Anthony Bennett: Why Elite Prospect Should Choose Oregon over UNLV
One of high school basketball’s final 5-star recruits has narrowed his decision to either Oregon or UNLV, but only one decision would make sense—Bennett has to pick Oregon to have a successful college basketball career.
Bennett hails from Findlay Prep in Nevada, so his consideration of UNLV makes some sense. They also happen to be one of the teams on the rise in the ranks of college basketball.
However, Oregon is the best bet for Bennett. There are multiple reasons, but here are the main points.
Home Away From Home
Bennett could choose to stay at home, but if he chooses to go to Eugene he’ll still feel right at home. His former high school teammate Dominic Artis has already signed with Oregon, and two of the players on the Ducks’ roster are from Canada, as is Bennett.
Oregon will allow Bennett to get away from his home that he has lived in his entire life, but still be around some people he has close connections with.
The Nike Factor
UNLV is on the rise, but Oregon is in the limelight and won’t be leaving anytime soon. Outside of ridiculously colorful jerseys the Ducks are a prominent national program that plays most of its games on national television.
In this day and age being a great player isn’t enough. College players also have to have great exposure to marketing and media. Playing in Oregon will allow him to have both.
Oregon is a Win-Now Situation
If Bennett is like any other kid, he will want to win consistently. He’ll immediately be the star player at either Oregon or UNLV, but with Oregon he’ll simply be surrounded by better talent. They benefit from playing in the PAC-12 and, as a result, see better recruits come their way.
Facing better competition on a regular basis is also something that will better prepare Bennett for his pro career.
Oregon doesn’t look like a championship contender right now, but that can change mighty quick with the addition of Bennett.
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Why Sacramento Kings Guard Isaiah Thomas Should Win NBA Rookie of the Year Award
Of course, Ricky Rubio and Kyrie Irving are the favorites to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, but from out of their shadows comes Sacramento Kings guard Isaiah Thomas.
Blasphemy, you may say. You would be wrong.
When he started, Thomas played at the same level as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers guards as well as Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried.
That shows in Thomas’ two straight Rookie of the Month awards.
He brought a level of maturity and leadership none of the fellow aforementioned rookies could match.
Thomas probably won’t receive the honor, but he should.
Stats Don’t Lie
In the 37 games Thomas started, he scored just as easily as Kyrie Irving.
His 14.8 points per game in that time came on 10.7 field goal attempts per contest. That’s a better clip than Irving’s 18.5 points on 14.6 shots per game.
Not only that, in his starts Thomas hit 47.7 percent of his shots—slightly higher than Irving (46.9) and far better than Rubio (33.3).
Given, Rubio’s strength came on assists. But Thomas can counter that with a better assist-to-turnover ratio.
The guard averaged just two turnovers a game while starting. That led to a 2.7-to-1 ratio with assists—which is better than Rubio’s 2.56-to-1 or Irving’s 1.74-to-1.
Thomas played the point so well that he took over for former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, who moved to the three-spot.
Once he did, the Kings moved far better on offense.
The change in the Kings’ scoring was obvious, as opposed to the Timberwolves, who averaged two more points per 100 possessions without Rubio playing.
Rubio’s passing was more flashy and prolific, but Thomas got it done.
Intangibles
When Thomas actually does have a rough time on the court, he takes the blame:
I take the blame 4 my teams loss tonight 6 TO’s are way too many! I didn’t get my Guys going tonight. On 2 the nxt, Lakers 2morrow!
— Isaiah Thomas (@Isaiah_Thomas2) March 2, 2012
Against the Lakers that next night, he lost the ball just once and dished out six assists. It takes a mature player to take the blame, and put it upon himself to help his teammates.
He’s even determined to make his whole team better:
Man there ain’t nothing like the playoffs, I gotta get MY team there!
— Isaiah Thomas (@Isaiah_Thomas2) May 8, 2012
Even as a rookie, he showed incredible leadership.
Thomas also has late-game grit, best shown in his heroic game-winning steal-and-assist (which you can see here). He’s also known to swish a dagger at the buzzer when needed.
