason, who is roommate of freshman shooting guard Brannen Greene. ”I have wonderful teammates. Everyone loves to compete. We are going for the national title and no less — Big 12 champs and more.”

For now, Mason is just happy to be here.

“I absolutely love this place. I love the program, everything about it,” he said.

…In other KU newcomer news, freshman Andrew Wiggins, who has decided to not play for Canada’s Under 19 team this summer so he can work out with his teammates in Lawrence, will be here “probably mid-week,” Self said Sunday on the first day of his Sunday-Thursday camp.
LJW


Former Kansas big man Jeff Withey will work out for both New York teams this week and could be an attractive option in the first round.

The 7-foot, 235-pound center visits the Knicks Monday and the Nets Tuesday. The Nets pick No. 22 and the Knicks choose No. 24 in the June 27 NBA Draft.

As a fifth-year senior under coach Bill Self, Withey averaged 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds  and 3.9 blocks.

One advisor to Withey spoke with SNY.tv about the upcoming workouts but requested anonymity because he prefers to stay behind the scenes.

“He’s got New York on Monday,” the advisor said. “I just think how defensive-minded as a coach Mike Woodson is, I think Jeff Withey” can “fit in there.” That’s what makes the Knicks a very attractive fit for Jeff and for the Knicks.”
Zags Blog


The Orlando Magic are shopping around the No. 2 pick, reports Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.

That No. 2 pick is probably going to be Ben McLemore out of Kansas, but guys like Otto Porter or Victor Oladipo could jump up into that spot. If you’re a GM in the lower lottery and really want one of those guys, and you have an asset you can throw in to swap picks, it could happen.

Thing is, there are not teams willing to give up much of anything to move up in this draft. There are no franchise changing players in this draft, and GMs are not going to give up two assets to get one unless there is something special.

Which is to say, the Magic are going to shop this around but it’s not likely going to matter much.
Link


This is why he’s here. And this is why, with the Heat holding his $4 million option this summer, he’ll stick around. This is what makes him different, what makes his value impossible to measure by conventional statistics, what allows the Heat to tolerate his lapses in concentration, his consistent inconsistency.

This is what Mario Chalmers does. This, at this point, is who he is.

“You can’t teach that quality, that big-game guts,” coach Erik Spoelstra said after Chalmers catalyzed the Heat’s 103-84 victory in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

You can’t teach, and you don’t question.

Not at this stage.

Not on this stage.

Not after he etched himself into Kansas history, with the shot that sent the NCAA Final to overtime.

Not after he scored 18 points in Game 6 of the 2011 NBA Finals against Dallas, nearly saving the Heat after Spoelstra waited too long to re-insert him as a starter.

Not after he scored 25 points in Game 4 of the 2012 NBA Finals against Oklahoma City, supplying Miami with the secondary offense to take control of the series.

Not after his strong play against Indiana in the 2013 Eastern Conference finals, picking up some of the slack for the struggling Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

And certainly not after what he did Sunday night, with 19 points, no turnovers and a plus-30.

“In their run, it was Chalmers who scored,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said.
Palm Beach Post


The fifth annual Rock Chalk Roundball Classic returns to Lawrence, Kan., on Thursday, June 13, at Free State High School. More than former 25 Jayhawks and celebrities will be playing and coaching in the event that raises money each year for local kids fighting cancer.

Beneficiaries of the 2013 Rock Chalk Roundball Classic are Calin Strahm, a four-year-old from Shawnee, Kan., and Jakob Askins, a 14-year-old from Topeka, Kan.

Not only will fans be treated to the exhibition basketball game featuring former KU players from the last three decades, but there’s also a free concert during the pregame, a 25-minute postgame autograph session and a chance to win a car from Crown Automotive of Lawrence. Doors open a Free State High School at 5:30 p.m. with the event starting at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $7 and can be purchased in advance at the 23rd St. Brewery in Lawrence, AAA on Wanamaker Ave. in Topeka and Dr. Leiszler’s Dentistry in Baldwin, Kan. Tickets are also available on game day at the gym.
Rosters here


RockChalk Roundball Classic on June 13
https://www.facebook.com/rockchalkroundballclassic

Things are now mostly settled in college basketball. We basically know who will be coaching where. We basically know who will be playing where. So this seems like as good of a time as any to reset everything and get caught up on all of the notable leagues.

That's the idea behind the CBSSports.com Conference Catchups.

We'll post one every other day over a four-week span. We're posting them in alphabetical order.

Up next is the Big 12.

FOUR OFFSEASON HEADLINES

1. Andrew Wiggins picks Kansas (so does Tarik Black): For most of Wiggins' recruitment, it was thought to be a battle between Florida State and Kentucky. Then North Carolina made a run. Yet, when it came time to make a decision, Wiggins went with the one that hit many of the spots on his checklist: Kansas. He has a chance to win a title, will be the go-to-guy, is closer to his brother at Wichita State, and has plenty of talent around him. Shortly after, Memphis transfer Black announced he was heading to Lawrence as well. With these two in the fold, Kansas went from a borderline top-25 team with too much unproven talent to a legitimate Final Four – and national title – threat.

2. Marcus Smart forgoes NBA for another year at Oklahoma State: In this year's weak draft class, Smart could have been a top-five pick and enjoyed quite the NBA contract. Instead, he decided he wanted another go-round in Stillwater – and as a result, the Cowboys are poised to be better than they were a year ago. In case you forgot, Oklahoma State – behind Smart's outstanding freshman campaign – went 24-8 and received a 5-seed in the NCAA tournament. Smart is a sure-fire All-American this season, and can make a case as the best point guard in the country. Another great year from Smart could mean a deep run for Oklahoma State – and Smart could be a top-five pick come 2014, too.

3. Tubby Smith is the new head coach at Texas Tech : After getting fired from Minnesota in late March, it was unclear what was the next move for Smith. Yet, not too much passed before Smith signed a contract to replace interim head coach Chris Walker – and Billy Gillispie – in Lubbock. The match is an interesting one, to say the least. On the positive side, Smith is a proven winner and a national name, and that's something most of the other candidates probably didn't have going for them. However, it's a difficult job for Smith. The Red Raiders haven't been a consistent winner the past several seasons, and it's going to be difficult to get top-notch talent to Texas Tech.

4. Texas enters make-or-break year for Rick Barnes: The Longhorns have been going backward the past few seasons, finishing better than fourth in the Big 12 just once since 2008. Last season was a struggle, as Barnes led them to a 16-18 campaign. And it didn't get better in the offseason. Myck Kabongo decided to go pro, while Sheldon McClellan, Julian Lewis and Jaylen Bond all transferred. That means Barnes will enter this season without his top three scorers – and the incoming recruiting class isn't to the caliber that people have come to expect in Austin. Barnes isn't getting the talent he used to, and he's had trouble locking down prospects from the state of Texas. The 2013-14 season – and recruiting calendar – is key for Barnes.

BIG QUESTION THAT REMAINS

How many teams can potentially make the NCAA tournament?
CBS Borzello


Longtime Miami (Ohio) basketball coach Charlie Coles, the school's all-time leader in victories, died Friday in Oxford, Ohio, the school said. He was 71.

No cause of death was reported immediately, but Coles had a long history of heart issues.

Known for his colorful wit and a coaching competitiveness as the mid-major RedHawks often scheduled national powers for their nonconference games, the two-time Mid-American Conference coach of the year had 263 victories at Miami. He also was the Mid-American Conference's all-time leader in conference wins with 218. He had a career record of 355-308 over 22 seasons at Miami and Central Michigan.
Link


A lot can happen in 35 years, Ed Hightower can definitely attest to that in the Division I collegiate men’s basketball game.

Hightower, who announced to the Big Ten Conference on Monday that he would retire after officiating in November and December of the ‘13-14 season, has seen a definite evolution to the game in his 35 years as a referee.

He admitted the changes haven’t just happened on the floor either, but overall he thinks it’s made for a better product.

“The game is in good health,” Hightower said. “Look at the excitement of a game come March and that tells you it’s healthy enough. Has the game changed? Yes, over my career I’ve watched it change tremendously.

When I broke in there was a great deal of physicality in the game, it was a brute type of game. The game has evolved and it’s still evolving into more of a finesse game. You don’t just go out there and beat up players like you did when I first broke in.”

There are two major additions to the game on the floor that Hightower points to as really revolutionizing the game that is known today.

“The two biggest changes since I started college are the advent of the 3-point shot and the shot clock,” Hightower said. “Those are the two biggest changes that have changed the excitement. You’re never out of the game with the 3-point shot. You can be down 10 points with two minutes to go and you can go down, hit a three, get fouled, make the shot and you just got a four-point play. Get a steal, make another one and your back in the game in a matter of seconds. Then with the 35-second shot clock you can’t hold the ball, you can’t go into a long stall. Those are two things that have really caused the game to change during my time.”
Link


Despite his friends’ and family’s doubts that a young Orthodox Jewish athlete could ever play college or professional basketball without compromising his religious values, between 1999 and 2009 the “Jewish Jordan” defied conventional wisdom and found his place on the court.

In his new memoir, Jewish Jordan’s Triple Threat, Tamir Goodman describes his triumphs and disappointments in life, crediting his practice of Judaism for shaping his identity as an athlete and his understanding of basketball as a team sport.

First nicknamed the “Jewish Jordan” after being ranked among the top 25 high school players in the country, Goodman was immediately swarmed by media attention. Many top college teams, including the University of Maryland, scouted his talent, but for a moment it seemed that no American institution could accommodate his special needs as an observant Jew.


Goodman, however, never gave up his dream. In 2000, he received an athletic scholarship from Towson University. A testament to his skill level, Goodman’s coaches at Towson made NCAA history when they reworked their team’s entire game schedule to accommodate his strict observance of the Sabbath and Jewish holidays. Goodman averaged 6 points, 4 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game in his freshman year. He was later recruited to play professionally for Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa in Israel.

“I pushed myself to the limit each day because I sought to represent the Jewish people and Israel on the basketball court, and to attest that it is possible to play at the top levels of a very physical game while staying true to my spiritual identity,” Goodman writes.
Link


2013-14 Early-season events schedule

6/7/13, 9:08 PM
Elijah Thomas (@EliCTMDThomas15) on KU hiring Jerrance Howard: "That's huge. Coach Howard is my man! Def makes Kansas even more attractive."
@JayJayUSATODAY


"Basically, every coach will tell you what you want to hear," Williams said. "And you can't really solely go through that. … It's like looking at a pretty girl. She has on nice makeup and dresses nice, but you get up to her in person and her breath stinks."

But even Larry Williams, who was the first of the five to commit, said he didn't know all of the consequences when he accepted ECU's offer.

"I wasn't really aware of how big a decision it as until a couple months after I said I was going to ECU," Williams said. "But it hit me that this is really important and I didn't want to do anything to mess that up. This could be something that changes the rest of my life."

