Butler's Brad Stevens Deserves The Respect Of An Elite Coach

Brad Stevens is putting together another great season with Butler. (espn.com)

Brad Stevens has become a household name for college basketball fans, and as a young head coach, he has earned respect in the industry.

But Stevens isn't getting enough credit. He has the wow-look-what-he's-done-with-that-mid-major respect, but it's not enough. Stevens' name should be thrown in with the top 10-15 coaches in the business, and that's a whole new level of respect.

Butler and Stevens had a year to forget last year. The Bulldogs struggled to a 22-15 record after losing key player after key player. (The fact that 22 wins and a winning percentage over .500 is bad by Butler's standards shows what Stevens has done with this program.) And somehow that down year, which all teams go through, negated the fact that Stevens took his teams to back-to-back NCAA Title games. Not only two straight title games, which is impressive for any school, but the first two title games (and Final Fours) in Butler's history.

And this year? Butler is off to an 8-2 start, while taking down two of the great programs, and coaches, in college basketball. The Bulldogs crushed then No. 9 UNC in Maui 82-71 (the final score was not indicative of the game) and Saturday Butler took down No. 1 Indiana 88-86.

Butler may play in the A-10, and the Horizon League before that, but Stevens makes sure to put together a tough out-of-conference schedule. The Bulldogs have also already faced Marquette and Illinois in Maui, and will face Vanderbilt and Gonzaga in the next month. Stevens knows how to get his team to play well against the toughest competition, and Butler has become a terrifying team to schedule early in the year.

It's the nature of the business that Stevens may remain under-appreciated by the rest of the country while at a smaller school. But Stevens could soon be in the running for a few high-profile jobs that, if he continues to succeed, could catapult him into the ranks of one of the most praised and well-paid coaches in the nation.

The rumors have been going on for well over a year. Mike Krzyzewski will be retiring from Duke sometime in the near future, and Stevens' name has been tossed around as a possible replacement. But other schools have been in the rumor mix as well, and if Butler makes the NCAA Tournament again this year, Stevens should have plenty of suitors who come calling.

It's a shame that it will most likely take a high-profile job for Stevens to be viewed in the same light as today's elite coaches, but such is the nature of the business. Stevens will most likely move on to a powerhouse program and find success, finally earning the credit he has deserved for several years.

Until then, admire and don't forget about the young coach who led tiny Butler to the brink of college basketball's elite championship fraternity and completely changed the way we think about seeing Butler on our team's schedule.


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Friday Roundtable: Who Will Leave The Big East Next?

With conference alignment in full swing, we predict who will leave the Big East next. (businessinsider.com)

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

This week's question: Conference realignment continues putting schools on the move, and the Big East has been hurt the most by the changes. Who will be the next team to leave the Big East?

Shawn Deegan:
The mad dash of conference realignment is picking up once again and the Big East is the focal point for the NCAA. The conference’s schools are leaving left and right, and the next one to jump from the sinking ship will be the Cincinnati Bearcats. Cincinnati’s basketball team is currently sitting at 9-0 this season. The Bearcats also had a solid year in football this season at 9-3 and 5-2 in conference play. They have historically been a good program with an undefeated year in football in 2009-2010, and a run to the Sweet 16 last March. This is a quality program that will not be given any recognition for any accomplishments it may attain, because it resides in a conference without any prestigious schools left. Cincinnati is going to need to move as well if it wants to gain national accolades once again.

Kyle Davis: 
I agree Cincinnati probably has the most momentum and attractive teams at the moment that another conference would want, but I'm going to say UConn is the next to leave. UConn wanted out of the Big East when Syracuse and Pittsburgh jumped ship, but got left behind. Still, UConn probably has the biggest brand of the remaining Big East schools and has a lot of recent basketball and some football success. And even though the Connecticut market isn't huge, the school is still close to NYC and other metropolitan cities. With UConn's former conference opponents Syracuse and Pitt in the ACC, I could see the ACC bringing in the Huskies and one other school to round out the conference. UConn has said it wants to be in the ACC, and I think eventually their wish will come true.

