Unknown in the U.S., Parks has celebrity status in the Philippines

Unknown in the U.S., Parks has celebrity status in the Philippines
Luke Winn, SI.com

PHILADELPHIA -- The boys' varsity basketball team at St. George's Independent School in Collierville, Tenn., enjoys the luxury of having many of its games webcast on the site justin.tv, a channel run by a student named John Christian Williams. During breaks in the action, Williams will monitor the chat room that accompanies the live feed of the Gryphons' games, and typically, a few students and local fans drop by during road games or weekday games that they can't attend. The rest of the chatters, however, tend to be from a place with a 13-hour time difference: the Philippines.

Williams estimates that each of his webcasts is viewed by at least 10 Filipino fans; Filipinos also search out the highlight reels Williams posts on his Web site, gryphonsbasketball.com, on the days after games. If Williams is delayed in posting those compilations -- say, by homework, or an impending test -- he can expect an e-mail from someone in the Philippines. "Hey, John, I know you might be busy," it might read, "but if you have a chance to post last night's highlights, I'd love to see them."

What those Filipino fans are obsessing over, specifically, is a St. George's junior-to-be named Ray Parks.

Who is Ray Parks? In the U.S. recruiting scene, he's a left-handed, 6-foot-3 guard with no profile page on Rivals.com, and a meager profile with a two-star rating (as "Bobby Parks") on Scout.com -- a sleeper prospect with limited exposure. On the official roster for the Reebok All-America Camp this week at Philadelphia University, he's listed by his full name, Bobby Ray Parks Jr. "We use that name for events," explains his father, Bobby Ray Sr., who made the trip from Memphis to Philly to watch his son at the camp. "My name is recognizable, and you have to do everything you can to help him get noticed. After that, it's up to him to show his talent." Memphis fans, or at least older Memphis fans, know the name Bobby Ray Parks. He starred for the then-Memphis State Tigers from 1980-84 under coach Dana Kirk, and is currently the program's 15th-leading scorer of all-time.

The Atlanta Hawks selected him in the third round of the '84 draft, but his NBA career didn't make it past training camp. He was cut, then floated through a tryout with the Clippers, and stints in the CBA and France for a couple of years before settling in a country where his name now extremely well-known.

"My dad," Ray says, proudly, "is like the Michael Jordan of the Philippines."

That comparison isn't overly hyperbolical. In a 12-year career (1987-98) in the Philippines, where basketball is by far the most popular sport, Bobby Ray Sr. was named the Philippine Basketball Associate's Import of the Year -- the equivalent of the MVP award -- a record seven times, including after a season (1989) in which he averaged 52.6 points per game. In September he'll become just the second American (the other is Norman Black) to be inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame. Parks was Converse's main pitchman in the Philippines during his playing days, and also had roles in two Filipino films. The one the family owns a copy of, Wooly Bully 2, was a comedy released in 1990. "He was better than I expected," Ray says of his dad's acting chops. "I don't think anyone expects to see a giant black guy in a Filipino comedy, though."

Bobby Ray Sr. moved back to the U.S. from Manila in 2005, and Ray followed in 2006, before his eighth-grade year. Both Ray's mother (Marifer Celine Barbosa, who is divorced from Bobby Ray and now lives in Los Angeles) and stepmother (Jasmine, who lives with Ray in Memphis) are Filipino, and Ray fluently speaks Tagalog at home. Ray had been born and raised in Manila, where, because of his father's status as a pro athlete, the family had maids and a driver -- and therefore, Bobby Ray says, "the hardest part of bringing him to the U.S. was domesticating him.

"Ray had never seen a washing machine; he had never heard the words, 'Cut the grass,' because we had people doing everything. I had to keep nagging on him [to do chores]."

The main point of the move, though, was to expose Ray to better basketball competition so he could earn a Division I scholarship in the U.S., and pursue a potential pro future. Ray enrolled at St. George's because Elliot Williams, a first cousin of Bobby Ray's and a good friend of Ray's, was playing at the school. (Williams played a prominent role as a freshman for Duke last season, before transferring to Memphis this offseason to be closer to his mother, who's battling cancer.) Gryphons coach Jeff Ruffin says Ray can play nearly every position -- "He's a hard-nosed kid who can bring up the ball against pressure, or play on the wing, or even in the post as a five if we had a great matchup" -- and as a sophomore, he led the Gryphons to the Tennessee Division 2-A state title game, scoring 29 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a heartbreaking, last-second loss.

Filipino fans discussed Ray's sophomore season -- and the justin.tv webcasts -- in a 24-page thread on the message board InterBasket titled "Filipino Ballers in the US ... News and Updates." Much of the thread was devoted to Ray and Western Kentucky center Japeth Aguilar, who's also of Filipino descent, in hopes that both of them would eventually make significant contributions to the country's struggling national team, which is 63rd in FIBA's world rankings, one spot behind Estonia and one spot ahead of Indonesia.

Parks made news in the Philippines in January by returning there to try out for the Under-16 national team. He made the squad and was also told he'd likely have a place on the country's senior national team when it attempts to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London.

There were also pleas for him play his final two years of high school in Manila, against college competition; Ray says there's only a slim chance of this happening, but that a few Filipinos have e-mailed him "essays" on why he should stay in the country. (In an article in the Philippine Star in January, national team executive director Noli Eala went as far as to say, "Ray-Ray [his nickname] has the perfect basketball body -- long-limbed, slim, just like his father. ...The kid is special. Bobby is open for Ray-Ray to play college in Manila and his godfather Norman [Black, now a coach there], I'm sure, is talking to Ray-Ray about the possibility.")

