Monthly Archives: August 2011

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Prince Ibeh: A Prince By Any Other Name

Prince Ibeh BDN/Andrew Slater Photo

Three years after trying organized basketball for the first time, 6'11" Prince Ibeh played in a very lightly attended AAU evening game on the outskirts of Las Vegas. There were sixteen coaches in attendance, however, including three Duke coaches: Mike Krzyzewski, Jeff Capel, and Steve Wojciechowski. Ibeh, who wields a 7'4" wingspan, has landed on the radars of high-major programs like Texas, Florida, Maryland, and Vanderbilt by possessing a tantalizing mix of size, athleticism, and upside.

For the majority of this AAU season, the 2012 prospect has been the defensive stalwart and veteran presence on a young Texas Titans team, where Ibeh, who has added more than twenty pounds of muscle, was a teammate of both Dallas-area Duke 2013 recruits Julius Randle and Matt Jones. The Garland, Texas product's performance at the Amar'e Stoudemire Skills Academy earned him an invitation to Akron's LeBron James Skills Academy. His length, lateral quickness, and quick-twitch second jump has made him into one of the better shot-blockers among the rising seniors.

Recently, he spoke with Blue Devil Nation about Duke's recent interest, his unique first name, playing with Randle, and the keys to being a good shot-blocker.

For those that may only recently have seen you play, touch on your growth as a player over the past few years?
Yeah, a couple of years ago, I was pretty bad. (laughs) I was just starting and I guess I just got used to my body. I practiced a lot more and things started to fall into place.

In terms of your offensive growth or progression, where do you view it now and how far do you feel that you have to go? Where do you think it needs to be?
I think it needs to get a lot better, but it's actually improved a lot.

Yeah, I think that your comfort level on offense and filling out your body have been the two biggest things that you've improved on since last year.
Yeah, absolutely.

With respect to recruiting, what schools are after you right now?
Duke, Texas, Florida, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, Maryland, and then Baylor and a couple of other schools.

[private]

You must be, at least, a pretty good student.
Yeah, I am.

What was it like playing with Randle and Jones earlier? You were sort of their man in the middle to sweep up any mistakes.
Oh, it was good, but I didn't have like any offensive sets on that team. (laughs) So, it was really just a defensive role, but it was nice playing with them.

You get a lot more touches on this team?
Yeah, but I knew what I was getting in to… (laughs)

What are your strengths and weakness right now?
My strengths are rebounding and blocking shots…pretty much defense.

Well, what do you feel are some areas for improvement?
Yeah, I really need to improve my shooting…my free throw shooting.
Well, you hit the one you took in this game.
(Laughs) Yeah, I was glad I made that one.

Do you view yourself more as a four or five?
A four.

Can you tell the audience a little bit about yourself away from the court? Well, first of all, how did you get that name?

Prince?
Yeah.
My mom thought I was going to be a girl and so she was going to name me "Princess," (laughs) but I ended up a boy and, so, I've tried to make the most of it. (laughs)
Sure, that wasn't exactly the answer I was expecting (laughs). Back to telling the audience a bit about yourself away from the court…
Yeah, I'm pretty laid-back. I just like to hang out with friends and listen to music. That's pretty much it.

Okay, by the way, in terms of distance, will that be a big factor for you? It seems like you've got schools all around the country, but I had heard that you might want to stay near your family in Texas.
No, it won't be much of a problem.

With respect to your timeline, do you still view this as early in the process for you? Late? I had heard you'd like to sign in the early period.
Yeah, I want to decide sometime in November.
You want to take some visits?
Yeah, definitely.

Have you taken any unofficial visits recently and do you have any planned?
No, I haven't taken any that I'd call very recently and I don't plan on taking any more unofficial visits. I think I'm just going to take my official visits.

