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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Sunday / December 22.
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    • NBA Draft

    To the surprise of virtually no one, the Clippers announced they will select Oklahoma sophomore Blake Griffin with the No. 1 pick in the June 25 NBA Draft.

    The Clippers won the Draft Lottery Tuesday night for the third time in their history.

    “After spending a lot of time and effort preparing for the possibility that we didn’t get the No. 1 pick, this now allows us a lot of clarity to take Blake Griffin,” said Neil Olshey, the Clippers assistant GM. “It puts us at ease for the next six weeks.”

    The 6-foot-10 Griffin won the 2009 John Wooden Award and said he’s ready to contribute to the Clips.

    Arizona, Kentucky, Lance Stephenson, Maryland, Memphis, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Siena, St. Joe's, UNLV

    Today is the last day of the NCAA spring signing period and there are still a couple of Big Fish swimming around the pond…Here’s a brief update on what we know.

    **The Lance Stephenson Saga looks like it will drag out for a while since the sexual assault case has been adjourned to June 29. Attorneys for both Stephenson and Darwin “Buddha” Ellis said they were trying to get the case dismissed, but there is nothing new as of Wednesday.

    Arizona and Memphis appear to be the primary players for Stephenson, although we have heard Maryland’s name tossed around a bit. Stephenson has repeatedly said he won’t go to Europe and Sonny Vaccaro has advised him against going that route.

    **Kentucky confirmed that it received a Letter of Intent from John Wall.

    **Keith Spellman, a 6-2 senior shooting guard out of Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson High, signed with Morgan State.

    NBA Draft, New Jersey Nets, Old Knicks

    The Los Angeles Clippers won the Blake Griffin Lottery Tuesday night.

    The Clippers garnered the No. 1 overall selection in the June 25 NBA Draft for the third time in their history.

    The Clips drafted Danny Manning with the No. 1 overall pick in 1988 and then a decade later selected Michael Olowokandi, who turned out to be a bust.

    The Memphis Grizzlies will select at No. 2 and the Oklahoma City Thunder choose at No. 3.

    Arizona, Lance Stephenson, Memphis

    BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Lance Stephenson and Darwin “Buddha” Ellis could have to wait until late June to learn the results of their sexual assault case.

    At a hearing this morning in Brooklyn Criminal Court, Judge Alexander Jeong adjourned the case until June 29.

    Stephenson’s attorney, Alberto Ebanks, and Ellis’ attorney, Estelle Roond, had no official comment, but indicated they are trying to get the case dismissed.

    In a weak attempt at humor, Jeong told Ebanks, “Your client’s pretty tall. He should play basketball.”

    Duke, John Wall, Kansas, Kentucky, Miami, Siena, St. Joe's, UNLV

    Kentucky coach John Calipari completed a blockbuster recruiting class with the commitment of John Wall, the No. 1 prospect in the nation.

    “Our relationship helped out a whole lot,” Wall said Tuesday morning by phone. “It was a tough battle to the end, and just the relationship I had with Coach Cal and the other guards he had in the last two, three years, it gave them the edge. ”

    Wall joins Demarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, Jon Hood, Eric Bledsoe and Darnell Dodson in a tremendous recruiting class for Calipari, who left Memphis to take the Kentucky job.

    Cousins is ranked No. 2 in the Rivals 150 for 2009, Orton is No. 22 and Bledsoe No. 23.

    Wall had initially listed Memphis as his leader when Calipari was the coach of the Tigers, but then opened up his list after Calipari switched schools.

    Georgia Tech, Lance Stephenson, Michael Gilchrist, Pittsburgh, St. Patrick, USA Basketball

    ESPN RISE has issued a list of 25 Athletes and Teams of the Year from around the country and Brooklyn’s Lance Stephenson, Michael Gilchrist of Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick (pictured) and Derrick Favors of South Atlanta (Georgia Tech) were among those honored in their respective regions.

    Florida State-bound Michael Snaer of Rancho Verde High School in Los Angeles and Brandon Knight of Pine Crest (Fla.), the top point guard in the Class of 2010, were also honored.

    EPPS, THOMAS, WHITE TO PREP TOGETHER?

    Isaiah Epps, Shaquille Thomas and Aishon White could all play together next year at the Kiski School, a prep school in Western Pennsylvania.

    The trio are all friends from New Jersey who compete for the Playaz Basketball Club.

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