As I mentioned before, there is a lot of basketball talent leaving the Big East this year. In addition to all the seniors, there are several players potentially leaving early.
So far, players on the NBA's early entrant list include:
Devin Ebanks (WVU)
Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall)
Wesley Johnson (Syracuse)
Dominique Jones (South Florida)
Mac Koshwal (DePaul)
Greg Monroe (Georgetown)
Herb Pope (Seton Hall)
Jeff Robinson (Seton Hall)
Samardo Samuels (Louisville)
Lance Stephenson (Cincinnati)
You can see the whole list here.
This list looks pretty much what I would expect it to look like. But for the life of me, I don't know why Jeff Robinson would be on it. A 6'6" junior averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds? I must be missing something. I'm guessing he really wanted to play for the recently departed Bobby Gonzalez and maybe just wants to test the waters to see if he can impress someone enough.
Even Mark Blount thinks this sounds fishy.
Players have until June 14th to pull out of the draft, which happens ten days later. The wildly popular site NBADraft.net only has five of those players in their most recent mock draft as of today - Ebanks, Monroe, Stephenson, Johnson, and Jones - and they were all in the first round. So I'm guessing they expect the others to drop out.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Blair Left Out
Seeing the voting results for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award didn't surprise me. Anyone who voted for anyone else other than Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, or Stephen Curry (in any particular order) in their top three is a dope and either:
1. A homer
2. Hasn't watched an NBA game all season
3. Subscribes to the theory that all Shaq does is dunk
Still, I wanted to see if DeJuan Blair could steal maybe a third place vote from said dope. No dice.
Still, Blair had a very impressive rookie season and I could have easily seen him putting up Pitt-like numbers had he been stuck on a bad team like some of the other players.
The thing that jumped out at me is that he played in all 82 games, which is not only pretty impressive for a rookie, but I'm sure is making GMs everywhere kick themselves after the knee injury concerns they all had (despite being very healthy throughout his two-year career at Pitt). He also averaged about 8 / 6 in only 18 minutes per game. As Duncan gets older, his minutes should increase and he really makes the most of his minutes while out there. And if you've seen him this year like I have, then you know he just continues to outhustle people.
His games this year included 27/23, 28/21, 18/11, 11/16, and 20/6 efforts.
He could be a special player.
1. A homer
2. Hasn't watched an NBA game all season
3. Subscribes to the theory that all Shaq does is dunk
Still, I wanted to see if DeJuan Blair could steal maybe a third place vote from said dope. No dice.
Still, Blair had a very impressive rookie season and I could have easily seen him putting up Pitt-like numbers had he been stuck on a bad team like some of the other players.
The thing that jumped out at me is that he played in all 82 games, which is not only pretty impressive for a rookie, but I'm sure is making GMs everywhere kick themselves after the knee injury concerns they all had (despite being very healthy throughout his two-year career at Pitt). He also averaged about 8 / 6 in only 18 minutes per game. As Duncan gets older, his minutes should increase and he really makes the most of his minutes while out there. And if you've seen him this year like I have, then you know he just continues to outhustle people.
His games this year included 27/23, 28/21, 18/11, 11/16, and 20/6 efforts.
He could be a special player.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Herb Pope Has Another Setback
The excellent Big East basketball blog, Zagsblog.com, is reporting that former Pitt recruit Herb Pope has landed in the hospital:
He was planning to test the NBA waters, but not sure if this will cause a setback in that plan.
Seton Hall forward Herb Pope was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital in New Jersey after collapsing on campus Wednesday afternoon.Complete cause is unknown, but Adam has some more information in the story. Just another setback for a tremendous local athlete. Here's hoping he's better soon and it's not serious. It's amazing what this guy's been through and even Pitt fans who weren't happy with his decision to back out of his commitment to the school have to be pulling for him to at least be healthy.
A team source who was with Pope at the hospital said he was uncertain what triggered the collapse.
“A student-athlete has been taken to the hospital,” a university spokesman confirmed to ZAGSBLOG.com.
