SB Nation - Terrence Williams

All-Decade Louisville Basketball Team Debate

Mike Rutherford — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:35:42 -0000

Here's your debate for the day: If one were to create an All-Decade Louisville basketball team, who would comprise the starting five?

I think you have to say Reece Gaines, Francisco Garcia and Terrence Williams are locks, but after that it's tough. Ultimately, I settled on David Padgett and Taquan Dean, but legit cases can be made for Marques Maybin, Ellis Myles, Larry O'Bannon and Earl Clark, among others.

What say you?

BtB 2009-10 Big East Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:19:46 -0000

The Big East had a BIG season last year, but not quite the monster year many predicted. At the end of the year, the conference only qualified eight teams for the NCAAs, instead the nine or ten many had predicted. Louisville earned the tournament's overall number one seed, while UConn and Pitt joined them on the top line. The Huskies were the only one of this group to make it to Detroit, but the 3 seed in the East region, Villanova, knocked off the Panthers to join Connecticut at Ford Field.

Graduation and the NBA Draft sapped some of the star power from the conference during the offseason, and teams like Pitt and Marquette, look to be in rebuilding mode because of it. Louisville, whose summer included personnel losses and revelations about Rick Pitino's personal life, will be a contender but not quite the power of last year. UConn and Syracuse also lost significant personnel, but have some exciting recruits coming in to fill the voids. Two teams who fell flat last year, Georgetown and Notre Dame could be back, while Cincinnati, St. John's, and Seton Hall may be waking from a long slumber.

But the two teams who appear to be head and shoulders above the rest are the two who lost the least, Villanova and West Virginia. They'll start with the biggest targets on their backs, and they'll take plenty of shots in the early season, particularly in tournament play. Both play in loaded fields this November, the Wildcats in Puerto Rico; the Mountaineers in Anaheim.

More on all 16 teams in the largest league in the land after the jump.

Here's a recap of last year's Big East standings.

Big East Conference Standings

(updated 4.5.2009 at 12:15 AM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Louisville Cardinals	16	2	31	6
Connecticut Huskies	15	3	31	5
Pittsburgh Panthers	15	3	31	5
Villanova Wildcats	13	5	30	8
Marquette Golden Eagles	12	6	25	10
Syracuse Orange	11	7	28	10
West Virginia Mountaineers	10	8	23	12
Providence Friars	10	8	19	14
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	8	10	21	15
Cincinnati Bearcats	8	10	18	14
Seton Hall Pirates	7	11	17	15
Georgetown Hoyas	7	11	16	15
St. John's Red Storm	6	12	16	18
South Florida Bulls	4	14	9	22
Rutgers Scarlet Knights	2	16	11	21
DePaul Blue Demons	0	18	9	24

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a team name appears in red, click it to go to that schools SBNation site, your source for more in depth analysis.

DePaul (last NCAA: 2004) The Blue Demons defeated a league opponent once only last season, bursting Cincinnati's bubble in the first round of the Big East tournament. The pressure is definitely on Jerry Wainwright at the moment, but this team doesn't look like it will improve much. The foundation is good, even with swingman Dar Tucker's departure for the professional game, as 6-10 Mac Koshwal is a beast inside for Wainwright, as he averaged over 12 points and nearly 10 boards a game last year, and Will Walker averaged nearly 15 points a game in the backcourt. But the rest of the squad lacks scoring punch and experience. Ohio State transfer Eric Wallace, Oregon State transfer Eric Wallace, and returnees Devin Hill (3.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and Mario Stula (1.7 ppg) will have to produce more to make up for the loss of Tucker, while Jabari Currie (5.3 ppg, 1.8 apg) and Jeremiah Kelly (4.3 ppg, 2.4 apg) will need to help Walker out more in the backcourt. DePaul will play Northern Iowa in the Paradise Jam, then East Carolina or Tennessee in their second game. They'll also head to Tampa to take on Mississippi State in the Big East/SEC Invitational.

Providence (last NCAA: 2004) The Friars won 10 Big East games in Keno Davis' first season at the helm, but ended up in the NIT. Providence's schedule is a big reason for their failure, as they defeated Cincinnati and Rutgers twice, and were swept by Villanova, making their victory total a bit suspect. Providence should drop significantly this season, as they lost four starters off an already disappointing team. Senior point guard Sharaud Curry (11.7 ppg, 4.2 apg) is the lone returning starter, so at least the offense will be in good hands. Production will have to come from 6-5 wing Marshon Brooks (10.6 ppg) and 6-4 Brian McKenzie (4.6 ppg), along with JC transfer Kyle Wright and freshman Duke Mondy, both of whom lit it up at their previous level of competition. 6-9 JC transfer Russ Permenter and 6-8 freshmen Kadeem Bates and James Still will join two redshirt freshmen, 6-6 Jamine Peterson and 6-8 Bilal Dixon, on an all new frontline. How quickly that group can adjust to the rigors of the Big East will determine how well PC can do this season. The Friars don't participate in a tournament this year, but they travel to Alabama and host former Big East member Boston College.