While all five describe the recruiting process as "long" or "difficult," even the most arduous recruitment process couldn't kill all the excitement of the next step.
Star News: Recruiting process an eye-opener


Recruiting Calendar


2013 Spring/Summer AAU & Camp Schedule


My KU Alumni games, 2011-12 Border War, Legends of the Phog, KC Prep Invitational, & Jayhawk Invitational Videos, Late Night in the Phog, and more now on YouTube

6/5/13, 10:05 PM
Who's next???
@Coachjhoward

Canada's U19 Preliminary Rosters


Kansas coach Bill Self said every newcomer but Andrew Wiggins is on campus and in summer school. He said Wiggins' summer plans are still unresolved. Wiggins may play for the Canadian National team or may not. He is expected on campus soon. Self is already raving about Wayne Selden, one of the six newcomers. This will end up being one of Self's most enjoyable teams. He gets a chance to completely mold this crew in the summer with the comfort of having Wiggins. The Jayhawks won't be dominant, but they will be one of the most intriguing and entertaining teams to watch next season.
ESPN Katz


The first week of college is supposed to be a little scary. New classes. Sprawling campus. The introduction to something called a syllabus.

Wayne Selden says he noticed his KU summer classes were a little longer than the 45-minute periods at The Tilton School, his prep school in New Hampshire. But for Selden, a 6-foot-4 freshman guard, that was about the extent of his early surprises.

Selden also spent Thursday — his sixth day on campus — answering questions in Allen Fieldhouse in a brief interview session. And it only took a few moments before Selden was asked about an idea that’s circulated throughout Kansas for the last month or so. Is Selden’s six-man freshman class — including No. 1 overall recruit Andrew Wiggins — the most talented class in KU history?

“We haven’t done anything yet,” Selden said calmly. “So we can’t buy into that.”

This is college life for the baby Jayhawks, the highly touted freshman class that reported to campus over the weekend for the beginning of summer classes.

Wiggins is the notable exception. He’s still sorting through his summer schedule, and is expected to arrive in Lawrence later.

But for now, Selden and the rest of the newcomers are trying to use the summertime to bond.
“We’re just trying to come together as a team,” Selden said. “With the new guys, and the older guys, and make it one team.”

…“Naadir is being a great leader,” Selden said. “And all the returning guys have been great leaders. But Naadir has set himself apart.

KU coach Bill Self hopes that the young Jayhawks can also learn something from Memphis transfer Tarik Black, a 6-foot-9 graduate transfer who has arrived for his only season in Lawrence.

After a week on campus, Black says he’s not trying to force the leadership role. It’s early, and with the June schedule being limited to strength and conditioning sessions and scrimmages, there are only a few chances to make an impact.

“Leadership is not something that’s given to you,” Black said. “It’s a quality that you possess, but you also have to earn your keep. So right now, early on, I’ll just speak up when I can. I’ll speak up when something comes to mind.”
KC Star


It hasn’t taken Kansas University basketball newcomer Tarik Black long to invest himself fully in strength coach Andrea Hudy’s weight program.

“Three days in a row now ... it’s serious, and I love it. It’s what I need. I can feel it right now, and I can see it right now. Over time, I’m going to develop and get better,” said Black, KU’s senior transfer from the University of Memphis, who says he has reported to campus for summer school at 6-foot-9, 260 pounds.

“By the time the season starts, the measurements will be different, so look out for new numbers,” added Black, immediately eligible for the 2013-14 season thanks to a rule that allows transfers to play without delay provided they have earned an undergraduate degree.

…“Even though I’m new to this program, I’m not new to college basketball. I’m not new to big games. I’m not new to taking over games. I’m not new to anything that has to do with the college level,” said Black, who averaged 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds while coming off the bench in 27 games and starting five his junior season for the Tigers (31-5).

“I have experience to spread. I’m already spreading it. I’m not saying I’ll step into the gym as a leader. I have to earn that role and earn my keep. I have to earn guys’ respect for me and (have the) coaches expect to trust me, that I’ll be a leader and not steer guys wrong, which I plan on doing. It’s not going to happen tomorrow. I wouldn’t call me a leader just yet.”

Still, just a few days into the first session of summer school, Black has been not been shy around KU’s five freshmen on campus. The sixth member of the freshman class, Andrew Wiggins, is in his home country of Canada.

“He’s definitely one of the oldest in the room,” freshman guard Wayne Selden said of Black. “He’s definitely leading us and helping us. In three days, I’ve got some good advice already.”

Such as ... “different stuff, not basketball, but different stuff,” said Selden, who has also been impressed with Black during pick-up games.

“Powerful. He can go get the rebound. He’s strong,” Selden said emphatically.
LJW


The Kansas men's basketball program has achieved a perfect score in the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate for a seventh straight year, the school announced Wednesday.

The APR measures retention and eligibility on a 1,000-point scale. KU's women's cross country team also earned a perfect score for a ninth straight season.

“We certainly have a couple positive streaks going for us right now and I’m definitely proud of the guys for the work they put in outside of basketball,” coach Bill Self said. “We’ve been fortunate to have guys who buy in to what it means to be a Jayhawk in basketball and in life, and we’re blessed to have a tremendous academic support staff and resources our guys can take advantage of.”

Only teams earning special recognition from the NCAA were recognized Wednesday. APR data for all other teams will be released Tuesday. KU expects all 18 of its programs to register scores above 925, the NCAA's cutoff point for good academic standing.
TCJ


The men’s basketball team’s six Public Recognition Awards rank among the top-10 in the country, putting the players that have consistently won championships, including an NCAA title and nine-straight Big 12 regular season titles, in the same academic regard as schools like Belmont (8), Holy Cross (8), Davidson (8), BYU (7), Bucknell (7), Columbia (7), Princeton (7), Navy (7), Brown (6), Harvard (6), North Carolina (6) and Yale (6).

The four-year APR scores of all of KU’s 18 sports programs are expected to register well above the requisite measure of 925 established by the NCAA for good standing. The most recent multi-year APRs are based on scores from the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11, 2011-12 academic years.
The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation, providing a measure of each team's academic performance.
KUAD


At the University of Kansas, the familiar three stripes are sticking around for a while.

After eight years of wearing Adidas apparel — complete with the linear logo — KU on Thursday announced a six-year contract extension that will pay the school in excess of $26 million in cash and merchandise through 2019.

The new deal is one of the richest in Adidas’ large portfolio of collegiate clients, and athletic department officials referenced two important factors in staying with Adidas: The Jayhawks have been more than satisfied with their eight-year relationship, and Adidas was aggressive in making sure that stayed the case as the end of the contract neared.

“We have been extremely pleased with our partnership with Adidas,” KU athletics director Sheahon Zenger said. “Adidas promised quality and dedication to service — to all our teams — and they have delivered what they promised.”

In 2005, when Kansas switched to Adidas under athletic director Lew Perkins, ending a long relationship with Nike, KU basketball coach Bill Self called it a business decision. Eight years later, that phrasing again seemed appropriate. The Jayhawks will receive $10 million in cash and slightly more than $16 million in products over the next six years, an increase of about $1 million annually over the old contract, which paid out $12 million in cash and more than $13 million in products over eight years.

KU associate athletic director Jim Marchiony said the school was aware of “other interests” in the market —the obvious alternative being Nike — but in the end, Adidas provided the best package.

“We were looking for the best deal,” Marchiony said. “And Adidas gave us the best deal.”
KC Star


Barb Parker, single mother of former Douglas County Jayhawks Special Olympics basketball team star Tony Parker, was eating dinner with her favorite player when the doorbell rang Sunday around 7 p.m.

The young man at the door of her home in the Wichita suburb of Bel Aire, wondered if Tony, 27, could come out to shoot hoops.

“Tony’s eating right now,” Barb told him.

But once the young man let her know who also wanted to shoot hoops with Tony, the food went cold.

Kansas University sophomore Perry Ellis, Tony’s favorite player, was in the neighborhood visiting friends. When he heard about the man who forever was shooting hoops on his driveway wearing a Kansas No. 34 jersey, he wanted to meet him before driving back to Lawrence.

…The Parkers, mother and son, lived in Lawrence from 2007 to 2012, when Barb decided to move to Wichita, where she had family members who could lend support to caring for Tony, who has intellectual disabilities.

Barb landed a job at Wichita Heights High, Ellis’ alma mater. She said she kept hearing nice things — some of the same qualities she sees in her son — about Ellis during her tour of the school.

“I told them I couldn’t accept this job until I got a picture with Perry Ellis,” she said, laughing. “When he came to our house I asked him if he remembered the crazy teacher who wanted a picture taken with him, and told him that was me.”

Ellis’ visit to the Parker driveway no doubt will motivate Tony to work harder on his game. As for Barb’s main motivator, nothing has changed there.

“Tony is loved by all,” Barb said. “He kind of has that heart of gold. He’s just a real caring person, always been that way. He’s the reason I’m a teacher. He is my inspiration.”
LJW


KU basketball players Perry Ellis and Jamari Traylor made a surprise visit for youngsters at Bob Chipman’s summer camp at Washburn.

“It’s definitely fun, and it’s always humbling that little kids look up to me,” Traylor, said. “I find it fun for me to go out here, because I’m a big kid myself. I love interacting with little kids so it was definitely fun to get out here.”

The Jayhawks answered several questions from the campers.  Everything from ‘what their favorite food is’ to ‘how good KU freshman Andrew Wiggins is going to be’ was up for grabs.

“I mean it’s great,” Ellis, said. “Seeing the excitement we can put on these kids faces, and just giving back, giving back to cities, and it just feels great.”
Video at the link


The addition of Andrew Wiggins to the Kansas basketball team is not lost on anyone.

Grade-schoolers attending the Bob Chipman Basketball Camp in Lee Arena peppered two of Wiggins’ future teammates Wednesday about the impact of the nation’s top-rated recruit.

Perry Ellis and Jamari Traylor politely responded while working with youngsters attending the camp. Each recognized Wiggins’ immediate popularity, but offered little insight into Wiggins’ personality or potential.

“Everyone is definitely excited about Andrew,” Traylor said. “I can’t wait until he gets here. He can probably answer a few questions himself.”

…When the sweepstakes for Wiggins reached its final hours, the Jayhawks grew anxious.

“We were definitely keeping tabs and sending texts,” Traylor said. “We wanted him to come here.”
The captivating decision by Wiggins enabled KU coach Bill Self to attract six high school seniors, as well as Black and 7-0 Hunter Mickelson, who will be ineligible next season after transferring from Arkansas.

Competition at practice promises to be fierce.

“I was definitely excited. I knew we were getting a lot better and I started wondering how practice was going to be,” Traylor said. “It’s going to be intense. You’ve got to produce to stay out there, so everybody’s going to try to get better. You have to play hard and go to work.”
TCJ

6/7/13, 11:38 AM
Passing of the torch for shot blockers: Jeff Withey visits w/ Joel Embiid Friday at the #kubball office #7footers
@KU_Hoops


If the Jayhawks were a 1950s doo-wop group, they’d be known as “Paul Pierce and the Underachievers.” Multiple players on this list failed to match the hype attached to their names prior to their respective drafts.

A few things to consider. Kansas has a bunch of current NBA players who could transform their careers in the coming years. Mario Chalmers, the Morris (Markieff and Marcus) twins, Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur could all make major strides in the next two or three years. So this ranking is not complete.

But Kansas has produced 19 first-round picks since 1989, the year that the NBA implemented a two-round system, and Pierce is the only true star on the list. That’s surprising because the Jayhawks have produced so many pros in the last 20-plus years.

For some players, their struggles were complicated by injuries (LaFrentz) and personal choices that affected their careers (Wayne Simien entered the ministry after a brief stay in the league). Still, it’s clear that KU’s standing in college basketball does not parallel its status at the next level.

