Opening of the ESPY's with Rob Riggle and the Kansas Jayhawks!
Riggle's opening monologue (13+ minutes)
7/11/12 11:55 AM
ESPN's GameDay will broadcast from the Georgia Dome, site of this year's Champions Classic, before KU vs. Michigan State (Nov. 13).
Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd)
“The draft was kind of a gamble,” Withey said. “Perry Jones went pretty late and Tyler Zeller. It was just a weird draft, and I’m happy I came back. I get to prove to everybody one more year that I deserve to be there, and I’m going to make the most of it.”
One way he’ll do that is by expanding his offensive repertoire, becoming more difficult to guard, extending the range on his jumper.
“It’s something I’ve been working on this whole summer,” Withey said. “That trail shot (on the break), last year, T-Rob hit it. The year before that, the twins. The year before that, Cole, so it’s definitely in our system.”
All four of those players became lottery picks, and all four were threats to score from the blocks and the perimeter by the time they left the program.
“If I can knock down that 15-footer, that definitely puts more pressure on the defense,” Withey said. “They can’t sag off and double-team the post. It’s just another threat.”
Withey had a .795 accuracy rate from the free-throw line last season, so it’s not a question of his shooting touch.
“It’s all about confidence,” he said. “Just catch the ball, and you’re not thinking twice, just shoot it. I’ve gotten a lot better in pick-up and practice. I’m definitely happy with that, and I’m going to keep on working to make it automatic.”
LJW
He’s got three Super Bowl rings from his time with the New England Patriots. He spent five years in the highest pressure job in college football. And on August 17, he’ll be in Prairie Village.
Freshly minted University of Kansas head football coach Charlie Weis will make his first appearance at the annual KU KickOff pep rally at Corinth Square August 17, the KU Alumni Association has confirmed. Weis will be joined by perennial favorites Bill Self, head men’s basketball coach, and Bonnie Henrickson, head women’s basketball coach.
The event is scheduled to run 6 to 10 p.m. with live music starting at 8 p.m.
On account of the substantial renovations under way at Corinth, the main stage for the event will be moved from its traditional location on the east side of the shopping center to the south parking lot, directly west of Commerce Bank.
PV Post
For reasons he could not have expected when he made the schedule, former Kansas University center Cole Aldrich missed the opening day of his basketball camp Monday at Olathe Northwest High.
But while the third-year pro was busy playing for Oklahoma City’s summer league squad in Orlando, Fla., a handful of current and former Jayhawks were in Olathe holding down the camp.
Senior-to-be Travis Releford teamed with former Jayhawks Mark Randall and Jeff Gueldner to run more than 100 campers through a day of drills, instructions and various camp games. For Randall, a former first-round pick of the Chicago Bulls, helping Aldrich out was a no-brainer.
…“We do these camps all summer, so it’s a lot of fun,” Releford said. “I enjoy doing this.”
Freshman Perry Ellis will be in the gym today, senior center Jeff Withey will take his turn Wednesday, and sophomore point guard Naadir Tharpe will finish things off on Thursday.
Releford on newcomers
Asked about the new crew of Jayhawks in town, Releford smiled and said he was looking forward to playing with all of them.
“It’s a whole new team, different faces, different personalities,” he said. “And it’s been a lot of fun just getting to know all of those guys.”
Although he has had limited time with most of them, Releford said he thought the newcomers could help KU.
“All those guys are humble,” he said. “They listen, they ask questions, and they’re just ready to learn, so I think it’s gonna be a fun year.”
Challenging?
“A little bit, for sure,” he said. “But coach will get it together.”
LJW
Thunder.com Q & A with Cole Aldrich
The conversations were heartfelt, and so was the message. As Rio Adams was sorting through the stress and strain of the recruiting process, searching for his college destination, he’d often turn to his Godbrother, Rodrick Stewart.
Stewart had been a reserve guard at Kansas during the Jayhawks’ NCAA Championship season in 2008. So Adams, a talented young guard himself, would ask his Godbrother to tell him about his alma mater.
The answer, Adams says, usually consisted of three key points. He’d hear about the family atmosphere, how the players were like brothers. He’d hear about the town of Lawrence, how the place supported the program. And, finally, he’d hear about the passion, how the rhythms of the community revolved around one thing: Basketball.
“You can’t really beat it,” said Adams, a Seattle native. “It’s a basketball state. And this is where I wanted to be.”