At the Reebok camp, the night before the games began on Wednesday, Bobby Ray received a call from a representative of the junior national team, who asked, "Can you bring Ray over in September?" Ray plans to play with the team in a tournament in November, but they want him to come two months early -- when his dad arrives for the Hall of Fame ceremony -- to begin training. "I want him to play for the national team, and he wants to play, too," says Bobby Ray, "but I don't know if I can pull him out of school for two months."

Given that Ray is already spending much of his summer away from home -- he went to elite camps at Virginia and Alabama, then the Reebok camp, and will be traveling with the Memphis-based Mike Miller AAU program to Las Vegas -- traveling for the entire fall as well is not ideal.

If Ray is considered high-major college material by next summer, Memphis and Virginia -- both of which already have some interest -- would be his two most likely destinations. The Tigers make sense because Bobby Ray played there, still lives there, and is currently on scholarship at the school -- at the invitation of the athletic department -- as he takes adult education classes in hopes of earning the degree he didn't finish while playing for the Tigers. The Cavaliers make sense because Bobby Ray is currently the personal assistant to John Paul "Jack" Jones, a wealthy Memphian and UVA alum for whom the school's new basketball arena is named.

Looking much further into the future, Bobby Ray makes a point of noting, "There's never been a Filipino to make the NBA, and if [Ray] did that, it would open up such a big market [of 92 million Filipinos] for the league. But" -- and this is his realistic addendum to NBA dreaming -- "Ray's only been here for a few years, and he's barely even had a chance to get on the radar yet."

Ray plans on following in his father's footsteps in some regard -- no matter whether he sticks on the radar as Ray Parks, or Ray-Ray Parks, or Bobby Parks, or Bobby Parks Jr.; or whether he ends up making a bigger name as a hoopster in Memphis or Manila. As he played in Philadelphia on Wednesday, his camp-issued Reeboks were covered in black-markered inscriptions. One line, in English, read "Got it from my pops," while another, in Tagalog, read "Pangalawang laro." That, Ray says, means "Second game."

"My dad was the first game," he says, "and I've gotta do good, because I'm what's next."

Man oh man, there is never a dull moment in Tiger land

Wednesday Is a Big Day for Pastner and Memphis

Well, according to MemphisRoar Eric Bledsoe will choose Kentucky tomorrow over Memphis. That is quite unfortunate if it, in fact, does play out that way. However, it really wouldn't surprise me. At this point it is hard to expect the student (Pastner) to beat the teacher (Calipari) in the recruiting game. As a matter of fact, I would really expect that Pastner will need two or three years of coaching experience under his belt to effectively recruit versus Cal.

It was reported a few days ago that Lance Stephenson was considering both Arizona and Memphis after moving past St. John's and Maryland. Once again, it would be difficult to expect Pastner to beat out Sean Miller all things being equal. Yes, both are considered up and commers in the world of D1 basketball, but Miller has ten years coaching experience beyond Pastner. Yes, Miller only has four years as a D1 head coach, but he took Xavier to four straight NCAA appearances including an Elite 8 and Sweet 16 appearance. Ok, yes, he inherited a great program from Thad Matta, but he also kept it at a very high level.

Now all of this might be talk for nothing, as yesterday stories surfaced that Arizona would not take Stephenson. That, of course, remains to be seen. But, let's consider for a moment, would Josh Pastner take Lance Stephenson considering the similarities to O.J. Mayo. Stephenson is considered a selfish player and a locker room issue. Of course, so was Tyreke Evans and he proved his critics quite wrong during this one year stay in Memphis.

Don't get me wrong; if Lance Stephenson wants to come to Memphis, then by all means, figure out a way for that to happen. Pastner needs some good things to happen to keep this program in Top 20 range. Memphis is perhaps one player away from staying at that level - perhaps a Bledsoe, Williams or Stephenson.

Tomorrow the chips start falling.

Elite point guard Eric Bledsoe will visit Memphis Tigers

Elite point guard Eric Bledsoe will visit Memphis Tigers
By Dan Wolken, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Originally published 11:12 a.m., April 29, 2009

With the nucleus Josh Pastner expects to have in his first season as head coach, the University of Memphis is probably an elite point guard away from being one of the top college basketball teams in the country again.

As luck would have it, an elite point guard might be in town this weekend to check out the Tigers’ program.

Memphis is expecting Eric Bledsoe, one of the nation’s top point guard prospects, to arrive Thursday for an official visit, according to a source.

Bledsoe, who led Birmingham (Ala.) Parker to an upset over DeMarcus Cousins’ Mobile LeFlore team in the Alabama state semifinals in February, is ranked No. 23 by Rivals.com.

Of course, the Tigers have plenty of competition to land Bledsoe, who is one of the few difference-makers at any position still available in the senior class. Former Memphis coach John Calipari is trying to lure Bledsoe to Kentucky, though it appears Bledsoe would be a backup plan in case Calipari fails to sign top-ranked point guard John Wall.

Getting Bledsoe on campus would be a major coup for the new Memphis staff, which desperately needs a point guard next season. As things currently stand, Memphis expects Shawn Taggart to pull out of the NBA Draft and return for his senior year, joining junior college star Will Coleman in a formidable frontcourt. Memphis also will return Wesley Witherspoon, Roburt Sallie and Doneal Mack on the wings and add skilled 6-10 forward Angel Garcia, who sat out last season due to academics.

Memphis is also a finalist for Latavious Williams, a 6-7 forward from Starkville, Miss., who is rated among the top 20 players in the senior class by Rivals.com.

