Latest news with #college
Al Arabiya
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Duke Walk-On Stanley Borden, Last Player in College to Have Played for Coach K, Transfers to UTSA
Stanley Borden, the final basketball player still in college to have played for Mike Krzyzewski, has announced he is transferring to UTSA from Duke. The 7-foot Borden was a walk-on for the Blue Devils, joining the team in 2021–the last of the Hall of Fame coach's career. He stayed for four years, and despite not getting on the court much at all, he had fond memories of his time under Coach K. 'Everything that everyone has heard or said in terms of aura and energy is all there,' Borden said Thursday in a phone interview from Istanbul, where his family lives. 'He jokes a lot and cusses a lot, and you never knew if he was joking or being serious. Learning from the best as an 18- or 19-year-old at the end of his career was something I'll never forget.' Borden had one year of eligibility left after he didn't play his junior year because of injuries to his elbow in the preseason and a finger that needed to be re-attached after a weight room accident. He wanted to find a school that he could play at in his final season of college basketball, so he entered the portal. 'I was talking to a bunch of schools late in the process, and many of them were starting their summer workouts right now,' said Borden, who had a few dozen schools interested in him. 'There's opportunity to compete for time and also develop. They want to help you get better and make you a better player.' He played in three games for the Blue Devils this past season, grabbing a rebound and blocking a shot. He's still looking for his first points in college, having played in five games total during his career at Duke. Still, he learned a lot in his time at the school, where he earned a degree in computer science and played with some of the best players in the country at practice every day. 'Being around Dereck Lively II, Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flag, as well as other great college players made me immensely better,' Borden said. Despite not playing, Borden was a glue guy on the team and fan favorite. He made a name for himself as a sophomore when he wowed the Cameron Crazies during their midnight madness-type event. He walked onto the stage in sunglasses and a trench coat, which he opened to reveal a saxophone. Borden borrowed the instrument, which he learned to play when he was younger, from the marching band. He put on a show, much to the delight of the crowd and his teammates. The performance went viral. Borden said he didn't know if UTSA had any kind of opening event to start basketball season, but he'd be happy to come up with another musical number if the school did.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Duke walk-on Stanley Borden, last player in college to have played for Coach K, transfers to UTSA
Stanley Borden, the final basketball player still in college to have played for Mike Krzyzewski, has announced he is transferring to UTSA from Duke. The 7-foot Borden was a walk-on for the Blue Devils, joining the team in 2021 — the last of the Hall of Fame coach's career. He stayed for four years and despite not getting on the court much at all, he had fond memories of his time under Coach K. Advertisement 'Everything that everyone has heard or said in terms of aura and energy is all there,' Borden said Thursday in a phone interview from Istanbul, where his family lives. 'He jokes a lot and cusses a lot and you never knew if he was joking or being serious. Learning from the best as an 18- or 19-year-old at the end of his career was something I'll never forget.' Borden had one year of eligibility left after he didn't play his junior year because of injuries to his elbow in the preseason and a finger that needed to be re-attached after a weight room accident. He wanted to find a school that he could play at in his final season of college basketball so he entered the portal. 'I was talking to a bunch of schools late in the process and many of them were starting their summer workouts right now,' said Borden, who had a few dozen schools interested in him. 'There's opportunity to compete for time and also develop. They want to help you get better and make you a better player.' He played in three games for the Blue Devils this past season, grabbing a rebound and blocking a shot. He's still looking for his first points in college, having played in five games total during his career at Duke. Still, he learned a lot in his time at the school where he earned a degree in computer science and played with some of the best players in the country at practice every day. Advertisement 'Being around Dereck Lively II, Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flag as well as other great college players made me immensely better,' Borden said. Despite not playing, Borden was a glue guy on the team and fan favorite. He made a name for himself as a sophomore when he wowed the Cameron Crazies during their midnight madness-type event. He walked onto the stage in sunglasses and a trench coat which he opened to reveal a saxophone. Borden borrowed the instrument, which he learned to play when he was younger, from the marching band. He put on a show much to the delight of the crowd and his teammates. The performance went viral. Borden said he didn't know if UTSA had any kind of opening event to start basketball season, but he'd be happy to come up with another musical number if the school did. ___ AP college basketball:
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Duke walk-on Stanley Borden, last player in college to have played for Coach K, transfers to UTSA
Stanley Borden, the final basketball player still in college to have played for Mike Krzyzewski, has announced he is transferring to UTSA from Duke. The 7-foot Borden was a walk-on for the Blue Devils, joining the team in 2021 — the last of the Hall of Fame coach's career. He stayed for four years and despite not getting on the court much at all, he had fond memories of his time under Coach K. 'Everything that everyone has heard or said in terms of aura and energy is all there,' Borden said Thursday in a phone interview from Istanbul, where his family lives. 'He jokes a lot and cusses a lot and you never knew if he was joking or being serious. Learning from the best as an 18- or 19-year-old at the end of his career was something I'll never forget.' Borden had one year of eligibility left after he didn't play his junior year because of injuries to his elbow in the preseason and a finger that needed to be re-attached after a weight room accident. He wanted to find a school that he could play at in his final season of college basketball so he entered the portal. 'I was talking to a bunch of schools late in the process and many of them were starting their summer workouts right now,' said Borden, who had a few dozen schools interested in him. 'There's opportunity to compete for time and also develop. They want to help you get better and make you a better player.' He played in three games for the Blue Devils this past season, grabbing a rebound and blocking a shot. He's still looking for his first points in college, having played in five games total during his career at Duke. Still, he learned a lot in his time at the school where he earned a degree in computer science and played with some of the best players in the country at practice every day. 'Being around Dereck Lively II, Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flag as well as other great college players made me immensely better,' Borden said. Despite not playing, Borden was a glue guy on the team and fan favorite. He made a name for himself as a sophomore when he wowed the Cameron Crazies during their midnight madness-type event. He walked onto the stage in sunglasses and a trench coat which he opened to reveal a saxophone. Borden borrowed the instrument, which he learned to play when he was younger, from the marching band. He put on a show much to the delight of the crowd and his teammates. The performance went viral. Borden said he didn't know if UTSA had any kind of opening event to start basketball season, but he'd be happy to come up with another musical number if the school did. ___ AP college basketball:
Fast Company
12 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Is there any such thing as a safe investment?
The elders in my family were big on safe investments. Growing up in the 1980s, I can recall receiving savings bonds as birthday gifts from far-flung aunts and grandmothers. Though these bonds were disappointing presents for any 8-year-old hoping for the latest Skeletor action figure, my parents assured me I would be grateful when I was older. My white-haired relatives had no understanding of the ongoing battle for Eternia's future, but they consistently invested money for mine. In 1997, just before I left for college, I took nearly two decades' worth of these savings bond gifts to my bank. The face values added up to no more than $1,000 total. I redeemed my savings bonds for an amount closer to $2,000. I walked out of the bank feeling like I had the Power of Grayskull. The little old ladies in my family were onto something with those second-rate birthday gifts (that came with principal protection and a decent return). I wondered if I should listen when these wise elders also advised me to put my money in other 'safe' investments, like real estate, gold, and annuities. But as smart as my aunts and grandmothers were, the past 30 years has me wondering if there is such a thing as a safe investment. Here's what I've come to understand about the low-risk investments that are traditionally considered safe. In the mid-2000s, the accepted wisdom about real estate was that home values could only go up and an upside-down mortgage was an economic impossibility. Which explains why banks were throwing bags of money at anyone with real estate dreams and a verifiable pulse. Back then, I was still teaching high school English and not paying close attention to financial or housing news—but the explosion of house-flipping reality TV weirded me out. Many of these shows documented photogenic amateurs overleveraging their finances and DIY skills to remodel cheap homes for a quick profit. Considering how common these shows were, and how incompetent many of the flippers were, it struck me that the demand for housing couldn't possibly remain high enough to keep up with this kind of supply. Unfortunately, by 2008 the housing bubble had burst. Apparently, real estate values can go down and a borrower can be upside down in a mortgage. The subsequent great recession was a painful reminder that real estate isn't a straightforward path to generational wealth, no matter what the 'Welcome to the American Dream' brochure may say. The risky fine print When your grandmother suggested that buying a house was a smart and safe investment, she wasn't thinking about you taking out an adjustable rate mortgage to purchase a foreclosed fixer-upper