7/5 KC Star
Rookie point guard Tyshawn Taylor played like a rookie point guard Monday. He finished the game 5-for-13 from the field, including 1-for-4 from 3-point range, and also had four turnovers and six fouls. But Taylor also finished with 17 points, went 6-for-8 from the foul line, grabbed six rebounds , dished out three assists and had two steals. Taylor also made a couple of clutch plays late, including a pull-up 3-pointer to tie the game with 46 seconds remaining.
“I think it went all right,” Taylor said afterwards. “I think as a team we got off to a slow start … the energy just wasn’t all the way there. But I think we picked it up towards the end and we fought back hard. We got back within one or two on a couple possessions, and they knocked down the free throws when it counted. But we’ve just got to come out to a better start in the next game.”
NY Post
On one possession early in yesterday’s summer league game against the Celtics, Tyshawn Taylor barreled toward the basket, spun wildly, left his feet and wound up getting his shot blocked for an easy turnover.
A short time later, Taylor again drove down the lane, but this time finished off a nifty, acrobatic layup.
Those two plays represent the rookie point guard’s potential and the steep learning curve he faces as he adjusts to life in the NBA.
“Sometimes it’s hit or miss,” Nets coach Avery Johnson said after the Nets lost to the Celtics, 82-73, to drop to 0-2 this week. “He’ll make good plays and then another time maybe there is a turnover, but it’s not all his fault. I think sometimes the spacing on the floor [is an issue].“We’ve got to work on spacing the floor and utilizing him in different ways. That’s what this whole process is all about.”
NY Post
After agreeing to re-sign Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace, trade for Joe Johnson and sign free agents Mirza Teletovic and Reggie Evans this week, the Nets added another player to their roster yesterday when they signed second-round pick Tyshawn Taylor.
The 6-foot-3 point guard, taken No. 41 with a pick bought from Portland, is coming off a terrific senior season at Kansas, where he led the Jayhawks to the national championship game.
“I’m excited,” Taylor said before the team’s first practice Thursday. “I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I’m looking forward to it.”
…“I had a close-up look at him in Chicago during the pre-draft camp, and he was one of the kids that was assigned to us during the interview process,” Nets coach Avery Johnson said after yesterday’s practice. “That’s where it all started. Then we went back and started to watch more video on him, and he kept moving up the board.”
NY Post
ESPN: Sacramento loves Thomas Robinson
Bobby Jackson, co-head coach of this year’s summer league team, says Thomas Robinson has impressed early. Jackson says Robinson’s passing ability has stood out most during this four-day camp. Jackson didn’t realize how good of a facilitator Robinson is and beliveves the Kings rookie is capable of initiating their fast break.
Jackson on what Robinson must learn: “Just slowing down and letting the game come to him. He wants to everything 100 miles an hour, but the older you get, the more time you get you on the floor, he’ll start to see that. He can’t go 100 miles an hour every time. But the energy, everybody is going to it and learning how to play with him.” Clearly, no questions about Robinson’s motor at all.
Can Robinson play small forward? Jackson says the Kings won’t use him at the 3 during summer league. He thinks Robinson is capable of possibly defending that position, but not any time soon. “That’s a hard position to defend,” said Jackson. “But he can do it, I think he can do it. But right now, he won’t be able to do it. To guard LeBron (James) and Carmelo Anthony? Nah.”
Link
Darnell Jackson has embraced a leadership role on this mini camp roster. ”My goal for summer league (and) mini camp is just come in here and stay on with the young guys,” Jackson told reporters. ”Show them the ropes a little bit and just tell these guys what’s really important. You’re not just auditioning for (this) organization, for the Kings, you’re auditioning for every organization in the NBA, especially when you go to Vegas.” Jackson’s last stint in the NBA was with the Kings during the 2010-11 season.
As expected, Jackson is also personally mentoring Kings rookie big man Thomas Robinson. Both men are Jayhawk alums and share similar personal backgrounds. ”He mentored me at Kansas and he’s doing the same now,” Robinson said of Jackson. ”So, he’s definitely a big help for me right now.” While playing in the Ukraine last season, Jackson says he texted Robinson to check on him and his little sister Jayla from time-to-time.
Link
The Kings signed first-round draft pick Thomas Robinson to a contract Monday, basketball president Geoff Petrie announced in a release.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Per the NBA's rookie pay scale, rookies can sign for 80 to 120 percent of a set first-year salary.
