College Basketball "off-season" Thread (players leaving/coaching changes/recruiting)

[kylewatson3]

That foxsports John Wall article has no credibility. Wall had made it apparent many times before UNC took Strickland that he wanted UNC to recruit him, butthey never returned the interest. Even at the Glaxo Smith Kline in Decemeber he matched up against Larry Drew and he said something to the effect of he wantedto go out and prove that he was as better than LD so UNC would start recruiting him. Instead LD played him to a draw and Wall made an #$# of himself at the endof the game.

The guy above mentioned CLifton and I have heard that he wants a coaching position. I have also heard that Calipari said Wall's asking price was too high,so take that fwiw.

 

[bigmike23]

Xavier Henry to vist UCLA this fall. AKA a free trip to LA

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
[h1]Lute Olson says he's done with 'one and done' players[/h1]Arizona Coach Lute Olson said Thursday that his program's loss of standout prep basketball player Brandon Jennings to a European professional league had convinced him to adopt a new recruiting strategy.

"It's a situation now that if someone's a 'one-and-done,' we're not going to pursue them anymore, no way," Olson said from his Tucson office.

Under NBA rules that won't expire until the current collective bargaining agreement ends after the 2010-11 season, elite prep players such as Jennings, 18, are unable to join the league until they are 19 and a year removed from their final year of high school. That mandate has resulted in a slew of top players, including USC's O.J. Mayo and UCLA's Kevin Love, playing one college season before bolting for the NBA's millions.

Olson, 73, a basketball Hall of Fame member who guided the Wildcats to a 1997 NCAA title, labels the so-called one-and-done situation a "farce," and is pushing for reform as a member of the National Assn. of Basketball Coaches.

Olson suggests that elite prep players be given a choice: opt to declare for the NBA draft immediately after high school, or be committed to spending a minimum of two years (Olson would prefer three) in college.

The coach, returning to the bench from a one-year hiatus because of his divorce, was poised to add another top recruit to "Point Guard U." when Jennings signed.

But as Jennings, a native Southern Californian and McDonald's All-American who played the last two seasons at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, awaited the SAT score that would determine his college eligibility -- Olson said he doesn't know the outcome of that test -- Jennings began pursuing the idea of earning an immediate income through a contract and endorsement deals as a pro in Europe. On Tuesday, Jennings announced he would play overseas.

So, now Olson will be deprived of both Jennings and guard Jerryd Bayless, a one-season player he lost from Arizona's 2007-08 roster. Bayless was a lottery pick of the Indiana Pacers earlier this month and traded to Portland. He signed with the Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

"Jerryd said all along he wanted to stay here two years," Olson said. "But then you get the agents working on the kids and parents all year. You might have the kid in your controlled environment for some time, but when [outsiders are] on the parents, you have no idea what's going on."

Olson said the hits to Arizona's roster culminates a scene he forecast when the NBA and its players' union agreed to allow one-and-done after the 2005 season.

"We said at the time it'd be a disaster, that agents would be swarming all over -- not only over these kids, but their parents -- telling them the kid needed to score a ton of points in the one year and get out," Olson. "I'm not saying that's the case in every situation, but you've already seen the danger. What we predicted is happening. This is agent-driven, and it's a horrible rule."

A coaching community push for an alternative to one-and-done will "likely" result in the coaches' association lobbying the NCAA basketball issues committee to support such legislation, NABC spokesman Rick Leddy said.

Yet, NABC member and Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim expressed resignation that "we can't do anything about this rule . . . we're stuck with it," until 2011.

Asked if he too would follow Olson's disregard for "one-and-done" candidates, Boeheim asked, "Are you crazy?" and cast doubt on the seriousness of Olson's claim.

"We don't know who's going to go," Boeheim said. "You try to get the best 11 players you can. Guys will leave . . . it's a fact of life . . . but you still have 10 guys. When we recruit, we try to get the best one we can and hope he's good enough to win you a national championship, like Carmelo Anthony. But you have to be prepared for guys leaving, like Carmelo did."

USC Coach Tim Floyd said despite the short-term stay of star guard Mayo this past season, the player "did a lot for our program, and if we had an opportunity to sign O.J. or a great talent like him again, we would.

"These guys didn't design the rules, the NBA did. I advocate letting the kid go straight to the NBA if he wants, but we won't model this thing. The NBA will."