to renovate and sell in less than six months. For the majority of real estate investors (i.e., homeowners) buying a house is more about securing shelter than investing money for a future financial payout. That's what Nana meant when she called buying a house a smart investment. Becoming a homeowner will not only provide you and your family with something you need, but your home will also appreciate in value over time—as measured, traditionally, in years or decades rather than months or quarters. But if you're counting on turning a quick profit, you may be in for a rude awakening—just ask any real estate developer. The safety of such a real estate investment is the fact that you build equity and value as the years pass in your home. Gold Humans have prized gold for its beauty and malleability for millennia. We have adorned ourselves and our homes with golden decorations for at least the past 6,000 years, and we began using gold as currency about 1,500 years ago. Since gold resists corrosion and oxidation, it's an ideal medium for currency, since it holds its value better than a metal that rusts, corrodes, or becomes hollowed out in a can of Coke (allegedly). But gold doesn't just hold its value over time. Between our collective fascination with its glitter and the durability of this malleable metal, the value of gold has generally risen over time. Typically, the price of gold spikes during periods of economic or political uncertainty. Investors appreciate the tangible confidence of an investment in gold, especially if they have just experienced major losses in the market. The risky fine print It's unlikely that the relationship between humanity and gold will go away anytime soon. So buying gold probably isn't a bad idea. But that doesn't mean it should be the cornerstone of anyone's investment strategy. For example, in the past 30 years, the S&P 500 has averaged a 10.29% compound annual growth rate, while gold's spot price has a 6.97% compound annual growth rate. Just under 7% compound annual growth is certainly not nothing, but gold experienced negative growth for 11 of the 30 years, compared to only six for the S&P 500. Ultimately, gold was more volatile. In addition, scammers often prey on investors hoping to put their money into safe investments like gold. While a legitimate investment in gold may be a prudent investing decision, treating all gold investments as 'safe' could leave you vulnerable to fraud. It may be easier to think of gold as 'safe' in the same way that cash can be safe. In some situations, it's helpful and prudent to have, but in others, it can cost you. Annuities Before I started writing about money, I associated annuities with people who knit. That's because the only people who ever seemed to discuss them were friends of Miss Marple in Agatha Christie mysteries and my elderly relatives. Of course, once I became a financial journalist, I learned that an annuity is an insurance contract and that knitting is rarely required. Typically, you'll pay the insurance company either through a series of payments or via a lump sum, and they'll give you monthly payments for a specific period of time, death benefits, and tax-free growth on your investment. Annuities may offer fixed interest rates, variable interest rates, or rates tied to a specific stock market index. Since you purchase an annuity through an insurance company, the safety of your money is ensured by the company's financial rating. The annuity will also do the hard work of budgeting your money for you, sending you monthly payments that re-create the experience of having a salary postretirement. That makes it a safe and smart way to offload your financial chores to the insurance company. The risky fine print Of course, annuities aren't all yarn balls and tea cozies. To start, since annuities are an insurance product, they may be sold by high-pressure insurance agents who want a commission and don't care if the annuity fits your needs. Additionally, while some annuities are straightforward and easy-to-understand products, there are a number of much more complex annuities that may not be clear at first glance. It's important to make sure you understand exactly what product you're getting, what it is supposed to do to help you reach your goals, why the insurer thinks it fits your needs, how it works, when it will begin to pay out, what fees it may have, etc. Finally, the biggest risk to annuities is the fact that your money is tied up in the annuity. If you want to withdraw funds early, you will have to pay a surrender charge, which can be as high as 7% of the amount you withdraw. Understanding the meaning of 'safe' Sometimes, the wisdom of our elders gets lost in translation. When Nana sent savings bonds instead of Battle Armor He-Man, she was giving a gift for your future self to appreciate. When she told you real estate was a good investment, she was encouraging you to settle down—and enjoy the side benefit of your money growing. When she shared how her own grandmother sewed family gold into her petticoat and used it to barter her way to America, she was teaching you how to protect yourself in a chaotic world. When she crowed about her annuity, she wanted you to know there are ways to relieve yourself of the work you hate doing without giving up anything you need. When you understand what someone means when they call an investment safe—especially when it's someone as wise as one of your family elders—then you can recognize how to take their advice and avoid the unnecessary risk.
