Presents for coaches, players and fans
Monday, December 22, 2008 |
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Posted by Fran Fraschilla
I'm in the holiday spirit this week, so I thought I'd give out Christmas presents for some of my friends around the college basketball world.
Happy holidays to all you basketball fans out there.
Texas coach Rick Barnes: A point guard
The
A.J. Abrams experiment at point guard appears dead. He's too valuable a scorer for Rick Barnes' Longhorns.
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AP Photo/Bob Levey
A.J. Abrams is a valuable scorer who could use some PG help.
Although he's a willing passer with great basketball acumen, he needs to be on the receiving end of passes.
Justin Mason is a valuable jack-of-all trades performer, but playmaking is not one of his skills. Fortunately, one of Barnes' strengths is that he has won in a variety of ways during his career. This season, he'll be winning ugly -- with rebounding and defense.
Stephen Curry, Davidson: Help
As brilliant as Curry is, his supporting cast has suddenly become a liability against the "power conference" teams. With no Jason Richards to take the pressure off, Curry is bringing the ball up, setting up teammates and still needing to put up huge scoring numbers against stacked defenses. It's as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. It won't affect the Wildcats in SoCon play, but it doesn't bode well for another deep NCAA run.
Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon: One more outside shooter
I love a lot about the Panthers, most of all their toughness. The defense and rebounding will keep them in virtually every game this season. And Dixon's "foundation" of
DeJuan Blair,
Sam Young and
Levance Fields rivals anyone this side of Chapel Hill. If there is an Achilles' heel, at the moment, it is their inconsistent 34 percent outside shooting. Freshman
Ashton Gibbs, who hails from the same high school as former Panthers star Brandin Knight, might be the guy who can help the most.
Memphis coach John Calipari: Three more outside shooters
Yikes! This 6-3 team is the "gang that couldn't shoot straight." Calipari's club is a combination of poor shooters who lack confidence, if not a conscience. Five regulars are shooting under 30 percent and three of them under 20 percent. Freshman
Tyreke Evans is taking over a third of Memphis' shots, but unfortunately he's connecting on 18 percent from behind the arc. Leave it to Calipari to find a way to solve his team's shooting woes, but they will try his patience.
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina: Good health
First of all, congratulations to Hansbrough for becoming the Tar Heels' all-time leading scorer Dec. 18, surpassing my favorite Heel ever, Phil Ford. The reigning national Player of the Year is nearly healthy again and about to make a strong run at repeating the honor.
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Andy Lyons/Getty Images
A healthy Tyler Hansbrough would be a nice gift for UNC fans.
Blake Griffin might have more NBA upside, but a healthy Hansbrough will dominate the ACC once again -- not to mention college hoops media coverage.
Indiana coach Tom Crean: Patience
The rebuilding is under way, and there are few observers who doubt that Crean will restore the Hoosiers to college basketball prominence in a short time. Two excellent recruiting classes are already on the way. However, it won't make the turnovers, the missed free throws and losses in the Big Ten any easier to handle in the meantime.
James Harden, Arizona State: A PR agent
Most college basketball fans have heard of Harden. But because of Pacific Coast Time and the Sun Devils' limited television coverage, they don't realize what they're missing. He is currently shooting almost 80 percent from the line, almost 50 percent from behind the arc and over 60 percent from inside the arc. Astonishingly, one of the country's best scorers is averaging almost seven rebounds and four assists a game, as well. If he were in the Big East or ACC, he'd be a front-runner for national Player of the Year.
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh: A dentist
Is there anybody in college basketball that plays with a bigger smile on his face than Blair? Whether he's dishing out the punishment or absorbing it, he plays the game with an exuberance that is fun to watch. One of the nation's best rebounders is heading into Big East play in a week, so to protect those "pearly whites" I'd suggest a mouth guard as well.
Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy: A good orthopedic surgeon
I was going to suggest a good attorney, but Kennedy probably has that covered. More importantly, he has lost three of his most experienced players to season-ending knee surgeries. Most recently, it was
Chris Warren last week. As I have often said, coaching is about crisis management, and Kennedy will get a career's worth this season.
Notre Dame coach Mike Brey: A football team
There's not any more pressure on Brey than any other Big East hoops coach. It is ironic, however, that the Irish's consistency in recent years on the basketball court comes at a time when football is struggling (at least by Notre Dame's lofty standards). Ask Rick Barnes, Billy Donovan and Thad Matta how a good or great football team makes their jobs easier. Nobody really pays attention until after bowl season is over, and that's a good thing
.
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma: A whirlpool
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Griffin is only 19 years old, and I haven't seen a college player in a while who can dominate the way he does with his incredible combination of size, speed, power and agility. So while his physical attributes are a blessing, they can be a curse, as well. He's constantly double- and triple-teamed and, as evidenced by two recent intentional fouls against him, roughed up as well. Enjoy the hot tub, Blake. It will be a long season in the Big 12.
Chris Kramer, Purdue: An NFL contract
Once again, Kramer proved his worth as one of college basketball's premier defenders last Saturday with the job he did on Davidson's Stephen Curry.
AP Photo/Michael Conroy
If he wasn't shutting down opponents, Chris Kramer would make a great special-teams player.
He is effective because he moves his feet so well, is unscreenable and is not afraid to throw his body around. He'd be a great special-teams player in the NFL.
Ryan Toolson, Utah Valley State: Recognition
Danny Ainge's nephew has only missed 15 free throws in his career. In fact Toolson, who is currently fifth in the nation in scoring at 24.7 points a game, is hovering at just over 95 percent for his career from the foul line.
Gonzaga coach Mark Few: A schedule-maker
Enough already. The television exposure is terrific, it helps recruiting, and the school is selling plenty of Zags gear. Ten straight NCAA appearances will do that for a school like Gonzaga. But all of a sudden a loss to UConn or Arizona creates a huge cloud over Spokane. Mark Few won't let up on the schedule. That's not his way.
The top freshmen: Two more years
There isn't a freshman in college basketball that is ready to play meaningful NBA minutes right now -- and by the way, neither is the "Italian experiment," Brandon Jennings. Sadly, because of pressure from family, agents and hangers-on, there will still be a bunch who will declare for the NBA draft in June. David Stern and the NBA Players Association would be wise to change the "one and done" rule the next time their collective bargaining agreement comes up.
Villanova, Marquette, Duke, Baylor and UCLA: A 3-on-3 tournament for guards
Notwithstanding outstanding performances by forwards
Dante Cunningham and
Kyle Singler, these five teams would have fun playing a little YMCA 3-on-3. The big question for all five teams is how far they can get in March without lots of help up front.
Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg: A good-luck charm
If you mention "buzzer-beater" to Seth Greenberg, he breaks into a cold sweat. After Xavier's
Dante Jackson threw in a half-court shot to beat Seth Greenberg's Hokies in the Puerto Rico Classic in November, the coach reminded me that it has happened to him four times before in his career. (Remember Sean Dockery's incredible half-court shot that enabled Duke to squeeze by the Hokies in December 2005?) A week after that conversation, Wisconsin's
Trevon Hughes hit a last-second shot in Blacksburg to knock off Virginia Tech again. Here's hoping Greenberg's luck reverses soon. He's overdue.
Jim Engles, NJIT: A win
The losing streak has reached 43 although Engles, the first-year coach, has only been a part of the past 10. In fact, the Highlanders have not won a game in 22 months. No player or coach needs to go through this. Let's hope NJIT end the streak soon.
NCB
