Draft Dreams: HoopsHD interviews draft prospect Keenan Evans

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Jon Teitel

There are only a few weeks left for the college kids to impress the scouts before the NBA Draft takes place on June 21st. We will spend that time talking to the stars of tomorrow as they prepare for the next phases of their careers. Keenan Evans finished his career in Lubbock as a member of the All-Big 12 1st-Team and a 2nd-team All-American. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Keenan about making the Sweet 16, his amazingly athletic family, and what it would mean to get drafted.

You grew up in Richardson, TX: what made you choose the Red Raiders? I saw the opportunity when Coach Tubby Smith started recruiting me. They were at the bottom of the Big 12 at the time and I thought that I could get some playing time right away and be a difference maker.

You played for a pair of coaches in Tubby Smith/Chris Beard: how difficult was the transition from 1 to the other, and what is the most important thing that you learned from either of them? It was a pretty tough switch but was also a good learning experience. Tubby is very hard on PGs, as is Coach Beard, and I learned a lot from both of them. I got to showcase all of my skills under Coach Beard after playing an old school PG style under Coach Smith.

You played in 29 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I got to campus pretty early, tried to transform my body by putting some muscle onto it, and competed in practice to get my minutes.

Last January you scored a career-high 38 points/18-20 FT including a step-back 17-footer at the buzzer in a 2-PT OT win over Texas: did you think that the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career? That was probably #1 in my career just because it was a buzzer-beater to win the game. It felt good as I shot it so I knew that it was going in. It is 1 of my go-to moves that I have practiced a bunch of times.

After injuring your toe earlier this year you began sleeping in a hyperbaric oxygen tank: did it help, and how weird was it? I am not sure if it helped but I was hoping it did. It was definitely weird: I had never even heard of such a thing but eventually I was able to fall asleep pretty fast inside it.

You finished the season by being named 2nd-team All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was a dream come true. I put in a lot of hard work that had gone unnoticed and was really proud of myself. I was thankful to the team and the people around me who encouraged me and kept me on the right path.

Take me through the 2018 NCAA tourney:
You scored 22 PTS in a 3-PT win over Florida: how big a deal was it to help the school reach the Sweet 16 for the 1st time since 2005? It was huge. You hear some of the alumni talk about how they had the best team in school history so it was great to get back to the Sweet 16 and exceed expectations.

You scored a team-high 12 points in a loss to eventual champion Villanova: where does that Wildcat team rank among the best that you have ever seen? It is probably the best team I have seen in college. They deserved everything they got and had so much talent across the floor.

Your PPG/APG/FG% improved during each year of your college career: how were you able to keep getting better every single season? After every season I just told myself that I could take it to another level by getting into the gym, watching film, and listening to my coaches.

Your father Kenny was a high jumper at the 2000 Olympics and your mother Shantell was an all-conference basketball player at Arkansas-Pine Bluff: who is the best athlete in the family? I would say my dad because not a lot of people get to go to the Olympics.

You attended the NBA Combine earlier this month despite the fact that your right foot was in a boot: how is your health at the moment, and what would it mean to you to get drafted? My health is great at the moment: I am now out of the boot and doing rehab to get back on the floor. It would be amazing to be drafted.

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Draft Dreams: HoopsHD interviews draft prospect Daxter Miles Jr.

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Jon Teitel

There are only a few weeks left for the college kids to impress the scouts before the NBA Draft takes place on June 21st. We will spend that time talking to the stars of tomorrow as they prepare for the next phases of their careers. Daxter Miles Jr. finished his career in Morgantown with 136 games, 1300+ career PTS, and a trio of Sweet 16 appearances. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Daxter about playing for Bob Huggins, attending the Pro Basketball Combine, and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You played for Coach Bob Huggins at West Virginia: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you ever learned from him? What makes Huggs a great coach is that he is not afraid to be himself in any environment and will tell you the truth about every situation. One of the most important things I got from him is to never take how a message is presented to you: instead, listen to the point of the actual message.

You started all 35 games as a true freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just have that hungry mentality and was determined and very confident in myself!

You made the game-tying basket at the end of regulation in a 1-PT OT win over TCU in January 2015 and made the game-winning free throw at TCU with 4.7 seconds left in February 2017: how excited do you think the Horned Frog fans are to see you finally stop beating up on them?! I was happy that my coach went to me at the end of the game and I was able to execute the play. It showed us that he believed in the young guns. I do not know how the TCU fans felt: you would have to ask them.

