Yardbarker: Kyle Weaver

Pac-10 Power Rankings--2/18

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:08:45 -0500

It looks like the Pac-10 will get five teams for sure into the tournament. If USC can finish strong, then they could also make a run for a tournament bid.

The Pac-10 title race will be a close one. UW, UCLA, ASU, and California are all fighting for it. If UW can split on the road this week against UCLA and USC, then they'll be the favorite going forward. If the Huskies can sweep then they've all but guaranteed their conference championship.

Every game counts right now, and this year's Pac-10 tournament might be one of the best as this league seems to be so deep with teams that can compete.

Tournament Teams

1. Washington (19-6, 10-3)- The Huskies have played their way into great position heading into the post season. They now hold a full one game lead over ASU. They will go on the road against UCLA and USC this week. I don't expect the Huskies to sweep, but if they can win on of these games then that will be sufficient.

After that, they have ASU, Arizona, and Seattle U at home, and then WSU at home. With six games left, I think it is realistic to say the Huskies will go 4-2, moving their overall record to 23-8. Brockman is no longer the Huskies' first option, this is important because opposing defenses already have their hands full against Dentmon and Thomas.

2. UCLA (19-6, 8-4)- With a setback against the Arizona teams, it is evident that this UCLA team is not as strong as UCLA teams of the past. But they do have the experience, and that is dangerous during March. Darren Collison, Josh Shipp, and Alfred Aboya will be able to lead their team deep into the Pac-10 and NCAA tournament.

The Bruins' defense is just not as strong as years' past. Going undefeated the rest of the way is not out of the question for them. They will most likely end the season with a 25-6 record.

3. Arizona St (20-5, 9-4)-If the Huskies slip up, then the Sun Devils could easily steal away the Pac-10 title from them. The Sun Devils are currently on a 4-game winning streak and face Arizona this week. Win against Arizona and it suddenly puts pressure on UW to win at USC/UCLA to keep their top spot.

ASU is peaking at the right time, the team is hoping that this momentum will carry them into March where it matters most.

4. California (19-6, 8-4)- This team is a real dark horse to make some noise in March. The threesome of Jerome Randle, Patrick Christopher, and Jamal Boykin make this team so dangerous offensively. They are the best 3-point shooting team in the country, which means that they'll be able to stay in a lot of games they're not supposed to be in. A prime example was against the Huskies in which they hit 8 threes to win a 3OT game that the Huskies could have easily won.

Bubble Teams

5. Arizona (18-8, 8-5)- Arizona is such a wild card. You never know what team is going to show up to play on any given day. However, you cannot ignore the fact that the Wildcats have ripped off seven wins in a row and have all of sudden put themselves into consideration for the NCAA tournament. Ever since their overtime win at Houston, something has started clicking for the Wildcats.

They have recorded quality wins against Washington, UCLA, and USC. It seems like Arizona would be a shoe-in at this point, but, they have three road games ahead of them that will decide their fate. First they play at Arizona St. this week, and next week they play against UW and WSU on the road.

If they can go 2-1 in this 3-game stretch I'm willing to move them up to an automatic tournament team. If they go 1-2 then their status will be up in the air, and if they go 0-3 then it'll be extremely hard for them to sneak into the tournament.

6. USC (15-9, 6-6)- It's going to be tough at this point for USC to get themselves into the NCAA tournament. Their schedule does not look friendly as they'll have to face WSU and UW at home this week and then go on the road against Cal and Stanford next week. These four games will be critical for USC. I don't think this team will be able to salvage their season, but I do think they'll get into the NIT.

The young players simply haven't clicked as well as Tim Floyd wanted them to. Barring any major upsets during the Pac-10 tournament, it looks like the Trojans have played themselves out of consideration.

