Jeremy Tyler will work out later this week in Los Angeles for Maccabi Haifa Heat of the Israeli pro league.
“He’s working out and people are coming in to see him,” said grassroots basketball guru Sonny Vaccaro, who will broker Tyler’s pro deal. “The Israeli team Haifa are going to be in Thursday and Friday to interview Jeremy and work him out.”
The 6-foot-11 Tyler initially committed to Louisville but then announced he would skip his senior year of high school to play professionally for two years before entering the 2011 NBA Draft.
“It may not be the best way to get to the NBA, but it’s the best way to get ready for the NBA,” Jeremy Tyler told Yahoo! Sports.
Vaccaro, who also negotiated Brandon Jennings’ deal with an Italian pro team, said Tyler “will probably work out for other teams in Europe next week.”
“The schedule is now being planned out,” he said.
As for rumors that Kentucky commits John Wall and/or DeMarcus Cousins were considering playing in Europe, Vaccaro said he has “never” spoken to either player or their representatives.
“If [Wall] would end up in Europe it would be the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever seen in my life because he should’ve been in the NBA,” Vaccaro said. “This is a mystery to me.”
A source with knowledge previously told me he expected Wall to be academically qualified for Kentucky next season.
As for Lance Stephenson, whom Vaccaro has consulted with at times, Sonny had no update.
“I haven’t talked to them in a month,” he said. “They’ll do the right thing.”
pastaboy / June 3, 2009
More ludicrous Ky. rumors shot down ….. good job Adam
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ChrisMullin / June 3, 2009
And Caliparigate gains another twist:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11813089/rss
Dozier took the SAT once before trying to enroll at Georgia, but that score was flagged after the school received a tip that the score might be “fishy.” At the time, Georgia was still dealing with charges of academic fraud under Jim Harrick and determined to be extra careful with everything. So the school asked Dozier to take the SAT again, and a source with knowledge of the situation told CBSSports.com that the second score was “not enough to resolve the issue.” Put another way, Georgia officials were not properly convinced the first test and second test were taken by the same person, which led to the end of Dozier’s time as a Georgia recruit in August 2004.
It’s this kind of stuff coming out that should worry Kentucky fans. Even if you claim Cal won’t get the leeway at Kentucky, if the NCAA finds a pattern here it will absolutely follow Cal to Kentucky.
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ronald.burgandy / June 3, 2009
Thanks for linking this to a relevant article.
Dozier took them again, don’t you think eyes might have been on him a little harder to see if he was cheating. I assume he got a qualifying score when he took it again or else he wouldn’t be playing.
Also, he originally signed with memphis, switched to GA, when to prep school, then signed with memphis again.
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DrDick / June 3, 2009
I am sure the Kentucky fans will find excuses for Dozier’s SAT scores too. They can not admit they hired a two time cheater as their new coach.
The real dirt on Calipari is with William Wesley. Can anybody explain why the top high school players in the country are influenced by a loan broker from Detroit and follow Cal to his school???
The NCAA needs to investigate WWW and his dealings with Cal. They need to get rid of these pimps who prey on high school players, their families and coaches.
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ChrisMullin / June 3, 2009
From what Parrish says, the second time he took it, under scrutiny, he didn’t pass which is why Georgia dropped him. They didn’t think the 2 tests were taken by the same person.
I remember a very similar occurrence happened to Kansas with DeShawn Stevenson. He had committed to Kansas and there were rumors of a crooked SAT. Kansas told him he’d have to take it again or they couldn’t give him a scholarship. DeShawn went straight into the draft and I think still was a 1st rounder.
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Big Ben / June 3, 2009
Saw this on a few blogs today doesn’t have anything about Dozier yet, but no matter who you are this is funny stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFhZV_D3XXo
While Calipari had us drinkin that blue Kool Aid
Derrick Rose had fake grades
Whoever said Memphis didn’t have smart students never met the two guys that made this song.
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bball purist / June 3, 2009
Tyler will do the right thing and play in Europe and avoid the tax-free scourge of the NCAA.
Unfortunately for Lance, Europe’s not good for him according to Vaccaro. The right thing for Lance at this point would be to go to a Hall of Fame coach who can help continuing to provide the structure his mom and dad having been trying to give him. That, and a former 1st round draft pick (Keith Booth) who was a consummate team player with great skills will guide Lance and the guys to a re-birth next season and back into the top 10. BR will fit right in with how hard the guys play along with a strong desire to win. The Terps will surprise many next year if BR leads the ReBirth —- BR leads the RB ….. Grievis will be back next week and all the pieces are in place. Keep sleeping on the Turtle – it’s BR’s best fit. Steve Francis did it – Lance can too…
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hook_em_horns / June 3, 2009
Dick,
Seriously? I would say that a strong majority of the top recruits have a ‘handler’. If you didn’t know that then congratulations, you just found out. To my knowledge, WWW didn’t have an influence on either Cousins or Wall’s decision. Despite what you may think, Calipari can recruit without WWW whether you or I like it or not. And in all honesty Calipari is getting trashed and for what? He has as many recruiting violations as you do. I’m not saying that he is totally clean here but I wouldn’t put him in Jerry Tarkanian’s class just yet. In fact, I don’t blame Calipari for his tactics I just think that he goes after people with questionable characters and that is what ultimately got him into the mess that he is in.
As for your second point, I totally agree that the NCAA should “get rid of these pimps who prey on high school players, their families and coaches.” You can find this ‘pimps’ at AAU events as they are like leeches looking for the next big prospect. If you want the NCAA to accomplish this mission the only way that I can see it being done is by getting rid of the AAU scene, which would be totally fine with me.
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