South Florida (last NCAA: 1992) The Bulls should be better this year, but the question is whether that will show up in the standings. Stan Heath returns three starters from a team that won only four Big East contests a season ago, including guard Dominique Jones (18.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.9 apg) and 6-10 forward Augustus Gilchrist (10.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg). Both of those players will receive significant help in their particular units, as Ohio State transfer Anthony Crater will take some of the playmaking pressure off Jones (as will a bigger role for senior Chris Howard, who averaged over 4 assists a game last year) and 6-11 JC transfer Jarrid Famous will combine with Gilchrist to form one of the more intimidating frontlines in the conference. 6-4 guard Mike Mercer (8.5 ppg, 33.3% from 3) returns to the team for his final season after head coach Stan Heath booted him in January for disciplinary issues. USF's freshmen, heavy on guards and wings, includes Joe Dumars' son, Jordan. The Bulls will play in the Charleston Classic before Thanksgiving, where they'll play Davidson on Day 1. A matchup with either La Salle or South Carolina awaits on Day 2. USF will also face San Diego and San Francisco in Las Vegas before Christmas.

Rutgers (last NCAA: 1991) The Scarlet Knights once again struggled in the Big East, winning only two games in the conference in '08-09. Fred Hill's team should face another tough year despite the return of 6-3 sophomore guard Mike Rosario (16.2 ppg) and an improving frontline featuring imposing shotblocker 6-9 Gregory Echenique (8.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.4 bpg) and 6-11 center Hamady Ndiaye (5.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg). 6-7 Jonathan Mitchell, a transfer from Florida, and 6-6 sophomore Patrick Jackson, a rarely used freshman, are expected to contribute as well. While Rutgers is set at shooting guard thanks to Rosario, JC transfer James Beatty will likely replace Anthony Farmer at the point, though junior Mike Coburn (4 ppg, 2.1 apg), last year's backup, will see plenty of time there as well. The Scarlet Knights will make the short trip to Atlantic City, where they'll face UMass in the semifinals of the Legends Classic. They'll play either Florida or Michigan State on the following evening. A December 28 trip to North Carolina also looms large.

Marquette (last NCAA: 2009) The Golden Eagles appear due for a fall in Buzz Williams' second year at the helm. Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews, and Dominic James, Marquette's starting backcourt of a season ago, have all graduated. And while 6-6 F Lazar Hayward (16.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg) is back, that's a lot of production Williams will have to replace. Jimmy Butler (5.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg), another 6-6 forward, should move from the sixth man role to the starting lineup, but he needs to show more offensive consistency. Two-time Wisconsin HS Player of the Year Jeronne Maymon, yet another 6-6 forward, will be expected to contribute immediately, as will 6-7 shot blocking machine Erik Williams. Marquette's all-new backcourt features two JC All-Americans, 6-3 Dwight Buycks and 6-1 Darius Johnson-Odom, and 6-1 Canadian freshman Junior Cadougan, the heir apparent to James. Maurice Acker (2.8 ppg, 1.8 apg), who replaced James when he went out with a broken foot, is also back for the Golden Eagles. Marquette plays in the Old Spice Classic this year, where they open with Xavier. They'll then play either Michigan or Creighton in what has to be called that tournament's Midwestern half of the bracket.

Pittsburgh (last NCAA: 2009) The Panthers will be in full rebuilding mode this season, as Jamie Dixon lost four starters from a season ago. However, the one starter who is back, senior guard Jermaine Dixon (8.4 ppg, 2 apg), is out until November thanks to a broken foot. Reserves Gilbert Brown (5.4 ppg), Brad Wanamaker (5.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg), and Ashton Gibbs (4.3 ppg, 43.9% from 3) will have to take on a greater role, but replacing Levance Fields at the point is the biggest issue for Pitt. Ultimately, Gibbs and Centenary transfer Chase Adams (14.6 ppg, 4.5 apg) will have to shoulder the load. The frontcourt was decimated thanks to the departure of DeJuan Blair, Sam Young, and Tyrell Biggs. 6-10 center Gary McGhee (1.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg in roughly 6 minutes per game) will see a lot more time this season, as will 6-6 swingman Gilbert Brown (5.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg), but 6-9 freshman Dante Taylor, a McDonald's All-American, could become the most exciting frontcourt player for the Panthers this season. Pitt will travel to Kansas City for the CBE Classic, where they'll open against Wichita State. Big 12 power Texas or now-perennially-rebuilding Iowa awaits on the second night.

Seton Hall (last NCAA: 2006) Bobby Gonzalez not only brings back four starters from a season ago, led by offensive force Jeremy Hazell (22.7 ppg), he has several transfers coming in to provide much needed depth. The Pirates' solid backcourt, featuring Hazell, starting point guard Eugene Harvey (12.5 ppg, 4.5 apg), and backup PG Jordan Theodore (5.9 ppg, 2 apg) receives a major reinforcement in the form of Missouri transfer Keon Lawrence (11 ppg, 2.3 apg in '07-08). An emerging frontline, featuring 6-6 Robert Mitchell (14.7 ppg, 8 rpg) and 6-9 John Garcia (8 ppg, 7 rpg), will be even better thanks to the presence of 6-8 New Mexico State transfer Herb Pope, who averaged more than 11 points and almost 7 boards a game in his single season in Las Cruces. Melvyn Oliver, a 6-11 sophomore who weighs in at an immovable 340 pounds and 6-6 Memphis transfer Jeff Robinson will also see some minutes. Seton Hall won't participate in a tournament this year, but they'll still get some time in the sun. They'll travel to Cancun to take on Virginia Tech on the second day of 2010.

