Elijah Johnson (PG, 6’4″) of Kansas talks to us about the Portsmouth Invitational and what he’s working on right now to try and further his basketball career with a pro gig somewhere.

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Duke @ Wake Forest

Duke Wins 75-70

Box Score

Seth Curry (6’2”, G, SR)

Stats
7-17 FG, 1-6 3 pt FG, 6-7 FT, 2 reb, 2 assist, 1 TO, 1 blk, 21 TP

Strengths
Came out and really impacted the game on the defensive end, which I did not expect. Defended well overall this game, as he was active in the passing lanes, took some charges as the help defender, moved his feet, and even blocked a jump shot. Did a decent job of staying in front of C.J. Harris for Wake and contesting shots (C.J. was not 100% tonight and looked hampered with the goggles he has been wearing after an eye injury sustained against NC State). Most of Curry’s defensive contributions did not show up in the box score tonight, but he held C.J. to 4-12 shooting from the field and was active. Did not take any plays off on that end of the floor tonight.

Offensively, he was looking for his shot early on. He showed the ability to create his own shot by pulling up on the perimeter and had several drives to the basket as well, that he finished with lay-ups. Quick first step, better then I had thought coming in. Tremendous overall shooter, who is shooting better then 40 % from the field and from three, and is a plus 80% FT shooter for his career. Has a great release, rotation, follow through, he squares up nicely and is on balance and he can get it off against good defense with a quick release and by shooting the ball in rhythm. He showed he could hit shots from catch and shoot situations, coming off screens, off the dribble, and with feet set. When he misses, he follows his shot, and his misses are usually straight and off the back of the rim. Not just a 3 point shooter- hit several Rip Hamilton like mid range pull-ups from pin-down screens. Although he didn’t hit his first 3 until 2:45 remaining in the game after missing his previous 5 attempts from deep, he had the confidence to hit a huge 3 to put his team ahead at a critical part of the game.

Wouldn’t classify him as a playmaker, but he did show nice touch on an alley-oop pass to Plumlee when help came on a drive to the basket. Solid frame- looks bigger in the arms then the last year- is stronger.

Weaknesses
Although it was not a big problem for Curry in this game, the fact that he is an under-the-rim type player with average athleticism at best, is going to hurt his ability to finish inside at the next level, similarly to what Duke alum Austin Rivers is experiencing now. He needs to improve his ball handling skills overall, is not capable at this point to advance the ball with pressure defense. Although he is a decent passer, he is not is not a PG and is not a playmaker, needs to develop in both of these areas. Questions then arise about what position he will play and defend at the next level.

Defensively he is content to switch all off the ball screens, which leads to him having to guard a bigger player- not going to work at next level. He did a decent job of staying in front of C.J. Harris this game, but C.J. was clearly not 100 % and I question his ability to defend NBA caliber PG’s.

Struggled shooting the three ball this game-missing his first 5 attempts from beyond the arc, but is a good shooter who Wake had to respect the entire game.

Overview
Curry struggled with his 3-point shot this game, but he played very well overall in my opinion, and was able to show off other parts of his game besides shooting because the Wake defenders ran him off the line. Played well despite suffering an ankle injury a couple weeks back against NC State. Curry did a solid job on the defensive end and his mistakes were minimal. Is having a career best year at Duke, averaging 16 ppg, which is second on team in scoring, and has helped Duke to 18-2 record. I believe he would be a solid pick for a team late in the second round. He will have trouble defending quicker PG’s and bigger SG’s but at worst he could be a knock down set shooter, and nearly every team could use one of those.

Although Curry is an undersized shooting guard with average speed and athleticism, all legit NBA concerns, he does bring consistent perimeter shooting, he comes from a good program, and he is going to work hard to improve every year, just like his brother did. He is a player you don’t have to worry about, as he is a high character guy, comes from a great family, and had a solid, consistent career for Duke for the past couple of years, after shining at Liberty as a freshman.

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James Blackburn is the Director of Scouting for Basketball Elite and shares his reports with several NBA teams. You can follow James on Twitter right this second.

By James Blackburn

On Sunday October 9, 2011, 18 players converged at the Fleming Center on the campus of UNCG to compete on the last day of training camp for a coveted roster spot on the newly established Carolina Cheetahs of the American Basketball Association (www.carolinacheetahs.com). Players were put through a full 2 1/2 hour practice consisting of 3 on 2 drills, defensive closeout drills, and several inter squad scrimmages.

The team, which is coached by former NC State player and Winston-Salem State assistant, Tim Wells, will begin its season on November 19th against the Lynchburg Legends. The Fleming Center, which holds about 1800 spectators, will be used as the home gym for the Cheetahs. Here are some of the top performers that I noticed today.