Tigers freshman Simpkins to leave basketball program

Tigers freshman Simpkins to leave basketball program
By Dan Wolken, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Matt Simpkins’ basketball career at the University of Memphis is over.

Simpkins, a 6-9 forward who was suspended in February for numerous off-court issues, left the program today and will transfer to another school.

Coach Josh Pastner said Simpkins’ departure was a mutual decision.

“We had been talking for the last few days, and Matt has felt it’s best for him to look elsewhere,” Pastner said. “Like I told Matt and his mom, we’re going to do everything we can to help assist him and make sure he finds the best program that’s right for him with the support and everything else you’re looking for athletically, academically and socially.”

Simpkins came to Memphis last fall with some potential athletically – he was the 80th-ranked prospect nationally in the class of 2008, according to Rivals.com – but a history of behavioral and academic problems. Simpkins, who grew up in Oakland, Calif., went to seven different high schools and prep schools before finding his way to Memphis.

Because of questions about his transcript, the NCAA did not declare him eligible to play until mid-December, and Simpkins made his debut in the Tigers’ seventh game of the season, against Georgetown.

Simpkins appeared in 14 games, averaging 5.8 minutes and 1.4 points. He did not play in his final game with the team, a Feb. 4 victory at SMU. Two days later, as the Tigers were set to leave Dallas for Spokane, Wash., and a game against Gonzaga, Simpkins was sent back to Memphis and suspended by former coach John Calipari for violating team rules.

According to multiple sources, Simpkins’ infractions included breaking curfew, missing classes, showing up late to team functions and general attitude issues.

Simpkins, according to those sources, was caught going out after curfew on the evening before a Jan. 30 game against Houston and did not play the next day. Simpkins was caught violating curfew again the next week in Dallas, prompting the suspension.

Calipari did not allow Simpkins to be around the team for the rest of the season, saying he was under a strict contract if he wanted to get back in the program. Pastner said he met with Simpkins several times after the coaching change.

“It was a mutual thing, very positive, and we wish him nothing but the best,” Pastner said.

Juco Darnell Dodson signs with UK

Junior-college player Darnell Dodson has signed to play basketball with the University of Kentucky, Coach John Calipari announced on Friday.

Dodson, originally from Greenbelt, Md., attended Miami Dade Community College last season, where he helped guide the Sharks to a Southern Conference Championship and a 26-2 regular-season record.

The 6-foot-7 All-Southern Conference small forward averaged 15.7 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 76.7 percent from free-throw line.

When Dodson was a high school senior, Prep Stars rated him as a top-100 national prospect.

New UK assistant Orlando Antigua originally recruited Dodson for Pittsburgh.

Dodson was enrolled and taking classes at Pitt during the summer and fall of 2007 before it was determined he was ineligible due to NCAA Clearinghouse issues. He transferred to Miami Dade in October 2007.

Dodson wanted to return to Pitt, but Big East rules prevented his return. So he went to Miami Dade.

Dodson committed to Memphis after a visit last October. After Calipari moved to Kentucky, Dodson re-opened his recruitment.

Dodson joins DeMarcus Cousins (Mobile, Ala.), Kentucky Mr. Basketball Jon Hood (Madisonville) and Daniel Orton (Oklahoma City, Okla.) as members of UK's 2009 signing class.

The late signing period runs from April 15 through May 20.

Will Josh Pastner Allow Matt Simpkins to Return?

Will Josh Pastner Allow Matt Simpkins to Return?

A reader brought up this interesting question that The Commercial Appeal's Dan Wolken also touched on slightly last Wednesday (Memphis Tigers recruit Xavier Henry will sign with Kansas; what else will happen?). Can Matt Simpkins come back to Memphis and, more importantly, will Josh Pastner allow Simpkins to return.

As best I can remember, Cal dismissed Simpkins for breaking team rules either on the Dallas trip to play SMU this season or just before that game. I definitely remember he did not take the trip to Spokane for the Gonzaga game which came after the team stayed in Dallas following the SMU game(to save some money).

Simpkins' work ethic was called into question by pundits and fans together. It is no shock that Cal wouldn't put up with poor effort in practice or off the court. When your running a top program, your not going to let a #8 or #9 (Freshman) player cause problems (Cal's reaction most assuredly would have been different if this behavior had come from (Freshman) Tyreke Evans, your #1 player).

Based on everything I've read or heard about Josh Pastner - he lives and breaths work ethic. I expect Josh will expect his players to show much of the same effort and passion that he does personally. If Josh doesn't see Simpkins putting forth this type of effort in life or on the court, I suspect we won't see him back.

Memphis fans should look at Simpkins as another recruit - a top 100 recruit coming out of the Patterson (NC) school in the class of 2008.

The following were comments on Simpkins from Rivals.com's Jerry Meyer after Memphis had signed him a year ago.

"There is no doubt that Simpkins has the athleticism that Memphis values. The question, though, is whether or not he has the ball skills to make an immediate impact at Memphis," Meyer said. "The Memphis offense is predicated on everyone but the center being able to put the ball on the floor and make plays. I have doubts that Simpkins is ready for this role. He does give Memphis an athletic player who can go get the ball, however."

What Simpkins lacks in skill, Angel Garcia picks up the slack, Meyer says. The Puerto Rico native is 6 feet 10 and has a game that is best suited for the perimeter.

"Garcia brings the ball skills to fit in with the Memphis offense," Meyer said. "He is good with the ball and can shoot it. If he builds his body up, he could do a lot of the things at the four that Dozier does for Memphis and is a better long range shooter than Robert Dozier. Garcia's challenge is whether or not he can defend and rebound at the level Memphis expects."