Who will you turn to for guidance, whenever you do sit down and decide?
Coach (Lawrence) Mann, who's my AAU coach, and my high school coach, Coach (Jeff) Clarkson

What are you looking for ideally, whenever you do decide?
A good coaching staff and a good opportunity to play…things like that

How long have you been playing basketball and what other sports have you played through your life?
I used to play mostly football. That was basically all I played, until my freshman year. My freshman year was when I started playing basketball.
So, it is true that you've really only been playing basketball for about three years.
Yeah, for better or worse, I've only been playing since my freshman year.
Any chance of seeing you at wide receiver or defensive end?
(laughs) Yeah, well, I used to actually play both wide receiver and defensive end.

How long did it take you to adjust to a new team?
The Titans?
Yes.
Sure, it didn't take too long. I kind of understood right when I got there that they already had a system and how they were going to do things. I didn't need much time.

Are you a Mavericks fan? How did you feel about them winning the title?
Oh, I hate the Mavericks. (laughs)

(laughs) I'm trying here. You're sort of known as a defensive and rebounding specialist. Who's been the toughest guy for you to defend?
There isn't one guy that comes to the top of my head, but Julius (Randle) probably would've been.
Yeah, I was going to ask you about the best teammate that you've had, but I guess Julius would be your answer.
Sure, that would definitely be Julius.

What are some of your goals for the high school season, both individually and as a team?
Oh, well, for the team, we want to win the state championship this coming year.
You guys didn't make it quite as far as you wanted to this year.
Yeah, definitely, we lost in the second round of the playoffs, but I think we'll do a lot better this year.

In terms of Duke specifically, what do you know about the program and who has contacted you from their staff?
Coach Capel has called me. I don't know too much about the program, but I know that it's a good program.

What do you feel are the keys to being a good shot-blocker? Timing? Positioning?
Yeah, timing and positioning…oh, and athleticism, I guess.
Well, you sent one shot into the third row in this game.
(laughs)

Rather than necessarily having a player that you model your game after, who's your favorite player right now?
Oh, definitely Kevin Durant.

Where do you prefer to catch the ball on offense?
In the high post..
Sort of around the foul line extended, where you were catching the ball a lot in this game and against the zone
Yeah, that's right.

Does playing in front of college coaches have affect your play at all? Does it change your emotions at all?
It makes it a lot more frustrating when you make a mistake. It magnifies things, but I think it also makes people or, at least, me play harder and more consistently.

Do you think it affects players or teammates in general?
Yeah, I think it does affect them, but some just don't want to admit it or say that it changes them a bit.

How do you feel that you've played throughout the AAU season, both here and with the Titans?
I feel like I've played pretty good overall. I feel like I've grown and contributed. I would've liked to have scored with the ball a little bit more, but things happen.

Staying with that and we touched on it before, but where would you like to be offensively by the time that you reach college? Where do you view as the area that you can improve most rapidly before college? Low-post play? Improving your shooting from the outside?
Yeah, I think improving my low-post play and developing more low-post moves in general. It would help make it tougher on defenders, I think.

Do you work on that often? What's your schedule typically like? How much time do you put into improving yourself on the court?
Yeah, I try. I work out about three times a week. Um, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
With a trainer or by yourself? How does that work?
Sometimes by my self.

Alright, well, thank you very much, Prince.
Thank you very much.[/private]

Duke Football

BDN previews Duke Football’s week 7 game with ACC favorite Florida State

Duke will host another top ten opponent in Florida State on October 15

After their week 6 off week, Coach Cutcliffe and the Blue Devils will host yet another top 10 opponent in Wallace Wade Stadium on October 15th, as the Florida State Seminoles travel to Durham. Despite the loss of starting QB Christian Ponder, the Seminoles are the consensus favorite to win the Atlantic Coast Conference  in 2011. In Jimbo Fisher's second season in charge in Tallahassee, FSU returns 18 starters from last year's Chick-fil-a Bowl Championship team that finished with a 10-4 overall record. Expectations are high for this fall, and with a win against top-ranked Oklahoma in September, the Seminoles could vault themselves into the national championship picture.

