Kansas Jayhawks
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I'm hearing Wayne Selden has been Kansas' most consistent player throughout summer practice. Selden doesn't enter next season with the cachet of fellow freshmen Andrew Wiggins or Joel Embiid, but he's more than capable of having a big time first year in Lawrence. the 6-5. 220 pound wing is built like a line-backer and possesses an uncanny ability to absorb contact. He'll be a big fan favorite at Allen Fieldhouse
CBS Rothstein
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Instagram video: Frank Mason dunking
The Sacramento Kings will be happy to know their top draft pick, Ben McLemore, didn’t risk injury by playing in Mario Chalmers’ Miracle Shot camp all-star game on Thursday night at Olathe East.
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft out of Kansas University was content to sign autographs for 500 or so fans at halftime and after the game, while also serving as an assistant coach next to the Miami Heat’s Chalmers.
“Mario invited me to be here. I wanted to show my support. He’s a KU fan. He’s a KU alumni. I’m a KU alumni too. It’s just the love of the Jayhawk family,” said McLemore, who last week wrapped up his two-week stay in Las Vegas for five NBA Summer League games.
…McLemore said he hoped to spend a few days in his home town of St. Louis before heading to the NBA rookie transition program in New York.
“I’m being a kid right now, just being here with the fans of Kansas,” said McLemore. “I’ve been working out. I’ve been in summer league, getting ready, getting prepared, prepared to start.”
He won’t receive the first paycheck (he’s ticketed to make about $2,413,000 in 2013-14) until the season starts.
“I haven’t bought anything yet. I don’t have money yet to buy anything like that,” he said of cars and residences. “I’ve been buying little things I need. I don’t have a place yet. I’m just now figuring out what I’m going to do.”
…Former KU guard Russell Robinson reported that he’s signed a two-year deal with Stelmet Zielona Gora in Poland. He’s also played in Spain and France during his career. “The money’s good. I get to see the world. It’s been exciting,” said Robinson, who showed up for Thursday’s game sporting a mohawk haircut. Former KU players Jeff Graves, Jeff Hawkins, Brady Morningstar, Conner Teahan participated in the celebrity all-star game with Robinson and former KC area college players at O-East.
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Join @CoachBillSelf, @TRobinson0 and me at the @Academy Bill Self #ProCamp on 8/17-8/18! Register @ http://billselfcamp.com
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Chalmers can speak to the transition McLemore is about to make, having carved out a role alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat.
With Paul Pierce in the twilight of his career, Chalmers and McLemore represent KU’s future in the NBA.
“I’m definitely going to try to get a lot of advice from him throughout the season,” McLemore said. “He’s been there for a while, so he knows the life.”
TCJ
Pitino said he felt as though Kansas freshman Joel Embiid was the most impressive high school player he saw in the Class of 2013.
“I think Kansas could have the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the draft with [Andrew] Wiggins and Embiid. [Embiid] does everything,” Pitino said.
ESPN
Paul George was the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2013 but at last week's Gatorade Athlete of the Year ceremony he was definitely the boldest.
…He also said he's a big fan of boys Athlete of the Year Andrew Wiggins, who is headed to Kansas and projected to be the No. 1 pick of the 2014 NBA draft.
"The kid knows how to do everything," George said. "That will translate well to the college and NBA level."
MaxPreps (Video at the link)
NBA Champion and former University of Kansas basketball player Mario Chalmers visited Lenexa Wednesday to host the Mario's Miracle Basketball Camp at Olathe East High School for a group of 110 underprivileged youth. Three of those kids got there with the help of BidSpot Cares, a Lenexa startup which manages the Mario V. Chalmers Foundation.
On Wednesday, BidSpot also celebrated the signing of its second client, Bill Self, head coach for the University of Kansas basketball team. The Assists Foundation focuses on the health and wellness of youth. Cheryl Womack, chairperson of BidSpot Cares and a board member of the foundation, worked with Self in the past, putting on fundraisers like the Basketball Boogie and donating $2 million toward a youth center in Lawrence, Kan. Once Womack and Self signed the contract, the coach was eager to get the campaign going.
