Prospects

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Fri Mar 25, 2011 11:19 pm

speaking of kentucky...

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VideoKilledThe · Post by **VideoKilledThe** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 1:13 am

If Lamb and Liggins come back next year I think Kentucky will be the favorite to win it all, they might still be even if they don't come back. Have to figure Knight and Jones both turn pro.

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wheels · Post by **wheels** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:09 pm

Kyle Wiltjer just won the 3pointer contest at the skills challenge^

VideoKilledThe · Post by **VideoKilledThe** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:03 pm

Lots of things to like about Wiltjer, his dad and sister play for the Canadian National team, so he has the pedigree, he has a very international style to his game, 6'9 with NBA range 3-pt range, great footwork, and probably the best passing big man in his class.

He basically said he chose Kentucky to play along side Teague and Gilchrist, that the day in day out competition would help him elevate his game, which shows he cares about winning and cares about pushing himself, two great traits for any prospect.

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:09 pm

man coach cal is such a ridic good recruiter, this carousel is amazing

VideoKilledThe · Post by **VideoKilledThe** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 11:36 pm

The McDonald's All American game is tomorrow at 10 on Espn, and basically its a who's who of incoming college freshmen. Fingers crossed that at some point Teague and Rivers get some burn together in the West backcourt.

here is a breakdown of each player - http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiti ... id=6101120

peanut butter · Post by **peanut butter** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 12:24 am

Fuck there's another Plumlee? Horrible.

PEACE

wheels · Post by **wheels** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 11:52 am

That Plumlee is a freak of nature. I'm going to the game tonight, I'll be that guy courtside in a UK jersey explaining who everyone is to my dad and my uncles

Gregg Popabitch · Post by **Gregg Popabitch** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 1:32 pm

VideoKilledThe wrote:If Lamb and Liggins come back next year I think Kentucky will be the favorite to win it all, they might still be even if they don't come back. Have to figure Knight and Jones both turn pro.

even if lamb and liggins don't come back, kentucky is stacked as hell. this is the best recruiting class since the fab five. yeah, i said it.

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 1:37 pm

wheels wrote:That Plumlee is a freak of nature. I'm going to the game tonight, I'll be that guy courtside in a UK jersey explaining who everyone is to my dad and my uncles

color me jealous as fuck!!! bring ur digicam or sth lol

Big Breeze · Post by **Big Breeze** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:04 pm

Gregg Popabitch wrote:even if lamb and liggins don't come back, kentucky is stacked as hell. this is the best recruiting class since the fab five. yeah, i said it.

Lets watch them play as a unit first before we make such outlandish statements. This may not even be Kentucky's best class since Calipari got there. 2011 has to compete with 2009 which went to the Elite 8 and sent 4 players to the NBA (only 3 of them were worth it). Nobody in this 2011 class is as good individually as John Wall is/was. Same could be said of DeMarcus Cousins.

And to the Fab 5 part of your comment, 2004 Florida sent 4 players to the NBA like they did, but unlike the Fab 5, Florida won their two national championship appearances. They may not have had the acclaim that they Fab 5 came in with, but they left with the hardware. When it's all said and done, Noah, Horford, and Brewer should last 10+ years in the NBA like Webber, Rose, and Howard.

Gregg Popabitch · Post by **Gregg Popabitch** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:25 pm

Big Breeze wrote:
Gregg Popabitch wrote:even if lamb and liggins don't come back, kentucky is stacked as hell. this is the best recruiting class since the fab five. yeah, i said it.
Lets watch them play as a unit first before we make such outlandish statements. This may not even be Kentucky's best class since Calipari got there. 2011 has to compete with 2009 which went to the Elite 8 and sent 4 players to the NBA (only 3 of them were worth it). Nobody in this 2011 class is as good individually as John Wall is/was. Same could be said of D-Mac.