For the No. 5 pick, that amount for the 2012-13 season is $2,812,200, with $2,938,700 the following season. Teams hold options for the third and fourth seasons.
Sac Bee
Having spent his rookie season shuttling between the Rockets’ bench and the club’s NBA Development League team, Marcus Morris returned this week with a plan.
It’s not complicated. After a season learning the ways of the NBA, he knew just how to get the playing time he could not last season.
“Just compete,” Morris, 22, said. “Beat somebody’s (butt).”
That’s the general idea, but Morris, a 6-9 forward, said he deferred too much to the veterans ahead of him on the roster last season, a mistake he does not plan to let happen again.
Morris, the Rockets’ top pick in 2011, played in just 17 games for 126 minutes. Beginning with this week’s minicamp and the summer league schedule that opens Friday in Las Vegas, Morris said he will “take” the playing time he could not get as a rookie.
“The mindset I have right now is I have to take some (playing) time,” Morris said.
The difference, even in just two days of summer camp, is obvious.
Houston Chronicle
The Phoenix Suns begin two-a-day workouts in Phoenix on Wednesday, July 11, in preparation for the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 15-21. The 15-man team is highlighted by Suns’ 2012 first-round pick Kendall Marshall (13th overall) and Suns’ second-year player Markieff Morris. The pair is joined by Suns assistant coach Dan Majerle, who returns to serve as head coach of the summer league team for the fourth-straight season.
FS Arizona
The conclusion of the Suns practice Wednesday saw the media crowd around forward Markieff Morris.
Morris isn't fond of being surrounded by a group of reporters, but he isn't letting his new role as the top player on Phoenix's Summer League roster faze him.
"It's whatever man," Morris said. "Been through a year already; going to use it to get better, get some shots up and stay in shape."
…Morris has been in Phoenix the entire summer, working out with his twin brother, Houston Rockets forward Marcus Morris, and longtime friend and fellow Philadelphia native Sean Evans, who spent last year playing professionally in Germany's Pro A League.
…Morris also plans to improve his defense in Las Vegas, but he said the coaches expect him to be able to score from anywhere on the floor.
"He looked good (Wednesday), he's been working hard all summer with Elston Turner and our coaching staff," Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby said. "(General Manager) Lance (Blanks) is putting a tremendous amount of time, effort and initiative into upgrading our player development because now that we're going to get younger we're going to have to take players that we get and make them better."
"Markieff will be a good example of that. We're excited for him and excited for his opportunity."
Link
Today, seven months after Arthur suffered his second severe injury in four NBA seasons, the former Kansas standout is the source of better news for the Grizzlies. Arthur, recovering from surgery to repair a torn right Achilles suffered last December, is in town to sign a three-year contract worth more than $9 million.
Memphis clearly considers the 6-9 athletic forward an important part of its future and Arthur is ready to earn his keep.
"Coming off two injuries, you never think you'd get a contract like this. A lot of teams probably wouldn't deal with you," Arthur said. "Memphis has faith in me and I have faith in myself. ... The doctors say I'm ahead of schedule. I'm blessed. I just want to get back on the court and help us win games. We're on the right track."
Albeit briefly, Arthur wasn't in line for a return to the Griz. He initially received just a one-year offer from the team. Arthur declined. The Grizzlies eventually returned with the three-year proposal with a player option in the third year.
Memphis CA
While his famous teammates will be busy with other things -- LeBron James will be playing in a little tournament in London and Dwyane Wade will be recovering from knee surgery -- Mario Chalmers will return home next month to headline an NBA all-star game at Sullivan Arena.
Anchorage Daily News
7/13 Mario Chalmers National Championship Classic golf tournament
KU AD: Throwback Thursday with Sasha Kaun
Former Kansas University standouts David Jaynes, Wayne Simien and Bud Stallworth are among the nine members of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2012, it was announced Tuesday.
LJW
Q. Are all your sports allegiances to Kansas-area teams?
A.
[laughs] I say yes and no. Growing up in Kansas City, going as a Cub Scout with the whole den to the Royals game or the Chiefs game – those are always going to be close to my heart. Those are my home teams. I went to K.U., I’m always going to be a Jayhawk, that’s the way it is. But. I have since lived in New York for 10 years, and now I live in L.A., and I like to have a home team to root for. So, a lot of times, I will pick a team from another conference. I feel no problem loving the Dodgers, because they’re N.L., as opposed to A.L., where the Royals are. There’s no conflict of interest unless we both make it to the World Series, and then I’ll have to make a decision at that point. But I don’t like the odds on that.
