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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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Wednesday / December 25.
  • By BRIAN MAHONEY,

    AP Basketball Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) — Even after losing all those games and an embarrassing sexual harassment lawsuit, Isiah Thomas has a place with the Knicks.

    Thomas was rehired Friday by the team as a consultant, two years after he was fired as its coach and president.

    “Isiah Thomas brings unique experience as a Hall of Fame player, coach, executive and owner, and we believe having him as part of our organization will be extremely beneficial to the team’s success,” Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan and team president Donnie Walsh announced jointly in a statement.

    One of the hottest prospects in the month of July was Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep guard Nick Johnson.

    Johnson led the Drew Gooden Soldiers to wins at the Fab 48 tournament in Las Vegas and at the Pumps event in Anaheim, Calif. He is ranked the No. 13 shooting guard in the Class of 2011, but can play both guard positions well.

    Wherever Johnson and the Soldiers went last month, a slew of high-profile head coaches followed.

    Now, Johnson is narrowing his list and a decision is coming closer.

    An Arizona native, Johnson will take unofficials to Arizona and Arizona State followed by officials to Louisville and Kansas.

    And he could make a decision soon after.

    Josiah Turner of the Drew Gooden Soldiers is in high demand as the No. 3 point guard in the nation.

    The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Turner is currently considering seven schools as options for 2011.

    “I’m at seven schools,” he said by phone from the Nike Global Challenge in Portland, Ore., where Team USA lost to France Friday night.

    “Kansas, UConn, Louisville, Oregon, Oklahoma, UCLA and Arizona.”

    Turner has just one official visit set.

    “I’m going to Louisville on Sept. 4,” he said. “I don’t have any others planned.”

    Jahii Carson has four official visits in mind — and one of them is St. John’s.

    The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Carson out of Mesa (Az.) High said he plans to take officials to Arizona, Washington, Oregon State and St. John’s.

    He plans to leave one official open and said he would probably take it to Alabama or North Carolina.

    He has already visited UCLA, Oregon State, Arizona and Arizona State unofficially.


    Christmas came early for Syracuse this year.

    Rakeem Christmas, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound center from Academy of the New Church outside Philly, announced that he will play for the Orange beginning in 2011. Christmas is the No. 1 center in the Class of 2011, according to Rivals.

    Kevin Givens, Christmas’s high school coach at Academy of the New Church, said the final three schools were Syracuse, Georgetown and Florida International.

    “I had a lot of great options, but I fell in love with Syracuse,” Christmas told Fox Sports.com. “I know a lot of the guys on the team and that made a difference in my decision. I also felt that I could fit in well with their system.”

    Givens said Christmas would be a great fit at Syracuse, known for producing quality big men.

    The Chicago Sun-Times is standing by its story that the father of 6-foot-10 forward Anthony Davis of Chicago Perspectives Charter asked Kentucky for money in return for his son’s commitment.

    In a story posted on its Website early Friday, reporter Michael O’Brien cites “sources from three separate universities …that [Anthony] Davis Sr. asked for money in return for his son’s commitment, with the amounts ranging from $125,000 to $150,000.”

    When O’Brien reached Davis Sr. Thursday, the father reportedly said: ”Thanks for ruining my son. Thank you very much.”

    Georgette L. Greenlee, an attorney representing Davis Sr. and his wife, Erainer Eberhardt-Davis, also denied the original Sun-Times story, which cited “rumors/sources” in support of the contention that Kentucky had paid $200,000 for Davis.

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