HoopsHype.com Draft Rumors

Saturday, January 3

Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain. Rubio's performance in the Olympics convinced NBA scouts (and Team USA) that the Pistol Pete look-alike from Spain was for real. A wrist injury sidelined him early this season, but in the past few weeks, he has gotten back into form and looks like a lock for a Top 3 pick. However, there are questions about whether or not Rubio will be able to afford a buyout from his team this year, which puts into question whether he'll enter this year's draft. One source close to the situation insists that the concerns are overblown and Rubio is in, but the situation is worth watching. ESPN.com

James Harden, SG, So., Arizona State. Harden was under the radar for much of 2008, but his play has been stellar this season. He does virtually everything well and reminds many scouts of Brandon Roy. Harden looks like one of those players who will be able to contribute immediately in the NBA and projects as a surefire Top 5 pick. Many scouts and executives have him as high as No. 2 on their draft boards. ESPN.com

Brandon Jennings, Italy. When scouts watch video of him in high school, or watch him in practice in Italy, Jennings looks like a Top 5 pick. He's blessed with great athleticism and virtually every skill you want in a point guard. But he's been a disappointment when he's on the floor in Europe. Chalk a lot of that up to a difficult transition from high school to Euro ball. But some of that uncertainty is starting to weigh on his stock. Jennings still looks like a Top 10 pick at the moment, but there isn't a consensus like there was in June. ESPN.com

A number of NBA experts are casting Monroe as a lottery pick in June's draft; ESPN's Chad Ford projects him as the No. 4 pick. But true to his team-first game, such talk doesn't resonate with Monroe. "I'm still growing and trying to fit in," said Monroe, adding that he loves the relative anonymity of campus life at Georgetown. "Even though you might see stuff on TV and think that I'm feeling pretty good, I'm still trying to grow and learn what Coach really wants out of me. ... It's not hard to push all that aside when you've got [No. 3] Pittsburgh coming to town." Washington Times

Thursday, January 1

In a hotel suite on the Las Vegas strip, Sonny Vaccaro negotiated the contract of high school star Brandon Jennings with the owners of Lottomatica Virtus Roma. Vaccaro has been one of basketball’s greatest business visionaries ever, but he insists that he’s baffled for the way the Euroleague franchise has been so stingy over the point guard’s playing time. “I haven’t figured out the European game yet,” Vaccaro said. “I don’t know why if they were going to pay him a half a million dollars, that they don’t play him. It’ll be illogical to pay this kind of money and keep him on the bench.” Yahoo! Sports

Two NBA executives who’ve watched Jennings practice in Italy left impressed with his progress. “It shows that he had the [guts] to be a trailblazer,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “This isn’t ideal if his confidence is frail, but so far he hasn’t shown to be a wuss. If the team can get to the Euroleague Final Four, he still has a chance to shine.” Yahoo! Sports

This move isn’t for everyone. Most kids couldn’t handle living in a strange country, never mind adapting to Europe’s far more team-oriented, passing game. Vaccaro says one team destined for the draft lottery has told him that Jennings won’t slip past it. Another Eastern GM says that unless Jennings gets into trouble between now and the June draft, nothing will push him out of the lottery. In what’s considered a thin 2009 draft, Jennings picked a good year to be a test case. “If Brandon goes over there, makes a good dollar and goes in the [draft] lottery, I think that the balance of scales will be tested here,” Vaccaro said. “I think you’ll see more players wanting to do this. All 13 families have said to me, in one way or another, ‘How can they criticize us for thinking about going pro and making some money when the coaches and everyone else around us are making millions?’ None of them are saying they’re ruling out college – nor should they – but this is a legitimate option now.” Yahoo! Sports

There were nearly 30 NBA executives and scouts at the Connecticut-Georgetown game on Monday night in Hartford, and as one respected scout said, “Thirty men absolutely fell in love with Greg Monroe.” Monroe is the 6-foot-9 Hoyas freshman who was considered the No. 1 high school player in his class. Said the scout, “He plays like an old pro, the way he sees the floor, takes good shots, throws the back-door passes. He’s even got a hook shot. [Hasheem] Thabeet didn’t [block] his shot once.” Yahoo! Sports

Tuesday, December 30

Although the point guard of El Masnou is among the favorites in all the mock drafts this year, several sources confirmed that Ricky Rubio will not enter the Draft this year. Marca.com

"It's something that has not been ruled out yet, but it is true it wouldn't be ridiculous to think that Ricky will not enter the NBA Draft this year," said German Gonzalez, agent of Rubio in Spain. Marca.com

"...Decisions will be taken depending on how the European market goes too," said the agent, who added: "There are powerful teams (in Europe) and they would have no problem with the buyout clause." Marca.com

Gonzalez said that Rubio's buyout clause is 4.75 million euros, while multiple sources have confirmed Marca.com, including one from his current team DKV Joventut, that the buyout clause is now at six million euros. Marca.com

