Friday Roundtable: Andrew Wiggins SI Cover

As if the hype wasn't enough, Sports Illustrated as KU freshman Andrew Wiggins on the cover with Wilt Chamberlain and Danny Manning. (bleacherreport.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: Kansas' Andrew Wiggins is on the newest cover of Sports Illustrated with Wilt Chamberlain and Danny Manning. Is it fair to Wiggins to have him on a cover with two of KU's best and put that level of pressure on him before he's played a collegiate game?

Alex:
Absolutely, it is fair, although SI's choice to put Andrew Wiggins on the cover is less impactful than it would be if the NBA's one-and-done rule wasn't in place and the young Canadian still chose to play through a year (at least) in the NCAA. As it stands, Wiggins is exactly as important to Kansas as Wilt and Manning were during their respective post-commitment, pre-playing days. Although he likely will not single-handedly dominate or lead the Jayhawks as a freshman, Wiggins' marriage to KU brings the program the credibility that can only be attained by obtaining a No. 1 recruit who happens to be heavily lauded as a once-in-a-generation talent. It's the kind of thing a university's men's hoops team can leverage during scouting trips and home visits for years, even coasting if it so chose -- and head coach Bill Self is not one to coast, as evidenced by the steady stream of excellent ability that flows through the program he commands.

That Wiggins chose Kansas means even more in a landscape in which John Calipari can trot out five freshmen starters at Kentucky each season with expectations for roughly half of his roster to enter the NBA draft. While UK and KU are both tradition-rich programs, Calipari's superb recruiting tactics may have diluted the public's perception of the Wildcats in a way that the Jayhawks and every other collegiate team have escaped by not filling their squads around all-around unproven quantities, whether those programs have the requisite recruiting weight to do so or not. 

Wiggins is one of the few high school players with critical mass-level hype that make it to college without flaming out. By going to Kansas instead of Florida State (another school that made it into his final four choices), Wiggins has hedged his bets against seeing his star dim before becoming a professional. He won't have to carry the Jayhawks like he would have done for the Seminoles. The kid is -- or his parents, or his handlers are -- smart. Wilt towered above and overpowered his opponents; Manning was a four-year KU denizen led a miracle team to a championship; and, when all is said and done, Wiggins won't match either of those profiles, but he will be exactly as important to Kansas' basketball legacy as the two players he shares the SI cover with. Yes, he is worthy of the pressure.

Kyle:
First off, it's important to not get the wrong idea about the cover. SI is making a comparison about freshman hype, yet some may take it as SI is calling Wilt, Manning and now Wiggins the three best freshmen to ever play at KU. Freshmen weren't allowed to play varsity basketball during Wilt's days and Manning scored twice as many points his senior year than he did as a freshman. He was still very good as a freshman (14 points per game), but nothing like by the time he was a senior (24 ppg). But what all three have in common was the hype around getting them to Lawrence. Ben McLemore now owns the freshman scoring record at KU after last year's performance. Even so, people were calling McLemore a bust because of his inconsistency. Wiggins can put up Manning and McLemore-like freshman numbers, but that's not what the cover represents. No one in recent years has been hyped as much as Wiggins. It is an automatic burden he must live with, much like Wilt.

Is it fair? Sure. It wasn't libelous or painting Wiggins in a poor light. But can it be easily taken out of context and in turn throw massive amounts of pressure on the kid? Absolutely. It's one thing to label Wiggins as the best in his class (I'm not going to even get into the LeBron comparisions) but even without saying he will be in the pantheon of Kansas basketball without playing a game, and merely making a comparison of the circus each player drew, is not something that should be placed on his shoulders.

I'm worried about the national attention and analysis of Wiggins. People are expecting Wiggins to put up a performance similar to what Kevin Durant did during his one season at Texas. But here's the biggest difference: Wiggins is both blessed and cursed to have so much talent around him. Durant was able to score so much because he was the guy. Look at the Texas roster from 2006. D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams had solid years and ended up as fine college players, but Durant took more than 200 more shots than Abrams and 300 more than Augustin. Durant was the offense.