St. John's (last NCAA: 2002) Last season, Norm Roberts' Red Storm won 16 games, 6 in the Big East, during a campaign that was plagued by injuries. St. John's hasn't quite been able to shake the injury bug yet, as their best player, 6-7 senior F Anthony Mason, Jr. (14 ppg, 4.3 rpg) will be out until at least late November with a hamstring injury. He only played three games last season thanks to a torn tendon in his right foot. When he returns, he'll join 6-6 junior D.J. Kennedy (13 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and 6-8 junior Sean Evans (10.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg) to form a quality frontcourt. 6-3 junior Paris Horne, who led the Red Storm in scoring a season ago (14.6 ppg), and 5-9 PG Malik Boothe (6.4 ppg, 4.4 apg) will anchor the backcourt, with sophomore Quincy Roberts (5 ppg) and freshman PG Malik Stith, as the supporting cast. St. John's will participate in the Philly Hoop Group Classic over Thanksgiving weekend at the Palestra, where they'll face Siena and Temple.

Notre Dame (last NCAA: 2008) The Fighting Irish have a chance of improving on last year's disappointing 21-win NIT campaign thanks to the return of 6-8 Luke Harangody (23.3 ppg, 11.8 rpg), a player who has numerous school and conference records within reach. In the backcourt, point guard Tory Jackson (10.6 ppg, 4.9 apg) returns, but perimeter sharpshooters Kyle McAlarney (15 ppg) and Ryan Ayers (11.1 ppg) will be sorely missed. Mississippi State transfer Ben Hansbrough, brother of Tyler, will be called on to make up some of that production, though he's just as likely to score inside, as he can really drive to the basket. Unfortunately, another player who would've fit in immediately, 6-8 Purdue transfer Scott Martin, will miss the year with a knee injury. That means 6-8 junior Tyrone Nash (3 ppg, 3.6 rpg) will have to take on a greater role. Ultimately, a lack of depth will keep the Irish from rising too high in the standings, but they should be competitive for an NCAA bid. Notre Dame will participate in the Chicago Invitational Challenge, where they open with Northwestern. The second day the Irish will face either Iowa State or Saint Louis.

Cincinnati (last NCAA: 2005) Thanks to four returning starters and a couple of key newcomers, Mick Cronin's team should be able to improve on last year's 18 wins (8 in the conference), and with the losses other Big East teams suffered, they should get back to the Dance. The Bearcats' strength will be their backcourt, led by all-Big East pick Deonta Vaughn (15.3 ppg, 4.7 apg). He'll receive more help than he had last year, as PG Cashmere Wright is back after missing all of last year with a knee injury and Larry Davis (6.8 ppg) also returns from an ankle injury. 6-9 Yancy Gates (10.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), who was one of the league's top freshmen last season anchors the frontcourt, which will also feature 6-11 Oklahoma State transfer Ibrahima Thomas (8.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) when the fall semester ends. However, the arrival of 6-6 New Yorker Lance Stephenson gives the Bearcats a second legit star. New York State's all-time leading scorer averaged nearly 29 points a contest last year, so he should provide an instant boost to a team that was weak on the offensive end last season. Cincy will play in Maui this November, where they open with Vanderbilt. If they win that, a semifinal with Maryland would likely await.

Georgetown (last NCAA: 2008) The Hoyas were touted as a Final Four team by some last year, but struggled with consistency throughout the season. DaJuan Summers left early for the NBA, which is a major blow, and Jesse Sapp, the senior point guard and defensive specialist who saw a lot more action than anticipated last year, graduated, but John Thompson III has plenty of talent returning to improve on last season's 16-15 mark. Chris Wright (12.5 ppg, 3.8 apg) is back to run the point after showing well in his first league campaign. He missed all of the previous conference season with an ankle injury. At the 2 spot, Austin Freeman (11.4 ppg, 2 apg) will be expected to improve his production in Summers' absence. The frontcourt is anchored by conference Newcomer of the Year Greg Monroe (12.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg), but those expected to start alongside him, sophomore PF Henry Sims and freshman SF Hollis Thompson are relatively inexperienced. That means reserve Julian Vaughn (1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg), who was expected to contribute more in his first year after transferring from Florida State, and occasional starter Nikita Mescheriakov (2.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg) may see quite a bit more time than anticipated. The Hoyas won't participate in a tournament this season, but they will head west to take on Washington in the Wooden Classic (not UCLA, which would make sense) and up to New York to face Butler in the Jimmy V Classic.