Brandon Jennings: Hope everyone had a blessed Holiday, and I hope everyone had a warm meal to eat. My Christmas was cool. Me, Terrence and my Mom had dinner at my teammate Andre Hutson’s house. His lovely wife cooked a Bomb Dinner for us. It was great! First time ever being away from home for Christmas…I’m not gonna lie I enjoyed it. It was real laid back. Until next time, gotta get back to this Laker game. Under Armour / December 27

Sunday, December 28

Rukia Thabeet turned to a fellow African, Dikembe Mutombo, last spring when looking for advice as to whether her son, University of Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet, should go to the NBA after his sophomore season. Mutombo told her Hasheem should put in at least another year with the Huskies before going pro because he wasn't a definite lottery draft pick. The native of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, followed the advice and now seems poised to be a high selection in the 2009 NBA draft if he decides to leave after his junior year. "I talked to his mom when he was considering going from college to the NBA this year," said Mutombo, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo and current NBA free agent who has drawn some interest from the Celtics. "Any African kid that wants advice from me I will give it to them. I want to see more African kids come into the NBA. "I told him to wait. His family passed the message on to him. During the last draft he would not have been drafted high. But now the door is open for him to possibly be the No. 1 draft pick." Boston Globe

Sunday, December 21

An NBA scout described Boston College senior guard Tyrese Rice as a potential second-round pick in the 2009 draft. Going scoreless against winless South Carolina Upstate surely didn't help his cause. Boston Globe

Thursday, December 18

Brandon Jennings: Just wanted to write to y’all to clear up a few things. I’ve been seeing some negative talk about some of the things I’ve written on my blog. My blog is not to put anyone on blast or anything like that. The things I say are to show kids who are thinking about coming over here how real it is, and I’m just going to keep it 100% real. Because I don’t want anyone coming over here thinking it’s easy. The whole reason I’m doing the blog is because I made a decision that is basically unprecedented. I’m not trying to make myself sound better than anyone else…I’m just trying to tell people what it’s like. So that’s why I talk about the ups and the downs. It’s not a game once you become a Pro, it’s real life. To be great, you gotta put in the time and be responsible off the court. Underarmour.com

Sunday, December 14

Having sat out the entire season thus far, besides a short 2-minute spurt last weekend in the ACB, this obviously wasn’t the best time to evaluate Ricky Rubio’s progress. Regardless, there were a couple of things to take away from watching him play (briefly) against Rome and in practice the following day. -His impact extends far beyond his ability to score: We always knew this, but watching him play with only one hand (in practice it was almost painful to watch him shoot two-handed layups, air-ball mid-range jumpers and brick free throws) only amplified this point. Rubio got his hands on every ball even remotely in his area in the game we saw the moment he stepped out on the court—causing deflections and turnovers on a couple of occasions. His knack for getting in the passing lanes is nothing short of amazing, and he’s an absolute nuisance playing defense on the ball. DraftExpress.com

In addition, he was able to display his terrific court vision repeatedly, as he is simply unable to score with his right hand being in the shape it’s currently in. He was able to beat Brandon Jennings off the dribble badly on two separate occasions, and repeatedly delivered incredibly creative passes to teammates that surprised even them based on the way they reacted. They apparently either didn’t understand his brilliance or just aren’t used to being fed that way. A play at the end of the first half did a great job demonstrating his outstanding instincts—as he corralled a rebound with about two seconds remaining, and immediately whipped a full-court outlet pass to a streaking teammate for an easy layup just as time expired. -He’s a natural born leader, and extremely likable on top of that. DraftExpress.com

The moment Rubio came into the game, he immediately began directing traffic and instructing them where to go. In practice, he quietly demonstrates to players close to twice his age where they should be on the floor in a certain set or drill. During shoot-around, he jokes around in English with the foreigners, and in Spanish with the local players. As they are going through a certain drill—the team runs until Coach Alonso claps, at which point the players must begin to sprint—Rubio shows his playful side by clapping himself mid-stride, which the players must have seen before, as no one fell for it. He has a special quality about him, there is no doubt about it, and it’s pretty obvious that he’s extremely well-liked by his teammates. The fact that he’s even playing right now is a testament to how much he wants to help his team win. DraftExpress.com

Norel was knocked out of the Rome game on two separate occasions, once after taking an elbow to the nose, and once after hurting his knee following a vicious hip-check from Andre Hutson—while already wearing a mask. The crowd seems to love the energy he brings to the floor, and serenaded him with chants as he limped to the bench. Norel draws unanimous praise from coaches for his work ethic and team spirit. Considering the way he looks, and what we know about him already, it wouldn’t be shocking to see someone pull the trigger on drafting him in the late first round—he’s automatically eligible as a 1987 born player. If an NBA GM thinks that his body will be able to put on 15-20 pounds over the next few years, he could be getting a very productive role-player to bring off the bench at the 4/5 position. One NBA scout we spoke with compared him with San Antonio Spurs big man Fabricio Oberto. DraftExpress.com