Now look at what Wiggins has. Wayne Seldon has the potential to be a star; Joel Embiid could be a future No. 1 draft pick if he stays a few years and has had his footwork compared to Hakeem Olajuwon; and some are saying sophomore Perry Ellis still might be the leading scorer on the team. Wiggins will be good. Probably very good. But he won't average 25 points per game because he won't need to. He has so much talent around him to make plays that fans and analysts won't just be able to look at his stat line to know what kind of player he is. He could still have a great impact on the college landscape this year, but be wary of expecting Durant's numbers and don't call him a bust if he averages 16 ppg instead of 24.

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Andrew Wiggins, Marcus Smart Will Share Big 12, National Spotlight

Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart turned down the NBA this year. He will now battle KU's Andrew Wiggins for the Big 12 crown. (sportingnews.com)

Andrew Wiggins will have the spotlight on him at Kansas this season. And not just in the Big 12, but across the country, Wiggins will be one of the biggest storylines in college basketball.

It's justifiable. Wiggins was called the best high school prospect since LeBron James. He's already being labeled as the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. His choice of Kansas sent the Jayhawks from a team predicted to be around the top-20 or top-25 mark before his announcement to a top-five squad that might challenge Kentucky after the announcement.

Wiggins' presence is shadowing another extremely hyped player south of Lawrence, Kan., who made a big decision of his own this summer. Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart was a potential top-five pick in this summer's NBA Draft as a freshman, but Smart decided to come back to school for another season. Don't mistake this move as a admittance that he wasn't talented enough. Now the Kansas freshman and OSU sophomore might be No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Jan. 18 and March 1. Those are the dates Kansas and Oklahoma State (Wiggins and Smart) face off in what, as of now, looks to be a two-team battle of Goliaths for the Big 12 crown. And what a battle this will be. Oklahoma State is returning nearly its entire squad, while KU is replacing its starting five, but has one of the most talented freshman classes in the nation on campus this year.

The two players, who will share the attention in the Big 12 and nationally, will do so for different reasons.

Wiggins will have a lot of the spotlight because, for one, he is a freakishly gifted athlete, and two, people want to see what he can do at this level and if the hype is justified. The same can be said for other immensely talented freshman coming in: Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, Jabari Parker, and so on.

Everyone will be looking at Smart to see if coming back another year was worth it, and how much he improves. Smart is projected by DraftExpress as the No. 5 pick in next year's draft, behind three freshmen and an Aussie named Dante Exum. But draft stock doesn't have much of an implication when it's months before the season.

Smart was arguably one of the top 10 players in the country last season, and a CBSSports survey of coaches that asked which player they would like to have the most, the No. 1 answer was Smart at 34 percent. Wiggins was the third most-selected player behind Doug McDermott.

Smart can score. He was No. 2 in the Big 12 last season in points produced and points produced per game, only trailing Baylor's Pierre Jackson. His 15.4 ppg was good for No. 5 in the conference, as was his 4.2 assists per game. Smart is just as skilled on the defensive side, leading the Big 12 and coming in fourth and second in the NCAA, respectively, in steals and steals per game. Smart also had the second highest defensive rating, behind only Kansas shot-blocking extraordinaire Jeff Withey.

It's hard to remember that was his freshman season. Freshman go through transitional struggles and can normally be inconsistent. Look at the guy who Smart shared the attention with last year. Kansas' Ben McLemore had a tendency to get lost in games. Smart was much more consistent with the pressure of a fantastic freshman on his shoulders, and it would be surprising if he has not improved this season.

Kentucky's once again loaded freshman class will get plenty of national buzz, as will freshmen stars like Randle, Gordon and Parker. Doug McDermott might be the best scorer in the country at Creighton. But two of the best players in college basketball next year come from the Big 12, which is why everyone is circling Jan. 18 and March 1 on their calendars.

The national spotlight is big enough for two, and Wiggins and Smart are big enough stars to be in the national spotlight. Both are coming in with different circumstances, but have the same thing to prove, which is that they're worth the hype.

