SB Nation User Blog: awiggo

NBA Draft 2008 Open Thread

awiggo — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:32:48 -0000

Not sure how many of you will be watching but, if you are, post your comments here.

It is all but certain that the Chicago Bulls will take Memphis point guard, Derrick Rose, at number one. After that, the safe money is on Michael Beasley to Miami, but there have been some rumors about the Heat trading down. If this happens, let me be one of the many to say, WTF? Beasley is going to be a beast in the NBA.

Also, after the TJ Ford / Jermaine O'Neal trade yesterday, the Indiana Pacers will not be taking DJ Augustin in the first round. Who will? Most mock drafts still have DJ being a lottery pick. Maybe New York at #6? or the LA Clippers at #7? or the Charlotte Bobcats at #9? or maybe he slips all the way to the Portland Trail Blazers at #13 with Greg Oden and Lamarcus Aldridge? That wouldn't be the worst situation in the world for a young point guard who looks to pass first.

Let's see...

Cedric Benson Arrested Again

awiggo — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:08:21 -0000

This time on land.

The Austin American Statesman is reporting that Benson was arrested late last night and charged with drunken driving after being stopped in downtown Austin for a traffic violation. He was released this morning after posting bail.

Getting arrested once is possibly explainable. Getting arrested twice in a month is not. Enter Roger Goodell. Exit Cedric Benson.

I Am a Chris Lofton Fan

awiggo — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:55:14 -0000

I really can't stand Tennessee, don't really like Bruce Pearl, and really didn't think too highly of Chris Lofton. Until now.

Read this ESPN article.

In an age when too many athletes seek the spotlight when they don't deserve it, make unnecessary excuses, or blame others for their own failures, this is a very refreshing story. Some of you might find it silly that Lofton didn't tell his teammates, his friends, or even some of his family members that he had cancer. I think it's admirable. He didn't complain, didn't make excuses, and didn't sulk. He quietly went about his business, struggled through an unbelievably tough hand, worked his ass off, and eventually beat cancer.

Kudos Mr. Lofton, you have a new fan.

DJ Augustin Close to a Decision

awiggo — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:18:33 -0000

According to Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle, DJ Augustin is close to declaring for the NBA draft. Duarte speculates that DJ will not sign with an agent and still could return to Texas.

I have a couple of issues with this article.

Augustin was projected as a lottery pick (among the top 14) early this season before his stock began to plummet in the NCAA Tournament.

That is a bit harsh and a bit simplistic. Derrick Rose made a lot of opponents look silly during Memphis' run to the finals. In my opinion, DJ's stock is not being hurt by his NCAA tournament performance but instead by the number of quality underclassmen who have already declared for the draft.

Which brings me to my second issue with Duarte's post,

That list could grow in the next week with Darren Collison (UCLA) and Eric Gordon (Indiana) expected to enter the draft.

Gordon declared over a week ago and even though he hasn't yet hired an agent, there is almost no chance that Gordon returns to Indiana.

Anyway, the thoughts on Orangebloods.com indicate that DJ will sit down with his family this week and will likely make an announcement early next week. I still think Augustin declares but I'm less certain now than I was just a few weeks ago.

One last thing to consider. If DJ stays, then the Longhorns will need someone to transfer or move off scholarship in order to sign another player in the 2008 class. With Tyreke Evans committing to Memphis, the top kid on the Longhorns' board is Devin Ebanks, a 6-7 wing player. Ebanks will be in town next weekend for an official visit. He has already visited West Virginia and has a visit scheduled for Memphis in a couple of weeks. Ebanks is probably another one-and-done kid, though.

A couple of sceanrios: 1) DJ stays and Ebanks signs elsewhere; 2) DJ stays, Ebanks signs with the Longhorns, and someone transfers; 3) DJ leaves and Ebanks signs; 4) DJ leaves and Ebanks signs elsewhere and the 'Horns sign Jeff Taylor or possibly nobody.

