Champions Classic -The Best Night Of The Non-Conference Season

The best single night of the non-conference season is the Champions Classic tonight in Chicago. (nationofblue.com)

In the first week of the college basketball season, when ranked programs are supposed to hone their skills against weaker opponents, the big boys are coming out to do battle tonight in Chicago. Four of the most storied programs in college basketball will be under the same roof for a double header that will be the center of the college basketball world.

This is the final leg of the three-year, round-robin-style Champions Classic. No. 1 vs. No. 2 and No. 4 vs. No. 5. Kentucky vs. Michigan State and Duke vs. Kansas. These are matchups perfect for March but four months early. Freshmen phenoms will battle. Hall of Fame coaches will try to outwit their counterpart. Passionate fan bases will get into heated Twitter fights about how the other team is a bunch of cheaters.

These coaches and programs need to be commended for agreeing to this tournament. It seems like an easy sell; go play in the United Center or Madison Square Garden in prime time against one of the best teams in the country. But doing so the second week of the season when even John Calipari thinks his team of McDonalds All-Americans isn't very good yet is a lot to ask.

Yet no one will look in March at a Kentucky or Michigan State loss tonight as a reason either should fall in the bracket seeding. A win for either side doesn't guarantee anything, but it's a marker to evaluate and boost a team's confidence. And after playing this level of competition, Miami of Ohio is going to seem like a walk in the park. You want your team to get better? Play the best.

One of the best decisions of the college basketball season thus far was to extend the classic for another three years, traveling to Indianapolis in 2014, Chicago in 2015 and New York City in 2016. The Maui Invitational and Preseason NIT are great early-season tournaments, but there is no greater one night of hoops in November than the Champions Classic. You know what you will get every year. Great players, great coaches and a ton of hype.

In the first year of the event, Kansas faced Kentucky. Those two teams later met up in the national championship game. Enjoy the games tonight and hope and we may be lucky enough to see part two of these matchups in March.

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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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Friday Roundtable: Best College Gameday Matchup

ESPN's College Gameday will be in Syracuse when the Orange look to break the record for attendance at an on-campus basketball game. (cbssports.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: The ESPN College Gameday schedule was released this week. What game are you most looking forward to seeing?

Alex:
Mark March 1 on the calendar and don't plan anything else for the evening. On the surface, Kansas traveling to Gallagher-Iba to duel with Oklahoma State doesn't have the sheen of a "classic" matchup or rivalry. Dig into some recent Big 12 history and you'll find the Cowboys, even in down years, almost always play the Jayhawks close, if not winning outright.

Gallagher-Iba in Stillwater, Okla., is about as underrated as college basketball arenas get; the atmosphere will be super-charged with Cowboy fans and a large, well-traveled Jayhawk contingent. The stage will be set before the two young, highly hyped teams take the court. Two of the best players in college hoops - two projected to be lottery picks in the 2014 NBA Draft, at that - will each try to propel their teams to a win, as Marcus Smart holds down the point for OSU and Andrew Wiggins goes for what would be one of his most sterling accomplishments in his (probably) lone NCAA season. Check out the rosters and you'll see multiple other high school All-Americans filling roles across the board. Between the Dukes, Kentuckys and Louisvilles, don't overlook KU and the Pokes.

Kyle:
I live in Big 12 country, and I have grown up watching and being a fan of the conference. So naturally I can't wait for Kansas and Oklahoma State. These two teams are the clear favorites to battle for the conference crown, and KU's Andrew Wiggins and OSU's Marcus Smart should be two of the best players in the country this year.

But because of my Big 12 ties, I am going to pick another game that I'm very interested in seeing, and that is Duke vs. Syracuse. The storylines here make for must-see TV. Two blueblood programs. Two hall of fame coaches. Syracuse playing its first season in the ACC. That would be enough there, but add in the fact that Syracuse is considering moving the court to the center of the Carrier Dome to break the all-time attendance record for a basketball game on a college campus, and this could be one of the biggest games of the year. Syracuse already has the record for attendance, with 35,012 fans on Feb. 23, 2013 when the Orange and Georgetown faced off for the final time in what is now the old Big East. Kicking off a new conference rivalry is great, and breaking an attendance record with a atmosphere that is sure to be going crazy makes this a game fans will be circling on their calendars now.

Fred:
I can't wait to see Kansas and Oklahoma State go at it. These two teams will be battling for the Big 12 crown after putting on two classic games last year. One of their two games went into double overtime with the Jayhawks coming on top.