NY Times Q & A with Rob Riggle
No Kansas Jayhawks will be appearing on Show-Me State license plates — at least unless Missouri lawmakers say it is OK.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law Thursday a broader higher education measure that would require state lawmakers to approve specialty license plates for colleges and universities. State lawmakers were seeking to impede possible efforts by fans to have the University of Kansas featured on a Missouri license plate.
AP
A new company coming to downtown Columbia has caught the attention of some Missouri fans.
Rally House, a retail sports merchandise chain with stores in the Kansas City area and Texas, will open a new location later this month in the space formerly occupied by Cool Stuff. Rally House sells college and pro team-licensed apparel, such as shirts, jackets and hats, and even team-emblazoned bar stools and pool tables.
The problem? Rally House was created by the same folks who started Kansas Sampler. The well-known chain of stores in Kansas was founded by two KU graduates and sells many of the same items ... except with Jayhawks and K-State Wildcats emblems.
Given the history between the two schools, it’s no surprise that there has already been backlash.
Aaron Liebert, the company’s CEO, said he has seen some criticism on Twitter, Facebook and message boards regarding his company’s decision to expand to Columbia.
“We’ve seen it,” Liebert said, “and we understand it. If it wasn’t for the rivalries, we wouldn’t be in business. We’re OK with it.”
KC Star
Kansas 2012-13 Schedule
Big 12/College News
(all times ET):
Midnight: West Virginia at Gonzaga
2 a.m.: Davidson at New Mexico
4 a.m.: Houston Baptist at Hawaii
6 a.m.: Stony Brook at Rider
8 a.m.: Northern Illinois at Valparaiso
10 a.m.: Harvard at Massachusetts
12 p.m.: Temple at Kent State
2 p.m.: Detroit at St. John’s
4 p.m.: Butler at Xavier
7 p.m.: Michigan State vs. Kansas (Champions Classic, Georgia Dome, Atlanta)
30 minutes following MSU/KU: Duke vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic)
ESPN Tip-Off Marathon schedule
For 2012-13, Xavier AD Mike Bobinski leads the committee/has one of the coolest jobs in sports.
“It is an honor to be selected as chair of this committee,” Wellman said in a statement. “We have excellent committee members who are conscientious and fair and take their responsibility very seriously. I look forward to my continuing relationship with them in this new role.”
Wellman is notable for his longevity; he's held his post longer than any AD in the ACC, having been at Wake since 1992.
If you're always wondering who comprises the selection committee in a given year and can't find the info easily, bookmark this page and come back to it in March so you know who to be ticked off at.
The 2012-13 NCAA tournament selection committee:
Joe Alleva, LSU AD
Scott Barnes, Utah State AD
Mike Bobinski (chair), Xavier AD
Joe Castiglione, Oklahoma AD
Doug Fullerton, Big Sky commissioner
Mark Hollis, Michigan State AD
Judy MacLeod, Conference USA executive associated commissioner
Bernard Muir, Delaware AD
Jamie Zaninovich, West Coast Conference commissioner
CBS
When asked to name the player who has most surprised him after a few months of offseason practices, Kansas State basketball coach Bruce Weber didn’t mention any of the usual suspects.
No need for him to single out Rodney McGruder or Jordan Henriquez. Weber knew how good they were long before he moved to Manhattan.
Instead, Weber went with someone he didn’t see much of last season.
“You know who has played really well?” Weber said. “Omari Lawrence. I think he has been the surprise of the summer.”
Surprise? Shock may be a better word. Lawrence, a junior guard who transferred to K-State from St. John’s after a redshirt year in junior college, played so rarely in his debut season with the Wildcats that some fans might have trouble recognizing him. (He’s the one on the left in the above picture, by the way).
Wichita Eagle
If a brand is indeed a logo, Barnes already has one. It's his initials, an "H" and a "B" standing side-by-side, with wings spreading off the "B" in homage to Barnes' nickname, "The Black Falcon."
Barnes said an artist friend from Iowa designed his logo. But on the day before the draft, Barnes didn't want to say much else about his brand, or how his desire to create one originated. He seemed embarrassed by the thought of discussing such things.
