Thanks to TheProfessor for the post on BZ!
Friday, October 14, 2016
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Here we go!!! Here we go!!! (Part Trois) Sporting News 2016-17 Preview
Sporting News Ranks UCLA #17 Nationally, #3 in the Pac-12
"Truthfully, nobody knows what to expect of this group. There's tons of talent - both new and returning - but the Bruins had tons of talent last year, too, and finished under .500."
"Westwood angst. There's always pressure at UCLA, but the crowds are down and there's grumbling over that $10.4 million buyout that may have kept Steve Alford in place."
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Here we go!!! Here we go!!! First Pre-Season Annual out of the gate -> Lindy Sports
Here we go, here we go (Part Deux)!!! Athlon 2016-17 Preview
Steve Alford is feeling a lot better about UCLA basketball
oct 11, 2016 | ben bolch | L.A. TIMES | ARTICLE LINK
Steve Alford showed up at seemingly the one place that could shield the UCLA basketball coach from his troubles Tuesday and found that even the Woodens had dispersed on him.
Steve Alford showed up at seemingly the one place that could shield the UCLA basketball coach from his troubles Tuesday and found that even the Woodens had dispersed on him.
Greg Wooden, the grandson of John Wooden, was seated at archrival USC’s table inside the Los Angeles Athletic Club. John Impelman, Wooden’s great-grandson, was seated at Pepperdine’s table during the Wooden tipoff luncheon designed to honor the legendary Bruins coach.
Impelman, an assistant coach with the Waves, told the gathering of coaches and administrators that Wooden’s daughter, Nan Muehlhausen, intended to attend Pepperdine games instead of those of her beloved UCLA.
He was joking, of course. Alford acknowledged the quip with a smile, later eliciting laughter when he called the faux Wooden betrayal “wonderful.”
The embattled Bruins coach appeared to be in a much lighter mood seven months after concluding a downer of a 15-17 season, one of only four UCLA losing seasons in almost 70 years. Alford mentioned having read the book “2 Chairs: The Secret That Changes Everything,” a Christianity-based text that offers practical steps to navigating dilemmas.
Alford also talked about the three freshmen who could change everything. Lonzo Ball, T.J. Leaf and Ike Anigbogu could give the Bruins the best depth they’ve had in Alford’s four seasons, particularly in the frontcourt.
“The talent we have across the board will allow us to get back to playing at least a style that I’m more comfortable coaching,” Alford said in the wake of a season in which his team lacked defense, effort and leadership.
Alford, who is under contract through the end of the 2019-2020 season, referenced the fallout that having rescinded a previous one-year extension may have engendered in the coaching community.
“There are a lot of coaches in here that probably don’t want to see what I did in giving money back,” said Alford, who guided UCLA to NCAA tournament regional semifinals in his first two seasons. “That’s probably not a trend most coaches want to see, but I think we’re very serious about our approach in where that bar is and Coach Wooden obviously established that bar, and when you have an unsuccessful season I think what happens is, you really try to dive into things.”
Alford said before the event that UCLA’s depth could occasionally enable the team to use a four-guard lineup featuring Ball alongside Bryce Alford, Isaac Hamilton and Aaron Holiday, though he cautioned they could be as susceptible defensively as they would be dynamic offensively because the 6-foot-6 Ball would be the tallest player in the backcourt.
“If we need to change tempo or need to do some things, there’s obviously ways that we can do that by going that route,” Steve Alford said, “but I think we’re pretty deep up front, so we need to find minutes for those guys up front as well.”
Alford has said that Holiday’s improvement at point guard could help free Alford's son to play more shooting guard, which was the case during the team’s recent Australian tour in which it won two of three games against college and professional teams. Bryce Alford made a team-leading 13 of 24 three-pointers (54.2%) during the exhibition games.
The Bruins have already practiced nine times and scrimmaged once as they head toward their season opener Nov. 11 against Pacific. Alford said guard Prince Ali was on track to return in December from a serious knee injury suffered over the summer.