That’s why the Jayhawks are 14th in our rankings.
ESPN Path to the Draft: No. 14 Kansas


Kentucky has become a factory for first round picks because of the brand that they’ve built more than as a result of the program’s ability to develop talent. In other words, they’re the nation’s best NBA holding tank; they’re not the nation’s best NBA breeding grounds.

That title belongs to Kansas and Bill Self.

Since 2007, Kansas has had 13 players drafted, eight of whom have gone in the first round. That’s before you factor in Ben McLemore, who is projected to be taken as high as No. 2 this year, and Jeff Withey, whom Draft Express currently has going late in the first round. Two more players — Sherron Collins and Russell Robinson — have spent time playing in the NBA despite going undrafted. Do the math, and 17 players from Self’s first nine recruiting classes have played in the NBA.

Not impressed yet? How about this for a stat: since Bill Self’s first recruiting class in 2004, there have only been five rotation players that he’s brought into the program that didn’t play in the NBA and that didn’t transfer out of Kansas — Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed, Mario Little, Rodrick Stewart and Connor Teahan.

Now, Self hasn’t exactly been recruiting D-III athletes and magically turning them into first round picks. He’s landed 10 players that Rivals has rated as five-star recruits, and Kansas always ranks near the top of the annual recruiting class rankings. Hell, he’d have the best recruiting class in the country this season — headlined by Andrew Wiggins, who will be flanked by two other five-star recruits — if it wasn’t for Kentucky.

But when you look at the numbers a little closer, six of those 10 five-star recruits entered the program between 2004 and 2006. Only two of those ten were considered one-and-done locks, and both of them — Josh Selby and Xavier Henry — ended up having disappointing seasons in Lawrence.

If Kentucky has built their brand around being the NBA’s premier layover destination, Kansas has become defined by its ability to turn those that are overlooked and underhyped into NBA players; the top 50 and top 100 recruits that don’t get at much attention nationally until they have spent a year or two in Lawrence. The Cole Aldrichs, the Morris twins, the Thomas Robinsons, the McLemores and the Witheys.

“That’s something that we take great pride in, our individual development,” Self told NBCSports.com by phone this week. “We base everything off of what NBA teams are looking for and the things that they put their players through, and our assistant coaches do an unbelievable job with that program.”

…Self is arguably the best coach in all of college basketball. His staff is as good as any staff in the country, and that includes a world class strength and conditioning coach. All of that makes a difference. It gives his players the best tools to develop their craft and the best teachers to learn from. But in the end, it’s really not all that different than what every program in the country is doing. There’s only so many variations of squats; how many different drills do you really need to learn how to shoot a pull-up jumper going left?

What sets Kansas apart is that the players in the program have bought into what Self is selling them.

“I would say coming from high school into Kansas, I didn’t really expect myself to be in this position of being a lottery pick, a top five pick,” McLemore told NBCSports.com this week. He was in a unique position, however. A top 50 recruit, McLemore had good enough grades to get admitted into Kansas but he didn’t qualify to play as a freshman. That meant that the entirety of his first year in Lawrence would be spent hitting the books and hitting the gym, all without the reward of playing in front of a packed Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

McLemore credited his “stick-to-it-iveness and hard work” for his success, saying that the Kansas staff not only taught him what skills he needed to work on to improve, they taught him how hard he had to work to do it. “They helped me mature a lot,” he said, “helped me better my game, each and every day. You want to learn so much in Coach Self’s system and the Kansas system. That’s what I did, I wanted to learn so much. It helps a lot, on and off the court.”

More than anything, work ethic is what is valued at Kansas. But to hear Self tell it, work ethic is one of the hardest things for him to evaluate on the recruiting trail. “When you put kids in certain environments,” he said, “then their competitive spirit will start to shine. When you put them around other people that enjoy doing the things that they’re being asked to do, it becomes more of a habit.”

It’s that environment, as much as Self’s coaching, that has fostered the development of so many Jayhawks over the years. “The names change,” he said, “but the expectations don’t.” And those expectations are what fuels the program’s fire.

Kansas has won at least a share of nine straight Big 12 regular season titles. They’ve won six Big 12 tournament titles during that stretch. There’s not a single player in the Kansas program that wants to be associated with the infamy of being on the team that snaps that streak. It’s the perfect motivational tool.

“There’s never a lackadaisical day,” Self said. “The attitude is, ‘Hey, let’s get to work’, whether it’s for 20 minutes or three hours, it makes no difference. We’ve gotta get better during that time.”

It’s a perfect storm, really.

The best coaching, the best training and a culture that’s defined by a ‘you only get out what you put in’ mentality.
NBCsports


Which player is a future All-Star?

Fraschilla: Ben McLemore. After only one season of college basketball, he hasn't figured it all out yet. But no one in this draft has his combination elite NBA athleticism and size at the shooting guard position and a Ray Allen-like shooting stroke. It wouldn't shock me if you woke me up in 12 years and told me he was going to the Hall of Fame.

Telep: McLemore. Most All-Stars hang their hats on that little extra the other guys don't have. With McLemore, it's the obvious athletic explosiveness mixed with the ability to generate diverse offense. Bill Self had to implore him at times to shoot. One day the light goes on and the talent takes over. He doesn't realize his own talent level.

Which player will win Rookie of the Year?

Pelton: McLemore. Rookie of the Year is as much about opportunity as it is ability, and McLemore is likely to go to a team that badly needs his scoring punch. That could translate into more impressive per-game numbers than the other top picks put up as rookies.

Elhassan: McLemore. Eight out of the past 10 Rookie of the Year winners led rookies in scoring, showing the voters give preference to players who throw points on the board. McLemore might be the most complete scorer, and he'll most likely go to a team that will allow him to hoist shots.

Which player could be a disappointment?

Ford: I worry about the expectations we are putting on McLemore. He has All-Star talent, but I'm not sure he has the mental makeup to maximize his potential. I worry he could be the second coming of Brandon Rush.
ESPN ($)


McLemore is the least likely of the group to be available when Phoenix makes its pick. He said the only other workout he has scheduled thus far is with the Orlando Magic, who have the second overall selection.

"I think I can bring a lot to the table with a lot of teams," McLemore said. "Right now I'm just working on my game, getting prepared for the next level."

Hornacek wants an up-tempo team, and McLemore said that would fit him perfectly.

"It would be great getting up and down the court, to have a great point guard who can see the open floor, see the wings open and stuff like that. I can get my shot off and it would create stuff for me and a lot of things. It would be great."

McLemore and his agent want only individual workouts, which makes it difficult to assess all aspects of a player's game.

"It is a little more difficult to evaluate him," McDonough said. "We feel like it's better than nothing, having him in the gym, getting to know him. I took Ben to dinner last night. We'd like it to be competitive but at the same time I guess I understand, his agent, and not just Ben specifically but other players in that situation who feel like they probably will go ahead of us, their agents have in their best interest to try to protect the player."

Both McDonough and Hornacek praised the pure shooting ability of McLemore.

"Not only was his stroke nice, his foot preparation was good," Hornacek said. "A lot of guys like to take that little extra hop in their shots. I try to tell them if you take that extra hop, that's the difference between taking an open shot and one with a guy right in your face."
ctpost


1. Ben McLemore, 6-5/190, Kansas
McLemore is that rare fast-twitch athlete with a pure shooting stroke. He excelled last season in Bill Self's structured offense at Kansas, putting up numbers while also showing the capability to play team basketball. His dip in production in Kansas' three NCAA Tournament games is a concern, but I'm of the opinion that was a poorly timed shooting slump as opposed to a tendency to shrink under the bright lights. The 20-year-old McLemore has been compared to Ray Allen in the months leading up to the draft. He's not the same caliber of shooter as Allen, who's considered one of the top two or three shooters of all time. But McLemore is a more explosive athlete than Allen. He has All-Star written all over him, and the Magic will snatch him up with the No. 2 pick if the Cavaliers pass on him with the No. 1 pick.  
CSNPhilly

6/5/13, 11:32 AM
Kansas' Elijah Johnson lifts off for his max vert. test at today's Pre-Draft workout
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VIDEO: EJ at Wizards


6/5/13, 7:13 PM
LeBron James says Paul Pierce is his biggest rival.
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WSJ Sports Retort podcast with Nick Collison


Space available for Bill's Basektball Boogie


The fifth annual Rock Chalk Roundball Classic returns to Lawrence, Kan., on Thursday, June 13, at Free State High School. More than former 25 Jayhawks and celebrities will be playing and coaching in the event that raises money each year for local kids fighting cancer.

Beneficiaries of the 2013 Rock Chalk Roundball Classic are Calin Strahm, a four-year-old from Shawnee, Kan., and Jakob Askins, a 14-year-old from Topeka, Kan.

Not only will fans be treated to the exhibition basketball game featuring former KU players from the last three decades, but there’s also a free concert during the pregame, a 25-minute postgame autograph session and a chance to win a car from Crown Automotive of Lawrence. Doors open a Free State High School at 5:30 p.m. with the event starting at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $7 and can be purchased in advance at the 23rd St. Brewery in Lawrence, AAA on Wanamaker Ave. in Topeka and Dr. Leiszler’s Dentistry in Baldwin, Kan. Tickets are also available on game day at the gym.
Rosters here
RockChalk Roundball Classic on June 13

6/7/13, 8:33 AM
@NBAalumni Otis Birdsong, Danny Manning & Micheal Ray Richardson leading free youth basketball clinic for tornado victims in Moore, OK 6/13
@PaulCorliss


When I told my St. Louis dentist, Jay Joern, an ardent Mizzou fan, I’d be moving to Kansas City, his first reaction was to insist I live on the Missouri side. After all, he noted, legendary MU coach Norm Stewart prided himself on never spending any money in Kansas.

Or so he thought. When I told him that Stewart, in fact, had acknowledged he just liked to say that for theatrics, Dr. Joern slumped back in his seat as if I’d told him there was no Santa Claus.

He was just one of many to weigh in on the unique matters of the Missouri-Kansas border, which even in my few weeks here since arriving to work for The Star I’ve come to learn has seeped far deeper into the landscape than anyone can understand from afar.

I’d studied it, interviewed people about it and been here enough over 25 years that I thought I had a sense of that pulse. Yet it’s evident I’ve got a lot more to learn about the depths of that — not to mention plenty of other things about the area. (Why 7 Highway, for instance, instead of Highway 7?).

Still, this much I can tell already: Something fundamental is missing from the Kansas City sports scene right now, and not just because the Chiefs haven’t won a playoff game since 1993 and the Royals haven’t since beating the Cardinals in the 1985 World Series.

Like each other or not, Mizzou and Kansas have to start playing each other again. Soon. It’s bigger than the institutions themselves, or the current leaderships and decisions they’ve made. It’s about the very underpinnings of the area, essential to the tapestry and part of the DNA in sports and beyond.

…“We miss Missouri … Without question … For the immediate future, for both programs, there is something missing — for the immediate future,” Kansas coach Bill Self said Thursday in his office. “But from our standpoint, they’re not part of our long-term future. And we’re not part of their long-term future.”

Self says this without a hint of rancor, by the way, just a matter-of-fact statement that Mizzou’s move from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference was a rejection of its past, one that jeopardized the stability of those left behind.

In some ways, in fact, Self is downright nostalgic about Mizzou.