The Seminoles have always been a tough opponent for the Blue Devils, as Duke is 0-16 all-time against Florida State. This year will be no exception; Duke will certainly have their hands full against an experienced and confident FSU team on October 15th.

For Duke’s week 7 match up against FSU, we are fortunate to have the insight of onebarrelrum from Tomahawk Nation. 

BDN: In his first year as Head Coach in Tallahassee, Jimbo Fisher led the Seminoles to their first 9-win season since 2003. What were the biggest changes seen on the field and within the program?

Expectations are high for Jimbo Fisher's second season as Head Coach at FSU

We'll start with program changes because that is what dictates and influences what happens on the field. Bobby Bowden's approach to the FSU program was that of CEO of a company much like Mack Brown at Texas. He delegated many responsibilities to other coaches. Fisher, however, is much more hands on with every facet of the program. Sure, his assistant coaches have their own responsibilities, but Fisher doesn't watch practice from a tower. He is on the practice field, managing and coaching, utilizing direct interaction with coaches and players.

Beyond Fisher's approach to coaching, there have been vast improvements in numerous areas including weight training, player tutoring, psychology, and nutrition. An army of support staff was brought on board to help boost all of these areas in an effort to improve the quality of play on the field. Under the waning years of Bowden, these areas had not kept up, or come close to matching other elite programs. Fisher has done an admirable job reorganizing and retooling the program so that it can compete with modern day elite teams.

On the field, the largest changes in x's and o's is most noticeable in the transition from Micky Andrew's man heavy scheme to Stoops' balanced defense that utilizes much more zone. FSU fans would like to all but forget the 2009 defense. It was the worst defense fielded by a Bowden coached team. In 2009 FSU was starting a 225 pound walk-on at defensive end. This year, the first and second string DE position will feature 4 players all over 265 pounds. It was also revealed that the defense was not provided playbooks in 2009. To say the least, Stoops had a lot of issues to address when he stepped on campus.

BDN: Florida State is the consensus top pick in the ACC in 2011, and will almost certainly receive a top-10 preseason ranking. With a win against Oklahoma on September 17th, many expect the Seminoles to vault towards the top of the BCS rankings. What does this team need to do to beat the Sooners, and is FSU ready to return to college football’s elite and compete for a National Championship?

Last year, many 'Nole fans did not expect to win in Norman against the Sooners. They also didn't expect FSU to get absolutely destroyed. It was a learning year for the Florida State defense, and the first exam was against OU. They obviously failed miserably as OU scored on its first five possessions. The FSU offense was in shock and could not come close to offering enough points to help as they dealt with their own struggles. This year, the defense has got to get at least a few stops. The offense has to manage the clock and keep OU's offense off the field and out of rhythm. Last year, the OU no huddle decimated FSU's young, learning defense and that can't happen again if they want a chance to win. The plan should be to shorten the game with long drives and converting on 3rd down (easier said than done, I know). If FSU is successful at limiting OU's offensive snaps, it will have a shot at winning in the 4th.

As for the second part, time will tell. If FSU can keep the game at least close with OU, it will have shown major strides since 2009. While competing for a title is extremely difficult for any team, I think FSU has the structure, players, and coaching staff to once again start competing with and beating the nation's elite.

QB E.J. Manuel has already led the Seminoles to two bowl victories

BDN: While most of the ACC will be breaking in a new quarterback in 2011, Florida State and Duke have to feel pretty good about their QB situation. E.J. Manuel filled in admirably for Christian Ponder over the past two seasons, leading the Seminoles to bowl victories over West Virginia and South Carolina. What do you expect to see from Manuel in his first year as a starter? With three explosive backs and top receiver Bert Reed returning, what questions remain for the FSU offense?