I'd be fine with any scenario but #1 #4.

DJ's deadline to declare for the NBA draft is April 27th.

--AW--

Basketball Assistant Ken McDonald to Western Kentucky

awiggo — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 16:14:40 -0000

A few years ago, it was Rick Barnes' assistant coach, Frank Haith, who departed Austin for a head coaching job at Miami. This year, Andy Katz of ESPN.com is reporting that Ken McDonald will leave the program after securing the head coaching job as Western Kentucky. McDonald was previously an assistant at Western Kenucky under head coach Dennis Felton from 1998-2003. Former Western Kentucky head coach, Darrin Horn, resigned last week to take the open job at South Carolina.

Congratualations to Coach McDonald! Good luck.

One other quick coaching note, McDonald may not be the only Longhorn assistant to leave this off-season. Rodney Terry is a candidate for the open head job at Rice.

--AW--

Final Four: Open Game Day Thread

awiggo — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 19:49:45 -0000

This is probably somewhat of a depressing Saturday for some Longhorn fans. Texas was just 40 minutes away from a trip to San Antonio and the Final Four, but ran into a Memphis buzzsaw in Houston last weekend. Even without the 'Horns, tonight's games should be thoroughly entertaining as all four top seeds survived to reach the Final Four for the first time in history.

Man, I wish Texas was playing today.

(1) Memphis (37-1, 16-0) vs. (1) UCLA (35-3, 16-2) 5:07 p.m CBS
It seems like most media pundits have fallen head over heels in love with the Tigers after they dismantled both Michigan State and Texas last weekend. I, too, was very impressed with the Tigers in Houston. However, I expect UCLA's physical defense and slow-tempo style to propel the Bruins to the title game. If I'm right, you will see UCLA defend the dribble-drive effectively with taller, stronger, and quicker perimeter players than the Longhorns possesd. If I'm wrong, Memphis will dictate the tempo of the game and UCLA will be in a world of hurt trying to come from behind in a full-court game against a team as efficient as Memphis.

(1) Kansas (35-3, 13-3) vs. (1) North Carolina (36-2, 14-2) 7:47 p.m CBS
Much like in the first semifinal, tempo will matter in this one. Both teams love to push the action, but I think Kansas is more efficient than North Carolina is in the half court. I won't be surprised at all if Bill Self elects to slow the tempo some this evening. The Jayhawks can score inside and out in the half-court, whereas North Carolina is much more dependent of fast break points. In a half-court game, North Carolina will also be attempting to score against one of the nation's top ranked defenses. Mario Chalmers, Russell Robinson, Brandon Rush, and Sharron Collins combine to form the best set of defensive guards in the country. Also, the physical bodies of Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson should be able to frustrate Hansbrough, ala Dexter Pittman on Brook Lopez. As long as Kaun and Jackson don't foul and let Hansbrough live at the free throw line, I think the Kansas defense will send Bill Self and the Jayhawks to the title game.

One last painful note, the four teams still alive for a national title have a combined nine losses. Two of those nine losses came to the Texas Longhorns. We were one of the very best teams in the country this year and unfortunately came up just short.

--AW--

If We Hurry We Can Still Make... Laramie?

awiggo — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:13:30 -0000

The Austin American Statesman is reporting that Wyoming will replace Arkansas on the 2009 football schedule. If you have September 12th open in 2009, go ahead and pencil in a road trip to Laramie. The Razorbacks previously asked for the 2009 game with the Longhorns in Fayetteville to be postponed until 2014 due to their new series with Texas A&M in Dallas.

The road trip to Wyoming will not be the first game of the season, however. Bohls is also reporting that a directional Louisiana school could be paid to visit Austin on September 5th, 2009. Yeah!!!!!!

Texas will reportedly get two homes following their trip to Laramie.