“I will admit that there’s not a game that I’ve enjoyed coaching more in on our schedule than going to Columbia,” he said, reminding that he’d long been tethered to MU since playing and coaching at Oklahoma State against Missouri in the Big Eight. “Hey, I wanted the Missouri job; they didn’t hire me. Then I go (from Tulsa) to Illinois, which is Missouri’s biggest non-conference rival, and we have great fun in that series. Then I come here, where it’s the most bitter rival. …

“It was always a game that was circled in my mind. I don’t have that same feeling now. The dynamics have changed.”

Not that everyone entwined with KU feels that way. Former star Bud Stallworth, for instance, was visiting Kansas on Thursday. Asked if he thought the games should be resumed, he said, “Absolutely.”

Told his answer, Self laughed and said, “Because he dropped 50 on Missouri” in a 1972 game.

“It’s all very kind of complicated, and there are a lot of different layers to it,” former Kansas basketball star Ryan Robertson said.

Robertson, who is married to a former Mizzou soccer player, encapsulates some of that himself. He says “as a fan” he’d “love to see Kansas and Missouri continue to play basketball games” … but that as a former Jayhawk he understands the school’s resistance and believes MU needs the game more than Kansas does.

…“My opinion is still the exact same it was a year ago, and it’s not a hatred opinion,” Self said. “It’s just like, ‘Hey, you took your ball and went and played with somebody else. We’re not just standing on the sidelines waiting to play with you. We’ve got other people we can play.’”

As for down the road?

“Maybe the next coach may see it differently, or maybe the next chancellor, or maybe the next athletic director,” Self said, “because time does have a way of soothing some things.”

But even as time might ease tensions, it also might foster apathy.

“Nobody’s going to view it as a great rivalry five years from now; nobody’s going to view it as a rivalry 10 years from now,” Self said. “There will be somebody else who will emerge in some way, shape or form that kind of fills that role for both programs.

“And it may not ever get to the level that the Kansas-Missouri deal got to. It probably won’t. I don’t see how it can. But it’s still going to be somebody else.”
KC Star Vahe Gregorian


Dixon said he has been taking online coursework since he left Missouri, in hopes of landing somewhere else.

“If I wasn’t able to go D-1, I was going professional,” Dixon said. “That’s not something I wanted to do but if I had to, I would. This is now how I want to be remembered as a college basketball player.”

It appears Dixon, who was also named to the Big 12’s all-defensive team as a junior, will get his chance to do something about it at Memphis, though he will need a waiver similar to the one Maryland star Dez Wells received last fall to play immediately.

Wells was expelled from Xavier in the midst of allegations of sexual assault, but was never charged. If Dixon receives the waiver, he will have one year of eligibility remaining.

“If God and the NCAA allows it, I’d love to help them out on the basketball court,” Dixon said.
Dixon said it’s also unclear exactly how Pastner will use him. Though he was never shy about his desire to start at Missouri, Memphis’ top three returning scorers — all of whom averaged over 10 points per game — are guards.

“Coach Pastner told me he won’t promise anything, but you know what, in my college career I’ve never been promised anything,” Dixon said. “It’s going to be just like it’s always been. I don’t think the NBA cares about who starts.”
KC Star


As more details emerge from Wednesday night's arrest of North Carolina forward P.J. Hairston, the potential consequences continue to grow more dire.

A 9-millimeter handgun and a magazine with nine rounds of ammunition were found on the ground outside the vehicle Hairston was driving when Durham police pulled him over at a checkpoint, according to multiple reports. It's unclear which of the three men in the car owned the handgun if any of them, but the implication is one of them may have attempted to dispose of the weapon as the vehicle approached the checkpoint.

Hairston and the other two men in the vehicle were arrested for possession of marijuana, and the North Carolina forward was also cited for driving without a license. The police report released Friday revealed officers found 43.2 grams of marijuana in the car in two separate plastic baggies.

If the possession of marijuana is the only charge levied against Hairston, North Carolina likely wouldn't have reason to make his punishment more severe than a brief suspension. Gun charges would surely complicate things, however, and perhaps even put his standing with the university in jeopardy.

North Carolina cannot afford to lose Hairston for an extended period next season since his return is one of the biggest reasons the Tar Heels are likely to begin the season in the top 10 in most polls.
Yahoo


Morale Entertainment's Mike Whalen, whose company staged the inaugural Carrier Classic in 2011 and two other games last year, said Thursday he does not intend to hold a basketball game on a ship this November. A spokesman for the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum said there are no plans to play a game on the USS Yorktown this year, while USS Midway Museum officials said there will be no Battle on the Midway sequel either.

"Hosting the SDSU-Syracuse game last year was a huge source of pride for both the USS Midway Museum and San Diego," USS Midway Museum marketing director Scott McGaugh said. "We also experienced firsthand the logistical challenges and oceanfront weather variables that make the concept difficult to reliably execute. So we've decided to take a year and evaluate various options based on our first year's experience."

Unless there's another party who makes a late push to try to set up a game, it appears the trend of games on ships will go on hiatus next season, probably a wise idea considering the weather issues that plagued last year's set of games.
Yahoo


2013-14 Early-season events schedule

Paid scorer, clock shifts for Metro Sports/KC Prep Invitational, Presented by 810 Varsity. July 25-28. Interested? Email chad@810varsity.com
@SportsRadio810


Stanley Johnson isn't the biggest player in the class of 2014. He's not the most athletic or the best shooter. He's not the most explosive or the best ball-handler.

And that's fine with him.

Johnson will just outwork everyone and be arguably the most consistently productive player on the circuit.

“I just play harder than everybody else,” Johnson said last weekend at the Pangos All-American Camp. “That's probably the only thing I have up on anybody else in the country; I play harder than you. A lot of players do a lot of great things. A lot of great scorers in our class, a lot of great dunkers. But I think I can separate myself by playing harder than everybody else.”

…Plenty of schools would love to have his services, but Johnson has his list at eight: Kansas, Duke, Florida, Oregon, Kentucky, Arizona, USC and UCLA.

He said Arizona and Kentucky are coming at him the hardest and have been recruiting him the longest. Both schools are expected to get official visits in the fall, with the Tucson trip the first one he has scheduled. Oregon and Florida will also get official visits, while Johnson will take unofficials to USC and UCLA.

As for the fifth official visit? That's up in the air.

“The only toss-up is Kansas and Duke, because they came in the latest,” Johnson said. “I feel like the schools that have been recruiting me the longest should have the most opportunity for a visit.”
CBS


ESPN ($): 10 things learned from USA BBall U16 tryouts


Recruiting Calendar


2013 Spring/Summer AAU & Camp Schedule


My KU Alumni games, 2011-12 Border War, Legends of the Phog, KC Prep Invitational, & Jayhawk Invitational Videos, Late Night in the Phog, and more now on YouTube

6/4/13, 12:46 PM
Twins first workout! #tootiredtotweet #tootiredtoflex#
@A_Hudy

Why this recruiting class could lead Kansas to the Final Four

1. This class has not only tremendous talent but also great individual skill and diversity. These young Jayhawks will have great size and elite athletic ability, starting with the No. 1 recruit in the country in small forward Andrew Wiggins. In addition, center Joel Embiid and small forward Wayne Selden bring more size and athleticism, point guard Conner Frankamp and shooting guard Brannen Greene bring excellent shooting and point guard Frank Mason brings toughness. This class will also have some experience to play with and help show them the ropes in point guard Naadir Tharpe, power forward Perry Ellis and Memphis transfer Tarik Black.

2. Coach Bill Self is one of the elite coaches with a great feel for how to coach different types of players. For example, Self has had elite players who have been high school All-Americans, but has also had success with junior-college transfers, prep-school recruits and transfers. Self is excellent at getting his melting pot of players to compete at a high level within the team concept while at the same time featuring his marquee players. This is a unique coaching trait, and one that should serve him well next season.

3. This recruiting class can be Final Four bound if it develops early team chemistry and experiences early success. It will be key to build confidence and momentum before the start of the Big 12 season and continue to improve throughout the conference regular season and tournament.

Why this recruiting class might not lead Kansas to the Final Four

1. Kansas likely will not reach the lofty standards others have set if Wiggins struggles and doesn't perform at the level everyone is anticipating or does not fit well with the other recruits or in the structure and schemes for the Jayhawks. Another factor related to Wiggins could be the veterans becoming jealous, resulting in tension within the team. I don't think any of this will occur, but if it does the season will take a bad turn immediately.

2. Another factor could be if the recruiting class simply underachieves. If the players have problems adjusting to the demands and structure of being a high-profile college basketball player or they don't produce at a high enough level, a Final Four spot could be out of reach for this young team.

3. If this class takes some early losses or has some injuries and they have difficulty recovering in time, they might not be able to put together a run in the NCAA tournament and could make an early exit. Avoiding the freshman end-of-season wall will also be key for a team relying so heavily on first-year players. Again, I don't think this will happen, but you never how young players will react under pressure and adversity.
ESPN ($)


Kansas: PG Conner Frankamp, SG Brannen Greene, PG Frank Mason

Mason may not be a household name, but you can be sure he will create scoring opportunities for his talented supporting cast. He can run a team with playmaking ability, and he can deliver passes or score with his strength and toughness. Though small in size, he understands how to use the floater once he's in the lane. He will give the Jayhawks a steady presence at the point, and his speed and quickness will be a surprise to many. Frankamp is a battle-tested guard who reminds me of a smaller version of former Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich. Frankamp is a knock-down shooter who is a major scoring threat with the ball in his hands, especially in pick-and-roll action. He’s a versatile player with the shooting skills of a 2-guard and the handle, vision, IQ and unselfishness of a point guard. He will step on the floor at Kansas with the necessary swagger and the talent to back it up. Greene, meanwhile, has deep range, a quick trigger and good bounce. He’ll give Kansas a big shooting guard and a possible zone buster along with Frankamp. There is plenty of talent and depth on the perimeter coming to Lawrence.

Edge: Kentucky

Kansas: SF Andrew Wiggins, SF Wayne Selden

This duo will provide excitement as well as offensive and defensive production. Wiggins comes in as the No. 1 recruit in the nation and will immediately be the best athlete in college basketball next season. His uncommon athletic ability will be instrumental not just on offense but on defense by getting steals, rebounding, and blocking and contesting shots. Selden is strong and powerful with improving offensive skills on the perimeter. He will finish in transition and make jumpers in the half-court offense, and he has developed a nice floater in the lane. He should also turn into an excellent perimeter defender with his strength, size and willingness to win. With Wiggins and Selden in the fold, look for Kansas to defend with size and athleticism and run on every opportunity. These are two thoroughbreds who will be hard to catch; scouting reports will need to account for them early and often.

Edge: Kansas

Kansas: Joel Embiid

Embiid exploded onto the scene this past season and emerged down the stretch, with enormous potential still to come. His offensive instincts are progressing nicely, while his skill level has blossomed to the point that he shows a soft touch with good mechanics on his shots. He will protect the basket with his size, his reach and his knack for blocking shots. If he stays out of foul trouble, he could be a game-changer for the Jayhawks. Kansas has a huge need at the center position with the graduation of Jeff Withey, so Embiid should make an immediate impact -- although he still has a learning curve because he has played the game for only a few years. He could be good this season and a difference-maker a year later if he stays in school for more than a year. His best basketball, however, may not come at the collegiate level but rather at the NBA level as he continues to progress.

