#12, Demarcus Cousins - Committed to UAB

Positives

- The best part of DeMarcus Cousins’ game has to be his offensive post game. Cousins already possesses an NBA ready set of post moves uncomparable by anyone else on the high school circuit. Cousins has very polished moves in the paint including a very good spin move on the block. Cousins has the ability to lull the defender to sleep by dribbling slowly and then he will suddenly spin the other way and he is right next to the basket for an easy layup or highlight dunk. Don’t think Cousins only shows these moves against lesser competition, he does the same moves in matchups with the best players including Georgia big man Derrick Favors.

- The other positive in DeMarcus Cousins’ game is probably just his overall feel for the game offensively. Cousins understands how big and strong he is compared to just about anyone on the court at a given time so he does not waste his time like some of his counter parts by shooting three-pointers and bringing the ball up the court. Instead, he gets good position down low and simply overpowers smaller opponents and outmanuevers players similar to him in size. Cousins has a very good face up game for his size which is a very good thing. Teams cannot afford to just guard him within five feet of the basket anymore, because he has a very reliable jumper out to about 12-13 feet. If teams do not guard him out there he will shoot, if they do he will blow by them and dunk, pick your poison.

Negative

- The only glaring weakness in DeMarcus Cousins’ game is his defense. For a guy Cousins’ size (6′9″ 250 lbs.) he is not a very intimidating player on the defensive end. Cousins has the length and size to simply domintate the paint defensively but has not seemed to realize his potential on the defensive side of the ball. Cousins definitely shows signs of brilliance at times but has not been able to put up tournament long spurts of great defense. Until he does that he cannot be considered a very elite player.

Comparison

The player that compares most to DeMarcus Cousins would have to be Minnesota Timberwolves center Al Jefferson. The obvious similarity is the fact that both players are unbelievably big, both standing around 6′9″-6′10″ and weighing around 260 lbs. But also both players are monsters around the basket offensively, scoring at will when they have good position against the defender. But both also struggle at times defensively. Al Jefferson only averaged 1.5 block per game last season, that is not good enough for a guy with his size and length, the same goes for DeMarus Cousins. Both players have the tools to be 2-3 bpg guys but neither seems to be able to do it.

NOTE: We skipped #13 because it was Greg Echinique and he has classified to the 2008 class.

#14, Latavious Williams - Considering - Kansas State (HIGH), Baylor, Miss. St., Xavier

Positives

- The best part of Latavious Williams’ game is clearly his athleticsm for his position and for his overall size on the offensive end. Williams is about 6′7″ 200 lbs. but he plays above the rim as much as Dwight Howard. Williams is very aggressive around the basket when he has the ball and will challenge anyone when he is going up for a highlight reel play, usually a dunk. Williams impressed many scouts at the Houston Kingwood Classic in April, where he had twice as many dunks as anyone at the tournament. Williams’ aggressivness near the hoop needs to be coupled with an improved frame to become the dominate player that his potential has in store for him. Williams is only 200 lbs. as I mentioned so another 15-20 lbs. definitely would not hurt. He reminds many people of Tyrus Thomas because most of his baskets come off dunks and layups.

- The other positive in Williams’ game is his DEFENSIVE athleticsm. What I mean by that is he uses the same athletic ability on defense as he does on offense. The only difference is instead of dunking over people and jumping through the roof he is preventing people from dunking and jumping through the roof by making spectacular defensive plays by blocking the ball and reeling in rebound after rebound after rebound. Williams definitely has the body and skill set to become a 20-10 guy with a couple years of seasoning in college (Most likely at K-State).

Negative

- The glaring weakness in Latavious Williams’ game is his offensive skill set. Williams is the best in the nation at getting the ball and jamming it in the bucket but when he starts playing against better competition he will need to develop another way of scoring. Currently Williams does not have a reliable jump shot or even a go-to post move that a Daniel Orton or a DeMarcus Cousins has. Williams has the potential to be great, but he needs to find his style and find his moves and use them.

Comparison

I already touched on it earlier, the player that Latavious Williams plays most like is Chicago Bulls power forward Tyrus Thomas. Besides both having crazy first names both players are bouncy wing players who can drop down to power forward when need be. Both players have similar size (6′7″ 200 lbs.) and both players are above average shot blockers. The thing that both players need to improve on, though, is their offensive skill set. Thomas has made it to the league without any sign of a go-to move in the post, but to succeed in the league you need one. Garnett has the turnaround fade away, Duncan has the jumper off the glass, and even Stoudemire has the mid range jumper to keep teams off balance. Until then neither player will be truly great.

The rumor that was circulating the net earlier is not true according to Daniel Orton himself. Marc Maggard talked to Orton directly this morning to clear the air on his UK rumor. Orton said that the alleged Facebook account IS his but that he DID NOT make the post. Someone hacked is account apparently.