He was planning to test the NBA waters, but not sure if this will cause a setback in that plan.
Football Notes
Even out of season, lots of tidbits and news out there about Pitt football recently. Guess football really IS king in American sports.
Todd McShay over at ESPN.com is already at it for 2011, mocking the first-round of the NFL draft. Because this is an Insider article, I'll only provide you with this information - McShay has Jonathan Baldwin and Greg Romeus in his first round, but no Dion Lewis.
ESPN blogger Brian Bennett says Pitt has little to worry about if the Big Ten expands by more than one team, while Cincinnati should be worried the most. I'd probably tend to agree with that.
And here's an article about Joe Pa's role in the expansion process. I think Paterno is doing this as kind of a last hurrah. Pitt fans are encouraged by the fact that he's mentioned Pitt as a potential expansion candidate. But I think it's more of him doing this for his legacy to not come off as the bitter old man when it comes to his relationship with Pitt. He very well might not be around when the new Big Ten opens for business, likely in a few years. So there's a good chance he won't even have to play Pitt, which of course, he doesn't want to do. By posturing for Pitt as a candidate, he knows that his decision alone won't make it - Pitt will be in or out, fairly independent of what he wants. Since that's the case, why not at least push for Pitt publicly, leaving the ace up his sleeve needed to 'prove' to critics that he doesn't really hate Pitt?
Bennett also has a solid piece on Jonathan Baldwin getting his thoughts on his basketball skills, game planning against him, and what he's working on for this year:
And all is well back in the land of Pitt food courts and fried fish sandwiches once again.
Todd McShay over at ESPN.com is already at it for 2011, mocking the first-round of the NFL draft. Because this is an Insider article, I'll only provide you with this information - McShay has Jonathan Baldwin and Greg Romeus in his first round, but no Dion Lewis.
ESPN blogger Brian Bennett says Pitt has little to worry about if the Big Ten expands by more than one team, while Cincinnati should be worried the most. I'd probably tend to agree with that.
And here's an article about Joe Pa's role in the expansion process. I think Paterno is doing this as kind of a last hurrah. Pitt fans are encouraged by the fact that he's mentioned Pitt as a potential expansion candidate. But I think it's more of him doing this for his legacy to not come off as the bitter old man when it comes to his relationship with Pitt. He very well might not be around when the new Big Ten opens for business, likely in a few years. So there's a good chance he won't even have to play Pitt, which of course, he doesn't want to do. By posturing for Pitt as a candidate, he knows that his decision alone won't make it - Pitt will be in or out, fairly independent of what he wants. Since that's the case, why not at least push for Pitt publicly, leaving the ace up his sleeve needed to 'prove' to critics that he doesn't really hate Pitt?
Bennett also has a solid piece on Jonathan Baldwin getting his thoughts on his basketball skills, game planning against him, and what he's working on for this year:
"My goal this year is to get better at my yards after catch," he said. "I want to run my routes crisper. And destroy defenders when I block them."I hope deep balls are in the game plan for this year. With his size and athleticism, unless Tino Sunseri is woefully inaccurate or the retooled line has major blocking issues, there's no reason for Pitt not to go deep to him at least a handful of times each game.
And all is well back in the land of Pitt food courts and fried fish sandwiches once again.
Not Breaking the Bank
After apparently going after Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon, among others, the Oregon Ducks have finally landed a basketball coach in Dana Altman of Creighton. Dixon's name didn't land in the article, which also included a pretty good line from Altman:
Also in the basketball carousel is an article about recently departed Pitt women's basketball coach Yolett McCuin and her reasons for leaving the Pitt program by her hometown paper in the Bahamas.
The hiring ends more than a monthlong search during which several high profile names -- including Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Minnesota's Tubby Smith -- where rumored to be on Oregon's wish list. Missouri coach Mike Anderson said the Ducks approached him, but he turned down the job.The contract, $1.8M per season, is a large amount, but not the potentially bank-breaking (well, at least as much as the bank could be broken in Oregon/Nike's case) amounts thrown out there during the search. I'm sure Dixon, Tubby, or Izzo would have surely been offered more.
