By James Blackburn

Clemson Wins 78-58
Box Score

Game Recap/Thoughts

1st Half

• Clemson is establishing its post game early- going at Walker 2 straight possessions and scoring on both.
• Wake Forest is struggling to find its groove offensively early against Clemons man to man defense.
• Wake Forest is showing a 2-3 zone for the first time with 12:00 minutes left in the 1st to try to control Clemson’s dominant inside play. Clemson does not have any shooters on the floor with Tanner Smith on the bench.
• Trevor Booker just had a ferocious dunk and got a technical for slapping the backboard with 8 minutes to go in the half.
• Wake is back to man with Smith back in the ball game for Clemson. Wake is losing the loose ball war early on.
• Wake is controlling the tempo and has the lead 20-17 with 7 minutes left.
• Clemson is really struggling with fouls and FG%
• Wake cannot handle Booker on the block.
• 3 fouls in less then 10 seconds on Wake
• Devin Booker with the tip in with 2 seconds left to push the lead to six- 42-36

2nd Half

• Back to Jennings- 1st play in second half- he scores on block.
• Just like that Clemson is back up 13 on a Andre Young 3 and a Smith lay-up.
• Ty Walker injured 3 minutes into half going up for lay in.
• Wake Forest is really having a difficult time defending the long ball- I have lost count how may wide open 3’s they have given up this game- part of the reason Clemson’s lead has ballooned to 18.
• Wake is going to get back into this game with foul shots- Wake is already in the bonus with 12 minutes remaining.
• Wake Forest’s offense is in disarray with CJ Harris on the bench.
• Wake must improve defensively- with 9 minutes left in game- Clemson is shooting over 66% from the field and has made 7 three pointers, Wake has also given up 32 points in the paint.
• CJ Harris is the only player who showed up today for Wake.
• With Clemson up 20- the LJVM is dead- people are already leaving with 8 minutes left.
• CJ Harris just missed an open lay-up with 3 minutes to go- it has been that kind of day today for Wake Forest.

Scouting Reports

Wake Forest

Ty Walker (C, 7’0”, SR)
Extremely long- tries to block everything with in his area. Has a bad habit of bringing the ball down and gets it stripped or tied up frequently. Very Raw offensively- has a hard time scoring with back to basket-even when guarded 1 on 1. Must get stronger- gets bumped off lack and gets knocked out of position for rebounds and in the game in general too easy.

Nikita Mescheriakov ( F, 6’8”, R-SR)
Does a great job utilizing ball fakes. Is a decent shooter- but is still inconsistent in this area- much more effective attacking the rim. Very versatile player who can play and guard several positions. Plays below the rim. Crafty left hander. Reminds me of a thinner Boris Diaw. Tends to get out of control at times.

Chase Fischer (G, 6’3”, FR)
Excellent set shooter- gets feet set and square and plants on inside foot. Underrated passer. Must get quicker. Automatic from the stripe. Needs to be more aggressive offensively. Patient.

Clemson

Tanner Smith (G, 6’5”, SR)
Good size for the off-guard position. One of the best 3 point shooters in ACC- automatic from beyond the arc with feet set- very simple stroke- doesn’t get any lift on shot- but has a quick release. Basketball savvy- had a really nice back door cut for the lay- in first half. Also showed the ability to shoot the 1 dribble pull-up when defender plays too close. Smooth- finished around rim several time with a finger role lay-in. Seems to be in the right spot at the right time to score and rebound this game. Had the ball in his hands a lot today and because of height and ability to see over the defense he can hit the open cutter and open teammates. Makes good decisions with ball in his hand- only 1 TO and 5 assists while playing over 30 minutes. Has struggle creating own shot. Lack of quickness and athleticism is going to hurt his chances of playing at next level. Solid all-around effort today to lead Clemson to the big win. Great attitude and demeanor. Should get some NBA workouts because of size and shooting ability- but he is more then likely going to wind up overseas to play professionally- with a chance to return the states to play in the D-League.

Milton Jennings (F, 6’9”, JR)
Nice Touch around basket. Soft touch shooting FT’s too- calm and collected on line- good arc and rotation. Solid back to basket post game. Can stretch defense with the ability to shoot the 3. Good body control and balance around basket. Had no problem finishing around the basket today.

