From Eamonn Brennan of ESPN.com: “In 1996 and ’97, Kentucky went to back-to-back title games and Derek Anderson was one of Rick Pitino‘s top players. Anderson’s slam against rival Louisville in 1996 was arguably the play of the year for the program. Anderson leapt over Nate Jones on a fast break as Jones tried to…
Derek Anderson’s dunk on Louisville in 1996 was one of the best of all-time
Karl Towns Jr. improved significantly playing for John Calipari and the Dominicans
For the past two months, Karl Towns Jr. was known as Young Buck — an affectionate reminder from his teammates on the Dominican Republic national team that, despite standing taller than all but one of them, the 6-foot-11 Towns is still just 16 years old. Taking that ribbing from his older teammates was a small price to…
Josh Harrellson has been traded to the Houston Rockets
The New York Knicks will acquire unrestricted free agent center Marcus Camby in a sign-and-trade with the Houston Rockets, according to a source close to Camby. Camby’s contract will be for $13.2 million over three years. According to the New York Daily News, the Rockets will receive Toney Douglas, Jerome Jordan, Josh Harrellson and second-round picks in 2014 and ’15, though no deals can…
Kentucky recruit Karl Towns is a phenom on and off the court
In all 35 of my years in the newspaper business, going on 36, I can’t even count the number of times I have heard the following: “Hey John, wait to you see this kid so and so. He is in the sixth grade, but he is going to be the next so and so.” “Mr.…
Former Cat Kelenna Azuibuike traded by Dallas Mavericks
The Kelenna Azubuike era didn’t last long. The Mavericks have included the small forward in the deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Mavs traded the No. 17 pick, Tyler Zeller, and Azubuike to the Cavs for the Nos. 24, 33 and 34 picks. Dallas acquired Oregon State guard Jared Cunningham with the first-round pick and Florida State power…
SEC holds welcome party for new members Missouri, Texas A&M
It’s not often Texas A&M fans in Georgia have the chance to pose for photos with Reveille, the collie mascot. It’s a similar rarity to see Missouri mascot Truman the Tiger high-stepping through the halls of an Atlanta hotel. LSU? Auburn? No, this is a different cat. Reveille and Truman have a new conference home,…
Former Cat Travis Ford one of the best former players-turned-coaches in college hoops today
ESPN.com put together a list of 10 coaches who could really play the game of basketball. Former Cat Travis Ford was included in that list. OF Ford they say: “Fun fact: Missouri fans still know Travis Ford as “Travis the Traitor,” thanks to his defection from a talented Tigers team to Kentucky after his 1990…
Former Cat Rajon Rondo dishes out double-digit assists for 17th straight game
The Boston Celtics turned consecutive games against teams they’re jockeying with for playoff positioning into a notice for the rest of the Eastern Conference: They have every intention of breaking off a postseason run. Kevin Garnett scored 20 points and Rajon Rondo dished out double-digit assists for his 17th consecutive game, finishing with 15 to help lead Boston to a…
One and fun: John Calipari gets elusive national title
From Dick Vitale: “John Calipari is a lot more than a very good recruiter. He is an exceptional basketball coach. And now he is a national champion. That was really the one thing missing from his résumé. That all changed on Monday when his Kentucky Wildcats cut down the nets after beating the Kansas Jayhawks,…
Kentucky and Kansas, the titanic finale
Back in October, we said we’d get a colossal Final Four. When the brackets were released, we forecast a chalky March. When the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight finished in thrilling fashion and the final weekend of the NCAA tournament’s marquee event took shape, we knew, after two years of unexpected mid-major incursion, we’d get…