"I said a lot of things when I was in college, some of them probably a little prematurely," Barnes said. "So I think the best thing for me to do right now is just focus on the basketball court, focus on that and everything else will take care of itself."
Barnes could have been referring to any number of things he said while at UNC, but most likely was referencing a story that ran in The Atlantic, a national magazine. In a story entitled "Moneyballer" in the April 2012 issue, Barnes spoke openly of his business side.
He spoke of his admiration for Kobe Bryant's endorsement of Turkish Airlines, a decision that Barnes said proved Bryant's business savvy and his ability to think "outside the box" about endorsements. Barnes spoke openly, too, about his desire to use basketball as a platform to raise his own commercial appeal.
"The longer you stay in college, the better a brand you build," Barnes told the magazine.
Barnes' outspokenness about such things drew its share of criticism from rival fans, and even teammates sometimes playfully teased him.
"We'd just call him 'Black Falcon' or whatever," said Tyler Zeller, the former Tar Heels' center who was selected 17th in the draft. "Nothing bad. But we'd have a good time with it."
To some, though, Barnes' brand talk seemed silly and premature. The criticism was easy to understand: Instead of allowing his brand whatever it might be to come naturally, Barnes seemed intent on manufacturing it.
James Michael McAdoo, the Tar Heels' sophomore forward, arrived at UNC amid hype comparable to Barnes. Did McAdoo ever think about building his brand?
"No," he said recently. "You'll never hear that coming out of my mouth. That's just not my style. I don't know what brand (is). I mean, I just play basketball. ...
"If some team wants to sign me one day to play professionally, and if some shoe company wants to give me some money to wear their shoes, you know, I'll do that. But I don't really think about that stuff."
Link
Instead of trying to jump-start his stalled basketball career at SMU as he originally planned, Josiah Turner will seek a fresh start as a professional.
The talented but troubled former Arizona guard told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday that he will sign with a pro team next season either overseas or in the D-League in hopes he can parlay that into an opportunity to make the NBA the following year.
Yahoo
2012-13 Early Season Events List
Midnight: West Virginia at Gonzaga
2 a.m.: Davidson at New Mexico
4 a.m.: Houston Baptist at Hawaii
6 a.m.: Stony Brook at Rider
8 a.m.: Northern Illinois at Valparaiso
10 a.m.: Harvard at Massachusetts
12 p.m.: Temple at Kent State
2 p.m.: Detroit at St. John’s
4 p.m.: Butler at Xavier
7 p.m.: Michigan State vs. Kansas (Champions Classic, Georgia Dome, Atlanta)
30 minutes following MSU/KU: Duke vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic)
ESPN Tip-Off Marathon schedule
For 2012-13, Xavier AD Mike Bobinski leads the committee/has one of the coolest jobs in sports.
“It is an honor to be selected as chair of this committee,” Wellman said in a statement. “We have excellent committee members who are conscientious and fair and take their responsibility very seriously. I look forward to my continuing relationship with them in this new role.”
Wellman is notable for his longevity; he's held his post longer than any AD in the ACC, having been at Wake since 1992.
If you're always wondering who comprises the selection committee in a given year and can't find the info easily, bookmark this page and come back to it in March so you know who to be ticked off at.
The 2012-13 NCAA tournament selection committee:
Joe Alleva, LSU AD
Scott Barnes, Utah State AD
Mike Bobinski (chair), Xavier AD
Joe Castiglione, Oklahoma AD
Doug Fullerton, Big Sky commissioner
Mark Hollis, Michigan State AD
Judy MacLeod, Conference USA executive associated commissioner
Bernard Muir, Delaware AD
Jamie Zaninovich, West Coast Conference commissioner
CBS
When asked to name the player who has most surprised him after a few months of offseason practices, Kansas State basketball coach Bruce Weber didn’t mention any of the usual suspects.
No need for him to single out Rodney McGruder or Jordan Henriquez. Weber knew how good they were long before he moved to Manhattan.
Instead, Weber went with someone he didn’t see much of last season.
“You know who has played really well?” Weber said. “Omari Lawrence. I think he has been the surprise of the summer.”
Surprise? Shock may be a better word. Lawrence, a junior guard who transferred to K-State from St. John’s after a redshirt year in junior college, played so rarely in his debut season with the Wildcats that some fans might have trouble recognizing him. (He’s the one on the left in the above picture, by the way).