And to the Fab 5 part of your comment, 2004 Florida sent 4 players to the NBA like they did, but unlike the Fab 5, Florida won their two national championship appearances. They may not have had the acclaim that they Fab 5 came in with, but they left with the hardware. When it's all said and done, Noah, Horford, and Brewer should last 10+ years in the NBA like Webber, Rose, and Howard.

ummmmmmmm, i'm just talking about straight up pub. Fab five had 4 players in the top 10 of their high school class and ray jackson was in teh top 50 i think. This Kentucky class has 4 in the top 15. Ridiculous.

everything i've seen from teague and gilchrist are legit as fuck.

I've been following gilchrist since a sophmore. I love this kid's game. he's a human swiss army knife on a basketball court. If he develops any kind of jumper, it's dangerous.

i know john wall and demarcus cousins probably have a higher ceiling then anyone in this '11 class for kentucky. but the sheer number of guys and the size of the players that they are getting. ughhhhh. if davis or wiltjer are legit, it's scary.

Big Breeze · Post by **Big Breeze** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:32 pm

Depending on what recruiting service you look at, Wiltjer is on the outside of the top 15 on several lists.

Even if you use pub as the criteria for where this 2011 Kentucky class ranks, it doesn't measure up to 2009's class. Davis is still a mystery because he came out of nowhere to be a top 10 talent because of his recent growth spurt. Teague and Gilchrist have been on the national radar all along.

Gregg Popabitch · Post by **Gregg Popabitch** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:35 pm

supposedly davis grew 4-5 inches out of nowhere. i really want to see him play. probably tonight. still pissed that josiah is not playing tonight.

Kid That's Lifeless · Post by **Kid That's Lifeless** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:42 pm

06 Ohio St. class was pretty ill, don't forget about them.

Gregg Popabitch · Post by **Gregg Popabitch** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:53 pm

Kid That's Lifeless wrote:06 Ohio St. class was pretty ill, don't forget about them.

yeah, oden, conley and cook were in the same class. that was pretty dope.

Big Breeze · Post by **Big Breeze** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 5:09 pm

Davis grew 7 inches. He went from 6'3'' to 6'10'' and still retained his guard skills. Davis is learning the nuances of post play, but supposedly his room for growth is through the roof.

I saw him play in a game that was televised early in the season on ESPN. I would like to see more, because he's team was garbage and he was the whole show. His team got served too. Usually great prospects play with other good to great prospects, but Davis didn't transfer from the school that he started at because he wanted to play with his friends he came in with. He got love last year on the AAU circuit and established his rep through those games.

Personally, I've not in to watching the highlights of the prospects that are among the elite. They are cool and all, and it allows you to get a feel for their game, but I'd rather watch them play in an actual game. I need to see real situations instead of a condensed version of the best shit that they do.

I've been following high school ball since LaPhonso Ellis was in high school and he was tearing shit up across the river from me in East St. Louis. I saw him play in person because he is a family friend. Cuonzo Martin is a family friend as well (shouts out to him and his new job at Tennessee) and I got to see him play too.

I've tried to watch any and all high school game that has come on TV since. I remember watching Jason Kidd play in high school in the early 90's on ESPN. I believe Chris Fowler did a story on him on Scholastic Sports America (anybody that remembers that show is old-school for real).

I used to read the hell out of Street & Smith's basketball mags before the internet too. That was one of the best ways to stay on top of shit back in the day.

In my area, certain games of interest are broadcasted if there is a player worth the attention. The section playoffs and state tournament games are broadcasted on FSN every year.

For my national fix, ESPN has done an outstanding job of putting games on with several games a year. This year has been the best as far as the output of games. I've had several advance looks at seeing who's the real deal and who is a fraud.

The Mickey D's game is a raw way to see who can play. I look forward to it every year, but it's just a glorified all-star game for the youngsters to show off their skills. It's hyped up as a muthafucka, with several controversial decisions every year, but it is what is.

Gregg Popabitch · Post by **Gregg Popabitch** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 5:18 pm

i used to be able to watch high school games. Just don't have the time anymore. I have to tend to the people.

