EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Mike D’Antoni was back home in the New York area this week for the Nets’ Draft Combine where he watched 44 NBA hopefuls work out in front of all 30 NBA teams.
After Thursday’s workout, D’Antoni confirmed a New York Post report that he won’t be part of Mike Krzyzewski’s staff for Team USA going forward and also discussed the status of Lakers’ stars Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard, as well his former Knicks’ buddy, Carmelo Anthony.
As for coaching with the Olympic team, D’Antoni said, ”Probably not.”
“It’s been an unbelievable experience and I would recommend it for any coach,” D’Antoni told SNY.tv exclusively in his first interview since the news broke. “But I kind of ran my course, and happy for it.” To read more of this story, click here
Jamir Hanner is headed to Buffalo.
The 6-foot-8, 220-pound combo forward told SNY.tv Friday he is leaving Marshall and will have two years of eligibility under Buffalo coach Bobby Hurley after sitting out next season.
“Even though I haven’t visited the University of Buffalo, I know about the tradition of the Hurleys and I think it’s a good opportunity for me at a new program and it’s a new start,” he told SNY.tv. To read more of this story, click here
By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – It never hurts to have a guy on your team who can do a little bit of everything. As he makes his way through the NBA Draft process this spring, former Rice High School and University of Miami star Durand Scott believes he can be that guy.
An ACC All-Defensive Team selection and the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, Scott, a 125-game starter at shooting guard over four seasons for the Hurricanes, showed he can play offense too. He ended his career with 1,650 points, good for eighth in program history, in addition to 404 assists, which sits fifth all-time. As a senior, he averaged 13.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game as Miami enjoyed a landmark 29-7 season, winning the ACC regular season and conference tournament crowns to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
To read more of this story, click here
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On a day when NBA GMs, coaches and scouts weren’t overly impressed by what they saw at the Nets’ Combine, Peyton Siva stood out.
In a good way.
Siva, who last month led Louisville to the NCAA championship, was one of the few brights spots on the court at the Nets’ training facility and clearly outplayed former Arizona floor general Josiah Turner in the 5-on-5 portion of the program.
“I think I played really well,” the 6-foot, 180-pound Siva told SNY.tv following the workout. To read more of this story, click here
By CHIP MILLER
Special to ZAGSBLOG
Josh Perkins is on the move.
The four-star point guard announced Friday by Twitter he is transferring to Huntington (W.V.) Prep from Denver (CO) Regis Jesuit.
“I will be attending Huntington Prep high school for the 2013-14 season! My regards to the entire Regis community! I love y’all!” he Tweeted.
Perkins and 6-7 small forward Jalen Lindsey of Tennessee both now enter Huntington Prep to play for coach Rob Fulford just as Gatorade National Player of the Year Andrew Wiggins heads to Kansas and seven of his teammates also head to high-major outfits. To read more of this story, click here
By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Within a group of recognizable point guards who attended the Nets Draft Combine on Wednesday and Thursday, Baylor’s Pierre Jackson does not have the biggest name, but he most definitely has the biggest individual resume.
The 2011 NJCAA Division I Player of the Year as a sophomore at perennial JuCo power College of Southern Idaho, Jackson had a highly-productive two years in Waco. He scored 1,235 points, dished out 478 assists, was a two-time Bob Cousy Award finalist, a two-time All-Big 12 first team pick and an Associated Press All-American honorable mention as a junior. To read more of this story, click here
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Josiah Turner worked out in front of personnel from all 30 NBA teams at the Nets training facility here Thursday.
The gym featured some of the top names in the business, including Boston Celtics President Danny Ainge, Nets GM Billy King, Golden State Warriors GM Bob Myers, Portland Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey, Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak and Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni, to name a few.
A couple of years ago, that might not have come as much of a surprise.
After all, Turner was ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the Class of 2011 by Rivals and was considered a potential one-and-done player when he committed to head coach Sean Miller and Arizona.
But that was before all his troubles began. To read more of this story, click here
By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - When Julius Mays decided to go from Wright State to Kentucky before last season, the one-year transfer had academics in mind, citing the school’s sports leadership master’s program as a big reason why.
Still, Mays, who began his career at North Carolina State, harbors aspirations of playing in the NBA and if he was to move towards that goal, there are few better roads to get there than the Wildcats and head coach John Calipari.
“If I didn’t make that decision, I wouldn’t be here right now,” Mays told SNY.tv following a solid showing at the Nets Draft Combine on Thursday afternoon. “Even with the season we had, I’d make that decision 10 more times just knowing the outcome and just to get the opportunity to play for Coach Cal.
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Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is fired up about the new-look ACC.
How fired up?
Coach K believes the additions of Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame this year and Louisville in 2014 will take the ACC to heights as yet unseen in major college basketball.
“We’re going to be a 10-bid conference,” Krzyzewski said on a conference call to officially announce that he would coach Team USA through the 2016 Olympics, according to The Sporting News. “We’re going to be the best conference in the history of the game.”
In 2011, the Big East set a record by sending 11 team to the NCAA Tournament. To read more of this story, click here
By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - As former Providence star and Brooklyn native Vincent Council goes through the NBA Draft process this spring, he can’t help but think a little about what could have been.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound point guard averaged 15.9 points, 7.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds as a junior for the Friars to help raise expectations as a senior. Just five minutes into his senior season on Nov. 10 against NJIT, Council suffered a hamstring injury. He would miss 10 games, returning for the Friars’ final nonconference game against Brown, which means he was forced to dive right into Big East play five days later. To read more of this story, click here