Struggling

7. Washington State (13-12, 5-8)- The Cougars now have to set their sites on securing a bid to the NIT. Unless the Cougars can find a more consistent option than Taylor Rochestie, they will continue to struggle. Klay Thompson has played well, but he lacks the composure and experience to take over a game like Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver were able to. The Cougars have the ability to score a few upsets in the Pac-10 tournament, their defense is still strong.

8. Oregon St. (11-13, 5-8)- Craig Robinson is all but a lock for Pac-10 coach of the year. He turned a team that did not have any conference wins last season around to a team with five conference wins this season. It doesn't look like the Beavers will get into any postseason tournament, but consider this year a success for the Beavers. Robinson has them playing inspired basketball, and unlike Oregon, the Beavers play 40 minutes of hard nosed basketball.

9. Stanford (15-8, 4-8)-Stanford's record is incredibly misleading. If it was not for their soft non-conference schedule the Cardinal most likely would have a losing record at this point. The problem with Stanford is that they just seem to be average. They don't have any stand-out defenders or offensive players. Their best player Anthony Goods , who can't dominate games like other marquee players in the conference.

It sucks to be a Duck

10. Oregon (6-19, 0-13)- The Ducks don't have the swagger or passion to stay in games and pull of any upsets. Tajuan Porter has tried his hardest to carry this team, but once games are out of reach for the Ducks, individual players seem to be playing for themselves instead of the team. The Ducks are going to win one conference game this season, and I have a feeling it will be their home game against OSU. It should be a good one. The Ducks haven't won a game since Dec. 29th.

photo source: [athlon]

Seattle NBA Connections--2/1

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:03:17 -0500

Every once in awhile, SeaTown Sports will check up on native Seattlites and players with Seattle connections in the NBA, we will also include a highlight video of one of the players:

Marvin Williams-Atlanta Hawks
Connection: Bremerton Native
Stats: 13.7ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.4apg
Blurb: Scored 28 points against Nate Robinson and the Knicks on Wednesday

Adam Morrison-Charlotte Bobcats
Connection: Gonzaga
Stats: 4.5ppg, 1.7rpg, 0.9apg
Blurb: Gaining more playing time, but still playing like crap

Jason Terry-Dallas Mavericks
Connection: Franklin High School
Stats: 20.3ppg, 2.4rpg, 3.7apg
Blurb: His team is in the middle of a playoff race, the Mavericks currently hold the 7th seed..

Rodney Stuckey-Detroit Pistons
Connection: Eastern Washington University
Stats: 14.0ppg, 3.4rpg, 5.0apg
Blurb: Has become an effective player for the Pistons, has respectable field goal % at .473

Jamal Crawford-Golden State Warriors
Connection: Rainier Beach High School
Stats: 19.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.7apg
Blurb: Will he ever be on a winning team?

Ronny Turiaf-Golden State Warriors
Connection: Gonzaga
Stats: 4.ppg, 3.5rpg 1.8apg
Blurb: Missing his days as a Laker...

Aaron Brooks-Houston Rockets
Connection: Franklin High School
Stats: 9.8ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.6apg
Blurb: Playing time has been decreasing lately...

Luke Ridnour-Milwaukee Bucks
Connection: Blaine High School
Stats: 10.8ppg, 3.4rpg, 5.6apg
Blurb: He's so overrated, I'm beginning to think he's underrated

Nate Robinson-New York Knicks
Connection: Rainier Beach High School/University of Washington
Stats: 15.5ppg, 4.1rpg, 4.6apg
Blurb: Can't wait until the Dunk contest. Looks like he's finally found his role as an NBA player.

Kyle Weaver-Oklahoma City Thunder
Connection: Washington State University
Stats: 3.3ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.8apg
Blurb: Playing time has increased, but the Thunder still suck.

Brandon Roy-Portland Trailblazers
Connection: Garfield High School/University of Washington
Stats: 22.4ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.1apg
Blurb: I met a local High School coach that said Roy would never make it in the College level. He also said he had no chance in the NBA. Why? He didn't have a solid position to play at. The coach also said he didn't have one particular skill he was extremely good at. Well that coach can eat his words. FAIL.