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The Rise Of Canadian Players In The NBA

Steve Nash has been the face of NBA players from Canada, but a new crop of young talent is coming to leave
their mark on the NBA. (usatoday.com)

The British Invasion sparked rock and roll in the United States in the 1960s. And while the game of basketball has already been sparked in the U.S., we're witnessing the Canadian Invasion on the NBA.

Canada's basketball poster boy Steve Nash has already been in the league 16 years, and others like Rick Fox and Jamaal Magloire have made Canada proud as recognizable talents with long professional careers. But now we're not just seeing the quantity of players coming into the NBA from the neighbor to the north increasing, but the quality has the potential to be superb.

Coming into the 2012-13 season, the NBA had eight Canadian players on rosters: Nash, Joel Anthony, Samuel Dalembert, Corey Joseph, Kris Joseph, Andrew Nicholson, Robert Sacre and Tristan Thompson. While not all of these players were born in Canada (Nash was born in South Africa, for instance) they proudly represent the country in which they grew up. In fact, only 19 players as of this year born in Canada have ever played in the NBA or ABA.

These numbers are about to change. The skill level should too.

Outside of Nash, there are some recognizable names on the lists above, but most of them are role players. There's nothing wrong with that. Anthony and Dalembert have made nice careers for themselves. Rick Fox had a great career with the Lakers. The others are in the first two years of their careers and lot can change for guys like Thompson and Kris Joseph. But some of the guys entering the league this year and those coming up the college ranks carry hype that not many other Canadians have experienced.

Two more Canadians were taken in the 2013 NBA Draft, Anthony Bennett and Kelly Olynyk, and fellow Canadian Myck Kabongo went undrafted but still will likely wind up with a team this fall. And it's not like these guys are predicted to be average NBA roster-fillers (well, the ruling is still out on Kabongo). Both were drafted in the top half of the first round, with Bennett selected No. 1 overall. Bennett will play alongside fellow Canadian Tristan Thompson in Cleveland and Olynyk will get an opportunity to prove himself early for the rebuilding Boston Celtics. Both are athletic, versatile big men who can shoot and epitomize the evolving role of post players in the game.

Next season could be just as prosperous for the country, especially if Andrew Wiggins leaves from Kansas after one year as expected and Gonzaga guard Kevin Pangos leaves after his junior season. Wiggins will likely be the No. 1 pick next year, and possibly the most talented Canadian player to play in the NBA if the hype is correct. Some teams may even look to tank in order to draft him.

Nash may have to make room as the poster boy of Canadian basketball, but I doubt he will mind. The talent pool in Canada is growing and the success of this group of players should only spark more interest in the country to pick up a basketball and chase the dream of playing in the NBA. They will now have more role models to be inspired by.

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Friday Roundtable: Andrew Wiggins and Tanking NBA Seasons

Andrew Wiggins is a Canadian kid. Will the Raptors make a move to draft him? (blog.vstrator.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: Andrew Wiggins committed to the University of Kansas for a pit-stop before going pro. Which NBA team is most likely to pull the biggest tank job to draft the likely one-and-done talent?

Alex:
Orlando, seemingly, has already taken steps toward this after Dwight Howard forced his way to Los Angeles and the Magic jettisoned J.J. Redick to the Milwaukee Bucks for what looked like spare parts to some. Even so, Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris (in his partial season there) came on strong for Orlando while the team as a whole sank to last place in the entire NBA. Having that front court duo together for an entire season, however, will likely keep the Magic from repeating in that respect.

The team making the biggest (read: worst) play for Andrew Wiggins will be the Cleveland Cavaliers. Forget waiting for LeBron James and his potential homecoming in 2014. He's already established himself as one of the greatest basketball players of all time and has yet to hit 30 years of age, but pairing him with Kyrie Irving would marginalize the young point guard's ball handling wizardry and ability to control the pace of games with James needing to be the primary ball-handler to maximize his talents.

