June 2013 | Page 15 of 25 | 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 / April 18.
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    • Articles, Recruiting

    Remember Michael Chandler?

    The 6-foot-10 big man out of Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence North was the No. 5 center in the Class of 2011 and committed to three different schools — Louisville, Xavier and Central Florida — before being deemed academically ineligible by the NCAA.

    Chandler has resurfaced at Northwest Florida State where he is playing for coach Steve Forbes, the former Tennessee assistant, and alongside Louisville-bound point guard Chris Jones. 

    This week Chandler visited Purdue and he enjoyed it.

    Articles, Recruiting

    By DAVE SPAHN

    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Very few players have made ripples in scouting circles lately like Skal Labissiere has.

    Arguably the top camper at the Elite 100 camp in St. Louis last weekend, Labissiere put his full arsenal of abilities on display. So far at the NBPA Top 100 camp, Labissiere has continued his hot streak.

    Blessed with incredible length and athleticism, the 6-foot-9 Labissiere out of Cordova (TN) Evangelical Christian is a shot-blocking machine down low. He thrives as a face-up player who can knock down mid-range jumpers but post up smaller defenders when necessary.

    The 2015 star has opened the eyes of many over the past two seasons, and college coaches have begun lining up at his doorstep in hopes of obtaining a commitment.

    Articles, Recruiting

    By DAVE SPAHN

    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — If a high school basketball player is regarded as a consensus top 10 player in his class, he will begin to hear from some of college basketball’s blue blood programs as early as freshman year, maybe even middle school.

    Kevon Looney, however, let his parents communicate with college coaches about his recruitment and didn’t speak to a high number of schools himself.

    Until now.

    Knicks

    Just 10 days after officially retiring from the Knicks with two years and more than $6 million left on his contract, Jason Kidd has jumped ship and become the head coach of the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets.

    The addition of the 10-time NBA All-Star — arguably the greatest Net in NBA history (Dr. J. played in the ABA) — should certainly spice up the Knicks-Nets rivalry.

    “I think it’s a great rivalry,” Kidd said Thursday at his introductory press conference at Barclays Center. “It’s great for the city, for the people that live here and so hopefully Brooklyn has the upper hand at the end of the day.”

    Andrew Wiggins, Articles

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg4yBkn9z-Y]

    By TARIQ SBIET

    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    TORONTO — Team Canada hosted the second annual Red & White game this past Tuesday at Ryerson University, where Junior National team hopefuls collided in what was essentially an open tryout for the U19 team.

    It was far from an all-star event.

    Among those in attendance were uncommitted 2014 forward Trey Lyles (seen in the above highlight), Syracuse-bound point guard Tyler Ennis and Florida State-bound shooting guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes – three pieces who combined for half of Canada’s offensive production at last summer’s U18 FIBA Americas.

    As Canada prepares for the U19 World Championship June 27-July 7 in Prague, they will be without Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 prospect in the world, who is preparing for his freshman season at Kansas, as announced by Canada Basketball last week.

    “Me, Tyler and X, we have to step up and fill in the hole that is left with Andrew out,” said Lyles, who averaged 13.6 points and 13.8 rebounds last summer.

    Articles, Big East

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was updated on June 18 to reflect the news of the torn ACL suffered by Georgetown’s Greg Whittington.***

    This isn’t your father’s Big East Conference.

    The Big East Conference of 2013-14 won’t have traditional Final Four contenders Syracuse and Louisville. The Jimmy and Ricky Show has moved on to a Denny’s somewhere near Greensboro (Rick Pitino will have to wait until Louisville joins the ACC in 2014 for that).

    Six other schools — Cincinnati, UConn, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh Rutgers and USF — are also gone.

    Enter Butler, Creighton and Xavier to the new 10-team Big East that managed to keep the conference name and the postseason tournament at Madison Square Garden when it broke off with the football schools.

    Articles, NBA Draft

    By JOSH NEWMAN
    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    Travon WoodallEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The perception among some NBA teams is that Travon Woodall lacks the athleticism to play point guard in the NBA.

    Whether or not those teams are right regarding the 6-foot, 190-pound former University of Pittsburgh and St. Anthony High School floor general remains to be seen, but those perceptions don’t seem to be bothering him as he tries to make some progress on the NBA Draft workout circuit.

    On Wednesday, Woodall worked out for the Nets at PNY Center, his second audition for an NBA squad. He previously worked out for the Wizards on June 4.

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