Chicago will always hold a special place in basketball lore. Playground legends from Billy “The Kid” Harris to Will “The Thrill” Bynum, local heroes from Ben Wilson to Kevin Garnett, homegrown pros from Isiah Thomas to Derrick Rose, and adopted sons from Michael Jordan to Scottie Pippen have all played a role in making the Windy City one of the world’s basketball hotbeds and a place where legacies are made.
Next spring, the city will host a new crop of rising stars, as the McDonald’s High School All-American Game returns to Chicago for the first time since 1982. MORE >
In the trendy and ever-evolving business that is basketball recruiting — where power equals influence, which often times equates to commitments — the ultimate powerful influential figure is one William Wesley.
Or is he?
“At least that’s the perception,” said Shawn Teague, whose son Marquis Teague is committed to Kentucky, the main school where Wesley is notorious for having influence. “He’s the guy everyone’s talking about. Especially with Kentucky’s recruiting.” MORE >
Pike High (Ind.) star guard Marquis Teague said that he “wasn’t moved at all” by Bobby Knight’s comments about Kentucky head coach John Calipari during a fundraiser for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame last week.
Teague, a Top-10 player in the Class of 2011, is UK’s top target in recruiting as they look for John Wall’s eventual replacement. MORE >
Late Wednesday evening the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that during the 2007-08 season, Memphis had been charged with major violations by the NCAA under former coach John Calipari, who left the Tigers in March to take the head coaching job at Kentucky.
The allegations include “knowing fraudulence or misconduct” on an SAT exam by a player on the 2007-08 team and providing $2,260 in free travel to road games for an associate of a player, the Commercial Appeal reported.
There is wide speculation that the player in question is Derrick Rose, who led Memphis to the national title game during his freshman season before being picked No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft.
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Rivers' quickness makes defenders want to back up, but his shooting ability makes them have to guard him close. No player in the country hunts and finds his shot as aggressively as Rivers, who tallied more 40-point games than anybody in the country this summer. The scary part is that he's getting better and better every day.
Miller dominates all facets offensively, but his best attribute may be his ability to keep the defense off balance with his shooting ability from deep. Miller averaged 32 points during the 2010 AAU season.
Committed to Kentucky. Combines a quick first step with some of the best handles on this list to dominate opponents. Teague is a gifted scorer in a variety of different ways and involves teammates to balance his repertoire.
Committed to Texas. Kabongo may be the best leader in the senior class, and his ability to create for his teammates is exceptional. He's ultra quick and breaks down the defense with ease to finish in the lane or knock down the jump shot.
Committed to North Carolina. Solid with his back to the basket, but better at finishing plays. He's skilled enough to knock down the short jumper and has an overactive motor.
Muhammad is smooth but effective, evidenced by his 31-point average during the AAU season. His jump shot is accurate and he uses his big, strong body to absorb contact and finish in the paint.
Committed to Kentucky. Lean and quick, Davis uses his athleticism and skill to dominate in the paint. He's versatile enough to consistently knock down jump shots and has a solid handle. Davis gave opposing big men fits all summer.
The youngster ranked this high? Yes indeed! Purvis is the perfect combination of athleticism and skill and has a gear that most only dream about. His jumper has improved, and he's a lockdown defender that gets to the cup whenever he wants against whoever he wants.
Committed to Ohio State. Don't let the height fool you, Ross is quicker than most perimeter defenders and long enough to finish in the lane for high-percentage shots, yet has the ability to consistently hit outside shots. He's added a fadeaway that's almost as automatic as a layup.
