While the McDonald's and Jordan All-American games receive the most hype, the Derby Festival Classic annually held in Louisville (Ky.) always has a strong roster.
This years group of guys consists of 12 prospects currently ranked in Scout.com's top 100. The highest rated prospects participating are Ryan Harrow, Ray McCallum and Justin Coleman.
This year's contest will take place on April 10th at Freedom Hall. The game tips off at 7 p.m.
Black Team
Anthony Brown - Stanford - No. 41
Justin Coleman - Louisville - No. 25
Gorgui Dieng - Undecided
Ryan Harrow - N.C. State - No. 24
Tyler Lamb - UCLA - No. 60
Nate Lubick - Georgetown - No. 37
Russ Smith - Louisville
Trey Zeigler - Undecided - No. 34
Elisha Justice - Louisville (walk-on)
White Team
Moses Abraham - Undecided
Trae Golden - Tennessee - No. 83
Josh Hairston - Duke - No. 42
Justin Martin - Xavier
Ray McCallum - Undecided - No. 23
Jordan McRae - Tennessee - No. 29
Victor Oladipo - Indiana
Stacey Poole Jr. - Kentucky - No. 58
Dwight Powell - Stanford - No. 45
Royce Woolridge - Kansas
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic
Friday, March 19, 2010
Highschool star Jeremy Tyler quit Israeli team
Former U.S. high school basketball star Jeremy Tyler quit Israeli team Maccabi Haifa and returned home Friday, cutting short a disappointing first pro season.
The 18-year-old Tyler arrived in Israel on a wave of publicity in August after deciding to skip his senior year at San Diego High School to gain professional experience.
"Due to personal matters, Jeremy chose to leave the team on his own will on March 18 and return home to San Diego," Maccabi Haifa owner Jeffrey Rosen said in a statement. "We wish Jeremy all the best."
In the 10 games Tyler played for Haifa, the 6-foot-11 power forward averaged only 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 7.6 minutes. Tyler, who reportedly earned a $140,000 salary, found it hard to adapt to the pro game and couldn't find a place in Maccabi Haifa's starting lineup.
Tyler's agent said he wasn't aware of his client's plans to leave the team.
"I'm as surprised as you are. We had no idea he was coming home," Makhtar Ndiaye of the Wasserman Media Group told ESPN's William Weinbaum. "I'm speechless at this point and look forward to speaking with Jeremy. A contract, a learning process -- things weren't great -- but it was part of growing up. I'm disappointed and frustrated."
Tyler's frustration was evident. Last month, he walked out on the team at halftime to protest not getting more minutes. For the last three games, he sat on the bench not wearing a uniform after being left off the Haifa squad.
Ndiaye said he spoke to Tyler earlier this week and "everything was cool."
"The kid decided on his own," Ndiaye said. "We did everything humanly possible to make it a success story for him and his family."
Sonny Vaccaro, an adviser to Tyler and his family, told ESPN the season in Israel wasn't a negative experience despite how it ended.
OTL: Tyler faces challenge in Israel
Jeremy Tyler left high school early to pursue his pro basketball dreams. And there was a time, as ESPN's William Weinbaum explores, when Tyler seemed undeterred in his quest for the promised land of the NBA draft's first round. Story
"Nothing was lost here -- he went, it was hard, it was eight months," Vaccaro said. "It would've been beautiful, utopia, if he had played and helped his team win a championship."
Vaccaro said Brandon Jennings, a star rookie for the Milwaukee Bucks, didn't show very much in his stint overseas, either.
"Five or six NBA scouts have told me recently to just have Jeremy come home and start practicing, that the experience in Israel is not detrimental to his future," Vaccaro said.
Vaccaro, who said Tyler would be able to sign another deal to play somewhere in August, added there's another year before Tyler would be eligible for the NBA draft, and that he didn't understand "everyone's rush to judge him."
"He's got talent and is not a bad kid," Vaccaro said.
As for the implications of the Tyler episode for the NBA's ban on high schoolers playing in the league, Vaccaro said: "If that option were allowed, he could have gone to the NBA [in tryouts] and seen if he could make it.
"It is a ridiculous system where that can't happen, where a kid can't try, be told he's not good enough and then go back to school, retaining amateur status. This could've been avoided."
Information from The Associated Press and ESPN's William Weinbaum was used in this report.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
NIKE Hypermax
Nike basketball has really come up with some cool technology over the last few years, but I wish they would allow the technology to be special and identify with certain models. The stategy to mesh these technologies across different products, creates many like shoes which confuses the average consumer. This edition of the Hypermax has the look of the LBJ 7, but the glossy carbon fiber gives it a new feel, Hypermax has been designed in the past for post players, lets see if the lighter materials can make this a gaurd friendly shoe.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Austin Jermacans winner of the 2009 Future Sole Design Contest winner had his winning model worn by Carmelo Anthony in an actual game; now Syracuse, Melo’s alma mater and the current #3 ranked team in the nation will wear a special colorway of the Future Sole Melo M6 in the Big East tournament. The Syracuse PE features orange patent leather on the upper ’sandal’ and on the ankle (which showcases fine quilted stitching). Elephant print is also used on the upper trim as well. Congrats Austin on a great design.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Brandon Jennings Under Armour Player Edition
Under Armour gives another look at the Brandon Jennings Player Exclusives. But as the 2009-2010 regular season comes to a close did UA make a mistake by delaying this release?
Monday, March 8, 2010
T.O and Donovan McNabb team up again
PHILADELPHIA -- Donovan McNabb will be throwing passes to Terrell Owens again.
McNabb and Owens are teaming up on a basketball court instead of a football field in the new season of Spike TV's "Pros vs. Joes." The episode features NFL players that played college basketball against former NBA stars.
McNabb (Syracuse), Owens (Tennessee-Chattanooga) and Antonio Gates (Kent State) will face Hakeem Olajuwon, Kenny Smith and Rick Fox.
T.O. helped McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles reach the Super Bowl in 2004, but a feud ended their relationship and Owens was cut midway through the '05 season.
Owens is a free agent after spending last year with Buffalo. He caught 55 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns in his only season with the Bills. Owens played three seasons with Dallas after he was released by Philadelphia.
McNabb has been the subject of trade rumors since the Eagles lost to the Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs. He's led Philadelphia to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl in 11 seasons.
After the Eagles lost their third straight conference title game in 2003, McNabb lobbied hard to bring Owens to Philadelphia.
The duo combined for an electrifying season. McNabb had a career year and Owens put up prolific numbers before he broke his ankle in late December. Owens returned to play in Philadelphia's loss to New England in the Super Bowl.
Shortly afterward, Owens demanded a new contract, criticized management and ripped McNabb. They've spoken a few times since and have seemingly patched up their differences.
Allen Iverson
Hopefully things turn around for A.I. he at least deserves an appropriate exit from the league.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Rick Pitino wants NBA age limit increased to 20
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino wants the NBA to raise the age limit for the league to at least 20 years old.
The bump, up one year from 19, would require players who go to college to spend at least two years on campus.
The Courier-Journal of Louisville reported that Pitino said he "loves the baseball rule," under which a player can either turn pro immediately after high school or commit to play in college for at least three years.
But Pitino doesn't foresee the rule changing because he doesn't think the NBA Players Association would agree to a higher age.
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