Top Players

Dupree Hall (6’6”, 190 lb, East Mississippi)

Long and lanky player. Very athletic player who plays above the rim. Shot blocker. Active on the glass, especially on the offensive end. Limited a bit offensively, but shows potential.

Terrence Jones (6’6”, 250 lb, Livingstone)

Big and strong. Does a good job of establishing inside and deep position in the post. Has a solid back to the basket game, displaying a variety of moves, including hook shots, spin moves, and reverse lay ups. Has good footwork and is surprisingly agile for his size. Shot a few questionable shots in the scrimmage at the end, but will be a load to handle inside this season. This will be Jones 4th year playing in the ABA. Previous stints have included stops with the Charlotte Crossover and Fayetteville Flight.

Damien Goodman (6’6”, 205 lb, UNCP)

Hard worker, smart, and smooth- This is what Goodman’s game is about. Good inside/outside player- would be a great pick-and-pop guy. Showed the ability to guard bigger players in the post. Smart defender and with surprisingly quick hands. Runs the floor hard and gets a lot of easy buckets. Knows his role and excels at it. Seems to always be in the right place at the right time. Good shooter with feet set. Does a good job of drawing fouls. Great attitude. Played last season in Switzerland.

Landon Quick (6’0”, 175 lb, High Point University)

Smart- high basketball IQ. Floor general- controlled the pace. Solid ball handler. Does not try to do to much. Played last 2 seasons in Iceland.

Marsharee Neely (6’3”, 198 lb, Old Dominion University)

One of the best shooters in the gym today. Great set shooter from 3 point range. Lefty. Competes in drills and games. Athletic.

Rah-Shaun Davis (6’0”, 180lb, Hillsborough CC)

Quick and shifty, with the ability to break man down off dribble and create his own shot. A player who you want with the ball in his hands with the shot clock winding down. Good 3 point shooter. Played last season in Bosnia, where his team won the championship.

By Marcus Shockley

So much of a young basketball player’s life revolves around getting better on the court.

The best players work hard, day after day, away from crowds or an opponent, working on their shot, their ballhandling, their strength or their understanding of the game.

That is excellent. The players with the higher work ethic and the most drive are the players who have the best shot and achieving their dreams, either to play in college or someday play as a professional.

But, being good at basketball alone, and the work toward that goal with the exclusion of everything else, will not prepare a player for life. Players have plenty of people who want to help them be great basketball players but very few to help develop all of the skills needed to deal with the remaining 99% of their lives.

With that said, I wanted to offer some advice to young basketball players, and athletes in general, about what skills are absolutely critical to be successful in your life. Mastering these will not guarantee success, but it will help greatly.

1. Learn how money (really) works.

Time for some brutal facts. Almost nobody, in any walk of life, is good with their money. Most people are wage earners, and if they lose their job, they are in trouble. That goes for almost all rappers, basketball players and movie stars too. Most professional basketball players are broke within 4 years of leaving the NBA. That’s pathetic, but it’s no different than most people.

Don’t be “most people”.

Understand that when you think an NBA player is rich, he’s getting paid by someone who is 100 times richer. The player’s career will end, but that owner will still be there…rich. Understand where the money comes from in sports. It’s not just a big pool of cash sitting in a locker, it’s generated from underlying business principles. Learn what they are.

Understand how to live within your means. Read books like “The Millionaire Next Door” and actually take it to heart. You want to be rich forever, not just for 3 years. Look at Magic Johnson as a businessman, not any players who are still collecting an NBA paycheck. Get good at math. It’s not hard to understand profit and loss. People who don’t understand math are broke in a hurry. People who don’t understand math go out and buy Bentleys and jets while still collecting a sports paycheck.

Don’t be broke. Get good at math. Be as good at math as you are at dribbling or shooting.

Understand the Dow Jones and the stock market. Understand why someone with a lot of money might NEVER invest in the stock market, and you’ll understand whether or not you should put your money there.

Understand interest rates. Understand ROI. Read. Don’t just listen to your business advisers. Definitely don’t listen to your buddies or family members who are always broke. If you do, you’ll end up broke.

2. Learn how to communicate

Learn how to speak correctly. It’s okay to use slang around friends, but when the lights come on, it’s time to be “on”. There’s a reason why Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Ray Allen and Kevin Durant sound intelligent in interviews, and it’s not just because they are naturally smart. They have worked on their ability to speak in front of reporters, in front of a crowd, to fans, to the media. You’ve spent so much time watching Durant shoot those perfect outside shots, studied his release, his form, and read all about his practice methods. Have you studied how he talks? You should.