Meyer said he doesn't anticipate either freshman to make a big enough impact to help the Tigers return to the big stage next year. The two man class's impact will be felt down the road. "Simpkins gives them more rebounding and defending-wise. Garcia gives Memphis more of what it wants on the offensive side of the ball. Whichever one improves his weaknesses the most has the best chance to have an impact," Meyer said. "In the end, though, I expect it to be later in the year or maybe not until they are sophomores before they are really ready."

Allow Me To Be Cynical for a Moment

Cousins........Dennis........Henry..........and another Henry

Will Dodson be next to bolt?

Complements to Will Coleman for showing loyalty to Memphis.

Sporting News - Former Memphis hoops signee picks Baylor

Former Memphis hoops signee picks Baylor
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Posted By Brian McLaughlin 1:37 PM
By Brian McLaughlin
Sporting News

The John Calipari domino effect continued Thursday as one of his Memphis signees from the fall, Nolan Dennis, has now signed a letter of intent with Baylor. When Calipari left his Memphis coaching position to head to Kentucky, Dennis asked to be released from the scholarship he signed in November, and the Tigers granted it.

When Dennis re-opened the process, Baylor, UConn and Oklahoma formed his top three after it became apparent there would be room for him to follow Calipari to Kentucky.

Dennis is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard out of Richland (North Richland Hills, Texas). He is considered a four-star level prospect by two recruiting services.

"When I was there, I felt good chemistry with the team," Dennis told Rivals.com. "The coaching staff is great and the school is nice. From the gym to the locker rooms, it has the feel of a NBA team. I just had a really good feel about the situation there ... Baylor has players going to The League who are putting the school on the map," he said. "I want to come in and help take the program to the next level."

Sporting News - Henry brothers make it official: Kansas

Henry brothers make it official: Kansas
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Posted By Brian McLaughlin 1:02 PM
By Brian McLaughlin
Sporting News

The guessing games are over, as Xavier and C.J. Henry are now committed to Kansas' basketball program, the same program their father--Carl Henry--played in more than two decades ago. The Henrys made the announcement at Xavier's high school Thursday.

The two had been on board with Memphis before coach John Calipari left for Kentucky. After the coach's departure, they were both released from their scholarships and re-entered the recruiting process just in time for the NCAA's late national signing period for basketball. It lasts from April 15 to May 20.

Kentucky and Memphis were considered the only other serious contenders for the Henrys, and Kentucky didn't currently have enough scholarships to go around anyway.

Xavier Henry is a 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Putnam County (Oklahoma City). C.J. Henry is a 6-4 guard.

"I'm just excited about being able to take my game to the next level," Xavier Henry said Thursday. "(Kansas) Coach (Bill) Self is really excited, especially now that he has both of us. He asked me, are you sure? I wanted to play for a really good team."

Older brother C.J. Henry had spent one season on Memphis' roster with Calipari, following a short professional baseball career. He will not be on scholarship at Kansas, instead coming on as a preferred walk-on because former professional athletes are not allowed to take scholarship money.

"I'm just ready to chill out and have fun," Xavier Henry said. "The recruiting was very stressful. My dad (Carl, who was a captain on Kansas' 1983 and 1984 teams) wanted it to be over more than me and C.J. did. He was excited that we made up our mind."

Xavier Henry averaged 28.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and shot 44-percent on 3-pointers last year as a senior at Putnam City.

CBS Sports - Top prospect Henry picks Kansas over Calipari

Top prospect Henry picks Kansas over Calipari
April 23, 2009
CBSSports.com staff and wire reports

OKLAHOMA CITY -- John Calipari's move to Kentucky has cost him one of his prized recruits.

Oklahoma City high school star Xavier Henry announced Thursday that he would not follow Calipari after he left Memphis, and committed instead to play at Kansas.

'I've always dreamed of going to Kansas,' Xavier Henry says Thursday. (AP)
"I've always loved Kansas, I've always watched them and it's always been a dream school for me," said Henry, who is considered the third-rated prospect in the country by both Rivals.com and ESPNU.

Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com first reported Henry's decision on Wednesday.

In reversing course, Henry fell in line with family tradition. His parents, Carl and Barbara, both played basketball for the Jayhawks and his brother, C.J., originally committed to Kansas before he decided to pursue baseball after being a first-round pick by the New York Yankees.

Big brother ended up playing a role in Xavier's decision, too. With his education being paid for by the Yankees, C.J. walked on at Memphis and redshirted last season. Xavier was going to follow him until Calipari replaced the fired Billy Gillispie at Kentucky.

The Henrys believe that C.J. will be allowed to transfer to Kansas -- which beat Memphis in the 2008 national championship game -- and not sit out another season because he is not on scholarship.

Kansas coach Bill Self, admittedly "crushed" when the Henrys first committed to Memphis, said Xavier was the most highly regarded prospect he has signed.

"Some people may have him the first, the third, the sixth, the eighth," Self said in a teleconference. "We've recruited some other great players, but I don't think we ever recruited a prospect who was rated so high across the board for his entire high school career.

"There are few players in high school that possess the body, the strength, the explosion and the outside perimeter ability that Xavier has. You've got to defend him wherever he is on the floor.

Henry said he has "always dreamed of going to Kansas."

"But I took a step back for my brother at Memphis, and now that he's cleared to play anywhere, I'll get my chance to play at Kansas," he said.

Xavier Henry, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard, averaged 28.3 points and 6.5 rebounds. He shot 44 percent from 3-point range last season in leading Putnam City High School to the state title in the class that features Oklahoma's largest schools.