In other words, Thomas has an unrivaled wisdom, attitude and poise.
Mr. Irrelevant
Thomas was nearly an undrafted NBA player, but the Kings took the guard with the 60th and final selection in the 2011 NBA draft.
The only truly successful last pick in the draft was Steve Kerr, and Thomas looks poised to join him.
While Thomas will make a name for himself from the end, Irving was taken at the start of the draft.
“He was the No. 1 pick, I was the last pick,” Thomas said after the Kings-Cavaliers contest. (via Associated Press). “Why not use that for extra motivation?
When the two squared off in that game, they scored the same amount of points (23).
But Irving tallied just one assist and three rebounds while Thomas went for 11 and 8, respectively.
Thomas’ performance has put him in this conversation, while Irving as well as Rubio are more talked about partly because of perception.
The former Washington Huskies guard, though, should take home the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
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Brooklyn Nets: Why Brooklynites Should Be Happy There Is a Team in the Borough
My dad was born in Brooklyn, in Red Hook/Carroll Gardens, and he was raised there, save for a few years in Italy.
But he always tells me this pearl of wisdom:
“There are two types of people in this world: Those who are from Brooklyn, and those who wish they were.”
While I never lived in Brooklyn myself, I am considered by some to have Brooklyn blood in me. I go there about three or four times a year. While I’m usually there to go food shopping, I have been there to see the Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball team as well.
I have also read about the Brooklyn Dodgers, seen some grainy highlights, and I even visited the Baseball Hall of Fame where I saw plenty of Dodgers memorabilia.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody that I’m happy a major league team is coming back to Brooklyn this fall. The New Jersey Nets are finally leaving East Rutherford and Newark behind, and they will be playing in a brand new facility that is exclusively theirs.
However, not everyone is as happy as I am about the Brooklyn Nets.
From complaints and protests about the Barclays Center that have gone on since its groundbreaking, to criticism about the logo ever since it was unveiled, this team has been under a firestorm of controversy.
Reaction has been mixed for Brooklyn residents. Some are excited about the prospects of having pro sports return to Brooklyn for the first time since 1957, others are just opposed.
Having lived the majority of my life in a state that has only a WNBA team, a couple of minor league baseball teams, a Big East college and lost its only major league franchise to Raleigh in 1997, I find the addition of the Brooklyn Nets to be good and for a few reasons.
First of all, you have to put into account the possible price difference between going to a Knicks game and going to a Nets game. Because of the renovation of Madison Square Garden, not to mention the renaissance of the Knicks, the prices have inflated.
On StubHub, the cheapest seats I have found for a regular season game against a middle-of-the-road team are $60.
On the contrary, I have found Nets tickets that have gone as low as $6 for that same team. Now maybe the price is going to go up possibly 300 percent ($18 for the mathematically challenged) but still, I could live with that. It’s not premier basketball (yet), but it still is worth it.
Second, there’s many possible stars who might land in Brooklyn.
While Deron Williams’ future with the Nets is in limbo, there are other players the Nets could sign in free agency, like Dwight Howard, provided the Orlando Magic have not completely sold their soul to him. In addition, the Nets could potentially get a prospect in the draft with the multitude of trades that happen.
If this is the case, the lineup could have a shot at a quality, if not top level talent.
The third reason is the arena itself. Barclays Center could prove to be a giant upgrade for Atlantic Yards.
It is aesthetically pleasing, evoking the style of the famed Brooklyn Brownstones. It has the potential to be a multi-use facility, as concerts will be held there, and there is a possibility that the New York Islanders hockey team, despite the arena’s small hockey capacity could potentially become a tenant, replacing their aging home in Nassau Coliseum.
But enough about me, what about the actual Brooklynites?
I think they should be happy they’re getting a team in the borough. If you think about it, the Dodgers often brought all the Brooklyn neighborhoods together.
No matter if you were Jewish, Irish, Italian, black, from Red Hook, Crown Heights or even Prospect Heights, the Dodgers represented the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood.
