2011-2012 NCAA Basketball Thread

[RockRaines]

20k a year at OSU might be a little low to be fair...

LOL wrong thread. Needed to come over here to try and hate huh?

[IlliniKrush]

So you are of the mindset that any college player who can play in the pros should leave as soon as possible? I'm not. I like when they stay and get a little more seasoning.

Any player who can play in the pros and make a s*** ton should do it immediately, yes. It's only logical. You like it if they stay. But you aren't them.

 

Hell I'd love if guys stayed all 4 years, college basketball would rock. But it'd be stupid for guys to do that.

[He_Gawn]

Maybe not at the beginning of the year, but by the start of the Big Ten play, this is honestly what I see shaping up to be the starting 5:

 

1. Abell

2. Hulls

3. Watford

4. Zeller

5. Pritchard

 

Yes, I put Hulls at the 2, and didn't include V3 at all. Hulls is way better when he can move off the ball. Meanwhile, Abell will hopefully be the point that Crean has needed who can drive and create opportunities for others on the floor. He's a big body who can drive. Yes, Hulls is small as a 2, but he's already shown that he can score despite his size, though he does have to increase the amount of times he drives, just to open up more 3 point opportunities. On defense they can switch, and Hulls will take the opponent's 1, and Abell will take the 2.

 

 

Watford likes to get outside a lot, and hopefully with Zeller in the mix we'll finally have the bodies for Watford to play the three. That said, Watford is so much better when he realizes he's bigger than his opponent and posts him up. Playing the 3, he'd have more opportunities for that.

 

Zeller at the 4 will take a lot of pressure off of Pritch. I'm not expecting Zeller to the second coming, but I think he will be the capable and fundamentally sound big man we've been sorely lacking.

 

I think the 4 guys off the bench will be V3, Sheehey, Oladipo and Elston. Oladipo is actually decent at the 4 despite his size because he's so athletic. Etherington won't get too much time, unless he shows early he can be damn good from outside.

 

Oladipo and Sheehey will get a ton of minutes. They've been tearing it up in the Indy pro ams which is a summer league of NBA players and college players. Oladipo shut down Shelvin Mack last week and put up 22 points. Sheehey has grown to 6'7" also. Oladipo has put on 15 pounds of muscle and looks bigger than ever. His handle has improved leaps and bounds I hear too.

 

Creek's rehab is right on schedule. His best basketball won't be played at IU, but I think he'll be alright this next year. His senior year should be pretty damn good if there are no setbacks. 2012-2013 should be the year IU is "back".

 

[farmteam]

Oladipo and Sheehey will get a ton of minutes. They've been tearing it up in the Indy pro ams which is a summer league of NBA players and college players. Oladipo shut down Shelvin Mack last week and put up 22 points. Sheehey has grown to 6'7" also. Oladipo has put on 15 pounds of muscle and looks bigger than ever. His handle has improved leaps and bounds I hear too.

 

Creek's rehab is right on schedule. His best basketball won't be played at IU, but I think he'll be alright this next year. His senior year should be pretty damn good if there are no setbacks. 2012-2013 should be the year IU is "back".

 

Yeah, I've heard that Sheehey has gotten light years better (now if only he could shoot, then he could be All Big Ten), and Dipo is our best defender. So quick.

[nitetrain8601]

LOL wrong thread. Needed to come over here to try and hate huh?

 

Out of curiousity, how much is tuition there? Serious question.

 

[RockRaines]

Out of curiousity, how much is tuition there? Serious question.

No idea, I am guessing in the 20's. I went to Miami and when I left the cost was around 25k. I saw in the paper today that the avg annual payout for a scholarship athlete at Northwestern is almost 60k, so I assume most other schools would be below that.

[Rex Hudler]

Only 2. He couldn't apply for a medical redshirt because both injuries occurred midway through the season (the first was in late December, the second was in mid-January). I wonder if he'll be granted an additional year after he's done because of time lost...but the precedent isn't good for that.

 

Sounds like to me he'd be smart to redshirt this year and do everything he can to get 100% healthy, physically and mentally.

[He_Gawn]

GT basketball also hit by the NCAA for a major violation. http://college-basketball-blog.blogs.cbssp...283066/30615446

 

IU rivals mod was tellling us some VERY interesting stories about Hewitt and his shadiness this morning.

[farmteam]

Former LSU bigman Garrett Green being called by IU. He has 1 year of eligibility remaining, and can play this year (he wants a Master's in a program LSU doesn't have), so it'd be perfect since he wouldn't affect the 2012 numbers.

Edited July 20, 2011 by farmteam

[He_Gawn]

Former LSU bigman Garrett Green being called by IU. He has 1 year of eligibility remaining, and can play this year (he wants a Master's in a program LSU doesn't have), so it'd be perfect since he wouldn't affect the 2012 numbers.