As far as the NBA is concerned, Ribas is unlikely to interest most NBA decision makers due to his limited upside. For Europe, though, he looks like a very high-level player and will likely be on the radar for quite some time, thanks to his high skill level and terrific feel for the game. DraftExpress.com

Even now, with the draft age at 19, which forces most players to take a year of college (or, if you're Brandon Jennings, a year overseas) before jumping into the NBA, there still are too many talented young players coming into the league without enough game education. "They can all play," Charles Barkley said this past week on TNT, "but they don't know what the hell they're doing." Barkley says players should stay in college for more than one year, but obviously the lure of NBA millions is too great to turn down. Unlike baseball and hockey, the NBA doesn't have a true minor-league system in which these players can develop. The D-League would work better if it didn't cost teams a valuable roster spot just to send a player there. Newsday

Here's an alternative to the rule that says players must be one-year removed from high school before playing in the NBA. Charlotte coach Larry Brown suggests the NBA could allow teams to draft high school players and then "stash" them in college similar to foreign players being stashed overseas. Said Brown: "We send them to the D-League. Instead we could send them to play for great college coaches in a great environment. That's not so bad." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Thursday, December 11

When the year began, it was fairly obvious 6-10 Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin was in position to play himself toward the No. 1 position in the 2009 NBA draft. Being the best pro prospect and being the best college player aren't the same thing, except that Griffin may make it so this year. Griffin said last spring he chose to return to Oklahoma because he felt he needed to improve before becoming a professional and because he wanted to be part of a potentially special season with the Sooners. He has been amazing, and so has his team. OU remains undefeated, with victims including Purdue, Davidson and Southern California. And Griffin is averaging 24.4 points and 15.6 rebounds. Those numbers might settle down a bit as the season advances, but no one has averaged 15 rebounds since Larry Smith of Alcorn State in 1980. SportingNews

Tuesday, December 9

Hardin is unsure whether he will be signed to an NBA contract next season or play overseas. "I’m ready to join (the organization) whenever they’re ready for me,” Hardin said. "I’ve been following the team all year. We have a lot of work to do. I can’t wait until I can get back on the court and do my part.” Oklahoman

Thursday, December 4

As far as his NBA draft stock is concerned, Shved will likely have a hard time getting drafted higher than the second round if he can’t find a way to get on the court by the time June of 2010 rolls around. That might not be such a bad thing, though, for a variety of reasons (his own development, CSKA’s investment, the NBA rookie scale, and others). In terms of pure talent, there are few guards in the NCAA that would rank ahead of him, even if there is obviously a lot more to the equation that just that. There are clearly still many question marks left to be answered before Shved will be able to fully tap into the immense potential he enjoys. DraftExpress.com / December 3

While the Trojans, a preseason Top 25 pick, have stumbled a bit in a 5-2 start, they’ll bring a team to Norman that is perceived to be loaded with talent. And perception is likely reality, considering 24 pro scouts — a Lloyd Noble record — have requested passes for a pairing that offers two of the projected top 10 picks in the 2009 NBA Draft, and more. "They’re very talented,” said OU coach Jeff Capel, "as talented as any team we’ve seen so far this year.” Oklahoman

Sunday, November 30

A source close to the University of Connecticut men's basketball program said there has been concern about junior center Hasheem Thabeet getting big-headed over his NBA future. Potentially adding fuel to that fire is an NBA scouting executive telling the Globe last week that the 7-foot-3-inch, 265-pounder is considered a top-five draft prospect next year and likening him to Dikembe Mutombo after watching him at the Paradise Jam tournament in the US Virgin Islands. "He was off the rack in USVI," the scouting executive said. Boston Globe

According to the executive, a college coach said Thabeet "blocks shots as good as Greg Oden, but he is more athletic and quicker off his feet than Greg. He is just scratching the surface." Boston Globe

But the source close to UConn also said Thabeet's teammates aren't confident throwing him the ball in the post because he has a limited post game and needs to get stronger. But you can't teach 7-3 height, and assuming he enters the draft, his next team will surely feel confident that it can improve his post game and get him stronger. Asked about Thabeet having a limited post game, the scout said, "So did [Mutombo]. He shuts down the rim [defensively]." Boston Globe

Tuesday, November 25

Everyone demands an explanation, which Harden finds puzzling. Truth is, he just didn't think he was ready, which means last season's youngest Pac-10 player made a decision that required maturity beyond his years. "I didn't ask around; I just asked myself," Harden said. "You can only be truthful with yourself. I'm not saying I don't have the talent to go to the NBA, but there are a lot of things you need along with talent. I just thought I needed to come back to mature as a person and a player." Arizona Republic / November 24

Sunday, November 23

Jennings is already measuring up to Europe's best. Says Serb Filip Covic, who has also faced 18-year-old Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio: "Ricky's a great player, but Brandon is better." ESPN / November 22

