WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

I recently stumbled across this story from CBS Sportsline, originally published in October, 2004. The column, written by Greg Doyle, lists the ten best shooting guards from college basketball that season. Now, more than four years later, some of these former superstars are tearing it up in the NBA, while others are playing in Europe, and others are narrowly hanging on to their basketball lives here in the United States. Let's take a look at who made it big and who fizzled out since then, in Saturday Morning Sports' Where Are They Now?

BIG TIME PLAYERS
Point guards one and two from the list are Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Both are now superstar players in the NBA, and look to be all-star players for years to come. Paul is averaging 20.3 points and 11.6 assists per game for New Orleans, and Williams is scoring nearly 10 points and dishing out 11.8 assists a game for Utah as he makes his way back from an ankle injury.
Danny Granger is the only small forward who can be considered a Big Time Player, and he is certainly one of the best 3's in the game right now. Granger, who signed a massive deal to stay in Indiana this past offseason, is scoring nearly 25 points per game for Jim O'Brien's Pacers this season.

GOOD NBA PLAYERS
These are the players who aren't necessarily superstars, but are solid contributors for teams in the NBA. Andrew Bogut of the Bucks was listed as the NCAA's third best center in 2004. Bogut of course went on to be the number one overall pick for Milwaukee. The Australian big man is averaging a double double (11.4 points, 10.9 boards) so far this year. Another Buck on this list is Charlie Villanueva. The former UConn star is scoring 12 points per game while hitting 94% from the line. Hakim Warrick of the Grizzlies can fit this list as well. The Helicopter Man, and 19th overall pick by Memphis back in 2005, has played sporadically since his rookie season, and is just now getting serious PT for the awful Grizz. In 23.1 minutes, Warrick is scoring nearly 10 points per game. Raymond Felton of the Bobcats has been pretty good so far in his NBA career. Who knows if he will be in Charlotte for long, though, with the Bobcats drafting Texas point guard DJ Augustine in the first round.

NOT GREAT, BUT NOT TERRIBLE
The majority of players from this article fall into this category. Some get a little playing time, while others are rotting at the end of the bench. All, however, are still in the NBA.
College basketball's all-time leading three point shooter, JJ Redick, is playing sparingly for the Orlando Magic. In his first two seasons, Redick barely played. But now, with Michael Pietrus out for 3-4 months with a thumb injury, and Kieth Bogans shelved as well, Redick is getting an opportunity to play. He is averaging 18.4 minutes per game this season, but his trademark three just isn't falling. He is scoring only 4.4 points a game, on 29.4% shooting from behind the arc. Adam Morrison, who battled it out with Redick for player of the year honors, fits in here as well. Rumors continue to swirl that Morrison may be traded. At this point, he looks like a bust having been picked so high in the draft. Francisco Garcia has been OK for the Kings so far, and Ronny Turiaf, Shelden Williams, Josh Boone, Ike Diogu, Channing Frye, Jarret Jack, Ryan Gomes, Nate Robinson, Linas Kleiza, Paul Millsap, and Chuck Hayes all fit into this column nicely. Millsap, Turiaf, Robinson, and Gomes have been surprisingly good from this list, while Williams, Boone, and Diogu are simply mediocre. JR Giddens was drafted by the Celtics this past year, and is currently on the Utah Flash of the D-League, and Rashad McCants has been solid for Kevin McHale's Timberwolves.

NEVER MADE IT, BUT STILL IN BASKETBALL
These are those guys who were great in college, and then fizzled out quickly in the NBA, but are still trying their hand at pro ball. Remember Lawrence Roberts from Mississippi State? According to Wikipedia, he's playing for Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian League. Taylor Coppenrath from Vermont is playing the Spanish League. As is former Kansas star Wayne Simien, who did in fact win a ring in the NBA with the 2005-06 Miami Heat. Carl Krauser, who played at Pitt for about as long as Julius Hodge played for NC State (10 years maybe?) is in the CBA with the Pittsburgh Xplosion, and former Syracuse great Gerry McNamara, listed as the top shooting guard, has played in the D-League, and leagues in Greece, and Latvia.

OUT OF BASKETBALL
That just leaves former Iowa guard Pierre Pierce.The higest scoring member of the Hawkeyes, Pierce was kicked off the team after being arrested for third-degree burglary, assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, false imprisonment, and criminal mischief. He served 332 days in prison, and was released on probation; the terms of which prevented him from leaving Iowa to pursue a career in the NBA.

SYRACUSE LOOKS LIKE THE REAL DEAL

What a week for Syracuse sports. Just days after the Orange football team knocked off 19.5 point favorites Notre Dame in South Bend, the basketball team beat 18th ranked Florida and 23rd ranked Kansas on back to back nights in the CBE Classic.

