You have reeled in so many awards and crossed so many milestones in your four years at Kansas. Is there one that you will relish the most or means the most to you?
“I think there is just one. My favorite honor has been getting those Big 12 championships. Those four in a row and how tough it has been. It’s been something that has been really great for me.”
KWCH: Perry Ellis talks legacy and future
Josh Jackson to announce for Kansas today?
Scroll Down to Recruiting for the Latest on Josh Jackson!
"You guys know Perry Ellis? He played for us since 1998, I think." Bill Self to coaches here at @rc_basketball
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 8, 2016
Kentucky head coach John Calipari and Kansas head coach Bill Self will headline a coaches clinic at Roselle (N.J.) Catholic High School.
The event takes place on Friday, April 8th and benefits St. Joseph the Carpenter Church.
Also attending the event will be SMU coach Larry Brown, Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell (who replaces TCU's Jamie Dixon), Monmouth coach King Rice, South Carolina coach Frank Martin, Syracuse associate head coach Mike Hopkins and Hofstra coach Joe Mihalich.
Link
KU coach Bill Self, who was a featured speaker Friday at a coaching clinic at Roselle (N.J.) Catholic High School, reiterated his previous statements that freshman Cheick Diallo will not return to college for a sophomore season.
Self told Zagsblog.com’s Adam Zagoria that Diallo likely will sign with an agent next week, but that’s not 100 percent confirmed yet. To this point, the 6-9 Diallo has said he’s entering the draft, but has not inked with an agent.
“I don’t anticipate him (Diallo) coming back,” Self told the Journal-World on Friday.
LJW
Considering Stevens' recent success with the Boston Celtics, it's made it easier for NBA folks to give opportunities to coaches from the college ranks. Sure, Hoiberg's rookie campaign has been a train wreck thus far, but Donovan has the Oklahoma City Thunder at 53-24 -- the fourth-best record in the NBA.
Wright has the ideal temperament for the NBA, similar to that of Stevens and Hoiberg. His biggest strength is his ability to connect with people, and he doesn't possess much of an ego. He would be able to deal with the star players in the NBA. Most NBA guys will mention Kansas coach Bill Self at the top of the list when speaking about college coaches who could make the move, but Wright has certainly moved himself up into the equation.
ESPN Goodman ($)
Best managers in the nation... on the court too! Congrats to our very own @KPIsports National Champions! #kubball pic.twitter.com/zjnCgBfXpF
— Kansas Basketball (@KUHoops) April 2, 2016
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat - as the late Jim McKay often reminded us, these are the reasons we watch sports. Underdogs get hot and stun the world; favorites don't always win. Nowhere is the uncertainty of sport more prominently on display than in the NCAA Tournament.
This year's college basketball season was, by all accounts, one of parity. The No. 1 ranking was more curse than blessing, more revolving door than iron throne. Heading into March Madness, Kansas was the favorite to win it all, but their loss to Villanova wasn't that shocking, especially not after the Wildcats topped North Carolina to win their second national championship.
Talk of Kansas and Carolina sparked a debate here around the office. The kind of lazily passionate, dark-humored kind that center on teams coming up short. Namely: which teams in the long history of college basketball were the best to never win a title? Voices were raised, insults were hurled and an one or two people may-or-may-not have put in their walking papers on account of it. Perks (?) of working in an aggressive bullpen.
Anywho, after going 'round and 'round and 'round ... a consensus was reached regarding the seven best basketball teams that didn't win a title. Apologies to the 1993-94 Tar Heels, 96-97 Kentucky Wildcats, 80-81 Virginia Cavaliers, 82-83 Houston Cougars, 73-74 UCLA Bruins, and a host of other great teams, but here are the seven best teams to fall a bit short of cutting down the nets.
*Teams are presented chronologically
1956-57 Kansas Jayhawks
The 1957 NCAA National Championship Game is probably the greatest college basketball game nobody talks about. Two burgeoning blue bloods, North Carolina and Kansas, went toe-to-toe in a triple overtime contest that was won by the Tar Heels, 54-53.
Sophomore center Wilt Chamberlain was the star of a Jayhawks' roster that ranked No. 1 nationally for the majority of the season. Including the national championship, Kansas lost only three games by a combined five points. Given how much of a man among boys Chamberlain was, it's incredible that Kansas dropped even a game.