Louisville (last NCAA: 2009) Rick Pitino was the center of a lot of unwanted attention this offseason thanks to some well-publicized off the court issues. On the court, the Cards the news was also negative, as the team's two leading scorers and rebounders from last season, Earl Clark and Terrence Williams, are now in the NBA. The cupboard is far from bare for Pitino, however. He has a backcourt led by seniors Edgar Sosa (7.3 ppg, 2.3 apg) and Jerry Smith, a gifted shooter who averaged almost 8 points a game while shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc. Junior Preston Knowles shot even better from outside, 43 percent, as the sixth man last year. The Cards will need their production, along with that of 6-4 freshman sharpshooter Mike Marra and McDonald's All-American PG Peyton Siva, to replace some of the production that left with Clark and Williams. The frontcourt should be a strength, thanks to the return of 6-9 Samardo Samuels (11.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg), though he'll need to be more consistent. Samuels will be challenged by having to do more of the dirty work on the glass, as he was only the third leading rebounder on last year's team. 6-9 sophomore Terrence Jennings should also provide more punch this season, as he averaged 4.2 ppg and 2.9 rpg in only about 12 minutes worth of action as a freshman. Tony Delk, a 6-4 swingman, who averaged less than a bucket a game last year, should also see more time. Besides the traditional game with Kentucky, Louisville will play Arkansas in the Hall of Fame Showcase in St. Louis before they play home games against three mid-major opponents in the same event.

Syracuse (last NCAA: 2009) The Orange lost their three leading scorers--NBA first rounder Jonny Flynn, his Niagara Falls High School teammate Paul Harris, and Eric Devendorf--off a squad that reached the Sweet 16. But don't expect Jim Boeheim's squad to fall too far down the Big East pecking order. Two regular frontcourt starters--6-9 C Arinze Onuaku (10.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.4 bpg) and 6-9 F Rick Jackson (8.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg)-return, as does part-time starter Andy Rautins (10.5 ppg, 36.6% from 3). The newcomers are even more intriguing. 6-7 F Wesley Johnson, who averaged over 12 points and almost 8 boards as a freshman and 12+ points and 4 boards as a sophomore at Iowa State, will fill Harris' spot in the frontcourt. 6-4 freshman Brandon Triche will replace Flynn at the point. The Orange have some talent on the bench, as 6-1 sophomore guard Scoop Jardine returns after sitting out last year injured, 6-7 sophomore Kris Joseph will provide some depth up front, but he'll have to be more consistent than he was as a freshman. 6-8 freshman James Southerland should see some time off the bench because of his ability to shoot. Syracuse makes the short trip to New York City for the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, where they'll face California in the semifinals, then either Ohio State or North Carolina. They'll travel to Tampa to take on Florida in the Big East/SEC Invitational and host Memphis in the Dome.

Connecticut (last NCAA: 2009) Jim Calhoun lost three starters off a Final Four team, Hasheem Thabeet, A.J. Price, and Jeff Adrien, but don't expect UConn to fall too far. PG Kemba Walker (8.9 ppg, 2.8 apg) got a lot of experience off the bench in '08-09 and will be ready to fill Price's shoes at the 1 spot. Freshman Darius Smith should also see some time at the point and maybe even at the 2 spot, thanks to his scoring ability. Jerome Dyson (13.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.1 apg) returns from a torn meniscus to provide more toughness to the backcourt. In the frontcourt, SF Stanley Robinson (8.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg) needs to show more consistency, while 6-9 senior Gavin Edwards steps into a starting role for the first time. Calhoun has some impact youngsters on his frontline, including 6-10 Ater Majok and high school teammates Alex Oriakhi and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel. If the younger frontcourt produces as the season goes on, UConn could go on another long March run. Of course, the ongoing investigation surrounding Josh Nochimson could still lead to some distractions during the season. Schedule-wise, the Huskies will host the North regional of the NIT Season Tip-Off. That should result in the first of two trips to MSG for them, as they also face Kentucky in the Big East/SEC Invitational.

West Virginia (last NCAA: 2009) The Mountaineers bring back the bulk of a team that disappointingly lost to Dayton in the first round of last year's NCAAs. Bob Huggins' frontcourt features two players who will challenge for national honors this year, 6-7 senior Da'Sean Butler (17.1 ppg. 5.9 rpg) and 6-9 sophomore Devin Ebanks (10.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg)-a player who really came on in the second half of last season. PF Wellington Smith (5.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg), a 6-7 senior, should up his performance now that he's recovered from a stress fracture in his leg, while 6-8 sophomore Kevin Jones (6.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg) is another solid reserve player for the Mountaineers. The backcourt will be new as JC transfer Casey Mitchell will be the starting shooting guard and Alex Ruoff's replacement at point guard is a real question mark. Darryl Bryant (9.8 ppg, 2.7 apg), Ruoff's heir apparent, was suspended by Huggins over the summer. Joe Mazzulla (5.6 ppg, 3.7 apg), another player who had to deal with off the court issues last year, is another option. His minutes depend on how well he's recovered from the severe shoulder injury he suffered early last season. The Mountaineers will play in the 76 Classic in Anaheim, where they'll open with Long Beach State. A matchup with either Clemson or Texas A&M awaits on the day after Thanksgiving.