Communication is a skill that can carry over to every part of your life, and it’s another skill that most people, not just athletes, lack. Learn to communicate with people in all walks of life. Don’t mumble and look at the floor when you talk. Don’t act annoyed. You want to be big time? Learn how to act big time.

People who communicate well will always be more successful than those who don’t. Sports television doesn’t hire people who sound like idiots, even if what they say may be disagreeable. Coaches who become more famous have to be great communicators in addition to being able to coach. Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, John Calipari are all extremely good at communicating. Ditto for Phil Jackson, Doc Rivers and Stan Van Gundy.

Learning how to communicate will improve your ‘B.S.’ detector as well. Understanding how people try to manipulate their message will allow you to pick up on it even stronger.

Expand your vocabulary. Don’t be afraid to be smart.

3. Learn how to network.

Some people are born as natural networkers. They know just how to meet people, to work a room, to meet everyone. But for most of us, it has to be learned. For a teenager, it’s even more daunting.

But one of the great secrets of life is that getting ahead in just about anything requires at least some portion of ‘who you know’. There are many players who have gotten looks from pro teams, either in the NBA or overseas, because they knew someone. That won’t get you a roster spot, but it will get you a shot. Knowing as many people will create opportunities, will provide help, resources and support when you need it. Don’t just meet people for what they can do for you, just learn to meet people. If they need help or advice and you can offer it, do so. Over time you will find that having connections will pay off in ways you cannot imagine. A player who you played with in high school may end up as a GM for a pro team overseas. A fellow classmate in college may end up running a business that is looking for endorsement deals. A coach you worked with at a summer camp might recommend you to a scouting service.

Business runs on networking. Learn how to be “in the loop”.

And if you never play in the NBA? All of this matters even more.

By Marcus Shockley

Last year, when three support assistants under then-Clemson coach Oliver Purnell brainstormed the concept of a conference for up-and-coming support staff such as themselves, they weren’t really sure the idea had legs. However, after lining up a sponsor for the event and speakers, they realized that it was viable – and they needed to get to work. The Rising Coaches Elite conference, held in Las Vegas just before the July recruiting period, was a success. The group also held an event at the Final Four in Houston. This year’s summer conference, again to be held in Las Vegas, builds on what was accomplished last year and looks to make even more of an impact.

The response and attendance for the inaugural event exceeded expectations, and it looks like attendance will be even higher this year, judging from early registrations.

Adam Gordon, who co-created the conference along with Andy Farrell and Trey Meyer, says that the driving idea behind the conference is to cater to support staff roles, such as Graduate Assistants and other not-quite-assistant coaches. By providing elite college coaches as speakers and an opportunity at networking, the conference is focused on the career of college coaching. This year’s speakers who have been confirmed include Kevin O’Neill of USC, Cuonzo Martin of Tennessee, John Cooper of Tennessee State, Dana Ford of Wichita State, and several others who will be named as the conference date approaches.

The content of the conference is not about Xs and Os, but more about moving up in a coaching career, and advice from established national coaches who have put together successful careers themselves. This is an excellent opportunity for up-and-coming assistants and support staff to learn firsthand what it takes to succeed from a career-management perspective.

The conference is sponsored by XOS Digital and is currently open to Division I coaches and their support staff. For more information about the event, visit Rising Coaches Elite online, or email for more information at risingcoacheselite@gmail.com. You can also follow them on Twitter for updates about speakers and other news @risingcoaches.

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Hey! Have you heard about the Southeast Summer Showcase? It’s a premier individual players’ showcase, taking place on June 25. Rivals affiliates, college coaches and scouting services will be on hand for this high level, high competition basketball showdown. Click here and get more information today.

By James Blackburn

1. What has your experience been like playing in Spain this season, being that this is your rookie year playing professional basketball?

My experience playing here in Spain my first year has been a blessing. It has been a great learning experience. As a team we had a lot of expectations to win and play as a solid unit. I think I did well and learned quite a bit about the European style of play.

2. You are a versatile player who can impact the game without scoring, what part of your game do you feel is the strongest?

As a player I have always been taught not to be one-dimensional, to be an all-around player and able to do other things that will benefit the team to help get the win. I think rebounding is my strongest part of my game other than scoring. When I rebound, I can not only start the fast break but also look to create for myself or get my teammates an open shot and also to put pressure on the defense. Having the speed and quickness to get up and down the floor with the ball helps put my teammates and myself in a better position to score and easy basket.

3. What are your plans for this summer, now that you have all ready played a year of professional basketball overseas and what are some of your goals in the future as a player?

My plans for this summer are to rest for a couple of weeks with my family and then get to work. I really need to focus on my shooting and ball handling more this summer. I may head to Florida to train for a few weeks doing a lot of agility and strength on my lower body to build more explosion to help finish stronger at the rim. My goals for the future have not changed since I was young which is to play at the highest level I am capable of playing whether it be the NBA or the top premier leagues here overseas. I know that I have the ability and talent to do so but with a little more work and time, I know that those opportunities will present themselves at the right time.