You are right about EJ, fans have been very pleased with his effort filling in when Ponder was injured. EJ is an extremely talented QB with smarts to boot. Though this year FSU fans hope he is even better. He had a mechanics problem in his throwing motion which eventually lead to needing shoulder surgery. The surgery and improved mechanics have helped him with velocity and hopefully accuracy. He is excellent in the option game and keeping his eyes downfield when flushed from the pocket. I look for Fisher to utilize him in the running game quite a bit on designed runs this year to make defenses account for all 11 offensive players. EJ has bulked up to over 240 pounds, hopefully preparing his body for the long season. Outside of his talents EJ is a vocal leader on the team. He also has great chemistry with a lot of the receivers having thrown to some of them for years in practice. Hopefully all those reps will pay off this season.

As of right now, going into fall camp, the biggest question mark for the offense is the offensive line. There are returning players with experience but it is a question of how healthy they will be for the season. Both tackles, Zebrie Sanders and Andrew Datko had to go under the knife and miss spring ball. Guard David Spurlock had multiple concussions last year keeping him out of a number of games and also missed spring ball. Fisher says that they are all healed up and should be fine. If they are really 100 percent then there is a lot less to worry about for the FSU offense, but I'd wait until fall practice gets going before I breathe a sigh of relief. At the beginning of last season receivers Willie Haulstead and Rodney Smith struggled. They had route issues, timing issues, and just needed quite a bit of time to get used to the college game. FSU needs them to continue their maturation and be ready to become major contributors. They will be counted on more than ever with the departure of WR Taiwan Easterling (left for pro baseball).

BDN: Mark Stoops did a nice job with a young FSU defense in 2010, though the group was inconsistent at times. With 8 starters returning in 2011, what improvements need to be made defensively for the Seminoles to compete for an ACC and National Championship?

For the defense, the most improvement should come from being in the new system for another year. While 2010 was a year to learn the basics, this year should show the grasp the players have of the different schemes and the understanding of their roles on any given play. Another issue last year was depth along the front. With so many young players, fatigue became an issue by the NC State game. FSU did not force a single punt in the second half of that game. Russell Wilson, time and again, was able to use his legs and arm to convert on 3rd and long. This year, there should be some serious depth along the front, along with another year of strength training, maturity, and familiarity with a new scheme. Same goes for the linebackers and secondary. With the way FSU is recruiting on the defensive side of the ball and Stoops' scheme, I have no doubt that FSU will field an elite defense in the not so distant future. A defense that can be leaned on to win games and perhaps a championship. There is some hope among fans that this defense won't have to wait another year to be special. Of course, we won't have to wait too long to find out.

BDN: Florida State is 16-0 all-time against the Blue Devils, and the series hasn’t been competitive, with the Seminoles winning each game by at least three scores. Having last met in 2007, the two programs will have to get reacquainted in 2011. Duke has made strides under Head Coach David Cutcliffe, but will still be a significant underdog at home on October 15th. What have you heard about Coach Cutcliffe’s Blue Devils and what will they need to do to compete with the Seminoles?

From what I understand Duke has made very good strides under Coach Cutcliffe. After this season it wouldn't be surprising to see a program offer Cutcliffe a pay increase. Duke was a scrappy team last year and proved to be much better than an annual speed bump in a number of ACC games. I look for that same level of play or even better from Duke this year. I can say it's a good thing FSU's defense has been tuned up since the 2007 match up. If these two teams faced off in 2009 I could have easily seen a Virgnia/Duke 2010 type shootout.

I know Duke likes to throw, but if they want to stay in it with the 'Noles this year, they need to shorten the game. They will have to eat up some clock with runs. Duke needs to seize some momentum early and hope for the best. If FSU puts up 2 or 3 quick TD's all hope may be lost as the revamped defense will be looking for pass. It will be the 3rd road game in a row for FSU, perhaps impacting how much time FSU spends on studying Duke's offense and defense. Best thing to do would be break tendencies and do the unexpected. For heavens sake, don't kick field goals on 4th and 3 inside the 25 or even 30 yard line. Duke will have to maximize every chance it has at TDs, as FG's just won’t get it done.