Villanova (last NCAA: 2009) Leading scorer Dante Cunningham (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and swingman Dwayne Anderson (9 ppg, 6.2 rpg) may be gone from last year's Final Four team, but there's enough quality on the roster to ensure that the Wildcats remain near the top of the league. Sixth man Corey Fisher (10.8 ppg, 2.8 apg) should move over to the point full-time, while senior Scottie Reynolds (15.2 ppg, 3.4 apg) will continue to help with the playmaking, even in a more offensive role. The frontcourt corps of 6-5 Corey Stokes (9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg), 6-5 Reggie Redding (7.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg), and 6-8 Antonio Pena (5.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg) will be joined by several newcomers. 6-11 redshirt Maurice Sutton, 6-6 Duke transfer Taylor King, and 6-7 freshman Isaiah Armwood will see considerable minutes, while 6-10 Mouphtaou Yarou, a high school teammate of Armwood, will give the Wildcats an inside dimension they haven't had in years. Nova will play in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off before Thanksgiving. They'll open with George Mason before facing either Dayton or Georgia Tech on the second day.

The Wildcats will hold the Big East's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. There will undoubtedly be a few of their conference brethren joining them.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-Big East team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-Big East Team

Player of the Year: Luke Harangody, 6-8 F, Sr. (Notre Dame)

Remainder of the Team
Da'Sean Butler, 6-7 F. Sr. (West Virginia)
Devin Ebanks, 6-9 F, So. (West Virginia)
Greg Monroe, 6-11 F, So. (Georgetown)
Scottie Reynolds, 6-2 G, Sr. (Villanova)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Big East this season?

Cincinnati

7 votes

Connecticut

9 votes

DePaul

1 votes

Georgetown

24 votes

Louisville

13 votes

Marquette

0 votes

Notre Dame

1 votes

Pittsburgh

6 votes

Providence

0 votes

Rutgers

2 votes

St. John's

1 votes

Seton Hall

1 votes

South Florida

0 votes

Syracuse

10 votes

Villanova

18 votes

West Virginia

19 votes

112 votes | Poll has closed

T-Will being T-Will in Jersey

Mike Rutherford — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:53:37 -0000

I miss him already.

Terrence Williams was introduced as the newest New Jersey Net during a press conference in East Rutherford this afternoon. He addressed the local media for the first time in a manner that should surprise no one reading this.

Nearly seven minutes into the Friday press conference at the Nets Practice Facility in East Rutherford, following statements from Team President Rod Thorn, General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe and Head Coach Lawrence Frank, who introduced Terrence Williams as the newest Net, his turn had finally come. Head angled sideways and slightly up, Williams listened to Nets vice president of public relations Gary Sussman as the executive prompted Williams to discuss his excitement.
Reorienting his focus to the microphone in front of him, Williams paused for a beat. Then another. He separated his folded hands, placing palms flat upon the table as he hunched slightly toward the mike.

"… Hello," Williams said, breaking into a wide smile as he leaned back. Laughs rolled through the room, and it became apparent that if the Louisville product’s timing is as good on-court as it can be in a quip, the Nets will have aced the 11th pick. Williams continued:

"I would like to say to the staff here, thanks for believing in me and the new direction that you’re trying to go in, and drafting me No. 11. A lot of people thought I was going to go somewhere else, but I felt when I first met them, when I went to lunch with them, I would like to be here because they’re straight shooters, like Coach (Rick) Pitino. This is a great situation for me, and so I’d like to really thank them for making that call to David Stern and saying, ‘This is who we want,’ and it happened to be me. I want to start off by saying I really appreciate that from you guys.

"To everybody else: I know there are things that I need to work on. With my hard work and dedication to playing basketball, I will work on those things. I’m not coming here trying to be something I’m not, I’m coming here to try and help win games and listen to the coaching staff. I’m excited to be a New Jersey Net."

With Raefer Alston recently being traded to the Nets, T-Will also stated that he is making the switch from his familiar No. 1 to No. 8.

He closed the PC with a semi-NBA T-Willism.

And Williams’ good humor and dynamic personality will likely help to keep the locker room loose. Always one to put pen to page as an outlet, when it came time to choose a major at Louisville, Williams almost opted for creative writing rather than communications.

"I can write about anything," Williams claimed. "I was going to do that in school, but their creative writing was more structured writing -- it wasn’t creative, so I didn’t want to do that. But I like to write short stories, poems. So if you ever get into an argument with your girlfriend, I can write a love poem for you."

And a single tear rolls down the author's face.

DaJuan Summers Drafted By the Detroit Pistons in 2nd Round

CasualHoya — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:48:26 -0000

On a night when Big East rivals Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, Terrence Williams, and Earl Clark were all taken in the top 14 picks, Georgetown's DaJuan Summers was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 5th pick in the 2nd Round (35th overall).

ESPN's Chad Ford:

5 (35) Detroit (from Minnesota) DaJuan Summers 6-9 243 SF Georgetown

The Pistons seriously considered Summers at No. 15, so they are thrilled to get him at No. 35. Summers is a fantastic athlete, can shoot the ball and can play both the 3 and the 4. This is a great pick this late in the draft.

With the 30th and final pick in the 1st Round representing Summers' last shot at a guaranteed contract next season, the Cleveland Cavaliers took a small forward from the Republic of Congo.

If it's any consolation to Hoyas fans, Summers was picked ahead of Pitt's Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, and Syracuse's dynamic duo of Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf will likely be looking for playing time in Romania after not being drafted at all.

