To keep Dwight Howard, the Lakers will have to sell him on a vision for 2014 and beyond. As a result, if championships are his goal, the Rockets are the safer bet for a whole host of reasons. Read More. Written by Jonathan Tjarks on May 23, 2013
The event gives front offices the opportunity to evaluate D-League players with the possibility of offering Summer League or training camp invites. Read More.
Tyus Jones, the No. 2 overall recruit for 2014 and an excellent point guard, was selected by Paul Biancardi, Adam Finkelstein and John Stovall. Read More.
Andrew Wiggins is in no rush to choose between his final four of Florida State, Kentucky, North Carolina and Kansas.
Some outlets have reported that Wiggins is favoring Florida State.
“Anyone who says they know where I’m going is a liar,” Wiggins said this week. “I don’t know where I’m going, so they can’t know where I’m going.”
Wiggins will take the floor for his last game as a high school student on Saturday, when the World Select team takes on Team USA in the 15th edition of the Nike Hoop Summit.
Wiggins scored a team-high 20 points in leading the World team to a win in last year’s showcase and would like to repeat that performance.
“I wouldn’t want to play my last game and lose,” the 18-year-old said after practice on Thursday.
C.J. McCollum has received positive feedback about his draft stock, and is eager to prove he’s 100 percent healthy and ready to take his game to the NBA.
"Teams, from what I've heard, are pretty positive about me," McCollum said in his first interview since fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his left foot on Jan. 5. "The biggest thing is they just want to see me healthy. I'm healthy. My X-rays are very, very beautiful. I think that's just the biggest thing; they want to make sure my foot is OK.
"My draft stock is still pretty good right now. It'll be better when I get back on the court and show teams that the injury hasn't fazed me, and I've actually gotten stronger and improved aspects of my game."
McCollum believes the final step of his recovery process is mental.
"You have to be mentally tough," McCollum said. "Physically, you're going to feel fine, but the mental aspect is what makes the difference. ... You have to be invested, have 100% confidence that you can do the job and do it better than you could do it before. I feel fine.
"I think all the other guys who have had this injury have exceeded expectations after the injury, and I think I'll be in a similar position to do so as well."
Karl Towns is rooming with Andrew Wiggins at the Nike Hoop Summit.
Towns and Wiggins will lead a World Select Team of international players against Team USA on Saturday in the All-Star game.
“We are having a blast,” Towns said. “We are enjoying each other, enjoying time with each other. He is so athletic and skilled on the court. It’s easy to do a pick-and-roll with him. We are going to utilize that on Saturday along with the chemistry we have. Me and him are so outgoing with each other.”
Towns is happy to share the spotlight with Wiggins, who led the World Team to an 84-75 victory over Team USA at last year’s Nike Hoop Summit.
“That has been nice. There are so many great players here. Sometimes you get used to having all the attention and being in the spotlight, but it is great to have someone here like Andrew. It’s very humbling to know he can help with anything I need. It’s nice to have a co-pilot in this big spotlight. That’s one reason I love being here at the Hoop Summit,” Towns said.
Towns knows the exhibition is a good way to make a positive impression.
“With NBA scouts here, it’s always good to start your future early and show what you can do daily,” Towns said.
Andrew Harrison believes playing at Kentucky will give him a chance to showcase his point guard skills.
Andrew and his twin brother Aaron will join Julius Randle, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee and James Young in what’s considered Kentucky’s best recruiting class ever.
“I don’t care about scoring. I just want to lead my team. I want to win every game,” Harrison said. “I will get a chance to just throw it up the rim sometimes and see who can go get it. I just have to put them in the right positions to score and I am looking forward to that. In high school, they could play four guys on you. Now you can’t leave anybody or they will kill you because we have so many good players.”
Harrison has played with his future teammates in a few All-Star games over the offseason and is expecting a quick assimilation.
“All the guys are cool. Getting to know them has definitely made me even more comfortable about next year,” Harrison said. “It was like a two-week head start on next season. We have not developed great chemistry yet, but we all like each other a lot and everything. We are cool.”
C.J. Wilcox will not be entering the NBA draft and will return to Washington for his senior year.
Wilcox led the Huskies in scoring last season, averaging 16.8 points on 41.9 percent shooting, including 36.6 percent from behind the three-point line.
Wilcox was projected as a second-round draft pick by the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee, which consists of general managers and player personnel executives.
Gary Harris will return for his sophomore season at Michigan State.
Harris was projected as a first-round pick in the upcoming NBA draft.
"When the season was done, Coach (Tom) Izzo gathered a lot of great information and shared it with me and my family," Harris said in a statement. “After talking things over with my parents, it is my decision to remain at Michigan State.
"Playing in the NBA is definitely a goal of mine, and something that I've always dreamed of, but those dreams can wait for another day. I think additional experience and maturity will be huge in my development as a player.”
Harris averaged 12.9 points while dealing with an injury to his left shoulder.
Izzo confirmed that Harris will not need surgery during the offseason.
"He's been committed to his rehab and all indications are that he's making great progress," Izzo said. "There's no question that a healthy Gary Harris is one of the premier guards in the country."
Miles Plumlee, who was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 26th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, has spoken with his brother Mason in preparation for the draft this June.
“The biggest thing I’ve told (Mason) is to be in great shape,” Plumlee told RealGM. “I think that’s the first thing they look for on these teams. They’ve watched all your film, they know what you can bring to the table. But just showing them how much you want it, how hard you’re willing to work for it, is really big.”
While teams heavily analyze film and scouting reports, an individual workout is also a critical component of the evaluation process.
“For me, I think it was even more important than it will be for (Mason),” Plumlee told RealGM. “I don’t think I got to demonstrate as much of my game while I was in college as he did, but it’s important for a lot of people. I think he can show them his mid-range shot and that kind of stuff that he didn’t do as much during the year.”
Unlike most post players, Miles believes Mason’s playmaking ability can separate him in this draft class.
“Our games have changed a lot since we were kids, but the biggest thing that’s stayed a part of Mason’s game from a young age is his passing ability,” Plumlee told RealGM. “I think even as a post player he’s had to work at not being a pass first guy, but I think that’ll be a great thing. He’s easy to play with, he’s going to look for the open guys, and he likes to share the ball.”