What the hell do you do for a living? Because all you seem to do is watch amateur sports.

Kid That's Lifeless · Post by **Kid That's Lifeless** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 5:19 pm

What higher rated prospects would you consider frauds? I don't really watch high school basketball (if there is a game on ESPN 2 or something, I'll watch it but that's not often), but I follow the rankings pretty closely.

wheels · Post by **wheels** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:42 am

Davis and Teague already have it figured out. They connected on a couple big scoring plays and at least 1 alley oop. Teague made a bunch of bad passes.

Davis needs to gain 45 lbs. (nh) and he'll be unreal.

Kabongo has handles for days but can't finish. He's John Wall fast.

Rivers is amazing. I saw him cut through 4 guys and finish with a layup and it was probably the play of the night.

Nobody impressed me more than Wiltjer. He hit a three with a hand in his face like it was nothing. Good rebounder, has good post presence. He looks like he's 7 years old.

Zeller is good.

Rakeem Christmas had a couple nice plays, on both ends of the court.

Gilchrist was the lone Wildcat on the East. he didn't get many opportunities to score but he rebounded his ass off and has great ball control.

McAdoo and Plumlee are great. That's all I got.

Kid That's Lifeless · Post by **Kid That's Lifeless** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:19 am

All I know is that next year's UNC vs. Kentucky game is going to be EPIC. Basically if you weren't a McDonald's All-American, you aren't getting on the court.

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:29 pm

Gregg Popabitch wrote: ummmmmmmm, i'm just talking about straight up pub. Fab five had 4 players in the top 10 of their high school class and ray jackson was in teh top 50 i think.

fab five had 3 in the top ten, one thirteen, and ray jax was 81

Big Breeze wrote:Davis grew 7 inches. He went from 6'3'' to 6'10'' and still retained his guard skills. Davis is learning the nuances of post play, but supposedly his room for growth is through the roof.

sounds like lamar odom! lamar was 6'1 his frosh year playing pure point guard and 6'9 his sophomore year lol.

damn breeze your high school pedigree is crazy. i used to follow high school ball like you until i left high school. you got to watch a ton of ill games on tv and you are clearly slightly older than me judging the stuff you watched, but i was blessed by going to st. thomas more.

see i knew max good's password to hoopscooponline. max good was the coach for maine central institute. i used to watch that recruiting list like religion every day. (i'm name-dropping stuff assumign you know it b/c you are so heavy into h.s. ball. i'm not tryin to do it to sound cocky i promise, just to see if it'll gauge any memories you have that will make me smile and shit, especially of the cali guys i will mention)

i was HEAVY into high school ball with the fab five but i was young as fuck and i chased any media outlets to see them/hear them/read them but it's not like what it is when you are in the middle of it. at st thomas more i met coach k (shook his hand and he was really nice, his nephew was going to stm and i played with him on the varsity football and basketball squads, plus he was there recruiting cats obv.), tommy amaker, and several other random but relatively big-time coaches including most of the big east ones. i also got to meet and talk to ed cota (he had gone to stm for a year of prep ball before going to unc) when he came back to visit coach quinn.

how could i forget coach jere quinn. this guy went to central connecticut state or sth like that. he apparently used to shoot 25 foot jumpers, and then turn around and start heading to the opposite basket while the ball was in the air still b/c he was that cocky about his shot (a teacher who went to college with him and saw him play told us this story many times). coach quinn was a gym rat, and so was i. so when he saw me in the gym all the time, and he knew i was a good student, he asked me to be the official game scorer who could travel with the team and shit. it was a trip! local reporters coming up to me asking me who had how many points. and i was so adhd and SO good at multi-tasking that i would keep track of other stats for the fuck of it and for the benefit of the players. examples:

carl krauser, our point guard who came to us via the bronx before he went to pitt, he demanded that every game he know his free throw makes and attempts. so i always kept a spot on the side for him for that.