Putnam City also won the Class 6A title in Henry's freshman year, just after C.J. had moved on.

"Me and my brother, there's no separating us. I'd do anything for my brother," Xavier Henry said. "That's why I was going to go to college with him even if I wasn't into it as much as Kansas. I just wanted to be with my brother, and I want to spend as much time as I can with him."

He chose not to follow in the footsteps of DeMarcus Cousins, another top five prospect who followed Calipari from Memphis to Kentucky.

"It was tempting just because of (Calipari)," Xavier Henry said. "Me and my brother, I don't think we ever really followed Kentucky. We knew about the tradition, but we never actually followed them. Kentucky wasn't that much of a pull, but coach Cal was a big pull for us."

Once the combination of his brother, Calipari and a stocked roster at Memphis disintegrated, the attraction of following in his parents' footsteps was automatic for Xavier -- and C.J. was on board, too.

"I'm not really following him," C.J. Henry told reporters by phone. "We just wanted to play together."

Xavier Henry adds to a freshman class that already was ranked among the best in the country. With top players Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich also putting off a jump to the NBA to keep the Jayhawks' starting five in tact from a run to the NCAA tournament round of 16, Kansas becomes a front-runner for the national championship next season.

"I don't know how good we're going to be, but I think we're going to be pretty good," Xavier Henry said. "If everything falls in to place -- no injuries and stuff -- we have a chance to win it all."

Barbara Henry said she was confident C.J. would be allowed to play next season, and she's tickled that her sons will be together at her alma mater.

"I think it's great. I know Xavier's heart was with Kansas as well when he chose Memphis," she said. "It was just that ... he wanted the opportunity to play with his brother for once in his life. He's always loved Kansas, so to me it's no surprise."

One decision that will have to wait is whether Xavier Henry's first season at Kansas also will be his last before heading to the NBA.

"If it happens, it happens, but I just want to concentrate on winning the national championship next year," Xavier Henry said. "There's nothing more I like than winning, and winning the right way. I want to try my hardest to win and help my team win."

Dan Wolken - A warning for Josh Pastner and R.C. Johnson

A warning for Josh Pastner and R.C. Johnson
Posted by Dan Wolken

When John Calipari was at Memphis, the 11 other coaches in Conference USA used to call him “The Commissioner” behind his back because he wielded a bigger hammer than anybody in the league, including the real commissioner Britton Banowsky.

There were a lot of things that the other schools in C-USA wanted to do that Calipari flat-out vetoed because it wasn’t in the best interests of his program. He vetoed going to an East/West division format. He vetoed going to 18 league games. He vetoed travel partners for road games (in other words, a Thursday-Saturday format where you play two home games or two road games each week as a cost-saving measure).

Now that Calipari is gone, here’s a well-informed prediction. At the league meetings next month, some C-USA programs will try to run over Memphis and attempt to shoehorn in every bad idea that Calipari vetoed.

This will be a test for new coach Josh Pastner and athletic director R.C. Johnson. If they do what’s right for Memphis — which still carries the freight on the basketball side, like it or not — they will do anything necessary to defeat these bad ideas. And believe me, they are bad ideas. If Calipari knew anything, he knew the formula for maintaining national relevance in Conference USA. Messing with that formula would be disastrous for Memphis. And if it’s disastrous for Memphis, it will be disastrous for the league.

An attempt will be made by the lower-rung programs in Conference USA to bring Memphis down to their level. Just watch. We’ll see if Pastner and Johnson have enough juice to defeat them.

Dan Wolken - The head-scratcher, Nolan Dennis

The head-scratcher
Posted by Dan Wolken

Out of all the recruiting fallout in Tigerland lately, the one I still can’t understand is Nolan Dennis.

Dennis, the former Memphis signee, made the switch to Baylor today according to Scout.com. This one has puzzled me since Day 1. Every other move out of this makes sense.

- Will Coleman staying with Memphis makes sense. He will start at center here for the next two years and be in a situation where he’ll have a chance to be a future pro.

- Darnell Dodson going to Kentucky makes sense. He was Orlando Antigua’s guy all the way from Pitt. (Though I still think Kentucky will recruit over him in the next year or two, Dodson is badly needed at Kentucky for next season).

- Xavier Henry going to Kansas makes sense. Both his parents went there, and it was his second choice before he signed with the Tigers.

- DeMarcus Cousins (verbal commit) following Calipari to Kentucky makes sense. The key guy in the Cousins recruitment was Bilal Batley, the former assistant recruiting coordinator/graduate manager at Memphis. Calipari made sure that Batley wasn’t going to escape his grasp when he made the move to Kentucky.

But Nolan Dennis makes no sense. What I believe happened with Dennis is that he felt burned by Calipari (and Josh Pastner by association) and basically wanted a clean break. The best place for Dennis, however, would have been Memphis. Dennis is a good player, but the reality is he probably isn’t ready mentally or physically to play right away at a high-major level. In fact, he’s probably not ready physically to play for Memphis next season in C-USA. Before Calipari left for Kentucky, he actually was planning to propose putting Dennis into a prep school somewhere because the former Memphis staff did not believe he would be able to contribute in 2009-10.

Yet for whatever reason, when Calipari went to Kentucky, the Dennis family thought he would be wanted at Kentucky. That wasn’t the case. Given the current situation, Pastner would have been happy to retain Dennis, who likely would have gotten playing time immediately and done fairly well down the road. I’m not sure the Baylor situation is going to flatter him nearly as much, or as quickly.

