The College Basketball Post

[bigmike23]

Anyone know if there's ever been a bigger recruiting class collapse then zona? Not one player stayed on board. Look at all the players once committed toArizona for the 2009 class and have since de-committed (one way or another) before and after Olson retired.

Greg Smith
Reger Dowell
Keegan Hornbuckle
Mike Moser
Solomon Hill
Abdul Gaddy

And this is coming off the heels of losing Emmanuel Negedu and Brandon Jennings from 2008. If none of these players re-commit, I couldn't name biggerrecruiting collapse in a span of 2 years

 

[jamesonnt]

[h1]Hardship waivers causing headaches for college coaches[/h1]

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com
(Archive)

NEW YORK -- Will Harris, a forward from the University of Virginia, just found out he won't have to sit out the mandatory transfer year and is eligible to play at the University at Albany immediately.

Harris was granted a hardship waiver after Albany appealed on his behalf, arguing that Harris needed to move closer to his Queens home to help his mother, a single parent, and his three considerably younger siblings.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?id=3659804#

With the decision, which was supported by the University of Virginia, Harris is now caught smack in the eye of the latest storm brewing in the ever-churning pot of college basketball.
Last season, the NCAA granted immediate eligibility to Tyler Smith after he transferred from Iowa to Tennessee to be near his gravely ill father, who lived in Pulaski, Tenn.

The decision, invoking a hardship waiver that covers everything from injury to illness to financial hardship has been in place since 1991, was lauded by many as a student-friendly act on the part of the NCAA.

Like most paths paved with good intentions, this one has been trampled.

Players are coming out of the woodwork with ailing parents or other family members, begging to head back home … or at least in the extended geographic footprint of home.

It's got coaches piping mad on both sides of the tables, with some calling this just another example of savvy rule manipulation and circumvention, and others arguing it's an effort to do the right thing by a kid and, yes, perhaps by a program.

At Big East Media Day on Wednesday, Jim Boeheim and Bobby Gonzalez were separated by just a few tables but the two coaching peers may as well have walked 20 paces turned, and fired.

"To me the waiver makes absolutely no sense," said Boeheim, a National Association of Basketball Coaches board member who has been working with the NABC to convince the NCAA that the rule needs to be tossed. "It's the most ridiculous thing that's ever happened. If you need to come home to be with someone in your family who is sick, that's when you absolutely should sit out. How are you going to be with someone who is sick when you're playing basketball, going to practice and going to games?"

But Gonzalez, who has two players waiting in the wings, sees things a touch differently. Herb Pope, who came to Seton Hall from New Mexico State, is awaiting an appeal from the NCAA after his initial attempt at immediate eligibility was rejected, and Keon Lawrence, who transferred from Missouri to Seton Hall, is expected to file for a hardship waiver so he can play in the second semester.

Pope, from Pittsburgh, was shot four times while a senior in high school. He chose New Mexico State, Gonzalez said, to be far away from his hometown. But when coach Reggie Theus left for a job with the Sacramento Kings, Pope wanted to come home.

Pope's mother, Gonzalez said, has been in and out of prison; his father is in prison and the grandfather who raised him is ill.

Gonzalez said despite concerns about retaliation from the man he testified against, Pope tried to return to the Pittsburgh area. The University of Pittsburgh didn't offer him a scholarship and Robert Morris didn't have one to give.

Gonzalez said that Pope's appeal is based on additional information about his grandfather's health, as well as documents that explain how Pope, who was cited for DUI last season, struggled with his own health and academic issues because he had to commute back and forth for the DUI hearings and appearances.

"If Herb Pope isn't able to play until next year I'll be thrilled to have him next year," Gonzalez said. "But he's a kid, where going to school without basketball is going to be tough for him. He has a lot of things to deal with, some of which I can't tell you. If I could tell you everything that's happened to that kid, you'd be stunned he's not off selling drugs or shooting people or something. Basketball for him is a motivating force."

