October 2012 | Page 21 of 22 | Zagsblog
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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Saturday / November 23.

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GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Wearing a Knicks practice jersey with the No. 36 on it, Rasheed Wallace sat down on a training table at the team’s training center Wednesday and began taking questions from a slew of reporters.

A four-time NBA All-Star who holds the league’s single season (41) and all-time records for technical fouls (304), Wallace quickly showed that he hasn’t lost any feistiness despite being away from the game for two years.

When a New York tabloid reporter tried to ask the 6-foot-11 Wallace a question, he shot back, “Oh, no, next question.”

Despite that short interaction, Wallace, 38, was pretty cordial with the media and said he decided to come back after Knicks coach Mike Woodson first contacted him seven months ago about coming out of retirement. Wallace last played for the Boston Celtics during the 2009-10 season, averaging 9.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists over 22.5 minutes.

Jabari Parker will take official visits to Duke and Michigan State — his two perceived leaders — and will add three more officials, according to a report on ESPNChicago.com.

The 6-foot-8 Parker will visit Duke the weekend of Oct. 27, as previously reported on SNY.tv. A date for the MSU visit has not yet been set.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams will have an in-home with Parker Tuesday and Florida coach Billy Donovan visits Chicago Simeon that same day, ESPN reported.

“From there, we’ll probably sit down and evaluate all his home visits and decide which will be his official visits,” Sonny Parker told the site. “It’s a process. He’s had quite a few home visits. He’s going to start taking his visits. It’s the month of October already. It’s going to take time.”

Julius Randle has cut his list to six schools, according to a Tweet from his school, Prestonwood Christian Academy.

“Julius Randle narrows to 6: Kentucky, NC State, Florida, Texas, Kansas, OU.”

A source close to the recruitment confirmed he had spoken to Randle’s mother, Carolyn Kyles, and that those schools comprised his final six.

Kyles was not immediately available for comment.

The 6-foot-9 Randle surprisingly eliminated Baylor, North Carolina, Duke and Oklahoma State.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — The man expected to start at point guard for the Knicks in their season opener Nov. 1 against the Brooklyn Nets is carrying a big chip on his shoulder.

Raymond Felton says he’s carrying that chip because of the “negative talk” about his season last year in Portland when he  admittedly reported to training camp out of shape because he was “caught off guard” by the end of the NBA lockout. He averaged a career-low 11.4 points to go with 6.5 assists.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Jason Kidd helped Dirk Nowitzki win an NBA championship in Dallas, and now he wants to help Carmelo Anthony win one in New York.

“That’s the plan,” Kidd said Tuesday after the team’s first day of practice. “I hope so.”

Kidd and Nowitzki won an NBA championship with the Mavericks in 2011, yet Melo and the Knicks are seeking the franchise’s first title since 1973.

Still, Kidd sees similarities between Anthony and Nowitzki.

Andrew Wiggins, the top high school prospect in America, will visit Kentucky for Big Blue Madness Oct. 12.

The news was first reported by Evan Daniels of Scout.com, but Huntington Prep coach Rob Fulford told SNY.tv that Wiggins actually told Kentucky he would visit “three weeks ago.”

Wiggins will join 2013 commit Derek Willis, uncommitted 2013 forward Marcus Lee and 2014s Cliff Alexander and JaQuan Lyle, and potentially others, including uncommitted 2013 wing James Young, for the event.

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