According to a wall post on a newly formed Facebook group entitled “Daniel Orton - Make the University of Kentucky your home & become a legend!”. This poster promises to be the real Daniel Orton and some other people have claimed it is him because his network or something, I do not know. Anyway this is what he said

Hey, i promise this is the real Daniel Orton. i joined this group looking for help recruiting a few players to UK with me. John Wall, John Henson, Mason Plumlee and Terrence Boyd. I feel with atleast two of the guys along with me we can bring in the 8th national title to UK. John Henson and Mason Plumlee i know have already committed. Im working on pulling them out of that. I feel though with the UK fan support we can bring these guys all to Kentucky

That is pretty exciting if true because it looks like he has just about made his mind up and is now trying to get people to join in. For those who do not know John Henson is one of the top 10 players in the 2009 class and is committed to North Carolina andMason Plumlee is a top 50 player in the 2009 class and is committed to Duke. The other two are John Wall and Terrence Boyd and Wall is the #1 player in the class of 2009 and is considering the Cats, as is top 50 prospect Terrence Boyd.

This is just about impossible but if we could land Orton, Henson, and Wall to go along with Jon Hood and GJ Vilarino that would be the best class since the Michigan “Fab Five“.

More coming later…

Rumor Mill

- The first rumor from this past week that I have heard is that DeAndre Liggins, a member of Kentucky’s 2008 recruiting class, has reached eligibility status after recieving his much anticipated test scores. A message board poster made the claim that he knows someone in the UK admitance field and they said he had qualified, but those claims have been put to bed by Catspause.com’s Matt May in this article. According to Liggins’ high school coach they are still awaiting the test results.

- Another rumor circling the net is that Josh Harrellson is not playing very well down at UK. Several posters on the House of Blue have stated that during the latest UK Father/Son Basketball Camp that he played poorly and was upset with his playing time and what not. Another poster who actually has valid information alot has stated that he talked directly to Harrellson and he said that he is just frustrated that he is not getting as much PT as he would like, cry me a river JH.

Recruiting Trail - Scholarships for everyone Edition

- Roscoe Smith, a 2010 recruit from Maryland, said in an interview yesterday that UK has offered him a scholarship. Smith has not played very much AAU ball this summer, instead he has chosen to work on academics and his personal game. Smith has some pretty impressive offers from the likes of Connecticut, Florida State, Georgetown, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Texas, Texas A&M, and Virginia. He stands 6′6″ 185 lbs. and averaged 23.0 pts, 11 reb, and 7 asst per game last season.

- Another player that has claimed an offer from UK is a fellow 2010 player, Josh Smith. Smith is a HUGE kid at 6′9″ 265 lbs. and he plays on the same AAU team as UofL commit Peyton Siva. Many have said that it will be very difficult to keep Josh Smith from the west coast, similar to 2009 standout Renardo Sidney.

- The internet has been EXPLODING with talk about Daniel Orton, the #1 center in the country and unanimous top 10 player. In an interview with Kentucky Sports Radio’s Matt Jones, Orton said:

There has been some speculation that Kentucky is your leader, is that true?

Yeah, Kentucky is kinda my leader. I like them a whole lot.

Why is it that Kentucky is your leader at this point?

I mean its just a crazy place for basketball. When I went to their Elite Camp, I flew in and got there really late because there was a flight delay. So I got to the hotel at like 3 a.m. and then the next day when I got up, I walked in the lobby and there were these fans there who knew who I was and said to come to Kentucky. I mean that is just crazy. They have such great fans.

Are there any other schools that stand out for you right now?

No, the other schools are really equal.

 
Orton has been considered the best center nationwide for over a year now and he would be a HUGE get for this staff. Orton was asked in an interview with Scout.com’s Evan Daniels if anyone was sticking out, and he responded, “Probably just Kentucky.”. This is really big news for all UK followers because UK has not landed a top flight center since 2003 when we got Randolph Morris.

- Another 2010 prospect, Harrison Barnes, said in an interview with KentuckyInk’s Marc Maggard that he really likes UK and they are among his favorite schools. Maggard has said that UK is in very good position for Barnes, a future 5-star player.

Video of the Week

Roscoe Smith

The votes are in for the first matchup and the winner was the 1946 Cats over the 1979 Cats. The 1949 team will now take on the 1966 Wildcats, who received a bye, in the second round.