BDN: Thanks so much for your help! We look forward to hosting the Seminoles on October 15th!

 

Previous game: October 1, Duke at Florida International

Next game: October 22, Wake Forest at Duke

 

Duke Basketball

Monday Musings – News about news that is not newsworthy

Coach K monitors Plumlee-Kelly matchup in practice - BDN Photo

Welcome to an afternoon edition of Monday Musings. While I try to make this a weekly column, BDN can at times get too busy to run the article. To kick off the week for members, we have a new Jabari Parker interview posted and one with another recent Duke offer, Bronson Koenig. Okay, enough on BDN Premium, our subscription service for all the inside information you can handle and on to this weeks musings -

Much ado about nothing and our let's focus on the pin hole and create news

If you listen carefully enough, you can hear a snicker coming from Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio. Jones is an infamous Duke hater who actually went to law school in Durham, yet he bleeds Kentucky blue. Over the past several years, he has taken more than one passing shot at the Duke program and can often be found arguing with other Kentucky sites when taking a break. During a past recruiting event, Jones came in with more radio related equipment than anyone has ever seen. So much so, that one of  recruiting analysts said it looked as if you took a step back in time for a session of the Grand Ole Opry.  Another said his original set up was "clunky and clownish."

Anyhow, Matt knows how to run with a blurb and make folks uncomfortable in the process.  He like all parties involved or who we have taken subtle shots at are good at what they do.  Duke fans overreact on the message boards, just like many other fans who believe anything they read on the web, and this latest mess is no different.  The problem is most of what you see on the web today lacks credibility.  There has been a serious lack of control, and recruiting media is probably the worst of the bunch. Most of them not adhering to any kind of protocol, but that's a story for another day.

In today's media, anything seems to be fair game. Perhaps it is the influence of TMZ or one of those magazines on the checkout that feature "inside" information. Just the other evening, a WRAL reporter, who happens to be a UNC grad, stated that "This could mean serious trouble for Duke." Then there is the, yawn, local sports show radio shock jocks baiting the likes of TSN's Mike DeCourcy and ESPN running the news, er, kind of, sort of news on it's ticker. To his credit DeCourcy didn't bite nor has anyone else with a rational mind.

What we are talking about is that some think Coach K offered a prospect, Alex Poythress before he was allowed to. A couple of hours we're talking here, and something that was going to happen be it a few hours later or maybe even today. Yeah, that legendary Coach K is such a cheater. Having been around the program from a coverage standpoint, I can tell you that I have never seen the coaches go places others seem to. In fact, Duke should be celebrated as a team that runs a clean and tight ship.

Don't get me wrong here. Duke is not perfect for the staff is human. They can get a date mixed up, possibly even the time with all of their flight schedules, but knowingly cheating? Really? They need to do that? Come on folks, let's get real here! Does anyone think Coach K would need to sneak in that offer for a kid who has one coming regardless of the time?

Duke called Alex Poythress between events, yet the events just happened to be in the same facility in Orlando. Having gone to said events in the past, I can tell you that while there is a little break in the action between events, they are definitely different. Coaches are allowed to call prospects between events as has happened all year long and that's what happened.

So, Krzyzewski called after the Super Showcase but before the AAU Nationals, both which take place on Disney property. Since the other day, the story has died down quite a bit but some feel Duke is still a victim of perception. We're not talking Big Blue handshakes or changing of license plates folks. Nope. Krzyzewski simply offered Alex Poythress. If it were a few hours too soon, then we'll hear of it. It has gone through the proper channels of compliance now and Duke as most of you know, always complies.