"He's already had a ton of ideas; He's very energetic and creative — a little ball of fire," Womack said. "We're coming up with some very unique stuff. He's thinking outside the box."
…To attract more customers, BidSpot will start having free-night Tuesdays, when people can get 200 free bids to learn how to play the game. The winner will score two reserved seats at Late Night in the Phog at the University of Kansas.
Self's first campaign will kick off during the second week of September, and Chalmers' second campaign will launch the week after.
Link
What do you do if you are a lifelong Jayhawk basketball fan and you find out the original 13 rules of basketball, penned by Dr. James Naismith — the father of modern basketball — are up for auction? If you are Josh Swade, you find a way to make sure they end up in Lawrence, Kan. At the same time you film a documentary about the experience. Finally, you write a book about it, “The Holy Grail of Hoops: One Fan’s Quest to Buy the Original Rules of Basketball.”
“The whole thing was an awesome experience and the book was fun to write,” Swade said.
The book should hit book shelves Aug. 1. Sprinkled throughout are names and places KU fans and Jewish Kansas Citians will recognize such as Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff and Kehilath Israel Synagogue. There’s also a cute story about Larry Brown and Swade comparing their Bar Mitzvahs.
…The basketball fanatic that he is, Swade is stumped by the release date of the book. To him it would make more sense for it to come out as basketball season gets underway, which is always in October. In fact this year the annual Late Night in the Phog for both KU men’s and women’s basketball is set for Friday, Oct. 4, in Allen Fieldhouse.
Despite the fact that he wasn’t able to convince his Sports Publishing Group to move the book’s release date, Swade is still thrilled he got it published and chose to write it because the documentary is only an hour long.
Link
The Sacramento Kings will be happy to know their top draft pick, Ben McLemore, didn’t risk injury by playing in Mario Chalmers’ Miracle Shot camp all-star game on Thursday night at Olathe East.
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft out of Kansas University was content to sign autographs for 500 or so fans at halftime and after the game, while also serving as an assistant coach next to the Miami Heat’s Chalmers.
“Mario invited me to be here. I wanted to show my support. He’s a KU fan. He’s a KU alumni. I’m a KU alumni too. It’s just the love of the Jayhawk family,” said McLemore, who last week wrapped up his two-week stay in Las Vegas for five NBA Summer League games.
…McLemore said he hoped to spend a few days in his home town of St. Louis before heading to the NBA rookie transition program in New York.
“I’m being a kid right now, just being here with the fans of Kansas,” said McLemore. “I’ve been working out. I’ve been in summer league, getting ready, getting prepared, prepared to start.”
He won’t receive the first paycheck (he’s ticketed to make about $2,413,000 in 2013-14) until the season starts.
“I haven’t bought anything yet. I don’t have money yet to buy anything like that,” he said of cars and residences. “I’ve been buying little things I need. I don’t have a place yet. I’m just now figuring out what I’m going to do.”
…Former KU guard Russell Robinson reported that he’s signed a two-year deal with Stelmet Zielona Gora in Poland. He’s also played in Spain and France during his career. “The money’s good. I get to see the world. It’s been exciting,” said Robinson, who showed up for Thursday’s game sporting a mohawk haircut. Former KU players Jeff Graves, Jeff Hawkins, Brady Morningstar, Conner Teahan participated in the celebrity all-star game with Robinson and former KC area college players at O-East.
LJW
LJW Photos
Join @CoachBillSelf, @TRobinson0 and me at the @Academy Bill Self #ProCamp on 8/17-8/18! Register @ http://billselfcamp.com
https://twitter.com/benmclemore
Chalmers can speak to the transition McLemore is about to make, having carved out a role alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat.
With Paul Pierce in the twilight of his career, Chalmers and McLemore represent KU’s future in the NBA.
“I’m definitely going to try to get a lot of advice from him throughout the season,” McLemore said. “He’s been there for a while, so he knows the life.”
TCJ
Pitino said he felt as though Kansas freshman Joel Embiid was the most impressive high school player he saw in the Class of 2013.
“I think Kansas could have the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the draft with [Andrew] Wiggins and Embiid. [Embiid] does everything,” Pitino said.
