2020 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Rhode Island prospect Jeff Dowtin

Posted on November 16, 2020 by Jon Teitel

On May 1st the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to postpone the Draft Lottery and Draft Combine in Chicago due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to all of the seniors who have wrapped up their college careers, the early-entry deadline for underclassmen was August 3rd. The lottery took place on August 20th and the draft is scheduled to take place on November 18th. We will spend the upcoming days interviewing as many members of the 2020 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel concludes our coverage by chatting with Jeff Dowtin about being a good PG and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You were born/raised in Maryland: what made you choose Rhode Island? I grew up in Upper Marlboro, and there were a few other people from the area who had went up to Rhode Island such as Stanford Robinson/David Cox. It was a great fit for me.

You played 2 years for Dan Hurley and 2 years for David Cox: what is the biggest difference between your 2 coaches? Their style of coaching. Coach Hurley is a lot more energetic/hyper and in your face, while Coach Cox is a lot more laid back/chill.

In February 2018 after missing your only FT attempt in a 3-PT loss at St. Bonaventure as a sophomore you returned to campus at 3AM, went straight to the gym, and practiced FTs for the next several hours: how exhausted were you during your 9AM class that morning, and how did it feel to make 11-12 FTs during your next game a few days later (a 2-PT OT win at La Salle)? That is a true story. I spent at least 3 hours in the gym that morning and then slept in the locker room before heading to class. It was all worth it in the end: I just had to put in some extra work.

You finished that year by leading the conference with 189 AST: what is the secret to being a good PG? Just protecting the ball is the main part: you want more AST than TO. The 2nd part is to get your teammates involved and have a feel for the game and find them in spots where they are comfortable scoring from.

Last January the NCAA suspended you for 1 game because you had played in a charity game the previous summer: now that you are no longer in college, how do you really feel about the NCAA?! I am a basketball junkie and just love playing. I was invited to a charity game and just went there to have fun. I did not agree with the NCAA’s decision: as long as you are not taking any benefits I think that you should be able to participate.

You were named to the A-10 All-Academic Team during each of the past 3 years: how did you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is easier for me to perform on the court when there are no distractions off the court, so as long as I am going to class and turning in my assignments then I can focus on helping my team win.

You were scheduled to play in the A-10 tourney last March before learning that the NCAA tourney was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? I was definitely hurt/distraught: I wanted to go out with a bang during my senior year. However, you have to think about the health/safety of everyone so I feel that they did make the right decision.

Another player hoping to get drafted is your former high school teammate Anthony Cowan Jr., who you have known since you were 10 years old: what was he like back in the day, and do you think that we will see him in the NBA? Anthony is a cool dude: we played together for several years in high school. He is a great PG and 1 of the fastest guys I ever played with so I hope that he makes it.

What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? It has been challenging my whole life to be a Black man in the US. We are constantly fighting for change/equality and it has definitely taken a toll on everyone. It has been hard to fight the status quo but we will continue to fight.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It would mean the world to me and show that my hard work has paid off. If it does not happen it does not mean that it is the end of the road: I just have to stay humble and will continue to work hard.

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2020 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Oregon prospect Shakur Juiston

Posted on November 15, 2020 by Jon Teitel

On May 1st the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to postpone the Draft Lottery and Draft Combine in Chicago due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to all of the seniors who have wrapped up their college careers, the early-entry deadline for underclassmen was August 3rd. The lottery took place on August 20th and the draft is scheduled to take place on November 18th. We will spend the upcoming days interviewing as many members of the 2020 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Shakur Juiston about being a clutch player and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

In 2017 you were named NABC Junior College POY/tourney MVP at Hutchinson Community College: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors, and what did it mean to you to win a title? It really meant a lot. Just to be in the atmosphere of a championship gave me a lot of confidence: going out and competing was the most thrilling part. It was a great time in my life and is 1 of the biggest accomplishments in my life.

You averaged 14.6 PPG/10 RPG in your 1st year at UNLV: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? That was part of my whole recruitment: they put me in a position to be successful and they thought that I was their missing piece.

The following year you played in just 8 games before suffering a knee injury and earning a medical redshirt: how bad was the injury, and how were you able to get back onto the court? The pain was tolerable but my knee was not going to be stable so I decided to get surgery. I feel 100% now and can still jump/move/cut.

Why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose Oregon? My coach at UNLV (Marvin Menzies) got fired so I was just weighing my options for my final year. The Ducks have a history of building good teams and I thought that I could be a good addition.

You played for Coach Dana Altman: what makes him such a good coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? He is very open-minded and will listen to his players to get feedback. He made us feel relaxed and everything was very open: he hears us out and puts us in the best position to play our best.

You had 2 game-winning baskets last season in the final seconds: what is the key to being a clutch player? I just like to be ready whenever the opportunity presents itself. I do not try to force things because anything can go wrong. I was just at the right place at the right time and had the right intentions.

