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

[jamesonnt]

Holiday is the truth.

I don't think UCLA is going deep in the tourney this year.

 

[tmay407]

Originally Posted by Bigmike23

we will be fine upfront NCAA title here we %%#%%+% come

I want A&M and UCLA to play again this season. The last two games have been some good ones.

 

[shannonscrooks]

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Oklahoma was picked as the preseason favorite for the first time in the Big 12 coaches poll, and defending national champion Kansas finished tied for third with Baylor.

Only six points separated the top four teams in the poll released Tuesday, led by the Sooners with 109 points and three first-place votes. Second-place Texas had the most first-place votes with four and tallied 107 points.

Kansas, which beat Memphis 75-68 in overtime for the school's first national championship since 1988, matched Oklahoma with three first-place votes and had 103 points along with Baylor, which had two first-place votes.

The Sooners and Longhorns return four starters apiece, although Texas' loss was a big one -- All-America point guard D.J. Augustin. He left school two years early and was the ninth pick in the NBA draft after leading the Longhorns to the regional finals, where they lost to Memphis.

The Jayhawks lost all five starters, including NBA picks Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers, who hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime against Memphis. Junior guard Sherron Collins and sophomore center Cole Aldrich will be joined by another highly rated recruiting class.

The Bears are coming off their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1988 and looking for the first back-to-back trips in school history. Their highest previous spot in the Big 12 preseason poll was No. 7 in 2006-07.

Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Missouri were picked fifth, sixth and seventh. The remainder of the poll was Kansas State at No. 8, followed by the Nebraska, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Colorado.

The first Big 12 teams start the regular season Nov. 14. Conference play starts Jan. 10.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

[bigmike23]

this is a team mix with vets and freshman it any out of the question for us to make another deep run.

 

[allen3xis]

LUBICK NOT WORRIED ABOUT RACE ISSUE

It's been more than four years since Georgetown has had an American-born Caucasion on their team. *scholarship players

That was before Matt Causey transferred out of the program and ultimately landed at Georgia Tech.

John Thompson III and the Hoyas landed highly regarded junior forward Nate Lubick last night. He isn't set to arrive on campus until the fall of 2010.

``At first, after Georgetown offered, it was like, `Georgetown doesn't offer white kids,'" Lubicksaid. "I thought about it a little bit and after I visited the second time and was with their players, I just said, 'Whocares.'"

``I went on a bunch of visits and none of the teams were anywhere nearly as close as Georgetown," Lubick added. "It's crazy. They all hang outtogether like a family and couldn't care less about the white-black thing and that's what made me so comfortable. I didn't even pay attention toit."

The Hoyas do have 6-foot-8 Nikita Mescheriakov on the team, who hails from Belarus.

 

[allen3xis]

Ryan Kelly, a 6-foot-10 forward from Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft School, will announce his college choice Thursday at 6 p.m. on ESPNU.

Kelly will decide between Notre Dame, Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and Georgetown and Ravenscroft coach Kevin Billerman, a New Jersey native,says he doesn't know if Kelly has decided yet.

"We had a meeting on Sunday and we talked about all the schools, he and I and his parents," Billerman said Wednesday. "He's taking a coupleof days to decide what he wants to do and then he's going to start calling the coaches because I gather he hasn't decided yet."

 

[ValarMorghulis]

damn i didnt know J'Mison Morgan switched to a UCLA damn.....

 

[the lowa]

I think G'Town will go as far as Harlems Sapp takes them. He will be a monster this year watch!

"Jessie Sapp started all 34 games last season and improved his averages in nearly every important statistical category. He raised his shooting percentage,free-throw percentage and 3-point percentage. His outside shot really came around as he sank a career-high 62 3-pointers on a career-best 41.1 percentshooting. Sapp had never topped 30 percent from 3-point range in his Georgetown career. He also remains an excellent defender who contributes all over thefloor." Yahoo sports

 

[philballa09]

Look out for aboya. He had a really good offseason.

