Memphis transfer Tarik Black is visiting Duke today and will visit Kansas on Tuesday, sources confirmed to SNY.tv.
Last week he visited Oregon and then went to Georgetown.
The 6-foot-9 Black met recently with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, as well as Ohio State coach Thad Matta and San Diego State’s Steve Fisher.
The 6-9 Black averaged 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds as a junior last season for the Tigers. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.
“I will not be conducting any interviews during this process,” he said recently by text.
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Grayson Allen, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from the Jacksonville (Fla.) Providence School, pledged to Duke on Wednesday.
“Committed to Duke,” he Tweeted.
Allen is the No. 32-ranked player in the Class of 2014 according to Rivals and is Duke’s first commit in the class.
He averaged 19.3 points last season and scored 31 points as Providence High won the Class 3A state championship in Florida, according to the Charlotte Observer.
ESPN’s Dave Telep Tweeted that Allen is a multi-position wing with “real toughness, range and court presence.” To read more of this story, click here
By BRIAN FITZSIMMONS
Special to ZAGSBLOG
NEW YORK – Jabari Parker noticed many high-profile celebrities dotting the Barclay Center’s sidelines at the Jordan Brand Classic on Saturday.
Michael Jordan sat in a posh suite throughout the night, while Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia joined the Knicks trio of Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith in the courtside seats.
LaLa Vasquez, Busta Rhymes and rapper Drake, who performed after Parker’s West squad squeezed by in a 102-98 victory over the East, comprised a strong music-based showing. Of course, the presence of Worldwide Wes and Spike Lee added some character to the VIP list, too.
But the Duke-bound Parker, who scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds and later accepted the team’s MVP trophy from Anthony at center court, clearly didn’t let the magnified scrutiny and attention get to him. That’s a good thing because the 6-foot-8 small forward from Chicago Simeon High School should get used to seeing celebrities watch him play every night very quickly. To read more of this story, click here
Northwestern University hired Chris Collins as the 24th head coach of the Wildcats men’s basketball program on Wednesday.
Collins will remain in his current position as the Associate Head Coach at Duke through the NCAA Tournament. Duke meets Michigan State in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Indianapolis.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Chris, his wife, Kim, and their children, Ryan and Kate, home to Chicago and into the Northwestern family,” said Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Jim Phillips. “He has a tremendous pedigree as a basketball coach and will be an outstanding leader for Chicago’s Big Ten Team, and mentor for our student-athletes. After a thorough and comprehensive search process, there is no doubt he is a perfect fit for this institution and our men’s basketball program.” To read more of this story, click here
PHILADELPHIA — The way Albany coach Will Brown figures it, Duke is still ticked off from losing as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament last year.
Here it is a year after Duke’s loss to No. 15 Lehigh, and the Blue Devils are once again a 2 seed playing a 15. This time it’s the Great Danes.
“Well, Lehigh didn’t do us any favors, that’s for sure,” Brown said here after a few dozen fans watched Albany, surprising champs of the America East Conference, practice at the Wells Fargo Center.
“The tough thing is the team we’re trying to beat is a team that got upset one year ago,” Brown added. “So I think Duke will be To read more of this story, click here
PHILADELPHIA — With Duke assistant Chris Collins reportedly set to interview for the Northwestern job next week, Coach K said Collins will eventually be a “great” head coach.
“He’ll be great‑‑ all three of those guys would be great,” Coach K said here before the No. 2 Blue Devils meet No. 15 Albany on Friday.
Coach K was referring to his three assistants, Collins, Jeff Capel and Steve Wojciechowski.
“Well, I could lose any of my guys at any time,” Coach K said. “I feel I have the best staff in America, pro or college, because two of them have been with me for seven years in the Olympics and world championships in Wojo and Chris, and I have three head coaches on my staff in Chris, Wojo and Capel, and there’s nobody who has that.” To read more of this story, click here
By BRIAN FITZSIMMONS
Special to ZAGSBLOG
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – What do Jay Z, Bill Clinton, John Legend, the Baltimore Ravens and Jabari Parker all have in common?
They were all trending nationally on Twitter moments after the Duke-bound Parker scored a game-high 28 points and helped Simeon (Ill.), ranked No. 11 in the USA Today national poll, hold off No. 10 Oak Hill Academy (Va.), 81-68, at the 2013 Spalding Hoophall Classic on Monday afternoon.
The 6-foot-8, 220-pound Parker is the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2013, and four weeks ago chose Duke over Michigan State, Florida, BYU and Stanford, ending an intense process during which schools, coaches, scouts, reporters and television personalities were all gunning for answers.
After leading Simeon to three straight Illinois state championships and earning the 2012 Gatorade National Player of the Year, Parker is aiming to amass more achievements – not just becoming a visible icon in social media circles — with a clear mind. To read more of this story, click here
NEW YORK — Austin Rivers will face his father, Celtics coach Doc Rivers, in an NBA game for the first time Wednesday night, but he’s hardly going into the matchup feeling confident about himself.
Entering Tuesday’s New Orleans Hornets game at Philadelphia, the 6-foot-4 former Duke star has gone scoreless in four straight games.
In Sunday’s 100-87 loss to the Knicks, Rivers didn’t even attempt a single shot. He went scoreless and played less than four minutes.
“I think this is my fourth game in row I haven’t scored,” a dejected Rivers told SNY.tv in the visitors’ locker room at Madison Square Garden. “I didn’t even shoot a shot [Sunday]. You know what I mean? To read more of this story, click here
Jabari Parker finally made his college announcement on Thursday.
“The fall of 2013 I will be attending,” he said before asking for help from Simeon Career Academy coach Rob Smith with holding up a blue shirt, “I will be attending Duke University.
The 6-foot-8, 220-pound Parker is the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2013, he has led Simeon to three straight Illinois state championships and was the 2012 Gatorade National Player of the Year. He was down to Duke, Michigan State, Florida, BYU and Stanford.
“I just chose Duke because it was the perfect fit for me,” he said. “I think Coach [Mike] Krzyzewski…he’s just interested and he’s really played a key hand in my development, even throughout high school and telling me basic things in what I need to do. And I just felt comfortable.”
Michigan State coaches Tom Izzo and Dwayne Stephens got the last visit with Parker and his family Wednesday, but Coach K’s visit on Tuesday proved to be enough. To read more of this story, click here
As ESPN’s Brent Musburger pointed out after No. 2 Duke’s 73-68 win over No. 4 Ohio State in the ACC / Big Ten Challenge, the Blue Devils have now beaten three of last year’s Final Four teams.
And it’s not even December yet.
On Nov. 13, Duke beat defending national champion Kentucky, 75-68, in the Champions Classic and on Nov. 24, the Devils topped Louisville, 76-71, in the Bahamas.
“It sure wasn’t [easy],” senior big man Mason Plumlee, who had 21 points and 17 rebounds, said on ESPN. “Ohio State showed why they’re one of the best teams in the country.” To read more of this story, click here