- Meanwhile, on another topic, I know Memphis fans aren’t really in the mood right now to root for Calipari/Kentucky in the recruiting wars these days. But I think it would behoove Memphis fans to hope John Wall goes to Kentucky. If the point guard dominoes fall the right way, the Tigers could end up very happy with the way this thing plays out. And if the Tigers get the right point guard next season, you’re talking about a top 15, top 20 caliber starting lineup.

Just something to keep in mind.

Former-Tiger Recruit Nolan Dennis Signs With Baylor

MemphisRoar - Latavious Williams- “The Total Package”

From MemphisRoar
Latavious Williams- “The Total Package”
Posted by TigerEye
On April - 22 - 2009

After just a few hours of catching up with Latavious Williams (interview here: Williams has final two), MemphisRoar had the privilege to speak with Latavious’ head coach, Carlos Wilson. Wilson, head coach at Humble (TX) Christian Life Academy, has played a huge role in the development of the Christian Life program, especially in the life of Latavious Williams.

As reported earlier, the Memphis staff visited with Williams this past weekend with his family in Starkville, MS. Coach Pastner then followed up his recent meeting with a visit to watch Williams practice on Tuesday. When asked if Latavious enjoyed the visit from the Memphis staff, Coach Wilson responded, “Latavious, from all indications from my conversations with him, said that it went really, really well. His parents really got a good feel with Josh Pastner, and they feel like he is exactly someone they can trust and they can entrust with their son for the next couple of years.”

When asked what is next for Latavious, now that his standardized tests have been completed, Wilson said, “He is taking a full course load with us, and he is also in some courses outside of our school, so that’s been his main focus and that’s kind of what is taking him so long, if you really think about it. But he’s really entrenched in his studies to get qualified, so he doesn’t have any hours in the day to sit down and really focus on where he’s going to go to school. I had to break it to him and say, ‘you know this thing is coming pretty up quick.’ So he is starting to focus more on the school (college) situation now, now that the high school and course work is coming to an end and he is meeting those requirements, so he is able to move on to the next thing.”

Since Williams has now completed his standardized tests and is wrapping things up academically, his focus now turns to recruiting. Although schools such as Georgetown, Baylor, Kansas State, Florida State, Kentucky, and Memphis are all interested in Williams, Latavious informed MemphisRoar earlier today that his list is now down to two– Georgetown and Memphis.

With Williams’ list down to two, MemphisRoar asked Coach Wilson what he thought made each school a good destination for Williams. After clarifying that he didn’t know that Williams cut his list to two schools, and thought that Kansas State was still on Latavious’ list, Coach Wilson had this to say about Georgetown and Memphis: “I just think the lure of the playing time is the thing he is looking at the most and to be in a system that allows him to be Latavious Williams, which is up-tempo, and have a little freedom. Georgetown doesn’t have anyone with his skill set, so that’s intriguing. Even though they are more of a half-court, Princeton offense type of system, but they would really like to get up and down the court a little more, and they don’t have any of those kind of players, so that’s kind of intriguing for him. And Memphis is intriguing from the standpoint that Josh (Pastner) promises to play somewhat similar to the style that they have had the recent success with in the past, so that’s intriguing. And then there’s playing time– with all of the guys that had committed and then left, there’s room for him to come in and get some minutes right away, so that’s intriguing.”

So just how does Coach Wilson view his star athlete? “I think with Latavious… the more he has to be that athlete that he is, I think the more successful he will be. And that is his game. We play really, really fast this year. We’re probably one of the higher scoring teams as far as high school basketball is concerned, and he really thrived in our system. He can get out on the wing and fill the lanes on the breaks and able to catch, finish. He has the total package when it comes to transition basketball. That’s his strong point, the faster, the better for him.”

At 6′7” 195 lbs, most recruiting services list Williams as a power forward, but that may not be the best way to describe Williams. Despite his listed position, Coach Wilson uses Williams as a 3 man in his fast-paced offense, allowing him to use Williams quite effectively.


“I think he’s a match-up problem either way, it just depends on what you need,” Coach Wilson told MemphisRoar. Coach Wilson then added, “And the wonderful thing about Latavious is that I played him at the 3, but I also would push him up to the 4 spot and bring in more of a natural guard. In either position he is comfortable and he doesn’t complain. He’ll play center if you ask him to! He just wants to win. If he can help the program succeed at the 4, he’ll go to work under the basket and get the boards and do all the things that are there; and if you want him on the wing, he has a good knock-down shot, one-dribble, two-dribble pull-ups, can get to the rack, he’s just a versatile basketball player.”

After speaking with Latavious and Coach Wilson, no definite date has been set concerning Williams’ college decision, but both informed us that a decision could be made in the next few weeks. Latavious would be a huge addition to the Tigers if chosen, and he would definitely see significant minutes as a freshman. Coach Pastner stressed his goal to get athletes during his press conference when named head coach, and there aren’t many greater athletes in the 2009 class than Latavious Williams.

*MemphisRoar would like to personally thank the generosity of Coach Carlos Wilson for his time in answering our questions.*

MemphisRoar - Latavious Williams has a Final Two

From MemphisRoar

Williams has a Final Two
Posted by Brooks On April - 22 - 2009

Latavious Williams, originally from Starkville, MS, throws down a rim-rocker
As we first reported earlier today, Josh Pastner visited 2009 SF prospect Latavious Williams. Williams, who is currently at Humble Christian Life Academy in Texas, is a top target for the Tigers and the heat is definitely being turned up in the final weeks of his recruitment.

“Josh came in yesterday and it went pretty well. He and I know each other really well. He just sat in on my practice and everything and we talked. He had to go back to Memphis though, but we talked later that night too,” said Williams when asked about how the visit went.