and jeff mcmillan, he always wanted to know his double-doubles, points and rebounds. he struggled on a shitty ass program at fordham even though coach bob hill was there, then he transferred to usc and had a decent finish

gary buchanan. villanova. originally from st. louis. way too laid back, didn't play much defense, but GODAMN his jumper was sick wet, everyone touted him the best shooter at our school.

reggie bryant. COOL ASS MUTHAFUCKA. dark as fuck too (no

). he had the fuckin grill and THICK accent but he was always so fucking nice and calm. he didn't have a temper that showed ever. went to georgetown, struggled with minutes, then transferred to st. louis

nick vanderlaan. my favorite dude. this guy was 6'10 and the goofiest motherfucker ever. like ALL HE DID was tell jokes and goof on people and smile and laugh. he was the happiest kid i know. and get this, no homo, but he was a virgin his whole life (not for some religious shit i don't think cuz of what follows)!!! so the next year he goes to cal right, and he sends us these emails about how he's fucking every girl left and right hhsahahahahahah

josh forgethislastname. 7 foot behemoth. had a fake sports illustrated cover made for him by some higher-up with him on the cover saying some shit like 'next shaq?" or sth. BUT, unlike nick vanderlaan, this guy was a fucking nutcase. he was my next door roomate on my floor. he was just...something was off with him. like he had been molested or abused when he was younger or sth. he was this behemoth who had the insecurities and sensitivities of a small, bashful kid. really weird and really sad b/c it affected his game. he never worked hard at it, was always too big. he went to michigan if i'm not mistaken but was so out of shape and not skilled enough to make up for it. at our prep school we could just put him in and he'd be so big he could be effective. but not in college. too bad cuz he was a legit 7 feet. i always though he'd make the league. i think his name was josh smith but i'm afraid i'm getting it confused with atl's josh smith.

solomon brown. my senior year he lived across from me. nicest guy from cali ever. totally laid back. too skinny and too unathletic to make it at any next level (think he was a backup pg for some randy school in the east)

keith price. 6'5 but skinnier than me. he was literally listed at 6'5 160lbs. dude was athletic and long as fuck though for a sg. think he went to rider.

carl krauser. we all know his pitt success. he was the leader of our team my senior year. toughest kid i might have ever met. he grew up in the bronx and had this chip on his shoulder like crazy. i remember when we used to goof around and w/e, sometimes someone would call him a "bitch" in jest, and carl always got dead serious and would wipe off the grin and sternly say "yo, i know we jokin but don't call me a bitch. i'm not playin, don't call me a bitch"

julian sensley. THE WORST WASTE OF TALENT EVER at stm. this guy came from hawaii. he was very good friends with solomon brown b/c the two of them had played together in the west at some point before coming to stm. well, julian sensley should be in the nba. he was 6'8, had nba range at 16 years old, was athletic as fuck, AND HAD an nba body at 16. he was clearly the most talented player on the team.

HOWEVER...he was the most insecure and weird kid i've ever met. he was twice as worse as josh. he would literally make weird high-pitched voices like a little 5 year old kid would when joking around. he was really weird. he got into many confrontations with people who would just be like "wtf? dude i dont' know you like that stfu". happened to me. we were in the library and he was saying some really dumb shit to me. for some reason i was in a shitty mood and i told him "yo, i don't know you, and i don't like you" and his reaction was literally sadness and anxiety. he like, got bashful and shut up. this guy is 6 foot 8 and has all the talent and body skills of a grown man, but acts like he's 6. so fuckin weird. needless to say, he never panned out. too many mental issues. to this day i have no idea what happened to him.

brandon hawkins. tough motherfucker who claimed compton all the time to us. but i always thought there was sth fugazi about him. whatever. one time on a bus ride to mci for a road game, i was clowning on keith price cuz we were all just messin around, and then out of nowhere brandon turned around (he was a seat in front of me) and smacks me full blast. i was just like WHAT THE FUCK. i didn't react though cuz getting into a fight in the middle of a bus of 6'6 ballers isn't a good idea, although the vast majority of the van took brandon to task and for some odd fucked up reason he thought of that smack as my initiation rite or sth and he would dap me and say whattup to me the rest of the year with smiles. he ended up at iowa state i think as a backup pg.