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
College hoops coaches' 2026 NBA Draft sleepers? Rivals weigh in on second-round prospects
Throughout the year, NBA scouts ask questions of the college coaches who face the prospects they're evaluating to get a handle on the upcoming draft class. You can get a good assessment of a player from his own coaches, but the most honest assessments come from those who face him. Over the last few weeks, I've done the same, calling multiple coaches from each conference to get their scouting reports on the top players in this draft class. I granted the coaches anonymity in exchange for their candor, took the best of what each coach had to say and combined the report into one voice. Advertisement Below are scouting reports on every second-round college prospect in Sam Vecenie's latest mock draft and the best of the rest. Players are listed in order of Vecenie's rankings and numbered by where they went off the board in the mock draft. I also asked every coach for any sleepers they like and included those players at the end. The coaches' assessments of projected first-round prospects can be found here. He's transitioning into being a true point guard. His passing really improved this past year. His shotmaking really did not. I think he's an elite-level finisher. He has a great touch, and obviously a lot of it is left-hand-dominant, but I believe in his finishing. His two-point scoring improved a lot as his career went on. Obviously he won't be able to get as deep as he was able to in college in the NBA because of the size, but he also can pass. I'm concerned about his overall shooting. I think he'll be an off-the-bench guy, and his ceiling, if his shooting can come around, could be better than that. He's not very big. He has to get stronger just to compete against the size that exists in that league. So he's going to have to guard points and he's gonna have to continue to develop his playmaking and his shooting has to improve. Not a great offensive player. Straight-line driver, athletic, tough. When he led them in shot attempts and scoring, they were worse off as a team. So I don't know what his upside is in the league. Maybe a Lu Dort-type guy. Somebody you can just have be on the other team's best player and try to shut them down. He's one of those guys that's a really impactful college player, does a lot of things that impact winning. And for him to make it I think you would have to be on a very specific roster because offensively in the NBA, he's not going to be able to do a lot of the things that he did in college because physically he was able to overwhelm you and he was an elite athlete, but in the NBA you're going to see that every single night. Advertisement He would have benefited from another year. But even if he had stayed another year, he was probably going to be the same guy. I don't know how much he's going to improve shooting the ball. So maybe it was the right move to capitalize on the season he had. Just don't think he's an NBA player. He's more of a G-League guy. His size and his motor are really good. He had two impressive dunks over top of guys in our game. He's a backup big. Can he develop into a guy that can play out of the short roll and make decisions, or is he just going to be a guy that rim runs and puts pressure on the rim? Can he be a professional and get better? What he is right now, is this his floor or is this his ceiling? He might be a Duke player that's undervalued. When's the last time you heard that, right? Can really shoot, can manage a game. Impressed me with his IQ, knowing which shots were good ones. He's a strong right-hand driver and we tried to push him to his left, but he is capable of going both directions. When he gets into the paint, he's a very capable passer as well. Likes to pull up in the midrange. Makes big shots. You can't go under screens with him at all. Active defender and someone that's capable of getting deflections. Good positional size. I think there's certainly an NBA role for him as a backup guard at a minimum. The shooting translates. He's competitive enough to be able to want to guard. Could he get into an Andrew Nembhard role and be a guy like that? I don't know. That's probably a little bit aggressive. As a bigger guard that can shoot, I think he's got that competitiveness and toughness about him that could allow him to exceed his draft rating. Super impressive on film and equally as impressive in person. How Wisconsin played, there were times where you could kind of take him out of the game, but when it wasn't structured and the game got kind of ratted up, he was best. He excels in transition and on broken plays, which could be a good thing for the NBA with the pace and the timing. Now, is he a good enough athlete for the NBA? We'll see. Advertisement Oh man, tough dude. Physical. You go out to warmups and you see him out there, he's just such a specimen. Looks like a Lu Dort. He's got that type of body. Can he have an impact, not to the same level, but can he be like a Dort? Somebody that's just really not going to be screened, fights over everything and is