Point Guards
1951 Frank Ramsey vs. 1981 Dirk Minnifield

This one is moderately close because of the fame of both players and the great teams each of them were apart of. Minnifield is still the most storied point guard coming out of high school in UK history, he was a Parade and McDonald’s All-American and was a consensus top 5 player in the country, not to mention he won Mr. Basketball in the state of Kentucky as a senior. Ramsey was apart of the 1951 National title team as well as being named a college All-American in each of his three seasons at UK. But you have to give the nod to Dirk Minnifield because he simply was a better point guard. He had more assists in two individual seasons than Ramsey had in his entire career, and he was a much better shooter from the field (Almost 20% better for his career) and from the line (10% better). Minnifield also was named All-SEC three tiimes.
Advantage: Dirk Minnifield, 1981

Shooting guards
1951 Bobby Watson vs. 1981 Jim Master

I believe that the 1981 team wins this matchup for many of the same reasons as the first one. Master was a far better shooter from all aspects of the court than Watson was and was a much more prototypical two-guard as well. Master was a better scorer, defender, and passer than Watson was as well, this one is not very close in my opinion because if you look at their stats Master has a clear advantage in just about every single category.
Advantage: Jim Master, 1981

Small Forwards
1951 Shelby Linville vs. 1981 Derrick Hord

The only reason why I would say Hord wins this matchup is because Linville was not a very productive player. The 1951 squad relied heavily on three or four main players and Linville simply was not one of them. And although the 1981 UK team had Sam Bowie on it they were very balanced in their scoring and playing style, so Hord still was a major factor.
Advantage: Derrick Hord, 1981

Power Forwards
1951 Cliff Hagan vs. 1981 Fred Cowan

Just to give you a little heads up this is the only player matchup that I think the 1951 team wins in this game. Hagan is unanimously considered one of the greatest Kentucky players in the history of the program while Fred Cowan is most likely only remembered by people who follow the program closely. Hagan was a two-time All-American in his three seasons and also made two All-SEC teams and he ranks in the top 10 in career scoring and rebounding at UK, one of the only a handful to accomplish that feat. This one is easy.
Advantage: Cliff Hagan, 1951

Centers
1951 Bill Spivey vs. 1981 Sam Bowie

Although Bill Spivey is still remembered by those who saw him play and even those who did not he does not compare to Sam Bowie. I mean Sam “Crazy Legs” Bowie was picked ahead of Michael Jordan in the draft! He must have been good. Bowie averaged over 17 points per game this season and was in the prime of his college and overall basketball career during this season. Bowie set career highs in many, and almost all, statistical categories during this season, including points, assists, blocks, steals, free throws made, and field goals made.
Advantage: Sam Bowie, 1981

Coaches
1951 Adolph Rupp vs. 1981 Joe B. Hall

Stupid question.
Advantage: Adolph Rupp, 1951

#15, Jordan Hamilton - Considering Texas, Kansas, UCONN, USC

Positives

- The best part of Jordan Hamilton’s game has to be his overall scoring ability. Hamilton is a very good overall shooter and can score in many different ways on the court. Hamilton is very good at scoring in bunches as well, he is currently second in scoring at the NBA Players Camp in Virginia, which hosts the top 100 players in the nation. Hamilton is a big strong kid that can get in the lane is a very good finisher as well. At 6′7″ he has the size to take his time while shooting and is a very good shooter. Hamilton might be the most physical guard/forward in the nation as well, he is 6′7″ 210 lbs. and just bullies smaller opponents around the court, a skill that will come in handy in the college game that he will be playing in a couple years.

- Hamilton also has the god given skill of being tall for his position. Hamilton actually is not just tall, he is big as well. Hamilton, as I mentioned before, has an imposing figure for his position, he might be the only 6′7″ 210 lbs. two-guard you will see in the 2009 class. Hamilton takes full advantage of his size as well, bullying players around on his way to the basket (As I mentioned earlier…again) and scoring in the post. Hamilton wil most likely play shooting guard in college so learning how to score from all areas on the court is a very good thing that will help him out in the long run.

Negative

- The main thing that Jordan Hamilton is going to have to improve upon is his ballhandling. As I stated earlier, he will most likely play shooting guard in college, although he is a small forward now and with that transition he is going to have to learn how to handle the ball better. Mainly because shooting guards are much better on ball defenders most of the time than small forwards and they can strip the ball easier because they are lower to the ground. Hamilton can get away with this flaw now because he is physically overpowering to most players he faces but as he gets older and plays against bigger, more mature players that gap will become smaller and smaller and his flaws will be revealed if they are not fixed.

Comparison

The player that I would compare Jordan Hamilton to is Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Joe Johnson. Like Johnson, Hamilton is bigger than most of his defenders, both players are 6′7″ and over 210 lbs. Johnson is definitely bigger and stronger but you must take into account the fact that he is about 10 years older than Hamilton. Both players have the ability to score in bunches and have very well rounded offensive packages. I would say Hamilton is not as good off the dribble as Johnson but with some instruction that can be cleared up. In my opinion Hamilton has the ability and tools to become better than Johnson is right now, and Johnson is an all-star.