Wichita Eagle
If a brand is indeed a logo, Barnes already has one. It's his initials, an "H" and a "B" standing side-by-side, with wings spreading off the "B" in homage to Barnes' nickname, "The Black Falcon."
Barnes said an artist friend from Iowa designed his logo. But on the day before the draft, Barnes didn't want to say much else about his brand, or how his desire to create one originated. He seemed embarrassed by the thought of discussing such things.
"I said a lot of things when I was in college, some of them probably a little prematurely," Barnes said. "So I think the best thing for me to do right now is just focus on the basketball court, focus on that and everything else will take care of itself."
Barnes could have been referring to any number of things he said while at UNC, but most likely was referencing a story that ran in The Atlantic, a national magazine. In a story entitled "Moneyballer" in the April 2012 issue, Barnes spoke openly of his business side.
He spoke of his admiration for Kobe Bryant's endorsement of Turkish Airlines, a decision that Barnes said proved Bryant's business savvy and his ability to think "outside the box" about endorsements. Barnes spoke openly, too, about his desire to use basketball as a platform to raise his own commercial appeal.
"The longer you stay in college, the better a brand you build," Barnes told the magazine.
Barnes' outspokenness about such things drew its share of criticism from rival fans, and even teammates sometimes playfully teased him.
"We'd just call him 'Black Falcon' or whatever," said Tyler Zeller, the former Tar Heels' center who was selected 17th in the draft. "Nothing bad. But we'd have a good time with it."
To some, though, Barnes' brand talk seemed silly and premature. The criticism was easy to understand: Instead of allowing his brand whatever it might be to come naturally, Barnes seemed intent on manufacturing it.
James Michael McAdoo, the Tar Heels' sophomore forward, arrived at UNC amid hype comparable to Barnes. Did McAdoo ever think about building his brand?
"No," he said recently. "You'll never hear that coming out of my mouth. That's just not my style. I don't know what brand (is). I mean, I just play basketball. ...
"If some team wants to sign me one day to play professionally, and if some shoe company wants to give me some money to wear their shoes, you know, I'll do that. But I don't really think about that stuff."
Link
Instead of trying to jump-start his stalled basketball career at SMU as he originally planned, Josiah Turner will seek a fresh start as a professional.
The talented but troubled former Arizona guard told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday that he will sign with a pro team next season either overseas or in the D-League in hopes he can parlay that into an opportunity to make the NBA the following year.
Yahoo
2012-13 Early Season Events List
Recruiting
5. So Bill Self hit a home run off Olympian Jennie Finch in the All-Star celebrity softball game. How will he use this to his benefit on the recruiting trail?
If he can find a way, then the guy who signed Deron Williams, Dee Brown, the Morris twins, Thomas Robinson and Sherron Collins is even a better recruiter than I think.
TSN
7/8/12 3:48 PM
We won the gold medal!! It is a dream come true to be able to represent our country! #USABasketball
Conner Frankamp (@CFrankamp_23)
There was one moment during the FIBA World Championships that stuck out more than any for guard Conner Frankamp, a member of the U.S. under-17 basketball team. More than the time spent in Lithuania, more than playing with some of the country’s top players, more than him averaging a team-high 14.1 points.
It was hearing the national anthem before the championship game.
“That is something I will never forget,” Frankamp, a Wichita North senior-to-be who has given Kansas an oral commitment, said Tuesday by phone.
“Just being able to represent our country in the sport I love was just incredible for me and a dream come true…. I feel like it was a great opportunity and one of the greatest opportunities I’ll ever get to put on a USA jersey. Not many get to do that. I wanted to take full advantage of it and try to enjoy it and work hard for it.”
Frankamp scored 22 points in the championship game as he helped lead the team to the title.
“I felt like I did (play well),” Frankamp said.
“Having a really good team around me helps a lot. (Everyone) can score and rebound, so it was good to have a supporting cast around me.”
Frankamp, who had breakfast with the U.S. Olympic team on Tuesday, played for the 2011 under-16 team. That team won the FIBA Americas Championship gold medal, and he averaged 8.6 points.
During the eight games for the under-17 team, he shot 55.7 percent from the field, 45.2 percent from three and was 11 of 11 from the free-throw line. He ranked 11th overall in scoring, fourth in three-point percentage, sixth in field-goal percentage and 13th in steals.