Martell Webster-Portland Trailblazers
Connection: Seattle Prep
Blurb: Injured. :(

Spencer Hawes-Sacramento Kings
Connection: Seattle Prep/University of Washington
Stats: 10.0ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.4bpg
Blurb: Needs to become a better rebounder. However, he's become a solid low-post scoring threat.

Game 13- UW (9-3) vs. Washington State (8-4)

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:24:10 -0500

The Opponent: Washington State (8-4) Pomeroy Rating: (40) (What is this?) Game time: 3:00 p.m.
TV: FSN Northwest
Radio: 950 KJR

This game will be the third game I pegged as a must-win at the start of the season. The Huskies have not beat the Cougars since 2005.

Here is a quick run-down of the last seven games between the two teams:
1/7/06 WSU 78 UW 71 at Hec ed
2/4/06 WSU 77 UW 64 in Pullman
1/20/07 WSU 75 UW 47 in Pullman
2/14/07 WSU 65 UW 61 at Hec Ed
3/8/07 WSU 74 UW 64 in the 2nd round of the Pac-10 Tournament
1/5/08 WSU 56 UW 52 at Hec Ed
3/8/08 WSU 76 UW 73 in double overtime in Pullman

The Huskies were close to beating the Cougars last year losing one at UW by only four points and losing another at Pullman in double overtime. Remember, last year the Cougars were a sweet 16 team and were led by two all-conference players in Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver.

If the Huskies are going to break their losing streak against the Cougars, it is going to be this game. The Cougars are in a rebuilding phase while the Huskies are on the rise looking to compete in the top half of the Pac-10.

When the Huskies step on the court today, not one player on the team will have beaten the Cougars. Unless you count Lorenzo Romar. If the Huskies can pull this game out, then it will do wonders to boost the morale of this team.

A win against the Cougars will provide for the confidence that the Huskies can move past their old demons, and take a positive step forward going into conference play.

This will be the first tough the Huskies will have played since the games against Florida and Kansas in November. For the Cougars, this will also be a test to see how they can bounce back from a tough game. The Cougars lost a tough non-conference game against LSU, in a game that the Cougars held the league for a good majority of the game.

Unlike the Huskies the Cougars have yet to beat any quality teams, while losing against Pittsburgh, Baylor, Gonzaga, and LSU. Why can the Cougars not beat elite teams this season? They simply do not contain the necessary offensive power to compete against high level opponents.

With no Derrick Low or Kyle Weaver, the Cougars' first options are Klay Thompson, Tyler Rochiestie, and Aron Baynes. All three of those players are below average offensively.

The outcome of this game hinges on Romar's ability to get his team to impose their own style of play on the Cougars. The Huskies cannot get caught up in WSU's tactical defensive style or the Huskies will have a hard time scoring and making things happen on the defensive end.

The Huskies need to push the ball continusly, work the WSU defense tired and take good quality shots.

If I remember anything from the last match up between the two, it's that Artem Wallace blew up and scored over 20 points. I'm pretty sure Jon Brockman was injured at that point of the season, which made the loss even more frustrating. The Huskies front court just looks a lot scarier with Bryan-Amaning suddenly emerging as a scoring threat in the post.

Keys for the Huskies:

Containing Aron Baynes
Win in the rebound column
Limit Turnovers. Force Turnovers

Bottom Line:
This game promises to be a close one, expect it to be decided in the final minutes. I'll take UW who is riding a wave of momentum into this game.

Washington State's Projected Starters:
G-Taylor Rochestie (Can't make a layup)
G-Klay Thompson (Enjoys man hugs like this one)
F-Daven Harmeling (Enjoys hunting mule deer)
F-Caleb Forrest (averaging .3 assists per game)

F-Aron Baynes (Lookalike)

Husky Projected Starters: (Pomeroy Rating: 24)))

PG-Isaiah Thomas (14.8ppg, 3.1apg)
SG-Justin Dentmon (12.4ppg, 2.6apg)
F-Quincy Pondexter (8.8ppg, 5.7rpg)
F-Darnell Gant (3.8ppg, 4.2rpg)
F-Jon Brockman (16.5ppg, 10.2rpg)

Injuries: Elston Turner (Ankle)

Go Dawgs!