While you will not find a combination of Sandy Koufax, Jackie Robinson, Ralph Branca and Pee Wee Reese on the basketball court, what you will see is people getting together again to watch what brings people together.
You can say otherwise, but in my experience of going to basketball games, and let me tell you, I watched a pretty bad team, it’s true. Despite the fact that the Nets may not be a contender for years, you can bet that every time you watch them on TV or go to a game, the seats will be filled.
Welcome to Brooklyn, Brooklyn Nets. We’ve been expecting you.
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NBA Rumors: Dwight Howard Should Spare Fans the Drama and Sign Extension
Are we really about to go through another offseason of Dwight Howard drama?
After Howard requested a trade to leave the Orlando Magic before the 2011-12 season began, the big man backtracked on his stance and decided to remain with the team.
Howard waived his early termination clause to remain under contract through the 2012-13 campaign, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be subjected to constant speculation and trade rumors as Orlando’s offseason begins.
The Magic played it all wrong with Howard last year.
The team allowed Howard to dictate the situation rather than control it, and that’s a major reason why it was such an exhausting process for the fans.
He is supposed to be a franchise player. He is supposed to be a guy who wants to be in Orlando, yet his actions continue to speak far louder than any of his words.
Nobody wants to be put through another “Dwightmare,” and the public opinion of Howard really changed this season.
The narrative shifted to a place where it had never been before, and Howard found himself playing the role of villain.
Now, it seems the front office has finally learned. After a season of uncertainty and constant distraction, Orlando’s decision-makers appear determined to have an answer on Howard’s future one way or another before next season begins.
CEO Alex Martins shared his thoughts with David Baumann of News 13 in Orlando (via Kurt Helin of NBC Sports’ ProBasketBallTalk).
Magic CEO Martins told me on camera #dwighthoward needs to sign long term extension or “necessary decisions will be made.”
Magic CEO Martins wants long term extension from #dwighthoward” so we don’t go thru a season like we went thru this year,” he told me.
It sounds like someone learned his lesson the hard way.
Of course, Martins really doesn’t say anything concrete. “Necessary decisions will be made” doesn’t imply that a trade is coming or that Howard won’t be with the team when the season opens, but it does provide fans with some glimmer of hope that the situation will be resolved.
After a bulging disc in his back (and subsequent surgery) sidelined him for the Magic’s first-round postseason series against Indiana, Howard enters the offseason as the superstar with the most question marks surrounding his future.
Upon deciding to waive his early termination clause, Howard told RealGM that he just couldn’t leave Orlando.
“Man, listen, you know my heart, my soul and everything I have is in Orlando, I just can’t leave it behind.”
If that is really the case, Howard should sign a long-term extension as soon as possible. If his heart, soul and “everything” he has is in Orlando, why would he have thoughts of leaving the team?
Howard takes an inconsistent stance on his future with the team, but he’s supposed to be the franchise face of the organization.
It can’t work both ways.
Again, via RealGM, Howard seemed genuine in apologizing for what he had created.
I apologize for this circus I have caused to the fans of our city. They didn’t deserve none of this. I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart. I will do whatever I can to make this right and do what I was put in Orlando to do.
If the fans didn’t deserve it, then let’s not go through it again.
If Howard’s heart is really in Orlando, it’s time to sign the long-term contract extension.
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Anthony Bennett: Prep Star Should Listen to Jimmy Kimmel and Attend UNLV
It’s all fun and games in college basketball recruiting until Jimmy Kimmel gets involved.
Then it gets real.
Kimmel, who attended UNLV, recently tweeted his hope that the Findlay Prep star would suit up for the Runnin’ Rebels (h/t to The Big Lead):
UNLV needs you Anthony! @Salsaa_Stylez @ABennett24 @UNLVRebellion @Salsaa_Stylez @ABennett24 @UNLVRebellion
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) May 8, 2012
Bennett is currently deciding between UNLV and Oregon, and as I noted yesterday, choosing the Runnin’ Rebels made more sense on a number of levels.
With Bennett in town, UNLV would be one of the better teams in the country and could advance past the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1991.
