Bishop Daniels is ready for a new start.
The onetime Miami guard pledged to new Rutgers coach Eddie Jordan on Tuesday and will suit up beginning in 2014, when the Scarlet Knights join the Big Ten.
“I’ve been recruited by the assistant coach Van Macon and I was recruited by Mike Rice when he was there after I decided to leave Miami,” Daniels told SNY.tv.
By CHIP MILLER & ADAM ZAGORIA
Craig Victor, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward from New Orleans (LA) St. Augustine, has added Kentucky to his list but is still awaiting an official offer.
“It’s a nice look for me,” Victor told SNY.tv. “I know every year they bring in a set of new guys and I’m just looking forward to showing them I can play on that next level.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari recently visited with Victor, but no offer was made.
Greg Echenique likely won’t hear his named called by David Stern or Adam Silver during the NBA Draft on June 27, but he’s dreaming of finding a spot in the NBA anyway.
The 6-foot-9, 260-pound center just finished up his career at Creighton after playing at St. Benedict’s Prep for Dan Hurley and then beginning his college career at Rutgers.
“Obviously, I wasn’t invited to [the] Chicago [Pre-Draft Combine] and things like that so I feel like not a lot of teams have seen me,” Echenique, 22, told SNY.tv by phone from Las Vegas, where he is training at the Impact Academy.
“Any deal that I can get is good. I’m just preparing to be the best that I can…to increase my chances of getting drafted or making a team.”
Craig “Speedy” Claxton is coming back to Hofstra.
Head coach Joe Mihalich announced his staff on Tuesday, and said Claxton will join the staff as the special assistant to the head coach.
“This is a very exciting day for Hofstra University and our men’s basketball program,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeff Hathaway.
“Further enhancing this staff is Speedy’s return to the Hofstra program where he lead the Pride to the NCAA Tournament. Speedy’s presence in our basketball program along with his work with the coaching staff will assist us in returning Hofstra to the NCAA Tournament in future years. We welcome Mike, Kyle, Shane, Colin and Speedy to our staff.”
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Arsalan Kazemi has always been a trailblazer.
He was the first Iranian to play Division I basketball when he enrolled at Rice University in 2009.
And now the 6-foot-7, 220-pound power forward hopes to become the first Iranian chosen in the NBA Draft.
With such bold moves comes pressure — and sometimes even harassment. And Kazemi is no stranger to that.
“I feel like a little pressure because a lot of people are watching me, a lot of young kids from not only my country, but the region from Middle East, and they all want me to make it so I just feel a little bit of pressure on my back, yeah,” Kazemi told SNY.tv last week after a group workout at the Nets’ facility.
By JACK LeGWIN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
SUWANEE, Ga. — If one were to crown an MVP of the Nike Memorial Classic, Malik Monk would have to be at the top of the list.
A 6-foot-3, 175-pound freshman combo guard out of Lepanto (AR) East Poinsett County High School, Monk led the Arkansas Wings EYB to a 16U title with wins over Nike Team Florida, Texas Pro and Southern Stampede on the final day, averaging 17 points per game, and has solidified himself as one of the top players in the class of 2016.
One of the most offensively gifted players at the tournament, Monk showed off his explosiveness with a one-handed tomahawk posterization of a 6-9 center from Southern Stampede, as well as his ability to shoot off of the dribble, consistently nailing long range bombs all weekend long.
Tyus Jones has seven schools remaining on his list, but only has one official set up at the moment.
“I’m taking Baylor at the end of August and that will be my first one so, I’m planning on doing them all in the fall,” the star point guard from Apple Valley (MN) told the Star Tribune.
Jones is also considering Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio State, Michigan State and Minnesota.
Four of those six will get officials and Jones conceded it will be difficult to choose which two do not.