Edge: Kentucky

Kansas X Factor

With a tremendous recruiting class, there is usually a star player or leader of the group who stands alone. With a returning group at Kansas led by power forward Perry Ellis, it will be interesting to see whether the Jayhawks are accepting of and comfortable with Wiggins taking on that star role and making this his team. Wiggins was a good teammate on a loaded Huntington Prep (W.Va.) team and for a talented international team at the Nike Hoop Summit, but this will be a bit more complex. At Kansas, Bill Self has had incredible success winning a national title and multiple Big 12 championships by blending a variety of talent such as McDonald’s All Americans, under-the-radar recruits, junior college players, transfers and even players who have been academically ineligible. He knows how to define roles and hand out responsibilities for the good of the team, and that will be especially important for the 2013-14 Jayhawks.

Edge: Even


Bottom Line
Any time you land the No. 1 player in the country to go along with four other top-50 recruits, you should own the nation’s best recruiting class. This Kansas class is simply sensational, and in almost any other year it would easily be No. 1 with the talent, size, skill, athletic ability and potential this bunch demonstrates.

Kentucky’s 2013 class, however, is historic. It is unprecedented in basketball recruiting to land so many talented players with such a high ranking -- five in the top 10 and six in the top 25. If Calipari can get the talent to mesh, Kentucky’s class of incoming recruits has the potential to win the SEC and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

Edge: Kentucky
ESPN ($)


Advanced stats fans will want to read this from the LJW


Kansas basketball coach Bill Self’s Assists Foundation has pledged up to $2 million to the Douglas County Community Foundation toward the construction of a community center on the site of KU’s Rock Chalk Park.

Lawrence city commissioners have approved funding to construct the community center adjacent to the facility that will become home to KU’s soccer, softball and track and field programs. Construction of Rock Chalk Park is scheduled to be completed in 2014.
TCJ


LJW: Final approvals given for Rock Chalk Park


Space available for Bill's Basektball Boogie


RockChalk Roundball Classic on June 13


6/3/13, 6:25 PM
Some of the greatest to do it #ku #champ #08 #AllUnderSelf #SelfEra instagram.com/p/aHXrrHOjhG/
@SHERRONCOLLINS4


Love all my bro's but #1 PG in Self era AMiles...can't see how anybody can think different...Lucky I got to play with him! #kubball
@Next718star


6/4/13, 1:41 PM
Our short film Ben McLemore Rising Up just won a silver and a bronze Telly award! Congrats @Humb1e_Hungry23 #kubball pic.twitter.com/FSR8HnZLzj
@SecondWindC


NBA.com VIDEO: Elijah Johnson interview following pre-draft workout



Kansas City’s most famous celebrity do-gooders — Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd and Jason Sudeikis — are headin’ home for their annual Big Slick Celebrity Poker Tournament and Party July 19-20.

The weekend will raise money for the Children's Mercy Hospital Cancer Center. The fun kicks off at 5:30 p.m. July 19 with the Celebrity Wiffle Ball Game at the Little K at Kauffman Stadium before the Royals play the Detroit Tigers.

On Saturday morning, the guys and some of their celebrity friends – Eric Stonestreet, Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde (Jason’s future wife) came last year – will play in the Big Slick Celebrity Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament at Harrah’s Kansas City.

You can play, too — $500 buys you a seat at the table.

The weekend concludes at the Midland Theatre on Saturday night at the Big Slick Celebrity Party & Auction. Tickets range from $75 to $1,000 for a limited number of VIP passes.

(Bigger bucks will get you up-close-and-personal time with the guys.)

Tickets for the events are at bigslickkc.org.
KC Star

Joe Holladay, a member of Roy Williams’ coaching staffs at the University of North Carolina and University of Kansas, is retiring after 20 years and 594 wins, the school confirmed Monday. Holladay served as Director of Basketball Operations for the last four years after a 16-year stint as an assistant coach.

Former UNC player and Vanderbilt assistant coach Brad Frederick will take over for Holladay as UNC's new Director of Basketball Operations.

“I am ecstatic for Joe and know that I have been extremely fortunate to have him as part of our staff for these 20 years,” Williams said. “He is one of the best coaches and finest human beings I have ever been around. He was a security blanket for me in good times and bad. I knew I could always count on seeing his smile no matter the situation."

Holladay, 65, was part of the Tar Heel staff for 10 seasons, during which time UNC won two NCAA championships, played in three Final Fours, won six Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championships and two ACC Tournament titles. The Tar Heels amassed an overall record of 282-78 over the last 10 years, finishing in the Top 10 in the final AP poll seven times.

"It will be a huge challenge for us to replace all that Joe did for our program and the University," Williams said. "Kansas, UNC and all the players and coaches at both universities are so fortunate that he was part of their lives for so long. I will miss him tremendously both professionally and personally, although I know he is looking forward to watching the Tar Heels for many years to come.”
WRAL


Former Lawrence High basketball standout Brad Frederick, who worked for former Kansas University assistant Kevin Stallings the past 14 years as a full-time aide at Vanderbilt, is headed to North Carolina to serve as director of basketball operations for former KU coach Roy Williams.

Frederick, 36, replaces former KU assistant Joe Holladay, who has retired after working 10 years for Williams at KU and 10 at Carolina.

“I’ve known Brad for 25 years,” said Williams, who was hired as KU coach by Brad’s dad, Bob Frederick. “He’s been like a part of my family going back to our years in Lawrence. The fact he played at and graduated from Carolina (1999) makes it an easy decision to add him to our staff. He knows he has big shoes to fill, but I am confident our players, coaches and staff will truly enjoy working with him.”
LJW


Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv is reporting that the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and possibly the Los Angeles Clippers have all contacted Brown about their vacant coaching jobs.

The Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers have both “contacted” SMU coach Larry Brown about their coaching openings, a source close to Brown told SNY.tv.

The source said a third team, possibly the Los Angeles Clippers, has also reached out to Brown, 72. The source requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly for Brown.

“Three NBA teams have talked to him,” the source said, adding that he was not certain of the identity of the third team.
Link


After a recruitment which included one apparent commitment and rumors galore, former Marshall guard DeAndre Kane decided to transfer to Iowa State last week. Kane will be eligible immediately because he is a graduate transfer.

Kane arrives in Ames as one of the nation's assist leaders, setting up his teammates on 42 percent of his team's made baskets when he was on the floor last year. He qualified as more of a volume scorer, registering 15.1 points per game, though he wasn't incredibly efficient in doing so. He shot 25 percent from beyond the arc and an atrocious 52 percent from the line, even while taking the team's most FT attempts. This year, though, he won't have to be the most complete offensive player for the Cyclones to succeed, as Fred Hoiberg's squad will have forwards Georges Niang and Melvin Ejim to help pave the way offensively.
ESPN


On a crisp fall morning three years ago, the engines on Iowa State University’s eight-seat private plane spun to life.

A few minutes before takeoff, Fred Hoiberg, the head men’s basketball coach, and Elwyn McRoy, his new assistant, climbed aboard for a recruiting trip 400 miles away. For Mr. Hoiberg, a former Cyclones star and NBA executive, it was an ordinary call: out by 9, back by 6, home in time for dinner.

For Mr. McRoy, who had spent most of his 13-year coaching career behind the wheel of a rental car, it was his big break.

When he arrived at Ames Municipal Airport that morning, he snapped a picture of the red-and-gold-striped Beechcraft King Air 200, which he later posted on Facebook. “The private life of recruiting,” he wrote, announcing his arrival in the fraternity of elite coaches. On board the plane, a cooler of soft drinks rested on ice. He leaned back in his leather seat and stretched his legs, reflecting on his unlikely rise.

Just a decade before, he was coaching high-school basketball in Kansas, not far from the community college where he got his start as a player. As he moved up the Division I ranks—from Southern University, in Louisiana, to Georgia Southern University to Arkansas State University—he signed several high-profile prospects and was named one of the country’s best junior-college recruiters. A few months before arriving at Iowa State, he was selected as one of six Division I assistants to participate in a leadership program for black coaches.

On that early-October day in 2010, as the Iowa State plane lifted above the clouds, all signs were pointing up for Mr. McRoy. If only he could last three years at this level, he figured, he would never have to worry about a job in coaching again.

The good times didn’t last. Less than a year later, he tumbled from the top, a casualty of the game’s constant churn. This season he has all but disappeared, having landed at a tiny Division II college, in Alabama, where he is living out of an RV.

His slide may be extreme, but his profession is filled with people struggling to stay on their feet. Over the past five years, more than 230 head-coaching positions in Division I men’s basketball have turned over, affecting nearly two-thirds of big-time programs. Coaches who once had four or more years to prove themselves sometimes get cut loose in half that time, as administrators show less and less tolerance for losing. Assistant coaches, who almost always lose their jobs when their bosses go, often have the hardest time making it back in.
Chronicle of Higher Education


Legendary college basketball referee Ed Hightower told a Michigan State radio program Tuesday that he is retiring after the 2013-14 season, according to a tweet from the program's host:

Hightower, known by the few who liked him as a showman and the many who could not stand him as the preening referee who hated their favorite team, refereed his first Big Ten game in the 1981-82 season at the age of 28. For the next 31 seasons, Hightower was a mainstay of Big Ten, Big East, Big 8/12, and Missouri Valley Conference basketball. He called 12 Final Fours during that time. Hightower won the 1992 Naismith Award as Division I college basketball's best official. An Illinois native and resident, Hightower was selected for the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998.
LINK


Former Missouri guard Michael Dixon committed to Memphis this morning, per a report by Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com, and will apply for a NCAA waiver to play immediately. If the 6-foot-1 guard is cleared, here's how he'll be able to help Josh Pastner's team in 2013-14. However, there is now some discrepancy whether Dixon has committed, or whether he is just visiting to school, or if he even plans to commit to Pastner's squad. Jason L. Smith of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports Dixon visited Memphis and will likely make his transfer decision in the very near future. ESPN's Jason King walks the line between the various reports of Parrish and Smith, reporting Dixon still has to discuss his decision with his family, but King would be very surprised if Dixon is not on Memphis' roster.
ESPN


Devonta Pollard, a rising junior basketball player at the University of Alabama, was arrested today following the April 30 kidnapping of a six-year-old girl from Mississippi. The Tuscaloosa News reports that he was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Six people, including Pollard's mother, Jesse Mae Pollard, have been arrested in the case.

According to the Associated Press, Jesse Mae was likely the mastermind behind the kidnapping. She was in a land dispute with a reported cousin. The kidnapped girl was snatched from East Kemper Elementary School around noon on April 30, and was missing until the following day, when she turned up in Enterprise, Mississippi. She was unharmed. The AP walks us through what allegedly happened:
Deadspin


A federal grand jury has indicted a former Auburn University basketball player on charges that he conspired with gamblers to throw basketball games during the 2011-’12 season.
The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in Montgomery last week and unsealed today, charges Varez Ward with two bribery-related counts. It alleges that the former guard conspired with others to “commerce to influence, in any way, by bribery a sporting contest, with knowledge that the purpose of such scheme was to influence by bribery that contest” in January of last year.
Link


On its face, the story of a father who is the director of a program's basketball operations not receiving a contract extension and leaving the program with his skilled sophomore son in tow would have all the tell-tale signs of an unseemly recruiting gambit gone wrong. Before the NCAA took steps in recent years to halt the practice, college hoops recruiting went through a phrase in which a job for a family member or high school coach was often the price a college had to pay for that recruit's services.

When you hear that a spurned director of basketball operations -- which is not a particularly important position anyway, at least relatively speaking -- decided to take his son and go home, the initial assumption is that somewhere along the line, a promise went unfulfilled.