This year Kansas adds one of the most intriguing prospects we've seen in years to the mix with Andrew Wiggins. In my opinion, seeing Wiggins in the national spotlight makes this a can't miss game.

Chris S: 
I actually have to give the four-letter network some credit here; there's only one "Big East" game and one ACC matchup here. Giving the Palestra some love is a nice touch, too. Of course, they do have the Dukies on twice, and Digger Phelps will have a live microphone, but...let's stay positive! Good set of matchups. In no particular order, these are the games I would consider to be appointment viewing.

Florida at Kentucky: If you only had to pick one SEC matchup, well, yes, this is it...and both teams will know it. For the perpetually baby-faced Wildcats, this will be a chance to make a statement both to the selection committee and the draft analysts. If anyone still cares about regular season conference titles, well this game will matter for that as well. The Gators have a couple star frosh coming in, Kasey Hill at point guard and big man Chris Walker will compete for starting spots. Patric Young and Scotty Wilbekin headline the returning class.

Michigan at Michigan State: ohh, if you didn't know - Sparty did NOT like watching the Wolverines in the title game. No, sir. Roundball is where they can really throw their weight around against big brother, so that event was a real eye-opener for the MSU folks. This, naturally, is their chance to reassert the old world order: y'all are a football school, and Izzo is King.

Gonzaga at Memphis:
Okay, fair warning: some hating here...this feels like a fake nod to the "mid majors", and while these are both fine programs in their own right, they shouldn't have to play each other to get ESPN's attention. Like arm-wresting for the wishbone at the kid's table on Thanksgiving. If you want to do a real mid-major spotlight, put Wichita and Creighton on the tube or something bold like that. This has that "Boise St vs TCU" bowl game feel, and while it's a great opportunity for these schools, it feels patronizing from the network types.


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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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Rare Old Footage Showcases Wilt Chamberlain's Immense Talent

Wilt Chamberlain was a dominant force for Kansas during his college career. (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)

It's easy to forget. After all, Wilt Chamberlain was playing college basketball nearly 60 years ago and ended his professional career 40 years ago.

It's easy to forget just how great Chamberlain was, and thanks to the YouTube user "Wilt Chamberlain Archive", and our knowledge of it coming from the Kansas City Star, video of Chamberlain's final five collegiate games at Kansas has been edited into nearly 20 minutes of footage. The video was published a week ago and is already over 131,000 views.

You can watch the video here, which not only proves what a prolific scorer Chamberlain was, he was a man among boys, but he really did have a great all-around game. Within the first two minutes it is obvious Chamberlain could score from not just around the basket, but he has a nice looking jump shot, could shoot in traffic, and wasn't to shabby at the free-throw line for a big man either (take notes, Dwight).

But you probably knew he could score. You don't score 100 points in a game if you can't in a variety of ways. Rebounding was also an easy forte to guess (he averaged 18.9 per game this 1956-57 season to go along with 29.6 points per game). If his 7'1" frame didn't make it easy enough, Chamberlain could bounce off the floor to ensure no one was grabbing the ball from him. Blocking shots was a specialty as well. What's even more impressive about this footage is Chamberlain's speed (watch him outrun everyone down the floor at the :56 mark) and his passing ability as he finds open shooters (the no-look pass under the basket to a trailing teammate at 12:30 is a thing of beauty).

It may have been 40 years ago since Chamberlain last took the floor, but this footage proves why many feel he was one of the best to ever play the game.

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Draft Profile: High-Flying And Pure-Shooting Ben McLemore

In the run-up to the 2013 NBA Draft on June 27, the BDD staff will be profiling several projected lottery picks and other draft entrants. Next up: Ben McLemore.

Ben McLemore showed off his athletic ability that's led him to a possible No. 2 pick numerous times throughout the college basketball season. (nba.si.com)

Position: Small Forward
College: Kansas
DraftExpress Prediction: No. 2 in first round, No. 2 to the Orlando Magic

Synopsis: The good for Ben McLemore is very good. He broke the KU record for most points in a game as a freshman with 36 against West Virginia and scored 33 against Iowa State in Lawrence, including hitting a 3-pointer at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime. He's a tremendous athlete with quite possibly the smoothest jump shot in college basketball (drawing comparisons to Ray Allen) and can jump out of the gym with a 42-inch vertical. McLemore averaged 15.9 points per game during his freshman season as a Jayhawk, shooting an efficient 49.5 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the arc and 87 percent from the free-throw line, while also grabbing 5.2 rebounds and staying out of foul trouble with less than two fouls per game.

