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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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Wednesday / November 27.

NCAA Basketball: Final Four-Wisconsin vs KentuckyNEW YORK — Former Kentucky big man Willie Cauley-Stein called a report that concerns about his ankle had caused his NBA Draft stock to dip “politics” here on the eve of the Draft.

“Politics, people are going to put the stories out there but I don’t feel any pain,” Cauley-Stein said here at the Westin hotel in midtown Manhattan. “My game didn’t look hindered at all. I increased my vertical about five inches so I’m putting my chin on the rim so I don’t think anything’s wrong with it. A lot of it’s just talk.”

Asked why such a report might surface, he said, “Who knows? It’s a dirty business.”

3588930By MATT WHITFIELD & ADAM ZAGORIA

Kentucky’s latest scholarship offer was extended recently to Zach Brown, a 7-foot-1 2017 center from Miami Beach, Fla., according to multiple reports.

“My dad actually just told me,” Brown, ranked the No. 2 center in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com, told Chris Fisher. “I was very excited because basketball has taken me a long way and that was a dream college for me when I was younger.”

Brown also holds offers from UConn, Miami, Kansas, Florida, NC State, Ohio State, UCLA, South Carolina, and Virginia, but told Fisher North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Miami and UCLA are recruiting him the hardest.

Brown told Fisher he’s been impressed by Kentucky’s recent lineage of big men, including Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel and DeMarcus Cousins.

"ARDSLEY, NY - May 22: Under Armour Association session three at the House of Sports in Ardsley New York. (Photo by Kelly Kline/Under Armour)"

DeAndre Ayton says Duke and Kentucky best develop big men. (Photo by Kelly Kline/Under Armour)

By SEAN MORAN

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Only a rising junior, DeAndre Ayton is considered the top prospect in high school basketball. He spent this past weekend at the Top 100 camp and while he did not dominant the competition he was still named to the All-Star team and had several opponents’ state that he was the toughest player to guard in camp.

Standing at 6-foot-11 with an already chiseled frame and an athletic grace when he flies up and down the court, Ayton does not want to be labeled as just a back to the basket player and wants to fancy his game after the soon to be number one draft pick in Karl Anthony-Towns.

“Yeah, I picture my game as Karl Towns,” said Ayton. “He runs the floor, plays defense, and shoots the outside jumper.”

JAMAL MURRAYBy JOSH NEWMAN

The Jamal Murray Sweepstakes are set to come to a close.

Murray’s father, Roger Murray, confirmed to SNY.tv Tuesday afternoon that the 6-foot-5 Canadian point guard sensation out of Ontario’s Orangeville Prep will announce his college decision Wednesday evening on Canadian network TSN at 6 p.m.

Roger Murray declined to say how many schools are under consideration, but it is believed that Jamal will choose between Kentucky and Oregon.

4_1102230Kobie Eubanks, a 6-5, 212-pound shooting guard from Delray Beach (FL) Elev8 Institute, committed to Alabama and new head coach Avery Johnson on Monday.

Eubanks is ranked the No. 15 shooting guard in the Class of 2016 by 247Sports.com.

“I have waited a long time to make this decision,” Eubanks told Scout.com. “First off I want to thank God, my family and my coaches at Elev-8 for helping me. I’ll be attending the University of Alabama.”

“It’s a great school with great academics,” Eubanks told Scout. “The program is on the rise. It’s in a conference that I like. I was sold on the vision and passion of coach Avery [Johnson]. I’m excited to go there and be a leader and be a part of the organization. I’m exciting to be apart of coach Avery’s first recruiting class.”

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