Devin Booker (F/C, 6’8”, JR)
Physical player who uses his strength to his advantage. Has an effective right hook shot. Foul prone because of his defensive aggressiveness. Good shot blocker. With his size, strength, athleticism, and skill set- he should be doing more stat wise- he tends to disappear for stretches. Good rebounder. Undersized at center position- but makes up for it with strength- needs to extend range and show the ability to defend on the perimeter to improve chances of playing in the NBA after next season. Scouts are going to monitor how well he can make the transition to the PF position his senior year.

By Marcus Shockley

There are few truly “transcendent” rivalries in sports. There are rivalries at every level of sports, from JV volleyball to the NFL. But most rivalries are local. Only a few rivalries break out and become so known that media coverage pays attention.

To me, the two biggest rivalries in college sports are Ohio State-Michigan (football) and UNC-Duke (basketball). A couple of summers back we were chatting with Gerald Henderson. a former Duke player, about the rivalry. At the time, several of Henderson’s coaching staff were UNC alums.

What makes a great rivalry? In a word: balance. At one time in the not-too-distant past, UNC and Duke were not the Greatest of Rivals. NC State was UNC’s biggest threat, also being just a few minutes down the road from Chapel Hill. Consider that in 1982, Micheal Jordan, James Worthy and Jimmy Black brought a national championship home to Tobacco Road, and one year later, in 1983, NC State’s Thurl Bailey, Sidney Lowe and Dereck Whittenburg did the same. However, over the years, Coach K’s rise to prominence and NC State’s slump led to a changing of the guard. In 2009 UNC brought home another title, and one year later in 2010, Duke won another. The fact that UNC and Duke are always legitimate title contenders is part of what makes the rivalry strong. You simply can’t have a rivalry where only one team is a powerhouse. Both UNC and Duke boast a bevy of NBA alums, and both have HOF coaches.

The UNC-Duke rivalry has also two other components; the two campuses are physically closer than most high school rivals and they have longevity. The 2009-2010 back-to-back wasn’t the first. In 1991 & 1992, Duke won a pair of titles, then in 1993, UNC won Dean Smith’s second title. But that’s just the titles. Since 1981, either UNC or Duke has made the Final Four a whopping 21 times.

In order for a rivalry to exist, there must be balance, and the longer that balance is there, the bigger and more storied the rivalry becomes.

So today is UNC vs. Duke, round 1 of the 2012 edition of this rivalry.

Quinn Cook, freshman PG for the Duke Blue Devils, talks about adjusting to playing for a national powerhouse like Duke and what advice he would give high school players about adjusting to the college game.

By James Blackburn

Photo: Flikr/compacflt

James scouted UNC last year against Wake in February.

In this report, James takes a look at how each of these players improved in their respective weaknesses from last season.

UNC wins 68-53

Box Score

(Reports from UNC @ Wake game on January 31, 2012)

Harrison Barnes, 6’8”, F, SO
Strengths
Showed grit and toughness on the boards (4 rebounds in first 6 minutes). Rebounding numbers per game are down a bit from last season, 5.8 to 4.6 so far this year- but strong performance shown tonight. Hard to get rebounds when you have Henson and Zeller feasting on the back boards. Form is picture perfect. Excellent physique and NBA level build.

Weaknesses
Must improve defensively- watching this game- seems to have almost taken steps backward in this area- poor close outs- had a tough time defending Nikita Mescheriakov. Slow release- won’t be able to be a player who gets shots off in the NBA coming off curl screens or cuts with an NBA 3 guarding him.

Overview
Looked focused in warm- ups. His straight away set 3’s looked good- strongest spot and shot. He also shot a lot of 1 dribble pull ups going to his left. Has a high release, but it has not seemed to speed up any from last year. Hard worker- will be a true professional- a player you won’t have to worry about both on and off the court. Will be a top 10 pick- speed and athleticism are average compared to an NBA SF, which is what he will play- better shooter though than average 3.

Tyler Zeller, 7’0”, F/C, SR

Strengths
Had a nice pass to Barnes out of double team- improved passer from last year. Great rebounder- sticks with it- physically dominated Wake Forests bigs inside. Does a great job of absorbing contact and takes advantage on the FT line (over a 75% FT shooter)- nice touch on FT line. Very strong base. Hook shot is pro-ready.

Weaknesses
Limited offensively- back to the basket offense only- hasn’t showed me the ability to step out or face up yet. Questions about his ability to stop pro-level guards from turning the corner.