really good on that end. He's not great in pick-and-roll, but he's a good cutter, and he shot it at a really good clip. He's gonna really have to be a specialist type to have a role in the NBA. His athleticism is probably the thing that's gonna hurt him more than anything, and his age, but you can't tell me that he's not going to produce, even at the NBA level. Is he a starting center? Probably not. But is he a guy that can be in the second-unit rotation and wear people down with his size and his smarts and his ability? I think so. I don't think he's got a huge upside in the league. But I do think there is a place for veteran guys that can have an imprint on a franchise. He's going to be a G-League guy. He's a 6-2 small forward, and I just don't think that really translates in the NBA. The one thing that could be said about him is that he's a winner. He's been to two Final Fours, won a national championship, and so he impacts winning on both ends of the floor. I love Peavy. From a defensive standpoint, his versatility is real. He has a competitive spirit. He could impact the game just by being an elite defender. He was probably the best defender in our league on the perimeter. He could impact the games without scoring His offense really improved this year. He's really worked at it through all the stops (Texas Tech, then TCU, then Georgetown). He seems to have an understanding of who he is as a player, which allows him to play to his strengths really well. Shooting is still going to be a question. Decision making is always gonna be a question, but his size and tenacity on defense can impact the game. He's old, so his ceiling is a little bit limited, but physically he's so ready. He was so ball-dominant at VCU, and I think there's teams that probably look at that and will be very intrigued. You can tell he's a high-IQ player. He makes good decisions in the pick-and-roll, whether it's for himself or the proper reads first level, second level and beyond. He's the guy I hated to guard or play against because he knew the game and had those European tricks — the push-offs and a lot of different things that help you win games. I hated it, but I respect it. I just don't know if that s— helps in the NBA. The questions are: How does he play in a system where in the NBA his usage rate will be much lower? Then, how does he hold up defensively against quicker, more athletic guards? He is a good, not great 3-point shooter. He's an awesome college player because of the way (former VCU coach Ryan Odom) used him, but if you can crawl into him and be physical and do certain things to him that you can't really do in the A-10, I just don't know if he's an NBA player. He'll be a high-level guy in Europe. Advertisement His inconsistency on a night-to-night basis could hurt him. He doesn't handle the ball very well. But without question, NBA range, size, can make a pull-up in the lane. The way they were running off screens was very reminiscent of how UConn and Detroit used Rip Hamilton all those years. But Rip could really put the thing on the ground. That was the difference. Lanier's not a great ballhandler. He's a specialist. Somebody you have to identify and know where he is at all times. Defensively, I thought he made some strides this past year under (Tennessee coach Rick Barnes). But I think he'd be more of like a 3-and-D guy in the NBA, more of a role player. Not that you're gonna put the ball in his hands and ask him to make plays. But physically, definitely checks off some boxes. And then obviously has a unique ability to make shots at a really high clip. He's strong. Could be a rotation big. Probably could be a starter on some teams as he matures and gets better. I think he'll be a legit NBA player because of his size, his ability to score around the basket and his ability to defend at the rim. At Michigan, I didn't love some of the histrionics, but he could almost be like a goon in the NBA, the big man version of Jose Alvarado. He comes in and picks up 94 feet. Vlad Goldin is the big who comes in and beats the mess out of people, gets a couple fouls and a double technical, changes the mentality of the team and sets the temperature a little bit hotter. I always thought he was an NBA player, and I didn't realize until we played them that he was 6-7 and he's legit 6-7. That's a guy I can see in the NBA for a long time. I don't know how you can replace what he can do with it. He gets it off so quickly. Can't really play-make for anyone else but himself, but if you need a guy to go out there and just make shots, at one point he was shooting 50 something percent from 3 during the year. Now, he's a horrible defender. I get that. And so you're gonna have to protect him on the other end. He's got to learn how to defend by taking deep angles. His feet aren't great as a defender, but man, as a shooter, not a lot of guys that could do what he does and shooting at that high of a clip in this league and throughout his college career. There's got to be a place for that. Love him. I talked to a lot of scouts about him during the year, and I was surprised that people were not as high on