Floyd expressed skepticism about Jennings' move to Europe: "I don't know why Brandon would want to reinvent the wheel unless it's an academic issue."

Minnesota Coach Tubby Smith, on the NABC board of directors, said he planned to address one-and-done and expects "something to come about."

Smith, who led Kentucky to the 1998 NCAA championship, said he "can see [Olson's] point," but added, "everybody wants the opportunity to coach a great player. . . . Even if it is for one year, they can do a lot for you."

Watching games Thursday at an AAU tournament in Pennsylvania, Smith said, "Kids are more sophisticated now, but not necessarily more mature. They have a lot more options, more advisors, more opportunities.

"Is that good? The NBA and college basketball continue to prosper, but we've got to be careful and make sure we're doing our best to monitor the kids' best interest."

 

[allen3xis]

That's crap.

He should say, we won't take idiots who can't qualify and that do not want to be here.

....I'm sure he would pass up Oden, Durant, Beasley, and Rose, too.

 

[kylewatson3]

^Exactly. If Jennings gets the SAT score he needed Lute wouldn't be crying about this at all. Really I think a bigger issue for Lute would be recruitingkids that think he will be there for the 4 years they might be there. I knew he was up there but 73 seems pretty old for a college basketball coach.

 

[tmukg21]

old man luke olson is just salty right now. when the next "mayo" comes around, best believe Arizona boosters will be cutting the necessary checks. Ifhe doesn't go after the top tier player if the school has a legitimate shot at said player, he wouldn't be doing his job as both coach and recruiter.

 

[gameover2]

Roy Williams visiting his recruits at the U-18 practice.

 

[bigmike23]

Originally Posted by Gameover2

Roy Williams visiting his recruits at the U-18 practice.

as in he was giving the team a speech?

 

[ricardo malta]

Marcus Johnson sighting last night. I was with Jeff Adrien and Jerome Dyson last night and in walks this dude Marcus

. He out here workin' out with these dudes and playing in the Hartford Pro-Amleague. And this dude Dyson can't put the green down. Rollin' up L's and smokin' blacks like last year ain't happen. Dude is losin'his mind.

 

[la2az.sunshine35446]

I honestly wouldn't blame Lute at all if he didn't. A winning college basketball program is built on 3 and 4 star players who develop over time.

 

[bigmike23]

Originally Posted by Ricardo Malta

Marcus Johnson sighting last night. I was with Jeff Adrien and Jerome Dyson last night and in walks this dude Marcus

. He out here workin' out with these dudes and playing in the Hartford Pro-Am league. And this dude Dyson can't put the green down. Rollin' up L's and smokin' blacks like last year ain't happen. Dude is losin' his mind.

he walking on to USC or he got a offer?

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Hey Lute,

That doesn't always work out to well. I'm serious. But, go ahead and do it. Make my life easier.

Sincerely,

Coach K.

 

[la2az.sunshine35446]

New commit for the 2008 class to replace the void by BJ...anyone got any info on him? He has offers from Texas, Miami, and others but as soon as AZ offered hecommitted.

Arizona helped fill the void left by Brandon Jenningson Saturday with a commitment from 6-foot-4, 190-pound Humble (Texas) Christian Life Center combo guard Garland Judkins.

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[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Icon SMI[/td] [/tr][tr][td]

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Garland Judkins jumped on his offer from Arizona.[/td] [/tr][/table]Judkins was offered this morning and did not hesitate to commit, as he has a familiarity with the Arizona program.

"My coach told me about the offer because it is a closed period as far as college coaches being able to talk to me," Judkins told GOAZCATS.com."My AAU coach relayed the offer to me and I was very excited.

"I love the Arizona facilities and I love everything about the whole program with Mike Bibby and Jason Terry.Jawann McClellan is also from Houston just like I am."

Although there was a chance that Judkins would be in prep school next year, he says the plan is to now enroll at Arizona for next season.

"I am planning on showing up for next season," he said. "I think I will be up in Tucson some time in August, probably the beginning. I havealready fully qualified, so I should be good to go."

Judkins has a personal goal of being able to come in and contribute right away for the Wildcats.

"I want to come in and get quality minutes," he said. "I feel I am very capable of putting myself in a position to start, depending on how Iplay once I get there."

