RAPID gAmE...
Many of us witnessed a second straight meltdown on the hardwood earlier today. Texas has now dropped back to back road games, has wilted away its two game conference lead, and, for the time being, given up any hopes of landing on the No. 1 line in the NCAA tournament. The real question revolves around what to make of the losses to Nebraska and Colorado. Two teams with their backs against the wall who came up big or clear cracks in the Longhorn armor? Minor road blips on the road to the Final Four or a first and second draft blueprint of the ideal takedown of Texas?
From the open threads in each of the two conference losses, there are clearly fans who will vehemently argue each side of the issue. Some might call those who are commenting that the sky is falling, Chicken Littles or reactionaries or pessimists. Some might call those who are easily brushing off the defeats as Barnes defenders or blind or adorning burnt orange glasses.
For the purposes of this piece, let's identify the two sides as Glass Half Full and Glass Half Empty. Even if you already know on which side you are, I encourage you to read the full piece. Understand the other side and then defend yours in the comments. Remember to keep it civil and rationale. With the high emotion of a loss worn off at least some, there is no place for "On a good day, Texas could take down the Lakers" any more than there is room for "This ‘Horns teams is the worst in the history of the university." Neither comment is rationale nor productive.
Now with the ground rules set, let's take a look at both sides of the coin, starting with the negative after the jump.
Glass Half Empty
Defense of Guards: After Alec Burks' performance today, some might say that a pattern has developed. Ashton Gibbs (24 pts, on 8-of-14). Kemba Walker (22 pts on 8-of-27). LaceDarius Dunn (26 pts, on 11-of-26). And now Burks (33 pts, on 10-of-21). When Texas faces an elite guard, that guard goes off and usually affects the outcome of the game. Many believe that to win in March, you must have great guard play. Given that axiom, Texas will run into an opponent in the NCAA tournament with a great guard or two and that will be our exit ramp.
Free Throw Shooting: Before the Colorado game, Texas was shooting a horrific 64.4% as a team from the free throw line, good for 297th in the country (KenPomeroy). After a game stalling, 20-of-34 performance against the Buffaloes, that number will only get worse. Missing free throws is bad enough, but when that inability changes substitution patterns at the end of game, fans should be really worried. In the NCAA tournament, if Texas is holding a three or four point lead in the final minute, can Rick Barnes really afford to keep Dogus Balbay (58%) or Tristan Thompson (48%) on the court? On the offensive side, the strategy is clear-take them out and insert Alexis Wangmene and J'Covan Brown to knock down the free bees. But what about the other side? What if Barnes can't substitute as the ball change ends? How worried are you now about the Texas defense if the best perimeter and best post defender are watching from the sidelines? Free throw shooting has yet to truly cost the ‘Horns a game, but in March, it only takes one.
One-on-one offense: As we slaughtered the Sam Houston States and Coppin States of the college basketball world, the new Texas offense based on the Utah Jazz and UCLA principles looked pretty good. In fact that same offense looked solid as the Longhorns raced to early leads and cruised past Big 12 foes like Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Missouri, and Texas Tech. However, in the face of adversity, this year's Texas offense looks a whole lot more like the 2010-11 Texas offense than it does a true motion, screen, cut, and re-screen one.
Look no further than the last two Saturdays. As Texas yakked up double digit leads in Lincoln and Boulder, Texas was busy reverting to one-on-one basketball. Jordan Hamilton tried to create his own shot or simply stood still on the perimeter waiting for his chance to launch a contested 24 footer. J'Covan Brown took his role as instant offense to a new level with multiple no pass-first shot possessions. Even the calming influence of Cory Joseph looked to create off the dribble instead of run the more efficient inside-out attack through Tristan Thompson. With the talent margin getting smaller in smaller in each advancing round, the chance that Texas trails in a tournament game is near 100%. After what we've seen in the last two losses, Texas doesn't have the patience or trust in their offensive system to keep running their stuff and come from behind.
Inability to play the full 40 minutes: During the 11 game conference winning streak, there were whispers about this as an issue. Now that Texas has dropped two of its last three games, those whispers sound more like premonitions. The Longhorns jumped to double digit leads in so many conference games, particularly home ones, that Texas wasn't forced to focus and execute for a full two halves. Again, as opponents get tougher and tougher, very few games will be won in the first half. Most tournament games, beyond maybe those in the first round. will require two solid halves of basketball. Texas hasn't played a full 40 minutes in weeks, and there is no reason to suspect they get it together any better away from the Erwin Center.
Lack of Depth: Sure the timeouts are longer in the NCAA tournament, and if players aren't in shape by now, they never will be. However, Texas started the season with a slim roster after the move by Avery Bradley to the NBA and the decisions by Varez Ward and Shawn Williams to transfer. Couple those with the plan-for-next-season decision to red-shirt Clint Chapman and Texas was quickly down to just nine scholarship players. Given the limitations of Jai Lucas, some might argue that Barnes is only playing with eight. In Boulder, six players accounted for all the minutes but 13.
Is March going to be any different? Maybe. Alexis Wangmene will be back on Monday but Jai's skill set isn't going to change. Texas will field, at best, eight likely NCAA tournament players. Barnes has two frontcourt subs in Wangmene and Matt Hill and one backcourt sub in J'Covan Brown. That's it. Eight is probably enough on paper but foul trouble and limited abilities should scare Longhorn fans.
Glass Half Full
Tristan Thompson is a Longhorn: TT should be freshman of the year in the conference and first team all Big 12. He is a game changer on both ends. His low block skills create space for Hamilton, Joseph, and Brown on the perimeter for threes or driving angles and open mid-range looks for Johnson. His body control and first and second chance jumping abilities give the Longhorns a legitimate chance on the offensive glass and help mask a still developing offensive scheme.
All that said, his defense makes his an even more valuable ‘Horn. TT's timing and ability to block shots from the help side make the lane a dangerous place for opposing guards. His consistent last line defense also provides opportunities for the Texas guards to pressure the basketball. Pressure creates mistakes, extra possessions, and easy buckets. Pressure also makes feeding the post more difficult. With Thompson on the floor, Texas has a chance to beat anyone in the country.
Can score in a multitude of ways: As shown all season long, Texas can beat you in a number of ways-Hamilton or Joseph from deep, Thompson on the low block, Gary Johnson from the elbow, Dogus Balbay in transition, or even off screens and cuts not previously seen in Texas half court sets. Good teams have the ability to score in at least two ways; great teams can score from three spots.
With J'Covan and Cory, Texas can definitely score from the guard spots. With Hamilton, opponents must focus on taking away the wing too. And with Tristan on the low block, opposing coaches must decide whether or not they must double the post. When all three components show up, Texas is unlikely to lose. And even if just two components are present on a given night, Texas still defeats most opponents.
Lock Down Defense: Throw out the second halves of the Nebraska and Colorado games as anomalies. Texas has been simply outstanding on the defensive end of the floor this season. It starts with the ball pressure of Balbay and extends to the wing where Joseph roams and even into the improved defensive skills of Hamilton. Even if opposing offenses navigate past the perimeter defense, Thompson's long arms and impeccable timing are probably waiting. Those are just a few of the reasons why Texas has been ranked No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency for most of the year.
Unlike last year, Texas is communicated in helping on defense. Opponents rarely enjoy straight line drives to the basket or uncontested jumpers. Given this near constant, NCAA tournament foes better have career nights to move past the ‘Horns.