Overview
Warm-ups- His right hook shot over his left shoulder looked good- shot over 30 of them from multiple angles- even looked good from 3rd hash mark. He also practiced a spin into a left hook shot that banked in. Went to Zeller a lot early. Averaging almost 10 rpg and shooting almost 60% from the field for the season ( both career best). Did very well against Wake Forests post players, but I still question how he will do against NBA centers. He is a safe first rounder.

John Henson, 6’10”, F, JR

Strengths
Left hand hook is pro ready. Athleticism allows him to shade on screens and get back to man quickly. Influences every shot taken in his vicinity. His midrange game looks better, but he will need to continue to work on it. Excellent defensive rebounder- chins ball every time (154 def. boards for season- leads team- averages 9.9 rpg- also leads team)

Weaknesses
Must improve perimeter defense- stands up instead of getting low in defensive position. Brought ball down too low when in post. FT’s are very inconsistent. Has added muscle (220lbs), but must continue to get stronger- got pushed too deep several times.

Overview
In warm-ups FT’s looked better then last year, but still must improve in that area (shooting 45% from line this year). His off hand placement needs to be more consistent, sometimes it floats on top of the ball and when this happens his misses are all over the place. When he keeps his hand on the side it looked good. Henson has improved every season- he has put on muscle, developed a solid post game, and continues to influence the game defensively in the paint. In my opinion he is on the verge of being a lottery pick in a deep upcoming draft. Will fit in nicely with a team who needs a long, athletic PF, full of upside.

Kendall Marshall, 6’3”, PG, SO

Strengths
Moves the ball with precision, accuracy, and quickness against man 2 man and zones. Hit an open in game set 3- good arc, rotation- looked just like warm-ups. Knows exactly where teammates are going to open up, cut, etc. and gives the ball in perfect scoring position. Passes the ball up-court better then any PG in America. Quick hands defensively- deceptive.

Weaknesses
Slow lateral movement defensively- really struggles to keep opposing guards out of paint. Needs to develop a shot off the dribble. Too passive offensively (shooting only 43% from field on barely over 5 shot attempts per game)

Overview
In warm-ups his set 3 ball was not near as flat as it was last season- his arc is better. In Marshall you know you are getting a poised, pass first PG (over 200 assists 21 games into season). I question how well he is going to do in the pros because of his defensive woes. A team will and should take a chance on him in the second round- I don’t know if his skills warrant a first round selection.

By James Blackburn

Photo: TexasTech.com

Game Scouted: Kansas State @ Texas Tech
Box Score
Kansas State wins 69-47

Jordan Tolbert (F, 6’7”, FR)

Stats
6-8 FG, 6-9 FT, 10 rebounds, 4 PF, 3 blocks, 18 TP

Strengths

Very active- full of energy- high motor- scrappy. Long- runs the floor hard- plays very hard throughout game. Good active shot blocker. Tremendous bounce- big time athlete and leaper. First time he touched the ball on offense (several minutes in b/c State was fronting the post and Techs guards struggled to get it to him) he dunked it. Did a good job of fighting for post position and drawing fouls and getting the State bigs in foul trouble trying to defend him inside fronting him. Good rebounder on both ends- leads team in that category with 6.3 a game. Keeps the ball alive on offensive end. Had a big alley-oop dunk off an out of bounds play in first half. Free throws looked solid tonight- solid stroke- good arc- soft touch- shooting 70% for year from line. Stronger than he looks. Highlight reel dunker. Showed a nice slide dribble to the middle into a high extending right hook. Doesn’t show frustration when teammates can get him ball- keeps playing hard and battles. Rarely misses close range shots but when he does- he gets his own rebound. Strong finisher- dunks everything.

Weaknesses

Gets caught out of position defensively- getting beat back door/watching the ball and losing man/ late recovering- freshman mistakes. Struggles to get through, around screens- gets screens too easy. Tends to be over anxious at times which leads to him getting into foul trouble- picked up 2 offensive fouls in first 12 minutes of first half. Stands too tall and doesn’t get low enough defensively when playing perimeter defense.