Altman joked about the process.
"You look at my wife, you look at me, I wasn't her first choice either," he said.
Also in the basketball carousel is an article about recently departed Pitt women's basketball coach Yolett McCuin and her reasons for leaving the Pitt program by her hometown paper in the Bahamas.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Does Size Matter?
Brian Bennett at ESPN.com answered some mail this week and the question about Pitt's 2011 potential first-round NFL Draft picks came up - including potentially Dion Lewis.
Bennett doesn't seem to think Lewis is the lock first-rounder that many do, pointing to his size. At first I blew this off, figuring there had to be several guys that fit Lewis' mold that made it into the first round. After doing a bit of research, I was a little surprised to see that the last running back listed at 5'8" or less (which is Dion's listed height on the Pitt website) to be selected in the first round was...
Wait for it.
Steve Broussard in 1990.
Unless you were playing fantasy football via the mail at that time, many of you might not recall the former Atlanta Falcon who played in the 1990s.
Twenty years. That's a long time. Now, I should be quick to point out that there were a handful of guys listed at 5'9" that were taken in the first round since that time. 5'8", 5'9", not sure it makes all that much of a difference. Plus, who's to say that Lewis won't be given another inch upon graduation. But it does show you that teams are likely more hesitant to select a shorter running back with a top pick.
If Lewis comes out and has another monster year, and would happen to come out in the draft, do I think he would be a first-rounder. I guess. Though, I'd defintely have to see who else was coming out, etc. Bottom line, while it's rare, I think Lewis and his 5'8" frame could be taken in the first round with another outstanding season. But I've said it before and I'll say it again - a few things still need to break Lewis' way for him to be a first-round pick next year, now that he appears to be eligible:
- Stay healthy...a big 'if' for someone his size who will likely be relied upon to shoulder the bulk of the load with a new quarterback.
- Put up the same types of numbers as he did last year - again, could be a big 'if', if the passing game struggles and teams start stacking the box.
- Avoid a running back heavy first-round. Five running backs were taken in the 2008 draft pushing studs like Matt Forte and Ray Rice into the second round.
So if Lewis isn't a lock for the first round, does he come out? Only he can answer that.
Bennett doesn't seem to think Lewis is the lock first-rounder that many do, pointing to his size. At first I blew this off, figuring there had to be several guys that fit Lewis' mold that made it into the first round. After doing a bit of research, I was a little surprised to see that the last running back listed at 5'8" or less (which is Dion's listed height on the Pitt website) to be selected in the first round was...
Wait for it.
Steve Broussard in 1990.
Unless you were playing fantasy football via the mail at that time, many of you might not recall the former Atlanta Falcon who played in the 1990s.
Twenty years. That's a long time. Now, I should be quick to point out that there were a handful of guys listed at 5'9" that were taken in the first round since that time. 5'8", 5'9", not sure it makes all that much of a difference. Plus, who's to say that Lewis won't be given another inch upon graduation. But it does show you that teams are likely more hesitant to select a shorter running back with a top pick.
If Lewis comes out and has another monster year, and would happen to come out in the draft, do I think he would be a first-rounder. I guess. Though, I'd defintely have to see who else was coming out, etc. Bottom line, while it's rare, I think Lewis and his 5'8" frame could be taken in the first round with another outstanding season. But I've said it before and I'll say it again - a few things still need to break Lewis' way for him to be a first-round pick next year, now that he appears to be eligible:
- Stay healthy...a big 'if' for someone his size who will likely be relied upon to shoulder the bulk of the load with a new quarterback.
- Put up the same types of numbers as he did last year - again, could be a big 'if', if the passing game struggles and teams start stacking the box.
- Avoid a running back heavy first-round. Five running backs were taken in the 2008 draft pushing studs like Matt Forte and Ray Rice into the second round.
So if Lewis isn't a lock for the first round, does he come out? Only he can answer that.
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