Ability to Win Away from Home: A lot of teams gaudy home records help mask an inability to win away from home-think Missouri. Texas doesn't have that problem. In fact, the Longhorns most impressive work has been accomplished away from the Erwin Center. Texas owns defeats of Illinois in New York City, North Carolina in Greensboro, Michigan State in East Lansing, Kansas in Lawrence, and Texas A&M in College Station. Few, if any, teams have that many quality wins, let alone quality road wins. Given their road success, winning on a neutral court in March should be cake.
Jordan Hamilton: Jordan is as big a match-up problem as any player in college basketball. Most college teams and future NCAA tournament opponents don't have a 6-6 or 6-7 three man that can stay with Hamilton. If coaches decide to play small, Jordan can easily shoot over defenders. If coaches decide to go big, Jordan has enough ball skills to take slower defenders to the hole, especially by attacking the baseline. While there are a few teams that have someone that can handle Jordan that list is very short and the chances of running into one of those teams and players are small. Therefore, from the opening tip, Texas will likely have an extreme advantage with its best offensive player.
Those are just a few of the arguments why Texas won't make it to the second week of the NCAA tournament and why the Longhorns are destined for an '08 or '03 like run in March.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
College Basketball and the NBA Both Being Destroyed by the CBA
fantastic games...
The current CBA draft eligibility rules were put in place for the 2005-2006 season. The rule states; “All drafted players must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft.” Since this rule has been put into place, college basketball has lost it’s Old Spice swagger.
The number of players that are now playing one year of college basketball has not been the exciting adventure we had once thought it would be. Campuses see star players come and go without them even going to their classes, and why should they go to class? They’re going to be making millions in couple of months.
Perry Jones from Baylor is projected to be one of the first players picked in the upcoming draft. Since arriving at Baylor, he has shown very little interest on the court. He continually jogs back on defense as his opponent is fast breaking, as well as not going hard for a loose ball up to this point in the season.
Once again, why should he? He’s going to be taken high in this years draft, so why risk dislocating his elbow? He has no interest in playing there, and now Baylor is responsible to find a new prospect every season. There is a way to fix this problem.
Recently Tom Izzo of Michigan State has spoken out on the problems with the CBA. He introduced The Izzo Compromise earlier this week. The compromise gives players the choice of entering the NBA draft right out of high school or going to college where they will be required to stay for three seasons. This idea would give each league a huge boost in competitiveness.
It would be a really good step in the right direction for American basketball; however, I would like to see them get away from the compromise all together and require the players to stay for three seasons. If the players had to stay for three seasons, they would have to be prove themselves again.
Perry Jones wouldn’t be jogging up and down the court, for he’d have to prove to Scott Drew that he deserves playing time. As we all know, every player in college basketball would then be forced to work their asses off, and from doing so they’ll develop into a complete NBA player.
One problem with my non-compromise is the fact that some high school players will just decided to pack up and head over to Europe, but it’s really not a problem at all. These players won’t be able to declare for the draft until their 21 anyways, so they can head over to Europe make their money and still develop.
The three year rule is obviously good for college basketball, for it gives them players that want to be there, and it gives them a more consistent roster as well as better players going to mid-major schools. College Basketball is a league ran by great coaches. With this system in play, these great coaches will have more than one season to critique the players skills and develop them into physically and mentally.
Because of the great college coaches having the players for three seasons, the NBA will improve immensely. They league will no longer be forced to draft a player like Kosta Koufus or Byron Mullens. Because their scouts will have more time to do their job, they’ll know that some of these recent busts wouldn’t amount to anything, and who knows maybe two more years with Thad Matta would have made both of these players into NBA players.
American Basketball is currently becoming less and less relevant, but with a few changes it will regain it’s power.
The current CBA draft eligibility rules were put in place for the 2005-2006 season. The rule states; “All drafted players must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft.” Since this rule has been put into place, college basketball has lost it’s Old Spice swagger.
The number of players that are now playing one year of college basketball has not been the exciting adventure we had once thought it would be. Campuses see star players come and go without them even going to their classes, and why should they go to class? They’re going to be making millions in couple of months.
Perry Jones from Baylor is projected to be one of the first players picked in the upcoming draft. Since arriving at Baylor, he has shown very little interest on the court. He continually jogs back on defense as his opponent is fast breaking, as well as not going hard for a loose ball up to this point in the season.
Once again, why should he? He’s going to be taken high in this years draft, so why risk dislocating his elbow? He has no interest in playing there, and now Baylor is responsible to find a new prospect every season. There is a way to fix this problem.
Recently Tom Izzo of Michigan State has spoken out on the problems with the CBA. He introduced The Izzo Compromise earlier this week. The compromise gives players the choice of entering the NBA draft right out of high school or going to college where they will be required to stay for three seasons. This idea would give each league a huge boost in competitiveness.
It would be a really good step in the right direction for American basketball; however, I would like to see them get away from the compromise all together and require the players to stay for three seasons. If the players had to stay for three seasons, they would have to be prove themselves again.
Perry Jones wouldn’t be jogging up and down the court, for he’d have to prove to Scott Drew that he deserves playing time. As we all know, every player in college basketball would then be forced to work their asses off, and from doing so they’ll develop into a complete NBA player.
One problem with my non-compromise is the fact that some high school players will just decided to pack up and head over to Europe, but it’s really not a problem at all. These players won’t be able to declare for the draft until their 21 anyways, so they can head over to Europe make their money and still develop.
The three year rule is obviously good for college basketball, for it gives them players that want to be there, and it gives them a more consistent roster as well as better players going to mid-major schools. College Basketball is a league ran by great coaches. With this system in play, these great coaches will have more than one season to critique the players skills and develop them into physically and mentally.
Because of the great college coaches having the players for three seasons, the NBA will improve immensely. They league will no longer be forced to draft a player like Kosta Koufus or Byron Mullens. Because their scouts will have more time to do their job, they’ll know that some of these recent busts wouldn’t amount to anything, and who knows maybe two more years with Thad Matta would have made both of these players into NBA players.
American Basketball is currently becoming less and less relevant, but with a few changes it will regain it’s power.
College Basketball's 2011 All-America Team ... With No Early Entry
We've never stood against a man being able to make a living -- unless your somehow involved in the endless Bachelor series of shows -- at least until we started thinking about what the current All-American teams would look like without early entry.
Then we wept like Dick Vermeil watching an episode of Oprah.
Oh, what could have been for college basketball.
In our latest installment of the FanHouse teams, we take a look at what the All-American team might have looked like if there were no early entry in college basketball.
The Rules
We generally disregarded matriculation choices that might have been made differently by players due to scholarship limits or backlog -- for example, John Calipari has personally recruited enough players to fill out the Chicago Bears roster and have enough left over for a Cubs game -- but we did give some weight to how much playing time would be available for freshmen in a game that still included star seniors. It did not, however, keep us from naming back-to-back Calipari recruits Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans to our teams.
We also played the role of the NCAA's Committee on Infractions for two players -- one that made our first team and one that would have likely been a second-teamer. We granted Rose eligibility for his senior year despite the still murky entrance chicanery at Memphis while we ruled O.J. Mayo permanently ineligible.