Overview

One of the few bright spots on a very young and struggling Tech team. Athletic and hard working freshman who leads team in PPG (12.5) and RPG (6.3) while playing only 23 MPG. You have to love his aggressiveness, energy, and intensity. He goes after all the loose balls, tries to block everything, and wants the ball. As he gets more experienced he will become learn how to be a better defender with defensive rotations and positioning. Played tonight with back to basket mostly- but showed signs that he could be a good P/R player at next level. Techs guards really struggled with TO’s tonight and had a hard time getting Tolbert the ball in the first half even though he did a good job pinning his man- did a better hob in second half. Has a high ceiling- even though he only played 10 minutes in first half because of foul trouble- there was a lot to like about Tolberts game. Will need to make the move to the perimeter at next level. Even though he stands up too much defending the perimeter- he has the quickness and athleticism to guard a 3 at the NBA level. He has the ability and want and will to defend- the positioning and other things will come. The struggle is not going to come on the defensive end, but on the offensive end- has not shot a 3 all season and never handles the ball. Somewhat of a tweener- undersized at 6’7” to be primarily back to basket player- but has great length, athleticism, and strength. I can see him being a first round pick in a year or 2, to play the 3 or may be the 4 in the NBA. With his work ethic I can see him developing a jump shot (seeing his FT stroke- he can develop a perimeter shot) and ball handling. Future NBA draft pick.

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By James Blackburn

Photo: OwlSports.com

Juan Fernandez (G, 6’4”, Senior) Game Scouted: Temple @ Texas Texas wins 77-65 Box Score Stats 31 min, 2-8 FG, 4 assist, 2 steals, 5 TP

Strengths Good sized guard, strong, solid frame. Keeps his dribble until he passes or shoots- always seeing the floor in the process- very good passer. Not a playmaker in the traditional sense of breaking down defender with dribble and getting to paint and kicking, but a playmaker none the less. His size allows him to see the floor, cutters, and the open man. He keeps his eyes up and is constantly scanning the court. Makes the smart and correct pass. Made a behind the back pass off a pick and roll to an open shooter in the first half. Gives the ball to players in positions for easy scores, which leads to high assists numbers, leads team in that category. Takes care of the ball- doesn’t turn the ball over. High basketball IQ, smart, makes the right plays at the right time. Takes good shots. Uses body and size well. Efficient. Sees the play before it happens on both ends. Good defensive player- puts himself in good position, jumps to the ball, good help defender, plays the passing lanes well. Good closeout, contests shots. Anticipates and is in the right place at the right time defensively. Smart and deceptive defensively. Good 3 point shooter- can come off screens- gets feet set and lets it go. Also showed the ability to shoot the dribble pull up, although he is a better set shooter. Struggled shooting the ball today, but his misses were off the back of rim and straight. Good shooting form- elbow in, feet set. Well conditioned, plays a lot of minutes (over 34 mpg). Plays well without the ball. Sets up cuts well off screens, changes speeds, fakes one way and goes the other. Does a nice job of instigating contact with defender to create space to come off the screen, receive ball, or to get shot off. Weaknesses Needs to improve ball handling-had to turn his back when bringing ball up court a few times. Can’t really create his own shot- doesn’t have the speed or athleticism to get by man or blow by defenders for lay-ups. Not a great rebounder, especially needs to improve offensive rebounding- only 1 all year on that end. Slow laterally on defense- would have trouble guarding quicker and shorter PG’s at next level- His IQ and size helps him compensate for lack of speed at this level. Overview Smart experienced guard- has been a starter since first game on campus. Can play and guard either guard position. Doesn’t have big time speed to blow by defenders, but changes speeds and size allows him to see over the defense and make the pass to the open teammate. His team is better with him on the floor, controls the pace, tempo, and flow of game. Is a great fit for this Temple team. Besides his shooting, scoring, and passing abilities, most of what Fernandez does for his team does not show up in the box score. Impacts the game in other ways besides scoring and makes others better. Reminds me of a combination of Jason Kidd now in his old age and Jaycee Carroll who played for the Boston Celtics summer league team last year in Orlando. Both players are good shooting PG’s with size. I see him taking a similar path as Carroll, may receive a summer league or training camp invite, but is likely to end up playing in a first league somewhere overseas.