In taking down the past three National Champions (Florida in '06 and '07, KU last year), and two straight ranked opponents, the Orange are pretty much assured of a spot in the next set of rankings. Impressively, Syracuse came back from 13 down in the second half to beat the Jayhawks in front of a raucous Kansas crowd. While technically the game was a "neutral site" game, it was played in Kansas City, where KU hadn't lost a regular season game since 1983.

Syracuse won this game with smart play, good execution, and a tremendous coaching job by Jim Boeheim. He decided to switch from the club's usual 2-3 zone into man to man early in the second half and was instantly rewarded. The Orange quickly got back into the game when Jonny Flynn forced turnovers on back to back KU possessions, leading to easy baskets at the other end. Paul Harris was a monster on the glass, pulling down 14 rebounds to go with his 14 points, and Arinze Onuaku was tremendous inside, with 19 points and 12 rebounds in 39 minutes of play.

The real star for Syracuse though was Flynn. The sophomore point guard from Niagara Falls, New York is one of the most talented players in the country. While he was held in check in the first half, Flynn erupted in the second, scoring 23 of his 25 points in the second half and overtime. It was his three pointer as well that sent the game into OT. Flynn faked Kansas big man Cole Aldrich out with a great crossover, then drained a pull-up three from the wing with 6.4 seconds left to knot the game at 72, and the Orange cruised in overtime, finally winning 89-81.

The comeback was especially impressive considering Kansas' start to the year. In their first three games since winning the National Championship, the Jayhawks were 3-0 while winning by an average of 24 points, and holding opponents to a meager 27% from the field.

It looks like Syracuse is the real deal this season. They can score from the inside (Onuaku), and the outside (Rautins, Devendorf), and have plenty of slashers who can get to the hoop (Devendorf, Harris, freshman Kris Joseph). If they can improve the 2-3 zone, or play more man to man defense, they should get much better as a team. And as Jonny Flynn goes, so go the Syracuse Orange. It will be his play that dictates how far this team can go.

Last night's win has 'Cuse fans remembering another victory over Kansas, in the 2003 National Championship game. While it's too early to say Syracuse is a legitimate title contender, they are certainly a better team than they have been the past few seasons.

CAN 10 BIG EAST TEAMS REALLY MAKE THE TOURNAMENT?

Just like last year, the Big East is loaded. Looking at the current top 25, the conference has teams ranked second, third, fourth, eighth, and fifteenth, not to mention Villanova and Georgetown towards the bottom of the rankings (20th and 21st respectively). That's seven teams already considered among the 25 best in the nation.

Last season, the Big East got eight teams into the dance. This year, they should get nine, and could possibly get 10. Now I know what your thinking. How can the Big East get 10 teams into the field? Well, let's take a look...

In March of last year, Notre Dame, Louisville, West Virginia, Connecticut, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Villanova, and Marquette all were included in the NCAA tournament field. Connecticut (currently ranked #2 in the nation) is a lock to make it back. As are Louisville (#3), Pittsburgh (#4), and Notre Dame (#8). Two more, in Marquette (#20) and Georgetown (#21) are not guarantees, but really have no excuses for not being near the top. Georgetown lost big man Roy Hibbert, but added freshman center Greg Monroe, who has averaged 17 points and 7.5 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes a game so far this season. They return guard Austin Freeman, now a sophomore, and forward DaJuan Summers, a junior who will be much better and more experienced this year. Marquette didn't really lose anybody, as the club's two best scorers, guards Jerel McNeal and Dominic James are back for their senior years. Theoretically, the Big East has seven teams that should already be in.

Syracuse, who's roster dwindled down to seven players last season because of injuries, should be much stronger in 2009. While freshman forward Donte Greene left for the riches of NBA glory, they bring back stellar point guard Jonny Flynn, as well as center Arinze Onuaku and rebounding machine Paul Harris. Add the return of three point gunners Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins, who both were lost to torn ACL's last season, and the Orange(men) should be in good shape. Additionally, the team's RPI, which will be better this year, should be a positive, not a negative, for this year's club. Tough road games at #18 Florida (tonight) and #17 Memphis, plus the impossible gauntlet of Big East games, should help Syracuse make the tourney for the first time in three years.

West Virginia, who knocked off second seeded Duke in the second round last year, has a chance to get back in despite losing star forward Joe Alexander. Alex Ruoff returns as the only senior on the roster, and a talented group of newcomers will help as well. The four sophomores on this team gained valuable experience being a part of last season's Sweet 16 team, and could help the Mountaineers make it back this March. ESPN's Joe Lunardi, on his bracketology page, currently has West Virginia as an eight seed in the tournament.

Those nine should all make it. But who will be the tenth? Providence, Cincinnati, Seton Hall, and DePaul are all young teams, and all have a chance. With the Big East currently as strong as any conference, arguably ever, playing those top 15 teams will be an advantage. Furthermore, with every team making the Big East tournament this year, a tenth team that may be on the bubble could get hot and squeeze into March Madness.