[h3]Look, the basketball world is different than any other. There are third parties that are currently negotiating ways to get a kid eligible if he just agrees to come back home. The door's been knocked ajar and now it's like a Pandora's box.

[/h3]
--Mike Brey

Told of Gonzalez's argument, Notre Dame coach Mike Brey, who also was at media day and joined the NABC board this year, scoffed, "That's weak. We've got two transfers this year (Ben Hansbrough from Mississippi State and Scott Martin from Valparaiso) and we're feeling pretty good about that. And then it was, 'Well, hey, we got the transfers and they can play.' We're not saying take away the kid's scholarship. That $40,000- or $50,000-free year of education is still sitting there."

The truth is Pope, a one-time Parade All-American, and Lawrence, who led Missouri in scoring last year, would turn bottom-feeding Seton Hall into a bona-fide player in the crowded Big East. The Pirates were picked to finish 13th in the 16-team league.

Critics argue that's all Gonzalez cares about, that the cry to do good by the kids is nothing more than a smoke screen to do good by his program.

To which Gonzalez, who is nothing if not a coaching maverick, replies, "And?"

"People like to say that I'm taking advantage of the rules to get a kid eligible. That's what every coach in America is doing," Gonzalez said. "It's so easy for all these coaches on the NABC board to sit here and say all this stuff about how this is wrong. Let me tell you something: If they had a 6-8 All-American and some rule they could use to get him eligible, it would be like they all of a sudden found religion or found Jesus."

The fact is, since Smith was granted immediate eligibility it seems as though a lot of coaches suddenly have players claiming hardships. In the last two years, the NCAA has received 19 waiver requests in men's basketball. Ten were granted and four are still pending.

Alex Stephenson is awaiting permission to play at USC after leaving North Carolina; Kentucky applied for a hardship waiver for Matt Pilgrim, who transferred to UK from Hampton; and three of Kelvin Sampson's former players -- Jordan Crawford (now at Xavier), Armon Bassett (UAB) and Eli Holman (Detroit) -- are using the hardship waiver to seek immediate eligibility.

With Florida State's blessing, Julian Vaughn will be eligible at Georgetown this season after leaving Tallahassee for undisclosed personal reasons. Vaughn is from a Washington, D.C., suburb.

By opening the door, the NCAA now finds itself in the tricky position of judging suffering -- what constitutes a legitimate reason to be closer to home -- and siphoning the truth in a world in which honesty is a dirty word.

And while the NCAA contends that it gives each case more than a passing glance, looking for hard evidence of what NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson called, "extensive and extraordinary circumstances that are out of the control of the student-athlete," coaches believe that won't stop some clever and convenient fact-twisting.

"Look, the basketball world is different than any other," Brey said. "There are third parties that are currently negotiating ways to get a kid eligible if he just agrees to come back home. The door's been knocked ajar and now it's like a Pandora's box."

Brey and Boeheim said the NCAA has promised the NABC to treat each hardship case with more diligence.

Of course, the last might be something of a hard sell what with the precedent Harris' case is bound to set.

Boeheim hadn't heard of that one and raised his eyebrows when the case was spelled out for him.

"They told us they'd look at things more closely," he said, "but it sure doesn't sound like it."

Dana O'Neil covers college basketball for ESPN.com and can be reached at [email protected].



Good article. I think this is eventually going to get banned completely because too many people are trying to use it. I definitely feel that if there is acoaching change the player should have the choice to go wherever but if you pick a school, New Mexico State(

) for example, just because you don't likethe school you shouldn't try to get the waiver because it's $@$%!$* it up for everyone else.

 

[shannonscrooks]

Zoubek...Man..

Just give m2 10-15 good minutes a game...

 

[cadillacflow]

Went to Louisville's Red White game last night. I gotta say Samardo Samuels is gonna be a BEAST. I know it was only practice, and I know I'm a homer,but I now see why Pitino finally gave Derrick Caracter his walking papers.

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by ShannonsCrooks

Zoubek...Man..

Just give m2 10-15 good minutes a game...