Meanwhile, fifteen minutes down the road, UNC Football has blown up the nation with a list of violations that rocks the senses. But for a day or two, the media would have you think that Coach K and Duke were almost on equal ground. It's time for a reality check. Still, shock jocks are looking for a story and they often create one from anything they desire. In fairness, I suppose it's their job and I am sure they are tired of talking about the UNC Football fiasco. Even before this article was finished, I was contacted by a beat writer asking me what I have heard.  Come on guys, this is not that big of a story and like fishing for gold plated bass in the local Eno River. If you want to bait the hooks, be my guest, but if you're looking for something shiny and new to pop out of the water, aka the supposed Blue Devils dirty deeds, put on some sun screen, for you'll be in the boat for a bit.

Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth Williams is an incoming freshman and a prized recruit for Coach G and her program. Williams, a former native of Virginia Beach, Va., knocked down 6-of-8 shots from the field as she helped lead Team USA to a Gold Medal. For the tournament, Williams averaged 8.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and hit 52.3 percent from the field. Williams has now been a part of three gold medals, after winning gold at the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship and 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.

Duke Football Practice

Football is here! Duke starts practice this time next week and BDN will be bringing you updates from the practices leading into the season. BDN has quickly become the top site for news surrounding the program, be it recruiting or weekly features and that will continue. Duke will place a veteran offense on the field but there is still work to be done. Duke must come away with more touchdowns than field goals in the red zone this season and continue to establish a ground attack. The defensive side of the ball is more uncertain with the new 4-2-5 scheme. We'll look to see how the defensive front develops and if the young linebackers can come around in short time. The secondary is the strength but there is room for improvement. Duke will have a solid kicking game and the focus will be on preparing for a win in the opener over Richmond, a game that is indeed a must win right out of the gate. The media picked Duke last during the ACC Kickoff gathering and that should be posted on the locker room wall as a sign of disrespect. Duke is not going to wow you into a second place vote on paper but they can play with and defeat division rivals Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Virginia on a given day. It is simply a matter of believing at this point and Cut and company will try and adjust the players attitude to fill the bill.  Individual tickets are now on sale, get yours today.  The most popular one will be the Stanford game featuring Heisman Trophy winner Andrew Luck, a player the NFL is drooling over.

China trip

Talk about one busy August! Duke Basketball will share time with Cut's football team until September as they embark on their China trip. Krzyzewski will meet with the media before the event and BDN will be there to bring you his comments. As for the trip itself, this is one we won't make. BDN is pretty much anywhere Duke Athletics happenings are taking place but we aren't in the spare twelve grand club. For those who are, it'll be a trip to remember and if you go, send us your photos and such and we'll post them.

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Jabari Parker and the Eventful Summer

Jabari Parker BDN/Andrew Slater Photo

Since last we profiled Chicago's Jabari Parker, he has led the United States to a Gold Medal at the FIBA Americas 16U Championship in Mexico, where the 6'8" wing was named the MVP of the tournament. Over the past month, Parker stood out against the nation's best at the LeBron James Skills Academy and helped take his relatively young Mac Irvin AAU squad deep into several tournaments including the Peach Jam, Fab 48, and, most recently, into the finals at the Desert Duel.

Recently, Jabari spoke with us about a variety of issues, including his USA Basketball experience, his recent profile in Sports Illustrated, and a scouting report on some of his recent teammates, who also have received recruiting interest from Duke.

What schools are you considering?
Kansas, Washington, Duke, Illinois, and Michigan State.

What’s going to influence your decision when you choose a school?
The best program where I can fit in, a program where I can develop as an individual, both in basketball and character-wise.

[private]
(Other site) Chicago basketball, is that the best basketball in the country or what?
I would say in the country because, as a public school, we don’t have the ability to recruit as the other schools do, so I always consider us one of the best high school programs in the country.

What did you learn about yourself at the academies?
I learned that these guys are just as good as me, so I have to work hard, I have to make myself stand out through hard work.

What do you feel you need to work on?
Not just being an individual, but being able to have your teammates play around you and it’s not about one person...Just getting to loose balls and playing better defense, too, cause you know I can lag on that. And getting my jump shot improved, too.

