With Andrew Wiggins joining Kansas, the Jayhawks should stay at the Top of the Big 12. But the projection for West Virginia, Kansas St., and Oklahoma is entirely different from last season. Read More. Written by Dan Hanner on May 19, 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.
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.”
Marcus Smart took on critics who have questioned why he didn’t declare for the NBA draft.
Smart was projected as a top-five pick.
“First thing this morning I hear Skip Bayless say I had to go,” Smart said during a news conference announcing his draft intentions. “In my mind I'm like, ‘No disrespect, but why?' He says it's because the draft class is weaker this year than next year. Well, that's telling me, from a competitor standpoint, you have no respect for my game and my ability to compete with those guys.
“You tell a competitor that, it just fuels his energy to go out there and prove him wrong. It got me fired up. I wanted to go out there and start working out right then. And it definitely fueled my energy to come back here and start preparing for next year and getting better.”
The 2014 draft class is expected to be rich with talent, led by Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker.
Grant Jerrett has declared himself eligible for the NBA draft.
A 6-foot-10, 235-pound forward, Jerrett averaged 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in in his first and only season at Arizona.
Jerrett shot 40.5 percent from beyond the three-point arc and 81.8 percent from the free throw line.
“I would like to wish Grant well as he pursues his goal of becoming a part of the NBA,” Wildcats coach Sean Miller said in a statement. “Not only is Grant a talented player, but he is an even better person with a wonderful and supportive family. I look forward to helping him in any way that I can as he moves forward in his basketball career.”
Jerrett is expected to sign with agent Brian Dyke.
Eddie Jordan has reached an agreement to coach at Rutgers, sources with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed.
Jordan agreed in principle to a deal in the ballpark of five years and $6.25 million.
Among the many stops in Jordan’s coaching career was a 6-year stint with the Washington Wizards that included four straight appearances in the playoffs.