Last November you scored a career-high 32 PTS/12-15 FG in a win over Morgan State: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? My teammates were finding me and I was making plays: that is all. The basket kept getting larger as each shot I took went in.

You were named to the Academic All-Big 12 Team for 3 straight years: how did you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? Nobody in my family ever did that but I was fortunate enough to do so: I just wanted to make my family proud! It is honestly easy: I have a set of goals for myself and if I want to achieve those goals then having good grades is a must. It is a part of that process.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you lost to an undefeated Kentucky team, in the 2017 NCAA tourney you lost to a 35-1 Gonzaga team, and in the 2018 NCAA tourney you lost to eventual champion Villanova: how did it feel to keep reaching the postseason and then running into 3 of the best college basketball teams in the nation over the past 5 years? I am very proud of my team for reaching the Sweet 16 in each of those years. I would say that we were overachieving but I think that we could have went even deeper in the tournament. We just made some minor errors that we should not have been making throughout the games.

Last week you participated in the Pro Basketball Combine: how did it go, and what part of your skill set set you apart from the other guys? The Combine was great. I have a certain mindset that is relentless and most guys do not have that. I am fearless on the court, very athletic, and smart for a guard. One of the most important tools that I bring to the table is being a great teammate because when my teammates are happy/comfortable it make the game easier most of the time.

There are several Big 12 players projected to be selected in the top-15 of next month’s draft (Mo Bamba/Trae Young/Zhaire Smith): which 1 of them impressed you the most? I am most impressed with Zhaire because of his athleticism and the fact that he is very calm on the court. No disrespect to any of those other players because they are all fun to watch and are good players, but I believe that I am better than them in most aspects. If they switched teams with me I do not think that they would have accomplished more than what we did at West Virginia.

Your former teammates Esa Ahmad/Sagaba Konate both declared for this year’s draft but decided to return to the Mountaineers: how do you think the team is going to do next year without a backcourt of you/Jevon Carter? I felt like they made good decisions because the team needs them and they can prove themselves for at least one more year and develop more aspects to their games.

What would it mean to you to get drafted? Answering this question by saying something like “it would mean everything to me” would be an understatement! All of my life basketball has kept me out of trouble and safe from the grimy streets of Baltimore City. My family struggles every single day to survive! Basketball took me places where I could never have imagined going. It actually showed me that there are other ways of living: not just growing up among all these drugged-out neighborhoods and seeing kids get shot every day. It allowed me to grow as a man and meet many different types of people…and I became one hell of a ballplayer along the way. I just want to be able to provide for my mom/dad like they did for me but on a much larger scale, and make sure that my siblings are in a good position to become successful. I would cry so much: I probably would have to get rushed to the hospital due to too much water on the brain! It would truly be my dream come true.

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Good Knight: HoopsHD interviews Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics panelist Noah Knight

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Jon Teitel

The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics is an independent organization that promotes reforms to support/strengthen the educational mission of college sports. Formed in 1989, the Commission has a diverse composition that includes university presidents, former college athletes, and leaders in the field of higher education. At its May 7th meeting in Washington, DC, which HoopsHD was invited to attend, the Commission discussed recommendations made by the Commission on College Basketball that is chaired by Condoleezza Rice. 1 of the many panelists that day was former UMKC basketball player Noah Knight, who currently represents the NCAA D-1 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to the Transfer Working Group and represents the Western Athletic Conference to the SAAC. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Noah about a wide array of topics including concussions, transfers, and the 1-and-done rule.

What made you choose UMKC? I chose UMKC due to the university being close to my home (Olathe, KS) and the relationship I had with the coaching staff.

Your playing career ended a few years ago when a 6’8″ teammate accidentally cracked you in the head, which resulted in series of ongoing concussions: how is your health doing at the moment, and what else can be done to prevent players from getting concussions? My health is excellent at the moment. I am not sure what can be done to prevent concussions; unfortunately, injuries are a product of this physical sport. However, following the appropriate protocol before returning to play and listening to your body are extremely important to reducing the chances of another concussion.

You are the incoming chairman of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC): why did you take the job, and what do you hope to accomplish? In my first D-1 SAAC meeting the committee heard about the vision of the NCAA, particularly over the next few years. In unwavering support of that plan, when the opportunity arose to be elected Chair, I ran in the hope of having a more significant role in achieving that vision. In this role I plan to push the agenda of the D-1 SAAC while advocating the importance of the student-athlete’s voice.