ESPN
Paul George was the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2013 but at last week's Gatorade Athlete of the Year ceremony he was definitely the boldest.
…He also said he's a big fan of boys Athlete of the Year Andrew Wiggins, who is headed to Kansas and projected to be the No. 1 pick of the 2014 NBA draft.
"The kid knows how to do everything," George said. "That will translate well to the college and NBA level."
MaxPreps (Video at the link)
NBA Champion and former University of Kansas basketball player Mario Chalmers visited Lenexa Wednesday to host the Mario's Miracle Basketball Camp at Olathe East High School for a group of 110 underprivileged youth. Three of those kids got there with the help of BidSpot Cares, a Lenexa startup which manages the Mario V. Chalmers Foundation.
On Wednesday, BidSpot also celebrated the signing of its second client, Bill Self, head coach for the University of Kansas basketball team. The Assists Foundation focuses on the health and wellness of youth. Cheryl Womack, chairperson of BidSpot Cares and a board member of the foundation, worked with Self in the past, putting on fundraisers like the Basketball Boogie and donating $2 million toward a youth center in Lawrence, Kan. Once Womack and Self signed the contract, the coach was eager to get the campaign going.
"He's already had a ton of ideas; He's very energetic and creative — a little ball of fire," Womack said. "We're coming up with some very unique stuff. He's thinking outside the box."
…To attract more customers, BidSpot will start having free-night Tuesdays, when people can get 200 free bids to learn how to play the game. The winner will score two reserved seats at Late Night in the Phog at the University of Kansas.
Self's first campaign will kick off during the second week of September, and Chalmers' second campaign will launch the week after.
Link
What do you do if you are a lifelong Jayhawk basketball fan and you find out the original 13 rules of basketball, penned by Dr. James Naismith — the father of modern basketball — are up for auction? If you are Josh Swade, you find a way to make sure they end up in Lawrence, Kan. At the same time you film a documentary about the experience. Finally, you write a book about it, “The Holy Grail of Hoops: One Fan’s Quest to Buy the Original Rules of Basketball.”
“The whole thing was an awesome experience and the book was fun to write,” Swade said.
The book should hit book shelves Aug. 1. Sprinkled throughout are names and places KU fans and Jewish Kansas Citians will recognize such as Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff and Kehilath Israel Synagogue. There’s also a cute story about Larry Brown and Swade comparing their Bar Mitzvahs.
…The basketball fanatic that he is, Swade is stumped by the release date of the book. To him it would make more sense for it to come out as basketball season gets underway, which is always in October. In fact this year the annual Late Night in the Phog for both KU men’s and women’s basketball is set for Friday, Oct. 4, in Allen Fieldhouse.
Despite the fact that he wasn’t able to convince his Sports Publishing Group to move the book’s release date, Swade is still thrilled he got it published and chose to write it because the documentary is only an hour long.
Link
Big 12/College News
The NCAA's leadership — the executive committee and the D-I Board — will meet Aug. 8 in Indianapolis and begin discussing models for a drastically different way to govern the 348 schools in the association's top division. Emmert said he expects significant changes to how the NCAA operates to be adopted within the next year.
At issue is the ability of the richest athletic programs — which attract the massive television rights fees — to set policy without the smaller D-I programs stopping them because of financial concerns.
"There's one thing that virtually everybody in Division I has in common right now, and that is they don't like the governance model," Emmert said. "Now, there's not agreement on what the new model should be. But there's very little support for continuing things in the governing process the way they are today."
Within the past week, Emmert sent a letter to all D-I presidents, athletic directors, commissioners, faculty athletic representatives and senior woman administrators asking them to save the dates of Jan. 16 and 17 for "an important milestone in which your participation is crucial." The meeting will be held at the same time as the NCAA's annual convention in San Diego.
In the letter, Emmert called the "first-time Division I Governance Dialogue" a "critical meeting" that will cover "virtually every aspect of how Division I operates."
USA Today
Former Gonzaga star and National Player of the Year Adam Morrison is taking classes at the West Coast Conference school and will be a member of the Bulldogs' coaching staff this season, coach Mark Few told CBSSports.com on Thursday.