Shut up Shannon. Can't I dream?

 

[dacomeup]

Critics argue that's all Gonzalez cares about, that the cry to do good by the kids is nothing more than a smoke screen to do good by his program.

To which Gonzalez, who is nothing if not a coaching maverick, replies, "And?"

"People like to say that I'm taking advantage of the rules to get a kid eligible. That's what every coach in America is doing," Gonzalez said. "It's so easy for all these coaches on the NABC board to sit here and say all this stuff about how this is wrong. Let me tell you something: If they had a 6-8 All-American and some rule they could use to get him eligible, it would be like they all of a sudden found religion or found Jesus."

At least he's honest though. That is the same thing that everyone is trying to do. Hopefully, Herb Pope can get his life together though. I would saythat he is a guy that truly NEEDS basketball.

Does anyone else feel like Coach K has completely ruined Lance Thomas' career?

Lamont Jones should be visiting UC soon and I think we have a good shot with him. As long as he doesn't mess up our chances with Teague in 2011

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Does anyone else feel like Coach K has completely ruined Lance Thomas' career?
Did Lance had post up moves, a face up game, or something other than the fact that he was a great energy guy and was the tallest dude on the courtwhen he was in HS? Something that suggested that he woulda had a dominant college career?

This is a honest question cause I have watched ZERO film of Lance when he was in HS.

Oh yeah, I heard a rumor a couple weeks ago that Lance was thinking of transferring to Arizona....Safe to say, That's not gonna happen...

 

[jamesonnt]

IDK, I think Lance would be a good fit for you guys if you had that certified center.
Just put him out there and let him grab boards, run and gun a little more, and he's gonna be easy buckets throughout the course of a game.

Although it's obviously been stated millions of times having him battle Hans on the inside is never gonna work out for him ...

 

[dacomeup]

A large part of the role of a college coach is player development. I think that Lance hasn't been properly developed under K and that he would've beenbetter off going to a school where he could've been better developed. K is talking about using this dude at the 5! I'm not saying that he should be anAll-American, but he should be much better than he is right now. He was an All-American for a reason. He has to take a lot of the blame himself also, maybehe's not putting in the necessary work in the off-season. IMO he'd be much better off if he would've picked Seton Hall or Rutgers or even 'Zonaright now.

 

[allen3xis]

I was a fan of Gonzalez at Manhattan but now this guy is just coming off as the scum of the earth.

I'd honestly be surprised if he made it through the year without something coming up to get him the axe.

 

[lazy b]

Originally Posted by allen3xis

I was a fan of Gonzalez at Manhattan but now this guy is just coming off as the scum of the earth.

I'd honestly be surprised if he made it through the year without something coming up to get him the axe.

My dad has hated him ever since he gave Kashif Pratt a raw deal at SHU.

 

[shannonscrooks]

Shut up Shannon. Can't I dream?
Of course you can, but I think we both now how this nightmare will end.

 

[bballah3]

So is coach K finally gonna play Kyle Singler at SF?

Is that what im understanding?


Thank the lord. Not that I even care about duke, but kyle is my dude.....and what he had to do last year just wasnt fair

 

[jamesonnt]

^ what happened to him?

I remember going to see the Rice vs St. Mary's game in NYC.
St. Mary's had Danny Green(see 1st post at top of page) and Rice had Pratt, Curtis Kelly, Edgar Sosa(didn't play), and MoMo Jones.

Was an ill game.

 

[allen3xis]

If I'm over 6'6 Duke is not even crossing my mind.

They like to use the larger players to rebound and push the ball up the floor and they use a lot of ball screens. I like to do both of those things.

Harrison Barnes after his visit.

That means...you will rebound, set screens, outlet, play out of position and will not be utilized like you should. You're a natural 3, but here you'llbe a 4.

He'd be ok, and Hairston will too just cause they're that good....but unless those Plumlee kids can bang, and they come up with someone else...I thinkyou're killing yourself as a 3/4 to go to Duke.