You are also a member of the Transfer Working Group: if 40% of incoming D-1 freshmen end up transferring by the end of their sophomore season and 60% of players who transfer do not go to another D-1 school, what can we do to address this epidemic? Due to student-athletes transferring for many reasons it is hard to address this issue adequately. However, I believe it starts with transparency between coaches and players. There is a disconnect between the players’ expectations and the real experience after they join a team. Full transparency and open communication could contribute to resolving this epidemic.

The NCAA Committee on Academics has recommended an academic benchmark (minimum 3.0 GPA) for athletes to be able to transfer without any restrictions: do you agree or disagree with this proposal? As previously discussed with the SAAC, we came to a consensus of a 3.0 GPA (if it were to be implemented). The 3.0 GPA is the least restrictive of the provided benchmarks that achieves uniformity and prioritizes academic success. Personally, I agree with what the SAAC has supported.

The graduation rates of African-American athletes in the Power 5 conferences still trail those of the general student population: any thoughts on how to fix this situation? Each institution differs in their method of helping their student-athletes graduate. Besides making all student-athletes aware of academic resources on campus and investing more in their academic support departments, I am not sure how the trailing graduation rate of African-American student-athletes can be addressed.

In the wake of the FBI scandal, do you think that student-athletes should have more or less contact with agents, and why? With NCAA certification I think more contact with agents would be helpful for those student-athletes wanting to explore professional options.

You are a business major: what do you hope to do with your degree? I am not entirely sure at the moment, although I hope to stay around college athletics in my future profession.

What do you think of the 1-and-done rule, and if the NBA does not get rid of it can you imagine going back to a world of freshman ineligibility? I am in favor of ending the 1-and-done rule and allowing those who are ready to play professionally to bypass college basketball. I believe this will eliminate corrupt actors trying to monetize prospective student-athletes. Personally, I cannot imagine going back to freshman ineligibility; however, I am sure that will be addressed if such circumstances take place.

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The Hoops HD Report: May Session

Posted on May 23, 2018 by David Griggs

We are back for our May Session Podcast, and there is much to talk about.  We look at the recommendations of the Rice Commission, particularly how they focused on the “one and done” rule, and discuss whether or not we feel their recommendations are good for the game, or will really result in any changes.  We also talk about the upcoming NBA Draft a little bit, and the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize sports gambling.

 

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

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Quickley Learner: HoopsHD interviews McDonald’s All-American Immanuel Quickley

Posted on April 7, 2018 by Jon Teitel

If you want to win an NCAA title you need a good coach, a great resume…and a McDonald’s All-American. Only 1 championship team since 1979 has not had such a player (Maryland in 2002). The 41st annual McDonald’s All-American Game will take place on March 28th in Atlanta, GA, and the rosters were announced on January 16th after selecting the 24 best players in the nation from a whopping 2500 nominees. After Zion Williamson committed to Duke on January 20th, the Blue Devils lead the way with 4 All-Americans, just ahead of Kansas (who has 3). 1 of the 4 teams with 2 All-Americans signed so far is Kentucky, who has a pair of guards in Immanuel Quickley/Keldon Johnson. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Immanuel about being a McDonald’s All-American and winning a state title.

You received scholarship offers from Arizona/Cincinnati/Kansas/Miami but signed with Kentucky last September: what was your impression of Big Blue Madness last fall, and did you get to talk to any former Wildcats like DeMarcus Cousins/John Wall? Big Blue Madness was great: I had a lot of fun. I did not get to talk to any of the former players but it was nice to see them all come back to campus: it is like a family.

You spent a lot of time with Kentucky coach John Calipari on team USA at the FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup last summer in Egypt: what makes him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you learned from him? The way that he pushes his players. My family spoils me a lot but keeps it real and tells me what I need to hear rather than what I want to hear, and Coach Calipari acts the same way.

In the semifinal of that tourney the #1 overall recruit in your class (RJ Barrett) scored 38 PTS in 33 minutes in a 12-PT win by Canada: where does RJ rank among the best players that you have ever faced? He is right up there: many people have him ranked as the top player in our class. He just has the mentality that nobody will stop him, which makes him a really good player.

You are a 6’3” PG with a 6’8” wingspan: what position do you expect to play in college, and how big of an advantage is your huge wingspan on the court? Whether I am playing PG or C does not matter to me: I just want to help my team win. My wingspan helps on both ends of the court, especially on defense where I can deflect passes.