There's a lot to like about McLemore, both on the court and his personality and the well-known story of his hardships growing up. That's why he is likely going to be a top-three pick. But even top-three picks in this draft have questions surrounding them, and McLemore is no different. One concern was his lack of scoring consistency last year, especially on the road, and how he would seem to get lost during games while going long stretches without taking a shot. Off the field, McLemore signed with agent Rodney Blackstock, who reportedly payed McLemore's AAU coach to move McLemore in the direction of Blackstock. Still, watching McLemore in college, it was clear he belonged at the next level and should be worth the top-three pick. If he can get anywhere close to the comparisons to Ray Allen, he'll be a very good NBA player.


Quote to note: "I definitely can compare myself to Ray Allen, especially with the shooting ability. I don't know about the athleticism anymore. But I definitely can say I compare myself with him a lot as far as getting myself open, coming off screens and little things like that." - Ben McLemore on the comparison's to Ray Allen via the Orlando Sentinel.

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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Morris Twins Reunited In Phoenix; Kings, Rockets Also Make Deal

After playing on different teams for the first time in their careers, Marcus and Markieff Morris are again teammates in Phoenix. (sbnation.com)

NBA Draft day two years ago was a difficult one for Marcus and Markieff Morris.

This is not because their stock dropped them further than expected, they went back-to-back with the No. 13 and 14 picks, but because for the first time in their lives, they would not be playing basketball on the same team. Throughout high school in Philadelphia and college at the University of Kansas, the Morris twins have always been teammates.

Part of me thought a team should find a way to draft and trade for both players, keeping them together. It just didn't feel right to separate the two brothers who had never had to play on different teams. The twins played so well as teammates at KU, the thought was why couldn't that continue in the NBA?

After one-and-a-half seasons apart with Marcus in Houston and Markieff in Phoenix, the twins will be back together as the Rockets traded Marcus to Phoenix for a second-round draft pick this year, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. 

"If I was to be traded, that's where I would want to go," Marcus told the Associated Press in a story published in the Topeka Capital-Journal. "I think Houston knew that. I'm excited. That's all I can say."

Marcus Morris is averaging 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds this season for the Rockets while starting 17 games. Markieff is averaging similar numbers with 7.3 ppg, and 4.3 rebounds. Those are respectable numbers for second-year players, but the biggest aspect of this trade is the possibilities of what these two could now accomplish together.

At Kansas, the Morris twins dominated the post position as Marcus averaged more than 17 points in his final season as a second-team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year. While Markieff scored less than his brother, he was the better rebounder of the two and was more efficient from the field, leading the Big 12 in field goal percentage.

The two have played basketball together for more than a decade, and make each other better on the court. Plus, attitude will not be in question, as the twins must be ecstatic to be on the same team once again. If both continue to develop as players, this makes for a great story for the Suns. And with no real "superstar" players on the Suns roster, this is an ideal team for the twins to build stats and minutes and excel.

The twins weren't the only former KU players involved in trades Wednesday. The Sacramento Kings traded rookie Thomas Robinson to Houston for Patrick Patterson, Toney Douglas and fellow Jayhawk Cole Aldrich. The trade deadline is 3 p.m. eastern today.

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Christmas Came Early: A Preview Of College Basketball's Best Weekend Games

KU beat Ohio State twice last season, including in the Final Four, but the Buckeyes will have a shot at revenge Saturday. (bleacherreport.com)

The NCAA is giving fans a few early Christmas presents with a couple of great match-ups Saturday before teams break for the holiday. During a time when many Top 25 teams are busy beating up on Northwest Mississippi Technical College, Saturday features a couple of big-time battles. Here's a look at some the best games of the weekend:

No. 9 Kansas vs. No. 7 Ohio State - 4 p.m. EST CBS
The Jayhawks not only beat the Buckeyes in Allen Fieldhouse this time last year, but KU also won the matchup last year that meant more, defeating Ohio State in the Final Four. Now the two teams will face off in Columbus, where OSU will look for revenge. Kansas has played as well as any team in the country in December, beating three good teams (Colorado, Belmont and Richmond) by a combined 93 points. Ohio State had been nearly as dominant, up until having to scrap out a 10-point win over Winthrop on Tuesday. Jeff Withey has proven to be a defensive force in the paint, and freshman Ben McLemore is a human highlight reel, but Ohio State has a defensive specialist of their own in Aaron Craft and a pure scorer in DeShaun Thomas. This is Kansas' first true road test, so it will be interesting to see if they can continue the hot play away from Lawrence. Ohio State will be searching for revenge, so expect this to be a close game from beginning to end with lots of lead changes.