…Michael Young isn't some random family member or hanger-on; he's a former member of Houston's greatest-ever team, Phi Slama Jama, and he's spent the past 16 years serving Houston in various capacities, including the past seven as the director of basketball operations.

But Young, a program legend and tenured staff member, is leaving Houston. His son, sophomore Joseph Young, is coming with him. So what happened?
ESPN


A new early-season college basketball tournament will debut this year, days after Thanksgiving. The John R. Wooden Classic and the Anaheim Classic have joined together to form the Wooden Legacy, which is set to take place on Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, according to press release on Tuesday afternoon.
The Wooden Legacy will be a three-day, eight-team event with two different locations for 2013. Titan Gym on the campus of Cal State Fullerton will play host on Nov. 28-29. The tournament will then move to the Honda Center in Anaheim for the championship game.
All 12 games are scheduled to air on ESPN.
Link


ESPN Path to the Draft: No. 16 Michigan State


2013-14 Early-season events schedule

6/5/13, 1:39 AM
Enjoyed my time out here in LA/Westwood. UCLA visit was cool, got to know the new coaching staff alot better.
@Chief_Justise


Tyus Jones (Apple Valley High/Apple Valley, Minn.) and Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young/Chicago, Ill.) — two of the top players in the Class of 2014 — have made it clear that they want to play in college with each other. There have also been rumors that Okafor’s AAU teammate with Mac Irvin Fire Cliff Alexander (Curie High/Chicago, Ill.) would join them in a massive package deal.

In mid-May, Alexander told NBC Sports that the trio of top-5 players had discussed the possibility of committing to the same school.

“Yeah, me, Jahlil and Tyus have talked about it,” Alexander said. “There aren’t any schools in particular we’re all looking at together.”

On Sunday, the 6-foot-8 Alexander told Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal that the possibility of a package deal might not become a reality when it’s all said and done.

“It really doesn’t matter to me,” Alexander said when asked about going to school with Okafor and Jones.

He later called the chances of him and his current AAU teammate playing together at the next level, “very slim.”

Alexander has offers from Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan, Michigan State, Louisville, Ohio State, UConn, Illinois and Indiana among others. Jones had previously cut his list of finalists to seven on Mar. 9. Okafor did the same this past Wednesday, trimming his college choices to eight.

Alexander — the No. 5 overall player in the Class of 2014 according to Rivals — did tell Couch that he “loves” Tom Izzo. Michigan State became the second team to offer Alexander. The Spartans made the cut for both Jones and Okafor.

“Everybody has been recruiting me the same,” Alexander told NBC Sports in May. “I’m just looking for a school that has a great relationship with my parents, a school that gets out and runs and me and the coaches have to see eye-to-eye.”
Link


The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) is proud to announce the 20th Anniversary of the NBPA Top 100 High School Basketball Camp, which was created by the NBPA in 1994 to assist elite high school student-athletes in the development of their basketball and life skills. Throughout the last 20 years, the Camp has grown into one of the most highly touted and renowned camps of its kind and has seen hundreds of its participants go on to successful NBA careers.  Please be sure to follow the camp on Twitter @Top100Camp.

Taking place at the University of Virginia from Wednesday, June 12 through Saturday, June 15, the Camp will showcase the country’s elite high school basketball talent. The roster features the Class of 2014’s rising seniors Kavon Loony, Rashad Vaughn, LaRon Black, Joel Berry, Keita Bates-Diop, Theo Pinson and several others. TheClass of 2015 rising junior standouts include Stephen Zimmerman, Perry Dozier, Skal Labissiere, Charles Matthews, Derrick Jones, K.J. Lawson, and Tyler Dorsey, to name a few.
Link


USA Today: Mudiay defends basketball


Before heading to the airport at the end of his recruiting visit to Marist College last month, guard Nick Colletta discovered coach Jeff Bower had one slightly unusual activity planned for him.
The Marist coach asked Colletta to take a personality assessment survey.

Colletta spent the next 10 minutes perusing two lists of 56 adjectives, one in which he had to check off the personality traits he thought best depicted the way he was expected to act and the other in which he marked the ones that he felt really described himself. Computer analysis of Colletta's answers suggested he was competitive, gregarious and comfortable with the ball in his hands at crunch time, further confirming to Bower that the sweet-shooting senior from Glendora High School was worth a late scholarship offer.

"Maybe other recruits might be surprised to have to take the test, but it really wasn't that weird to me after Coach Bower explained the purpose," Colletta said. "It was an interesting test to take because it really made you think about who you were."

Bower's use of personality profiling as a tool to help assess recruits is a tactic borrowed from pro sports.

Just like NFL and NBA teams grade potential draft prospects on their speed, strength or proficiency in certain drills, they also use clinical interviews, aptitude tests and personality surveys as evaluation tools. The goal is to determine which potential draftees will thrive under pressure, respond when challenged and fit smoothly in the locker room.
Yahoo Sports


Recruiting Calendar


2013 Spring/Summer AAU & Camp Schedule


My KU Alumni games, 2011-12 Border War, Legends of the Phog, KC Prep Invitational, & Jayhawk Invitational Videos, Late Night in the Phog, and more now on YouTube

6/1/13, 8:49 PM
#RockChalk instagram.com/p/aCek7lRxq6/
@CFrankamp_23


6/2/13, 8:42 AM
Lawrence bound!!!!!
@jojo_embiid

6/1/13, 9:22 AM
Welcome to Lawrence Hunter Mickelson
@KU_Hoops

Just got some nice work in with @WayneSeldenJr and @F_Mason15 ... What's up Lawrence?
https://twitter.com/b_greene14


https://vine.co/v/b3haiXKUYmj

6/2/13, 11:40 AM
Morningstar's NY pizza donating 100% of sales, wages & tips to OKC Sal army for tornado relief on Tues June 4 Be there, make a difference!
@CoachBillSelf


the 2014 draft could be historically strong.

We’re talking 2003 strong.

Remember 2003?

That’s when the first five picks went like this: LeBron James, Darko Milicic, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade. (Who would have thought that three of those five would one day end up playing for the same franchise?)

The 2014 draft is so loaded, one NBA GM said there are half a dozen players in it that would go No. 1 this year.

That group includes a slew of current high school seniors who are headed to campus next season before their (likely) one-and-done seasons end.

Without further ado, here are our top 10 picks for 2014:

1. Andrew Wiggins – Grassroots sneaker guru Sonny Vaccaro told ZAGSBLOG he projects a three-company sneaker war for the 6-7 Wiggins next spring, with Nike, Adidas and Under Armour all battling to sign him.

All Wiggins needs to do to guarantee his payday, Vaccaro said, is to avoid any major injuries or stumbling blocks at Kansas.

“If he doesn’t hurt himself while he’s in college, physically or mentally or whatever, he’s got it locked,” Vaccaro said.

“The only way he could help himself is if they [Kansas] win the national championship.”
SheridanHoops.com


Marita Payne ran for Canada all over the world. She was a track star and more than 20 years after retirement still holds the Canadian record for the 200 metres and 400 metres. She won two silver medals at the Los Angeles Olympics of 1984 in relay events. She’s 52 years old now, mother of six, and no woman in the Olympic history of this country, has more won more track and field medals than she did.

That’s who Marita Payne is.

But to the kids in the park, or on the streets, or just about anywhere around Toronto, the name doesn’t resonate.

“And she would rather you not know her, that’s Marita” said Molly Killingbeck, the national team coach, who was part of the 4x400 team that won silver with Payne, Jillian Richardson and Charmaine Crooks in 1984.

“She was very quiet, still is very quiet, and very unassuming. But on the track, she was a fierce competitor and I mean fierce.”

The park in her name, not far from where she grew up just north of the city, is one of Greater Toronto’s best kept secrets. There’s a baseball diamond and games almost every night of the summer and a playground and a bocci court and bike and walking paths and trees everywhere and seemingly the park goes on and on and on.

Not far from there, near Steeles Ave. W. and Dufferin St., is where Marita Payne’s three boys — she also has three girls — began to play meaningful basketball. The kids were good, just like their dad. Way beyond those playing around them in Vaughan. The little one, though, Andrew, he was spectacular.

“Who’s Marita Payne?” one of the men’s league ballplayers asked.

“Ever heard of Andrew Wiggins?” I answered. Most of the guys nodded yes to the name recognition of the basketball phenom. “Marita Payne is his mom.”

“We raced against each other a lot,” said Killingbeck. “And we raced together a lot. We were a team and probably best friends off the track. Marita was always so poised, quiet, she had this way about her, she always did all the right things.”

Payne had her sprinting breakthrough at the world track and field championships in Helsinki in 1983. She pushed to notoriety in the 400 metres event. She put herself on the map as a track and field contender at a time when the East German women were doping their way to dominance.

“We knew going into Los Angeles, with the Eastern bloc boycott, we had a chance to win a medal,” said Killingbeck. “Marita was the fastest of us. Then Charmaine. Then Jillian and I.” They lost in the final to a record-setting American team, losing gold, winning silver.

…Marita’s youngest son will go to Kansas for his one season of college basketball before becoming an NBA star. That seems to be assumed about now. Not since LeBron James has the development of any one player been so anticipated. The athletes coming out of this city — Joey Votto, Steven Stamkos, Akeel Lynch, get better with each passing year. This is a whole new level on the world stage.

But ask Marita Payne about Andrew and she’ll remind you she has two other boys, three other girls, all of them gifted in their own way. She doesn’t care to be a story or the story or garner any kind of publicity. She didn’t respond to requests to be interviewed for this piece.

“Andrew’s a lot like his mom,” said Killingbeck. “He’s humble the way she’s humble. Like her, he has lots to brag about but he doesn’t brag.

“Kids pick up so much from their parents. In this case, you have well-grounded people, who aren’t going to get caught up in the hype. They’re going to protect him, the way they protect all their kids.
“It’s obvious that Andrew is very gifted, and the whole thing is pretty amazing but I think he’ll always land on his feet, because he has good, strong grounded parents. And the whole family has that way about them.”

In quiet Marita Payne Park, isolated north of Steeles, west of Dufferin, the young men took in their history lesson, surprised by their new found knowledge. When one of their teammates arrived just before game time, he was greeted with the words:

“You know who this is park is named after?

“Andrew Wiggins’ mom.”
Toronto Sun


Kansas center Jeff Withey, who's projected to be a late first-round pick, will work out for the Knicks and Nets before the June 27 draft, his agent, Darren Matsubara, confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com.

Most pre-draft workouts for NBA teams start on Monday.

Both the Nets and Knicks could use another backup big man, and Withey, 23, is noted for his shot blocking. The 7-0, 235-pound center averaged 3.9 swats last season -- third-best in Division I men's basketball.

"Mike Woodson is very defensive-oriented and Jeff is going to protect that rim," Matsubara said. "I think he will show some people a little bit that he can shoot from the perimeter, but that wasn't what he had to do when he was at Kansas."

The Knicks have the 24th pick in the draft, and Matsubara likes that positioning for his client, while the Nets have the 22nd pick.

"I've known Mike for a while now and [the Knicks] could be a pretty good fit," Matsubara said. "He's someone that could maybe step in there and give Tyson [Chandler] a breather when he needs it."
ESPN


LJW: A look at best point guards in Bill Self era


Coaches of five future NBA champions and three NCAA title teams passed through Lawrence in those years.