Kentucky’s current PGs are Quade Green/Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: are you concerned that it might get a bit crowded in the backcourt if they are not “1-and-done” players who declare for the draft? No: I am not concerned. What Coach Calipari has done with PGs like Wall/Eric Bledsoe is amazing: he just puts all of the best players on the floor.

A couple of months ago you hurt your knee during a 7-PT loss to Mount St. Joseph: how is your health doing at the moment? I am doing really good and feel 100%.

Take me through the magical MIAA “A” playoffs for your John Carroll team:
In the semifinals you scored 22 PTS including a bank shot at the buzzer in a 1-PT OT win over that same Mount Saint Joseph team: where does that rank among the biggest shots of your career, and how your fellow McDonald’s All-American Jalen Smith is feeling (he left the game in the 3rd quarter with an apparent head injury)? I beat them 2 years ago on a 3-PT shot, so along with the bank shot those are 2 of the top plays of my career. Jalen is getting better: we were teammates on the East team at the McDonald’s Game.

In the title game you almost blew a 17-PT 2nd half lead before pulling out an 8-PT OT win over Boys’ Latin: what did it mean to you to win a state title? It meant a lot. I put in a lot of hard work over the past 4 years (as well as many years before that), but for our team to come together and overcome all of the adversity that we had faced was huge.

It is believed to be the 1st time in nearly a quarter-century that two players from Baltimore were named McDonald’s All-Americans (Steve Wojciechowski/Norman Nolan in 1994): how competitive is the basketball scene in Charm City these days? It is right up there with any other city. We are really tough/scrappy, especially the guards.

Last week in the 2018 McDonald’s All-American Game you had 8 AST for the East in a 3-PT loss to the West: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most, and what was it like to face the only other Wildcat signee so far (Keldon Johnson from Oak Hill Academy who played for the West)? I guess Nassir Little: he was really good, won MVP, and did not back down from the challenge of guarding Zion Williamson. I already knew that Keldon was a great player and he played really hard that night as well.

Your mother Nitrease played basketball at Morgan State: who is the best athlete in the family? The best athlete in the family is Immanuel Quickley!

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Photo essay: HoopsHD at the A-10 tourney

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Jon Teitel

Yeah, it’s a month late, but I’ve been busy and you ain’t paying to read it, so here we go:

There were not a lot of people in attendance for the opening round games on Wednesday night:

…but HoopsHD was LIVE!:

The 14 teams were not just playing for pride and an automatic bid to the NCAA tourney, but also trying to get their hands on a pretty sweet trophy:

The A-10 placed me in a corner above a tunnel, but my friends who are UMass alumni had a MUCH nicer view of the action from the 5th row:

I always feel safer with the Minuteman standing watch:

A-10 associate commissioner for men’s college basketball/1982 NCAA tourney champ Matt Doherty was also in the house:

This shot at the end of the La Salle-UMass game had the potential to be a beautiful buzzer-beater but La Salle’s Pookie Powell could not get it to drop:

Pookie Powell shot at buzzer

I have seen are a lot of slimy creatures in DC but this is ridiculous; at least the Gecko found some space in the stands to stretch out:

I am still unsure what a Billiken is but I do know that the camera loves him!:

Matt Mobley put on the performance of the weekend with a conference tourney-record 9 threes in the Bonnies’ 6-PT win over Richmond in the quarterfinals on Friday night:

The Spiders’ Jacob Gilyard is my pick for future MVP of this tourney: 18 PTS/4 STL against St. Bonaventure as a 5’9″ FR PG means the future is bright:

As we get closer and closer to Selection Sunday, the intensity increases:

The Hawk is in the House…but shouldn’t his arms be flapping!?:

How many cheerleaders does it take to lift a Ram? All of them:

My up-close-and-personal video of the postgame celebration after Davidson hung on to beat Rhode Island 58-57 in the title game and clinch a spot in the NCAA tourney:

Coach Dan Hurley was left to wonder if his title game loss meant that Davidson would steal a bid from his brother at ASU a few hours later (spoiler: it did not):

There was not enough room for all of the Wildcat heroes at the podium but all SR SG Rusty Reigel needed was a folding chair and a necklace made of net:

I even got a glimpse into the winning locker room:

Last but not least, what picture is in the dictionary under “satisfaction”? Coach Bob McKillop after making his 9th NCAA tourney in the past 2 decades…while trying to not get run over by cars streaming out of the parking garage:

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