Rose's issue was one of eligibility, which the NCAA typically deals with by forcing a player to sit out certain games, even if it's a matter of a year (And, presumably, qualify legally, depending on the still hazy details of his SAT score). Mayo, meanwhile, was an amatuerism issue, which remains sacrosanct to the NCAA. (Ask Enes Kanter.) Had Mayo remained in school or Tim Floyd remained coach, the NCAA likely would've looked deeper into the Mayo side of the case and come down with a "permanently ineligible" ruling.
We think. If we're wrong, you have 90 days to submit your appeal, and four to six weeks later we'll let you know we don't care.
Besides, it's our team. If the Field of Dreams guys could leave out Ty Cobb, we can leave out Mayo.
We also opted not to include Brandon Jennings, who on talent alone would be somewhere in the top two teams, but never actually played college basketball.
One final note, as with our usual setup of FanHouse teams, we tried to balance out the positions to form a working lineup, unlike the typical All-America teams. Our sincerest apologies to third-teamer John Wall and Sir not-appearing-on-this-list Jeff Teague, among others.
Comments are by FanHouse college hoops editor Ray Holloman and associate editor Matt Snyder, who had to be wrestled by three men and an ill-tempered bonobo to give up his campaign for Indiana's Jordan Hulls.
First Team
Derrick Rose, Sr., PG Memphis -- Rose played his lone year in college like a bowling ball on a billiards table, banging around, over and through anybody he darn well pleased. As a senior, Rose would likely be one of the best point guards college basketball has ever seen. The 2009 NBA rookie of the year is averaging 25 points and eight assists a game in the NBA this year and has developed a capable perimeter jumpshot, fixing one of his few weaknesses on the amateur level. Letting him play another three years of college basketball would be like letting Charlie Sheen run a fraternity's pledge week and equally unpleasant for everyone else involved. -- RH
Eric Gordon, Sr. SG, Indiana -- He averaged 20.9 points a game as a freshman for the Hoosiers, and this with an injured wrist for more than half the season. His numbers suffered, but still looked really impressive. The combination of deep range plus explosiveness to the hoop would make him a lethal offensive force. Considering he's averaging 24.1 points a game in the NBA, the guess here is he would have his way with the rest of the Big Ten this season, assuming he could stay healthy. -- Matt Snyder
Michael Beasley, Sr. SF, Kansas State -- One in a nice little line of freakish players from the Class of 2011, Beasley could do pretty much anything at the collegiate level. In his lone NCAA season, he averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds while helping to put Kansas State on the national map. Playing alongside our team's center in Minnesota, Beasley is putting up 20 points a game in the NBA. Who could stop him in the Big 12 right now? He'd go for 30 a night. -- MS
Blake Griffin, Sr. PF, Oklahoma -- The NBA's dunkomatic averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds a game as a sophomore. He ended up missing his entire would-be-rookie season in the NBA due to injury. Upon return this season, he was so rusty he's averaging, uh, 22.8 points and 12.6 boards. The stats don't even tell the whole story. He's been a highlight reel. Imagine the poor kid from Northwest Pay-for-Play State that would wind up on the wrong end of a poster in an early-season patsy game. Heck, he would've played against Division III Chaminade this year, who are even worse than the Clippers. -- MS
Kevin Love, Sr. C, UCLA -- How stacked is this first team? Love has tied Moses Malone's ancient record with 44 consecutive double-doubles in the NBA. He goes for 21 and 15 a game. In this scenario, he would be playing in the Pac-10. He could be looking at Elgin Baylor (while at the University of Seattle) numbers. -- MS
Second Team
Tyreke Evans, Jr. PG Memphis -- Evans' game is more suited to the widely spaced, 1-on-1 game in the NBA, but that wouldn't keep the 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year from marching through college basketball like Patton through a game of RISK. Like Rose, Evans wasn't a great outside shooter in college, but was the perfect catalyst for Calipari's dribble-drive motion. Evans likely would've played the off-guard -- or gone elsewhere -- in light of Rose's commitment, but at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds and dynamic off the dribble, he would've been a star anywhere.
Evan Turner, Sr. SF, Ohio State -- Turner was the national player of the year as a junior and it's a good bet he'd thrive even more with big Jared Sullinger drawing attention on the block and savvy point guard Aaron Craft dishing the rock. The stat-sheet stuffer went for 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists last year. His numbers might look slightly different with the dynamic of the team being different, but that doesn't mean he'd be any worse a player. -- MS
Donte Greene, Sr. PF Syracuse -- "Power" forward might be stretching it for a player who's built more Olive Oyl than Popeye, but Greene's size, athleticism and touch on the perimeter made him a serious matchup problem for Orange opponents at either forward position. The 25th pick in the 2008 draft, Greene averaged 17.7 points per game in the Big East as a freshman, fourth in the toughest league in the country. Plus, Greene sticking around for four years would level some of the karmic imbalance for wearing the student-made "Don'te Leave" t-shirts before declaring for the NBA draft. -- RH
DeJuan Blair, Sr. PF Pitt -- The Panthers are already the nation's best offensive rebounding team among major conferences without adding in Blair, a man who treated rebounding as a holy calling. As a sophomore, Blair posted a 126.7 offensive efficiency rating and led the nation in offensive rebounding percentage. A Scottie Reynold's dash denied him a trip to the Final Four in his last season at Pitt, but that likely would've changed in the following two years. In 2010, Pittsburgh opponents would have to try and rebound against Blair and Gary McGhee in the frontcourt. Or, if they preferred something slightly easier, they could try a relay race against Usain Bolt and Zenyatta. -- RH
DeMarcus Cousins, So. C, Kentucky -- The big man went for 15.1 points, 9.8 boards and nearly two blocks a game in his only collegiate season. He's only putting up only slightly worse numbers in the NBA. If John Calipari could have convinced Cousins to stay in school one more year -- and keep those elbows to himself -- the Wildcats would have a national championship contender with his dominance in the paint. -- MS
Third Team
John Wall, So. PG, Kentucky -- As we wrote early in his Kentucky career, the Wildcat point guard made UK history more frequently than he had to shave, which was even more tribute to his splendid athleticism than his perma-peach fuzz. No one-and-done was as hard to say goodbye to as Wall, who, unlike most one-and-doners, took his sublime talents to a national championship contending team on one of college basketball's blue bloods and one sports' biggest stages. Wall averaged 16.5 points and 6.5 assists per game as a freshman and would, without a doubt, be the premiere playmaker in college basketball. He still likely wouldn't be shaving much. -- RH
Jrue Holiday, SG Jr. UCLA -- Holiday's freshman year in Westwood wasn't the sort of year you'd tell your kids about, but had he returned to play point guard after the graduation of Darren Collison, Holiday would've blossomed as a star on the college stage. Holiday has thrived with the 76ers since taking over as the starting point guard last year and shown much more offensive flair than his so-so freshman campaign at UCLA. Whether he would've thrived in Ben Howland's system is up for debate, but it certainly didn't keep Jordan Farmar, Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook from star turns. --RH
James Harden, SR. SG Arizona State -- Harden beat out USC's DeMar DeRozan for the last slot on the team purely on scoring prowess. Harden averaged 20.1 points per game on Herb Sendek's glacially paced 60 possessions-per-game Arizona State team. Making a college basketball fan want to watch a Sendek offense is in itself feat enough to win an Emmy, let alone make this team. --RH
Wesley Johnson, Sr. SF Syracuse -- Unfortunately, the last thing we college basketball fans remember about Johnson are his NBA draft night pants, a sartorial tribute to your parents' couch. The oldest player on this list, Johnson likely would've managed something in the neighborhood of 18 and 10 as a fifth-year senior, which likely would've gotten him a spot on the All-American team ahead of other contenders like Duke's Kyle Singler. If you prefer a more traditional power forward here, Georgia Tech's Derrick Favors and Ohio State's Derrick Favors are up next. -- RH
J.J. Hickson, Sr. PF N.C. State - So, the ACC's only representative played for N.C. State? Color us surprised as well. In real life, Hickson would almost certainly lose out Singler, as he did for the 2008 ACC Rookie of the Year Award, but we need soemone to play with his back to the basket. Hickson's professional career has been impressive -- he's a 16 and 10 guy even with a certain former teammate's talents now in Miami, and as a senior in the ACC, would be a consistent double-double player. Of course, even with Tracy Smith playing alongside him, N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe would likely still find a way to coach this team to irrelevancy, putting this last slot in the hands of Kansas' Cole Aldrich or Wake Forest's Al-Farouq Aminu.--RH
Closest Current Players
Jimmer Fredette, BYU: Fredette may be the most likely to emerge from current players, not because he's the best of the lot, but because his level of competition wouldn't be as wildly changed as a major conference. He'd still average 25 a game and still have an utterly cool first name that would distract voters from things like defense and non-ball-hoggery. But with all the stars still in college, it's difficult to project where BYU and Fredette would impact the national consciousness. Could he pull a Stephen Curry or would Fredette be more Norris Cole, a great scorer on a team with little mainstream attention?
