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.
To read more of this story, click here
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
A year ago, Julius Randle was Team USA’s leading scorer and rebounder at the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Brazil.
The 6-foot-10 forward averaged team-highs of 14.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game through five wins.
Yet when the 24-man roster for the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship Team Training was announced Wednesday, Randle was not on it.
Nor were his future Kentucky teammates Andrew and Aaron Harrison (who were cut from the U18 team) or incoming Duke freshman Jabari Parker.
All of those players are projected as potential lottery picks in the 2014 NBA Draft.
There are no Kentucky players on the roster.
“Most of it is, they didn’t want to play. I’m not forcing kids to do anything,” Kentucky coach John Calipari told Sporting News. “I think the reason they all turned it down is, they want to get started.” To read more of this story, click here
By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Whatever the preconceived notions of what an NBA point guard should be, 5-foot-11, 175-pound Phil Pressey doesn’t believe he is fighting those as he makes his way through the NBA Draft process this spring.
“I’ve played against bigger point guards, I really don’t see them as being more athletic than me, just taller,” the Dallas native and University of Missouri product told SNY.tv after his session at the Nets Draft Combine on Wednesday morning at PNY Center. “When it comes to athleticism, I match up with the best of them. If a guy is a couple inches taller than me, I don’t feel like that affects me at all. I feel like what I do is a lot better than what they do.”
To read more of this story, click here
Seton Hall could bolster its frontcourt going forward if SMU transfer Blaise Mbargorba opts to stay local.
The 6-foot-11 center who played high school ball at The Peddie (N.J.) School has been approached by more than a dozen schools, but Seton Hall seems to be in good position right now.
“He likes Seton Hall, which is closer to home and he likes the situation,” Sandy Pyonin of the New Jersey Roadrunners told SNY.tv.
“I think it’s the best situation for him. Whether he goes there or not I don’t know.” To read more of this story, click here
Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski will return to coach Team USA in the 2016 Olympics, according to SI.com.
Coach K led the United States to gold medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Olympics in London, but initially said he would not coach again.
Now he has reportedly changed his mind.
“I think it’s very close to being resolved,” USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo told SI.com. “That’s all I can say for sure.” To read more of this story, click here
Twenty-four players, including 16 with previous USA Basketball experience, have accepted invitations to attend the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship Team Training camp that will be held June 14-19 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Here’s the roster:
2013 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship Team Training Camp Roster
NAME Pos. Ht. Wt. DOB School Hometown
Ryan Arcidiacono G 6-3 190 03/26/94 Villanova University Langhorne, Pa.
Bryce Alford G 6-3 175 01/18/95 La Cueva HS/(UCLA)* Albuquerque, N.M.
Brandon Ashley F/C 6-8 190 07/15/94 University of Arizona San Francisco, Calif.
Robert Carter C 6-8 250 04/04/94 Georgia Tech Thomasville, Ga.
Damyean Dotson G 6-5 200 05/06/94 University of Oregon Houston, Texas To read more of this story, click here
Theo Pinson is staying home.