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By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Chicago State at Illinois

Illinois wins 90-43
Box Score

Photo Credit:FightingIllini.com

Meyers Leonard (C, 7’1”, Sophomore)

Stats
3-6 FG, 3-3 FT, 9 TP

Strengths

Plays passing lanes on perimeter-rare to see a 7’ able to do this. Good FT shooter. Hides behind zone – able to get to grey areas- has hands ready and is ready to attack basket. Good passer against the zone. Moves very well for size- can defend on perimeter- showed the ability to closeout, contest, and then slide feet. Pure stroke- excellent midrange shooter- gets feet set, good form, and good arc-soft touch. Incredible athlete- plays way above rim- high flyer. Highlight reel waiting to happen. NBA ready from an athletic standpoint. Showed the ability in the second half to finish through contact. Good on ball defender- stays big in post D- tries to block everything- leads team in that area with 3.6 bpg. Solid rebounder- boxes out and corrals ball. Showed the ability to put ball on floor and attack basket- moves like a SF- not a 7’.

Weaknesses

Looks lazy when getting back on defense- seems to jog back on that side of floor. Doesn’t fully commit at times- needs to be more active on both ends- coasts through some plays- Needs to play every possession and dominate every play because of his incredible athleticism and skills set. Seemed to just go through the motions at times and looked more concerned about getting highlight dunks and blocks instead of just playing all the way through a possession. Needs to add muscle and get stronger- got bumped off the block several times.

Did not show much in the area of offensive post moves- Chicago State played a zone most of the game- and they put Leonard in the middle or behind zone- did not look to post up hard ball side.. More style than substance. Raw offensive post game. Got caught out of position defensively and lost track of man- resulted in him getting dunked on by smaller players.

Overview

Very high ceiling- great size, shot blocking skills, plays way above rim, and moves exceptionally well for a player of his size. Out of all the players featured in our sleeper report segment, Leonard has the biggest upside and has the best opportunity to play in the NBA. Seems to run the floor harder on offensive end than on defensive end. Needs to add weight and strength- but with body type- should be able to add muscle easily. Granted he had a big height advantage and skill advantage on an over matched Chicago State team that has yet to register a win, but the skills and play that Leonard showed today translate.

Ready for a breakout season- big improvement from last season to this season. Averages 12.6 pgg and leads the team with 7.6 rpg. These numbers are up after only averaging 8 mpg and 2 ppg last year as a freshman, after being a top 50 recruit out of HS.

Does things that the average 7’ can’t or would even consider doing. Big time player that NBA scouts and fans will become more familiar with as Illinois enters conference play. With his shooting ability and his high sill set to go along with his ability to play the mid post area, I can see him playing the PF position in the NBA. I can see him in a system like the Lakers run, where he can play both the PF and C positions, as Paul Gasol, Bynum, and Odom do.

Anthony Johnson

(G, 6’3″, RS Freshman)

Photo Credit: purduesports.com

Scouting Report

Scout: James Blackburn

Purdue vs. High Point

Stats
7-12 FG, 13 TP, 4 REB, 1 STL Box Score

Strengths
Plays hard- plays the passing lanes well- excellent foot speed – good lateral movement. Is a nightmare for ball handler- cause’s problems and turnovers. Athletic- long 6’3” guard- changes speeds well to get to rim.
Pro level first step- can get to rim. Good looking jump shot- gets feet set- and follows through on 3 point shot- plays beyond his years. Not afraid to shoot – is unselfish and is willing to move the ball against the zone. Has an effective floater. Length and athleticism help make him solid rebounder- boxes out on most shots as well.

Weaknesses
Needs to improve FT shooting. Must improve off ball defense- hugs man too much, and does not see the ball- is an excellent on ball defender, but needs to improve team and help defense (Purdue is not helping much at all as a team, appears that they want HPU to beat them 1 on 1, rather than give up the 3). Is a tweener at 6’3”- more of a 2 than a true PG- is quick enough to guard a 1, but is not big or strong enough to guard a 2 at the next level. Is willing to make the extra pass on the perimeter, but once he puts ball on the floor- he is going to shoot- eyes go down- is focused on scoring the ball- does not drive to create, like he would need to do at next level playing the 1. Can score and play the 2 on the offensive end at next level, but can’t guard a 2. Combo guards who are primarily scorers are a dime a dozen. Telegraphs some of his passes.

Overview
Redshirt freshman from Chicago- top 100 recruit coming out of HS in Chicago.
Being an undersized shooting guard, he must have something that will make him stand out from the rest of the combo guards around the country- he must develop a skill set that will make him appealing to pro teams. Johnsons does stand out as reliable shooter, to go along to his athleticism and slashing ability and he is an excellent on-ball defender- must work on his playmaking ability and still has to learn defensive rotations at this level. HPU played a zone defense most of the game- I believe Johnson would be much more effective against a man to man. Full of energy- looked in excellent shape. Needs to be more assertive against zone- looked too comfortable to just move the ball at top of key- but to his credit, did not try to do too much- and made the easy play and pass- did not force the issue. Looked good in his first true test as a college basketball player- it will be interesting to watch him develop over the next few years, since he is just a freshman.