Kansas fans can sit back and wonder "what if" Phog Allen hadn't been forced out due to old age, and coached the Chamberlain-led team instead of his replacement Dick Harp.
…1996-97 Kansas Jayhawks
Roy Williams won over 80% of his games during his 15 years as head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks. Still-chapped Jayhawks fans will be quick to remind that Roy Williams never won a championship while in Lawrence. Moreover, his best Kansas team never even reached the Final Four.
The 1996-97 Jayhawks won 22 consecutive games before losing. That defeat - their lone regular-season loss - was by two points, 96-94, to rival Missouri in double overtime. Heading into their Sweet 16 matchup against Arizona, Kansas hadn't played a game closer than 14 points in the month of March. The Jayhawks would fall to the eventual champion Wildcats by three, 85-82.
Kansas, whose roster featured the likes of Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz, Jacque Vaughn and Scot Pollard, would finish the year with a 34-2 record, having lost their only two games by a combined five points.
campus insiders
The business folks at the Wall Street Journal broke down the financials of all the college basketball programs in the country.
They asked the question _ how much would these teams be worth if they were sold on the open market.
Ryan Brewer, working with the WSJ, analyzed each program’s revenues and expenses. The assistant professor of finance at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus also added risk adjustments and growth projections to the mix.
Scandal-plagued Louisville topped the list at $301.3 million. That’s down $66 million from last year.
The Kansas Jayhawks were second at $258.2 million, followed by Kentucky at $244.3 million.
Here’s the breakdown for the Big 12:
2. Kansas
28. Texas $77.1 million
29. Kansas State $76.7 million
33. Iowa State $62.7 million
38. Oklahoma State $54 million
39. Oklahoma $51.2 million
57. Baylor $39.6 million
63. West Virginia $37 million
68. Texas Tech $34.4 million
80. TCU $27.6 million
Link
Made the decision I'm going to finish school this summer think moms will like that □ Lol Ima be an better student than I was last time □.
— thomas robinson (@Trobinson0) April 7, 2016
Rock chalk lol
— thomas robinson (@Trobinson0) April 7, 2016
Brewster Academy grad Thomas Robinson had 16 points & 17 rebounds (6th straight double-double) for @BrooklynNets Fri pic.twitter.com/yshpXFs5dy
— Jason Smith (@BrewsterHoops) April 9, 2016
“When we made the switch to him is when I thought our bench took off,” Rivers said. “Our bench had been pretty much up and down – more down the first three or four weeks – and you can almost circle back, the day we put Cole in the lineup is when we changed as a group.”
That’s a testament to Aldrich’s consistency. Aldrich has averaged double digit minutes every month since December and has played in every game since Dec. 19.
He’s sprinkled in standout performances throughout, including a night with 13 points, six rebounds and four steals in just 20 minutes in late December, just four games after joining the rotation. When DeAndre Jordan missed two games a month later, Aldrich was there to fill in with 19 points in each.
But more importantly, after Jordan returned, Aldrich didn’t sulk as he went back to his normal role off the bench. He’s perfectly content with whatever he’s asked for on a given night, and it’s that attitude and stability the Clippers appreciate even more than the breakout games, none more impressive than his 21 points and 18 rebounds this week in Utah.
nba.com
That Tarik dunk □ #GoLakers
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 10, 2016
1st quarter @TWCSportsNet | @TWCDeportes pic.twitter.com/0RetNfch4R
A legendary figure & KU alumnus was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: https://t.co/SrA6WCL1s2 pic.twitter.com/wIgT9ASsZV
— Kansan Sports (@KansanSports) April 5, 2016
Really good column by @Livy70 on KU's own Hall-of-Famer, John McLendon. https://t.co/fPstphi6ID
— Jim Marchiony (@JMarchiony) April 8, 2016
“Pay Heed. The game you love began here. Respect those who came before you. Make their legacy your own. Because destiny favors the dedicated. And rings don’t replace work. In this game you don’t get what you want. You get what you earn. We are Kansas. Together we rise. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!”
BIG 12/COLLEGE NEWS
An incredible season ends with an incredible honor.