#16 - Leslie McDonald - Committed to North Carolina

Positives

- The biggest positive in Leslie McDonald’s game has to be his length and size for his position. Although you might not consider this to be a skill, McDonald has a very imposing figure for a shooting guard. Not only is he 6′5″ 200 lbs., he has the wingspan of someone 3′-4′ taller than him. McDonald uses his length to his full advantage by harrassing smaller opponents while he is on defense or by taking his time on his release because no one his height or shorter is going to get high enough to block it.

- The other part of McDonald’s game that is very good is his fluidity on the court. McDonald is just one of those players that seem to make the toughest plays look easy. He seems to float in the air instead of jumping, some of this is because of the length I talked about earlier, he has a longer leash on the basketball court because he can make up for minor setbacks with his length. McDonald might be the “smoothest” player that you will see come out of the 2009 class. In some ways he reminds me of NBA Hall of Famer George Gervin because of how easy he makes plays look, as The Ice Man did.

Negative

- The only knock on Leslie McDonald’s game is his strength. Although he is 200 lbs. he still does not have that solid body you are looking for in a high prospect or a college player. Guys like OJ Mayo and Eric Gordon succeeded in the colllege game last season because of how strong their bodies were, both in the upper body and lower body. Guys in the D-I ranks are generally alot stronger at each and every position so to drive the lane and have the same finishing ability as he does now McDonald is going to hit the weight room over the summer, this coming season, and at North Carolina.

Comparison

I would compare Leslie McDonald most to Houston Rockets shooting guard Tracy McGrady. Not only do they both have the Mc- at the beginning of their name (As do I), but they both make the game look so easy with their constant length and fluid plays. McGrady does have about 3′ on McDonald but both are a little lighter than most college/NBA players their size and both are very good defenders and all-around scorers.

The BOSTON CELTICS JUST WON THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rajon Rondo was unbelievable, Paul Pierce was incredible, and Kevin Garnett was……. Well, he was Kevin Garnett. Doc Rivers coached brilliantly and the bench was tremendous!!!!! WOOOOOOO

Recruiting Trail

- First off today is that Emmanuel Negedu committed to the hated University of Tennessee yesterday according to Jody Demling’s blog. Tennessee is bringing in a very solid class this season, not necesarily loaded with All-Americans, aside from Scotty Hopson they have three 4-star players that all seem to fly under the radar. UT also has a three-star point guard coming in that fits their style nicely as well.

- Roburt Sallie also committed to a school located in the state of Tennessee, Memphis according to Jim Tirey of Catspause.com. Sallie had originally planed to visit UK this thursday but canceled the visit as he veraballed to the Tigers on his visit there. Sallie is uber athletic and can play the 1, 2, & 3, he was the California JUCO POY this past season in San Francisco.

Rumor Mill - R.I.P. Edition

- R.I.P. Hunter McClintock. No he did not die but it looks as though the internet sensation is going to die. According to Marc Maggard McClintock should not be expecting a scholarship offer from UK at any point. Many people have said he does not make his teammates better and he is not athletic at all, especially to play in the SEC.

- R.I.P. Lance Stephenson rumors. The day after a story broke that Stephenson had added UK to his final three schools his father came out and named off UCLA, USC, Kansas, and St.John’s as his final four schools. And yes St.Johns surprised me as much as you.

-R.I.P. Derrick Caracter’s NBA dreams. Caracter left UofL to enter the NBA but decided to pull his name out of the draft yesterday and will transfer to another school. It looks like Caracter’s NBA dreams will never be reached, not that they were going to be before.

Other News and Notes

- According to Jody Demling’s blog again, UK signee Dakota Euton has been ruled ineligible to play at Scott County (KY) High School this coming high school season by the KHSAA. I would understand if the reason was because he played last season at Rose Hill (KY) Academy but his teammate Chad Jackson who played last season at Rose Hill as well was ruled eligible. More to come later.

- The 12th annual Derek Smith Shootout Tournament kicks off at Hoops in Louisville, KY tomorrow. I will be attending and for all those that have not heard of the teams involved and schedules you can click here to view all the matchups and times. Some of the key teams involved are: Louisville Manual, Elliott County, Louisville Eastern, Lexington Catholic (Two teams), Louisville PRP, Louisville Male, and Louisville Trinity.

- Do not forget to visit the new UKmadness Message Board. You can join for free to talk about all UK sports, I will update you on info there before I write it here so check it out. Follow this link to visit it now.

- The last note is from this past weekend. WHAT A WEEKEND OF GOLF! This will definitely be the only time I will ever talk good about golf on this blog but I actually sat and watched multiple hours of golf on sunday and monday. That round of golf between Rocco Mediate and Tiger “The great one” Woods was the best I have ever seen. Tiger proved he is a beast and unstoppable this weekend.