What’s it like playing in front of college coaches?
Not a lot of pressure, but, you know, I’m kind of used to it, but it’s good because you know…
Do you find it makes you play or act differently? Do you find it motivates, excites, or even makes you a little nervous?
It makes me kind of motivated because I can show them what I’m not good at and show what I’ve improved on and lacking in skills.

Do you feel you've improved as a shooter over the past few months?
I’ve gotten better, but it needs some work. You know, I’m just getting in the gym and getting shots up. I’m not thinking about it too much, but just..
Getting comfortable with your range?
Yeah.

What was the USA Basketball experience like?
It was very good. It was very aggressive. It’s kind of different from the States because they called a whole lot of ticky-tack fouls. In the national game, they let you be more physical where hand-checking is allowed.

How long does it take you to get used to the rules, etc.?
Well, it took me about a week. We practiced in Colorado Springs, so they had us learn the rules.

What about winning the MVP? It must have been exciting.
It was good. I was actually surprised because you know Aaron?
Yeah, Aaron Gordon..
He played well and just my teammates..they were just as good as me, so when I got it, I felt honored.

What were the highlights of the trip? The highlight was obviously winning the gold medal, but other than that, I meant…
Yeah, but off the court, we went to Chichen Itza. It was one of the Aztec pyramids or something like that we got to see. It was like another wonder of the world. We got to see that up close.

Oh, that must've been a great experience. Forgive me, but what’s the latest in your recruitment?
Missouri just offered me, Tennessee just offered me, and UConn, too.

Who’s been after you hardest since that June 15th deadline?
Illinois and DePaul. DePaul has sent me a lot of things. They kind of get under you because they’re the local school.

Have you enjoyed playing with Jahlil Okafor? He said he looked up to you. What’s your relationship like with him?
Oh, that’s like a little brother to me. Jahlil’s very good. He’s a really big person down-low that you can throw the ball down to. He’s looking to be like me- one of the top players in his class. He’s very dominant.

He had mentioned how you had slimmed down on your body and how he was going to try to do the same.
Yeah, with me and him, it’s all about our bodies are different. Growing up, it’s about eating the right food. You can’t get away with taking a lot of days off.

Can you give the audience a scouting report on Theo Pinson?
Oh, Theo’s very good. You know, without the ball, he can run the lanes very well. He’s very athletic. He’s just good for his age. He can do so much that other kids can’t do at his age.
He’s a very natural player.
Yeah, he’s very natural.

What was the experience at LeBron like?
It went well. We did a lot of skill development, getting coaching from all different levels- from the NBA down to high school. You know, it just brings different views.

What sort of things did you learn?
Footwork, just different footwork… and skills as far as reverse pivots and face-up game.

Speaking about those five or six schools that you mentioned before, can you mention something about each of them?
Well, they each have great coaches, they have a long history, they’ve been able to win, you can also develop as a person too with them and you can trust them. I just like that the coaches there are all good.  I think I can fit into their systems well.

What makes you think that you can fit into their systems?
Because it’s versatile. I’ve been scouting throughout the players they had and I’m similar to some of those players..the ones that are able to post inside and out and play the small forward position.

How likely is it that your schools are likely to change from here on out?
It’s able to change, there are a lot of schools trying to come in, but you know, things can change, I guess. I just like those schools.

I guess I was just curious, but do you have a friendly rivalry with Julius Randle?
Well, you know, he’s a very good player. You know, me and him are a rival on the courts, but me and him get along very well and we talk. We share words and we talk about schools. I just like being around him.
I know you guys are often associated on a national level.
Yeah, yeah.

In terms of visits, have you taken any recently? Do you have any upcoming?
I don’t have any visits planned because, you know, I’ll be busy. In August, I really don’t know.

Who are some coaches that you’ve enjoyed talking to?
It was surprising to see Jim Calhoun, you know he just won the National Championship..and his interest in me being very high. He’s always won national championships and he plays in the Big East.

