**NCAA Basketball Thread**

[SmoothG]

I'm ready for some college basketball to start.

[mposey34]

LSU junior Wayde Sims was shot and killed early Friday morning. By all accounts he was a great kid.

RIP 44

[SmoothD41]

Awful about the LSU kid.

Hoosier Hysteria (first “practice”) tomorrow. Really, really pumped about this season. Can’t wait for November.

[SmoothG]

Terrible to hear about the lsu kid but it looks like an arrest was made at least.

Arizona should be be pretty mediocre this year, just hoping to make the tourney. That’s pretty depresssing. But maybe it’ll be nice to be an underdog and surprise some people.

This fbi trial is going to be interesting. Looks like Oregon is going to get nailed as well.

[SmoothG]

We know Arizona offered Nassir Little $150k but I didn’t know we offered (only) $50k for Brian Bowen. And we know he went to Louisville for $100k. But the surprise here is that Creighton also offered him $100k. Who knew Creighton had that kind of money to throw around.

[rconverse]

^That whole thing is so crazy. It's like Blue Chips twenty years later.

[SmoothG]

Quality basketball movie. Maybe top 5. Hoosiers, White Men Can't Jump, Above the Rim and Space Jam, Blue Chips.

[specialkd24]

Not sure if there are any Memphis basketball fans here (they have come out of the woodwork other places), but Memphis promised JT and Drake at their Midnight Madness and neither was there. I think Elvis was busy too.

[SmoothG]

https://mobile.twitter.com/danwetzel...508269056?s=21

“At trial, Adidas AAU coach and consultant TJ Gassnola testified he provides payments to players/families of Billy Preston (KU), Silvio De Sousa (KU, Broan Bowen (UoL), Dennis Smith (NC State) and Deandre Ayton (Arizona)”

Nothing too new but Ayton and family have vehemently denied this so will be interesting if anything comes of all this. I think it was known that de Sousa had been suspected but not Preston.

[rconverse]

Is that KU (Kansas) or UK (Kentucky)? I wasn't aware Bill Self could be caught up in all of this.

Still no mention of Duke/K outside of that dinner receipt "fiasco" a while back?

[SmoothG]

Kansas. I don't think Bill was aware at all. Just shoe companies and shady side characters. The only reason Duke was ever mentioned was because of that minor dinner (I forget who) infraction that should never have made the news and that was repaid and appropriately forgotten.

[UNC41]

It's not too surprising that Duke, or other Nike schools, haven't been mentioned by people who were funneling money to push recruits to Adidas schools.

[Foreverford05]

uva was cited, but honestly not for high $ payouts.

[SmoothG]

Originally Posted by UNC41

It's not too surprising that Duke, or other Nike schools, haven't been mentioned by people who were funneling money to push recruits to Adidas schools.

I mean, Arizona, Oregon, usc, creighton are all Nike schools. It’s about much more than just giving money to kids/families that attend Adidas (or Nike) schools.

[Rodey]

Zion apparently wanted housing, cash and a job. Who does he think he is, Butch McRae?

[seekupig]

Will be interesting to see how the NCAA handles all of this.

[thebridge15]

but went to play at duke for "free"

https://i.giphy.com/media/3o7buirYcmV5nSwIRW/giphy.webp

[SmoothD41]

It’s too bad, rather despicable, and awfully embarrassing that none of the great coaches have come forward with any sort of leadership during this whole thing. Coach K looks and sounds completely ridiculous.

[BruceW]

Originally Posted by SmoothD41

It’s too bad, rather despicable, and awfully embarrassing that none of the great coaches have come forward with any sort of leadership during this whole thing. Coach K looks and sounds completely ridiculous.

Speaking to K specifically, he has been responding to questions on this topic for over a year now, and has provided some insightful remarks and offered some opinions on how to make improvements. However, I agree that if he actually thinks the sport is "clean" and that this stuff is more of a "blip" and not really happening, then that's pretty weird...almost as if he was just saying the opposite or something.

[BruceW]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

but went to play at duke for "free"

https://i.giphy.com/media/3o7buirYcmV5nSwIRW/giphy.webp

to play devil's advocate, if there was a place guys would go for "free" for a few months before making millions wouldn't it likely be Duke or one of two or three others?

[thebridge15]

Originally Posted by BruceW

to play devil's advocate, if there was a place guys would go for "free" for a few months before making millions wouldn't it likely be Duke or one of two or three others?

if you're asking for money, and places are willing to offer you money, you're not going somewhere for free

[Rodey]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

but went to play at duke for "free"

https://i.giphy.com/media/3o7buirYcmV5nSwIRW/giphy.webp

Yeah, dude, The Brotherhood > Money.

[BruceW]

Originally Posted by SmoothD41

It’s too bad, rather despicable, and awfully embarrassing that none of the great coaches have come forward with any sort of leadership during this whole thing. Coach K looks and sounds completely ridiculous.

Looks Like Roy Williams said basically the same thing haha.

"I had somebody criticize me and say 'you shouldn't be dumbfounded.' Well, excuse me, I have my right to have my own feelings. That world that they're explaining out there I'm not familiar with. Period."

[BruceW]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

if you're asking for money, and places are willing to offer you money, you're not going somewhere for free

Maybe not, but I've known players and families personally who have said they turned $ and things down to go somewhere they would get more exposure (TV, social media etc), and that have more NBA connections and resources. I guess they could've lied to me for no reason, but it has apparently happened before.

I think in a lot of cases you're 100% right though.

Oh, and yea, what Rodey said: but The Brotherhood bro

[UNC41]

Originally Posted by Rodey

Yeah, dude, The Brotherhood > Money.

[Rodey]

Originally Posted by BruceW

Maybe not, but I've known players and families personally who have said they turned $ and things down to go somewhere they would get more exposure (TV, social media etc), and that have more NBA connections and resources. I guess they could've lied to me for no reason, but it has apparently happened before.

I think in a lot of cases you're 100% right though.

Oh, and yea, what Rodey said: but The Brotherhood bro

Except there's virtually no difference in Zion going to Kansas or Duke...

[Rodey]

Originally Posted by UNC41

lol

I would imagine you realized I was being sarcastic.

[UNC41]

Originally Posted by BruceW

Maybe not, but I've known players and families personally who have said they turned $ and things down to go somewhere they would get more exposure (TV, social media etc), and that have more NBA connections and resources. I guess they could've lied to me for no reason, but it has apparently happened before.

I think in a lot of cases you're 100% right though.

Oh, and yea, what Rodey said: but The Brotherhood bro

Did those players and families seek money from other schools and then end up turning the money down to go elsewhere? I'm sure there are definitely scenarios where recruits turn down money to opt for exposure, but it doesn't seem likely that would happen after proactively seeking $ from other blue bloods.

Originally Posted by Rodey

I would imagine you realized I was being sarcastic.

Yep. I enjoyed the sarcasm.

[Rodey]

Originally Posted by UNC41

Yep. I enjoyed the sarcasm.

Ok, good. I like to be taken (somewhat) seriously in here and didn't want to jeopardize that.

[thebridge15]

the brotherhood