Would that be worth it? With the right role players, absolutely, but the Cavs don't have those kind of ancillary components right now. They have Irving, Tristan Thompson, an underwhelming-as-a-rookie Dion Waiters and Anderson Varejao, who hasn't played since December after an injury derailed his fantastic start to the season. Aside from those players, the Cavs roster looks like a scrap heap of journeymen, outcasts and Did Not Play - Coach's Decision All-Stars.

Cleveland was only four losses away from tying Orlando for the league's worst record in 2012-13. Without All-NBA numbers from Varejao in a few early outings or a couple out-of-his-gourd games by Irving, those four wins could have easily gone the other way. If we presume Irving will be better all-around from one more year of experience and Varejao will perform at a slower rate or finally be dealt for pennies on the dollar, the Cavaliers' schedule should look awfully familiar come the end of next season. The only contracts the Cavs have on the books for 2014-15 are those of Varejao (pending trade) and Alonzo Gee, with team options for Irving, Thompson, Waiters and Tyler Zeller. (Those first two are essentially automatic, the third is probable and the fourth, not so much. Sorry, Tyler.)

It isn't a stretch for Cleveland to head into that season with a core including one of the league's top point guards and Wiggins with at least two young role players in tow with Thompson and Waiters. But spurning LBJ in order to form a young team with unknown upside a la the Oklahoma City Thunder? That would be a tank job, especially if it the lottery didn't work in the Cavs' favor.

Kyle:
It seems like it was a lot longer ago than just the 2009-10 season that the Phoenix Suns propelled to a 54-28 record with Steve Nash at the helm and battled the San Antonio Spurs in those gritty playoff matchups where the two teams met three times in four years.

Those better days seem distant because since then the Suns have failed to finish above .500 and no longer have their beloved star in Nash. The Suns were last in the Western Conference with a 25-57 record and seem like a favorable pick to be in a similar position next season with New Orleans and Sacramento having young talent still adjusting to the league.

Phoenix desperately needs help at the shooting guard or small forward positions, especially looking toward the future. The Suns' two shooting guards right now are Jared Dudley (10.9 points per game) and P.J. Tucker (6.4 ppg) and those two will be 29 years old when Wiggins will likely be entering the draft next season. The Suns are slightly better off at the SF position, but Michael Beasley has had multiple off-the-field issues during his time in the NBA and only averaged 10.1 ppg this season. Beasley will also be entering the final year of his contract when Wiggins is drafted. Wesley Johnson is Beasley's backup and averaged eight ppg but only played about 20 minutes a game last season and hasn't asserted himself as a starter.

Not only does Phoenix have the need at Wiggins' positions and the situation that would likely place them in contention for the possible No. 1 draft pick, but Wiggins would also have a talented point guard in Goran Dragic to facilitate the offense. Dragic managed 7.4 assists per game for a team that was No. 21 in scoring, yet is still an scoring threat at 14.7 ppg this year. Imagine the two-man offensive schemes the Suns could develop with Dragic and a versatile, athletic swing man like Wiggins.

The Suns need a star to bring the team back to relevance and what's one more season of poor play for the prospect of Wiggins' potential? Phoenix needs the type of player and style of play Wiggins can offer because that 2009-10 season will only seem longer and longer ago.

Shawn:

My initial, knee-jerk reaction was to say that the Charlotte Bobcats would be the team to throw their season away and do whatever it took to be at the top with a chance to take Andrew Wiggins with the first overall pick. However, that would imply that the Bobcats knew how to do something other than lose, and that simply isn’t the case. My second thought was it could possibly be the Mavericks, given owner Mark Cuban’s tendency to do things out of the norm and his burning desire to be in the headlines. But again, while I still think it’s possible, I moved away from that notion. The team I have finally settled on that is most likely to throw its season in order to obtain the player with the most hype before ever setting foot on an NBA floor since LeBron James may come as something of a surprise.

I think the Boston Celtics are the most likely team to throw their season to have a chance to pick Andrew Wiggins.