Have you spoken with Durant and what advice did he give you?
I met Durant in Chicago and…
I remember you really looked up to him, I remember that he was one of your favorite players. I’m glad that you had the opportunity to meet him.
Yeah, he’s a very good guy. He was always involved with us. He also worked with us individually as well. He also told us that we need to work hard and told me not to let my talent be wasted by not working hard.

Did you get to play against him at all?
Yeah, I got to play against him.
How did you do?
I did okay. He didn’t really play to his full effort, but…

How far along do you feel you are in terms of your recruitment?
I think it’s getting there. I think it’ll be before my senior year. I’ll be able to decide one day. Only time will tell.

(Kentucky site reporter) You mentioned Kentucky. You've gotten a little interest from Kentucky. Have they called you since June 15th.
Yeah, they called my parents and they didn't really give me any insight into what was said. They just said that they were very interested in me.

(Kentucky site reporter) Do you feel like you have an offer from them?
Not really, because I think that they're interested in other kids from the 2012 class. But Coach Orlando, he contacts my mom sometimes.
(Kentucky site reporter) What would be your interest level if they did come through with an offer?
It would be so-so.

Have you visited all five of them?
I have visited all but Kansas. I haven't visited Kansas yet. I've been away and at the camps. I haven't visited them yet.

Is that something you want to do or thought about?
Yeah.

Since we're getting near the end of the season, how do you feel you and your team are playing right now?
I think we're playing well, you know. We're playing well as a team. This spring, you remember we were struggling a little bit, when we were trying to get used to each other and our surroundings. Right now, we're starting every game strong and everybody is playing well with each other.

What is the importance for you and your teammates of going out with a bang…ending the summer on a high note?
I've been playing pretty well this summer. You know getting a lot of hard work in, between the Nike Skills Academies and the LeBron James Camp… and I've just tried to grow from there.

It translates also back to AAU ball.
Yes, it does. It really started from USA camp. We worked very hard from there and coaches there just said, you know, to play as hard today in practice as you will tomorrow in the games. We all tried to take that to heart, you know.

Speaking of USA Basketball, what was it like playing with Tyus Jones? How did he mesh with the team as your point guard?
Oh, yeah, it was really good group and Tyus was one of the best guards at passing. He really facilitated more than he scored for our team, but, you know, he could score anytime that he wanted.

In terms of watching tapes or games of older players, which ones have you enjoyed watching most?
I've actually enjoyed watching a lot, but recently I was watching the Boston Celtics against the Houston Rockets. I just loved to watch Larry Bird move around the floor and seeing how he stayed active and involved. Then, I've also been watching the Portland Trailblazers against the Nets or I mean the 76ers back when they had Doctor J and just trying to take from that and how they played hard and how they would try to get their baskets.

I saw you yesterday trying to incorporate the bank shot, which is sadly missing in a lot of the younger guys' games.
Oh, yeah, definitely.

What did you think of the recent SI article?
Yeah, it was real good. You know I appreciate it. The guy interviewed me and he thought I was a very good guy.
Yeah, well, you are.
Thanks, you know I'm just glad with the way it turned out and I appreciated his time. I'm just so glad that I had an opportunity to have an article on me and I never want to take it for granted.

How do you account for the improvement in your explosiveness? When you're dunking the ball, how much does the thought of igniting the crowd play into what you're going to do?
You know I just started to get a little more bounce.
Sure.
Yeah, and you know the weight going down has helped me a lot as far as being lighter and helping me stay in the air a little longer.

What about your match-up with (Kuran) Iverson? He's got a lot of tools too and he's around your size, age, and athleticism.
Yeah, I've got to say that he brought the best out in me. He made me play harder and not so sluggish. In the beginning, I thought he got the best of me and so I needed to come out strong for my team in the second half.

Thank you very much. It was great to see you, Jabari.
It was great to see you.[/private]