No. 12 Missouri vs. No. 10 Illinois - 6 p.m. EST ESPN2
This is a long-standing rivalry game played in St. Louis and this year these two teams are evenly matched and very talented. Illinois comes in undefeated after surviving the toughest test so far in a road game at Gonzaga. Missouri's only loss came to Louisville, and although the Tigers also have wins over VCU and Stanford, the majority of Mizzou's schedule has been weak. It's tough to see how Missouri will play after facing four weaker opponents. Missouri's transfers look to be meshing nicely, under the floor leadership of Phil Pressey, and have the ability to score a bunch of points. Illinois lives and dies by the three, which will certainly be the case again Saturday. Brandon Paul is averaging nearly 19 points per game and is making an early case for Big Ten Player of the Year.

No. 3 Syracuse vs. Temple - Noon Est ESPN2
Syracuse, 10-0, got Jim Boeheim his 900th win Monday against Detroit and should be more relaxed now that the milestone has passed. The Orange are facing a Temple squad that has been praised this season, but just lost to Canisius on Wednesday to move to 8-2. It's human nature for the Orange to relax a bit after seeing the result of Temple's last game, but taking the Owls lightly is not a wise decision. Syracuse's advantage lies in the fact Temple is only shooting 30 percent from 3-point range, and that 2-3 Orange zone will make the Owls beat them with the outside shot. This game will be played on a neutral floor in New York as part of the Gotham Classic, so Temple faces a Syracuse team that's only played one other road game. Syracuse should come away with the win, but don't be surprised if Temple puts up a fight.

Other games to keep an eye on: No. 8 Florida vs. Kansas State in Kansas City, Texas vs. No. 20 Michigan State, Canisius vs. No. 21 UNLV

For The Complete Live Basketball Experience, College Trumps The NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder arena and fans are the closest you'll find in the NBA to a college atmosphere. (blog.newsok.com)

Tip-off was at 7 p.m. for this college basketball matchup, but the students took their places in the stands behind both baskets long before then.

Hundreds of students pretended to read newspapers while the opposing team was introduced - per tradition - before tearing the paper up and throwing it into the air in celebration of their team. They stood the entire game, yelling and jumping; making life as difficult as possible for the visiting team, who was doomed before stepping on the court.

The rest of the building was alive and passionate as well. The pre-game video sent goosebumps up fans' arms as they relived great moments from last year and the success of the past. The home team's starting lineup got a hero's welcome, which only got louder with each 3-pointer and high-flying dunk.

The home team won handedly, as expected, and the fans went home smiling, knowing they did their part.

Oh, and the score of the game didn't even matter. It was an exhibition game against a Div. II opponent that would not get hours of analysis on ESPN the next day. But that's the beauty of college basketball; the atmosphere of watching a game live puts the NBA to shame.

I will note this took place in Allen Fieldhouse (one of the greatest college basketball arenas in the country) with a University of Kansas team that has had a lot to celebrate and be loud about. (Rivals of the Jayhawks, don't worry. This isn't about KU, but merely a backdrop in which to explain my point.)

Regardless of the venue or team, the fact that fans showed this level of excitement for a game that didn't matter in the overall record is something to value. College arenas have hyper students in the stands instead of quieter businessmen at NBA games, which is a trade that makes college games the basketball skill level to see live.

This is not to say NBA fans don't have passion, because they do. But the season is long and there is not that emphasis of a must-win on every game. Plus the school's decades of songs and traditions that brings the fans together and makes the atmosphere special.

The size of the arena probably plays a factor as well. College arenas are smaller, more intimate and have the history that haunts opposing teams. NBA arenas are commercialized; larger numbers of seats with a corporate sponsor's name on the outside and advertisements everywhere you look.

The fandom ties just aren't as strong in the NBA. In college, you either attended that university - spending four, five or six wonderful years there - or have been a fan for life. There are also life-long NBA fans, but the bond is just not the same.

The Oklahoma City Thunder's home arena has quickly made a reputation as one of the best home courts in the NBA. And the answer you get when asking why? Because it's the most like a college atmosphere. The fans are rowdy and passionate and let everyone within shouting distance hear their support. Maybe it's because the franchise has only been there for a few years and no one told them how they were supposed to attend an NBA game.

The NBA has the stars and story lines that make it great to watch, but if you want to have the complete live basketball experience, go to a major college near you, take it all in, and don't be afraid to make a little noise.


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Video: Karl Malone Lacks Big Country Survival Skills

Greg Ostertag reached a Final Four as a Kansas Jayhawk and, after the Utah Jazz made him a first-round draft pick, made consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998. He made his name as a defensive presence in both situations, although Ostertag ended up as a journeyman center and suffered an injury while trying to revive his career in the D-League.