Seattle NBA Connections 12/28

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:33:21 -0500

Every once in awhile, SeaTown Sports will check up on native Seattlites and players with Seattle connections in the NBA, we will also include a highlight video of one of the players:

Marvin Williams-Atlanta Hawks
Connection: Bremerton Native
Stats: 13.8ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.6apg
Blurb: Scored 21 points on Christmas Day in a Hawks' victory

Adam Morrison-Charlotte Bobcats
Connection: Gonzaga
Stats: 5.2ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.1apg
Blurb: Is only averaging 16 minutes a game, his career average is 26 minute per game

Jason Terry-Dallas Mavericks
Connection: Franklin High School
Stats: 21.2ppg, 2.8rpg, 3.8apg
Blurb: In seven of his last thirteen games he has scored over 20 points, topping out with 28 against Denver on Dec 15th

Rodney Stuckey-Detroit Pistons
Connection: Eastern Washington University
Stats: 11.9ppg, 2.9rpg, 5.0apg
Blurb: All his numbers have gone up since earning a starting spot; I'm surprised at his assists per game numbers...

Jamal Crawford-Golden State Warriors
Connection: Rainier Beach High School
Stats: 19.4ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.7apg
Blurb: He dropped 50 points on the Bobcats. Granted it's the Bobcats, but 50 points? Looks like he's adjusting well...

Ronny Turiaf-Golden State Warriors
Connection: Gonzaga
Stats: 4.2ppg, 3.2rpg 1.4apg
Blurb: Had his best game to date this season on the day after Christmas, he scored 14 and grabbed 8 rebounds

Aaron Brooks-Houston Rockets
Connection: Franklin High School
Stats: 11.1ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.6apg
Blurb: Scored 22 points on Dec 22nd, also had 6 assists, I never thought he'd be this effective so soon...

Luke Ridnour-Milwaukee Bucks
Connection: Blaine High School
Stats: 10.5ppg, 3.4rpg, 5.4apg
Blurb: Expect his assist numbers to rise, no drastic improvement, he might even be declining

Nate Robinson-New York Knicks
Connection: Rainier Beach High School/University of Washington
Stats: 17.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 4.0apg
Blurb: Will be in his 3rd straight Dunk Contest come All-Star weekend, is starting to peak, who knew little Nate Robinson would be a legit NBA player?

Kyle Weaver-Oklahoma City Thunder
Connection: Washington State University
Stats: 2.1ppg, 0.9rpg, 1.8apg
Blurb: D-league?

Brandon Roy-Portland Trailblazers
Connection: Garfield High School/University of Washington
Stats: 22.7ppg, 4.6rpg, 5.1apg
Blurb: Has reached superstar status, freaking sick/ridiculous/awesome/!:L@R#J!, 52 points on the Suns?, Wow.

Martell Webster-Portland Trailblazers
Connection: Seattle Prep
Blurb: Hopefully will start to see some action in January

Spencer Hawes-Sacramento Kings
Connection: Seattle Prep/University of Washington
Stats: 11.3ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.7bpg
Blurb: Playing time has steadily decreased under new Kings Head coach

Seattle NBA Connections--12/14

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:05:22 -0500

Every once in awhile, SeaTown Sports will check up on native Seattlites and players with Seattle connections in the NBA, we will also include a highlight video of one of the players:

Nate Robinson completely embarrasses Jose Calderon...broken ankles?