Jennings might have come to Europe to prove he's the best point guard outside of the NBA, but he now realizes that he won't do so through his numbers. "Once I saw how Coach did things, I decided to concentrate on running the team," he says after an impressive 11-point, three-assist, 19-minute game that had an NBA scout in the building claiming Jennings could average 20 if he played more. "I'm playing defense, learning as much as I can and just trying to win," Jennings says. "In the end, this is going to make me better." Hearing that might mean more to NBA execs than unbelievable stats. "Playing in Europe with grown men who are better than him is going to help him mature as a player," says an NBA GM who is being kept apprised about Jennings by overseas scouts. "And I can tell you this already: He's a definite lottery pick in '09." ESPN / November 22

While Ricky Rubio is unquestionably the top NBA prospect in the ACB, Victor Claver has given scouts a very good reason to continue to head to Spain this season, despite Rubio’s continuous absence. After getting his first taste of ACB basketball in 2006, Claver saw consistent minutes last year with Pamesa Valencia. While his production was solid (albeit inconsistent) considering he was only 19, Claver has taken his game to a completely different level this season despite having the added pressure of being one of Pamesa’s go-to players. DraftExpress.com / November 22

Saturday, November 22

Who loves the Knicks' trades most in the West? Probably Utah. The Jazz own New York's draft pick in 2009 or 2010. The Knicks will retain the pick in the 2009 draft if it falls between No. 1 and No. 22 in June, but the pick is fully unprotected in 2010, which means it could be a very good one, given the Knicks' clear intent to keep their roster as frills-free as possible until the league's free-agent bonanza in July 2010. ESPN.com

Friday, November 21

If the Nuggets have the top pick in the 2014 draft, Charlotte coach Larry Brown might not care. He'll be pushing 74 then and will perhaps be retired from coaching, if not with a 12th NBA team. But the Nuggets, thanks to a crafty maneuver in June, could be in line to have a pretty nifty pick if the Bobcats (3-7) continue to show few signs of being a playoff team. Denver sent its 2008 No. 20 pick to Charlotte for a future first-round pick. The selection is protected through the top 14 in 2009, No. 12 in 2010, No. 10 in 2011, No. 8 in 2012 and through No. 3 in 2013. The selection is unprotected in 2014. So if Michael Jordan continues to show few signs of being a top executive, that's when the Nuggets could really score. Rocky Mountain News

Monday, November 17

From an NBA standpoint, there are few things not to like about Jackson’s physical makeup. He may be a little undersized for the two-guard spot, but he has great length that allows him to play bigger than his listed 6’5” 185. Jackson has nice athleticism too, being able to beat most defenders off the dribble with his quickness. He elevates surprisingly well, and with his extended reach is able to do damage around the rim in traffic. DraftExpress.com

Rider plays a good bit of zone, making it a bit difficult to evaluate Thompson’s precise defensive potential, but it appears that he sports somewhat average lateral quickness and tends to get beat off the dribble a fair share—things we need to look a little closer at this season. Despite the graduation of his brother Jason, Rider will probably still be a tough out in the MAAC. With two more seasons left to improve and become an even more polished all-around player, it’s certainly not of the question that Ryan joins him in the NBA after he’s done there. DraftExpress.com

This will be an interesting year for Anderson. With the departure of Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts to the NBA, will Anderson’s role expand? Or will he continue his steady play as a role player? Whatever the case may be, there is no question that his defensive abilities, versatility, selfless attitude, and the amount of experience he’s garnered at the highest level of college basketball make him intriguing. DraftExpress.com

Sunday, November 16

One NBA executive said there are only four international players that are first-round prospects, one of which is Lottomatica point guard Brandon Jennings, an American who bypassed college to play overseas. The other three to keep an eye on are DKV Joventut point guard Ricky Rubio, Pamesa Valencia forward Victor Claver, and Buducnost forward Vladimir Dasic. The NBA executive, however, also noted that there are some talented international first-round prospects playing college ball in the United States: Connecticut junior center Hasheem Thabeet of Tanzania, and two Australians in Vanderbilt sophomore center A.J. Ogilvy and St. Mary's sophomore point guard Patrick Mills. Another NBA executive said the freshman crop is devoid of lottery prospects right now. The exec added that the 2008 McDonald's All-America game, which features the top high school talent, was the weakest it had been in years. Boston Globe

Our NEXT Six-Word Story Contest has come to a close, and we have chosen a winner for each of our four NEXT finalists, Joey Logano, Ricky Rubio, Matt Ryan and David Price: * Joey Logano: "The best thing since Joey Logano." * Ricky Rubio: "Court vision? He sees the future." ESPN.com

With Rubio, we've heard about the globalization of the game for years now. The San Antonio Spurs have four rings with teams that consist of a good deal of international players generally, and Dirk did lead the Mavericks to the 2006 NBA Finals. The Utah Jazz, who may have more Europeans than some New York sidewalk cafes, are perpetually knocking on the door. Rubio is in a position to continue this trend, and give the NBA a bona-fide youthful international superstar. We're not saying Duncan, Manu, Tony and Dirk AREN'T superstars—they are in many respects. Rubio has all the skills to take it to an even higher level, and—David Stern and Adam Silver breathe easy, Josh Childress and Brandon Jennings be damned—make the flow of talent go the way it's supposed to go, that being Europe ----- > USA. ESPN.com