matt quinn. coach's son. played a post grad year with our pg-a team. was nepotism bullshit. wasn't good enough lol.

brandon owens. he was like 5'7 or 5'8 lol. but he was the quickest motherfucker i've ever played with live.

matt turner. LOVED matt. his gf was fucking beautiful half black half azn and would come to all the home games. i think i fapped to her at least a few times back then. he went to boston university. my first memory of him? i was playing 21 witha bunch of random guys, and he was in socks only, he comes to the court and starts playing with us...and out of nowhere starts skying for clap-back lay-ups and easy rebounds towering over us...oh yea, he was 5'9. he could dunk easily. loved his game.

ahhh nostalgia.

players i saw live b/c they played for other basketball prep/post-grad schools:

dermarr johnson (the best opposing player i ever saw)
caron butler (second)
avery bradley
tony robertson (uconn guard who never became a star)

oops my mind is blanking, there were a grip more, played for the notre dame preps and winchendons and mci's and south kent's of the world

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 7:12 pm

GMs, scouts think Anthony Davis is future No. 1
March, 31, 2011
MAR 31
2:51
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By Chad Ford

Warren Wimmer/Icon SMI
Anthony Davis (right) is a big that can, and will, contribute all over the court.
March Madness has been the primary stage for NBA Draft prospect over the past few weeks. But with games on hiatus until Saturday, a huge contingent of NBA scouts and GMs traveled to Chicago this week to attend the practices for the McDonald's All-American game.

Yes, they are already on the hunt for the top player for the 2012 NBA Draft and many came away convinced that they found him.

Anthony Davis, a 6-foot-10, 200 pound forward from Chicago has been the talk of the town for months. But at the McDonald's game -- both in practices and in the game itself -- he solidified his spot as the guy to beat for the No. 1 spot in the draft in 2012.

Davis has an unusual story. He was 6-foot-2 going into his junior year of high school -- a point guard. But a crazy growth spurt added 8 inches to his stature. Many kids get clumsy or awkward when their body grows that fast. Not Davis. He's rail thin, but still demonstrates the quickness, ballhandling and shooting abilities of a guard.

But it gets better. Sometimes those 6-foot-10 guards in a big man's body are the bane of an NBA scout's existence. They want their big men to rebound and block shots. That's where they are most valuable to a NBA team. Davis, is doing that as well. He's an aggressive rebounder, a big-time shot blocker and isn't afraid to dunk over people. In other words, he's the best of both worlds. Scouts are almost uniformly comparing him to a young Kevin Garnett.

Davis will be playing at Kentucky next year, and if he can live up to potential, he should be the odds on favorite for the No. 1 pick in 2012.

ג¢ Austin Rivers, son of Doc Rivers, may have the most complete game of any guard in the country. His high basketball IQ and killer instinct are super appealing. But his lack of size for his position and lack of explosive athleticism (he's a good, but not an elite athlete) may lower his ceiling a bit. Rivers will head to Duke sitting at No. 2 on our 2012 Big Board.

Michael Gilchrist (committed to Kentucky), Bradley Beal (committed to Florida), James McAdoo (committed to North Carolina) and Myck Kabongo (committed to Texas) also drew a lot of praise from scouts as potential lottery picks in 2012.

We'll break down the whole incoming freshman class a bit later ... but you can also check out our player cards for the other potential one-and-done's in the high school class of 2011 here.

ג¢ We've already had 12 college underclassmen declare for the 2011 NBA Draft. Only three of them -- Tobias Harris, Reggie Jackson and Tyler Honeycutt -- look like for sure first-round picks.