— ESPN (@espn) April 9, 2016
Oklahoma's Buddy Hield is the 2016 @Wendys #WoodenAward winner. pic.twitter.com/NFPEu0B3TT
Iowa State forward Georges Niang was announced on Friday as the winner of the 2016 Karl Malone Award, given annually to the nation’s top power forward by the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Niang’s illustrious Cyclone career now includes an individual postseason award, which is a feat no other Iowa State men’s basketball player has ever accomplished. The senior also became the first two-time All-American in school history this season.
Link
Tubby Smith joined Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield and Iowa State forward Georges Niang to represent the Big 12 Conference during the college basketball awards ceremony on Friday, which recognized the top talents at the Division I level.
Texas Tech's men's basketball coach accepted the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching award after guiding the Red Raiders to 19 regular season wins despite midseason turmoil, which included key injuries, players leaving the program and changes to the starting lineup.
Link
Iowa State's Monte Morris will return for his senior season, per release. Huge Big 12 news.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 8, 2016
University of Texas head coach Shaka Smart will guide the 2016 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team in its quest for a fourth straight U18 gold medal, along with USA assistant coaches Kevin Ollie of the University of Connecticut and Mark Turgeon of the University of Maryland.
The trio will lead the USA at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship July 19-23 in Valdivia, Chile. Not only is a gold medal at stake, the top four finishing teams will earn a qualifying berth in the 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship.
USA Basketball
Baylor basketball has hired former Kansas State assistant coach Alvin Brooks III to the same position, the program announced on Friday. Brooks replaces Grant McCasland, who left Scott Drew's staff to become head coach at Arkansas State last month.
Link
Thornton's Uncle @MEdwardsBball tweets about his nephews Duke Experience in one place: pic.twitter.com/vrvR0kJ4uw
— Keith Garrett (@_KeithGarrett) April 10, 2016
The NCAA has placed a 10-year show-cause penalty on former Southern Miss coach Donnie Tyndall for his role in USM's infractions case, a source told CBS Sports early Friday.
The NCAA subsequently confirmed the report.
Southern Miss was accused of several major violations -- including arranging fraudulent academic credit and impermissible financial aid after a lengthy investigation into the program Tyndall ran from 2012 to 2014. He led the Golden Eagles to a 56-17 record in those two seasons, then spent one season at Tennessee before being fired last March once UT athletic director Dave Hart realized Tyndall would be charged with Level I violations.
In addition to punishing Tyndall, the NCAA placed Southern Miss on three years probation Friday. USM also received a two-year postseason ban that's already been served, and some scholarship and recruiting reductions. The NCAA's full report is linked here.
The only other coach to ever get a 10-year show-cause penalty is Dave Bliss.
Bliss, of course, was the coach at Baylor when one of his players, Carlton Dotson, murdered teammate Patrick Dennehy in 2003. It was later uncovered that Bliss paid multiple players, lied to the NCAA, and told players to make up a story about Dennehy being a drug dealer as a way to explain how part of Dennehy's tuition was paid. The NCAA said Bliss had a "blatant and sweeping disregard" for its rules. Scott Drew ultimately replaced him in Waco.
Tyndall is now an associate athletic director at Tennessee Wesleyan College.
CBS
NCAA redefines academic misconduct definition after UNC scandal https://t.co/w2SrZtVwaA
— Jon Solomon (@JonSolomonCBS) April 8, 2016
Quite simply, Monday’s Villanova-UNC matchup—a consensus all-time great game, if not the greatest—”was the lowest-rated national championship game ever,” AdWeek reported.
While some might blame the absence of Duke, Kansas, or Kentucky in the final for the plummet in ratings, the NCAA itself should bear a lot of the responsibility because it agreed to a contract allowing games to be broadcast only on pay TV channels. This contract may be highly lucrative for all parties involved, yet it doesn’t do much in terms of exposing NCAA basketball at its finest to the largest audience possible, thereby growing interest in the sport for decades to come.
Yahoo Sports
The NCAA has agreed to extend their 14-year, $10.8 billion March Madness television contract with CBS and Turner Sports, according to multiple sources close to the process, though they caution that no announcement is imminent. The original deal, signed in 2010, lasts through the 2024 tournament. The terms of the agreement weren’t immediately available. CBS and Turner Sports declined to comment; the NCAA did not respond to a request for comment.
SportsBusiness Journal reported in December that CBS, Turner, and the NCAA were in discussions about extending the contract—possibly until 2032—as part of a contractual look-in period.