him. He is big. He can handle the ball. You could say he's a jump shot away from being an impact NBA player, but I believe in his shooting. His body type's different. He can be an elite defender. Plays hard. He's tough. He can guard multiple positions. He's switchable. That is a guy that I would absolutely take and think that he will make it and has a high ceiling. Advertisement Super talented. Long and rangy. Can handle the ball, shoot the ball, pass the ball. But in my opinion, no toughness. His numbers are really good and he's able to do a whole bunch of stuff and he looks the part, but something's just kind of missing. I think part of his deficiency is he doesn't defend. He'll give you 17, but he'll give up the same, and when it's time to win the game he's just not going to do it. He doesn't shoot it well enough, doesn't handle and burst well enough for that level. Potentially he could be a Kyle Anderson-type guard, but is he worth building stuff around? He was the main guy at Nevada — him and Nick Davidson — and they were just OK and they were supposed to be really good. He's going to have to really find a way to impact the game with his length and athleticism in more ways on the defensive end and on the glass to make it. He has the stuff within him to be able to figure it out to be a backup point guard in the league. Always comes up with a big shot. Good defensively. We called him Chucky the Gambler. He was so disruptive on defense and active. Got steals. Played with such a high motor. He has a good feel for how to play. Doesn't force anything. Makes pull-up jumpers, 3s, good in transition. Every time we made a mini run, he was the one that would stem the tide because he would make a big play. He's undersized, and he'll need to be a guy who picks up 94 feet. He's going to figure out a way to make it. I'll never bet against that kid. Skilled, tough, nasty. He's one of those dudes that'll carve out a role. If he makes it to the NBA, it'll be because it's straight toughness and his relentlessness. It won't be because he's overly athletic. It won't be because he can shoot better than this person. It'll be just because he's just nasty and he'll get s— done. Tough one because he's a high-usage guard that won't be in that role anymore, and so how does he scale down and really impact the team? He does have good size as a lead guard/combo guard. A legit three-level scorer. Strong finisher at the rim. I just don't know if he has that NBA skill — any one particular — that's really going to allow him to hang. Could he be somebody's backup point guard? Maybe. He's not necessarily a driller that you're going to play off the ball. He's not going to be good enough to run second-unit offense through. He's not an outstanding defender. What is that guy gonna bring? A boom-or-bust type guy. Great rebounder and excellent defender. He improved as a shooter, but I don't know if I fully trust his shot yet. I do trust his motor, his competitive spirit, his energy. I think that'll translate really, really well. Probably wouldn't say I'd predict he was going to be Big East Player of the Year, but he has a toughness to him. He has all the tools to do everything that's needed at that level. It seems like he's a guy that really, really wants to score the ball and kind of bases how his game is going on that, and he'll probably be a role guy at that next level. How does that go? Who knows? I don't think there's many players in the league that can make other people around them better like he does. He's an incredible pick-and-roll player. He sees every pass. Guys don't even know they're open, and he throws to a spot where he gets them open. You play him as a passer, and he still gets every pass. In the last 10-15 years, I can't remember a point guard that enjoyed passing the ball the way that he does. People always say, well, he didn't score enough. I think he can score. I just think he has an incredible ability to see a pass ahead and takes great pleasure in making other people better. I don't think there are that many guys at the next level that can pick defenses apart the way that he can. Advertisement He's really, really small up close. Can he consistently keep defenses honest by just being able to make an adequate amount of 3s? He's streaky as a shooter, and I think that's gonna be something that he'll need to improve on if he wants to really stick. But he's as elite as they come from a passing standpoint. Can he be a guy like TJ McConnell? He's a pest on the ball. He can get steals. He just kind of knows how to play and has a knack for it. Love his physicality, love his motor, love his ability to pass the ball. Kentucky would use him in the middle of the floor and have him initiate different actions, and he was great at that. His decision making was questionable at times. Obviously one of the best rebounders in the country this past season. He doesn't shoot the ball, but physically he was one of the more imposing players in our league. He was one of those guys that I thought really stood out in the SEC, somebody that has really continued to improve and somebody that I think could have