UCLA’s freshmen could largely determine how far into March the team plays.
“They’re a tough-minded group,” Alford said, “but they’re very eager to learn and keep getting better because they’re all about improving their game and we’re seeing that in practice.”
Twitter: @latbbolch
Recruiting 2017: Kris Wilkes 10-11-2016
Highlights of North Central's Kris Wilkes (31) at the Under Armour event in Fishers April 22-24.
IU, Illinois and UCLA wait for North Central star's pick
The clock is ticking. Kris Wilkes knows it. He can hear it in his head.
“Each day that goes by, you lose,” Wilkes said. “It gets closer to that time.”
It isn’t exactly impending doom. But a recruiting decision, especially one as high profile as that of the 6-8 North Central basketball star, can weigh heavily on a teenage mind. There are three fan bases waiting for an answer. One, just down the road in Bloomington, is especially eager to celebrate a big in-state recruiting victory.
Wilkes, ranked as the No. 18 prospect nationally in the 2017 class on the 247sports composite,narrowed his list last week to Illinois, Indiana and UCLA. The Hoosiers haven’t secured a commitment from the IndyStar Mr. Basketball winner since Washington’s Cody Zeller, the 2011 winner, picked IU over Butler and North Carolina.
Wilkes figures to be a favorite to win the award going into the season. His Twitter mentions are filled with Indiana fans relaying how much they’d like to see the Hoosiers end that streak without a Mr. Basketball winner.
“I know,” Wilkes said. “I hear from (Indiana fans) all the time. But I have to decide where the best place is for me. Even if you don’t have as many fans, if that’s where you want to go, then that’s where you should go.”
The early signing period for college basketball runs from Nov. 9-16, meaning Wilkes is inside of a month to a decision date. And he may use all of that time.
“Hopefully early November,” Wilkes said of a timeline on his commitment. “I’m trying to commit and maybe sign then. I’m trying to get it that way, but it’s hard. I love all three of the schools. It’s going to come down to the little bitty things at the end.”
Plans for Wilkes to take official visits to UConn and Xavier were canceled after he finished official visits to Illinois, UCLA and Indiana. Wilkes said it became clear that it would be beneficial for himself and the schools recruiting him to cut the list down to those three.
After a recent run of commitments, 62 of the top 100 prospects on the 247sports composite have now decided, though that includes just four of the top 20.
“I started seeing more and more people commit,” Wilkes said of cutting his list. “You don’t want to be the last one and get screwed over or anything. So I wanted to cut it to three and let (the other schools) find who they need to find, and I can just start focusing in.”
While there’s a lot of time left and plenty of recruits still uncommitted, Illinois (third by 247sports) and UCLA (fifth) currently have two of the top recruiting classes for 2017. The centerpiece of Illinois’ current four-player class is 6-10 Jeremiah Tilmon of East St. Louis, Ill. UCLA has three commits in its class — all from California — led by 6-foot point guard Jaylen Hands.
Indiana’s class has three players after 6-7 forward Justin Smith and 6-10 forward Clifton Moore pledged in the past three weeks. Georgia guard Al Durham committed last October.
There are in-state ties on both out-of-state schools. Illinois coach John Groce is a Danville native and played at Taylor University. He successfully recruited Jalen Coleman-Lands, an Indianapolis native who attended Cathedral for two years before transferring to La Lumiere. Coleman averaged 10.2 points as a freshman.
UCLA is coached by Steve Alford, the 1983 Mr. Basketball at New Castle and former Indiana star. Assistant Ed Schilling led Park Tudor to Class 2A state titles in 2011 and ’12.
Wilkes was reminded of the connection between his finalists when he was in coach Tom Crean’s office during his official visit to Indiana two weeks ago.
“It was funny when I was at IU,” Wilkes said. “I saw a little picture on Tom Crean’s wall and (Alford) was in it. I took a picture of it and sent it to him.”