2008 Schedule
8/30 Florida Atlantic
9/6 @ UTEP
9/13 Arkansas
9/20 Rice
10/4 @ Colorado
10/11 Oklahoma (Dallas)
10/18 Missouri
10/25 Oklahoma State
11/1 @ Texas Tech
11/8 Baylor
11/15 @ Kansas
11/27 Texas A&M

2009 Schedule¹
9/5 Directional Lousiana
9/12 @ Wyoming
9/19 Central Florida
9/26 UTEP
10/10 Colorado
10/17 Oklahoma (Dallas)
10/24 @ Missouri
10/31 @ Oklahoma State
11/7 Texas Tech
11/14 @ Baylor
11/21 Kansas
11/27 or 11/28 @ Texas A&M

¹The 2009 Texas Tour, Sponsored By Bill Snyder

--AW--

DJ Augustin's NBA Dilemma

awiggo — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:00:17 -0000

Even though the Texas Longhorns’ season ended just a day ago, it is not too early to start talking about next season. As PB mentioned in his post game comments, next season will be significantly shaped by what DJ Augustin and Damion James decide to do over the next couple of weeks. James is not showing up on too many mock NBA draft boards, so let’s take a look at Augustin’s decision.

Reasons to Stay:
1) Texas has a chance to be an elite team once again next season. If both DJ and Damion return, Texas would return all five starters from an Elite Eight team without losing any players of significance (only JD Lewis and Ian Mooney were seniors). There is also a chance that a seldom used player could elect to transfer, which would allow Texas to sign another highly rated high school senior to go with incoming freshman guard, J’Covan Brown. (I’ll write about the high school seniors who are still undeclared and are potential Longhorns later this week.) Even without the addition on another freshman, Texas will add depth at point guard with the healthy debut of Dogus Balbay and another frontline bruiser in Matt Hill, who missed all of this season with a foot injury. Think about how much better DJ, AJ Abrams, Justin Mason, and Connor Atchley were this year compared to last, and then think about that same evolution occurring with Clint Chapman, Alexis Wangmene, Gary Johnson, and Dexter Pittman over this off-season. Even with sub-six foot guards, the 2008-09 Texas Longhorns would definitely be a pre-season top five team and favorites for the Big XII title and the Final Four. The opportunity to win a national championship alone may be enough for DJ to stay. Augustin won back to back state titles during his sophomore and junior seasons at Brother Martin High School in New Orleans. After moving to Houston, he said that he was very disappointed that he wouldn’t have an opportunity to go for the three-peat. If DJ returns, the Longhorns would have a realistic chance at a national title.

2) One year closer to degree. Augustin is not just an outstanding player, he excels in the classroom as well. In addition to being named first-team All-America, Augustin was also first-team Academic All-America after a 4.0 fall semester. Education has always been a priority for the Augustin family. From a DJ Augustin spotlight on TexasSports.com,

As far as individual accolades go, Augustin has only on priority. He wants to be an Academic All-American "That is my ultimate individual goal," Augustin said. "It’d mean a lot to me and my parents, my whole family."

He has already accomplished that goal, but I’m sure his parents wouldn’t mind seeing DJ continue to work on his degree as well.

3) The amazing depth at guard in this year’s draft class. Underclassmen have until April 27th to declare for the NBA draft. However, many guards are so highly touted that it would be more of a surprise should they were to return to school rather than take the more likely road and jump to the NBA. Memphis’ Derrick Rose, Indiana’s Eric Gordon, USC’s OJ Mayo, and Arizona’s Jerryd Bayless are all likely early entries and all likely to be drafted ahead of Augustin. If UCLA’s Darren Collison and ~~Bryant~~ Russell Westbrook and North Carolina’s Ty Lawson also declare early, the 2008 NBA draft may be one of the deepest guard drafts in the association’s history. If Augustin returns for one more season, he could be the first guard selected. If Augustin declares now, he would likely be no better that the fifth guard taken.

