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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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    • Coaching moves, Lance Stephenson, LeBron James, NBA Draft, New Jersey Nets

    LeBron James may not have decided where he will play his ball beginning next year, but he has apparently decided to endorse Tom Izzo as the next coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

    Citing “a high-level source,” the Cleveland Plain-Dealer said James would endorse the hiring of the Michigan State coach “100 percent.”

    According to the story, Izzo told several Michigan-based reporters via text messages Sunday that he was “still gathering” information about the Cavs’ offer.

    Duke, North Carolina, UConn, Villanova, West Virginia

    NEW YORK — He is the No. 1 player in the Class of 2012 and a potential future NBA lottery pick.

    But Andre Drummond is temporarily off limits to the media.

    His coaches with the Connecticut Basketball Club would not let the 6-foot-10 Drummond speak with the media this weekend at the Rumble in the Bronx at Fordham University.

    Drummond had 13 points on 6-for-19 shooting, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 turnovers as CBC lost to East Coast Elite, 63-58, in the U17 Gold championship game.

    He had his shot blocked five times by 6-11 Malcolm Gilbert of Academy of the New Church. Shooting guard A.J. English earned game MVP honors after dropping a game-high 28 points for East Coast Elite.

    “After the [Bob Gibbons] games in North Carolina, there was five, six, seven tape recorders in his face,” CBC coach Joe Gaetano said of Drummond. “He’s 16 years old. We’re trying to let him have some fun. He’s leaving this week for [USA Basketball Development National Team training in San Antonio]. This weekend, just play ball, have fun, don’t talk to anybody.”

    George Mason, Georgetown, High School Transfers, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, St. Benedict's, St. Joe's, UConn, Villanova, Virginia

    NEW YORK — If you’re holding on to your high school basketball rosters from last season, they won’t be much use once all the dust clears for next year.

    After a couple of days at the Rumble in the Bronx at Fordham University, this much is clear: there is a lot of movement on the prep scene.

    **Vaughn Gray, a 6-foot-5 off guard, is transferring to Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s Prep from Don Bosco Prep and will play for first-year coach Roshown McLeod.

    “Yes, he’s going to St. Benedict’s,” said June Gray, his mother. “It was pretty much Vaughn’s decision. We wanted him to have more development and play more on a national level.”

    Rice High School, St. John's, UConn

    The past several months have not been pleasant for Kemba Walker and the UConn men’s basketball team.

    The Huskies were bounced out of the Big East tournament in March when St. John’s hammered them by 22 points.

    After reaching the Final Four in 2009, UConn didn’t even qualify for the Big Dance in 2010.

    In mid-May, head coach Jim Calhoun signed a five-year, $13 million contract extension. But that news was soon mitigated when assistant coach Pat Sellers and Director of Basketball Operations Beau Archibald resigned in the wake of the Nate Miles recruiting scandal.

    Fordham, Paterson Catholic, Rutgers, Seton Hall, South Kent, St. Joe's, St. John's

    NEW YORK — At 6-foot-9, 225 pounds Derrick Randall is an imposing figure on the AAU circuit.

    The 2011 big man from Paterson Catholic will prep next year at South Kent (Conn.) alongside Kadeem Jack, Maurice Harkless and Ricardo Ledo.

    “I’m looking forward to playing with all of them because it’s better competition,” Randall, 18, said Friday night at the Rumble in the Bronx at Fordham. “It gets you better. [It will] improve my game a lot and get [me] used to the college level, how they play.”

    LeBron James, Old Knicks

    NEW YORK –– The Knicks need a point guard for next season and Rafer Alston is ready to offer his services.

    Alston, who averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 assists while splitting last season with the Miami Heat and the Nets, said in an exclusive interview Friday night that he wants to play for his hometown team next season.

    “I’m a free agent. I’m hoping I can play here in New York…the Knicks,” Alston said after coaching his AAU team, the New York Panthers, to a victory at the Rumble in the Bronx AAU tournament at Fordham University.

    Boston College, Hofstra, Paterson Catholic, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, South Kent, Villanova

    NEW YORK — Desmond Hubert is a long way from cutting his list of schools, but he says two should make his top five.

    “‘Nova and Pitt,” the 6-foot-9, 205-pound Hubert said Friday night at the Rumble in the Bronx at Fordham. “Great programs, I like the head coaches.”

    As for Villanova, Hubert said he liked head coach Jay Wright and the whole program.

    “Jay Wright, he’s just a cool dude,” he said. “I talk to him a lot. He’s a real cool guy to sit down and just talk with. I really like the way he coaches and the way he carries himself. He’s one of my favorite coaches.”

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