BACK EN ROUTE TO BOSTON - So, I'm headed back home to Boston
for a few days before going back on the road to the Peach Jam and plenty of
college coaches are calling me "soft" and rightfully so, for my easy July
schedule.
Marquette coach Buzz Williams has
probably already been to a dozen places already and I've only been to one.
I spent some time with Akron coach
Keith Dambrot (who is also LeBron James' former high school coach) and LeBron's
mother, Glorida, on Tuesday and one of the more fascinating things I found out
was how James actually weighs 266 pounds and has just two percent body fat.
``I never thought he'd get bigger than he was a year or so ago," Dambrot said.
"But the thing with LeBron that people don't realize is that he's even tougher
mentally than he is physically."
Dambrot, who coaches James for his first two seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary,
said LeBron finished out his freshman season at 6-foot-4 and 170 pounds.
Gloria said that her son has turned into a complete health fanatic.
WALL SPURNS TAR HEELS
How about the fact that Roy Williams and the Tar Heels made a run at John Wall
last year and were basically spurned by the athletic point guard who just may be the top
player in the Class of 2009.
Wall goes to school at Word of God (N.C.), which isn't all that far down the
road from Chapel Hill. He's got the size of Derrick
Rose, but isn't quite as athletic. However, Wall may be quicker and is a better
passer at the same stage.
According to sources, Roy Williams reached out to Wall and invited him to
numerous Tar Heels games after last year's season-opener - but Wall and his people never displayed enough interest to show up.
Wall's top three are Oregon, Oklahoma
State and Baylor.
Go figure.
SMITH VOLUNTEERING FOR DUTY
Tennessee forward Tyler Smith knows exactly what the scouting report reads:
``Back off Smith."
He doesn't mind one bit.
``I know I need to work on my shooting and my ballhandling," said the athletic
and unselfish junior. "My shot is going to get better. My problem has been
reps. I shoot it OK, but I don't get a lot of repetition. I've got to get more
confident taking shots."
Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl has
already been in Smith's ear to become more selfish this season after the Vols
lost five guys from last year's team.
- Smith agreed with me that newcomer Bobby Maze likes to talk. He can also play
and will be an upgrade (which isn't all that difficult over Ramar Smith and Jordan
Howell) at the point guard position. ``He showed a lot in the Rocky Top Summer
League," Smith said. "He can knock down open shots and he penetrates and makes
others better. He likes to talk and it's because he's so competitive."
CURRY HEADED TO BEACH
Davidson's Stephen Curry has been to the Steve Nash, Paul Pierce, Chris Paul
and LeBron James Camps in the past month.
Now he's ready to hit the beach and relax for a little bit.
Curry said he's up to 182 pounds and he's hoping his schedule this offseason
will help prepare him for this year when he'll have to play extensive minutes
while switching between the point and off-guard spots.
``I ran off a lot of screens last year, so I'm used to being active," Curry
said. ``But I know it's going to be even tougher physically next year."
MACK ATTACK
Doneal Mack is still undecided about his future.
The one-time Memphis reserve guard
is debating on whether he made the correct decision to leave John Calipari's
program and transfer to New Orleans.
UNO coach Joe Pasternak spoke with Mack (who is in school at New
Orleans) yesterday could have a resolution one way or
the other as early as this afternoon.
``I think he's going to talk to some of his people," Pasternak said. "He's
struggling. It's a tough thing. Reality hit him that he'll have to sit out a
year."
RANDOM NOTES: I've gone through a
bunch of preseason tournaments and other key matchups and I'm not sure if I've
mentioned that Gonzaga will Indiana and Notre Dame will play Ohio
State in the Hall of Fame
doubleheader. It will be the first basketball game at Lucas Oil Field. BEST Collegiate (formerly Game Seven) also has another doubleheader in Phoenix finalized. The 'Zags will face Arizona and Arizona State will play UAB ... The
hardest thing for Lute Olson today is knowing he had a choice to take Brandon
Jennings or Larry Drew. Olson, at the suggestion of former assistant Josh
Pastner, opted to go with Jennings
- who is expected to play overseas. Drew will be a freshman at North
Carolina and won't get a lot of run this year with
the return of Ty Lawson and Bobby Frasor.
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