Now...If you're playing on the wing...I can't think of many schools to go to that would be better.

 

[allen3xis]

DeCourcy..

These are some of the things it would be nice to see when everybody starts playing in public:
1. Blake Griffin hitting jump shots. Almost everyone is projecting Oklahoma's Griffin as a first-team All-American. With absurdathleticism for a 6-10, 250-pound forward, he's probably the most talented player in the college game. But he understood he needed to build his offensivegame to become a great player, so he stuck around and worked on face-up jump shots. Because he moves so well, it's going to be hard for opposing big men tochase him around on offense. He has to make shots for that to matter -- and for all those predictions of stardom to be fulfilled.

2. Earl Clark asserting himself. One of the faults of the modern college basketball fan is the predisposition to demand instant success.Because so many players stick around for so little time, and because some leave even before they've accomplished a lot, there's a tendency to wantevery player to reach his potential immediately. For some, it takes time. Louisville's Clark is immensely gifted but didn't show during his sophomoreseason the necessary aggression and confidence to be a star. Shouldn't that be OK? Officially, he's got two more years to get to that point. With DavidPadgett gone from the frontcourt, though, now is as good a time as any.

3. Georgia carrying last season's momentum into this season. It's a lot to ask, obviously, but there is precedent for a teambuilding on the positive feelings generated by a strong March run. The Bulldogs made it into the NCAA Tournament by capturing a most improbable conferencetournament championship -- four victories in three days -- and then put highly seeded Xavier behind by double-digits before falling in the first round. Georgialost key players Sundiata Gaines and Dave Bliss from that team, but still has several of the players who made that run happen. The Bulldogs will have to bemore efficient with the basketball (only 42.9 percent from the field last year) if they're to make it back to the field.

4. Maryland scoring points. Sporting News' college basketball yearbook predicts the Terps will finish 12th in the AtlanticCoast Conference. (Go ahead, take a moment and count 'em up. The league has 12 teams). That's unfathomable given that Maryland won the NCAAchampionship in 2002, but the Terps lost both starting bigs off last year's team, which fell off the bubble late in the season. They've reached theNCAA Tournament only once in the past four years. This will be a guard-dominated team with only two players taller than 6-7. Greivis Vasquez and Eric Hayes arevery good, but are they good enough to overcome the lack of might along the baseline?

5. Gerald Henderson making threes. The guy they call "G" was 20-of-63 from 3-point range last year as a sophomore for Duke. In arelated item, Memphis' Chris Douglas-Roberts went from 19-of-58 as a sophomore to 45-of-109 in his junior season -- and made first-team All-America as heled the Tigers to the NCAA championship game.

 

[tmay407]

I saw Josh Carter walking around campus with a boot on his foot earlier today...hopefully he's ready to go when the season starts...

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by allen3xis

If I'm over 6'6 Duke is not even crossing my mind.

They like to use the larger players to rebound and push the ball up the floor and they use a lot of ball screens. I like to do both of those things.

Harrison Barnes after his visit.

That means...you will rebound, set screens, outlet, play out of position and will not be utilized like you should. You're a natural 3, but here you'll be a 4.

He'd be ok, and Hairston will too just cause they're that good....but unless those Plumlee kids can bang, and they come up with someone else...I think you're killing yourself as a 3/4 to go to Duke.

Now...If you're playing on the wing...I can't think of many schools to go to that would be better.

We are one borderline average big man away.

We don't need a Roy Hibbert, Hansbrough, Al Horford, etc....(Though it would be nice)

We just need a serviceable big man to allow our 3's and 4's to play their natural positions.

Glad to see Kyle going back to his natural spot.

I mean, He was put there out of necessity. K is not an idiot...He knows what we need to do. Who needs to play where, etc.

SMH...I'm banking on Plummee and Brian Zoubek.....

 

[d723]

Is Kyle gonna play the 4 I'm guessing?? Don't you think he'll get punished on defense?

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by D723

Is Kyle gonna play the 4 I'm guessing?? Don't you think he'll get punished on defense?