We'll reference two quick co-worker stories on Rubio, because aren't co-workers the driving force of everything you know anyway? Our man Max Klinger once did a ten question interview with D-Wade. He slipped in a Rubio/Jennings question regarding the 2009 Draft and what did Wade say? Read it here, although if you don't like clicking on links, a summary: "He goes at about a hundred miles per hour." As for Magazine general editor Chris Sprow, Washington-raised? Says the other day in the office: "My dream is for Seattle to get a team back in time to get Rubio." Former Finals MVP praising his game? Dejected Seattle fan anointing him as the future? Sounds like NEXT to us. ESPN.com

The big enigma in the 2009 NEXT discussion is Rubio. People kinda think he could be awesome, maybe think he could be the best international baller ever, but no one really knows. Isn't part of the glory of the NEXT concept that you're throwing something out there based on careful study, but more than anything, you're excited for the games to play out so that you can find out if you're right? That's what makes it fun! We already know about three of these guys. We still have to dance the dance of intrigue with Ricky and that's why you gotta choose him as NEXT. ESPN.com

Friday, November 14

Player of the Week: Brandon Jennings. Brandon Jennings seems to be settling into his role in European basketball thus far, to the point that it seems safe to begin preliminarily analyzing how he’s playing. With nine games underneath his belt (five in the Italian league, where Rome is 4-1, and four in the Euroleague, where they stand 3-1), Jennings is averaging 18.5 minutes per game, scoring 8 points on 35% shooting from the field and 31% from beyond the arc, pulling down under 2 rebounds and dishing out 2.35 assists compared with 1.35 turnovers. Not really the stuff legends are made out of, but fairly impressive nonetheless considering what he’s going up against at his age. Numbers are typically not the best way to evaluate players in Europe, and this definitely holds true in this case. DraftExpress.com

Defensively, Jennings is making noticeable strides, but still has room to improve. On one hand, he seems to be putting a pretty good effort into his man to man defense, showing really nice lateral quickness staying in front of his man and better fundamentals than we saw in the past. On the other hand, he lacks significant strength and seems to get pushed off the ball far too easily, having a difficult time getting around screens as well. His team defense is definitely a work in progress, as he looks a bit lackadaisical staying aware of where the ball is on the floor, and is not showing the greatest hustle going after loose balls or trying to help out on the glass. DraftExpress.com

Even though Jennings has been fairly up and down early in the season thus far (particularly in the Italian league, where he has struggled badly at times), its hard not to come away impressed by how he’s fared, all things considered. He walked into a very difficult situation and seems to be making the best of it thus far, holding his own against hostile crowds and tough gyms in places like Vitoria, Berlin and Ljubljana. There is absolutely no question that he will become a significantly better player from the experience he’s gaining every day, as he’s competing at an incredibly high level under an outstanding coach and is being allowed to latitude to learn from his mistakes. DraftExpress.com

Jennings looks to have the makings of a very high draft pick at the moment, even if it is very early in the season. We will have to wait and see how he progresses over the next few months, but the early returns look pretty promising. DraftExpress.com

We’ll see how the season unfolds for Begic. Despite his Euroleague achievements, his performance at the Adriatic League appears to be significantly less consistent. He’s always carried a rep for being somewhat of an underachiever throughout his career, as he reportedly is not the most enthusiastic worker around, so it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his extremely hot start. Anyway, if he shows some solidity in his outings, chances are he won’t be playing for Olimpija next season, as someone will throw significant money his way in the search for quality size on the paint. In fact, considering that his contract is up this summer, there is some talk that he may be bought out by a rich team in Spain or Russia this season already. And if he keeps developing, the NBA is not out of the question. DraftExpress.com

Another young hero in the Euroleague today was Sergio Llull, who sparked his team back from a 5-point deficit with a minute to go to help Real Madrid defeat Armani Jeans Milano. Llull’s energy, defense and aggressiveness were huge keys. With Raul Lopez again on the shelf, Llull had 11 points and 4 assists in 24 minutes. DraftExpress.com

Wednesday, November 12

"I hope this experience -- playing in Europe -- will help me in order to be a high pick in the NBA Draft, " Brandon Jennings told El Correo. El Correo

Alert the good folks at Gibsons Steakhouse near Rush and Division: After a brief stint in Orlando, the NBA's predraft camp is coming back to Chicago. Well, sort of. A league memo is going out to all 30 general managers this week, an NBA source tells Sporting News, which will inform teams that the predraft camp will no longer include official games or workouts. Because there is no need for a gym, it will move back to Chicago. The league moved the camp to Orlando only because it no longer had use of the gym at the Moody Bible Institute just outside of downtown. Sporting News / November 11

Most of the players who actually participate, then, are second-rounders, at best. "The guys we end up watching are mostly non-draftable players," one general manager said. Asked what, exactly, the players would do at the camp if there were no games or workouts, the source joked, "They'll play checkers." He went on to point out that the focus of the camp now will be interviews, testing and physicals. Sporting News / November 11