 

[allen3xis]

[h1]Tar Heels' Ginyard out eight weeks after having surgery on foot[/h1]
Associated Press

Updated: October 8, 2008, 4:52 PM ET

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina's pursuit of a return to the Final Four is off to a bumpy start.

Senior Marcus Ginyard will miss eight weeks after having surgery to repair astress fracture in his left foot, robbing the Tar Heels of their do-everything swingman who started every game last season.

During surgery Wednesday morning, doctors inserted a screw in the fifth metatarsal of his left foot. Ginyard has had lingering pain in the foot and wore aboot last year at times while playing through what team officials called a stress reaction.

Ginyard sprained his ankle in August, apparently exacerbating the foot injury, team spokesman Steve Kirschner said.

"You hate this for Marcus because he has worked so hard to get ready for his senior season, but he decided it was better to have the surgery now and beready sometime in December than risk a more substantial injury that would knock him out of action later in the season," coach Roy Williams said in astatement. "We will miss his play on both ends of the floor as well as his leadership with the young players."

The 6-foot-5 Ginyard averaged 6.9 points and 4.5 rebounds last year for the Tar Heels, who won a school-record 36 games before losing to eventual championKansas in the Final Four.

He played four positions, from backup point guard when starter Ty Lawson went downwith an ankle injury to seeing time at power forward during the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship win against Clemson.

He is one of five starters returning for the Tar Heels, including national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough. North Carolina opens the season at home against Penn on Nov. 15.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

 

[allen3xis]

Tenn frosh Renaldo Woolridge...aka Swiperboy

 

[handsome hustler]

I was expecting highlights.

Not some fake %!$ Ramel Bradley.

 

[allen3xis]

..
there's a story to it tho

Gary Parrish had an interesting story today about an incoming Tennessee�recruit named Renaldo Woolridge, a�6′8 top 100 power forward from Southern California who has�an�impressive bloodline - his dad happens to be former Notre Dame all-american�(1981) and longtime NBA journeyman,�Orlando Woolridge.�



(photo credit:� MySpace)

The story goes into considerable detail as to the younger Woolridge's burgeoning rap career, replete with the obligatory MySpace page and stage-friendly moniker, The Answer aka Swiperboy.� And yeah, we agree with Parrish when�he says that it's obvious after listening to�the tracks�that this kid has a little more talent than your average hoopster/rapper wannabe.�

What really piqued our interest, though, was when we listened to the song, "Baller Vol," which�quite clearly pays homage to Woolridge's new school and teammates (listen below).� We may not have caught them all, but�we heard players Scotty Hopson, Wayne Chism, Tyler Smith, JP Prince and coach Bruce Pearl mentioned.�

Not to be a total wet blanket here, because this seems like just a kid having some�fun - Woolridge even mentioned that UT may use his track for player introductions this year�- but how is this not an NCAA violation?� Wouldn't Wooldridge's production company, Swiperboyz Entertainment, be considered a commercial enterprise?� And if so, aren't there fairly explicit rules as to the limitations or usage of the university's logo and likeness?� For example, look at Rule 12.5.1.3(c) from the NCAA Rules & Regulations:



But on Woolridge's MySpace site, it's obvious�that he's a Vol and even includes�a conspicuous image of him flexing while wearing�a UT jersey.�

�

(ed. note - this picture has since been removed from Woolridge's MySpace page.� Coincidence?� photo credit:� MySpace)

And what about the shout-outs to all of his current teammates on the song?� Per Rule 12.5.2.2, did Woolridge get�express permission to use their names on his product, and if not, does it matter that UT probably hasn't taken steps to remediate that likely omission?