On the other hand, Oregon will struggle to gain a tourney berth one way or another.
There are other reasons to choose UNLV, of course. Going to college in Las Vegas, for one. Plus, he could team up with fellow Canadian and University of Pittsburgh transfer Khem Birch, who has been trying to convince Bennett to choose UNLV.
And all of those reasons are fine and dandy, but when you add Kimmel to the mix, well, that takes it to the next level.
If I were Bennett, I’d tweet back at Kimmel and tell him that if I did end up choosing UNLV, he’d have to bring me on the show to talk some UNLV basketball.
How’s that for a recruiting edge?
Whatever Bennett ends up doing, I’m sure he has found it pretty entertaining getting a shout-out from Jimmy Kimmel. If nothing else, it’s a memory.
Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets are the mint juleps of the Internet.
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Anthony Bennett: 3 Reasons Huge Basketball Recruit Should Pick Florida
Anthony Bennett, one of the most talented big men of the 2012 college basketball recruits in the nation, was supposed to add depth to Florida’s frontcourt. He is a big and physical rebound monster, but has recently eliminated the Florida Gators from his list of potential destinations.
The Gators sported a four-guard, one big man team for much of last year, and it managed to have quite a bit of success. Billy Donovan’s team made it all the way to the Elite Eight before blowing a big lead late in the game against Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals.
The Gators were good, but it was quite obvious that it was difficult for them to compete with the bigger teams of the nation like national champion Kentucky.
Anthony Bennett may have very well eliminated the Gators, and is reportedly down to just UNLV and Oregon, but we have seen crazier things happen than a kid eliminate a school and subsequently choose that same school.
So let’s check out just what Anthony Bennett is missing out on.
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Nerlens Noel Investigation: Kentucky Wildcats Should Tremble over NCAA Inquiry
The defending champion Kentucky Wildcats should be very fearful of the NCAA inquiring about top recruit Nerlens Noel. Should anything happen with his eligibility, the Wildcats will be in deep trouble this coming season.
According to Pete Thamel of the New York Times, two members of the NCAA enforcement staff visited Massachusetts to learn more about the people that Noel has surrounded himself with over the years.
The two officials spoke with the principal from Noel’s old high school, but he was not allowed to comment on specifics. They also inquired about some of Noel’s advisers and his finances, as the some of the schools he unofficially visited did not pay for his travels.
Another issue for Noel at this time is whether or not he will qualify academically. The report states that nation’s No. 1 recruit “is expected to take course work after graduation to help him qualify.”
Right now, John Calipari and the rest of Big Blue Nation need to fear for the worst.
Noel is very vital to the Wildcats’ success next season, and if he’s unable to play then Kentucky will have another Enes Kanter on its hands. A stud athlete sitting on the bench unable to play but highly likely to depart to the NBA after one year.
Of course, it’s a different story than Kanter, but it would still be incredibly devastating for the Wildcats to lose a dominant big man for a significant amount of time. Here the Wildcats think they’re about to embark on a quest to repeat as champs, but without Noel that will not happen.
It remains a mystery if anything will come of this inquiry, but the fact that it’s going on is certainly cause for concern.
Calipari has a history with his recruits being involved in controversy, and Kentucky was well aware of this before it hired him. The Wildcats received criticism by some for hiring him, saying that he would cheat and their wins would be tarnished.
There’s no proof of that and hopefully Calipari isn’t going against the rules. It doesn’t appear Calipari has a hand with any of this at the moment, but you never really know until all the of the truth comes out.
Even if Noel is ineligible for any games next year it’s a crushing blow for the Wildcats. It looks really bad on the program if they continue to have star players unable to play for the entire season.
This is definitely a story to keep a watch on, as Noel’s eligibility will determine whether or not Kentucky is a major threat next year.
Stay tuned with Bleacher Report and our college basketball coverage as we update you with the news as it comes.
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NBA Draft 2012: 7 Players Who Should Have Stayed in School
The 2012 NBA draft is widely considered one of the deepest in recent memory.