Nolan Smith, G Duke: Duke's roster would remain unchanged, save for players the Blue Devils may not have recruited due to their short-timer billing, if any. Only a handful of players would return to the ACC, meaning Smith would probably still be the best player on the best team in the ACC and a 20-plus point player. (Of course, Wake Forest might argue -- returning Jeff Teague, James Johnson and Al-Farouq Aminu with an outside shooter like Gary Clark sounds like the perfect combination to beat the current Duke team). Kyle Singler would have a heck of an argument based on the same criterion.
Jared Sullinger, F Ohio State: Sullinger was the last of the current players we cut, which is likely fitting as college basketball's best talent is almost always its freshmen class. There are a few questions with Sullinger, primarily how he'd stack up against a college landscape that still had quality big men like Cole Aldrich and Patrick Patterson (among those not selected to our three teams) roaming the paint. There's also the question of playing time. While Ohio State's recruiting wouldn't have been quite what it was, Sullinger would have to find playing time among some combination of B.J. Mullens, Kosta Koufos and Greg Oden, who undoubtedly would still be around on a medical redshirt. Or in his case, a Medicare redshirt. That's without considering the number of shots Evan Turner would still be around to demand.
Then we wept like Dick Vermeil watching an episode of Oprah.
Oh, what could have been for college basketball.
In our latest installment of the FanHouse teams, we take a look at what the All-American team might have looked like if there were no early entry in college basketball.
The Rules
We generally disregarded matriculation choices that might have been made differently by players due to scholarship limits or backlog -- for example, John Calipari has personally recruited enough players to fill out the Chicago Bears roster and have enough left over for a Cubs game -- but we did give some weight to how much playing time would be available for freshmen in a game that still included star seniors. It did not, however, keep us from naming back-to-back Calipari recruits Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans to our teams.
We also played the role of the NCAA's Committee on Infractions for two players -- one that made our first team and one that would have likely been a second-teamer. We granted Rose eligibility for his senior year despite the still murky entrance chicanery at Memphis while we ruled O.J. Mayo permanently ineligible.
Rose's issue was one of eligibility, which the NCAA typically deals with by forcing a player to sit out certain games, even if it's a matter of a year (And, presumably, qualify legally, depending on the still hazy details of his SAT score). Mayo, meanwhile, was an amatuerism issue, which remains sacrosanct to the NCAA. (Ask Enes Kanter.) Had Mayo remained in school or Tim Floyd remained coach, the NCAA likely would've looked deeper into the Mayo side of the case and come down with a "permanently ineligible" ruling.
We think. If we're wrong, you have 90 days to submit your appeal, and four to six weeks later we'll let you know we don't care.
Besides, it's our team. If the Field of Dreams guys could leave out Ty Cobb, we can leave out Mayo.
We also opted not to include Brandon Jennings, who on talent alone would be somewhere in the top two teams, but never actually played college basketball.
One final note, as with our usual setup of FanHouse teams, we tried to balance out the positions to form a working lineup, unlike the typical All-America teams. Our sincerest apologies to third-teamer John Wall and Sir not-appearing-on-this-list Jeff Teague, among others.
Comments are by FanHouse college hoops editor Ray Holloman and associate editor Matt Snyder, who had to be wrestled by three men and an ill-tempered bonobo to give up his campaign for Indiana's Jordan Hulls.
First Team
Derrick Rose, Sr., PG Memphis -- Rose played his lone year in college like a bowling ball on a billiards table, banging around, over and through anybody he darn well pleased. As a senior, Rose would likely be one of the best point guards college basketball has ever seen. The 2009 NBA rookie of the year is averaging 25 points and eight assists a game in the NBA this year and has developed a capable perimeter jumpshot, fixing one of his few weaknesses on the amateur level. Letting him play another three years of college basketball would be like letting Charlie Sheen run a fraternity's pledge week and equally unpleasant for everyone else involved. -- RH
Eric Gordon, Sr. SG, Indiana -- He averaged 20.9 points a game as a freshman for the Hoosiers, and this with an injured wrist for more than half the season. His numbers suffered, but still looked really impressive. The combination of deep range plus explosiveness to the hoop would make him a lethal offensive force. Considering he's averaging 24.1 points a game in the NBA, the guess here is he would have his way with the rest of the Big Ten this season, assuming he could stay healthy. -- Matt Snyder
Michael Beasley, Sr. SF, Kansas State -- One in a nice little line of freakish players from the Class of 2011, Beasley could do pretty much anything at the collegiate level. In his lone NCAA season, he averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds while helping to put Kansas State on the national map. Playing alongside our team's center in Minnesota, Beasley is putting up 20 points a game in the NBA. Who could stop him in the Big 12 right now? He'd go for 30 a night. -- MS
Blake Griffin, Sr. PF, Oklahoma -- The NBA's dunkomatic averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds a game as a sophomore. He ended up missing his entire would-be-rookie season in the NBA due to injury. Upon return this season, he was so rusty he's averaging, uh, 22.8 points and 12.6 boards. The stats don't even tell the whole story. He's been a highlight reel. Imagine the poor kid from Northwest Pay-for-Play State that would wind up on the wrong end of a poster in an early-season patsy game. Heck, he would've played against Division III Chaminade this year, who are even worse than the Clippers. -- MS
Kevin Love, Sr. C, UCLA -- How stacked is this first team? Love has tied Moses Malone's ancient record with 44 consecutive double-doubles in the NBA. He goes for 21 and 15 a game. In this scenario, he would be playing in the Pac-10. He could be looking at Elgin Baylor (while at the University of Seattle) numbers. -- MS
Second Team
Tyreke Evans, Jr. PG Memphis -- Evans' game is more suited to the widely spaced, 1-on-1 game in the NBA, but that wouldn't keep the 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year from marching through college basketball like Patton through a game of RISK. Like Rose, Evans wasn't a great outside shooter in college, but was the perfect catalyst for Calipari's dribble-drive motion. Evans likely would've played the off-guard -- or gone elsewhere -- in light of Rose's commitment, but at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds and dynamic off the dribble, he would've been a star anywhere.