His focus this summer has been defense, and it showed during the eight international games. He had 16 steals to go along with 19 assists while he averaged 22.1 minutes.
“I was checking the stats every day, and he’s getting three, four, five steals. He hasn’t gotten four, five steals in three games for me,” North coach Gary Squires said with a laugh.
KC Star
On the Fourth of July against China, the United States led 77-34 entering the final stanza, then erupted for 39 fourth-quarter points – its best single-quarter output in Lithuania.
"We tried to give 100 percent because it’s July fourth," guard Kendrick Nunn of Simeon (Chicago) said. "But we also had to come out with the win because it’s the game to decide the first place in our pool."
Seven Americans scored in double figures, led by Kansas Jayhawk commitment Conner Frankamp with 17.
Max Preps
If he can find a way, then the guy who signed Deron Williams, Dee Brown, the Morris twins, Thomas Robinson and Sherron Collins is even a better recruiter than I think.
TSN
7/8/12 3:48 PM
We won the gold medal!! It is a dream come true to be able to represent our country! #USABasketball
Conner Frankamp (@CFrankamp_23)
There was one moment during the FIBA World Championships that stuck out more than any for guard Conner Frankamp, a member of the U.S. under-17 basketball team. More than the time spent in Lithuania, more than playing with some of the country’s top players, more than him averaging a team-high 14.1 points.
It was hearing the national anthem before the championship game.
“That is something I will never forget,” Frankamp, a Wichita North senior-to-be who has given Kansas an oral commitment, said Tuesday by phone.
“Just being able to represent our country in the sport I love was just incredible for me and a dream come true…. I feel like it was a great opportunity and one of the greatest opportunities I’ll ever get to put on a USA jersey. Not many get to do that. I wanted to take full advantage of it and try to enjoy it and work hard for it.”
Frankamp scored 22 points in the championship game as he helped lead the team to the title.
“I felt like I did (play well),” Frankamp said.
“Having a really good team around me helps a lot. (Everyone) can score and rebound, so it was good to have a supporting cast around me.”
Frankamp, who had breakfast with the U.S. Olympic team on Tuesday, played for the 2011 under-16 team. That team won the FIBA Americas Championship gold medal, and he averaged 8.6 points.
During the eight games for the under-17 team, he shot 55.7 percent from the field, 45.2 percent from three and was 11 of 11 from the free-throw line. He ranked 11th overall in scoring, fourth in three-point percentage, sixth in field-goal percentage and 13th in steals.
His focus this summer has been defense, and it showed during the eight international games. He had 16 steals to go along with 19 assists while he averaged 22.1 minutes.
“I was checking the stats every day, and he’s getting three, four, five steals. He hasn’t gotten four, five steals in three games for me,” North coach Gary Squires said with a laugh.
KC Star
On the Fourth of July against China, the United States led 77-34 entering the final stanza, then erupted for 39 fourth-quarter points – its best single-quarter output in Lithuania.
"We tried to give 100 percent because it’s July fourth," guard Kendrick Nunn of Simeon (Chicago) said. "But we also had to come out with the win because it’s the game to decide the first place in our pool."
Seven Americans scored in double figures, led by Kansas Jayhawk commitment Conner Frankamp with 17.
Max Preps
2013 power forward Julius Randle of Prestonwood Christian (Texas) and 2014 wing forward Andrew Wiggins of Huntington Prep (WVa.) via Toronto stole the show and were clearly the elite prospects and top potential NBA players.
Randle can handle the rock in addition to his ideal power forward skills at 6-9, and showed why some talent evaluators consider him to be the top prospect in the 2013 class nationally. The grumbling regarding his floating on the perimeter remains, but his remarkable agility and talent near the hoop are unmatched among post players nationally.
Randle was cryptic, as always, regarding his potential college choice and it’s not clear that any school should feel like they are in good shape for him at present. He declined to name a list, and the reality is that he can attend any school in the country that he wishes to. When he’s in prime form, Randle uses his strong upper body to power through defenders with a skill level sufficient to finish above or near the rim in a variety of ways. A punisher in the post, Randle finishes over people with alarming regularity.