Alex Skov:  
Georgetown foiled my original answer by deciding yesterday that it will leave the conference along with the six other Catholic institutions. You just couldn't wait a couple more days, could you, Hoyas?

Cincinnati and UConn certainly are the front runners to find better perches before their current Big East peers -- although South Florida will probably be on their heels, given the Bulls' basketball and football competitiveness earlier in the 2000s that has declined in recent years, which makes them a perfect target for a mid-major conference.

Of the leading schools, though, I think Cincinnati will abandon ship before UConn. Football drives conference realignment and the Bearcats' gridiron resume is much stronger than the on-again-off-again flirtation with success that can be found in Storrs. The sad reality is that a strong basketball program is just consolation, although the Bearcats will compete for a mid- to high conference finish no matter where they end up. Cincinnati also has the edge in geographical location -- a laughable notion at this point, considering the Big East's present alignment and Maryland's foray into the Big Ten -- because it sits nearer the middle of the country. Conferences that have been reticent to expand far beyond current borders, like the Big 12 (save West Virginia), will recognize this appeal. So will the Atlantic 10, a surging hoops-only league that would give a school like Cincinnati the chance to immediately contend for a conference title while shopping its football program elsewhere.


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Terrell Owens Wanted to be a Clipper, Lost to a Little Person One-on-One

Terrell Owens not being a Clipper. (Sports Mole)

A confident, often cocky NFL wide receiver tore his ACL, had surgery to repair the injury, ran a sub-4.5 second 40-yard dash and spent a brief preseason stint with a (then) lowly regarded team then got cut before playing in any meaningful games. Oh, and he was 38 when all this went down.

That's the recent history of Terrell Owens, for those who don't follow football, and it mentions nothing of the reputation as a detrimental presence in a locker room that he earned earlier in his career. Believe it or not, more embarrassing things have happened to Owens this year.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin dropped the following tidbit during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show earlier this week:

"Terrell Owens is always — he was at our practice facility this summer, begging coaches for a 10-day contract."

Being that Griffin actually, you know, plays for Clippers, he may have an inside track on such knowledge. A brief glance at LAC's 2012-13 roster reveals that Owens has not, in fact, been gifted a contract of any length with the franchise. Yet. To be fair, though, he does have some basketball credentials. In college, Owens played for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and was a member of the Mocs' 1995 NCAA tournament team. His two-time letterman status at the university was a precursor for his 2008 NBA All-Star MVP award, earned with an 18-point performance (including a dunk!) that led his team to a one-point victory. Most impressive, however, is that Owens was once invited to play for the Sacramento Kings' summer league team.

Owens' representative has since denied any alleged begging while noting that his client and Griffin are friends. Following the guidelines of T.O. public relations, though, the rep offered that "everyone knows" that Owens "can play a serious game of ball."

Being denied a small contract by the Clippers is not inherently shameful. The franchise is doing well with Griffin and point guard Chris Paul leading the charge while Jamal Crawford anchors the bench. Owens' basketball merits are really pretty impressive considering it is a recreational sport for him, as it is for a majority of the world's population.

No, the embarrassing mark on Owens' hoops resume is that he lost a game of one-on-one to a 4'5" man after being convinced to accept the diminutive fellow's challenge. Posted to YouTube in late October, the video of the former pro athlete's misfortune isn't damning. He swishes the ball plenty, opting to drop long range bombs on a day when he was presumably just working out on before being approached to throw down. He also commits multiple turnovers and fails to chase rebounds.

It's worth noting that Owens' opponent was not just another guy from the gym who happened to recognize a nationally known sports figure. The challenger was Mani Love, whose small stature does not prevent him from excelling in the Venice Beach Basketball League.

Love is a legitimately good player with a reliable shot and quick handles. His 15-14 upset win over a man 22 inches taller than himself could have been lopsided going the other way. Kudos to Love, and kudos to Owens for being a good sport.

Oh, Owens was also wearing a Clippers shirt when he lost to Love. That must be the part that really stings.