Guard James Harden gave the Sun Devils a boost when he decided to hold off on the NBA and return for his sophomore season. Harden averaged 17.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals last year. Question: How hard was your decision to stay in school? James Harden: "I just knew I wasn't going to be ready. The NBA is such a big jump. The guys are grown men. I was just 18 years old. I told Coach early that I was going to come back for my sophomore year, just to work on a couple things and mature as a person as well." Arizona Republic

Sunday, October 12

Johnson has shown a lot of nice flashes already this early in his career, and appears to have a lot of potential if he puts in the work and improves on his decision-making. Barring a strong leap in multiple areas of his game this season, Johnson will likely be best served staying in school for another season, but declaring this season certainly isn’t out of the picture, especially if he can make some noticeable strides. While combo-forwards have achieved a lot more success lately in the NBA, Johnson’s potential defensive matchup problems could concern scouts, but the first round isn’t out of the picture if he can show more progress in his game. DraftExpress.com

Maryland’s success this season is going to rest largely on the shoulders of Vasquez, with him being the catalyst of the Terrapin offense. How he matures as a player will ultimately determine Maryland’s success, as well his where he stands as a draft prospect. There were rumblings last season of Vasquez potentially testing the waters, but after the disastrous way the season ended for both him and his team, he ultimately decided to return. With a steadier and more efficient season underneath his belt, Vasquez is a player who we certainly could be talking about as a first round prospect when it’s all said and done. DraftExpress.com

Saturday, October 4

With all the positives and negatives in mind, Henderson showed a lot of flashes last year, enough to consider him a candidate for a breakout season. He will have to maintain his focus and aggressive play, however, if he wants to prove to scouts that he is deserving of the hype he received coming out of high school and a lottery pick. There are few players in the country who will enter next season with as much to prove as him and there are even fewer with the opportunities that Henderson is afforded. After all, he is a great athlete with a significant amount of all-around talent who is inheriting a starring role for an elite program. The spotlight will be shining bright in Durham this season, and should Henderson take his game to the next level, this will likely be the last we see of him in the collegiate ranks. DraftExpress.com

Now left as the most highly touted member of the 2007 high school recruiting class still in college, Singler could very well be primed for a breakout sophomore season. Certain NBA teams we’ve spoken to liked him a lot last year already, so don’t be surprised to see him emerge as a pretty serious draft prospect as soon as this upcoming June. DraftExpress.com

There is no reason to think that Hansbrough can’t be a first-round pick after he finishes his career with North Carolina. How high he goes though, depends on a lot of factors. He needs to start showing that he can step away from the paint on a more regular basis on both ends of the floor. Improving on his .42 assist to turnover ratio certainly would help his cause as well. Ultimately though, Hansbrough is everything that is right about college basketball; a phenomenal player who has the best work ethic of anyone in the country and plays every game to his absolute fullest abilities. His skill set and style of play lead us to believe he will be the consummate hustle player at the next level and be an effective contributor with whatever team decides to draft him, even if there will undoubtedly be many who question him along the way. DraftExpress.com

Saturday, September 13

Top NBA Draft Prospects in the Big 10 (Part One: #6-10): The Big 10 comes to a close with our second and last look at the draft prospects in this weakened conference. Purdue sophomores JaJuan Johnson and E`Twaun Moore lead the way, followed by Michigan State point guard Kalin Lucas, Northwestern's Kevin Coble and Illinois' Demetri McCamey. DraftExpress.com

Thursday, August 28

Australian point guard Patrick Mills says he is yet to be approached by NBA clubs despite an impressive performances at the Beijing Olympics. Mills was the Boomers' highest pointscorer in Beijing, and finished in the top 10 in the tournament for the most steals. His skills attracted praise from American commentators who said he had the talent to play in the world's premier basketball competition, the NBA. But the 20-year-old starlet says playing college basketball in the United States limits his opportunities for now. "Me being at college kind of limits the contact you're allowed to have with NBA scouts, agents, managers that sort of thing so not yet," he said. ABC.net.au

"Any team in the NBA would be great but I would probably go with the Chicago Bulls," he said. ABC.net.au

The future of ex-Arkansas guard Patrick Beverley finally has gotten a little clearer. Both the player and his new agent have confirmed to Sporting News that Beverley is on the brink of signing with a European team, in Germany or Turkey, perhaps as early as Friday. "The big thing is to get Patrick hooked in with a team that he can play right away for," said his agent, Bernie Lee of Lee Sport Management in Toronto. "Patrick is very thrilled about playing in Europe, but ultimately, he wants to come back and be ready for the NBA predraft camp in Orlando." SportingNews

Sunday, August 24

Chad Ford. "I've always liked Ricky Rubio and thought he'd be a likely top five pick, but his play in this tournament has convinced me to move him up to the No. 1 spot in the draft. He has such amazing poise for someone his age. He needs to improve his jump shot and get stronger ... but he looks really special." ESPN.com