Indiana has been in the mix the longest for Wilkes.
“I try to make a list with the pros and cons,” Wilkes said. “Who will help me, who will benefit me. Those sorts of things. I keep going over it every day.”
Asked for his thoughts on all three schools:
>> On Illinois: “It’s like a family. All the coaches and players get along really well together. They play for each other and play hard. That’s what sticks out most to me.”
>> On UCLA: “It’s definitely a different area. It’s a pro town, where there’s not a focus on one sport. It’s a good place to be. They play hard and have a fast pace that I’m used to playing.”
>> On Indiana: “I’ll always have love for the Hoosiers. I’ve been going down there since the fourth grade. When I went on that official visit, it showed me more. I got to see more of campus and see some of the new areas down there on campus. That was good. I’m used to just going down there for basketball and going home.”
As far as distance from home, UCLA is the outlier.
“That’s probably one of the negatives,” Wilkes said. “There’s negatives and positives for all of them, though.”
Wilkes is preparing for his senior season with four goals in mind. Two — winning the Marion County tournament and a state title — are team-related. The other two — being named Mr. Basketball and a McDonald’s All-American — are individual goals he hopes to attain.
Before then, he has a decision to make. It won’t be easy.
“At different times, I think it’s one over the others,” he said. “It’s just hard. They are all good schools. Getting it down to three was hard enough. Telling coaches you aren’t going to go there, that’s a pretty hard thing to do.”
Call IndyStar reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Follow him on Twitter: @KyleNeddenriep.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Recruiting 2017: Gary Trent Jr. nixes Arizona. Down to UCLA, Duke and MSU
Thanks to EJ for mentioning this on BZ recently.
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2017 Target Gary Trent Jr. SG 6-5 200 (Prolific Prep, Napa, CA; Apple Valley, MN) - ESPN #8
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Baron Davis dreams of an NBA comeback
Baron Davis dreams of an NBA comeback
AUGUST 14, 2016 | jesse dougherty | l.a. times | ARTICLE LINK
Outside of the high school gym, after signing autographs, taking selfies and laughing through some conversations, Baron Davis sat down and took a deep breath.
It was a recent afternoon at the Drew League in South Central Los Angeles, where Davis has spent hundreds of summer days just like this one. On this day he coached his team, BB4L, to a lopsided win. He then relaxed under a beating sun and an older man asked whether Davis is gunning for one more season in the NBA Developmental League.
“Nah, I’m trying to get back to the NBA,” Davis, 37, said. “The real thing.”
“You’re an inspiration, Baron,” the man answered. “If you can do it, I’m starting to think I can do whatever.”
Davis flashed that familiar ear-to-ear grin and then dropped his eyes. “Well, let’s hope I can,” he said quietly. “Let’s hope.”
It’s been four years since Davis’ last NBA season, in 2011-12, when after 29 forgettable regular-season games with the New York Knicks and a series of knee injuries, his career ended.
Davis played 13 seasons in the NBA, including with the Golden State Warriors and Clippers, was a two-time All-Star and for much of it was one of the league’s top point guards. He couldn’t swallow that kind of ending, so his informal comeback started with Sunday morning games at Santa Monica College against players half his age.
Once his knees healed and his first step returned, Davis was convinced his tank wasn’t empty. Last spring he played six games with the Philadelphia 76ers’ D-League affiliate in Delaware and flashed the tools that once made him a standout talent, averaging 12.8 points in 22 minutes a game.
He’s been working out, playing in some Drew League games and hoping an NBA team will offer him a workout or a training camp invite.
Charlotte drafted Davis third overall out of UCLA in 1999, and he averaged double figures in scoring for 11 straight years in the NBA. His game peaked in the mid-2000s on Don Nelson’s Warriors, when Davis was the leader of the “smurfs,” a lineup of small, up-tempo players who kept firing three-pointers.