Meanwhile the only two underclassmen lottery picks to make their intentions known -- Jared Sullinger and Tristan Thompson -- are both saying that they are returning to school. Sullinger's decision sounds like it's pretty final. Thompson's may not, however, be etched in stone. Sources say that his family has talked to a number of agents, but contrary to a recent report, he hasn't made a decision.

We should be getting updates soon from a number of the top underclassmen. Sources say Kyrie Irving is leaning strongly toward declaring for the NBA Draft and should be making an announcement soon. Ditto for Baylor's Perry Jones, UConn's Kemba Walker and Kentucky's Terrence Jones.

Sources say that a number of other prospects including Alec Burks, Jordan Hamilton, Scotty Hopson, Kawhi Leonard, Mason Plumlee, Jeff Taylor, Trey Thompkins and Klay Thompson are very likely to enter as well.

UNC's Harrison Barnes continues to be on the fence however. He recently had his exit interview with head coach Roy Williams. In the interview Williams told Barnes that he would go somewhere between No. 5 and 11 in the draft, according to a source familiar with the discussion. I think Barnes will go higher -- likely in the Top 3. The bigger question will be whether Barnes wants to return to a loaded UNC team next year to try to win a championship.

Arizona's Derrick Williams and Kentucky's Brandon Knight are also wildcards. While both players have explored their draft stock, it's unclear from sources which way they're leaning right now.

For a complete updated analysis on who's in and out of the NBA Draft ... click here.

ג¢ The deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the draft is April 24 this year. For players who want to test the waters (declare for the draft but not hire an agent to preserve their college eligibility) there is a pretty tight window for them to get in workouts with NBA teams.

While the NBA's date to withdraw for the draft doesn't come until mid June, the NCAA requires player to drop out by May 8. While it's possible to do workouts (Jimmer Fredette worked out for four teams in that window last year) it's challenging for most prospects to do it and still go to classes.

The league has been working on a fix for a while and as Draft Express reported on Wednesday, the Nets and other teams have tentatively scheduled a large group workout in New Jersey to try to get a look at them before the May 8 deadline. The workout would bring all 30 teams together, if it's approved by the league.

It's an interesting idea that was bounced around last year too. It certainly will allow underclassmen to get more feedback, but at the end of the day, probably won't impact the draft much at all.

"We want to see the kids, get physicals, whatever," one NBA GM told ESPN.com. "But I don't think it will change much. First of all, these large workouts are basically useless. They rarely have much of an impact on our scouting reports. More importantly, the workout will happen in late April. The draft is in late June. None of us are ready to commit to players in late April. If they need a guarantee that they'll go in the first round like the Fredette kid did last year, they probably aren't going to get it. If they do get it, it won't be because of one workout. I think it's a good thing and I support it. But it's not a big deal."

VideoKilledThe · Post by **VideoKilledThe** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:03 pm

I think Rivers would be better served to switch over to PG in the NBA, he has the handles/quickness for it, and this way he doesn't get Monta Ellis'ed by real 2s on the defense end. He reminds me of a skinnier Deron Williams with his cross, 3pt shot, and play making ability.

Davis No.1 overall...eehhh...not so sure about that or about the Garnett comparisons. Davis is a great shot blocker, but that doesn't mean he is KG on D, the boards, or anywhere near KG's intensity.

Another interesting thing of note is IF the NBA does lose a season because of a lockout that could force a lot of kids who would have been 1 n done or just declaring that year to go back to college for another, so under that scenario the 2013 draft would be especially stacked.

wheels · Post by **wheels** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:52 pm

When does everybody have to declare/not declare for the draft?

Kid That's Lifeless · Post by **Kid That's Lifeless** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 5:02 pm

May 8th

wheels · Post by **wheels** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 5:07 pm

Big Breeze · Post by **Big Breeze** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 5:49 pm

Kid That's Lifeless wrote:May 8th

This is halfway right. April 24th is the last day to declare and May 8th is the last day to withdrawal from the draft without incurring a penalty.