Evan Turner, Sr. SF, Ohio State -- Turner was the national player of the year as a junior and it's a good bet he'd thrive even more with big Jared Sullinger drawing attention on the block and savvy point guard Aaron Craft dishing the rock. The stat-sheet stuffer went for 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists last year. His numbers might look slightly different with the dynamic of the team being different, but that doesn't mean he'd be any worse a player. -- MS
Donte Greene, Sr. PF Syracuse -- "Power" forward might be stretching it for a player who's built more Olive Oyl than Popeye, but Greene's size, athleticism and touch on the perimeter made him a serious matchup problem for Orange opponents at either forward position. The 25th pick in the 2008 draft, Greene averaged 17.7 points per game in the Big East as a freshman, fourth in the toughest league in the country. Plus, Greene sticking around for four years would level some of the karmic imbalance for wearing the student-made "Don'te Leave" t-shirts before declaring for the NBA draft. -- RH
DeJuan Blair, Sr. PF Pitt -- The Panthers are already the nation's best offensive rebounding team among major conferences without adding in Blair, a man who treated rebounding as a holy calling. As a sophomore, Blair posted a 126.7 offensive efficiency rating and led the nation in offensive rebounding percentage. A Scottie Reynold's dash denied him a trip to the Final Four in his last season at Pitt, but that likely would've changed in the following two years. In 2010, Pittsburgh opponents would have to try and rebound against Blair and Gary McGhee in the frontcourt. Or, if they preferred something slightly easier, they could try a relay race against Usain Bolt and Zenyatta. -- RH
DeMarcus Cousins, So. C, Kentucky -- The big man went for 15.1 points, 9.8 boards and nearly two blocks a game in his only collegiate season. He's only putting up only slightly worse numbers in the NBA. If John Calipari could have convinced Cousins to stay in school one more year -- and keep those elbows to himself -- the Wildcats would have a national championship contender with his dominance in the paint. -- MS
Third Team
John Wall, So. PG, Kentucky -- As we wrote early in his Kentucky career, the Wildcat point guard made UK history more frequently than he had to shave, which was even more tribute to his splendid athleticism than his perma-peach fuzz. No one-and-done was as hard to say goodbye to as Wall, who, unlike most one-and-doners, took his sublime talents to a national championship contending team on one of college basketball's blue bloods and one sports' biggest stages. Wall averaged 16.5 points and 6.5 assists per game as a freshman and would, without a doubt, be the premiere playmaker in college basketball. He still likely wouldn't be shaving much. -- RH
Jrue Holiday, SG Jr. UCLA -- Holiday's freshman year in Westwood wasn't the sort of year you'd tell your kids about, but had he returned to play point guard after the graduation of Darren Collison, Holiday would've blossomed as a star on the college stage. Holiday has thrived with the 76ers since taking over as the starting point guard last year and shown much more offensive flair than his so-so freshman campaign at UCLA. Whether he would've thrived in Ben Howland's system is up for debate, but it certainly didn't keep Jordan Farmar, Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook from star turns. --RH
James Harden, SR. SG Arizona State -- Harden beat out USC's DeMar DeRozan for the last slot on the team purely on scoring prowess. Harden averaged 20.1 points per game on Herb Sendek's glacially paced 60 possessions-per-game Arizona State team. Making a college basketball fan want to watch a Sendek offense is in itself feat enough to win an Emmy, let alone make this team. --RH
Wesley Johnson, Sr. SF Syracuse -- Unfortunately, the last thing we college basketball fans remember about Johnson are his NBA draft night pants, a sartorial tribute to your parents' couch. The oldest player on this list, Johnson likely would've managed something in the neighborhood of 18 and 10 as a fifth-year senior, which likely would've gotten him a spot on the All-American team ahead of other contenders like Duke's Kyle Singler. If you prefer a more traditional power forward here, Georgia Tech's Derrick Favors and Ohio State's Derrick Favors are up next. -- RH
J.J. Hickson, Sr. PF N.C. State - So, the ACC's only representative played for N.C. State? Color us surprised as well. In real life, Hickson would almost certainly lose out Singler, as he did for the 2008 ACC Rookie of the Year Award, but we need soemone to play with his back to the basket. Hickson's professional career has been impressive -- he's a 16 and 10 guy even with a certain former teammate's talents now in Miami, and as a senior in the ACC, would be a consistent double-double player. Of course, even with Tracy Smith playing alongside him, N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe would likely still find a way to coach this team to irrelevancy, putting this last slot in the hands of Kansas' Cole Aldrich or Wake Forest's Al-Farouq Aminu.--RH
Closest Current Players
Jimmer Fredette, BYU: Fredette may be the most likely to emerge from current players, not because he's the best of the lot, but because his level of competition wouldn't be as wildly changed as a major conference. He'd still average 25 a game and still have an utterly cool first name that would distract voters from things like defense and non-ball-hoggery. But with all the stars still in college, it's difficult to project where BYU and Fredette would impact the national consciousness. Could he pull a Stephen Curry or would Fredette be more Norris Cole, a great scorer on a team with little mainstream attention?
Nolan Smith, G Duke: Duke's roster would remain unchanged, save for players the Blue Devils may not have recruited due to their short-timer billing, if any. Only a handful of players would return to the ACC, meaning Smith would probably still be the best player on the best team in the ACC and a 20-plus point player. (Of course, Wake Forest might argue -- returning Jeff Teague, James Johnson and Al-Farouq Aminu with an outside shooter like Gary Clark sounds like the perfect combination to beat the current Duke team). Kyle Singler would have a heck of an argument based on the same criterion.
Jared Sullinger, F Ohio State: Sullinger was the last of the current players we cut, which is likely fitting as college basketball's best talent is almost always its freshmen class. There are a few questions with Sullinger, primarily how he'd stack up against a college landscape that still had quality big men like Cole Aldrich and Patrick Patterson (among those not selected to our three teams) roaming the paint. There's also the question of playing time. While Ohio State's recruiting wouldn't have been quite what it was, Sullinger would have to find playing time among some combination of B.J. Mullens, Kosta Koufos and Greg Oden, who undoubtedly would still be around on a medical redshirt. Or in his case, a Medicare redshirt. That's without considering the number of shots Evan Turner would still be around to demand.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Basketball Economics
carier basketball
Kevin Clark has a fascinating piece in today’s Wall Street Journal comparing pro basketball in this country with pro soccer in England:
Carmelo Anthony’s trade to the New York Knicks Monday night is the latest sign that the NBA is drifting in one distinct direction. It’s becoming a league where a handful of glamour-puss teams are attracting all the marquee players and where, if recent events are any indication, they may vacuum up championships for years to come. In fact, as more stars like Anthony defect to these few teams, the league may quickly come to resemble (gasp!) English soccer.