Summers ranks 29th all-time in scoring at Georgetown (1,129 points), seventh in three-pointers made (141), eighth in three-pointers attempted (403), and helped lead the Hoyas to three straight postseason appearances (two NCAA Tournaments, one NIT).

More to follow tomorrow.

Hoya Saxa.

RIP MJ.

Casually.

Polling GSOM: Who do you WANT the Warriors to draft in the 2009 NBA Draft?

Fantasy Junkie — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:00:23 -0000

Originally posted Jun 24, 2009 12:00 PM PDT

Spread the word and tell everyone to vote!

There are two NBA draft polls on GSOM, make sure to vote in each. In this second one, who do you want the Warriors to draft? The first poll, who do you think the Warriors will draft, asked you to be pretend you're Don Nelson and make the 7th pick. This poll has the identical poll selections, but we want you to choose the draft pick who you want the Warriors to draft. Your reasons for wanting a player are your own, but I'd like to think you'll want the guy who will benefit the Warriors the most, not who will cause Rowell the biggest heartache or will most likely sit behind Marco and give him more playing time because you have a secret man crush on Marco. Again, choose the guy who you WANT the Warriors to draft.

Spread the word and tell all your friends to vote in the poll. Choose the guy who you WANT the Warriors to draft.

In 2005 and 2006, the GSOM community voted and Chris Mullin decided to pick that guy. In 2005 it was Ike Diogu (ooops) and in 2006 it was Patrick O'Bryant (ooops again). The GSOM community's draft record has not been so stellar. For the record, I voted for Danny Granger (2005) and Rodney Carney (2006). In 2007, the community voted for Yi (oops) and he turned out to not be available so we went with Brandan Wright instead. Then last year, Anthony Randolph wasn't even a possible selection since he wasn't expected to fall so far. Looks like picking by committee isn't such a good thing but that's not going to stop us.

Just like the previous poll, I've tried to limit the selections to who might be available (no Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet, or James Harden) and also left out guys that probably won't be the pick (DeJuan Blair, Tyler Hansborough, Gerald Henderson, Earl Clark). That said, there are still a lot of guys to choose from because this draft seems pretty wide open. It's not clear who will be available. For instance, ESPN has Tyreke Evans going 4th, Draft Express has him going 6th, and NBA Draft.net has him going 8th. He could be available to the Warriors. Additionally, all that hype around Brandon Jennings seems to be gone now. He's 19th on ESPN, 17th on Draft Express, and, drum roll please, 7th on NBA Draft.net.

Also, be sure to check out Bill Simmons' podcast with Chad Ford (see the top right of the page) covering a lot of the draft picks. Tyreke Evans? It's a joke to think he could be an NBA point guard. Ricky Rubio? Special player and it's unfathomable as to why he would drop. Lots of good entertaining stuff in there.

Poll

Who do you want the Warriors to draft?

Terrence Williams

43 votes

Brandon Jennings

397 votes

Jrue Holiday

58 votes

Jordan Hill

266 votes

Jonny Flynn

127 votes

Tyreke Evans

234 votes

DeMar DeRozan

64 votes

Stephen Curry

394 votes

1583 votes | Poll has closed

Polling GSOM: Who do you think the Warriors will draft in the 2009 NBA Draft?

Fantasy Junkie — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:00:22 -0000

Originally posted Jun 24, 2009 12:00 PM PDT

Which draft pick will be wearing this tomorrow?

There are two NBA draft polls on GSOM, make sure to vote in each. In this first one, who do you think the Warriors will draft? The second will be who you want the Warriors to draft. Using your best ~~Robert Rowell~~ ~~Larry Riley~~ Don Nelson impression, pick the player who you think we'll end up with in the 7th pick.

I've tried to limit the selections to who might be available (no Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet, or James Harden) and also left out guys that probably won't be the pick (DeJuan Blair, Tyler Hansborough, Gerald Henderson, Earl Clark). That said, there are still a lot of guys to choose from because this draft seems pretty wide open. It's not clear who will be available. For instance, ESPN has Tyreke Evans going 4th, Draft Express has him going 6th, and NBA Draft.net has him going 8th. He could be available to the Warriors. Additionally, all that hype around Brandon Jennings seems to be gone now. He's 19th on ESPN, 17th on Draft Express, and, drum roll please, 7th on NBA Draft.net.

Choose the guy who you think the Warriors will draft. Release your inner Nostradamus.

Poll

Who do you think the Warriors will draft?

Stephen Curry

154 votes

DeMar DeRozan

33 votes

Jonny Flynn

40 votes

Tyreke Evans

49 votes

Jordan Hill

420 votes

Jrue Holiday

27 votes

Brandon Jennings

173 votes

Terrence Williams

19 votes

915 votes | Poll has closed

SBNation NBA Mock Draft, Pick #22: Dallas Mavericks

Scott Schroeder — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:15:09 -0000

With the twenty-second pick in the SBNation Mock Draft, the Dallas Mavericks, represented by SBN's very own Mavs Moneyball , select... (Drum Roll please)

From MM:The Mavs chatter leading up to the draft has been 'point guard, point guard, point guard', so a polished, safe, and low ceiling pick like Darren Collison could make sense here if Dallas were looking to draft strictly to fill a perceived hole. However, I don't think Dallas would be able to pass on lottery talent at 22.