…Uncommitted prospects that turned heads included class of 2013 big men Kennedy Meeks of North Carolina and Austin Nichols of Tennessee. Backcourt stars included point guard Anthony Barber, a top-10 prospect that is down to Kansas, Louisville and Alabama,
NBC
"I talked to a college basketball coach who used to coach in the NBA, and he told me that if Julius was in [last month's'] draft he would've been the third pick behind the big kid [Anthony Davis] and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist," Pospichal said. "He might've just been saying that to me. But that's what he said."
Those words -- in addition to Donovan's words -- are the types of accolades Randle said he's after more than a certain spot in various rankings. He would take the No. 1 label, sure, and a Sports Illustrated cover like the one Parker got would also be nice. But Randle insisted he has never pursued those things and swore he won't start now.
"I'm just chasing being the best player on the court whenever I step on the court," Randle said. "That's my mindset. Ranking services and stuff like that, there's a lot of stuff that goes into that. So honestly and truly, it's not important to me. I just want to prepare for the next level."
CBS
Basketball star Jabari Parker has named the 10 college programs he is considering with a year to go before he graduates from high school, and DePaul in his hometown of Chicago made the cut.
Parker tweeted his 10 schools on Wednesday night in no particular order: national champion Kentucky, Stanford, Michigan State, Kansas, Florida, Duke, BYU, Georgetown, DePaul and North Carolina.
"I want to make my decision in November if that's possible," he told The Associated Press at the Gatorade national prep athletes of the year dinner a night earlier. "I just need to cut it down so I'll be able to go on visits and make my decision from there."
Parker said he hopes to reduce his list to five by this fall, when he will start his senior year at Chicago's Simeon Career Academy, where he is an A student. He said geography would play a role in his eventual choice.
"I don't want my family waking up at 12 o'clock in the morning just to watch my games," he said, "but then again I have to do what's best for me. I have to go with which program fits me the best and what system and style of play is going to allow me to expand my game out in the pros."
AP
This always has been the challenge and charm of July—finding the great player who is underrated, or overlooked.
Maurice Harkless was rated in the 90s by recruiting analysts before the summer entering his senior season of high school. He surged up the charts with a strong July in 2010 and became a top-10 NBA draft pick after one season at St. John’s.
In 2005, James Harden was named second-team All-Tournament at the Rebook Big Time. There were 30 players on the first team. Russell Westbrook was on the third team, the last of 90 players mentioned. He wasn’t even the highest-ranked Westbrook.
TSN
Some of the nation’s top college basketball prospects will have to change their summer plans at the last minute after the NCAA took the uncommon step Thursday of barring four travel teams from competing in sanctioned events during the July evaluation period.
The NCAA took the action because of what it ruled to be a “prohibited association” between three administrators and one coach of travel team programs based in New England, the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida.
According to the NCAA, the e-mail account of agent Andy Miller sent a note to the four men imploring them to be of greater assistance in helping his company to recruit future NBA draft prospects.
The text of the note: “I get tired of being the 1 guy that has to get the 1st rd picks every year. I’d be happy to help you get guys + lend support. You have to want it + have to hustle. To create situations to manifest chaos + plow down walls to open up new opp’s.
“We’re facing a summer with no revenue. Yet, everyone will expect their checks, expenses reimburse, etc. I try to give a consistent platform in order to facilitate production. Am I getting the level of production in return that I want or expect?...You decided to be apart of it on some level…Do more than just give it thought, act on it.”
The four men are affiliated with the New England Playaz, Worldwide Renegades, Florida Rams and SEBL Elite. The NCAA said it interviewed the men before ruling that the teams could not participate in sanctioned events.
7/5 TSN
7/3 SLAM Q & A with Chris Walker (Praising Scott Drew? lol)
Williams said UK and North Carolina are still on his list, but he also included U of L, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and Georgetown in the mix. He and AAU teammate Anthony Barber have talked about going to college together, and Williams noted that U of L and Alabama are the only schools on both of their lists.
Louisville CJ
When you are 6-foot-9 and excel punishing rims, particularly in transition, weigh around 215 pounds and are only a rising junior who plays and excels at prep school ball at Salisbury School (CT), schools are bound to heavily recruit you. Chris McCullough follows suit.
“Syracuse, St. John’s, Arizona, UConn, Temple, Miami and Kansas” are some of the colleges he’s hearing from often, shared McCullough during this year’s National Basketball Player’s Association Top 100 High School Basketball Camp. McCullough also stressed he is still wide open in his recruitment,
NBE
Adidas Invitational: Day One Recap from CBS
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