4) Chance to improve jump shot and conditioning. As good a season as Augustin had, his freshman shooting numbers were slightly better than his sophomore ones: 45% vs. 44% from the floor, 84% vs. 78% from the free throw line, and 44% vs. 38% from behind the arc. If DJ were to improve the quickness in his release as well as his accuracy, some of the questions about his ability to be an effective NBA scorer from the perimeter could be answered. Second, another year of conditioning under the tutelage of strength coach, Todd Wright, would significantly improve his already solid conditioning.

Reasons to Turn Pro:
1) Near certain NBA Lottery pick. Of seven mock NBA drafts, six have DJ projected as a top 12 pick. Only NBADraft.net has Augustin projected outside the lottery as the 21st selection. The others: HoopsHype.com – 11th, MyNBADraft.com – 12th, CollegeHoops.net – 8th, ESPN.com – 11th, DraftExpress.com -- 11th and InsideHoops.com -- 9th. Very few potential NBA lottery picks return to school.

2) Stock not going much higher. Today Augustin was named first-team All-America by the AP. He has already earned first-team All America from Sports Illustrated and will certainly earn a spot on the first-team by every other publication which picks a team. Without shoes, Augustin stands a legitimate 5-10 ½ inches. Short of growing a couple of inches, his stock is not going to get any higher than it is right now. TJ Ford was in a similar but slightly stronger situation after having won most national player of the year awards during his sophomore campaign. Ford turned pro and was selected 8th by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2003 draft. If DJ turns professional, I’d expect him to be selected just outside the top ten.

3) Chance to improve against NBA caliber competition. DJ could easily return to the 40 Acres, work his butt off, and get a lot better. Practicing against Justin Mason will make DJ better as will playing against Big XII competition. But nothing will make DJ improve faster than practicing and competing against NBA talent on a daily basis. Augustin would also improve faster if he didn’t have to balance both school and basketball. That may not be the most politically correct thing to say, but it is obviously true. Augustin’s strength, athleticism, quickness, conditioning, and timing would all improve greatly by working with NBA trainers on a full time basis.

What do I think? I’d love to see him return next season and lead the Longhorns to a national championship, but it’s hard for me to see him coming back and I don’t think it’s in his best long-term interests. Vince Young, Kevin Durant, and TJ Ford all made the right decisions by turning pro early and I expect DJ Augustin to do so as well.

List of who is in and who is out of the NBA draft.

Important Dates:
April 27th—deadline for underclassmen to declare for NBA draft
May 20th—NBA draft lottery
June 16th—last day for underclassmen who have not hired an agent to pull out of NBA draft
June 26th—NBA Draft

--AW--

Sunday Thoughts from Reliant

awiggo — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 03:23:19 -0000

I just got back from Houston and wanted to add a few thoughts of my own. PB has already done an excellent job of breaking down the game and reasons why we lost. I’ll try not to overlap on what he’s already mentioned.

This morning I sat down with my girlfriend at a bagel shop and picked up the Houston Chronicle. I started to read the article previewing the game and became deeply concerned. The quotes from the Texas players were very disturbing. Coach Calipari predicted that an up and down game would lead to a final score of 106-102. The Texas players were asked about his comments.

Texas' Connor Atchley didn't hesitate. "106-102?" he said. "I think that would be a blast.

"I think you can erase the shot clock, because I don't think any of us are going to need it," Texas junior guard A.J. Abrams said.

"We love to run. That's our game," UT's Damion James said. "We want to make our game similar to the Phoenix Suns. Our philosophy is to try to score in five seconds."

Huh? Was this really going to be our strategy? Surely, the players were just shooting off at the mouth. Right? Coach Barnes would definitely have the Longhorns play a more controlled game that plays to our strengths and not to those of the Tigers. Right?

I thought Texas needed to play a game in the 60’s. I thought they needed to run their half-court offense for 30+ seconds. I thought they needed to do everything possible to eliminate the Memphis fastbreak and make the Tigers score in the half-court. After reading these comments, though, I was very scared.