Link
NBA Draft/Early Entry Guidelines for 2016
NCAA Tournament Brackets and History interactive tool
CBS Interactive Tool: Pick two teams to compare record, RPI and SOS details
NCAA stats
Big 12 Composite Schedule & Results
RECRUITING
Jackson, a 6-foot-7 senior shooting guard from Prolific Prep in Napa, Calif., told reporters after the game he would announce for either Kansas University, Michigan State or Arizona sometime Monday on Twitter.
“I know where I’m going,” Jackson told USA Today. “I’m not doing TV or any streaming (online) or anything like that. I’ll just tweet it, but it will definitely be Monday.”
…Future KU forward Udoka Azubuike had three points and two boards in nine minutes for the World Team. He was fouled hard by a pair of U.S. players in the first half and shaken up on that play, limiting his minutes.
“Am fine. My hip was hurting me. (I) wanted to get back in the game but couldn’t, but I will be fine just need a little rest,” Azubuike said in a text to jayhawkslant.com.
The 6-11, 270-pounder, who is ranked No. 27 in the Class of 2016 by Rivals.com, is expected to be able to play in Friday’s Jordan Brand Classic in Barklays Center in Brooklyn.
LJW
Nicole Auerbach, USA TODAY Sports, national college basketball writer
Though Josh Jackson said this weekend he knows where he’ll go, a lot of principal players in his recruitment aren’t sure. So while I wouldn’t be shocked if he announces for Michigan State or Arizona, I lean Kansas, a guess boosted by Wayne Selden’s departure. And if he does announce via Twitter, it’ll be reminiscent of how the Jayhawks coaching staff found it won the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes a few years ago. Prediction: Kansas
Evan Daniels, Scout.com, national recruiting director
If I were going to take a stab at where Josh Jackson is going to play his college basketball, I’d go with Kansas. I should add that I don’t have any concrete information that leads me to believe that’s where he’s definitely going, but Kansas is certainly getting the major buzz heading down the stretch. Truth be told, I don’t know if anyone outside his mom and inner circle knows where he’s going. So while I’ll go with Kansas, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pick Arizona or Michigan State either. Prediction: Kansas
Joe Rexrode, Detroit Free Press, Michigan State beat writer
I should predict Arizona, because that’s the only thing I can’t see Jackson saying when he finally utters his choice. And I’m not very good at predicting these things. I’ve heard compelling reasons in the past few weeks for both Michigan State and Kansas. I believe that at one point he was set, or close to set, on MSU. But I am going with Kansas, the choice that will please his mother. Prediction: Kansas
Reggie Rankin, ESPN.com, recruiting director
Kansas is my pick. I think he likes the small forward careers of Andrew Wiggins and how well Wayne Selden has progressed.” Prediction: Kansas
Bruce Pascoe, Arizona Daily Star, Arizona beat writer
This has been a fascinating recruitment. For a while I wouldn’t have been surprised if he didn’t go anywhere — just worked out, signed shoe/card deals and hired trainers to get him ready for the 2017 draft. Or if he played overseas somewhere. His mom is not wild about the NCAA but Josh says he wants the college experience. I think much as he likes Sean Miller from their shared USA Basketball experience, I’d guess Kansas is the choice. But it’s high-level recruiting, so you never know, and particularly in this case because his mom has kept a pretty tight lid on what’s happening. She’s uniquely involved and knowledgable about the process, having played at UTEP and served in the Navy. Sent him to an academic-minded high school in Napa, of all places. She is a very no-nonsense person who isn’t relying on outside mentors or other coaches here. Prediction: Kansas
Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, Kansas beat writer
It appeared Josh Jackson was prepared to commit to Kansas a few weeks ago before delaying his decision. I think the pick will still be KU this week, with Wayne Selden’s NBA announcement officially clearing the path for a starting spot and 30-plus minutes per game. Prediction: Kansas
USA Today
No. 3 Josh Jackson, 6-7, SF
Jeff Borzello prediction: Kansas
ESPN Scouts' prediction: Kansas
Others in the mix: Michgan State, Arizona
The top uncommitted prospect on the board, Jackson seems to be closing in on a decision. He's taken official visits to all three of his finalists: Kansas, Michigan State and Arizona. There's the appeal of returning to his home state for Michigan State, while he seems like the perfect player for Sean Miller at Arizona. However, the latest buzz for Jackson has him heading to Lawrence to suit up for Bill Self.