“It was an incredibly stimulating environment for basketball,” Buford said. “It’s among the most unique in the country, and you took great pride being part of that. The level expected to perform there challenged everybody involved, the coaches, the players, everybody.”

The roll call of full time assistants, graduate assistants, players who became coaches and administrators – all the way down to a one-year observer – reads like a who’s who of hoopage.

Bill Self and John Calipari each own NCAA championships. Alvin Gentry and Bob Hill became NBA head coaches. Bill Bayno, John Robic and Mark Freidinger became or were college head coaches.
So, again, is Brown, who at age 72 just finished his first year at SMU.

Among the players of the era, Mark Turgeon is Maryland’s head coach, Tad Boyle has taken Colorado to the NCAA Tournament and Danny Manning just completed his first year at Tulsa. Milt Newton is a vice-president with the Washington Wizards.

Should Indiana pull off the Game 7 surprise tonight at Miami and win the Eastern Conference, the NBA Finals would match general managers from the Brown era – Buford against former KU point guard Kevin Pritchard of the Pacers.

Even managers scaled the ranks. Bill Pope became the head coach at Lincoln University (Mo.) and is now an assistant coach and advance scout for the Pistons.

…It’s not difficult to see common threads between the programs that produced Buford’s championship rings.

“I take great pride in Kansas basketball, and in the culture that has been created with the Spurs,” Buford said. “There are similarities in purpose.”
KC Star


Kansas head women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson announced the hiring of assistant coach Shay Robinson Sunday. Robinson replaces Terry Nooner, who took a similar position at Alabama.
Robinson spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy, which was fitting since he served more than eight years on active duty in the Air Force. While enlisted, he deployed on numerous tours of duty, including three tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, spending time as a Weapons Load Crew member on F-16s, as well as Special Operations Senior Command Post Controller.

"We are excited to add Shay to the staff," Henrickson said. "He will bring tremendous energy, national recruiting contacts, a background in player development and a strong work ethic as a result of his military background. He will work with our perimeter players and with his player development background we are looking forward to the ideas that he will bring to our program."

Prior to his arrival at the Academy in 2011, Robinson served for five years as the assistant director and head instructor at EDGE Training Facility in Orlando, known as the premier training facility in the state of Florida. In conjunction with former Boston Celtic Dee Brown, Robinson managed daily basketball operations while performing individual and team skill development sessions, camps and clinics. His vast clientele ranged from beginning players to elite high school, college and professional athletes in the NBA and European Leagues.
KUAD


Jerod Haase turned down Mark Horvath three times before he finally agreed to let him write “Floor Burns: Inside the Life of a Kansas Jayhawk.”

Turns out, Horvath, the former Andrean basketball coach who died last Sunday, was quietly persistent.

Haase, now the coach at UAB, said that Horvath initially wrote after he arrived at Kansas and told him he liked his hustle.

He asked if he could do a book and Haase said, “No thanks.”

He wrote back again about a year later and asked again and Haase turned him down again.

Finally, after Haase finished school and started working on his master’s degree, he agreed to do the book after Horvath asked for the third time.

…Horvath and Haase struck out on the last part of the project: Finding a publisher.

So, Horvath, who was an entrepreneur as well as a teacher (he owned a painting business) decided to self-publish the book.

Haase said that basically meant the two of them went to Kinkos and had the book bound up and sealed.

The first printing was 30,000.

“We got in a van and went to Newton, Kan., and picked them up,” he recalled.

They did a few book signings over Thanksgiving and eventually sold the first printing.

Haase said he recalls printing about 8,000 more books, with most of them being sold.

In the book business, selling 38,000 is a solid effort for a self-published book. On Amazon.com, there are nine reviews of “Floor Burns.” Eight of them are positive.

…“To this day, people still come up to me and tell me they read it and they talk about how much they enjoyed it,” he said. “I just had one of my neighbors tell me she did a book report on it. It was just a neat thing Mark did with me.”
Link


KU Homecoming theme


Space available for Bill's Basektball Boogie


RockChalk Roundball Classic on June 13

The Big 12 Conference has gone from the brink of collapse only a few short years ago to record revenue.

Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said Friday that the league's 10 schools will share a record $198 million for the 2012-13 school year, an amount expected to increase significantly going forward.

The eight continuing members of the Big 12 — Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech — will get about $22 million each this time. Newcomers TCU and West Virginia will get half-shares for 2012-13, about $11 million each from their first year in the Big 12.

"We like the amount of money that we're distributing on an institution by institution basis. There's a lot to like about our current circumstance," Bowlsby said at the end of the league's spring meetings "And I can understand some uneasiness, especially based on what has gone on the last couple of years. ... I think our league is rock-solid and we have done everything we can, in the near term and in the long term, to keep this group of 10 schools together in perpetuity. And I think we also have done that and maintained a full set of prerogatives should circumstances change in the future."
Big 12 teams shared $183 million in revenue in 2011-12, the last year in the league for Texas A&M and Missouri before their departures to the Southeastern Conference.

TCU and West Virginia will get higher percentages each of the next two years before being fully-vested Big 12 members in 2015-16, by which time Bowlsby said the league's 10 teams should be getting about $30 million each from the conference. That could reach $40 million within another decade after that over the length of the Big 12's TV contract with ESPN and Fox Sports.

And those figures don't even include third-tier broadcast rights, such as Texas' agreement with ESPN for the Longhorn Network. That 20-year, $300 million partnership between Texas and ESPN began before the 2011 football season.

The SEC said Friday that its 14 teams will get about $20.7 million each from league revenue of about $289 million.

…"The Big 12 payout ... even with a half a share, is much more than it was in our previous conference," West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck said this week before the figures were announced.

Luck said West Virginia's department had about $60 million in revenue before the Big 12, and was close to $80 million this year. He sees that growing to the $100-million range in "probably a five-, six-year period."

Bill Powers, the Texas president, said he is happy about the strength of the 10-team Big 12, considering the prevailing thought of the league's instability two and three summers ago.

"I don't know if vindication is the right word, but some recognition that, as the winds were tracking to the mega-conferences and we sort of resisted it, that we made a choice that was good for the conference and (am) absolutely convinced the choice is good for the student-athlete," Powers said. "I'm proud of what the conference did on that. Pleased, but not overly surprised. "

The Big 12 last September announced a new $2.6 billion, 13-year deal with ESPN and Fox Sports. That agreement also allows the Big 12 to retain the media rights and accompanying revenue of any school that leaves the conference. There is also an upcoming signing bonus from ESPN, along with television money that will be generated through the new College Football Playoff that begins with the 2014 season. And there is the Sugar Bowl matchup against the SEC that will generate another $40 million a season for the Big 12.

Bowlsby said the Big 12 likes the nine-game conference football schedule where everybody plays each other without a championship game, and the double round-robin schedule in basketball. Plus, the TV contracts go through 2024-25, providing plenty of stability for things to remain as they are.
"Until we get to the point that some of these television contracts are starting to expire, I just don't think there's going to be much conversation about major change," Bowlsby said.
AP


A Kansas Jayhawk on Show-Me state license plates? Missouri lawmakers resoundingly said “no way.” But an Arkansas Razorback? That still might be OK.

Officials in Missouri are trying to ease restrictions on specialty license plates from out-of-state colleges after a prohibition aimed at the University of Missouri's traditional nemesis, the University of Kansas, appears to have inadvertently affected budding rival in the University of Arkansas, as well as Pittsburg State University in southeastern Kansas.

Missouri Rep. Lyle Rowland, whose state House district abuts the Arkansas border, said the prohibition approved last year has been interpreted to apply to all out-of-state schools and that some people already have a Razorback on their license plates.

“I had a lot of my people – since I border Arkansas – down here that were alumni of the University of Arkansas, and they love their Hog plates,” said Rowland, R-Cedarcreek.

…Democratic Rep. Chris Kelly, whose district includes part of the University of Missouri-Columbia campus, joked during the House's debate that preserving a specialty license plate for Arkansas is in some Missourians' interest.

“If this is not passed and people cannot get Arkansas Razorback license plates, no one in Greene County will be able to have pizza delivered,” Kelly said.
KC Star


The scoreboard has been hung and most of the red cloth seats have been anchored at the new arena that will be the home for Nebraska basketball.

Nebraska already has sold every ticket for the 2013-14 men's basketball season, and a media tour revealed a steep seating configuration that could make for an intimidating home-court advantage.

''It's right on top of the court, so it'll be a great building for basketball,'' said John Hinshaw, project manager for Minneapolis-based M.A. Mortenson Co.

About half of the seats are in the lower bowl, with a portion of them retractable to make room for convention space or other sporting events. The floor is equipped for ice equipment, meaning the arena could be used for ice hockey if Nebraska chooses to add the sport someday.

The main entrance was specifically designed to offer a view of the State Capitol rising to the southeast. There also is an outdoor deck that will be open during warm weather.

A total of 36 suites ring the arena, each equipped with three rows of four seats, a drink rail, wet bar, cook top and television. There also are 20 mini suites with seating for four. The seats in the arena are 20 inches wide. Unlike the old Devaney Sports Center, which had bench seats in the upper levels, every seat has a back at the new arena.

Hinshaw said the Panasonic high-definition center-hung scoreboard will be one of the finest in college sports and better than in most in NBA arenas. The four-sided scoreboard is 16 1/2 feet tall and 22 feet wide and is topped by another full video board that is 6 feet tall and 22 feet wide.
Link


Pac-12 school presidents took no action Sunday after learning the results of a conference-commissioned investigation into the Pac-12 Tournament basketball officiating controversy.

The Indiana-based college sports law practice of Ice Miller LLP said it interviewed 42 people at the Pac-12 and UA, watched video, and pored over documents before coming to many of the same conclusions that the conference's own investigation did in April, when the Pac-12 said former officials coordinator Ed Rush improperly tried to prod officials into more closely monitoring Arizona Wildcats coach Sean Miller.

"The Pac-12 CEO Group fully reviewed and discussed the Ice Miller report and agreed that is was an objective analysis of all known facts surrounding the officiating dispute at this year's Pac-12 Men's Basketball Tournament," said Oregon State president Ed Ray, the chairman of the CEO Group. "The CEO Group accepted the report, agreed there is no further action required, and determined that this independent review brings closure to the matter."

Ice Miller's report said that comments regarding a "bounty" from Rush were not meant literally and that the conference's $25,000 fine against Arizona coach Sean Miller was justified because of his actions following the Wildcats' March 15 loss to UCLA in the Pac-12 Tournament.

Miller has paid the fine, and a Pac-12 spokesman said it went toward a post-graduate fund.

"The disciplinary sanctions, including the fine … were within the commissioner's authority and were reasonable," the report concluded.

However, the report said there were widely varying stories about how Rush delivered his comments. It also said that the conference should have allowed Miller to directly respond before punishing him and given him more than an hour to decide whether he would pay the fine or face alternative disciplinary action.
Arizona Daily Star


The Sons of Westwood chronicles the UCLA dynasty period from 1964 until 1975 when the Bruins won 10 national championships.

That supernova of achievement obscures anything done before or since by the usual suspects in college basketball's pantheon. Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, Indiana and Kansas must cede center stage. But UCLA has receded in recent decades. So is UCLA really the most significant college basketball program?

"Without question," said Smith, who teaches American history at Georgia Tech. "Maybe some Kentucky fans would disagree with me. UCLA ushered college basketball into the modern age."