"He'll be a student assistant," Few said. "It'll be great. The players really respect him."
CBS
If Adam Morrison's NBA career is over, he played just 163 games and recorded just 28 starts. That's hard to do as a third overall pick.
@AlexKennedyNBA
For years, the Izzone, Michigan State basketball's student section, has settled seating priority and loyalty to the team through its annual campout.
But now, organizers are considering ending the Izzone preseason campout tradition at Munn Field in the fall, and it's angering those who believe the move is messing with a long-standing tradition.
Why is the campout important? It's one of the ways Izzone members accrue points toward seating priority at the games (game attendance and early arrival to games are other accrual methods). There typically are several check-ins during the campout, an effort to reward those who stay throughout the duration of the overnight event.
The Izzone, named after MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo, sent an email to its members last week, announcing its leadership was considering changes and asking for student input:
Based on last year's overall attendance numbers and general reception from the event, we are considering making some changes to the IZZONE Campout as it has traditionally been. What those changes involve strongly depends on how you as a section feel about the Campout in its current form, and what you would like to see the Campout become in future years.
MLive.com
2013-14 Early-season events schedule
Recruiting
Speaking of high level, the passes thrown by Howard Pulley’s Tyus Jones (Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley) in the second half were certainly that. The nation’s No. 1 floor general put precise touch on his assists and knocked down free throws to seal the contest. Bill Self, Richard Pitino and Izzo were on hand to see him.
ESPN (Video at the link)
adidas Super 64 July 24-28
AAU Super Showcase and National Championship July 24-29
Las Vegas Fab 48 July 25-28
Hal Pastner Bigfoot Hoops Las Vegas Classic July 24-28
The Metro Sports / KC Prep Invitational July 25-28
Looking for an excuse to watch some hoops in July? Here’s one: Some of the top high school basketball players in the country will descend on the area this weekend as the Hardwood Classic basketball tournament begins on Friday at The Fieldhouse of KC at 12140 W. 135th Street in Overland Park.
It’s the second grassroots tournament to begin this weekend in the Kansas City area — the KC Prep Invitational began on Thursday in Shawnee — and coaches from every major Division I conference are expected to be in town for the last weekend of the July recruiting period. Last year’s Hardwood Classic, according to tourney organizers, drew more than 100 college coaches, and a handful of elite recruits are expected to compete over the next three days.
The top player in the field could be Cheick Diallo, a 6-foot-9 junior forward from New York who has already earned a scholarship offer from Kansas. Diallo, rated as the No. 6 overall player in the class of 2015, grew up playing soccer in the west African country of Mali. The Jayhawks have had recent success in recruiting African players, tapping a similar player this year in freshman center Joel Embiid, a native of Cameroon.
Diallo will play on Team Scan (Bronx, N.Y.) alongside 6-foot-9 senior Chris McCullough, a Syracuse commit who is ranked 19th in the 2014 class by Rivals. Another top players to watch is Keita Bates Diop, a 6-foot-7 senior forward who has committed to Ohio State. Diop will play for the U-17 Illinois Wolves, who also feature Marquette commit Malek Harris, a 6-foot-7 forward who is ranked 72nd in the 2014 class.
There are also a handful of area products to follow. Lourawls Nairn, a senior guard from Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, is rated as the 61st best player in the 2014 class. Nairn will play for the U-17 MoKan squad, while Blue Valley Northwest senior Clayton Custer (an Iowa State commit) is playing for local U17 squad Team Yobo, coached by former Oklahoma State and Wyandotte standout Victor Williams.
KC Star
SCHEDULE
They strolled into the auxiliary gym at Rancho High School with backpacks on and the message clear on their shirts: I AM TRAYVON.
Every player on Game Elite's 17U squad was donning the T-shirts during warm-ups and didn't remove them until it was time to tip. The AAU program based out of Atlanta first displayed the shirts Wednesday night, and per program co-director Ryan Falker, they'll wear the shirts before and after games for the duration of their stay for tournament play in Las Vegas this week.
"We all wanted to wear the shirts because, even though the right thing didn't turn out in court we wanted everyone to know we haven't forgotten about this," Avery Patterson said.
CBS
Recruiting Calendar
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
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