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As the Miami Heat’s 27-game winning streak finally came to an end last night, the basketball world can now give its full attention to the Sweet Sixteen, which begins tonight.
The 12 games between now and Sunday will narrow down the field of 68 to the Final Four who will meet in Atlanta next weekend for a shot at the national title.
While March Madness officially tips off Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio, some of the top college basketball programs and their fanbases are anxiously looking ahead to the recruiting madness that will unfold in the coming weeks.
Five elite Class of 2013 recruits remain uncommitted and are expected to make their announcements during and after March Madness.
Among the group of five are three who are considered lottery locks for the 2014 NBA draft: Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle and Aaron Gordon.
One NBA GM recently told ZAGSBLOG.com that all three guys – along with several other committed players – would go first in this year’s draft were they eligible.
“I think conservatively there are probably seven guys in next year’s draft that would have a shot at going No. 1 in this year’s draft,” he said.
The Kansas Jayhawks won the Big 12 championship and will be making their 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, more than any other team in the nation. Here are five things to know about the Jayhawks:
1. They’ve won nine straight Big 12 titles. Kansas dominates that league like no other. The Jayhawks have also won nine of the 17 Big 12 tournaments that have been played, including six of the past eight. They dominate the Big 12 like
2. Their numbers are great across the board. Kansas leads the nation in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 36% shooting from the floor. They also rank 1st in the nation in rebounding (39.1 per game), and 14th in field goal percentage (48%).
3. They had one bad week. Aside from three straight losses in early February, including an inexcusable loss at TCU, Kansas has been a juggernaut this season. The ‘Hawks went 0-3 from February 2-9. They went 29-2 the rest of the way.
4. Freshman Ben McLemore could be the top pick in the draft. McLemore averages 16.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and he is an athletic freak with a long wingspan and tremendous leaping ability. He’s not the best player in college basketball this season, but he does have the most potential.
5. Elijah Johnson is the leader of this team. The senior point guard came on strong in the NCAA Tournament last season and was one of the main reasons why the Jayhawks advanced to the national championship game. He can go off at any time, as evidenced by the 39 points he had in an overtime win at Iowa State. If he decides to take over in the NCAAs, Kansas could cut the nets down.
Sign up for the SheridanHoops/Sportsbook Bracket Challenge. $100,000 first prize.
Kels Dayton is a freelance writer whose work has also appeared in SLAM Magazine. You can check out more of his work at RoundballDaily.com. Follow him on Twitter @RoundballDaily.
Welcome to another edition of “Where Are They Now?” For the unfamiliar, we at Sheridan Hoops track down the stars of yesteryear and inform you, the reader, of where it is they have ended up.
From ex-NBA standouts to college basketball award winners, we’re determined to find every player you shouldn’t have forgotten about. Not only are many of these players still contributing at a high level, but they’re upholding the standard that fans once set for them when they were in the American spotlight.
Just remember—the NBA isn’t the only place for stars to shine.
The NBA draft is all about projections and potential. A generation ago, most NBA executives’ strategy was to compare prospects based on their collegiate careers. Then the Fab Five arrived at Michigan, and suddenly the process was flipped upside down. Underclassmen were scrutinized, analyzed and scouted thoroughly by NBA clubs who wanted to get the next big-time prospect.
While prospects with high upside are intriguing, they come with more risk than upperclassmen. The lottery is annually dominated by underclassmen, primarily freshmen.