Smith uses the most-significant label not in tribute to mere victories or even championships. He sees those UCLA teams and players as having an unprecedented and unmatched impact that transcends merely keeping score. For instance, college basketball went from regional television programming to national network prize during this period.

Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) actively participated in the Civil Rights movement, arguably the country's most significant social transformation in the 20th century. Bill Walton marched in student protests of the Vietnam War, arguably the most significant student resistance in U.S. history.
Lex HL


2013-14 Early-season events schedule

New Kansas University basketball assistant coach Jerrance Howard’s connections in Chicago might be paying off in recruiting already.

Recruiting analyst Scott Phillips of NY2LAsports.com reports that Charles Matthews, a 6-foot-4 junior-to-be from Chicago’s St. Rita High, has recently “been in touch” with coaches from KU, Kentucky and Michigan State. He told Rivals.com he has offers from DePaul, Illinois, Wisconsin, and SMU.

Remember, Howard was an assistant at SMU prior to taking over for Joe Dooley at KU. A native of Peoria, Howard has ties in Chicago after attending the University of Illinois.

“SMU has already offered me. I talk with coach Jerrance Howard and head coach Larry Brown. It’s a good relationship because coach Jerrance coached at Illinois, which I know a lot about. My dad really likes coach Brown a lot,” Matthews, who is ranked No. 9 in the Class of 2015, told Rivals.com on May 15.

KU is also in the hunt for top-ranked senior Jahlil Okafor, a 6-10 center from Chicago’s Whitney Young, who has a final eight of KU, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, Arizona, Duke and Baylor.

No. 5-ranked Cliff Alexander, 6-8 senior from Chicago Curie, at one point was considering KU. It should be interesting to see if KU ultimately secures a campus visit from Alexander now that Howard is on board.
LJW


The nation's top-ranked Class of 2014 recruit, Jahlil Okafor, cut his list to eight schools Wednesday, with Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Illinois, Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan State and Ohio State remaining in the mix for the ridiculously talented center. But like every other great post, Okafor will be dependent on a player -- primarily the point guard -- to deliver the post feed or drop-off pass on time and on target for him to be in the best position to score.

Let’s take a look at how the eight finalists may sell Okafor on how he’ll receive the ball in their half-court sets.

Kansas

High-low action: Kansas’ power game is its high-low offense, where one post will come high in between the top of the key and the free throw line (think Marc Gasol in Memphis). The shooters are wide on the wings and the point guard is in a designated corner to take help away from the top of the key area. Okafor will be in the low post getting wide and low to create a large target for the ball handler.
ESPN($)


Emmanuel Mudiay (Dallas, TX/Prime Prep Academy) and Josh Perkins (Aurora, CO/Regis Jesuit) are generally thought to be two of the half-dozen or so best point guard prospects in the Class of 2014.
And, during the second set of three games late Friday night, Court 3 was the place to be to see them hook up as their respective Washington (Mudiay) and USC (Perkins) teams played.

Who “won” the confrontation?

Well, I’m sure each had his supporters in that regard afterward.

Certainly, there was no “knockout” or clear-cut “winner on points” – and that’s the last time you’ll read me or hear me making boxing analogies this weekend.

First and foremost, the bottom line analysis of a PG’s performance has to be in found in the won and loss columns.

And Mudiay’s team prevailed, 53-45.

In terms of “how they looked”, a few things were apparent to me:

For one, Perkins is a much better jump shooter than is his Dallas counterpart.

Perkins drilled three 3s while showing off terrific lift and a crisp release – range and accuracy didn’t seem to be issues at all for Perkins.

Mudiay, on the other hand, seems to be a “last-resort jump shooter” – reluctant, at best. He doesn’t have the comfort level, form or accuracy of Perkins.

Both, obviously, have strong handles – with either hand – and are comfortable directing things while jetting the ball or walking it up methodically and surveying the landscape in front of them.

Each saw cutters several times in transition and made the attempt to get the ball to them – Mudiay with a bit less flare than Perkins, but a bit more accuracy.

Fundamentally, Perkins got into trouble a couple of times, notably leaving his feet on a pass attempt (on which Oak Hill Academy guard Terrence Phillips positioned himself perfectly and drew the charge), and delivering the ball not quite where the shooter/cutter needed it.

At times, Mudiay got caught up being too “rushed” instead of waiting for teammates to get into position.

Neither was particularly impressive on defense, playing way too high in their stances when checking one another.

Finally, as big an advantage as Perkins has as a jump shooter/perimeter scorer appeared to have on Mudiay, the Dallas guard has that kind of edge on Perkins in terms of size, strength and innate quickness.

Mudiay looks to be 6-3 plus and about 210 pounds – slap him in a Cowboys’ uniform and he could pass for a strong safety – while I’m assuming Perkins goes about 6-2ish and maybe 185.

And Mudiay’s seems to have the kind of feet a cornerback would envy – once, in transition, Perkins had the ball going full speed, attacking a retreating Mudiay who was, basically, back-peddling.

Perkins tried to change directions a couple of times yet never could blow by Mudiay in the open court.

Overall, I’d give a slight nod to Mudiay for being “more impressive” (and “impressive”, as we all know, can be a nebulous term and also one that is subject to the eye of the beholder) Friday night.
Frank Burlison


Rivals VIDEO: Pangos Friday


Josh Perkins has been one of the hottest names in the class of 2014 in the spring, vaulting himself into five-star status as one of the premier point guards in the country.

That reputation was put to the test Friday night at the Pangos All-American Camp when he opened up in his first game against Emmanuel Mudiay, one of the top three prospects in the class.

Perkins held his own, and probably had the edge for the majority of the game. However, Mudiay asserted himself down the stretch, using his strength to get to the rim at will -- and lead his team to a victory.

“In my eyes, if it means anything, he's the best point guard in the nation,” Perkins said of Mudiay. “It's tough to play against him, because he's so much stronger than everybody. I gotta step my game up every time I play against him.

“I thought I played well, but he got the win.”

Perkins, a 6-foot-3 Colorado native who recently decided he will attend Huntington Prep (W.Va.) next season, has seen his recruitment go to a new level in the past two months. UCLA recently offered, while USC, Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, New Mexico, Gonzaga, Houston, Baylor, Syracuse, Connecticut and others are all coming after him.

Arguably the most skilled passer in the country, Perkins said he hasn't been doing anything differently -- people are just finally seeing him.

“I'm just getting noticed,” he said. “I've been working hard, and the hard work is paying off.”
Perkins began a string of visits, checking out the UCLA campus before the Pangos camp began.
“It was great,” he said. “I loved it."

He said UCLA was among three schools pursuing him the hardest, along with Gonzaga and USC. Interestingly enough, he will visit the other two schools very soon, planning to stop at USC after this weekend and then take a trip to Gonzaga next weekend.
CBS


If Stanley Johnson had his head in the clouds after winning most outstanding player honors Sunday at the prestigious Pangos All-American Camp, it didn't take long for the reality of being a teenager to humble him.

Shortly after being handed the showcase event's most coveted piece of hardware, Johnson's father scolded him about the placement of his vehicle in the Cabrillo High School parking lot.

Turns out the 6-foot-6 power guard power parked in front of a fire hydrant.

"That's my dad for you," Johnson said. "He's the guy that says, 'Great job but you didn't do your homework this weekend.' He's great though."

…He also set off a bit of a firestorm by showing up to the gym Friday night wearing a USC sweatshirt. Don't read too much into it, Johnson says.

"I have to wear a college sweatshirt or a Mater Dei sweatshirt to school and that's just the one I wore to school," Johnson said. "I came from school straight to my high school basketball game to the camp. I wasn't thinking of it until I walked in and people started taking pictures. It wasn't a statement. I like the school, they are on my list and I liked the sweatshirt."

The Trojans are in the mix for his services at the next level along with Arizona, Duke, Florida, Kentucky, Oregon and UCLA.

Also honored following at the conclusion of camp were Emmanuel Mudiay and Rashad Vaughn, who took home most outstanding player honors for their respective teams in the Cream of the Crop Top 25 Game.
MaxPreps


Following a three-day training camp featuring 30 members of the 2013-14 USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team, 16 finalists were today announced for the 2013 USA Basketball U16 National Team. The roster will be pared down to 12 before the squad departs on June 7 for the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, which will be played June 11-15 in Maldonado, Uruguay. The finalists, who must be 16-years-old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1997) and a U.S. citizen to be eligible for this team, were selected by the USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team Committee.

Named as finalists to the 2013 U.S. U16 squad were: Thomas Bryant (Bishop Kearney H.S. / Rochester, N.Y.); Bryant Crawford (Gonzaga College H.S. (DC) / Kensington, Md.); Henry Ellenson (Rice Lake H.S. / Rice Lake, Wis.); Terrance Ferguson (Prime Prep Academy / Flower Mound, Texas); Daniel Giddens (Wheeler H.S. / Mableton, Ga.); Harry Giles (Wesleyan Christian Academy / Winston-Salem, N.C.); Mustapha Heron (Wilbraham & Monson Academy / West Haven, Conn.); Josh Jackson (Consortium College Prep / Southfield, Mich.); V.J. King (St. Vincent - St. Mary H.S. / Akron, Ohio); Malik Monk (East Poinsett County H.S. / Lepanto, Ark.); Malik Newman (Callaway H.S. / Jackson, Miss.); Ivan Rabb (Bishop O’Dowd H.S. / Oakland, Calif.); Devearl Ramsey (Sierra Canyon H.S. / Los Angeles, Calif.); Diamond Stone (Dominican H.S. / Milwaukee, Wis.); Jayson Tatam (Chaminade College Prep / St. Louis, Mo.) and Seventh Woods (Hammond School / Columbia, S.C.).
USA Basketball

6/2/13, 10:18 AM
Woke up to me and My brothers @Tyusjones06 @jahprobound on the front page of ESPN. #LaFamilia
@Chief_Justise

Justise Winslow (Houston, Texas/Saint John’s H.S.) visited UCLA on June 2 on an unofficial visit. The 6-5 small forward is rated as the 10th best prospect in the class of 2014 by ESPN.
Winslow’s visit to UCLA was his second unofficial visit to the school, he also visited the school on August 1, 2012. Bruins head coach Steve Alford visited Winslow (at his place) on April 14, 2013.
Link


During the autumn of 2010, Malcolm Dinwiddie returned for the evening to the family home in Woodland Hills, Calif. A note on the door said a neighbor had a FedEx package that had been left on the Dinwiddies' front porch.

"It was shaped like a shoe box," Malcolm Dinwiddie recalled.

Knowing how hard Colorado men's basketball coach Tad Boyle was recruiting his son, Spencer, Dinwiddie assumed it probably came from CU.

"I thought, 'Boyle can't give us shoes. That's against NCAA rules,' " Malcolm said. "I opened it, and there must have been 100 letters for Spencer. We read some of them together as a family, but then I let Spencer take the box to his room so he could read them himself."

Every letter was handwritten.

Boyle's relentless approach to recruiting has helped him land an unprecedented flow of talent into the CU program, leading to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and a likely top-25 national ranking to start next season.

CU recently received anoral commitment from Dominique Collier of Denver East, a junior guard named the state's best player by The Denver Post. That's further evidence that the Buffaloes now are the program to beat for in-state talent.

CU also is getting out-of-state gems, such as Spencer Dinwiddie, who will enter his junior season as one of the Pac-12's top talents.
Denver Post


Recruiting Calendar


2013 Spring/Summer AAU & Camp Schedule


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