***

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Today we introduce a new feature on Basketball Elite, the Sleeper Report, where we feature players who you might not know much about but are players who should be getting more press than they are. The inaugural report features St. John’s guard Nurideen Lindsey, who we scouted during the St. Johns – William & Mary game on opening night of NCAA men’s basketball.

Nurideen Lindsey

(G, 6’3″, Sophomore)

Photo Credit: RedStormSports.com

Scouting Report

Scout: James Blackburn

Stats
8-12 FG, 3-8 FT, 5 st, 19 TP

Strengths
Outstanding floor general- good ball handler, solid passer. Unselfish. Leader on the floor. Ability to finish with contact. Good footwork. Ability to break down defense w/dribble penetration and either finish with a number of moves in his offensive arsenal or find the open man. Gets to the FT line at a high rate. He is a player who you want with the ball in his hands at end of shot clock or game. He is fearless and plays hard and with intensity. High volume scorer. Good defender who plays the passing lanes well. Very quick hands. Good size for the PG position.

Weaknesses
There was not a lot in Lindsey’s game to criticize tonight. Needs to improve his shooting, esp. from 3 and FT- would much rather attack rim, then shoot on the perimeter. Needs to improve FT shooting, gets to the line at a high rate and will have the ball in his hands at the end of the game- needs to make teams pay for fouling him.

Overview
First time I have seen him play. JUCO transfer who averaged over 20 and 5 last year at Redlands CC. Averaged over 35 ppg in HS, showing he can put up big numbers offensively. Has 2 years of eligibility at St. Johns. Under the radar player to keep an eye on. Def. a player to watch especially when St. Johns enters Big East play.

By Marcus Shockley

The NCAA enacted sweeping reforms this week intended to help clean up its image and stem some of the scandals that have beset the organization over the past few years. One of the reforms is the reintroduction of a stipend to the players of up to $2,000 intended to help cover the full cost of attendance:

The board approved a measure allowing conferences to vote on providing up to $2,000 in spending money, or what the NCAA calls the full cost-of-attendance. Emmert insists it is not pay-for-play, merely the reintroduction of a stipend that existed for college athletes until 1972. He also compared it to the stipends received by other students who receive non-athletic scholarships.

While some thought the numbers should be higher, it is a step in the right direction. The new reforms also solidifying a plan that was introduced in August, in which teams scoring below 900 on the four-year average would be ineligible for postseason play, unless the team averaged 930 on the two most recent years of data. Of course, this immediately sets off a lot of speculation over certain schools in recent memory who might not have been allowed to compete in the Big Dance (or, for football teams, the BCS bowls) had these reforms been in place previously. The most noticeable example is UConn:

After posting an 826 last year, a UConn official has said this year’s mark will be approximately 975. It would give Connecticut a two-year score of 900.5 and a four-year average of 888.5 — both too low to make the basketball tourney.

While these moves are a good thing, they are merely a small step in the right direction. The concept of recruiting violations and other types of pay-for-play are unlikely to be affected by these moves; the money is just too great at certain levels to stop it with the NCAA’s own conflict of interest in this area.

It’s difficult for the NCAA to balance between enforcement of rules of amateurism while at the same time raking in massive revenue on March Madness and other television deals. The NCAA has, in recent years, pursued infractions which infringe on their revenue stream (such as the attack on Rivals, Scout and 247Sports) while not going after the very same deals at other media outlets (ESPN, CBS), perhaps because of the revenue deals the NCAA has in place with those media outlets. The problem in college sports isn’t the average athlete at a mid major school. It’s the big time players who are almost certainly destined for a pro paycheck, and the NCAA makes money off of those players just like the infamous runners, agents and shoe reps that everyone says are destroying grassroots basketball.

You have to wonder if the shoe companies, who are almost directly in opposition the NCAA (but also have revenue deals with several schools) haven’t considered their own ‘minor’ league circuit to replace the college circuit, one step above AAU. It’s not that far-fetched, and that might be the biggest concern the NCAA has on the horizon.

However, for fans of the game and who understand that for many players, this is their best shot at a college education, these reforms will likely help them, and that’s good.