Big Breeze · Post by **Big Breeze** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:09 pm

Gregg Popabitch wrote:i used to be able to watch high school games. Just don't have the time anymore. I have to tend to the people.

What the hell do you do for a living? Because all you seem to do is watch amateur sports.

I prefer to watch college football over pro football, despite all the contradictory problems involved with it. Living in LA and not having a pro team in the area is the culprit. The team I do root for is 400 miles away and has sucked like the tranny that got to Mr. Cee for the last 8 years.

College basketball and pro basketball go hand-and-hand to me. The NBA regular season is way too fucking long though. The college basketball season is perfect the way it is with the helter skelter tournament to conclude the season. Even though it's never going to happen, the NBA should reduce it's schedule to 60-65 games a year. I tend to lose a lot of interest in the NBA until the playoffs once it's past 60 games and the college basketball season is heating up.

High school basketball and football are a unique aspect for myself because I've been fortunate to have played with and against heads that have been or are currently in the NBA and the NFL. Living a good portion of my life in the talent rich area that is Greater Los Angeles and the surrounding cities close by, I have seen several fools go from nothing to something.

Sports Illustrated named the high school I went to, Poly, the best high school athletic program in the country in 2005 because we were good at a lot of boys and girls sports. We have produced more NFL players than any high school in the country. Numerous people I went to school with there made it to the NFL, MLB and the Olympics. Ironically, none made it to the NBA when I was attending.

I was at one time a member of an AAU basketball team that had Jeff Trapagnier, Kenny Brunner, Tommy Prince (older brother of Tayshaun), and Shea Cotton (younger brother of James, who played with the Seattle Supersonics and Long Beach St). Everybody I named played Division 1 ball at one time or another. I could have played D1 myself, but I was wild and couldn't be told shit. I had some off court problems that contributed to me doing a bid. One of the cats I was locked up with was the homie David Hamilton who went to Auburn and got kicked out of school there because he was on some gangsta shit. He kept his gangsta on 24/7 and that was to his detriment.

I lived in the same neighborhood as Tyus Edney. Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Darrick Martin was a MDAA at St. Anthony's High in Long Beach who was always around the hood because he used to date one of my homie's sister. Got a chance to run with both of them at the hardest park in the city, the legendary Vets Park. I used to run with Charles O'Bannon, Ed O'Bannon and Avondre Jones at Del Valle Park aka Airplane Park in Lakewood and Liberty Park in Cerritos back in the day.

I played in basketball tournaments against Chris Claiborne and Tony Gonzalez when they were hoopin. Anybody that played at UCLA between '97-99, I got to play with them at the Wooden Center. That includes people like: Baron Davis, Matt Barnes, Earl Watson, JaRon Rush, Dan Gadzuric, Rico Hines, Billy Knight, Sean Farnham, and others. Players from USC, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, and other colleges would converge there over the summer. Lots of pros would come through and use the Pauley Pavillion courts. Those courts were hard to get onto, but I saw Magic Johnson dominate over any and all at that time.

Basically the comeup aspect of seeing people from my area is dope to me and is the reason why I follow high school sports. Games get televised and I will DVR them if they are of interest. It's something that is just a part of me because of how I was raised and who I've been around.

Kid That's Lifeless wrote:What higher rated prospects would you consider frauds? I don't really watch high school basketball (if there is a game on ESPN 2 or something, I'll watch it but that's not often), but I follow the rankings pretty closely.

Rakeem Christmas from this current class. He's a MDAA that only averaged 9.4 ppg and 8.1 rpg. That's waste management if you ask me. I saw him play against Boys & Girls High earlier in the year and he had 3 points and 2 rebounds in the whole 32 minute game. He just wasn't a factor and from I've seen and read about him, he doesn't look like he's going to amount to much. Among the other players at the Mickey D's camp, he struggled. Big men take a while to develop, but maybe he'll come around and show me why he deserves the attention that he's received so far.