Marvin Williams-Atlanta Hawks
Connection: Bremerton Native
Stats: 13.3ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.6apg
Blurb: Currently slumping, was 1-10 from the field on Friday

Adam Morrison-Charlotte Bobcats
Connection: Gonzaga
Stats: 6.1ppg, 2.2rpg, 1.1apg
Blurb: Would be able to be more productive if he was given more playing time...

Jason Terry-Dallas Mavericks
Connection: Franklin High School
Stats: 20.5ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.8apg
Blurb: Scoring average steadily improving, good compliment to Dirk

Rodney Stuckey-Detroit Pistons
Connection: Eastern Washington University
Stats: 9.9ppg, 2.6rpg, 4.7apg
Blurb: Has earned a starting spot, distributing the ball well

Jamal Crawford-Golden State Warriors
Connection: Rainier Beach High School
Stats: 18.1ppg, 2.1rpg, 4.9apg
Blurb: In his last game against the Rockets, he scored only 4 points and was 1-7 from the field. Give credit to Aaron Brooks for shutting him down.

Ronny Turiaf-Golden State Warriors
Connection: Gonzaga
Stats: 3.7ppg, 2.8rpg 1.0apg
Blurb: Has been named a captain of the Warriors, recorded four blocks in a game on Monday.......it was against the Thunder

Aaron Brooks-Houston Rockets
Connection: Franklin High School
Stats: 10.6ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.1apg
Blurb: complementing other double digit point players on his team; T-Mac, Yao Ming, and Ron Artest

Luke Ridnour-Milwaukee Bucks
Connection: Blaine High School
Stats: 10.1ppg, 3.6rpg, 5.3apg
Blurb: biggest news the past week: has more votes than Derrick Rose in Eastern Conference all-star voting

Nate Robinson-New York Knicks
Connection: Rainier Beach High School/University of Washington
Stats: 13.8ppg, 4.2rpg, 4.1apg
Blurb: Is back from a minor groin injury, slowly creeping back into the rotation

Kyle Weaver-Oklahoma City Thunder
Connection: Washington State University
Stats: 2.0ppg, 0.7rpg, 2.1apg
Blurb: Hasn't played since Nov. 26th

Brandon Roy-Portland Trailblazers
Connection: Garfield High School/University of Washington
Stats: 22.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.2apg
Blurb: Has he been complaining to much to the zebras?

Martell Webster-Portland Trailblazers
Connection: Seattle Prep
Blurb: Has another foot injury, will be out another couple of weeks

Spencer Hawes-Sacramento Kings
Connection: Seattle Prep/University of Washington
Stats: 12.3ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.7bpg
Blurb: Looks just like Michael Phelps!

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Seattle NBA Connections Update

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:09:39 -0500

Every week, SeaTown Sports will check up on native Seattlites and players with Seattle connections in the NBA, we will also include a highlight video of one of the players:

Mad props to Aaron Brooks for one of the most thought provoking lines of wisdom after being asked about his role in the Rockests and Suns brawl:

Marvin Williams-Atlanta Hawks
Connection: Bremerton Native
Stats: 14.2ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.4apg
Blurb: Playing some solid all-around basketball, made evident by a game this week against the Raptors where he scored 10 points, had 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals

Adam Morrison-Charlotte Bobcats
Connection: Gonzaga
Stats: 7.1ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.3apg
Blurb: Struggling mightily, needs to improve his offensive efficiency, is 38% from the field

Jason Terry-Dallas Mavericks
Connection: Franklin High School
Stats: 19.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.9apg
Blurb: Averaging the most points per game in his career, in a 4 game stretch he has scored: 31, 20, 29, 29. Damn!