Kyle will play the 3 and the 4 I'm guessing...But mostly 3 w/ Lance, Zoubek, Plummlee's and O.C. manning the 4/5 spots.

So, Staring lineup

Miles
Lance
Kyle
Gerald
Nolan

I dunno though....

 

[tmay407]

Originally Posted by dreClark

So, Staring lineup

Miles
Lance
Kyle
Gerald
Nolan

I dunno though....

No Greg Paulus?

 

[jamesonnt]

^ apparently nolan smith has took over the PG duties ...

 

[dacomeup]

Gaddy Takes Aim At A Pair

Abdul Gaddy
By Dave Telep
National Recruiting Director
Posted Oct 27, 2008


Abdul Gaddy wasn't supposed to be school hunting in October. However, Lute Olson's retirement rocked his recruiting plan. Scout.com's No. 9 prospect in the senior class is no longer committed to the 'Cats and is considering two schools.

Abdul Gaddy and his family never expected to be thinking about a college decision weeks before the signing period. However, Scout.com's No. 9 prospect and the star at Tacoma (Wash.) Bellarmine Prep is having to do just that after Lute Olson stepped down in Tucson.
"Where we're at after a long story is that we de-committed from Arizona on Saturday," Abdul Gaddy, Sr., told Scout.com. "We talked to the coaches and told them we're going to move forward and it was time to move on. It was a tough decision but with everything going on it was time to make a change.

"He's looking for a situation that the coaches will be there to develop him from beginning to end and help him reach his dream of getting to the NBA."

Gaddy has a list and it's a short one: UCLA and Washington.

"Here we are for a third time trying to decide where he's going. It might be a blessing in disguise to stay close to home. Then on the other side UCLA is great program and we know that Coach Howland will be there and every year they recruit real well.

"At UW, everyone would get a chance to see him play and he'd have an impact. They would bring in a real strong class if Abdul were to go there."

Gaddy visited UCLA two months ago and return trip to Westwood would seem unlikely. By the same token, an official visit to Washington may not be necessary.

"At this point we're not sure. There's been talk about it, but we've been there. We know what UW has. There's not a whole lot more we can do to go up there besides sitting in a room with everyone. We've had the official visit with UCLA."


Would love to see him go play at UW under Romar, but I'd bet on him going to UCLA. I'm surprised that Memphis didn't reappear on his list.

 

[worldbeefreeg]

If K actually thinks they can stick Plumlee's frail self into the middle he must have lost it. Caught that avian flu in China cause he will get bodiedearly by bigs. Him and Singer has the be the softest front line in a while.

 

[ricardo malta]

So, Staring lineup

Miles
Lance
Kyle
Gerald
Nolan

I dunno though....
Yea, this'll be the starting lineup and at first I was a bit hesitant because I don't like having 2 defensive liabilities coming in andgiving Gerald and Nolan a breather. I still say we have at least one defensive stopper (Nolan) coming off the bench so that we don't lose too much whenthat 2nd unit, if you wanna call it that, comes in. I mean, having Paulus and Scheyer in at the same time is gonna have Rice, Greivis, Lawson, that Wakebackcourt, etc licking their chops. I have yet to see what Eliot brings on the defensive side of the ball so he could be that perimeter defender we need.

Then again, if everybody believes in the team D Coach K enforces then we should be straight I guess. I'm crossing my fingers that Pocious will finallylive up to his potential and brings energy on both sides of the ball. That 2nd squad of Zoubek, Olek/McClure, Scheyer/Pocious, Paulus/Williams, coupled withour starting 5 could make us the fastest squad in the country, if K just has them run while they're in. Only one slowin' us up is Zoubek and I doubthe gets more than 15 a game, meaning our big men will consist of Plumlee, Olek, McClure, and Lance and you're not going to find a faster and more athleticcollection of big men in the country.

The only thing is, K usually only goes 7-8 deep but hopefully he loosens up a bit and balances the squad like he did the olympic squad.