You were scheduled to play your in-state rival Oregon State in the Pac-12 tourney last March before learning that the NCAA tourney was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? We got the news at breakfast the day before the game so it was heartbreaking to end our season like that. However, we did win the regular season title and get a trophy so that was good enough for me.

Another player hoping to get drafted is your former teammate Payton Pritchard, who was named 1st-team All-American/conference POY: what makes him such a good player, and do you think that we will see him in the NBA next year? His work ethic is 1 of the best that I have ever seen. Before practice, after practice, in the weight room, nutrition: everything he does is to get better each and every day. I would not be surprised if he makes it to the NBA and then shocks a lot of people who doubted him.

What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? I stay away from politics and just try to keep focused/remain neutral. I have a lot of different friends who feel a certain way so I am not about to judge anyone. I cannot dwell on the past and put the burden on anyone else.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and if not then do you still want to become a coach? It would mean a lot to both me and my family to see what can be accomplished when you put your mind to it. I would like to keep playing even if I do not get drafted because I love the game. The NBA is the ultimate goal but I will not stress about it. I still want to be a coach someday: basketball is my life.

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Happy Draft-iversary!: HoopsHD interviews Tim Healey about former ASU star Eddie House

Posted on November 15, 2020 by Jon Teitel

With the 2020 NBA draft taking place this week we will spend the days ahead taking a walk down memory lane with a choice collection of players who are celebrating an awesome anniversary this year. From the 1st player in NBA history to score 2000 PTS in a season (70th anniversary) through the 2000 Pac-10 POY (20th anniversary), these stars have all seen their dreams come true in past drafts. We conclude our series with Eddie House. He scored 61 PTS in a game as a senior in Tempe, was named conference POY in 2000, and won an NBA title with Boston in 2008. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with ASU play-by-play man Tim Healey about the 20th anniversary of House getting drafted.

House was born in Berkeley and originally wanted to go to college at Cal: what made him choose ASU? Bill Frieder was the coach at the time and was a terrific recruiter. We always listed “Union City” as his hometown on the roster and he later scored 61 PTS in his hometown. He played for 3 different coaches in 4 years: Frieder, Don Newman (who took the team to the NIT and knocked off Stanford on the road), and Rob Evans (who was head coach at Old Miss).

As a senior he set a school record by scoring 61 PTS/18-19 FT in a 111–108 2-OT win over Cal (www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpqUzkRe8as): was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot he put up seemed to go in because he was “in the zone”? He was: the fact that proves it is that he only made 1 layup (everything else was a jumper or 3-PT shot). ASU needed every single 1 of those PTS because it was a double-OT game. Both of those teams started a lot of freshmen: Eddie was 1 of the few “grizzled veterans”. It was a remarkable performance: his signature shot was a fadeaway 3 at the end of the 1st OT.

He graduated as the all-time leading scorer in school history: did you realize at the time how prolific a player he was, and do you think that anyone will ever break his record? The memory I have of his senior year is that he was just having 1 of those years where he could go off for 40 PTS any single night (which he did on 4 separate occasions). He even had 40 PTS against my alma mater (Penn State) in their holiday tournament. He also had 40 when they beat UCLA for the 1st time in more than a decade. He could really create his own shot and had a quick release.

He also holds the school record for career STL: how did he balance his offense with his defense? He had quick hands/feet and was a real pest on defense. He was a really good all-around player.

In 2000 he was named conference POY: what did it mean to him to receive such an outstanding honor? I am sure it was a huge honor both for him and the school. ASU has struggled to maintain consistent competitive balance over the years. They had some glory days in the 1960s/1970s with Ned Wulk (basketball)/Frank Kush (football) before they joined the Pac-8 along with Arizona. When Bobby Hurley 1st took his team to the NCAA tourney it was just the 6th time since Wulk was fired, and he is doing a great job on the recruiting trail. It has been an uphill struggle but for a program that was an afterthought to have a player become the league’s leading scorer was quite a feather in the cap. He brought exposure to the program and catapulted himself to the top of the heap. His record might never be broken because if a player is prolific enough at scoring as Eddie was then he will likely not stay in college for 4 years.

In the 2000 NBA draft he was selected 37th overall by Miami (6 spots ahead of Michael Redd): did you see that as a validation of his college career, or the realization of his lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? I am sure that it meant everything to him: what kid would not be thrilled? It also meant a lot to ASU: they had several players make the NBA in the 1970s/early 1980s but then had a lull for a long time. When you go 10 years without making an NCAA tourney it probably means you do not have enough good players. Just to get drafted and forge a nice career for a long time was very gratifying/rewarding, both for him and the fans.

In Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals as a player for Boston he overcame a 24-PT deficit on the road to win by 6 PTS: what did it mean to him to win a title? All of the Sun Devils were proud of him. ASU baseball fans take a lot of pride in all of their great players like Dustin Pedroia/Jason Kipnis/Andre Ethier, and ASU football fans love Terrell Suggs, who will probably end up in the Hall of Fame. It comes in the context of a school that has simply not had a lot of NBA players during the past 30 years.

In 2009 he broke Danny Ainge’s Celtics team record for best 3P% in a season with 44.4%: what was his secret to making shots from behind the arc? He just had the God-given gift to fill it up from outside: he had great range. He had deadly accuracy both in college and the pros.

He married Mike Bibby’s sister (before later becoming his teammate), his cousin Danuel House is in the NBA, and his son Jaelen played 30 games for the Sun Devils last year as a freshman: who is the best athlete in the family? I know that Eddie would definitely say it is him! He was a good talker on the floor and will be the 1st to admit it, but he could also back it up.

When people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? As 1 of the greatest players this school has ever produced: the numbers show it. This program has a proud history/tradition but nobody ever scored more PTS than Eddie. He improved each year and his senior year was as good as I have ever seen. When fans think about the greatest I think there are others in the conversation, but House is certainly at the top.

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The Hoops HD Report: Big Ten Preview

Posted on November 15, 2020 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

This conference appears to be stacked this year with seven teams cracking the preseason Top 25, and about one or two more right behind that.  Iowa has one of the best players in the country and may be a Final Four contender, Wisconsin is another team that we could see going deep in March, and Illinois is much improved from a year ago.  Michigan State and Michigan are also in the mix, and let’s not forget Rutgers who returns most of their key players from a very successful season last year.  We discuss them and everyone else in the league.

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

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Ivy League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on November 14, 2020 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

-The Ivy League has decided not to play this year 🙁

-Although they will very much be missed as this has always been one of the more entertaining leagues to watch, we can certainly understand and respect that decision.  We look forward to seeing them back out there again real soon.

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2020 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Hofstra prospect Eli Pemberton

Posted on November 14, 2020 by Jon Teitel

On May 1st the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to postpone the Draft Lottery and Draft Combine in Chicago due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to all of the seniors who have wrapped up their college careers, the early-entry deadline for underclassmen was August 3rd. The lottery took place on August 20th and the draft is scheduled to take place on November 18th. We will spend the upcoming days interviewing as many members of the 2020 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Eli Pemberton about winning his conference tourney last March and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You were born/raised in Connecticut: what made you choose Hofstra? Distance: I wanted my family to be able to see me. I used all 5 of my recruiting visits and the coaching staff there had a plan for me.

You played for Coach Joe Mihalich: what makes him such a good coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? His honesty: he can be brutally honest but is so passionate about the game and wants the best for his players. I learned about work ethic, attitude, and effort. He was always in the office, and after a bad loss he would gather the whole coaching staff until 1AM. He does a great job of finding everyone’s strength.

You started 30 games as a freshman, scored 12.8 PPG, and were named to the CAA All-Rookie team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I had a good understanding of what my role was. I would start the game at the 4 but by the end I might be at the 1 or 2 or 3.

Last February you scored a career-high 35 PTS/11-17 FG in a win over James Madison on Senior Day: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Definitely: I felt like I could not miss. I am not a crier but was crying as soon as I got out there and saw the crowd and heard them cheering. I think I made my 1st 5 or 6 shots: it was a euphoric feeling.

In the 2020 CAA tourney you were the leading scorer with 62 total PTS as your team won 3 games in 3 days to clinch the title: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? I just knew what was on the line. We knew who we were and came into our own as a team at the right time. We lost to Towson in late-February and it really got us going. Desure Buie had a tough 1st game against Drexel but then we started to thrive off each other.

Your best friend Desure ended up being named tourney MVP: how were you 2 able to become the best backcourt in school history? It started off the court: I played with him when we were in high school around 2014 and got to know him as a person. When I got to Hofstra I realized what a great leader he is: we know how to communicate to make each other better.

After clinching your automatic bid to the NCAA tourney you learned that it was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? At 1st it broke my heart because our fans had waited 19 years for us to make the NCAA tourney. We worked so hard to get there but looking back at it now I think it was the right decision. I have lost some family members due to COVID so I know that people definitely come 1st.

Your brother William/cousin Chauncey both played college basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? My brother actually played football in college but I feel like I have the edge on everyone. Chauncey was 6’3” and I am 6’5”.

What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? There is a lot of pressure in today’s society, especially with how things have played out on social media after the election. It is hard for me to answer that question because I know what I have gone through. I know my purpose is to inspire others: playing basketball is much bigger than just getting a check. Even through trials and tribulations I try to remain consistent. I have a business management degree so hopefully I can inspire people to make change themselves. There are some things that are not in our favor but perseverance builds character.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? I cannot even imagine what it would feel like to get drafted. I would celebrate with my family because it has been a long journey, but even if I sign as a free agent that would be a victory. I am just grateful for the opportunity.

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