When he returned home to play for the Clippers in 2008, Davis added some credibility to the lowly franchise until Blake Griffin’s arrival.
Davis grew up just a few blocks from the Drew League, one of the best pro-amateur leagues, and he’s always used it as a launching pad. He played against grown men there as a teenager to get tougher. He returned in the summer after his lethargic rookie season in Charlotte to remember his roots.
Now Davis walks into King Drew Magnet High School looking to spark the last embers of his basketball career.
Chronicling the league’s 43-year history also taught Davis about storytelling and character development. It also made him take a closer look at himself.
It was a recent afternoon at the Drew League in South Central Los Angeles, where Davis has spent hundreds of summer days just like this one. On this day he coached his team, BB4L, to a lopsided win. He then relaxed under a beating sun and an older man asked whether Davis is gunning for one more season in the NBA Developmental League.
“Nah, I’m trying to get back to the NBA,” Davis, 37, said. “The real thing.”
“You’re an inspiration, Baron,” the man answered. “If you can do it, I’m starting to think I can do whatever.”
Davis flashed that familiar ear-to-ear grin and then dropped his eyes. “Well, let’s hope I can,” he said quietly. “Let’s hope.”
It’s been four years since Davis’ last NBA season, in 2011-12, when after 29 forgettable regular-season games with the New York Knicks and a series of knee injuries, his career ended.
Davis played 13 seasons in the NBA, including with the Golden State Warriors and Clippers, was a two-time All-Star and for much of it was one of the league’s top point guards. He couldn’t swallow that kind of ending, so his informal comeback started with Sunday morning games at Santa Monica College against players half his age.
Once his knees healed and his first step returned, Davis was convinced his tank wasn’t empty. Last spring he played six games with the Philadelphia 76ers’ D-League affiliate in Delaware and flashed the tools that once made him a standout talent, averaging 12.8 points in 22 minutes a game.
He’s been working out, playing in some Drew League games and hoping an NBA team will offer him a workout or a training camp invite.
Charlotte drafted Davis third overall out of UCLA in 1999, and he averaged double figures in scoring for 11 straight years in the NBA. His game peaked in the mid-2000s on Don Nelson’s Warriors, when Davis was the leader of the “smurfs,” a lineup of small, up-tempo players who kept firing three-pointers.
When he returned home to play for the Clippers in 2008, Davis added some credibility to the lowly franchise until Blake Griffin’s arrival.
Davis grew up just a few blocks from the Drew League, one of the best pro-amateur leagues, and he’s always used it as a launching pad. He played against grown men there as a teenager to get tougher. He returned in the summer after his lethargic rookie season in Charlotte to remember his roots.
Now Davis walks into King Drew Magnet High School looking to spark the last embers of his basketball career.
“It’s full circle. I came to The Drew with big dreams as a kid, and now I have a goal again,” Davis said. “I just feel like I have something left to give. When I don’t, I’ll hang it up and stay away for good. But right now there’s something there.”
This summer Davis has been a player-coach, and when he gets into a game he takes some possessions off and goes full tilt to the rim on others. He laughed and said his knees aren’t an issue — “If they give then I guess my career’s over, right?”
“I’ve told him you may have one bullet left, one bullet left in that chamber,” said Dino Smiley, the Drew League’s commissioner who has known Davis since he was a child. “And I think you’d be silly not to try to use it.”
Even before his NBA career ended, Davis was working on films and his producing credits include an Emmy-nominated documentary, “Crips and Bloods: Made in America.”
He was the executive producer of “The Drew: No Excuse, Just Produce” released in 2015, which depicts the league as the heartbeat of Los Angeles basketball. It shows its rise from a small school gym to becoming an institution that’s hosted games with Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in recent summers.
Davis sprinkled his own story into the documentary — how the Drew gave him a “gangster disposition” on the court and helped shape his NBA career.
