March 13: News Headlines Digest
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Also see our Daily Threads, March 13, and the News Digest for Yesterday, March 12, as well as Daily Threads for Yesterday, March 12
##Newell: No change: Joel Embiid participates in shoot-around but won’t play in Big 12 Tournament##
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For most of Wednesday’s shoot-around at Sprint Center, everything appeared to be back to normal for the Kansas basketball team.
Seven-foot center Joel Embiid, who has been battling back issues, was in full practice gear, shooting 18-footers, 3-pointers and even briefly getting in a stance to shadow-guard teammate Andrew Wiggins as if they were playing one-on-one.
##** Dodd: KU’s Ellis, others will have to kick in for Embiid **##
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It was late on Wednesday afternoon, and the biggest teenager in the Sprint Center picked up a basketball with his right foot and started to juggle. Joel Embiid flipped the ball from one instep to the other, showing off some quick soccer moves while the rest of the Kansas Jayhawks went through a light shootaround on the eve of the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals.
Embiid did a little more than juggle, of course. Two days after Kansas announced that Embiid was out indefinitely because of a stress fracture in his back, the big man moved around the floor leisurely, smiling as he shot three-pointers and worked through some light post drills with the KU big men. One minute he was juggling a basketball, the next he was playfully trying to guard fellow freshman Andrew Wiggins.
###Yahoo: Jayhawks’ Embiid participates in shoot-around###
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Injured Kansas center Joel Embiid remains unlikely to return before the second weekend of the NCAA tournament, even though he participated in a light shoot-around Wednesday.
###Finkelstein: Charting best fit for Myles Turner###
####Kansas###
Personnel: Turner’s choice will be tied to Joel Embiid’s NBA decision. If Embiid rejoins Perry Ellis up front along with incoming McDonald’s All-American Cliff Alexander, Bill Self has already told Turner it wouldn’t be worth his time. However, if Embiid were to leave, Turner essentially slides right into his spot. That’s a scenario that should enable him to be utilized inside and out, as Ellis is especially good in the mid-range area and Alexander, while an undeniable horse inside, is a better shooter and passer than he is often given credit for.
Style of play: While both Kansas and Duke would present the opportunity to play with other high-level big men, Duke would be converting from more of a four-out offensive style while Kansas’ high-low system has been their calling card since Self’s arrival. There’s a long line of big men who have flourished in the system that is often predicated on strong-side ball screens (where Turner would be allowed to pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop) and weak-side duck-ins (where he’ll show his back to the basket game), it’s much easier to envision how he would be a quick fit.
Bottom line: If Embiid stays, Turner will go elsewhere. If Embiid leaves, this is likely to best fit from both a personnel and style-of-play standpoint.
###Please add stories here### ###### Also see our Daily Threads, March 13, and the News Digest for Yesterday, March 12, as well as Daily Threads for Yesterday, March 12
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“Nothing has changed,” Self added. “That doesn’t mean he couldn’t play (first weekend of NCAAs). I think the percentages are he probably won’t.
That’s a nice spin by the reports, but why can’t it be “Embiid is not laying down, but I won’t play him.”?
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Is the game on TV today? Channel?
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The rest of the article isn’t relevant so here’s a snippet:
Also Wednesday, NBA Commissioner Silver repeated his goal of changing the “one-and-done” rule that allows college players to enter the NBA after one NCAA season; he would prefer an age limit of 20 years-old. Another option would be for the NCAA to allow players to sign with an agent and be drafted but remain in school.
Silver said he would like to work with USA Basketball and the NCAA on keeping players in college longer, which would help athletes develop into better basketball players. It would also help the NCAA.
“Historically, college basketball has not had a seat at the table,” Silver said.
Such a change would have to be bargained with the NBA players’ union. Because the union leadership is in flux, Silver all-but ruled out a change for next year.
In what he called the first formal address of his term as commissioner, Silver joked that a month or so ago he wouldn’t be allowed into a group limited to CEOs. Several questions from the group were answered by him noting that he’s only been on the job six weeks.
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@dylans Silver in on the right railway at this point, he just needs to get on the right track. Go the way of college baseball, you can be drafted right out of high school and go into the NBA or play three years of college ball.
The NFL makes you wait until after your third year out of HS so you are physically bigger than when you were 17/18.
There haven’t been many HS players that have made a splash in MLB right away like the NBA, James, Bryant, Garnett, and Moses Malone had big impacts, D. Howard was good but could have used a few years in college to be even better. But then you have to look at guys like Kwami Brown who fell flat.
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@wissoxfan83 espn 2, kstate before us
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I like the baseball rule. As much as I hate losing players after 1 year I also hate even more seeing kids who have no business declaring for the NBA ruining their college careers by declaring and then not getting drafted. What a waste.
I wonder if someone has studied the impact on kids who don’t get drafted. They’ve blown their scholarship so I’d doubt many of them return to school. Some go to Europe I suppose which isn’t the end of the world, but they’re not showing highlights of the Helsinki Saunas v. the Vilnius Vultures game on ESPN either.
As for the NBA splashers, how many OAD’s make a splash? I haven’t thought too hard about it and don’t follow the NBA closely enough. I presume Durant had a great first year. Kyrie Irving did well. I’m sure there’s others, but there’s probably more Josh Selby’s and Xavier Henry’s than Durants.
College hoops would be much better if kids had to stick for 3 years if they don’t declare out of HS. Let’s hope that happens.
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@wissoxfan83-Baseball rule works, but IMO the players union will drive the bus. Until a new agreement is on the horizon this may very well be all just spin.
The rule I’d like to see immediately is comparable to the McCrae rule in MLB. Name it the “Smart ass rule” & call a foul for blatant flopping. Also make it a reviewable by video assessment with possible ejection/suspension for multiple occurrences/violations. Just dreaming again as usual, is probably as unlikely as a cue ball growing hair.
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Congratulations Jayhawks. I always try to be a good sport, especially after a win, but somewhere deep inside me as Andrew Wiggins was giving his post-game interview with Holly Rowe, I wanted him to go Richard Sherman after the game. “That’s what you get for putting a mediocre player on me, he wants to talk trash about me?” I know it’s wrong, but I had that thought for a second. Happy for the win. Oklahomo State will be a tough out for anyone in the Big Dance. Big XII, the best conference in College Basketball.
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@KansasComet that would be awesome! That was a hard fought game, feel like we could fight for awhile. Clean up a few TO’s!
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@Crimsonorblue22 I agree. Cleanup the turnovers and we may be on to something. Thanks!