Keep an eye on 17-year-old Spaniard Ricky Rubio. The 6-3 point guard had 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in a preliminary Olympic game last week against the Americans and is projected to be a star. "He's going to be good," US point guard Jason Kidd said. "He's getting a lot of attention and he's handled it quite well so far. I think you can see that he's got some talent. He's only 17 years old. The sky's the limit for him." Boston Globe

Sunday, August 18

Seeing Ricky Rubio for the first time, merely watching him during warm-ups, is spooky. "My God, he's Pistol," an NBA scribe said after seeing Rubio in person for the first time Saturday night at the U.S.-Spain game. San Francisco Chronicle

Sunday, August 17

Though his parents have tried to shelter him, and he has relatively little media exposure (he skipped Saturday's postgame interview session), he does have an agent in Los Angeles. There is a question over whether he would be eligible for next spring's draft or in 2010, but he's already being projected as a top-five pick. So why not for the Warriors? San Jose Mercury News

Keep an eye on Angolan guard Carlos Morais, whose 24-point performance (despite 10 turnovers) against the US could get him drafted by an NBA team next year. The 22-year-old plays professionally for Petro Atleticode Luandu. Boston Globe

Sunday, August 16

Dan Fegan, Rubio’s Los Angeles-based agent, declined to comment on the Joventut contract issue or the timeline for Rubio to enter the N.B.A. But Fegan said he would be ready when the time comes. “In terms of his development as a player, he’s shown on and off the floor maturity beyond his years, which is an important factor that N.B.A. teams look at when drafting a young player,” Fegan said. New York Times

Rubio won't be eligible for the NBA Draft for two years, but he's in no rush. "I'm not thinking about the NBA, I think ACB," Rubio said, referring to Spain's Associacion Clubes de Baloncesto. "It's one dream to go to the NBA, that's true. I have to say the truth. It's a dream for everybody to play in the best league in the world." Raleigh News & Observer

The footage of Rubio’s performance in the 2006 Under-16 European Championships – 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists, seven steals and a mid-court shot to send an eventual victory over Russia into overtime – was everyone’s evidence that he was wasting time playing with kids his age. Rest assured, Rubio will come to the NBA as a 19 year old with a preparation that America’s high school and college system could have never delivered him. “I will be shocked if he isn’t a top-two pick in the draft,” one Western Conference GM said. “If he gets a jumper at all, he is a lock as a team leader and ticket draw. His tenacity, toughness and poise at such a young age are remarkable. “He is the guy every GM wants to see this season.” Yahoo! Sports

The digital age has smoked out his urban legend. He has made his reputation playing well above his age in the rugged Spanish League, where he averaged 10.5 points and four assists in 23 minutes a game last season for Joventut. “He’s a different kind of a European talent,” Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo said. “I can see the sizzle.” Yahoo! Sports

“He’s an exceptional talent who’s doing and playing at a level over and above his age,” Moscow Dynamo coach David Blatt said. “I would say that Ricky looks more like Pistol than he plays like him. Maybe the biggest thing about him is his ability to change a game on defense, just wreak havoc on an opponent’s offense. But he doesn’t do it in a conventional way. He’ll let you go by him and run behind you and steal the ball. He roams all over the place, creating chaos and making things happen out of nowhere.” Jason Kidd visited Spain a year ago, and everywhere he went, they asked him: Do you know Rubio? It wasn’t until these Olympic Games that the Team USA guard watched Rubio on tape. Kidd marveled over the way his five steals late on the Chinese guards championed Spain’s comeback victory. “He won that game for them,” Kidd said. “He has a real flair. The sky’s the limit for him.” Yahoo! Sports

“He’s big time,” said Steve Wojciechowski, one of Team USA’s scouts and an assistant coach at Duke University. “He’s going to be drafted very, very high as soon as he’s able to be drafted. If he were in the States, he’d be someone that people would be drooling over.” New York Times

Ricky Rubio is so good he has U.S. basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski eager to start rumors about him. "I hear he wanted to go to Duke," the Duke head coach said Friday of the 17-year-old point guard for the Spanish national team. Really? "No, I wanted to start that rumor, though," Krzyzewski said. Raleigh News & Observer

The former Arkansas guard, who the Arkansas athletic department said “will not compete for the Razorbacks in 2008-09” in a news release on Aug. 8, told FOXSports.com on Friday that he planned to play professionally this season. Beverley said he signed with BDA Sports, an agency that represents professional basketball players, and said he would play somewhere outside of the United States. “I’m going overseas for a year and hopefully I’ll be able to come back and get picked in the (NBA) draft,” Beverley said. “This was hard because I was working out with the team every day and getting ready for the season.” Beverley also weighed in on the reason that the university deemed him unable to compete in the 2008-09 season for the Razorbacks. Jeff Goodman, FOXSports.com’s national college basketball writer, wrote on his blog that Beverley denied he was ineligible because of academic reasons. Scout.com