“I’ve told him you may have one bullet left, one bullet left in that chamber,” said Dino Smiley, the Drew League’s commissioner who has known Davis since he was a child. “And I think you’d be silly not to try to use it.”
Even before his NBA career ended, Davis was working on films and his producing credits include an Emmy-nominated documentary, “Crips and Bloods: Made in America.”
He was the executive producer of “The Drew: No Excuse, Just Produce” released in 2015, which depicts the league as the heartbeat of Los Angeles basketball. It shows its rise from a small school gym to becoming an institution that’s hosted games with Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in recent summers.
Davis sprinkled his own story into the documentary — how the Drew gave him a “gangster disposition” on the court and helped shape his NBA career.
Chronicling the league’s 43-year history also taught Davis about storytelling and character development. It also made him take a closer look at himself.
“Filming ‘The Drew,’ thinking a lot about story arcs and all that stuff, I thought about how my career ended,” Davis said. “I decided I wanted to try to rewrite that.”
In a recent game, Davis’ team needed to protect a slim lead and its undefeated record with two minutes left in the game.
James Harden and Lakers guards Nick Young and Jordan Clarkson had played in the game before, so most of the crowd had filtered out. But Davis treated the half-empty gym as if the fans were in Staples Center, Oracle Arena or Madison Square Garden.
He dribbled through a full-court press on two straight possessions. Davis muscled his way through a trap in the corner to set up a wide-open dunk. He used his husky build to draw fouls, and knocked down four straight free throws to secure a win.
Davis was the savvy veteran steering a crowd of young players to the finish. Now all he can do is hope an NBA team wants him to do the same.
jesse.dougherty@latimes.com
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In a recent game, Davis’ team needed to protect a slim lead and its undefeated record with two minutes left in the game.
James Harden and Lakers guards Nick Young and Jordan Clarkson had played in the game before, so most of the crowd had filtered out. But Davis treated the half-empty gym as if the fans were in Staples Center, Oracle Arena or Madison Square Garden.
He dribbled through a full-court press on two straight possessions. Davis muscled his way through a trap in the corner to set up a wide-open dunk. He used his husky build to draw fouls, and knocked down four straight free throws to secure a win.
Davis was the savvy veteran steering a crowd of young players to the finish. Now all he can do is hope an NBA team wants him to do the same.
jesse.dougherty@latimes.com
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Return of the Mac!!!
Friday, October 7, 2016
Recruiting 2017: Wilkes down to Illinois, Indiana and UCLA
Adam Zagoria reporting on Zagblog.com that Kris Wilkes is down to three schools (link).
The 6-foot-7 small forward from Indianapolis (IN) North Central is down to Indiana, Illinois and UCLA, according to Kyle Neddenriep of the Indianapolis Star. He has visited all three.
He cut Xavier and UConn, which he was to visit later this month or in November.
Wilkes won a gold medal with the USA U18 team this summer.
Related post:
2017 Target Kris Wilkes 6-8 195 SF (No Central HS, Indianapolis, IN) - 247sports.com #18 ESPN #14
North Central basketball standout Kris Wilkes has trimmed his list to three schools – Indiana, Illinois and UCLA.
The 6-8 Wilkes, one of the top prospects in the 2017 class, canceled previously-scheduled upcoming official visits to Xavier and UConn. The reigning Marion County Player of the Year and one of the top contenders for IndyStar Indiana Mr. Basketball in the coming season has already taken official visits to Indiana, Illinois and UCLA.
It is uncertain what this means for a timeline on Wilkes’ decision. Wilkes is ranked No. 18 nationally in the 247sports composite rankings.
Indiana currently has three commitments in the 2017 class: Al Durham, a 6-4 guard from Georgia; Justin Smith, a 6-7 forward from Lincolnshire, Ill.; and Clifton Moore, a 6-10 forward from Pennsylvania. Illinois has four commitments in its class and UCLA has three.
The basketball early signing period runs from Nov. 9-16.
Call IndyStar reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
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