Needless to say, Big Country has seen better days, like that time he blocked Karl Malone. From behind. During shooting around before a Jazz-Lakers game. It's a bit of lightheartedness from a guy who wears a dour look during table tennis matches against little kids and whose YouTube reel features other people dunking more often than him throwing down. Even in this 12-second clip, though, Ostertag is not the star. That honor goes to the Frenchman who may or may not have seen defense before this particular incident.


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NBA benefits from college fandom

By: Kyle Davis

It has the feel of a big brother, little brother relationship.

Everyone wants to hang out with the big brother. Big brother takes who he wants, leaving the rest for the little brother. It’s a relationship of respect but an understanding that the big brother has the upper hand. Little brother just wants to be invited to the party.

It is this dynamic that exists between the worlds of college basketball and the NBA. The majority of basketball fans are divided, choosing an alliance and rarely deviating. Sure, die-hard sports fans who are passionate about college basketball will still watch the NBA playoffs and the big-time, regular season matchups, and vice versa. But rarely do you find a person who hangs out with the little brother one night and big brother the next. They have different personalities, and thus different friends. 

Why? One reason is because the games are so different, and I believe apparent enough that I won’t waste 200 words explaining how. There’s also some hostility between the two leagues due to the one-and-done rule. Whether it means having elite players stay in college longer or not at all, college fans feel like they’re getting a raw deal. Big brother is taking all the good stuff and little brother has what’s left.   

Now’s the time in the poorly produced metaphor where little brother proves worth keeping around.  The NBA needs the college game in a way that has become more clear to me during these NBA Finals. It’s not that players will be better prepared, playing against stiffer competition, or older or more mature. It’s because of the fans.   

The bond between devoted fans and their athletes is much stronger on the college level. Players give their school four (or three, two or one) years of memories in which fans are eternally grateful. New players come in and carry on the legacy of the school, but alumni are not forgotten or less loved by their alma mater. Maybe it is because fans feel more of a connection watching players develop and mature from skinny freshmen to All-Americans, or because they are naturally moving on to another level in their life instead of leaving you for the guy down the street with a Ferrari in the driveway. 

Regardless, this isn’t a one-way street. For the majority of players, especially from elite programs, it is a thrill to come back to campus in the offseason and reconnect with fans. For most, the college campus is where it all began, and because of this, the connection runs deep. 

I’ve been observing these Finals in the heart of Kansas Jayhawk country. I won’t tell you my stance for fear you will close the page right...about...now, but I have witnessed, firsthand, an aspect of the Finals that often gets overlooked.

KU has former players on both teams (Mario Chalmers on the Heat; Nick Collison and Cole Aldrich on the Thunder) and I have seen and heard from KU fans who normally would be watching The Bachelorette, but are glued to the games because they want to see one of their own win a ring.

And that’s the important part for the NBA; no matter what team’s name is on the front of these guys' professional jerseys, to passionate KU fans, Collison, Chalmers and Aldrich will always be Jayhawks. The same could be said for UCLA fans wanting to see Russell Westbrook succeed and Florida fans hoping for the same with Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem. They may not have enrolled in classes in eight years, but they will always be a Bruin or Gator. 

NBA teams don’t draft players based on their school, nor should they. While the market is small compared to passionate NBA fans who will watch playoff basketball even if their team has been eliminated, the NBA should take advantage of a college fan’s loyalties to their school’s former players. Is it a coincidence that the Sprint Center in Kansas City hosts a preseason NBA game each year, and it just happens to include former KU players on the rosters of the teams invited? In 2010, the Thunder and Heat met in KC, and the KU ties have been well documented by now. Last year was Houston (Marcus Morris) against Miami, and this year will be the Heat once again facing Washington (who has the No. 3 pick in the draft with KU’s Thomas Robinson lingering near that spot).   

The beauty of the college fan’s devotion is not defined, nor limited to geography or success. Kentucky fans are still going to cheer for John Wall when Washington isn’t winning. The NBA shouldn’t look at the college game as a competitor. When the college game is strong -- meaning outstanding teams, all-star players and large numbers of fans -- the NBA benefits. The college basketball season is over and its fans are searching for a fix for their postseason basketball absence. What those fans want arguably most, other than watching entertaining basketball, is to see players with their college allegiance succeed.   

Little brother is always going to want to hang around and see what big brother is up to, and in a business that lives by the numbers, little brother’s friends are useful.


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