Looking for a team to come out of nowhere next basketball season. Steal a glance down to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Wake Forest was 17-13 this past season, but the Demon Deacons had no seniors and played very well at times. Now, they'll add the top-rated power forward in the country, 6-foot-8 Al-Farour Aminu, the second-rated center, 6-11 Ty Walker and the third-ranked center, 6-11 Tony Woods. All three are in the Rivals Top 20 players nationally.
- Don Bowman
Texas shooting guard A.J. Abrams has decided to enter his name for the NBA draft without hiring an agent, a Texas source said Wednesday morning. Word is also expected today on the future of point guard D.J. Augustin, who is expected to follow a similar course.--Mike Jones.
the latest on dj augustin---dj and his parents met with texas coach rick barnes monday night following an academic awards banquet and have decided to talk again before either reaching a final decision, or just announcing it. barnes has all along said he favors his sophomore point guard submitting his name for the draft, but not hiring an agent. that would allow him to return if he doesnt get the picture he wants. augustin is according to most not a lottery pick, but a solid late first rounder. some nba personnel believe he serves no purpose by returning. others say he could definitely move up into the lottery picture, maybe even top 10, by returning.
augustin has to make a decision by sunday, the deadline for thumbs up or down. and with prized 6-8 winger devin ebanks (a former indiana committment until kelvin sampson was fired) due on campus this weekend, the longhorns need to be able to offer immediately or lose another top prospect. guard j'covan brown of port arthur memorial signed his letter on monday, tentatively the only vacancy texas has at the moment. he could be another integral piece of the championship puzzle next season--a slashing, scorer type guard--but he has yet to qualify academically and that picture wont clear up until late may, early june.--Mike Jones
ESPN.com women's basketball analyst Charlie Creme came out with his pre-preseason Top 25 this week, and although TCU isn't ranked, several of its upcoming opponents are high on the list -- very high. The Lady Frogs will play four of Creme's top 13 teams before opening Mountain West Conference play next season, including the season opener at HOME against No. 2 Maryland. TCU also will play an ESPN2 game at No. 11 Texas A&M. The other two opponents are No. 7 California and No. 13 Oklahoma State, and both games will be played on the road. And oh, by the way, they'll do it without the five departing seniors whose names are all over the school record books. Coach Jeff Mittie has solid young talent and three skilled transfers to work with, but they'll have to come together quickly.
Other Big 12 teams ranked in the poll are No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 15 Texas and No. 19 Baylor. It's no surprise who Creme is picking to win it all -- Connecticut. He has national champion Tennessee falling to No. 8 after losing its entire starting lineup. Here's a look at the entire list.
-- Lori Dann
the dominoes have begun to fall as various college players either jump into the nba draft pool, or tentatively stick in their toes (by not hiring an agent) so if they dont like what they hear they can withdraw and play on for dear old U.
which brings us to texas point guard d.j. augustine. the april 27 deadline is looming and augustin is expected to have made a decision by midweek. hes home this weekend for a family wedding and he should have plenty of family input when he returns to austin to sit down with coach rick barnes and hash it out.
from what ive gathered, who stacks up in front of him has little or no bearing on his decision. its simply whether he wants to play another year for the longhorns and have another shot at the final four after texas finished one game shy this spring, or head for The League. odds are against him returning. but if any of barnes' guys who have left him early in the past few years are ever going to stay, d.j. is the guy. he likes school, is good at it, his family doesn't need the big bucks and most nba guys with whom ive talked to a man say he can improve his status by coming back for another year.
if augustin returns and committed if troubled guard J'covan brown makes his grades and qualifies academically--we wont know about that for another month or so--the longhorns indeed will rank among teh top 3 in preseason polls and again will contend for a national championship. if not, history has proven they'll make a run but fall short.
the logical line of thinking has been that d.j. will declare, but not hire an agent, which serves only to complicate texas' spring recruiting. barnes is due a break. but again, it may only be his heart.--Mike Jones.
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