4. What do you feel are some of the advantages for an America player to play internationally? What is the biggest difference in your mind between the game here and overseas?

Some advantages for American players overseas is there are a lot of leagues and countries to play in. With the minor leagues in the states not holding so much weight anymore, we can bring our talents abroad and put ourselves in better positions to move up and get seen by the NBA or the Development league. I think the team philosophy versus star power is the biggest difference. Not saying the NBA isn’t team oriented but most of the attributes come from the big names on the teams there.

5. What are your thoughts on the NBA lockout and the idea that some college players will try to go overseas to play?

With the NBA lockout happening, I think it will be a great opportunity for some of the college players to come overseas to get an experience that they may not ever have. For example, I think Brandon Jennings really benefited from playing overseas for a year. The players in Europe are very fundamental and have a great basketball I.Q and I think that by Jennings coming here it helped his contribution to the game and was more than just his athletic ability and speed.

6. You and Jamal Crawford from the Atlanta Hawks have a good relationship. When did you two meet and what are some of the things you have learned from him?

I met Jamal about 3 years ago in Seattle at his summer pro am league that he has every summer at Rainier Beach high school. I played against him one game and we had a great battle. Not being from the Seattle area I was a new face and I approached him after the game to get some advice on how to improve my game. He invited me to some open runs that were filled with NBA talent like himself Brandon Roy, Will Conroy, Nate Robinson, Terrance Williams and some Euroleague players as well. From there I began to do some side training with him and we have kept in contact ever since. One thing that I’ve learned from Jamal is timing. There’s always a time for everything, his time is now that he is really blossoming in the league and has finally made it to the playoffs in consecutive seasons and he expressed to me that my time will come where I have the chance to be where he is. But in the mean [time, I need] to stay humble and hungry to get better.

7. If you could tell US basketball fans one thing about playing overseas that they probably don’t know, what would it be?

It’s not easy…It’s not easy being away from family friends and the normal life. But if you want to be successful you have to make sacrifices. God blessed me to be in the position I am in today and I’m thankful everyday. God bless!

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Hey! Have you heard about the Southeast Summer Showcase? It’s a premier individual players’ showcase, taking place on June 25. Rivals affiliates, college coaches and scouting services will be on hand for this high level, high competition basketball showdown. Click here and get more information today.

We’ve been continuing to follow the career of Gio Woods, as well as other players that we’ve scouted at various places, as they move their professional basketball careers overseas. The latest on Woods is that he is starting for Tenerife Baloncesto who competes in the EBA league in Spain. On the video he is number 5 in white.

He is averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assist a game.

In the game that is on the video he scored 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assist. His team is 19-5, 3 games up in first place, and they have 6 games left. His team will be moving up divisions next season to either LEB Silver or LEB Gold, which is the second division in Spain behind the highly talented ACB league.

Another note/update to include is that Jaycee Carroll is leading the ACB league with 18.1 PPG. James Blackburn scouted Carroll at the Orlando Summer League for Basketball Elite. James had said he is a player to watch – named him best undrafted player in the Summer league – Jaycee is out of Utah State.

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The Little Rock Lightning, a new ABA team based in Arkansas, will be holding tryouts on July 16th and 17th. Players can find out more by visiting www.littlerocklightning.com or e-mail Bernard Brown at bernard@littlerocklightning.com. They can also contact Bernard directly at (501) 612-2197.

BasketballElite.com is a media sponsor of the Little Rock Lightning.

At one time, EA Sports’ franchise basketball title NBA Live ruled the simulated gaming world, but the recent surge by 2k has put their game at the top of the heap. But you don’t have to pick one or the other if you’ve got a GameFly account, you can just pick both and see which one you like better.

Of course, it’s always considered a banner edition of any game when Michael Jordan, who guards his image relentlessly, appears in game play. Some people say it’s a fitting match for His Airness, arguably the greatest player of all time, to appear in what could be the greatest basketball game of all time. But, hyperbole aside, the game still shows the polish and slick finish that allowed 2k to overtake one of EA’s top games.

Even though the controls are better, and some of the bugs from last year’s edition have been ironed out, the most impressive features of 2k11 are actually the incredible amount of work put into recreating Jordan’s game and abilities, and the improvement of the simulated GM. Easily the best general management sim of any game I’ve played, I can’t help but wonder if several NBA teams with lousy GM’s couldn’t get better results from using replacing their management with this game. I’m only partially kidding.

If you love basketball and haven’t tried this game, you should get a GameFly account just to check it out.