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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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Friday / December 27.
  • Isaiah Briscoe watched the NBA Draft Thursday and saw a New Jersey guard go as the No. 1 overall pick.

    The young man dreamed and thought to himself, “That could be me.”

    The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Briscoe has a very long way to go before he can dream of following in Kyrie Irving’s footsteps, but he’s off to a promising start.

    A rising freshman at St. Benedict’s Prep, Briscoe received scholarship offers from both Rutgers and Seton Hall.

    “It makes me feel good,” he said by phone. “It is kind of hard to believe it.”


    GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Iman Shumper
    t says he’s ready to try and help the Knicks win an NBA championship.

    “I will make sure that I fight for New York to win the title,” Shumpert, the Knicks’ pick at No. 17 in Thursday’s NBA Draft, told ESPN1050 radio Friday.

    In order for the Knicks to even hope of challenging Eastern Conference powers Miami, Chicago, Boston and Orlando, they must amp up their defense several levels.

    And the 6-foot-4 Georgia Tech guard says he’s ready to defend three positions.

    “I wouldn’t list [defense] as my greatest asset, just something I truly take pride in,” he said. “I think I can guard up to three positions, point guard, shooting guard, small forward.”

    As first reported on my Twitter, Westwind (Az.) Prep coach Gary Trousdale has left the West Coast powerhouse and is starting a new program at La Jolla (Calif.) Prep.

    “I have resigned from Westwind prep to move to my hometown, San Diego,” Trousdale said by email.

    “My father was diagnosed with ALS May 10 and felt I had to move to be closer and help with his battle. In the process I have decided to start La Jolla Prep, a National high School and Post Grad basketball program (www.wavehoops.com).

    By ALEX KLINE

    Ishmail Wainright, a 6-foot-5 small forward in the Class of 2013 from Missouri and consensus top-50 player, has officially re-opened his recruitment.

    Late Thursday night, he made a life changing call to new Mizzou coach Frank Haith and staff to inform them of his decision.

    “I talked to my dad, mom, coach and uncle about the situation,” he said. “It’s too early to make a decision. I want to wait and go visit more schools. There could be a better situation out there.”

    Jeremy Hazell didn’t hear his name called during Thursday’s NBA Draft, but his life did change during the course of it.

    Between the 59th and 60th picks, Hazell’s agent, Seth Cohen, received a call from the Atlanta Hawks about Hazell coming in for a workout.

    “The Atlanta Hawks called me and they want Jeremy coming to their camp on Sunday night for a week,” Cohen said by email. “They desperately need a 2 guard and they really like Jeremy. He had a great workout for them earlier this week.”

    NEWARK, N.J. — Long Island’s Tobias Harris was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats at No. 19 but was dealt to Milwaukee as part of a three-team trade.

    The Bobcats sent the 6-foot-8 Harris to the Bucks as part of Thursday’s deal. The Bucks also received Charlotte forward Stephen Jackson, Bobcats guard Shaun Livingston and guard Beno Udrih from Sacramento.

    Harris, a Dix Hills, N.Y. native who spent one season at Tennessee, averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds as a freshman with the Volunteers. 

    NEWARK, N.J. — The Knicks may have gotten better defensively by picking Georgia Tech guard Iman Shumpert with the No. 17 pick in the NBA Draft, but they didn’t get bigger.

    In his last draft as Knicks president, Donnie Walsh opted for the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Shumpert over 6-9 swingman Chris Singleton of Florida State, who was taken at No. 18 by the Washington Wizards, and 6-7 rebounder Kenneth Faried of Morehead State, who went at No. 22 to the Denver Nuggets.

    Shumpert wasn’t at the draft and will be introduced at a 12:30 press conference Friday.

    “We are pleased to add Iman to the Knicks,” Walsh said in a statement. “He is a tremendous athlete, with an incredible work ethic. Offensively, he can play both backcourt spots and defend three different positions.”

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