(H/t to Trey Kerby of The Basketball Jones)

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Briefly Acknowledging Jerry Stackhouse's Hot Start

Jerry Stackhouse laughs at your defense, Jordan Hill. (Getty Images)

Since re-branding and relocating, the Brooklyn né New Jersey Nets franchise sure has become popular. In fact, the team's rise in the court of public opinion over the past few months has been enough to inspire shirts that appeal to new fans in decidedly different ways.

Maybe the new-found clamor is due to Jay-Z's increasing involvement or the rapper's pseudo-Rush Hour pairing with majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov. It could be that the Nets are supposed to contend with the Knicks, and both teams are projected to make it to the playoffs. The players could certainly be part of it, too, as Deron Williams is still considered a top-tier point guard, Joe Johnson — acquired from the Atlanta Hawks over the summer — has been an All-Star, and there is still hope that Brook Lopez produces worthwhile returns on his big contract.

How much of that excitement is because of a 38-year-old back-up swingman? Probably not much*, realistically, but Jerry Stackhouse is playing better than anyone expected, possibly even better than anyone of his age should be when playing against twenty-somethings night in and night out.

Here's what Stackhouse's worst stat line from this season looks like: 1-5 shooting (1-2 from three), one rebound, one steal and one turnover with an offensive rating of 54 and a defensive rating of 73 (points produced and allowed per 100 possessions, respectively) in a little more than six minutes at home against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Not good, but about typical for a guy playing a back-up role on the latter end of his career. That game was an anomaly in Stackhouse's box scores while suited up in black and white, though. He has had four double-digit scoring games — including 11 points in 10 minutes in the season opener —and has shot over 65 percent on five occasions this season, including shooting an impressive 83.3 percent in a win in Boston.

He's producing. Once again: that is the impressive part. When the Nets signed him to a one-year flier in July, Stackhouse became the typical veteran signing intended to mentor younger teammates like MarShon Brooks and fill occasional minutes when need be. There were plenty of jokes about how Stackhouse would be drawing up plays after he devised one that led to him hitting a game-winner during a pro-am game this summer. He was supposed to be easing into the now-routine transition from player to coach, essentially.

Stackhouse is the first professional athlete on a Brooklyn team to sport the number 42 on a jersey since Jackie Robinson was a Dodger. That's an honor and a tribute, but it is also symbolic of his elder statesman status. He's old enough to recognize and appreciate the impact that Robinson not only had on a spot, but on race relations in the United States.

Clearly, though, he is not too old to play competitive sports and be effective.

New Jersey recorded a 12-70 record just three years ago. Stackhouse was playing for the Milwaukee Bucks then, already a verified journeyman before stints in Miami and Atlanta led to him landing in Brooklyn. Twenty-one games into 2012-13, Stackhouse's current team is above .500 and on the way to a playoff berth, and he is a big reason for the success of the new-look Nets.

*My older brothers and I adored Stack in his prime. I texted them both the question "What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Jerry Stackhouse?" Without missing a beat, they replied with identical texts: "Detroit Pistons." We're all-in for the guy.


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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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College Basketball's First-Semester Grades

Duke is flying into the spring semester with a high basketball GPA. (cbsnews.com)

It's finals week all across college campuses, which is why you will find very few exciting games until Saturday. So while the players are busy studying for finals (it's all about the academics, folks) let's give out some grades of our own, shall we. Granted it's still early, and we won't really get to know many of these teams until conference play, but here are three teams who have passed the first semester with ease and three who need to hit the books harder in the spring.

Honor Roll:

Duke - A 

Duke couldn't have been asked to do much more than it has already in the first month of the season. The Blue Devils have taken down three then-top-five teams (first No. 3 Kentucky, then No. 2 Louisville and finally No. 4 Ohio State), while also earning solid wins over Minnesota and VCU, who should be tournament teams in March. Duke has a few easier games to round out non-conference play before kicking off ACC games. Duke has to be the new frontrunner to win the conference, with both UNC and NC State showing some inefficiencies early.