some success at the next level because he does a couple things at a really high level. Too small. Offensively, does a lot of good things, but I think he really took a step back from last season. He dropped 9 percent from 3 in a year and dropped 10 percent from 2. He doesn't have the point guard's mentality he's gonna need in the NBA. Not fast enough and doesn't have enough wiggle to be able to really get by you at that level. And he's not very good defensively. He was a great, great college player. I just don't think it translates to the next level because athletically, physically, he's just not really gonna be able to do much with his stature. He was very soft coming out of high school, but he had the talent to really shoot the ball, instincts were pretty decent. Just not tough, not gritty. And then I see him over the last couple years what he did at BYU and Kentucky. He's gotten better, but he's always had those dimensions as an NBA player. He's going to have to play more off the ball. And defensively, he was solid, not great. So I think he's the guy that could potentially develop in the G-League and find his way onto a roster. RJ Luis was an absolute load to deal with, and Zuby Ejiofor was good too, but I think Richmond was such a domino in them winning. He has real size as a point guard and great feel defensively. At times it looks like he's somewhat lost out there, but then he makes these plays that are incredible. Advertisement It's hard to play guys who can't shoot. That's going to be something that is going to get scrutinized to the highest level because it's so important up there. But playing against him, he feels like a guy that over time as you've coached and watched guys who have made it, you watch him and think, that guy makes it. If you were to look at his stats over his career, when he actually played versus when he didn't play and the impact it had on his team, even going back to Seton Hall, he impacts winning. It seemed like his decision making really improved this past year. He was just more sound, not as loose with the ball. His deal might be a guy that has to bounce around some, but wouldn't be shocked if he gets up there and finds a role somewhere. The numbers he put up this year were crazy. He showed that he can do more than just post up and shoot 3s. I think he's a high-floor guy, limited ceiling. Shotmaking was real. He does take some bad ones and struggles to create his own one against better athletes. Positionally, what will he be at that level? He seems to be OK with a lot of different roles, which I think would benefit him for the next step. On a winning team, I could see him making it, at least for a cup of coffee where he can make shots as a small-ball four. He's got to prove he can guard perimeter at that level. For a guy his size, he can really move his feet. He could switch and move in college. Another one I like and mentioned to NBA guys during the year and didn't quite understand why people didn't like him. So smooth. Gets to the rim. He can play in pick-and-roll. He rejected us a couple times and got to his pull-up and made it look effortless. Good size for a guard. Can really defend. I did see a couple of times when physicality hurt him. But he was one of the best guards in the ACC. I would bet on him for the mix of toughness, athleticism, offensive skill that he is going to stick at least as a backup point guard. Unbelievable shooter. He's got a rifle. When he gets that thing going, it's automatic. Probably can't guard me or you, and I think he'll have trouble guarding in the NBA, but he can really shoot the ball. Kind of like a Duncan Robinson. Houston guard LJ Cryer Because he can flat out score and shoot. There's a niche for a guy like that to have a bench role and come in and make baskets. St. John's wing Aaron Scott Aaron Scott will surprise some people in workouts. Not to get drafted, but I could see him playing Summer League and getting an Exhibit 10 or a two-way and making it from there, because he's a better shooter than his percentage. Butler wing Jahmyl Telfort He didn't impact winning at the level you thought he was capable of. Who knows all the reasons, but his versatility and his size were always something hard to deal with. He really improved his shooting. Defensively, I do think there's some limitations. Advertisement Missouri guard Caleb Grill He might have a place in the league as a specialist. I know he's old, but man can he shoot that rock. And he's an asshole… in a good way. He came in and just lit our ass up. Some of the shots he was making, they were ridiculous shots. With his quick release and ability to sprint off screens and still get his feet set, he's got to have a role somewhere with that skill set. San Francisco guard Marcus Williams He's got NBA size at the position. He's really athletic. He's tough. He can defend. And he makes big, big shots. Like big shots. I don't know what happened with him at the end of the year, but I thought he would be a guy that would have a chance to play at that level because he's got the whole package. (Top illustration photos: Emilee Chinn, Sam Hodde / Getty Images)