Yes, I know, it’s blasphemous for me to insinuate that such a storied and respected franchise not only in basketball, but in all of sports, would dare sink to throwing games simply to have a chance at taking one player. However, this is not just any player, and the Celtics have an out that could provide them with a shield from scrutiny and accusations from media about taking a dive on their season.

Under the guise of rebuilding, the Celtics could potentially move all their aging players in order to acquire picks and expiring contracts to give them a chance to build a team around Wiggins, as well as lose the amount of games necessary to have a pick high enough to draft him. Players like Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett could still be attractive pieces for contending teams looking for that one last element that will push them into title contention. The team has already been rumored and reported several times in the last couple of years to have been actively trying to trade the one building bock it has in point guard Rajon Rondo.

While fans would be frustrated about losing, the idea of rebuilding has already been placed in their heads as a necessity after the early exit from the playoffs this season, which was largely blamed on the declining play of aging superstars Pierce and Garnett, and the loss of Rondo to injury. The fans know they need a new centerpiece for their team, and this opens the door for the Celtics to move expensive, aging players, and put themselves in a position to lose consistently in the effort to acquire Wiggins.

Fred: 
The Sacramento Kings were founded in 1945 but have only won a single title. That was way back in 1951 as the Rochester Royals.

The Maloof brothers have been destroying the franchise and turning away fans, it's time to give Sacramento something to cheer about. What better way to make your fans happy than by drafting the soon to be college phenomenon Andrew Wiggins?

Tanking is a tricky situation for the new management. It is in their best long term interest to be as bad as possible next year as they have the opportunity to build around a player from the loaded 2014 draft. However, they must show the city of Sacramento that things are truly changing and that they are ready to make the best basketball team possible.

The Kings have a few valuable trade pieces despite winning only 28 games in the 2013 season. The new management should look to clear house and get rid of every trace of the Maloofs while stockpiling young players and draft picks. This will allow them to show their fans that they're ready to shake things up while giving them the best chance possible to land Wiggins.

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Andrew Wiggins Is Headed To Kansas

Andrew Wiggins and his parents while on an official visit to Kansas last winter. (ljworld.com)

The No. 1 recruit in the country finally made his decision official just after noon eastern time Tuesday as Andrew Wiggins announced he will be playing basketball at Kansas next year.

Florida State had felt like the favorite throughout the recruitment process, as both of Wiggins' parents attended FSU, but it could have been the opening spot left by Ben McLemore and the supporting talent that made the difference for the Jayhawks. Another factor could have been Wiggins' brother, Nick, who is at Wichita State, which will now be about three hours away, and the two are very close. The announcement was a long time coming, but the wait looked to have helped Wiggins in his decision after knowing exactly what he is entering next season.

Kansas is losing all five starters, but now has a class coming in with the No. 1 small forward (Wiggins), No. 1 center (Joel Embiid), No. 4 small forward (Wayne Selden), No. 9 shooting guard (Brannen Greene) and No. 10 point guard (Connor Frankamp), according to ESPN.com.

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Andrew Wiggins College Decision: The Waiting Game Paid Off

No. 1 recruit Andrew Wiggins waited longer than everyone else, a strategy that could pay off. (wagesofwins.com)

He made the college basketball world wait until the very end for the most anticipated college basketball recruiting decision of the year. But that's the perk of being the No. 1 player in the class and the most sought-after player in the country.

Other players have known and announced their college decision for months. The NBA Draft deadline came and went. And still, the sport, and more specifically the four schools still in the running, waited anxiously for Andrew Wiggins' decision.

There's not a team in the country that wouldn't welcome Wiggins with open arms, and either Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky or North Carolina will do that Tuesday when the decision is finally revealed. When everyone wants you, you have all the time in the world. Wiggins took his time, waiting longer than every other top recruit, because that's what the benefit of being the best.

While the wait has been agonizing for everyone else involved, Wiggins was smart in his patience. The landscape of a team can change drastically between the regular season in February and May. Kentucky brought in recruit after recruit while more members of its current freshman class returned to school than most believed. Wiggins' wait took Kentucky out of the running, and for him, who most likely wants to be a one-and-done, this is a good thing.