Dallas selects Terrence Williams, and there is much rejoicing.

The Mavs are looking for immediate help in this draft, and you may think a post presence or Kidd replacement are the only options. Don't forget that Antoine Wright was theMavs primary starter at the two last season. Wright was praised by his coaches for his defense all season long, but you only had to watch him get exposed by Denver in the postseason to see he's merely an average defender who may look a little better compared to his surroundings.

Williams could seemingly replace Wright in the starting lineup from day one. His superior athleticism projects him to be a better defender than Wright, and a chance that he may already be. Williams biggest deficiencies, scoring and shooting percentage are also the weakest points in Wright's game. Unlike Wright, Williams is able to make up for it with his rebounding and passing -- 8.6rpg and 5.0 apg last season for Louisville.

I think it's very unlikely that Terrence Williams makes it this far on draft day, but if he does, I'll be shocked and pretty angry if Dallas passes.

The 2009 SB Nation Mock Draft thus far:

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Clips Nation: Blake Griffin

2. Memphis Grizzlies - 3 Shades of Blue: Ricky Rubio

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - Welcome to Loud City: James Harden

4. Sacramento Kings - Sactown Royalty: Tyreke Evans

5. Washington Wizards - Bullets Forever: Hasheem Thabeet

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Canis Hoopus: Stephen Curry

7. Golden State Warriors - Golden State of Mind: Brandon Jennings

8. New York Knicks - Posting and Toasting: Jrue Holiday

9. Toronto Raptors - Holly MacKenzie: DeMar DeRozan

10. Milwaukee Bucks - BrewHoop: Jordan Hill

11. New Jersey Nets - Aisander "IcemanCometh" Duda: Jonny Flynn

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Rufus On Fure: Gerald Henderson

13. Indiana Pacers - Indy Cornrows: DeJuan Blair

14. Phoenix Suns - Bright Side of the Sun: Ty Lawson

15. Detroit Pistons - Motown String Music: Earl Clark

16. Chicago Bulls - BlogABull: Tyler Hansbrough

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Liberty Ballers: Eric Maynor

18. Minnesota Timberwolves - Canis Hoopus: B.J. Mullens

19. Atlanta Hawks - Peachtree Hoops: Jeff Teague

20. Utah Jazz - SLC Dunk: James Johnson

21. New Orleans Hornets - At The Hive: Austin Daye

Should Georgetown Run the Princeton Offense?

Hire Esherick — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:02:21 -0000

It is the question that inevitably arises at the end of every season. Regardless of the outcome of the prior month, Sweet Sixteen, Final Four, Big East Regular Season and Tournament titles, the period between April and November is always reserved for debating the usefulness of the offense John Thompson III employs. The objective of the original system, brought to the national spotlight by Pete Carril at Princeton, is to neutralize the athletic superiority of an opponent by slowing down the offense and forcing a low scoring game. While Georgetown does not actually use the full-fledged Princeton offense, whether Georgetown should use any aspects of the system is highly contentious, where opinions and arguments often change depending on the outcomes of the previous games. Against Duke and in 2006, it was a brilliant schematic run by a young visionary. During the 2008-09 season, it was torturous offense run by a stubborn descendant of nepotism. But the debate has always been internal; a subject reserved for in-fighting among the Hoya Faithful during the quiet days of summer. But now it is drawing more mainstream attention.

Last week HoyaReport discussed some unfavorable comments made by Terrence Williams of Louisville on the Georgetown offense. A subscription is required for the full article but the essence of the remarks is captured in the paragraph above.

Recently, NBA scouts and executives shared their views on the Georgetown offense through their evaluations of former Hoya, DaJuan Summers. Regarding Summers' pre-draft workouts, one exec commented:

"He was very impressive. People tend to forget that we didn't really see what Jeff Green could do until he got out of school."

Is this one comment made by an executive who failed to realize that despite Jeff Green's average numbers, he was overwhelmingly chosen as Big East Player of the Year in 2007 and shared Big East Rookie of the Year honors with Rudy Gay in 2005? Was it a near-sighted comment that overlooked the amount that Jeff Green learned about how to play without the ball while at Georgetown - the aspect of Green's game that makes him so unique in the shoot-first NBA? Or was it an accurate representation of what many feel about Georgetown, that the offense does not utilize the full athletic abilities of its highly-touted recruits? An argument often used by opposing coaches to dissuade recruits from the Hilltop.

I have my own opinion on the subject but have learned it is pointless trying to convince the opposition. So I leave it to you: should Georgetown run the Princeton offense?

Good talk.

DaJuan Doin' Work: "My Stock is Rising."

CasualHoya — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:37:26 -0000

Check out this solid link to our main man at a workout with the Charlotte Bobcats on June 5th.

Nice pull up jumper! Way to use the glass!

The juice is in the Q&A session afterwards:

"Coach (Larry) Brown is a teacher, so if you make a mistake he doesn't allow you to keep making that mistake. He stops you and teaches you to do it the right way."