Given what we wrote last week about the NCAA's worthless investigative arm, none of this probably matters because there are bigger fish for the brass to fry at Prairie View and UC Davis, but coming from someone who remembers how Indiana's Steve Alford found himself in hot water for simply doing a�charity calendar photo�two decades ago, we have to wonder how all of Woolridge's UT-centric�rapping reconciles with the NCAA's rulebook.

 

[ricardo malta]

Senior Marcus Ginyard will miss eight weeks after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot

Mike don't really believe that #!+%.
He sure don't

 

[lnmymind]

Bobby Maze rapping > Woolridge rapping

 

[philballa09]

Originally Posted by Seymore CAKE

Originally Posted by Bigmike23

we will be fine upfront NCAA title here we %%#%%+% come

considering ucla made two final fours w/o a realfront court...They got the guards to make a title run.

 

[allen3xis]

Final 4 and Title aren't the same thing.

And that team isn't winning a title with that frontline.

If they don't have to leave the state (again) in the tournament...final 4 is not out of reach.

 

[ricardo malta]

Hold up and lemme interrupt the show for a minute.

Can somebody PLEASE tell me where that Mase joint is from? Everytime I use it I buss' out laughin'. Everytime somebody else use it I literally LOLhard.

Greatest GIF ever.

And whoever wrote that article about the Woolridge kid is just trying to stir up unnecessary trouble. Let that man live (even though dude is T-Rash on themic)

 

[wildkycat]

From UK Sports Info...

WHAT: Nike has partnered with the University of Kentucky to create new uniforms for the men's basketball team as they continued to prepare for the tip-off of the 2008-09 season.

A formal unveiling of the team's new look will take place at Keeneland, the world-renowned horse racing venue that is a Lexington landmark and annual home to the Bluegrass Stakes.

The event will feature guest appearances by Tracy Teague, Global Creative Director for Nike Basketball, University of Kentucky head coach, Billy Gillispie and University of Kentucky Athletics Director, Mitch Barnhart.

 

[allen3xis]

Rumors online that Kelly's choice is Duke.

He'll make it official tomorrow.

IDK if that's the right choice for him...but the ACC DEFINITELY is.

 

[seymore cake]

If he turns out to Shav I going to be tight.

 

[allen3xis]

Also seems yall are targeting Harrison Barnes more than Roscoe...which is not necessarily a bad thing. I just prefer Roscoe.

...with Kelly...he needs to bring John Wall wherever he goes...cause he made him these past 6 months.

As far as his game...he can play on the offensive end. But on D...he's just a liability. And he's gona have to play the 5 now I assume if he does go toDuke...and that is not good.

..I'd just say it speaks on his game and the strength/weakness of the 2009 class compared to 2010...that JT3 would recruit over Kelly this past week (a top25 recruit by 'gurus') and get a kid ranked in the 60's.

I feel Duke should just look at a 3 star kid who's 6'9 or 6'10 with some strength that hits the boards and does the dirty work...and offer himinstead of kids like Kelly.

 

[handsome hustler]

Is this a situation where he can't play D, or does he simply not play D?

We don't need anymore string beans...We need someone w/ some Size and Strength...

I'm not worried about the O. At all....Just defense. We're gonna score. But he have to be able to play D in the paint and wipe the glass on D.

We don't need Shav 2.0. Hell, we don't need Shelden 2.0 (though that would be nice)

We just need a serviceable big man. That's all I been asking for....

 

[allen3xis]

He can't. Laterally is just too slow, and inside he's too weak.

Honestly, the best place for him to me, is ND. Brey lets his big men out on the perimiter and shoot and doesn't care if they play D or not.

I don't think he's a productive starter anywhere until his JR year.

He fills out a little...A good case scenario would be something like Rob Kurz...nice player...but that wouldn't live up to the hype.

Can't blame him for receiving the praise he's got tho

 

[handsome hustler]

Originally Posted by allen3xis

He can't. Laterally is just too slow, and inside he's too weak.

I don't think he's a productive starter anywhere until his JR year.

And on that note.

I'm going to sleep.