I knew heading into the stadium that Texas needed to play a near perfect game and hopefully have Memphis get into some foul trouble, be uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball, or be ice cold from the floor to come out victorious. From the opening tip, things didn’t go the way of the Longhorns. Turnovers, easy fast breaks, quick shots, and the man-to-man defense quickly led to a double digit deficit from which Texas could never recover. Texas did eventually go to a 2-3 zone, play at a more deliberate pace, and really protected the ball well in the second half, but against a team as good as Memphis, it was too late.

If Texas starts in zone or plays a half-court game or does a better job of protecting the ball, the game is definitely closer but the outcome is probably the same. Memphis is just really, really good.

I wear burnt orange tinted glass just like all of you most of the time. But those of you commenting or thinking that the better team lost today weren’t at Reliant Stadium. Memphis was clearly the better team. They are quicker, longer, deeper, more athletic, more efficient, and definitely a better team. I am sad to report that in person, it wasn’t even close.

--AW--

South Regional Final Preview: (1) Memphis vs. (2) Texas

awiggo — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 05:07:11 -0000

Rick Barnes has said on multiple occasions this season that Kansas is the best team the Longhorns have faced. Well, that is going to change on Sunday afternoon when Texas (31-6, 13-3) takes on Memphis (36-1, 16-0). Tip time is 1:20 p.m and the game will be called by Billy Packer and Jim Nantz on CBS.

Those are not typos in the win / loss records for the Tigers. Coach Calipari’s team went undefeated in conference play and cruised through the Conference USA tournament as well. The also defeated Oklahoma and Connecticut in New York and Georgetown, Arizona, and Gonzaga at home in non-conference play. Their lone defeat came to Tennessee in a 66-62 game in Memphis. In that game, the Vols outrebounded the Tigers 46-31, held Memphis to 8-of-27 from three (29.6%), and watched as Memphis made just 8-of-17 (47%) from the free throw line.

If you haven’t seen Memphis play this season, you’ve missed the opportunity to see one of the best teams in the country. They are a legit nine deep, incredibly athletic, and coached by one of the best in the country. Memphis is one of only three teams to be ranked in the top ten in both offensive and defensive efficiency by Pomeroy’s advanced metrics. The other two are UCLA (already in the Final Four) and Kansas (one win from the Final Four).

Memphis is led by 6-4 freshman point guard, Derrick Rose. In the college game, DJ Augustin in the best point guard in the country but NBA general managers will be jumping over each other to draft Rose this June. He has great size and vision, has an above average and improving jump shot, and is lightning quick with the basketball. Keeping Rose out of the lane will be a real challenge for either DJ Augustin or AJ Abrams if Barnes elects to play man.

The other backcourt starters are 6-6 Antonio Anderson and 6-6 Chris Douglas-Roberts. Anderson is a streaky three-point shooter who has scored in double figures in three of the last four games. CDR is a legitimate first team All American, who uses his height to score off the bounce and over smaller guards. Douglas-Roberts is an extremely efficient scorer who doesn’t need a ton of looks to get to his 17.5 point average. He has been an even stronger scorer in the NCAA tournament averaging over 20 points per game. Justin Mason has been assigned to our opponents’ best perimeter scorer all season but may get his toughest test of the season with CDR.

Robert Dozier (6-9, 215) and Joey Dorsey (6-9, 260) are the starting big men for the Tigers. Dozier is a lanky 6-9 who is incredibly tough on the offensive glass, while Dorsey is just a beast on both ends. When Dorsey stays out of foul trouble, he can be a game changer. Both of these forwards are excellent shot blockers and rebounders but somewhat raw in back-to-the-basket offensive moves. It will be important for Connor Atchley and Damion James to get into the bodies of Dozier and Dorsey when they try to finish around the basket. If Connor and Damion try to fade-away, chances are the shot will be blocked and Memphis will be off and running.