It's definitely a long shot, but there is certainly a chance we could see the Big East make history in just a few months.

GREATEST COLLEGE BASKETBALL DUNKS OF ALL-TIME

Now that College Basketball is underway for the 2008-2009 season, let's take a look back at some of the greatest dunks in NCAA hoops history. All of these dunks took place during games, so you won't find anything from a dunk contest in here. While I won't say that these are necessarily the 5 greatest dunks of all-time, they are five of my personal favorites.

5. Russell Westbrook can fly--UCLA


4. Dahntey Jones above the rim--Duke

Extra points for the unnecessary celebration.

3. Jarvis Basnight jumps over a defender--UNLV


2. Send it in Jerome!--Pittsburgh

Love the commentary from Bill Raftery just as much as the dunk.

1. The Helicopter Man posterizes Notre Dame--Syracuse

Complete with a friendly reminder from Raftery to "bring your lunch!"

Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment or send us an e-mail, wntnsports@gmail.com and be sure to listen to Saturday Morning Sports: Saturdays from noon to one on 1550am WNTN and WNTN.com.

SATURDAY MORNING SPORTS ALL-AMERICA TEAMS

With the College Basketball season officially kicking off this week, now seems like a logical time to predict the All-America teams, as well as Player of the Year, for the upcoming season. Also, check out 5 Freshman to Watch, and be sure to listen to our College Basketball Preview next week on Saturday Morning Sports, noon to 1:00pm every Saturday on 1550am WNTN and WNTN.com.

ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
G- Darren Collison- Senior, UCLA
G- Stephen Curry- Junior, Davidson
F- Blake Griffin- Sophomore, Oklahoma
F- Tyler Hansbrough- Senior, North Carolina
C- Hasheem Thabeet- Junior, Connecticut

ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
G- Jonny Flynn- Sophomore, Syracuse
G- Ty Lawson- Junior, North Carolina
G- James Harden- Sophomore, Arizona State
F- Luke Harangody- Junior, Notre Dame
F- Patrick Patterson- Sophomore, Kentucky

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Everybody seems to be picking Tyler Hansbrough of UNC as their pre-season Player of the Year. Saturday Morning Sports, however, is picking...

BLAKE GRIFFIN- Sophomore, Oklahoma
Griffin averaged 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per game last season. With another year under his belt, he should be one of the best in college hoops this season. In his first game this year (Friday night vs. American University), Griffin scored 24 points with 18 rebounds in 33 minutes of action.

THE TOP 5 FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Next week on the show, Mark and I will have our 2008 College Basketball Preview. Until then, here's a quick look at the top five freshman on campus this season. Last year, top first year players included the likes of OJ Mayo, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, Anthony Randolph, and Jerryd Bayless, all top 15 picks in the NBA draft.

1. DeMar DeRozan--F, USC, 6-7, 200 lbs
The Compton, California product (pictured) will pick up right where OJ Mayo left off when he bolted for millions of dollars and the thrill of playing for the Memphis Grizzlies. DeRozan is ridiculously athletic and can score from anywhere on the floor. Maybe he won't score 30.6 points per game, like he did his senior year at Compton High, but he'll certainly be a focus in the USC offense.

2. Jrue Holiday-- SG, UCLA, 6-3, 190 lbs
Holiday has been called the best UCLA freshman since Baron Davis, and the season hasn't even really started yet! He dominated the McDonald's High School All-American game last year, putting up 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 assists. The return of point guard Darren Collison helps Holiday because he won't have to handle the ball as much and can play at the 2 instead of running the offense for the Bruins.

3. Samardo Samuels--F, Louisville, 6-8, 240 lbs
Rick Pitino's Cardinals will get a huge boost from Samuels, who is set to play a ton of minutes this season. The 6-8 Jamaican is a tremendous rebounder, and was named USA Today's National Player of the Year. He may, however, take some time to get used to the college game. Plus he is the only player on this list, or any of our lists for that matter, with the first name of Samardo.

4. Kemba Walker--G, UConn, 6-0, 175 lbs
Walker is the now rarely seen pass-first point guard. The former Rice High (Bronx, NY) star is extremely quick and is very good handling the rock. If Jim Calhoun wants to pressure the ball and press more this season, he certainly got the right guy for the job. Walker also has the best nickname of any player coming into college hoops this year: EZ Pass.

5. Tyreke Evans--SG, Memphis, 6-6, 219 lbs
Not a great jump shot. That's really the only knock on Evans' game coming into his first (and probably only) year at Memphis. He has a quick first step and is a strong passer, so he should be able to drive and kick, or throw it down. He has a 6-11 wingspan, and will fit in well in John Calipari's system. He should give a nice boost to a team that lost three of it's starters--Derrick Rose (Bulls), Chris Douglas-Roberts (Nets), and Joey Dorsey (Rockets)-- to the NBA.