 

He'll be here this weekend. Sounds like this has a REALLY good chance of happening. Wouldn't be surprised to see him give his pledge this weekend.

[Rex Hudler]

He'll be here this weekend. Sounds like this has a REALLY good chance of happening. Wouldn't be surprised to see him give his pledge this weekend.

 

Just read an article that he is planning to go to Long Beach State and San Diego St. as well. Guess anything can happen. I don't recall seeing him play, but he averaged 6 pts and 5 reb a game last year in only 18 min per game. I'm sure we could find him some court time for a year.

[fathom]

GT basketball also hit by the NCAA for a major violation. http://college-basketball-blog.blogs.cbssp...283066/30615446

 

IU rivals mod was tellling us some VERY interesting stories about Hewitt and his shadiness this morning.

 

I'd love to hear these stories. Please PM me.

[farmteam]

I'd love to hear these stories. Please PM me.

 

Me too me too.

[Heads22]

For NS:

 

ISU student tickets have already sold out. I guess the hype machine is working. ISU tickets are gonna be a tough get.

[southsider2k5]

Nobody hit this yet with all of the Duke haters around here?

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/men...tm?csp=obinsite

 

Duke is investigating whether an NCAA recruiting rule was violated when coach Mike Krzyzewski reportedly offered a scholarship to a recruit during a summer tournament.

 

Forward Alex Poythress told CBSSports.com that Krzyzewski spoke to him earlier this week while he was in Orlando, Fla., for a tournament with his AAU team, the Georgia Stars, and offered him a scholarship.

 

NCAA rules prevent coaches from contacting recruits before they are finished playing in tournaments.

 

Duke spokesman Jon Jackson said in a statement Saturday that the school is gathering facts and that "proper adherence to NCAA bylaws has always been, and will continue to be, a cornerstone of Duke Athletics."

 

Poythress is a 6-foot-7 forward from Clarksville, Tenn. He is considered one of the nation's top high school seniors.

[Jenksismyhero]

Nobody hit this yet with all of the Duke haters around here?

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/men...tm?csp=obinsite

 

Another story said it was "between events." Either way, i'm sure nothing will come of it. Duke/Krzyzewski are basically untouchable at this point.

[whitesoxfan101]

Nobody hit this yet with all of the Duke haters around here?

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/men...tm?csp=obinsite

 

There's no need to. After the Myron Piggie/Corey Maggette deal years ago, we know Duke is no different than anybody else.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Northwestern Considering Purple Basketball Court

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Northwestern Considering Purple Basketball Court

 

Please do it

[ZoomSlowik]

The all-purple one is painful.

[Rowand44]

The all-purple one is painful.

Haha, as long as it's not for my team, I love stuff like that, it's so ridiculous that it makes it interesting for me.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Haha, as long as it's not for my team, I love stuff like that, it's so ridiculous that it makes it interesting for me.

 

Exactly. I'm a Big East guy so I won't have to deal with watching it. And NW isn't exactly a good program so all this would do is bring attention they otherwise would not have received.

[ZoomSlowik]

Haha, as long as it's not for my team, I love stuff like that, it's so ridiculous that it makes it interesting for me.

 

That's the problem, I'd have to see that thing in person 15-20 times a year. <_>

[Rowand44]

That's the problem, I'd have to see that thing in person 15-20 times a year. <_>

Ha, ya I know you're a NU fan, that's what I said that. If SIU did something like that, I'd be pretty pissed off, for NU though, I love it!

[southsider2k5]

Here we go with "The next [insert star here]"

 

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/con...asp?CID=1246973

 

T.E. Parker

Special to Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting

12 37 Email16

 

MORE VEGAS: Six on the rise

 

It's pretty hard not to notice Stephen Zimmerman in any setting. He's 6-foot-10, wears a size 19 shoe and towers above everyone in any room he enters.

 

But here's the most astounding part of Zimmerman's story: He's only 14 years old and just finished the eighth grade.

 

Zimmerman had already reached the 4-foot mark by the time he turned 4. At 11, he became a 6-footer and was dunking a basketball two years later. Now at 14, he's 6-10 and - get this - supposedly not done growing yet (doctors predict he'll stop between 7-1 and 7-2).

 

So, no, Zimmerman certainly won't be a typical freshman walking the halls this fall at Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas. But Bishop Gorman isn't the typical high school, either. Gorman could be the top-ranked basketball team in the nation with four elite D-I prospects, including the No. 1 player in the 2012 class, Shabazz Muhammad.

 

And the newest addition to this roster of stars already is emerging as one of the most intriguing. UNLV, UCLA, Kansas and national champion Connecticut already offered scholarships, Zimmerman says, and the NBA is certainly not out of the question.

 

 

Stephen Zimmerman already is talking NBA, and he's just 14.

"As a freshman he has the highest potential of any kid I've seen at Gorman," Gorman head coach Grant Rice said. "Just with his height, his ability and work ethic. He's definitely going to be a special kid.

