Duke Pledge Grayson Allen Wins McDonald’s All-American Dunk Contest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyCE_TJUp7E Duke-bound Grayson Allen won the McDonald's All-American
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyCE_TJUp7E Duke-bound Grayson Allen won the McDonald's All-American
Andrew Wiggins made official on Monday what everyone has expected all season long: He is headed to the NBA Draft.
“At end of the day, I decided I will enter the draft. It wasn’t an easy decision,” Wiggins said at a news conference, according to the Kansas City Star. “I wish I had more time, time goes so fast. I wish I had all four years.”
The 6-foot-8 Canadian is projected as the No. 1 pick in the Draft by DraftExpress.com and could become the second straight Canadian taken No. 1 overall following Anthony Bennett last season.
“This is a happy day … The time is right for Andrew,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “Opportunity is knocking on the door.
By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
Four months before advancing to Saturday’s Final Four against Connecticut, the University of Florida played in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 18 at Madison Square Garden.
At that time, highly-touted freshman big Chris Walker had only been eligible to practice for a few days and would not be cleared to play in a game for another five weeks.
Predictably, with the New York and national media in attendance that night following the Gators’ 77-75 win, the topic turned to Walker. Also somewhat predictably, Gators head coach Billy Donovan tried to undersell everyone on the 5-star recruit, doing so with a short anecdote on Walker’s first few practices in Gainesville.
Kentucky assistant Orlando Antigua is the new head coach at South Florida, the school announced Monday.
The news was first reported by Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com.
“I said from the beginning of this search, we were looking for a great leader, a great communicator, a proven record of being able to recruit and develop players, and someone who will represent USF with exceptional energy and integrity,” USF AD Mark Harlan said in a statement on the school’s website. “We have found all of that and more in Orlando Antigua. He has tremendous passion and a unique and exciting background that includes being a key participant in one of the most successful recent runs in the college game. His work as the head coach of the Dominican National Team is also extremely impressive. Orlando’s incredible personal story is a powerful testament to his drive and determination that will serve our program well.”
Creighton senior forward Doug McDermott was a unanimous choice for The Associated Press All-America team on Monday and is the first three-time choice in 29 years and the 11th player overall.
The American Athletic Conference became the first conference since the ACC in 2001-2 to put three players on the first team in UConn’s Shabazz Napier, Cincinnati’s Sean Kilpatrick and Louisville’s Russ Smith. Two of them — Kilpatrick and Smith — are from New York.
“It’s going to be a great conference going forward and we’re so proud to be a part of it,” said UConn coach Kevin Ollie, whose team will represent the American in the Final Four.
Duke freshman Jabari Parker was the final player on the first team.
The second team included Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins, the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, while the third team included New York native Cleanthony Early of Wichita State, New Jersey native Kyle Anderson of UCLA and Kentucky freshman Julius Randle.
By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
With 13 seasons under his belt at the University of Florida and at the age of only 47, Gators head coach Billy Donovan is considered by many to be a coaching icon.
The Long Island native has steered the Gators to four Final Fours, back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007, and has 486 career victories to his credit. His current version of the Gators has won 29 games in a row going into a national semifinal Saturday night against Connecticut and remain the favorite to cut down the nets in Dallas on Monday night.
In this current landscape, Donovan is undoubtedly among the heavyweights of his profession. However, if you ask the man himself about his place among the coaching elite, he’ll do what all great coaches do. He gives the credit to his players.
John Calipari called sophomore 7-footer Willie Cauley-Stein doubtful for the national semifinals against Wisconsin on Saturday.
“I doubt he plays and he will be on our bench cheering like crazy,” Calipari said Monday on a conference call.
Cauley-Stein missed Kentucky’s 75-72 win over Michigan in the Midwest Regional final Sunday. He was in a walking boot after injuring his left ankle in the first half against Louisville on Friday night.
Cauley-Stein is averaging 6.8 points and 6.1 rebounds on the season.
NBA scouts previously told SNY.tv that Cauley-Stein’s injury likely wouldn’t impact his draft status. DraftExpress.com has him at No. 12 to the Orlando Magic.