In England’s Premier League, which is widely considered the world’s deepest pro league, only four teams—Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United — have managed to finish No. 3 or better in the final league standings over the past seven seasons. Not coincidentally, these teams have also been the prime destinations for mid-career superstars who’ve taken a change of scenery.
My question is whether this development is a new one.
Since 1980, five N.B.A. teams — the Bulls, Celtics, Lakers, Pistons and Spurs — have combined to win an incredible 27 of 31 championships. By comparison, the five most successful teams in pro football have won 17 Super Bowls since 1980. The five most successful Major League Baseball teams have won only 13 championships in that span.
Because only five basketball players are on the court at any one time and a team can give one of those players a disproportionate number of shot attempts, stars play an outsize role in basketball. One great player — Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan — can help a team win a handful of championships. It’s a good example of a winner-take-all industry.
Basketball stars do seem more likely today to join the same team deliberately. But it’s not yet clear if this trend will concentrate basketball championships any more than in the recent past.
Kevin Clark has a fascinating piece in today’s Wall Street Journal comparing pro basketball in this country with pro soccer in England:
Carmelo Anthony’s trade to the New York Knicks Monday night is the latest sign that the NBA is drifting in one distinct direction. It’s becoming a league where a handful of glamour-puss teams are attracting all the marquee players and where, if recent events are any indication, they may vacuum up championships for years to come. In fact, as more stars like Anthony defect to these few teams, the league may quickly come to resemble (gasp!) English soccer.
In England’s Premier League, which is widely considered the world’s deepest pro league, only four teams—Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United — have managed to finish No. 3 or better in the final league standings over the past seven seasons. Not coincidentally, these teams have also been the prime destinations for mid-career superstars who’ve taken a change of scenery.
My question is whether this development is a new one.
Since 1980, five N.B.A. teams — the Bulls, Celtics, Lakers, Pistons and Spurs — have combined to win an incredible 27 of 31 championships. By comparison, the five most successful teams in pro football have won 17 Super Bowls since 1980. The five most successful Major League Baseball teams have won only 13 championships in that span.
Because only five basketball players are on the court at any one time and a team can give one of those players a disproportionate number of shot attempts, stars play an outsize role in basketball. One great player — Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan — can help a team win a handful of championships. It’s a good example of a winner-take-all industry.
Basketball stars do seem more likely today to join the same team deliberately. But it’s not yet clear if this trend will concentrate basketball championships any more than in the recent past.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Holy Family University basketball coach, John O'Connor, investigated for assaulting player
NeW
A college basketball coach in Philadelphia is being investigated by the district attorney after one of his players said the coach attacked him during practice last month, the DA's office said Tuesday.
Holy Family University men's basketball coach John O'Connor, 51, was suspended last week after he was caught on video roughing up sophomore forward Matt Kravchuk during a heated rebound drill on Jan. 25.
In the tape, O'Connor can be seen charging Kravchuk, 19, and knocking him down with an elbow to the face after the player grabs a loose ball during a drill the coach called "combat rebound."
"It was totally out of line for my coach to do," Kravchuk told Philadelphia's WTXF-TV."We're just doing a drill, and the next thing I know I was on the floor."
As he lies dazed on the court, the coach kicks him in the butt, urging him to get up, the video shows.
After the sophomore limps to the back of the line with a bloody lip, the coach can be seen chewing him out – screaming, "Got a little [expletive] blood on ya? Good!" – before eventually booting the player from practice, shouting, "Get the [expletive] out of here!"
WATCH VIDEO BELOW
Kravchuk reported the incident to the athletic department the day it happened and was later told the coach had been reprimanded, his lawyer, Jack Cohen, said.
But the student complained to police on Feb. 11 because he felt the school hadn't gone far enough, Cohen said.
In the police report, Kravchuk said he suffered a bloody nose and scratches to his lip and forehead. Later, he complained of an injured wrist and has been wearing a brace, according to WTXF-TV.
Holy Family sophomore Matt Kravchuk, left, has not rejoined the team since the incident with Coach O'Connor, right. (Fox Philadelphia, Philadelphia Daily News)
He has not returned to the team since the incident.
Holy Family suspended the coach last Thursday.
O'Connor told the Philadelphia Daily News that he hadn't meant to hurt Kravchuck and that practice was especially intense that day because the team was coming off an embarrassing loss.
"I have always been very hands-on with my players," the coach said. "Normally, it's me that ends up getting hurt. I never had any intention of ever hurting one of my players."
In an unsigned statement, the Holy Family players said, ""In each of our hearts, we know Coach O'Connor realizes the mistake he made and accepts full responsibility for his actions," the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
O'Connor was an assistant coach at Georgia Tech before coming to the small Division II school last year.
Tasha Jamerson, a spokesman for the district attorney, said investigators would decide whether to file formal charges in the next few weeks.
A college basketball coach in Philadelphia is being investigated by the district attorney after one of his players said the coach attacked him during practice last month, the DA's office said Tuesday.
Holy Family University men's basketball coach John O'Connor, 51, was suspended last week after he was caught on video roughing up sophomore forward Matt Kravchuk during a heated rebound drill on Jan. 25.
In the tape, O'Connor can be seen charging Kravchuk, 19, and knocking him down with an elbow to the face after the player grabs a loose ball during a drill the coach called "combat rebound."
"It was totally out of line for my coach to do," Kravchuk told Philadelphia's WTXF-TV."We're just doing a drill, and the next thing I know I was on the floor."
As he lies dazed on the court, the coach kicks him in the butt, urging him to get up, the video shows.
After the sophomore limps to the back of the line with a bloody lip, the coach can be seen chewing him out – screaming, "Got a little [expletive] blood on ya? Good!" – before eventually booting the player from practice, shouting, "Get the [expletive] out of here!"
WATCH VIDEO BELOW
Kravchuk reported the incident to the athletic department the day it happened and was later told the coach had been reprimanded, his lawyer, Jack Cohen, said.
But the student complained to police on Feb. 11 because he felt the school hadn't gone far enough, Cohen said.
In the police report, Kravchuk said he suffered a bloody nose and scratches to his lip and forehead. Later, he complained of an injured wrist and has been wearing a brace, according to WTXF-TV.
Holy Family sophomore Matt Kravchuk, left, has not rejoined the team since the incident with Coach O'Connor, right. (Fox Philadelphia, Philadelphia Daily News)
He has not returned to the team since the incident.
Holy Family suspended the coach last Thursday.
O'Connor told the Philadelphia Daily News that he hadn't meant to hurt Kravchuck and that practice was especially intense that day because the team was coming off an embarrassing loss.
"I have always been very hands-on with my players," the coach said. "Normally, it's me that ends up getting hurt. I never had any intention of ever hurting one of my players."
In an unsigned statement, the Holy Family players said, ""In each of our hearts, we know Coach O'Connor realizes the mistake he made and accepts full responsibility for his actions," the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
O'Connor was an assistant coach at Georgia Tech before coming to the small Division II school last year.
Tasha Jamerson, a spokesman for the district attorney, said investigators would decide whether to file formal charges in the next few weeks.
NCAA confirms half-truths, lies and violations in UT men's basketball
RIGht basKetBall oBjecTive
The Notice of Allegations released Wednesday revealed the NCAA enforcement staff’s interpretation of half-truths, lies and violations committed within the Tennessee men’s basketball program.
Still to come are the consequences as determined by the NCAA, and how they might affect coach Bruce Pearl’s future.