Hey, folks. Anyone remember how our season ended in the NIT against Baylor? Well, if you don't, here's a brief refresher:

The Bears opened 3 for 3 from the field to start the second half, while the Hoyas opened with a pair of misses from Dajuan Summers, and within 1:34, the 10 point lead was down to two and the game was on. Baylor led briefly before the Hoyas began to move the ball back inside to carve out a narrow lead, but its defense could not stop Baylor from repeated drives along the baseline, alley-oop dunks and close-in jumpers.

Do you remember who was guarding that guy who repeatedly was on the receiving end of those alley-oops? (Hint: It wasn't Derrick Brown, the kid from Xavier also featured in the Bobcats workout video.)

Repeated drives. Alley-oop dunks. Close-in jumpers.

Meanwhile, ESPN.com's Chad Ford ranks Summers in Tier 4 of the prospects in this year's Draft and still has him slated at #24 to the Blazers in his latest Mock Draft:

Tier 4

DeJuan Blair
Earl Clark
Austin Daye
Tyler Hansbrough
Gerald Henderson
Brandon Jennings
James Johnson
Ty Lawson
Eric Maynor
B.J. Mullens
DaJuan Summers
Jeff Teague
Terrence Williams
Sam Young

Note: This is a huge tier and shows the parity in the draft. Theoretically, teams are saying you can get the same quality player at 11 that you will get at 24. This is where the real depth of the draft is. A few players like Blair, Clark, Hansbrough, Henderson, Jennings, Johnson, Teague and Williams were unanimous selections. Summers was borderline between here and Tier 5.

Elsewhere, CNNSI.com's Ian Thomsen continues to show DaJuan no love in his Mock, while over at rotoworld.com, DaJuan just sneaks into the 1st round at #30 to the Cavs.

Personally I hope the Knicks take him at #8.

Casually.

Poll

You are playing third base and have a hard 12. The dealer has a 6.

Hit

33 votes

Stay

44 votes

77 votes | Poll has closed

RUMOR: Warriors could select Jordan Hill and trade Brandan Wright or swap to get Terrence Williams

Atma Brother ONE — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:45:08 -0000

This certainly isn't as juicy as our earlier rumor (RUMOR: Warriors promised Monta Ellis they will not draft a play-making guard to appease him), but it's still interesting.

The past two years we haven't seen the Wright stuff.

Jump for the 411.

From Chad Ford's 2009 NBA Mock Draft Version 5.0:

I'm hearing significant buzz that Jordan Hill could be the pick if the team ends up making a trade for Brandan Wright. Louisville's Terrence Williams is also high on the board at Golden State. Seven seems too high, but don't be surprised if the Warriors are willing to do a swap to get him.

This is the first I've heard of the Warriors looking to move Wright in a few months. It wouldn't surprise me the least bit if he was shipped away this offseason given his lackluster performance thus far with the Warriors. Wright was cemented to Nellie's bench his first year and didn't impress all that much when he finally got some playing time in his sophomore campaign. To his credit he was plagued by what looked like an extremely painful shoulder injury last year. He did have his moments, but again this is an 82 game season and moments aren't going to cut it. Nellie has even publicly stated that the starting power forward job is now Anthony Randolph's, not Wright's.

This would be a very unfortunate way to close the book on that disastrous Jason Richardson trade with the Bobcats that expedited the Dubs descent from WE BELIEVE. The Warriors essentially gave away a key cog in that unBELIEVEable spring run and the heart and soul of this team for basically nothing. Now I'm not saying that the last few years on J-Rich's contract aren't too expensive, but that was a terrible, terrible trade at the wrong, wrong time. It was a move loser franchises make. When you barely squeak into the playoffs and end a 13 year drought you should be focusing on immediate returns, not building for some mythical bright future dependent on several deeply flawed players.

A few interesting links from the archives:

Player Recaps and Predictions: Brandan Wright (10/26/08)
Draft Day Reflection (6/29/07)
23 Post Draft Day 2007 Warrior Thoughts (6/30/07)
JRich or Die Flying (6/28/07)

If the Warriors do wind up selecting a non-"play-making guard" in a reportedly a point guard heavy draft when it's obvious they need passers and facilitators, a lot of folks are going to be scratching their heads wondering about the Moped Factor.

99% of rumors never happen, but 99% of them are fun to talk about!

Brandan Wright

#32 / Forward / Golden State Warriors

Height: 6-10

Weight: 205

Born: Oct 05, 1987

College: North Carolina

Terrence Williams

#1 / Forward / Louisville Cardinals

Height: 6-6

Weight: 215

Year: senior

Jordan Hill

#43 / Forward / Arizona Wildcats

Height: 6-10

Weight: 235

Year: junior

Poll

Both Brandan Wright and Jordan Hill are 21. Who will have a better NBA career when it's all said and done?

Brandan Wright

953 votes

Jordan Hill

1034 votes

1987 votes | Poll has closed

5 (35)	Detroit (from Minnesota)	DaJuan Summers	6-9	243	SF	Georgetown
The Pistons seriously considered Summers at No. 15, so they are thrilled to get him at No. 35. Summers is a fantastic athlete, can shoot the ball and can play both the 3 and the 4. This is a great pick this late in the draft.