Rodney Stuckey-Detroit Pistons
Connection: Eastern Washington University
Stats: 8.5ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.6apg
Blurb: Nice game against Knicks this week, 13 points and 11 assists

Jamal Crawford-Golden State Warriors
Connection: Rainier Beach High School
Stats: 18.4ppg, 2rpg, 4.8apg
Blurb: In his three games with Golden State, Crawford is starting to get the feel for the offense, still learning his role

Ronny Turiaf-Golden State Warriors
Connection: Gonzaga
Stats: 2.4ppg, 2.8rpg
Blurb: Only averaging 15 minutes per game

Aaron Brooks-Houston Rockets
Connection: Franklin High School
Stats: 11.2ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.9apg
Blurb: has suprised me with his scoring ability, will need to pass it a little more though

Luke Ridnour-Milwaukee Bucks
Connection: Blaine High School
Stats: 9.5ppg, 3.7rpg, 5.1apg
Blurb: Has seen decreased playing time, at least he's not on the Thunder anymore

Nate Robinson-New York Knicks
Connection: Rainier Beach High School/University of Washington
Stats: 14.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 4.2apg
Blurb: Blew up for 27 points against the Wizards, making significant progress from last year's assist and rebounding numbers

Kyle Weaver-Oklahoma City Thunder
Connection: Washington State University
Stats: 1.7ppg, 1.8rpg
Blurb: Possibly the worst combo ever, WSU+OKC = 2 points per game, poor guy

Brandon Roy-Portland Trailblazers
Connection: Garfield High School/University of Washington
Stats: 21.1ppg, 4.2rpg, 5.4apg
Blurb: On his way to his first All-Star game

Martell Webster-Portland Trailblazers
Connection: Seattle Prep
Injured

Spencer Hawes-Sacramento Kings
Connection: Seattle Prep/University of Washington
Stats: 12.7ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.9bpg
Blurb: Is morphing into a man child, wish he was this good at UW, closing in on being a consistent double/double threat

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Top 10 Impact Freshman: College Basketball

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:23:11 -0500

It's another year for our top-notch college basketball. When you go to the real media for your Top 10 Impact Freshman, you get a list of the same ten guys you've heard about since NBADraft.net started its mock drafts two years ago.

Beasley: Rivals.com rated him #1 while others balkedCredit: CNN/SI

For that reason, we are going to exclude the odds-on best freshmen at each position per Rivals.com. You will most certainly hear about these players early and often. Perhaps too often for your sanity. They include the following:

PG: Jrue Holliday, UCLA. Rivals.com lists him Holliday as the top point guard while Scout.com ranks him as the top shooting guard. The jury is out on how much he'll play at the 1, it's no secret that Darren Collison struggles against big guards.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXVuaMLcaTA

SG: Demar DeRozan, USC. DeRozan has all the tools to dominate. Is his 6'7", 200-pound frame enough to withstand the rigors of conference play?
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbOgK1tTFQw

SF: Al Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest. A consensus top 10 recruit, Aminu presents mismatches allowing him to rent space in the paint against smaller defenders and race to the hoop past bigger ones.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN16chqIaaE

PF: Greg Monroe, Georgetown. To prepare for the college game and dog-eat-dog mentality of the Big East, Monroe beefed up 25 pounds. Skilled and able to rebound, Monroe will certainly learn how to become an elite defender within JT3's system.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkobJjBaLig

C: BJ Mullens, Ohio State. The odds-on #1 pick in next year's draft, Mullens is the latest in Ohio State's giant factory. He instantly makes the Buckeyes relevant in the Big Ten and is a mortal lock for a double-double average.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGxXFfNQBLI

With the most obvious impact players out of the way, let's take a look at ten others that you should keep your eyes peeled for.

1. Willie Warren, SG, Oklahoma. Last season, Oklahoma lacked a perimeter presence to match that of Blake Griffin and Longar Longar. This season, Warren and an improved Tony Crocker will bring the backcourt on par with the frontcourt. If Warren performs (and Griffin stays healthy), Oklahoma will take the Big 12.

2. Tyreke Evans, SG, Memphis. Among the nation's most touted recruits, Evans has a NBA-ready body with prototypical two-guard size. Not to mention, his 6'11" wingspan (real height: 6'6") is sure to disrupt passing lanes. With their two top scorers gone, Evans will be expected to light up, but he'll have to learn how to be unselfish to win.