Imagine if he would have committed in February. He would have no idea Alex Poythress, Kyle Wiltjer and Willie Cauley-Stein would return instead of going pro as expected. Maybe other recruits would have gone elsewhere knowing Wiggins' decisions, but if all commitments remained the same, there would not be much room for all the talent, let alone egos. Four of the top 10 players in the Rivals 150 are already heading to Lexington.

Also during this waiting period, he found out for sure that Ben McLemore was leaving Kansas and guys like James Michael McAdoo and PJ Hairston were returning to UNC. Wiggins now knows exactly what he's entering in to. There are no shocking returns or unforeseen transfers or coaching moves. It will be interesting to see if future No. 1 recruits follow Wiggins' strategy.

A pressure is lifted for to recruits finally announcing their decision and ending the media and speculation circus, and sometimes a wait won't be needed. If the top player happens to be a local kid who has known he wanted to suit up for this team since he was in middle school, then go ahead and commit. But for those like Wiggins who seem legitimately torn, what's the rush? 


The wait means more time for headlines and more anxiety from coaches, but the view of a team is so much clearer in May. It's not like people were going to forget about Andrew Wiggins. The wait will make the reward for winner of the Wiggins Sweepstakes taste that much sweeter.


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VIDEO: Detroit's Doug Anderson Steals Show At Dunk Contest

Two days before the Final Four tips off, fans in Atlanta were treated to a show thanks to Detroit's Doug Anderson.

ESPN.com - YouTube

Anderson won the college slam dunk contest with an incredible display of athleticism and leaping ability. Make sure to watch every dunk, because the final one at the 53-second mark has to be a candidate for dunk of the year.

It is also similar to the dunk thrown down by No. 1 high school recruit Andrew Wiggins at the McDonalds All-American game earlier this week, which shows amazing athletic potential and has to make his college suitors even more excited about landing this kid.

Ballislife - YouTube

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Andrew Wiggins and the Mid-Major Dream

Mid-dunk, McDonald's All-American Andrew Wiggins ponders his college options. (McDonald's via SBNation)

The NCAA Tournament has been whittled to four remaining teams and the NBA regular season is wrapping up. Andrew Wiggins will make his way, quickly, through the collegiate ranks and play on basketball's biggest stage as soon as fall 2014. Right now, though, Wiggins is a senior at Huntington Prep in Huntington, West Virginia.

The 18-year-old small forward was originally on track to leave high school in 2014, but reclassified to finish a year early — and with good reason. Wiggins is 6'7", 205 pounds and immediately passed fellow recruits Jabari Parker and Julius Randle to become the top prospect in the 2013 high school class and a very early projection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. His picked up national momentum after ripping opponents in tournaments last summer and has since established his status by doing things like throwing down between-the-legs, 360 dunks at the McDonald's All-American game.

Although Wiggins isn't tipping his hat toward which college program will land him, none of his suitors are in the Final Four. Two were eliminated before the Elite Eight (Kansas and North Carolina) while the other two finalists (Kentucky and Florida State) fell outside the March Madness bubble. Wiggins' parents both attended Florida State as student-athletes, and the Seminoles are a quietly understood frontrunner despite their blue-blood competition.

What no one is talking about is a possible darkhorse entering the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes late: the Wichita State Shockers. That's fair because, even though his brother Nick Wiggins is a reserve guard for WSU and the Shockers' Cinderella run to the Final Four will surely put them in the hunt for better recruits in the near future, Andrew Wiggins is not going to play out his (probably) lone college season at a mid-major in the heartland. A high major program with sterling history that happens to reside on the bountiful Kansas plains, such as KU, has a legitimate chance to snag such a recruit, but Wichita State does not.

That isn't to take away from the program. Like Mark Turgeon before him, head coach Gregg Marshall has done a fantastic job building the Shockers and raising their national profile. Occasionally a highly touted recruit will opt to play for a smaller program for one reason or another, but this late in the game — Wiggins has already visited three of the four contending schools and will announce his decision before May 15 — Wichita State has no chance. Even Nick is prodding his younger brother in other directions.