 

"It's going to be one of those things where the small- to mid-level schools won't even call because they know they won't be in the ballpark. He's one of those few kids that will be able to pick whatever school he wants to go to. He'll have his choice."

 

Zimmerman's 2015 class won't hit the national rankings for another couple of years but rankings don't matter to him. His goals are set much higher than a high school ranking.

 

"I'm just trying to get to my ultimate goal of being in the NBA and being the best player I can," said Zimmerman, whose father is only 6-foot-5. "I want to be one of the best centers that the NBA has ever had."

 

Eric Bossi, a national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, said of Zimmerman:

 

"Obviously he already has size, but he's more than just a big kid running around and looking big. Zimmerman shows excellent skill, has soft touch and is already pretty comfortable with his big frame. He's a pretty fluid athlete given his size and young age.

 

"I first had the opportunity to see Zimmerman at a showcase last fall as an eighth grader and he's come a long way since then. Despite being the youngest player on the floor in basically every game he plays with Dream Vision's 16-and-under team (his AAU summer traveling club), he's acquitted himself quite nicely."

 

His height, however, has hurt his chance at living a normal childhood - and it goes well beyond his 8,000-calorie/day diet needed simply to avoid losing weight.

 

Because of his height and basketball ability, Zimmerman was exposed to the sketchy side of athletics at a young age. His stepmother, Lori Stevens, tells a disconcerting tale of how Zimmerman used to be cornered in public school during seventh grade by coaches from as far away as Southern California.

 

"(Bishop Gorman) feels like home," she said. "We are accepted. He's accepted. We had him in public school and he would come home and say, 'This man brought me his business card and wanted my phone number.' That, as a parent, freaked me out. I called the school and there was nothing they could do about it because it was public property. We are doing what we have to do to keep him safe so we went to private school."

 

Zimmerman's coach praised the work he's put in over the past six months, calling it "incredible" for someone of that age. "He's in the gym almost every night working out with some of the older guys getting after it," Rice said. "I've just seen the progression in the months I've known him and I can't imagine what it's going to be like the next three or four years."

 

 

Stephen Zimmerman won't back down from his famous teammate.

He'll immediately step up to Gorman's varsity squad this year, even though he didn't play organized basketball in eighth grade because he was too much of a mismatch for his opponents. Playing alongside an athlete such as Muhammad, who people have compared with a number of NBA guards, should make Zimmerman even better.

 

"It's a perfect fit for Stephen coming into a loaded team," Rice said. "There's so much hype surrounding him and he's so talented that the great thing about it is there's no pressure for him this year. If we didn't have some of these guys, the expectations would be extremely high for him this year. He's definitely going to get some minutes. He's definitely going to be a big part of the varsity team.

 

"It's going to be a really good year for him to get to learn from some of the older guys, who are three and four years older than him. Once it comes to his sophomore year, he's going to have to take on the leadership role."

 

Perhaps even more entertaining than watching this Bishop Gorman team in games this season would be watching its practices.

 

Zimmerman talks about trying to defend the goal against the rim-rattling Muhammad in practices. He knows he has a chance to be one of the many that gets dunked on but would like to be one of the few who actually deny Muhammad near the basket.

 

"Whenever I play against Shabazz, everyone else is afraid to go up against him but I go up with him just because," he said, "whenever he drives, everyone backs up and I'm the only one going up with him. I think of it as, if he's going to get the reputation of dunking on me, which he's done to a lot of people, I want to get the reputation of blocking Shabazz's shot."

 

Zimmerman's idol and the player he most tries to emulate is 7-foot Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki. Just like Nowitzki, Zimmerman says his strength is his ability to hit the jumper all the way out to the 3-point line while also having a soft touch in the paint. A weakness? Zimmerman says that he needs to work on is his ball-handling.

 

As Zimmerman tries to grow his game at the same rate as he's sprouted the past 14 years, he is also attempting to buck a trend that has been increasing in recent years. The United States doesn't generate big guys as much these days. The proof was in this past draft as five of the top seven players selected were 6-9 or taller, yet none of them hailed from this country. Those picks were Enes Kanter (Turkey), Tristan Thompson (Canada), Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania), Jan Vesely (Czech Republic) and Bismack Biyombo (Congo).

 

The more Zimmerman becomes known nationally, the more pressure there will be for him to end that trend.

 

Being the biggest puts added stress to succeed and, even though Zimmerman is having fun with it so far, his mother knows the pressure will arrive at some point.

 

"I just want him to do his best," Stevens said. "He still really thinks like any other eighth grader. I'm still kind of a realist where I have to hold everybody down. I have to hold the balloon string and if it happens, it's amazing and wonderful but if it doesn't, you are still a success and we are still proud of you.

 

"We love you whether you are a chiropractor, a dentist, whatever, as long as you give your best, it doesn't matter."