Friday, August 1

But one basketball executive who has worked closely with high school players in the United States and in Europe is more scathing about Roma's decision. "Jennings may have a great career ahead of him," the source says. "But this isn't the second coming of LeBron James or Kobe Bryant, somebody who could have come out of high school and helped any team in Europe right away. "I'm sure Roma will have considered everything and will do everything to make this successful, but for an 18-year-old kid … to be expected to walk into a foreign country and compete against men in a different style of basketball and different style of coaching is just not realistic." ESPN.com

Wednesday, July 9

Arizona signee Brandon Jennings will pursue a professional basketball career in Europe, backing out on his commitment to the Wildcats. "Over the course of the last two months I have consulted a number of people in basketball before coming to this decision," Jennings said in a statement released Tuesday night through his attorney, Jeff Valle. "I would like to thank the University of Arizona for their interest and support through this process." AP

He had been awaiting the results of a third college entrance exam, but decided instead to give up his scholarship, Valle said in a phone interview Tuesday night from his Los Angeles office. "We don't know the results of the test," Valle said. "He's been trying to make this decision as he waited through the eligibility process." Jennings was rated one of the top point guard recruits in the country and was expected to start for the Wildcats this season. Jennings could not jump to the NBA, which requires players to be at least one year removed from their high school classes graduation before being eligible to play in the league. AP

Valle said several European teams have expressed interest in Jennings, but would not reveal where his client might be headed. AP

Sunday, July 6

Miami wasn't. Heat general manager Randy Pfund said he tried to trade for a late first-round pick to grab Chalmers. The Heat, which took forward Michael Beasley with the second overall pick and was set to select again at No. 52, contacted every team that held picks No. 27 through 34 before striking a deal. Minnesota drafted Chalmers and traded him to Miami, which gave up two future second-round picks and cash. ''I don't think we thought we'd be in position to add him -- that's why we gave up a lot,'' Pfund said. ``We were fortunate. We saw all along his strengths fit our needs.'' Chalmers' determination has always been his biggest strength, which is why he jokes that he loves to pick fights. He said he's now going ''after Boozer's title'' as the best player ever from Alaska. Miami Herald

Chalmers' journey from Anchorage to AmericanAirlines Arena turned out a lot smoother than expected. ''The Heat said they were really happy to have me,'' he said. ``That eased the pain a lot. That just showed me how much Miami loved me, how much they were willing to sacrifice, how much confidence they have in me. Anytime someone does that, you have no choice but to go in, work hard and not disappoint them.'' Miami Herald

It looks like Brandon Jennings will have to wait a few more days to see if his SAT scores qualify him to play at Arizona. According to Kelly Williams, a family friend and mentor to Jennings, the point guard has been informed that those handling the testing won't have the results until Friday, July 11. Tucson Citizen / July 5

"Brandon will be all right," said Kelly Williams, a family friend. "He'll continue to wait. He was flagged last time; I'm sure they will closely scrutinize things this time." Jennings is currently working out in New Jersey with Marcus Williams of the New Jersey Nets, a close friend from his native California. Jennings, who is undecided about his basketball future, said he'd consider a jump to the professional ranks regardless if he receives the necessary scores. He plans to enter the 2009 NBA draft. He turns 19 on Sept. 23 and would need to spend one year out of high school and be 19 to be eligible for the 2009 draft. "It would take a perfect situation," Jennings said earlier of playing in Europe. "I need a team that needs a point guard, a coach who would take the time to work with me, an American on the team who could show me the ropes and playing time to show off my game." ESPN.com / July 5

Friday, July 4

Spanish talent Ricky Rubio will earn only less than 80,000 euros ($120,000 dollars) next season. El Periodico / July 3

Wednesday, July 2

The bizarre Brandon Jennings saga took another unexpected twist Monday. Arizona’s top incoming recruit is currently awaiting the results from this third trip through the SAT exam, but a passing grade might not be enough to convince him to come to Tucson. In fact, Jennings said he hasn’t ruled out a European detour on his way to the NBA. Jennings, ranked No. 1 by ESPN.com and No. 4 by Rivals.com, is considering a one-year stint with a professional European basketball club prior to declaring his eligibility for the 2009 draft. Green Valley News & Sun

Aran Smith, president of NBADraft.net, has followed the situation closely and said this could be one of those rare situations with no positive outcomes. If Jennings elects to skip his freshman year at Arizona, he said, the Wildcats go from one of the preseason favorites in the Pac-10 to a bubble team when the NCAA Tournament selection committee meets. “Not only was he being counted on to be their floor general, he was going to complete the team and make guys like [Chase] Budinger better, as well,” Smith said. In addition, Jennings’ NBA draft stock would likely take a massive hit if he decided to spend a season overseas. The European system focuses on immediate team success ahead of individual player improvement. A teenager like Jennings would not only struggle to separate himself, his playing time would fluctuate. “As quick and talented as he is, I just don’t think his brand of basketball is close to what they play in Europe, Smith said. “There isn’t as much one-on-one isolation and there is a lot more off-the-ball movement — a stronger team game.” Green Valley News & Sun