In addition, he has set team goals and certainly is not shying away from the fact that he wants to be part of a winning team.

"I want to win our league my first year out," he said. "I think with the guys coming back and coming in I feel we have a great opportunity andchance to do that."

The commitment comes at a good time for Judkins, as he says the recruiting process was wearing thin on him.

"I am kind of getting tired of recruiting and wanted to decide where I am going to go to in order to work on some things," he said.

If Judkins fits his description of himself, he should have no problem fitting in at Arizona.

"I am just a smooth combo guard that likes to play hard on both ends of the floor," he said.

With the commitment, Judkins becomes the fourth player in Arizona's 2008 class.

 

[allen3xis]

I got no idea fresh.


I still say it's best Dyson to just be let go....especially with Kemba coming....the team chemistry clicked without him

I actually think eventually this year Kemba could move AJ off the ball..

 

[allen3xis]

Only about a dozen transfers have yet to pick their new school. Contrast that with Memphis guard Doneal Mack, who left the Tigers to go to New Orleans, thenreversed course and went back to Memphis. He is expected to being summer-school classes at Memphis on Tuesday.
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[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Associated Press[/td] [/tr][tr][td]

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Duke Crews is looking closely at Charlotte and Pittsburgh.[/td] [/tr][/table]Here are four relatively big-name transfers still deciding where to go:
• F Duke Crews (6-7/233), Tennessee: Crews, who provided the Vols with a physical presence in the paint, was dismissed from the program this summer bycoach Bruce Pearl. He reportedly has narrowed his choices toCharlotte and Pittsburgh. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

• F/G Chace Stanback (6-8/210),UCLA: Stanback, who will have three seasons of eligibility remaining, has visited Washington but the Huskies have no availablescholarships. His high school coach has been quoted as saying Stanback also is interested in UNLV and North Carolina State.

• F Alex Stepheson (6-9/235),North Carolina: Arizona State may end up being Stepheson's destination. Coincidentally, they are coached by Herb Sendek, who used to coach at NC State. California also is said tobe in the picture for Stepheson, who is an L.A. native. He has two seasons of eligibility left.

• F DeAndre Thomas (6-8/295),Indiana: New coach Tom Creanbooted Thomas off the team. Thomas has just one season of eligibility, and while there has been no word of a potential landing spot, playing at a Division IIor NAIA program is a distinct possibility because he would be eligible immediately.

 

[wildkycat]

does anyone know John Wall's top schools?

"By my lights, the best player at the event was John Wall, the 6-4 point guard from Raleigh, N.C., whom Rivals.com ranks as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2009. As my colleague Kevin Armstrong detailed last week, Wall was a relative unknown this time last year, so this was my first chance to see him play. I was skeptical that he would be reminiscent of Derrick Rose as I was told, but that turns out to be an apt comparison. Like Rose, Wall is a suspect shooter (he probably makes a higher percentage than Rose did at this stage, but Wall shoots more of a slowly-delivered set shot). But my goodness, does Wall find people! With his size, quickness and ridiculous jumping ability, Wall went wherever he wanted with the ball and he finished strongly in traffic. Wall has participated in basketball camps at Baylor and Oklahoma State, and those two coaches, Scott Drew and the newly-hired Travis Ford, were at every one of Wall's games. But when I asked Wall for his list on Tuesday night, the first three schools he rattled off were Memphis, Kentucky and Kansas. Those are going to be some tough schools to beat."

 

[bigmike23]

wall and lance schools change day to day

 

[i nasmatic i]

 

[lnmymind]

I see he hit the weights a tad bit...

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by I NaSmatic I

 

[allen3xis]

You are a fool.

 

[ricardo malta]

he walking on to USC or he got a offer?
walking on. Should slide into Jefferson's spot in the lineup.

I still say it's best Dyson to just be let go....especially with Kemba coming....the team chemistry clicked without him

I actually think eventually this year Kemba could move AJ off the ball..
Yea, we don't really need Dyson but his outside shooting is basically the only thing keeping him on the team. A backcourt rotation of Kembaand AJ then Austrie and Beverley ain't the greatest but it would work.

 

[kiddin like jason]

You are a fool.

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by Kiddin Like Jason

You are a fool.

 

[wildkycat]

 

[allen3xis]

Dre, you got family in DC...cause Jason Clark has a resemblance