Going into today, the common schools mentioned in connection with Williams were Memphis, Baylor, Georgtown, and Kansas State, but he told us that that list of suitors has now been trimmed. “It’s Memphis and Georgetown. They’re my final two,” replied Williams.

When asked why those two are his final two, Williams said, “At Memphis, I can come in right away and play my style of play. Play fast. At Georgetown it’s the same type of thing. They are telling me and my coach they don’t have anyone at my spot. So I feel like I can go up there and make a big impact.”

Georgetown’s claim that the don’t have anyone at Williams’ spot took a small hit today when 6′8″ 215lbs Jerrelle Benimon committed to the Hoyas.

With so many people wondering if there will be a drop-off from Calipari’s ability and Pastner’s ability to recruit, Williams cleared the air and made a statement that should give Memphis fans confidence going forward that they got the right man for the job.

“I loved the decision of Coach Pastner becoming the new head coach. When Cal was there, I was mostly talking to Josh anyways,” Williams said. ” He just goes out and gets the best players. I think he’s a great and honest guy. That’s big for him to be moved up to the head coaching job.”

To give an insight into the type of player that the Tigers or the Hoyas may be getting, Williams wanted to relay a message to our readers.

“I feel like I can make an impact. My game is really an up and down style. I play fast. Get it up and down. I can shoot the outside jumper and I can finish at the rim,” added Williams.

In terms of a timeline, Latavious said, “I would say in the next two weeks or so. Maybe a week.”

Dan Wolken - Apparently, it’s big news in Kentucky today… …that Darnell Dodson will likely be heading their way

Apparently, it’s big news in Kentucky today…
Posted by Dan Wolken
…that Darnell Dodson will likely be heading their way.

Of course, I wrote this week ago. This has been in the works for some time. Anyone who thinks that this just popped up today because Xavier Henry is going to Kansas is kidding themselves.

And if anyone has any doubts about the obstacles Josh Pastner has been up against in his first couple weeks on the job, this should erase them. The good news is that Pastner got the guy he absolutely needed in Will Coleman. From the moment Pastner got the job, locking down Coleman was priority No. 1 for a couple different reasons. One, Memphis needed a legit big guy or else you’re looking at Pierre Henderson-Niles playing 30 minutes per game, something he has never done before and may not be equipped to do. Two, Coleman is an absolute stud. Having seen them play in person, I think Dodson is really good, but you can find big wing players who shoot 34% from the 3-point line. You can’t find guys like Coleman. There just aren’t a lot of 6-9, 260-pound guys anywhere who fly down the court and put their chin on the rim like this guy. He’s an absolute game-changer defensively and on the offensive glass and I think he’ll be a SportsCenter highlight regular when he gets to Memphis.

Dan Wolken - Memphis Tigers recruit Xavier Henry will sign with Kansas; what else will happen?

Memphis Tigers recruit Xavier Henry will sign with Kansas; what else will happen?
By Dan Wolken, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

ANALYSIS:

Former University of Memphis signee Xavier Henry will hold a press conference Thursday announcing his intention to play for Kansas next season, according to a source close to the situation. His older brother, point guard C.J. Henry, will also transfer to Kansas from Memphis, where he was a walk-on last season but did not play because of injury.

Though Xavier Henry was not expected to honor his initial commitment to Memphis in the wake of John Calipari’s departure for Kentucky, making it official should set off some recruiting dominoes for the Tigers and a number of other programs across the country.

New coach Josh Pastner and assistant Glynn Cyprien have spent most of this week visiting prospects, but the April recruiting window ended today, meaning coaches can’t go on the road again until July.

Memphis, however, still has a roster to complete for next season so recruiting isn’t even close to done for the class of 2009. For some clarification of where Memphis stands, here are the top five questions of the day:

Q: What’s the status of the signed recruits?

A: When Pastner was handed the Memphis job on April 6, he acknowledged the possibility that all four of the signed recruits from last fall would choose to go elsewhere. Pastner successfully re-recruited one of them, Miami-Dade forward Will Coleman, to remain on board.

It appears as though the other three, however, will head elsewhere. Henry is set to go to Kansas and should make it official Thursday. Shooting guard Nolan Dennis immediately opened up his recruitment and is looking at Baylor, Oklahoma and Connecticut. Pastner is still working on forward Darnell Dodson, also at Miami-Dade, but all indications point to Dodson asking for his release and attempting to follow Calipari to Kentucky.

Q: So where does that leave Memphis for next season?

A: Not in ideal shape at the moment, but the news could be worse. As things stand today, freshman Tyreke Evans is expected to remain in the NBA Draft and junior Shawn Taggart is expected to be back next season. If it plays out that way, Memphis should have enough depth in the frontcourt with Coleman playing the center position and Taggart moving over to power forward. Pastner expects 6-10 freshman Angel Garcia to be academically eligible, and the Tigers also have rising senior Pierre Henderson-Niles coming back. Pastner is also keeping the door open for 6-9 freshman Matt Simpkins, who was suspended from the team in February, to return.

If the Tigers didn’t sign another player, the rest of the line lineup would feature Willie Kemp at point guard, a tandem of Roburt Sallie and Doneal Mack at shooting guard and Wesley Witherspoon at small forward.

Thus, the clear positions of need right now are at the point and on the wing where Memphis simply has no depth.

Q: What players are left for Pastner to recruit?

A: The problem is that few good players remain on the board. Pastner and Cyprien have been recruiting point guard Eric Bledsoe, an elite talent from Birmingham who would instantly solve a lot of problems. Bledsoe, however, is being targeted by every program that needs a point guard, including Kentucky, Florida and Cincinnati and there are questions about whether he will even qualify academically.