3. Chris Singleton, SF, Florida State. Considered the 3rd-best small forward in the recruiting class by Rivals.com, Singleton has great size, can shoot the rock, rebound and plays aggressively around the rim.

4. Scotty Hopson, SG/SF, Tennessee. Exit Lofton. Enter Hopson. They're not the same type of player. Hopson's athleticism and skill level are superb, and Bruce Pearl will be sure to work on his shot.

5. Devin Ebanks, F, West Virginia. When Ebanks was being recruited, Bob Huggins was envisioning a pairing with Joe Alexander, who of course is now in the NBA. He's an explosive forward who'll benefit from the backcourt of Joe Mazzulla and Alex Ruoff.

6. Samardo Samuels, PF, Louisville. To compete in the Big East, you need bigs who can ball. Rick Pitino won't expect Samuels to have David Padgett's basketball IQ, but he will expect him to work hard in the blocks against the likes of Harangody, Thabeet and Monroe.

7. DeAndre Liggins, PG, Kentucky. With Ramel Bradley, Joe Crawford and Derek Jasper out of the program, the consensus top 30 recruit has a chance to shine like none other. Liggins is a stat-sheet stuffer with the intangibles to boot.

Liggins: Could be the key to Patrick Patterson dominating the SEC

Credit: USA Today

8. JaMychal Green, PF, Alabama. Anchor. That's the word Davidson head coach Bob McKillop used to describe Green. He will have a learning curve playing in the SEC, but it's not as steep as one would imagine. Green's a great replacement for Richard Hendrix.

9. Luke Babbitt, F, Nevada. Babbitt can score. How much? He holds the Nevada high school scoring record with nearly 3,000 points. Inside or outside, Babbitt brings it.

10. Klay Thompson, SG, Washington State. The son of Mychal Thompson, Klay has crazy range and fits nicely into Tony Bennett's system. If he's not a strong defensive player now, he'll at least pick up team defense by March. In the meanwhile, his coaches would be happy if he fills some of the scoring void left by outgoing guards Kyle Weaver and Derrick Low.

Motion for OKC to Get a Real Shooting Guard

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:49:23 -0500

img<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/2007-06/28/xin_310604281119648537910.

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Injuries and Rookie Signings Edition

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:57:08 -0500

The Warriors got some bad news as they learned that their point guard Monta Ellis will be out at least 3 months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn deltoid ligament in his left ankle. Ellis injured his ankle last Thursday playing pick-up ball in his native Mississippi and had the surgery on Wednesday. The Warriors have had a rough start to the off season, losing Baron Davis to the Clippers and it appears that they are having an even rougher end to the offseason with the injury to Monta ...

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Quote of the Day Edition

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:13:05 -0500

The Phoenix Suns are still in the hunt for a point guard to back up Steve Nash. Since passing Rajon Rondo on to the Celtics, they haven't been very successful in their search for Nash's backup. Marcus Banks obviously didn't work out. They were hoping that Slovenian guard Goran Dragic would be the answer and have been holding out hope that he would agree to play for them this season. But, word is that Dragic is planning to stay in Europe and finish out his contract there. In order ...

Hornets sell #27 pick to Blazers

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:27:11 -0500

For the life of me, I just don't get this. "The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Hornets to acquire the 27th pick in Thursday's NBA draft for cash considerations, a Blazers source told ESPN.com. The deal was agreed to verbally between the two teams on Tuesday night, according to the source. The teams have scheduled a trade call with the league in the morning to make the deal official." Why does a young team like the Hornets decide t...

Carolina Cages Cougars

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:55:17 -0500

North Carolina rode Danny Green in the first half and Tyler Hanbrough in the second en route to a surprising 68-47 blowout victory over Washington State.

A Sweet (16) Carolina Preview

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:19:31 -0500

Fun analysis and little humor mixed in at the end make this Carolina-Washington State preview a must read.