There are no murmurs about Andrew Wiggins suiting up in black and yellow like his brother because such things are beyond the scope of rational thought. Andrew Wiggins is the kind of player who stars at a traditionally premier program before moving on to an inevitable career in the NBA. That much we know before he even graduates from high school, and that's fine. The Shockers have a shot a national championship. Making the Final Four is an accomplishment for any team, let alone one that was slated to finish third in their non-power six conference in preaseason polls. Adding the top recruit of the incoming freshman class would undoubtedly be a windfall for Wichita State. It won't happen.

But it's a nice daydream.


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Jabari Parker To Announce College Choice Dec. 20

Jabari Parker will announce his college choice on Dec. 20. (espn.com)

Jabari Parker, the No. 3 prospect on the 2013 class Rivals 150 list, will let the country know where he will play his college basketball on Dec. 20.

Five schools remain in the race for Parker - Duke, Michigan St., BYU, Florida and Stanford - but Parker's father said he believes Duke and Michigan State have the best chance to land his son. Parker never took an official visit to Stanford, and BYU fans had the most creative recruiting tactic, but this looks to be a three-horse race, with Duke and Michigan State in the lead. Don't doubt a father's instincts.

Any of these schools would love to have the 6-foot-8 Parker on their team, but with both Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly being seniors, Duke might benefit most because they are in need of another forward.

Parker had fluctuated between the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked player with fellow recruit Julius Randle until Andrew Wiggins reclassified from the 2014 class and is now No. 1 in the class of 2013. Neither Randle or Wiggins have made their college decisions.


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Andrew Wiggins is a Youngster to Know

Andrew Wiggins sees something he likes. (Sholten Singer/Huntington Herald-Dispatch)

There’s no way to nail down whether or not a marvelous college basketball career will translate into a productive professional term. Adam Morrison – he of numerous award nominations and wins during his time at Gonzaga – is proof enough of that. Sure, he coasted through two title runs with the Los Angeles Lakers, but Morrison just finished toiling in summer league and, in all likelihood, will not play a minute in the NBA this upcoming season – significant or not.

Likewise, college recruiters lack a definitive deductive method to find the next Naismith or Wooden Award winner. But considering the summer that Andrew Wiggins is having, it’s worth knowing his name, at least.

The latest addition to the class of 2014 representative’s ledger is a strong showing at Nike’s Peach Jam. Facing some of the toughest prep-level competitors in the country, Wiggins averaged 8.9 rebounds and 21.9 points on 47.8 percent shooting while leading his AAU team, CIA Bounce, to a second-place finish.

In the tournament championship, Wiggins outkicked his averaged and went off for 28 points with 13 rebounds. If the numbers alone aren’t impressive, the Canadian small forward – who plays school ball for West Virginia’s Huntington Prep – did the work against Julius Randle, the No. 2 ranked player in the class of 2013. At 6’8”, 235 lbs, Randle has half an inch and 35 pounds on Wiggins. His size wasn’t an advantage on either end of the floor, as Wiggins also bothered him defensively.

Basketball runs in the Wiggins family. Andrew’s father, Mitch, logged six years in the NBA and has gone on record saying Andrew can’t hold court with his older brothers (Mitch Wiggins, Jr. played at Hillsborough Community College and Nick Wiggins will be a Wichita State Shocker this fall, after two solid years at Wabash Valley (Ill.) College).

Sibling rivalry and paternal direction certainly have places in Andrew Wiggins’ story. ESPN has the rising junior pegged as the No. 1 player in his class, and Jeff Borzello of CBS Sports already has Andrew slated to be the top overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft. Still, he's entering his third year of high school and has more to learn. His foul on a three-point shooter with 1.9 seconds left essentially lost his team the Peach Jam title.

He’s quick, athletic, and hyped – but with so much uncertainty, a couple highlight reels are all Andrew Wiggins has to his name right now.


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