UT has 90 days to respond in writing to the allegations — 10 basketball-related and nine major — that were detailed in the 26-page report.
UT will appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions on June 10-11 in Indianapolis. The committee would then make the conclusions on the violations.
The announcement of the NCAA’s sanctions on the program will follow, likely in late fall based on the time line in Connecticut’s recently concluded men’s basketball case.
Penalties in another similar NCAA case, involving the Chattanooga men’s basketball team, suggest the Vols will likely be placed on probation and lose scholarships at a minimum.
Hamilton said when UT received its letter of inquiry on Sept. 10 that there’s a possibility Pearl could be suspended from his coaching duties for a year.
Hamilton has since said that UT could retain Pearl even if the NCAA suspends Pearl for a year.
“It’s our intention to keep him,’’ Hamilton said on Feb. 16. “Unless there’s something (severe violation) out there we’re unaware of.’’
Hamilton released a statement Wednesday indicating there weren’t many surprises in the report.
“... most items noted in this document have already been reported broadly,’’ Hamilton’s statement said.
The one basketball-related violation in the Notice of Allegations that hadn’t been reported involves Pearl and UT associate head coach Tony Jones making an in-person, off-campus contact with prospect Jordan Adams at Oak Hill (Va.) Academy on Sept. 14, 2010.
The Notice of Allegations requests “a statement (from UT) indicating the reasons Pearl and Jones made an impermissible contact with Adams in light of NCAA legislation prohibiting such contacts.’’
Two sources in the UT athletic department who requested anonymity because of the NCAA case has not been completed, said Hamilton has been aware of the so-called “bump” violation, which refers to an unintentional impermissible contact. The sources said UT’s compliance department deemed it wasn’t a violation, and so it wasn’t self-reported.
The sources said Tennessee will likely appeal the violation in its response letter to the NCAA within the next 90 days.
Four of the other eight major violations are directly related to testimony from Pearl and his three assistant coaches — Jones, Steve Forbes and Jason Shay — involving a Sept. 20, 2008 cookout at Pearl’s home that three junior prospects on unofficial visits attended.
The prospects, all UT verbal commitments at the time, were Aaron Craft (now at Ohio State), Josh Selby (now at Kansas) and UT freshman Jordan McRae.
A photo of Pearl and Craft was taken at the cookout and surfaced as evidence of a violation, as off-campus contact is not allowed during an official visit.
When shown the black-and-white reproduced photo in an initial interview with NCAA investigators on June 14, 2010, Pearl and his assistants denied having absolute knowledge of where the photo was taken.
Pearl later requested a second interview with the NCAA, conducted Aug. 5, 2010, during which he admitted to knowing the photo was taken at his home.
That led to an unethical conduct charge being levied against Pearl for his false and misleading testimony in the original NCAA interview.
UT revealed on Sept. 10 a list of self-imposed severe and unprecedented sanctions as a result of Pearl’s tainted testimony.
Among the penalties has been a 25 percent reduction in all four coaches’ salaries, including Pearl’s $1.5 million loss to be taken out over the next five years, and off-campus recruiting bans of varying length for each of the coaches.
Beginning on Sept. 24, 2010, Pearl and Forbes were suspended for a year, Jones for nine months and Shay for three months.
SEC commissioner Mike Slive took further unprecedented action in November, issuing Pearl an eight-game league suspension that took place from Jan. 8 to Feb. 5. Jones assumed game-day head coaching duties in Pearl’s absence, posting a 5-3 SEC mark during that period.
Pearl, who has been working under a Letter of Appointment after his contract was terminated by UT as a result of the ongoing NCAA case, issued a statement on Wednesday.
“The penalties imposed on our program have been severe ...,’’ Pearl’s statement said. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve the University of Tennessee, and everyone in our basketball program is finding ways to improve every day.’’
UT and Pearl have been in negotiations to complete a new contract since October, but as time passed it became apparent a deal wouldn’t be concluded prior to the receipt of the Notice of Allegations.
The three assistant coaches have been charged with a “failure to furnish full and complete information relevant to the investigation.’’
While severe and perhaps even major in nature, the charge the assistants face is considerably lighter than a show cause penalty would have been.
Any school wanting to hire a coach served with an active show cause designation must appear before the NCAA infractions committee and potentially face new sanctions.
The Notice of Allegations released Wednesday revealed the NCAA enforcement staff’s interpretation of half-truths, lies and violations committed within the Tennessee men’s basketball program.
Still to come are the consequences as determined by the NCAA, and how they might affect coach Bruce Pearl’s future.
UT has 90 days to respond in writing to the allegations — 10 basketball-related and nine major — that were detailed in the 26-page report.
UT will appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions on June 10-11 in Indianapolis. The committee would then make the conclusions on the violations.
The announcement of the NCAA’s sanctions on the program will follow, likely in late fall based on the time line in Connecticut’s recently concluded men’s basketball case.
Penalties in another similar NCAA case, involving the Chattanooga men’s basketball team, suggest the Vols will likely be placed on probation and lose scholarships at a minimum.
Hamilton said when UT received its letter of inquiry on Sept. 10 that there’s a possibility Pearl could be suspended from his coaching duties for a year.
Hamilton has since said that UT could retain Pearl even if the NCAA suspends Pearl for a year.
“It’s our intention to keep him,’’ Hamilton said on Feb. 16. “Unless there’s something (severe violation) out there we’re unaware of.’’
Hamilton released a statement Wednesday indicating there weren’t many surprises in the report.
“... most items noted in this document have already been reported broadly,’’ Hamilton’s statement said.
The one basketball-related violation in the Notice of Allegations that hadn’t been reported involves Pearl and UT associate head coach Tony Jones making an in-person, off-campus contact with prospect Jordan Adams at Oak Hill (Va.) Academy on Sept. 14, 2010.
The Notice of Allegations requests “a statement (from UT) indicating the reasons Pearl and Jones made an impermissible contact with Adams in light of NCAA legislation prohibiting such contacts.’’
Two sources in the UT athletic department who requested anonymity because of the NCAA case has not been completed, said Hamilton has been aware of the so-called “bump” violation, which refers to an unintentional impermissible contact. The sources said UT’s compliance department deemed it wasn’t a violation, and so it wasn’t self-reported.
The sources said Tennessee will likely appeal the violation in its response letter to the NCAA within the next 90 days.
Four of the other eight major violations are directly related to testimony from Pearl and his three assistant coaches — Jones, Steve Forbes and Jason Shay — involving a Sept. 20, 2008 cookout at Pearl’s home that three junior prospects on unofficial visits attended.
The prospects, all UT verbal commitments at the time, were Aaron Craft (now at Ohio State), Josh Selby (now at Kansas) and UT freshman Jordan McRae.
A photo of Pearl and Craft was taken at the cookout and surfaced as evidence of a violation, as off-campus contact is not allowed during an official visit.
When shown the black-and-white reproduced photo in an initial interview with NCAA investigators on June 14, 2010, Pearl and his assistants denied having absolute knowledge of where the photo was taken.
Pearl later requested a second interview with the NCAA, conducted Aug. 5, 2010, during which he admitted to knowing the photo was taken at his home.
That led to an unethical conduct charge being levied against Pearl for his false and misleading testimony in the original NCAA interview.
UT revealed on Sept. 10 a list of self-imposed severe and unprecedented sanctions as a result of Pearl’s tainted testimony.
