Sidiki Johnson to Oak Hill
Sidiki Johnson, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound rising senior
Sidiki Johnson, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound rising senior
Only seven NBA teams finished with a worse record than the Knicks during the 2009-10 NBA season.
But if you’re a Knicks’ fan, don’t look for your team to begin the turnaround with Tuesday night’s NBA draft lottery in Secaucus, N.J. (8 p.m., ESPN).
The Utah Jazz (29-53) now owns the Knicks’ pick — projected as ninth overall — and actually have a 2.2 percent chance of landing the rights to the No. 1 overall pick.
That pick figures to be Kentucky point guard John Wall, whom the Knicks could desperately use, although Ohio State’s Evan Turner is another strong option for teams who already have a quality floor general.
Mike Poole was still looking for a school and Rutgers coach Mike Rice was still looking for players.
With Rutgers seemingly his only option at this late date, the 6-foot-6, 184-pound St. Benedict’s Prep wing announced late Monday that he was committing to the Scarlet Knights.
“I’m excited to be playing in the Big East, I’m excited to play for a new coach and an up-and-coming program,” Poole, a Queens, N.Y. native, told the New York Post. “It’s another step in my life. I’m ready to play college basketball and get my college education.”
Poole averaged 10.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 49.7 percent this past season at St. Benedict’s, which finished 20-1 on the season under former coach Dan Hurley.
**UPDATED AT 6:28 p.m. MONDAY**
I’m now being told that Seton Hall is not actively recruiting St. Benedict’s wing Mike Poole.
It appears now that Poole will not visit Seton Hall this week and will announce his school later this week.
So much for that big Rutgers vs. Seton Hall showdown for his services.
Earlier Monday, Poole’s mentor, Nate Blue, said, “It’s either Seton Hall or Rutgers.”
Boston College had also been in the mix but Blue said “I don’t think he fits [Coach Steve] Donahue’s style of play.”
Faced with a choice between two Big East schools featuring new coaches, Cleveland Melvin picked DePaul over Rutgers.
“I will be attending DePaul University next year,” the 6-foot-8 Melvin told ZAGSBLOG contributor Alex Kline.
Melvin, a Baltimore native who spent the year at Fitchburg (Mass.) Notre Dame, initially committed to UConn but decommitted in order to play more on the wing than in the post.
“I chose DePaul Unversity because I think it will be the perfect fit for me and my family,” he said. “I will have a great opportunity to come in as a freshman and play major minutes and/or [have] the opportunity of a starting position. Also, DePaul has a great educational program that can help me become a better and [more] successful student athlete on and off the court.”
Imagine John Wall furiously pushing the ball
In this video interview with Scoutsfocus.com, Kadeem Jack says he plans to take a “couple” college visits before making a decision.
“I decided to take a couple more visits and then decide after that,” said the 6-foot-9 Jack, a senior at Manhattan Rice High School.
Damian Leslie, Jack’s mentor, said Jack has two officials left, but no specific dates have yet been set for visits to North Carolina or Kentucky.