ESPN ($)
Miss the game or just looking to rewatch a few highlights? Look no further. WATCH: https://t.co/yOuyDmVtMI @nikehoopsummit
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) April 10, 2016
Udoka. □#HoopSummit pic.twitter.com/XpSEnVY9Ia
— Nike Hoop Summit (@nikehoopsummit) April 7, 2016
World Select Team Hoop Summit
Josh Jackson told @TheUndefeated he wouldn't have went from @ProlificPrep to #NBA if he could because he's not ready.Overseas not considered
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) April 9, 2016
One of the best mom's in the country Miss Apples @1NationORG who raised a great kid in @j_josh11 pic.twitter.com/k6dar88tgs
— Philippe Doherty (@coachpdoherty) April 9, 2016
Josh Jackson: The last to arrive this week, Jackson walked into the gym filled with NBA GMs and scouts in khakis holding his bag and a box of Nikes minutes before the USA was set to scrimmage local players. Jackson has a confidence and charisma similar to Chris Webber at Michigan; he walks like a ballplayer. But he’s able to balance it without any arrogance.
Jackson is an energetic player and is unselfish and creative as a passer. Beyond the elite athleticism, even when compared to all of these other elite athletes, Jackson’s game comes most alive as a passer. I asked Jackson if he would be interested in becoming a point guard full time.
“I like to play team basketball,” said Jackson. “All three schools that recruited me said they'd like me to play some point guard at some point. But long-term, I see myself as a wing.”
Jackson has an awkward jumper at this point, bringing the ball up too far away from his body and with a hitch. Jackson’s shot is inconsistent, evidenced by an errant three-point attempt off the glass but he can also hit it if he’s open and in rhythm.
I asked Jackson if the way he brings the ball up is replicating the motion of shooting off the dribble and if he’s less comfortable in catch-and-shoot situations.
“I'm more comfortable shooting off the dribble,” Jackson told me. “It's kind of backwards.”
Jackson has a great understanding of space and how to fill lanes in transition. In Friday’s scrimmage, Jackson filled the lane on a fastbreak from the left sideline into the middle as he could see how the dribbler and the lone defender were drifting and he was able to set himself up to receive a drop off for the dunk of the week.
Jackson is a year older than the rest of the class and that clearly has a meaningful influence on his prognosis. Jackson is the most competitive player on the USA, possibly for better, possible for worse. Jackson nearly received a technical in a low-key scrimmage on Friday arguing a non-foul call. Jackson also was tangled up with DeAndre Ayton fighting for a rebound that led to a stoppage of play though it was relatively innocuous.
Jackson has the highest potential to become a franchise player out of everyone here, but he’ll need to fix his perimeter shot to get there and I would still like to see him as a full time point guard where he can have the ball in his hands as a playmaker for the team and not for himself as the first option.
...Terrance Ferguson: For most of the week, Ferguson looked like just a guy but he had five second quarter three-pointers. Ferguson finished 7-for-11 on three-pointers for 21 points. Ferguson doesn’t have a strong handle and he’s an average passer, but he’ll shoot it well spotting up on the perimeter.
Ferguson is a good defensive player as well with good athleticism, so he’s at worst a promising 3&D prospect.
...Udoka Azubuike: Despite a larger frame, Azubuike is deceivingly mobile with consistent lift. In the game, Azubukie was overwhelmed by the quickness and swarming athleticism of the USA where he was unable to make an impact.
realgm.com
Izzo a @ufc champ? Self for @POTUS? I gave @j_josh11 THE MOST RANDOM recruiting ?s he's EVER had at @nikehoopsummit: https://t.co/8chTXogZTJ
— Jason Jordan (@JayJayUSATODAY) April 8, 2016
NBA scouts are very, very excited about the incoming class of college freshmen.
Our ESPN Recruiting gurus have ranked 22 players as five-star prospects. Team USA was one of the deepest and most talented squads in years.
"This year is loaded with some crazy talent," one NBA GM said. "This is the deepest class I can remember in some time. There isn't necessarily a lot of superstar power in the class, but it's very, very deep. I think 20 to 25 of these guys will play in the NBA in some capacity."
1. Josh Jackson
College: uncommitted
Guard/forward
Age: 19
6-foot-8, 202 pounds
There's no real consensus among NBA scouts about who should be the 2017 No. 1 pick, but Jackson was the player mentioned most often among the scouts with whom I spoke.