Other MDAA over the years have been ranked low in most recruiting services, but mysteriously get the coveted MDAA status when they have attached their names to blue blood schools. The Wear twins and Larry Drew II come to mind very quickly. It's funny how they started at UNC, but now are at UCLA. Fuck my life.

Big Breeze · Post by **Big Breeze** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:22 am

Don't know if any of y'all got a chance to watch the Nike Hoop Summit this past Saturday, but it was a great opportunity to see some of the best young talent in the world play in game situations.

Two words: Bismack Byambo. I was impressed with his game crazily. He had 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 blocks. His athleticism is ridic. Byambo stands a legit 6'9'' and is 240 of solid muscle. Dude is already a pro in Spain and will be one in the NBA as long as the possible lockout doesn't fuck shit up. Even if it does happen, he'll just develop in Europe before he comes over.

He's similar to his countryman from Congo, Serge Ibaka. Ibaka is an inch taller and a little lighter, but they both have that same great athleticism and a strong work ethic to get better. Byambo is really quick to the ball on the glass and for positioning on defense. He challenged shots without fouling and rejected shots from various passerby types trying to challenge him in the lane.

Offensively, he showed a basic drop step move and was able to get his on positioning and power. He had several dunks when he cleared heads out the way with his superior strength. Don't think his offensive game will be a strong suit for him in the future, but it could be if he works hard at it. He's only been playing ball for a few years and has already taken to it very well.

I was also impressed with Anthony Davis's game. He just recently overtook Austin Rivers for the #1 rated prospect on ESPN's 100. He's going to get pushed around by stronger guys in college, but he will inflict a lot of punishment on offense and defense too. He runs very well in the open floor and is extremely athletic. I believe he will be disruptive on defense because his long ass Inspector Gadget arms cover a lot of ground.

Another thing I noticed about him besides having a unibrow, is that he has fucked up teeth. If his fam can't pay for it, hopefully a Kentucky booster will hook up a trip to the dentist. He was getting interviewed on the bench during the game and it looked like his mouth had got mollywhopped something crucial, but he was making it work regardless. Just don't smile kid.

Michael Gilchrist, Austin Rivers, Marcus Teague, and Bradley Beal stood out too. They all had solid to great games. The USA team had too many athletes for the World team to contend with. The above names were a strong reason why.

Another player who I had not seen play in a true game situation or in an all-star contest was Tony Wroten Jr. from Seattle, Washington. He's 6'4''/6'5'' southpaw who runs point. All I can say is that his court vision is beyond sick. He had several no-look passes that found their mark for easy buckets. I was concerned about him because he had missed his entire junior year because of an ACL injury he got from playing football. Supposedly he is 100% now and he seemed to be moving like he was close to it, but I truly don't know since I have know idea what he was like before the injury. A couple of times when he was fouled, he didn't appear to get much lift off the ground. He is quick and fast though. During the telecast they said he tried out for the track team at the request of a faculty member and ran 10.78 in the 100m recently. He had never ran track before that. That's a really tight time for someone who doesn't have the proper mechanics or the experience in that event.

I can't wait to watch him at U-Dub next year. He's one of several additions to the Pac-12 that will make the league strong again. I can also say that from what I saw in his time on the court, he appeared to be robbed of a MDAA spot. I read an article on him after the announcements had been made and he said that certain names on the list that had made it, he had served them on the AAU circuit. I see the potential. He looked like he is better than Omar Cook, who I've seen a lot lately, thanks to the NHSI tournament that just concluded. Cook was on the USA team too. Wroten is higher rated prospect than Cook as well.

Before I go, I have to say that Myck Kabongo was dicked out of a spot on the World team. Don't understand the reason why he was not selected, but the little Canadian PG who was, Kevin Pangos is not the business. He's going to be at Gonzaga next year and he can't get with Kabongo in any way, shape, or form. Corey Joesph and Tristan Thompson played last year for the World. Kabongo should have too. Out.