The Memphis bench is one of the deepest in the country. Coach Calipari gets solid minutes from 6-10 Shawn Taggert, 6-2 Willie Kemp, 5-10 Andre Allen, and 6-5 Doneal Mack. Taggert is the really the only true frontcourt sub for Memphis but with two 6-6 starting guards, Memphis rarely lacks size. Kemp and Mack are deadly from behind the arc, while Allen can give Rose a breather at point guard when needed.

Keys to the Texas Defense:
1) Cut off dribble penetration. Memphis runs what is called a dribble drive motion offense. It is predicated on the ability of an offensive player to take his man off the dribble and get into the lane. Once he beats his man, the offensive player can finish near the rim, pass the ball back to the area from which he just started, or kick the ball cross court to an open three-point shooter. Anytime a Tiger gets into the lane off the dribble, Texas is in trouble. I won’t be surprised to see Texas sit in a 2-3 zone and dare Memphis to win the game by making contested three-pointers. The Tigers shoot just 35% from behind the arc as a team.

2) Crash the defensive glass. There were possessions in the first half against Stanford when Brook and Robin played catch over the top of the rim. Dorsey and Dozier are better offensive rebounders than either of the Cardinal big men. Defending Memphis for one shot is going to be difficult enough. If the Longhorns don’t put bodies on these two guys on every shot, then the Tigers will get second chance opportunities and the ‘Horns’ season will end quicker than we’d like.

3) Get back in transition. Memphis ran wild on Michigan State in the first half and jumped to a crushing 50-20 lead. The Tigers were outstanding on creating fast break opportunities off turnovers and long rebounds. Texas must do a better job of getting back on defense than the Spartans did in the first twenty minutes. As efficient as their half court offense was, it was Memphis’s fast break points that really buried Michigan State and gave them no shot at a second half comeback.

Keys to the Texas Offense:
1) Make Dozier and Dorsey defend the three. This means that James and Atchley need to be hot from the outside. The further Texas can pull the two Memphis big men away from the basket, the less congested the lane will be for Augustin’s drives as well. Texas will also have a better shot at snagging some offensive rebounds if Dozier, Taggert, and Dorsey are 20+ feet from the basket.

2) AJ must get hot. Abrams started ice cold from the long range in the first half against Stanford but found his stroke in the second. If he isn’t hitting from three, the Longhorns chances of making another Final Four diminish greatly.

3) Attack the rim and get to the free throw line. It is easy for basketball players to stop attacking the lane when they play against big time shot blockers. Just the opposite has to happen on Sunday. Justin Mason, Damion James, and DJ Augustin need to do everything possible to attack the paint off the dribble and make the Memphis bigs help. The Longhorns should be able to get some easy looks off interior passing or possibly even get Dorsey and Dozier into foul trouble.

This is going to be a very, very tough game. I don’t particularly like any of our match-ups on defense if Barnes chooses to go man: Augustin or Abrams on Rose, I don’t think so. So, Texas will probably play a lot of 2-3 zone. When played correctly, the zone limits dribble penetration and forces contested three-pointers. As mentioned above, Memphis is only an average three-point shooting team overall and struggled from deep in their only defeat of the season.

If Texas can force Memphis into a half-court game and keep the Tigers out of the lane and away from the offensive glass, then it will be the Tigers that are in trouble. This is, of course, easier said than done. One more thing, Memphis ranks 339th of 341 in free throw shooting (59.8% as a team) among all Division I programs. So, if it comes down to free throw shooting, Texas may actually have an advantage.

Win or lose, this has been a fabulous season. A year after losing the program’s best player ever, Rick Barnes led the Longhorns to a conference championship, a Big XII tournament final, a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament, back to the Elite Eight for the second time in three years, and very much in the discussion as one of the premier college basketball programs in the country.