It doesn't take long to see why. He's a long, explosive wing who plays with an elite motor and competitiveness on both ends of the floor. He's aggressive without ever being selfish. He can be a relentless driver to the basket, excellent passer (he might even be able to play a little point guard) and defender of at least three positions on the floor.
His jump shot is his biggest weakness right now. If it isn't broken, it needs a lot of work.
He can also be overly competitive at times (think Marcus Smart), which can get him and his team into trouble. But no one wants to win more than him. He's like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with a more refined offensive game.
He has narrowed down his school choices to Kansas, Arizona and Michigan State, with most folks here thinking he'll likely pick Kansas.
If he does, he should be a perfect fit in Lawrence, and I think he'll have the best chance of hearing his name called first in June 2017. I don't think there's a player in this class with more upside.
McDonald's: 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 9-for-11 shooting in 17 minutes
Hoop Summit: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal in 13 minutes
ESPN ($)
Recruiting update: Terrance Ferguson tells Espn that #UNC HC Roy Williams has offered him a scholarship & he plans to visit next week.
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) April 8, 2016
Terrance Ferguson also tells ESPN that he will try & visit N.C State as well. Has officially visited Zona.Un-officials to Baylor, MD & KU
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) April 8, 2016
Other top players who have said they’ll be competing include Terrance Ferguson, a 6-6 senior guard from Dallas Advanced Prep who has a final list of KU, Arizona, Baylor, North Carolina, N.C. State and Maryland, plus Arizona signee Rawle Alkins, UCLA signee Lonzo Ball, Baylor signee Mark Vital and Auburn signee Mustapha Heron.
Lightfoot, who is ranked No. 117 nationally in the recruiting Class of 2016 by Rivals.com, recently was named Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Arizona. He averaged 22.6 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks his senior season for the 21-6 Knights, who lost in the second round of the state tournament after winning it last year.
Lightfoot had 39 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in a December victory over Laveen Cesar Chavez. He had 29 points and 21 rebounds in a January win over Tempe Marcos deNiza, 30 points in a sectional playoff semifinal win over Seton Catholic and 25 points and 16 rebounds in a 60-57 season-ending playoff loss to Nogales. He scored at least 20 points in 18 games.
“I have known Mitch Lightfoot since his middle school days and am definitely a fan of his, except when he plays against us. We saw a lot of great teams but no player was as valuable and talented as him. I believe what separates him from all the other (Gatorade) candidates is his character and academic focus that makes him a complete student-athlete,” Doug D’Amore, head coach at Catalina Foothills High told Gatorade officials.
Gatorade reports that Lightfoot has a 3.73 grade point average, is a volunteer for an assisted living facility and serves as a mentor for students at elementary charter school.
The Ball is Life game will start at 8 p.m., Central time, and be streamed on Youtube.com according to the event’s official website.
LJW
De’Ron Davis, Markus Howard, T.J. Leaf, Mitch Lightfoot, Charlie Moore, Cassius Winston added to ’16 @Ballislife AAG pic.twitter.com/mfNhuYRlIa
— Ronnie Flores (@RonMFlores) April 10, 2016
Robert Morris transfer Rodney Pryor begins his visit to Georgetown today. Also considering Florida, Gonzaga, & Kansas. Immediately eligible.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 8, 2016
Hoop Summit World Select Team Measurements
Hoop Summit USA Select Team Measurements
Draft express Video Interview: DeAndre Ayton
Kansas University recruiting target Josh Jackson scored 19 points and earned co-MVP honors with future Duke player Frank Jackson as the West all-stars beat the East, 114-107, at Wednesday’s McDonald’s All-America game in United Center.
Josh Jackson, who is considering KU, Michigan State and Arizona, hit nine of 11 shots with four rebounds and three assists.
Future KU player Udoka Azubuike scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds in 15 minutes for the losing East team. Azubuike, a 6-foot-11 senior from Potter’s House in Jacksonville, Fla., hit four of six shots.
LJW
Jackson, who led all scorers with 19 points, was quick to deflect the attention off himself.
“I think I played pretty well,” he said after the game. “It was mostly because of my teammates finding me in the open court.”