If Bledsoe doesn’t work out, Pastner will have to find a point guard somewhere — either a late-bloomer hidden in a prep school or from the junior college ranks. Miami-Dade point guard James Beatty and Chipola Junior College point guard Malcolm Armstead could both be in the mix.

Q: What else might happen on the recruiting trail?

A: Pastner is a strong contender to land 6-7 forward Latavious Williams, who is ranked No. 17 by Rivals.com but also comes with question marks about his eligibility. Pastner has also tried to get in the mix for guard Lance Stephenson, a consensus top-10 player who seemed to be headed for Kansas until Henry committed there. Stephenson will now have to re-consider his options, which include St. John’s and Maryland, but he might be open to overtures from the Tigers’ staff.

Another strong possibility for Pastner is bringing Chipola coach Greg Heiar on his staff as the director of basketball operations. Heiar has spoken with Pastner about the position, and if he came to Memphis, two or three of his players may follow. The top targets off that team include 6-7 forward Justin Brownlee (ranked No. 4 by JucoJunction) and 6-6 guard Torye Pelham.

Q: And where does Pastner stand with his staff?

A: Nothing has changed since last week, with Cyprien and Willis Wilson on board as assistants. The third assistant slot will likely go to Denver Nuggets lead scout Jack Murphy if he wants it after the NBA playoffs, and Heiar is the favorite to be director of basketball operations. Pastner said he wouldn’t deal with the rest of his administrative staff until after the April recruiting period.

— Dan Wolken: 529-2365

Now I've Seen Everything...........Please See SCOUPE ..CALIPARI CALIPARI UK COACH THEME SONG

I'm not even sure how to begin. You just have to see and hear it (it's on YouTube also!)

http://www.myspace.com/blacklifeentertainment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al3EUPOp9hk

Dan Wolken - Miami Dade big man keeps commitment to Memphis Tigers; Evans enters draft

Miami Dade big man keeps commitment to Memphis Tigers; Evans enters draft
By Dan Wolken, Memphis Commercial Appeal
08:32 p.m., April 20, 2009

Will Coleman, the 6-9 big man from Miami Dade Junior College, said tonight he will play at the University of Memphis next season and honor the letter-of-intent he signed last fall.

Coleman said he made the decision after meeting with new coach Josh Pastner on Monday in Miami.

“I’m sticking with my commitment,” Coleman said. “(Pastner) just told me about the style of play and his morals and standards and beliefs and stuff like that. I like him. I think he’s a real good guy. I can’t wait to get up there.”

Securing Coleman is a major victory for Pastner early in his tenure, since it assures at least one key member of the recruiting class that John Calipari built last fall. Coleman’s game is reminiscent of former Memphis forward Joey Dorsey, with almost unparalleled speed and leaping ability for a player of his size.

JucoJunction, a Web site affiliated with Rivals.com, ranks Coleman as the No. 2 player in the country at the junior college level.

“We’re really excited about Will remaining with the program,” Pastner said. “He’s the type of kid the city will embrace. Not only is he a really good student-athlete, but he’s an even better human being.”

Coleman, who only began playing basketball as a high school junior, signed initially with Arkansas-Little Rock but didn’t qualify. He headed instead to Miami-Dade, where he grew into a 260-pound physical specimen and began putting up double-doubles with regularity.

Former Memphis assistant Orlando Antigua, who followed Calipari to Kentucky, initially began recruiting Coleman to Pittsburgh when he coached there last spring. After Antigua joined Memphis’ staff, Coleman participated in Calipari’s elite camp last summer and committed shortly thereafter. Coleman will have two years of eligibility remaining.

After learning about Calipari’s departure, Coleman said he thought about looking at other schools but decided to "shut it down" on Monday after talking with his parents.

"Honestly, I was astounded about Calipari leaving, but I guess it’s all business," Coleman said. "Personally, that’s what I think this is. College basketball is just a big business and Calipari got a better offer, or maybe it was just a coach wanting to coach at Kentucky.

"I was astounded because I was like, 'How could you put together such an amazing recruiting class and it’s just gone.' I didn’t see anyone beating us next year, but hey, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do."

Coleman may ultimately be the only member of the original recruiting class who plays at Memphis, though Pastner is still recruiting shooting guard Xavier Henry and Miami-Dade forward Darnell Dodson. Pastner is also recruiting other players both in high school and the junior college ranks to fill out the roster.

EVANS ENTERS DRAFT

Freshman guard Tyreke Evans officially sent in his paperwork for the NBA Draft on Monday, though he had stated his intention to enter the draft weeks ago. Evans will not hire an agent, leaving open the remote possibility he could return as a sophomore. Evans is expected to remain in the draft if he projects to go in the lottery.

“I am putting my name in the draft and see what happens,” Evans said in a statement released by the U of M. “I will attend some workouts and see what feedback I receive. Once I have all the information available to me, I will sit down with my family and talk about what’s the next step to take – either to remain in the NBA Draft or return for another season of college basketball here at Memphis.”

Evans had a sensational season, scoring a team-high 17.1 points per game. Memphis had a 27-1 record after Evans moved to point guard, with the only loss coming against Missouri in the Sweet 16 – a game in which Evans scored 33 points on 12-of-25 field goals.

“We want him to have as much success as possible, and we hope he can get a chance to go as high in the draft as possible,” Pastner said. “He’s not signing with an agent. He’s keeping his options open, but the type of year he had, he’s earned the right to test the waters and see where his stock is. I’d be surprised if he didn’t end up being a lottery pick.”