Among the penalties has been a 25 percent reduction in all four coaches’ salaries, including Pearl’s $1.5 million loss to be taken out over the next five years, and off-campus recruiting bans of varying length for each of the coaches.
Beginning on Sept. 24, 2010, Pearl and Forbes were suspended for a year, Jones for nine months and Shay for three months.
SEC commissioner Mike Slive took further unprecedented action in November, issuing Pearl an eight-game league suspension that took place from Jan. 8 to Feb. 5. Jones assumed game-day head coaching duties in Pearl’s absence, posting a 5-3 SEC mark during that period.
Pearl, who has been working under a Letter of Appointment after his contract was terminated by UT as a result of the ongoing NCAA case, issued a statement on Wednesday.
“The penalties imposed on our program have been severe ...,’’ Pearl’s statement said. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve the University of Tennessee, and everyone in our basketball program is finding ways to improve every day.’’
UT and Pearl have been in negotiations to complete a new contract since October, but as time passed it became apparent a deal wouldn’t be concluded prior to the receipt of the Notice of Allegations.
The three assistant coaches have been charged with a “failure to furnish full and complete information relevant to the investigation.’’
While severe and perhaps even major in nature, the charge the assistants face is considerably lighter than a show cause penalty would have been.
Any school wanting to hire a coach served with an active show cause designation must appear before the NCAA infractions committee and potentially face new sanctions.
Wolves prez Kahn lands player he wanted in Randolph
player news
Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn has been trying to land Anthony Randolph for nearly a year. He finally got him thanks to what he calls "a favor" he did for the Knicks and Nuggets in the blockbuster Carmelo Anthony trade.
Kahn said he has coveted the lanky, athletic Randolph since April or May and called Knicks president Donnie Walsh on several occasions this season looking to acquire him. But he was rebuffed each time, until the last few weeks when Walsh needed some help to get the 'Melo deal done.
"He said, 'If you really want this guy, this is how you have to play ball with us,"' Kahn said on a conference call Tuesday night.
Kahn was willing to have the Timberwolves become the third team in the deal, and take on Eddy Curry's expiring contract, to facilitate the trade that sent Anthony to New York. The Wolves received Randolph, a second-round pick and the necessary cash to buy Curry out of his contract. They sent swingman Corey Brewer to the Knicks and center Kosta Koufos to Denver.
Kahn said the Wolves will likely either buy out Curry or waive him because he doubted he could trade his bloated salary to another team before the deadline on Thursday.
The Timberwolves are intrigued by the 6-foot-11 Randolph's size and athleticism, even though he averaged just 2.1 points in 17 games for the Knicks this season.
"We had a very clear target," Kahn said. "Anthony Randolph is a young player in our league who kind of fits the description of what we've been trying to add to our team."
Brewer was the longest-tenured Timberwolves player, the No. 7 overall draft pick in 2007. His energy and nightly effort earned him a regular spot in the starting five for the struggling Wolves, who fell to 13-44 after a 94-88 loss at Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Brewer and his agent asked the Timberwolves to trade him if he wasn't figuring in their long-term plans, but he said he was still sorry to be leaving the only team he has played for in the NBA.
"I'll miss minny," Brewer tweeted, "thanks for all the support wolves fans one last time go wolves."
Even though Kahn was in advanced talks with the Knicks on Monday, Brewer accompanied the team to Milwaukee for the game against the Bucks. When word of the trade spread late Monday night, coach Kurt Rambis excused him from the morning shootaround on Tuesday, and he returned to Minnesota.
"It's something that's weighed on his mind for a while now, and you can just see it," Rambis said at shootaround before the trade was official. "It's awful. But that's what happens to guys in this league. Again, that's just part of the business side of it."
The deal helped the Wolves alleviate a logjam on the wing, freeing up more playing time for Wes Johnson, Martell Webster and Wayne Ellington. And in sending Koufos, the team's third-string center, to Denver, Kahn also made more minutes available in the frontcourt for Darko Milicic, Nikola Pekovic and Randolph.
Brewer, who was the Wolves' best perimeter defender, is averaging 8.6 points and 1.6 steals per game. But even though he has improved his shooting under Rambis, he's still making just 38.6 percent of his shots.
"Corey definitely provides energy and electricity from time to time," Kahn said. "He is prone to make a very big play from time to time. However, it's very hard in this league to have a prominent role when your shot and your ball-handling are not at an elite level."
Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn has been trying to land Anthony Randolph for nearly a year. He finally got him thanks to what he calls "a favor" he did for the Knicks and Nuggets in the blockbuster Carmelo Anthony trade.
Kahn said he has coveted the lanky, athletic Randolph since April or May and called Knicks president Donnie Walsh on several occasions this season looking to acquire him. But he was rebuffed each time, until the last few weeks when Walsh needed some help to get the 'Melo deal done.
"He said, 'If you really want this guy, this is how you have to play ball with us,"' Kahn said on a conference call Tuesday night.
Kahn was willing to have the Timberwolves become the third team in the deal, and take on Eddy Curry's expiring contract, to facilitate the trade that sent Anthony to New York. The Wolves received Randolph, a second-round pick and the necessary cash to buy Curry out of his contract. They sent swingman Corey Brewer to the Knicks and center Kosta Koufos to Denver.
Kahn said the Wolves will likely either buy out Curry or waive him because he doubted he could trade his bloated salary to another team before the deadline on Thursday.
The Timberwolves are intrigued by the 6-foot-11 Randolph's size and athleticism, even though he averaged just 2.1 points in 17 games for the Knicks this season.
"We had a very clear target," Kahn said. "Anthony Randolph is a young player in our league who kind of fits the description of what we've been trying to add to our team."
Brewer was the longest-tenured Timberwolves player, the No. 7 overall draft pick in 2007. His energy and nightly effort earned him a regular spot in the starting five for the struggling Wolves, who fell to 13-44 after a 94-88 loss at Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Brewer and his agent asked the Timberwolves to trade him if he wasn't figuring in their long-term plans, but he said he was still sorry to be leaving the only team he has played for in the NBA.
"I'll miss minny," Brewer tweeted, "thanks for all the support wolves fans one last time go wolves."
Even though Kahn was in advanced talks with the Knicks on Monday, Brewer accompanied the team to Milwaukee for the game against the Bucks. When word of the trade spread late Monday night, coach Kurt Rambis excused him from the morning shootaround on Tuesday, and he returned to Minnesota.
"It's something that's weighed on his mind for a while now, and you can just see it," Rambis said at shootaround before the trade was official. "It's awful. But that's what happens to guys in this league. Again, that's just part of the business side of it."
The deal helped the Wolves alleviate a logjam on the wing, freeing up more playing time for Wes Johnson, Martell Webster and Wayne Ellington. And in sending Koufos, the team's third-string center, to Denver, Kahn also made more minutes available in the frontcourt for Darko Milicic, Nikola Pekovic and Randolph.
Brewer, who was the Wolves' best perimeter defender, is averaging 8.6 points and 1.6 steals per game. But even though he has improved his shooting under Rambis, he's still making just 38.6 percent of his shots.
"Corey definitely provides energy and electricity from time to time," Kahn said. "He is prone to make a very big play from time to time. However, it's very hard in this league to have a prominent role when your shot and your ball-handling are not at an elite level."
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