Jackson was being modest. He was the most impressive player in a game featuring the best high school players in the country. He looked like a man among boys at times, shooting an easy 9-for-11 from the field with four rebounds, three assists and a block (on Tatum no less) in just 17 minutes of court time. He was all over the place — running the floor on both ends, hitting jumpers, slashing in the paint, dropping dimes and defending on the perimeter with intensity. He looked and played like the best player on the floor:
Jackson utilizes his 6-foot-7 frame to his advantage. He’s a constant threat to score the ball, even if his jumper is still coming along. His athleticism and feel on the floor were apparent from the onset of the game. He shined whenever he was matched up individually with the more highly-touted Tatum, something he won’t let him soon forget.
“(I had) just a lot of fun out there,” Jackson said with Tatum sitting to his right. “Main thing was to have fun and also to win the game because I know I could talk some trash about it later to the guys on the East team…Oh yeah, (Jayson) knows.”
Standout high school players come out of the woodwork every year around this time. Scouts have had their eyes on these players for years, but the general public are just getting to know them. Still, NBA scouts and GMs know there have been far more Kwame Browns than LeBron James’, something Jackson is well aware of.
“Being the No. 1 player in the country doesn’t really mean too much to me,” he said to a group of reporters packed into a tight United Center hallway. “There have been plenty of guys who have been No. 1 in the country at some point in time, and then time goes on and you never hear about them again. So being No. 1 in the country is not my main focus right now.”
…Jackson has a man’s game in a rail-thin, high-school aged body. His skill level is off the charts for a 19-year-old without collegiate or professional experience. Part of the maturation in his game can be attributed to the NBA idols he looks up to. He listed LeBron, Kevin Durant, Paul George, Russell Westbrook and even Jamal Crawford and Dirk Nowitzki as NBA players he likes to watch and learn from.
“I can’t say that I model my game after any one player, but I do watch a lot of NBA basketball,” Jackson told Today’s Fastbreak after the game. “I try to pick up little things along the way from each and every player and add them in to my game as well.”
Jackson wasn’t shy about listing some of the areas he excels at, but he was also honest about where he needs to improve before next season.
“My strengths I’d say are my athleticism, my vision in the open court, probably my ability to attack the basket,” Jackson said. “I think the two things that I need to work on are my consistent stroke and my ball handling.”
Link
NBADraft.net: Many consider you the top player in the nation, what do you think it is that separates you from every other player?
Josh Jackson: I think what separates me from everybody is how hard I compete and my will to win. I think that’s the biggest thing that separates me from everyone.
NBADraft.net: If you could go back and give advice to a ninth grade Josh Jackson, what would you say?
Josh Jackson: Do some pushups and eat right.
NBADraft.net: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Josh Jackson: Hopefully in the NBA, playing on a good team.
NBADraft.net
Getty image
The NBA draft could be set up for a needed revamping of the eligibility requirements if five-star basketball recruit Thon Maker follows through on his reported intent to declare for the 2016 draft and is allowed to enter.
On Sunday, Bleacher Report columnist Adam Wells reported that Maker, a 7-1 center who plays at Orangeville District Secondary School in Ontario, Canada, will forgo college to go directly into the NBA if the league approves it.
Under the current collective bargaining agreements, players applying for the draft must be 19 by the time of the draft and one year removed from their class graduating high school.
Maker turned 19 on Feb. 25.
The NBA must decide whether Maker's claim that he graduated in June 2015 and then did a year of post-graduate works at Orangeville meets the second criteria.
"We believe that Thon has fulfilled his academic requirements to be eligible for the 2016 NBA draft," coach Edward Smith, Maker's legal guardian, told Bleacher Report.
Maker's academic career includes eighth grade in Louisiana, ninth and 10th grades in Virginia and the last two years at Orangeville.
Guard Jamal Murray, who also attended Orangeville, was part of the 2016 class, but reclassified to 2015 to attend the University of Kentucky this season. Murray, whose 19th birthday is two days before Maker's declared for the 2016 draft.
Expect a lot of lawyers to argue the difference between the Canadian and U.S. education systems.
Even though Maker has dual citizenship in Australia and Sudan and attends high school in Canada, he is not considered to be an international player because he has not permanently resided outside the United States for three years before the 2016 draft.
The issue of Maker's eligibility will be resolved before the draft, but, regardless of how it turns out, it opens the door for another round of discussion about the rules of the NBA draft.
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