Indiana - A

The Hoosiers schedule has not been the gauntlet Duke has faced, but Indiana has taken care of its business in the fashion of the No. 1 team in the country. The two quality wins are there - defeating a Georgetown team, which has outshined its expectations, so far by 10, and beating UNC by a definitive 24 points. Almost as impressive is how Indiana has handled the lesser non-conference opponents. Many top 25 teams has struggled to pull off close wins against teams they should easily beat. Not IU. No team other than Georgetown has finished the game less than 13 points behind the Hoosiers. The real test will be conference play, where three or four teams could win the Big Ten, but so far, Indiana has passed the test.

Illinois - A-

The Illini are off to an 11-0 start and have cracked the top 10 in John Groce's first year at Illinois. Illinois finally got the signature win of the season so far, a road victory against then No. 10 Gonzaga in Spokane, which many will say is one of the toughest home environments. But the strength of schedule has been weak, and the Illini have had a few unimpressive wins, like a one-point overtime win over Hawaii and only being up by two on Norfolk State with six minutes remaining in the team's most recent game. It hasn't all been Illinois' fault as the team made it through the Maui Invitational without having to face the favorite UNC. But some are still questioning the Illini as a legitimate top-10 team and Big Ten championship contender.


Grades Slipping:

 Kentucky - C

Kentucky is the girl you went to high school with that believes perfection is the only option. Get a B on a test and your life is over. UK's expectations are just as high and so far the team has fallen short. A 6-3 record is not acceptable for Lexington. We've talked about how this is definitely not last year's team, and these freshmen are going through growing pains. If this were Minnesota who had loses to Duke, Notre Dame and Baylor, it would still be looked at as a decent start to the season, but Kentucky doesn't lose two in a row very often. Kentucky will be fine in March, but right now this team is having trouble adjusting to college life.

UCLA - D

Another 6-3 team in UCLA, but why did they not earn a "C" like Kentucky? Would Cal Poly like to answer that? The Bruins were Cal Poly's second win of the year (the Mustangs are now 3-4) and UCLA has not gotten its talented and hyped freshmen to produce. The Bruins are 97th in the country in field goal percentage at 45.4 percent and the team's scoring has decreased since the beginning of the season. Again, part of this bad grade is considering the expectations coming into the season. This was supposed to be UCLA's climb back to the top, and the Bruins started the season ranked in the top 15. A month into the season and UCLA has struggled against every decent team they've faced, including barely beating a plummeting Texas team 65-63. Speaking of Texas ...

Texas - D

I know, I know, Myck Kabongo hasn't played all season, and I thought it would hurt Texas. Take the best player from any team and they will struggle to fill the void. Kabongo's absence is the only reason I didn't give the Longhorns an F. But still, no one thought Texas would be 5-4 with the losses coming against Chaminade (Div. II), USC (even worse than Texas), Georgetown (a formidable opponent) and UCLA (see above). Texas can't score, ranked 282nd in the country in points per game (62 ppg) and have so many problems, it's hard to know where to start. Regardless of an ineligible player, a program like Texas and coach Rick Barnes, with a great recent history of success and NBA products, should never let this happen. And how does Texas end its non-conference play? By facing Michigan State and UNC back to back. This could get uglier for the Longhorns before it gets better.


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The Proper(?) Way to Honor 1 Billion Views

If you were busy working, watching actual basketball, playing actual basketball (my team won 75-41 in rec league competition, thanks) or doing anything, really, you may have missed this video celebrating a collective 1 billion views for the NBA's official YouTube channel. Tack on one more and click the play button below:



Not much fundamental basketball being played in that video. There's plenty of dancing and some dunking, if you're into that kind of thing. Me? I would prefer more chest passes and uncontested jumpers. Oh, and more Scal.

The league's team of editors should already be readying a video for the 2 billionth view seeing as there have already been more than 8 million clicks since this clip was posted, but if you have any nits to pick with the NBA's unique commemorative highlight reel right now, air your grievances in the comments.


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