With that said, there are several players who should have gone back to school for another season.
Whether it’s because they would have been chosen in the first round next year instead of the second round this year, or because they are not likely to be drafted at all this year, there are going to be a lot of disappointed underclassmen.
Here’s a look at seven such players.
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Raja Bell: What Should the Utah Jazz Do with the Veteran Guard?
The Utah Jazz are in no position to point fingers as far as their first-round sweep at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs is concerned. That didn’t stop guard Raja Bell from voicing him opinion on head coach Tyrone Corbin and cleaning out his locker Tuesday, as reported by ESPN.
“I think everyone understands the situation we’re in now,” Bell said. “When it gets to a point where there’s absolutely no communication for months on end, we all know that that’s irreparable damage.”
Bell opened the year as Utah’s starting shooting guard but saw his playing time diminish. In March, he was sent home from a road trip after a verbal spat with Corbin.
Needless to say, it would be far more ceremonious of the Jazz to simply part ways with the disgruntled guard than to spin him for another season that will most likely cast his shadow on the bench.
Utah doesn’t need that kind of relationship during a season that could possibly see their return to the 2013 NBA playoffs after being swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round this year.
However, Utah management should look into Bell’s claims, as Corbin’s time with the Jazz has been confusing to say the least. C.J. Miles echoed the tamest of Bell’s concerns, therefore leading belief in the general direction that Bell may not be taking shots in the dark with his problems with Utah’s head coach.
The questions surrounding Corbin’s ability to coach in Utah stems from his use of the younger players in the franchise and not making better use of his veterans.
Bell—who has been a dignified staple and ferocious competitor for Utah in the past two seasons—has seen his minutes diminish significantly under Corbin’s reign.
Maybe it’s time for Bell to go, but there are questions surrounding the Utah franchise that need to be answered before the start of next season.
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Amile Jefferson: Why Star PF Should Choose NC State over Duke
When five-star recruit Amile Jefferson reaches for a college hat sometime in the next week or two, he’d be smart to grab North Carolina State’s red rather than Duke’s blue.
It’s hard to go wrong with either NC State or Duke if you’re going to be playing basketball, but in Jefferson’s situation, the Wolf Pack are the way to go.
Of course, Jefferson, who seems to love attention (what high schooler doesn’t?), could just as easily shock the world and pick Ohio State, Villanova or Kentucky (whole list per Rivals), but for the sake of this argument we’ll just break down Duke and NC State.
The main thing that will shape Jefferson’s decision will be his ability to get to the next level. What five-star recruit doesn’t initially plan on leaving college after a year or two?
A very small percentage, if any, that’s who.
So, if Jefferson is going to quickly make it to the next level, he’ll have to gain playing time in order to prove he’s ready for the NBA. If he wants playing time, NC State is the clear choice.
Jefferson is a smart power forward who possesses good moves on the block to go along with solid rebounding and blocking skills. But at six-foot-seven, 190 pounds, Jefferson still needs to put on a lot of bulk, and a slight frame can be a big problem at the next level, no matter how good you are.
Just look at half of Baylor’s forwards.
Because of this, Jefferson is going to have essentially no chance of unseating Mason Plumlee or Ryan Kelly from the starting lineup. Instead, he’ll have to battle Josh Hairston, Alex Murphy and Marshall Plumlee for playing time.
At NC State, though, forwards are dropping like flies.
C.J. Leslie and Richard Howell return, but Tyler Harris and DeShawn Painter have both transferred, leaving up a spot for Jefferson to be the first big man off the bench. That’s an easy 20 minutes per game in a system that suits his game way more than Duke’s does.
The end game for these young recruits is the NBA. The best route there for Jefferson is NC State, who is quickly starting to look like the team to beat in the ACC and a national championship contender.
Jefferson, who is ranked No. 25 in the class of 2012 by ESPN, has delayed his decision for just about as long as possible with the spring signing period ending on May 16.
The common consensus is that the talented power forward will end up in the state of North Carolina one way or another, but he would be wise to just stay south on 147 and make his way to Raleigh.
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