NCAA Basketball FanHouse

USC-Florida Hoops Game Off

Michael David Smith — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:19:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, Pac-10 Basketball, SEC Basketball, USC Basketball, Florida

One of the worst things about college sports is the way so many of the top programs schedule a bunch of cupcakes for the non-conference portion of their seasons. Conversely, one of the best things is seeing two of the top teams from opposite ends of the squaring off.

So it's disappointing to learn today that the highly anticipated USC-Florida basketball game will not go off as planned, Scott Wolf of the L.A. Daily News reports:

Plans for a basketball game between USC and Florida next season were scrapped because a suitable date could not be found by Fox Sports, which wanted to televise the game, according to USC officials. Another road block occurred when Gators coach Billy Donovan quit and returned, which delayed discussions further.

Sports by Brooks thinks USC's reluctance may have more to do with Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt going pro. Whatever the reason, a USC-Florida game would have been one of the early opportunities to see O.J. Mayo against top-notch competition, and the fact that the show won't go on is a big disappointment.

USC-Florida Hoops Game Off originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joakim Noah Sells Stock in Al Horford

Ryan Ferguson — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NBA Prospects, Florida

Listen to Noah wax poetic on his buddy Al Horford. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

"Al Horford is the total package man. What can't he do?," Noah said of his former roommate. "He can play the high post. He can go down low. He can handle the ball. He plays above the rim. He rebounds. He blocks shots. He scores however you want and he's a team player. ... And I didn't even mention the championships. But he's got those too, a couple of them, in fact. He's a winner. The package man, he's the total package."

Pretty good sales pitch. The article goes on speculate on whether the Atlanta Hawks might take Horford with their third pick in the draft. The catch is that Atlanta has taken five consecutive forwards with their last five 1st round picks, and none have developed into truly productive players.

Just about the only dig one could make about Horford is that he's not Greg Oden. Oden's incredible height, standing reach and athleticism clearly outmatched Horford when the two squared off in the 2007 NCAA Championship Game. Other than that sure-fire number one pick, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone else in this draft who is a better power forward than Al Horford. If the Hawks have a chance to get Horford with their #3 pick, they should take it.

Joakim Noah Sells Stock in Al Horford originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anthony Grant Still Calls Billy Donovan a 'Dear Friend'

Michael David Smith — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:52:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, Florida

Virginia Commonwealth coach Anthony Grant would be completely justified if he felt anger toward Florida coach Billy Donovan right now. Donovan's flip-flop on leaving Florida for the Orlando Magic put Grant, as Donovan's presumptive successor, in an incredibly awkward position.

But Grant doesn't seem to mind. He tells Luke Winn of SI.com that he still considers Donovan a "dear friend."

"It was unfortunate that it had to get to that point [of going to the Magic] to realize where [Donovan's] heart was," said Grant. "But if you trace it back, this has been an incredible past 20 months of his life. From taking a team that wasn't ranked in the preseason, to winning 17 games in a row, being ranked No. 1, winning your first national championship, a change in coaching staffs when I left, the juniors coming back, dealing with the pressure of being favorites to repeat, and then actually winning it again -- it was non-stop."

Grant was on his way to the Richmond airport to meet with Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley last weekend for what he thought would be a job interview that would result in an offer. But while he was in the car, he called Donovan, and that's when Donovan told him he was having second thoughts. As soon as Donovan said that, it was clear that Florida's top priority was helping Donovan get out of his contract with the Magic, and Grant and Foley canceled their meeting.

Grant now says he's just excited about Virginia Commonwealth's upcoming season, but Virginia Commonwealth is his second choice, and he's only there because Florida and Donovan were each other's first choices.

Anthony Grant Still Calls Billy Donovan a 'Dear Friend' originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dick Vitale Defends Billy Donovan, Jay Bilas Bashes Him

Michael David Smith — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 08:18:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Media Watch, Florida

One of the reasons I like ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas better than his more famous colleague, Dick Vitale, is that Bilas won't hesitate to say when he thinks a coach is wrong, whereas Vitale seems to think his job is to become best friends with every coach in America.

Their reaction to the Billy Donovan flip-flop is a perfect example. Vitale had this to say:

"Those things happen," Vitale said of Donovan's change of heart. "It's an emotional time for him and his family and everyone involved. The only way it might hurt Billy is if he decides to go the NBA later. The statement he's making is that he's a lifer in college basketball, and college basketball is going to be better off because of it."

While Bilas said this:

"I've never seen anything this unprofessional. Is it going to hurt him? Absolutely. It goes right to the very heart of his ability to make an important decision. There's no question this was an unprofessional way to handle this. There's no reasonable excuse. It's understandable if you can't make up your mind in a certain time frame. To take the step to agree to a contract and be introduced at a press conference and put people through this without having thought this through, there's no excuse."

Is there any doubt who's right? Donovan is a great coach, but he has tarnished his reputation in the last week, and anyone who won't say that isn't much of a college basketball analyst. Kudos to Bilas for having the courage to speak the truth about Donovan, even if it costs him access down the road.

Dick Vitale Defends Billy Donovan, Jay Bilas Bashes Him originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 06 Jun 2007 08:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Billy Donovan Has Not Left His Home Since Friday

Michael David Smith — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:44:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, Florida

Andy Katz reported on ESPN that Billy Donovan, who left Florida to coach the Orlando Magic last week and is now apparently heading back to Florida, has been on "self-imposed house arrest" since Friday and has not even left his home since he first started having second thoughts about taking the Magic job.

I feel a little sorry for Donovan, envisioning him bunkered down, feeling like a prisoner in his own home. But only a little sorry. After all, he got himself into this mess by signing the contract with the Magic without being sure it was what he wanted to do.

I'm guessing Donovan's lawyer is telling him not to say anything publicly that could be used against him as he tries to negotiate his way out of the Magic contract. That's probably the right legal advice, but Donovan could also use some PR advice. If this drags out much longer without Donovan addressing Florida's fans, he might find that they're nowhere near as enthusiastic about his presence as the Gators' coach as they were a week ago.

Billy Donovan Has Not Left His Home Since Friday originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paper Says Magic Will Allow Donovan to Return to Florida

Ryan Ferguson — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:54:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Gossip, NCAA Basketball Rumors, Florida

The latest news, as of 2:39AM on Monday, has Billy Donovan returning to Florida after a brief 2-day stint as the head coach of the Orlando Magic. From the Orlando Sentinel:

The Orlando Magic today will allow Billy Donovan out of his 5-year, $27.5 million contract that he signed on Friday.

"It's over," said a source close to the situation.

Donovan had reservations about leaving the Florida Gators for the NBA on Friday and spent all weekend trying to find a way to get out of his contract. On Saturday, Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith went to Gainesville to try to convince Donovan to honor the deal. Smith talked with Donovan again on Sunday, and so did Magic President Bob Vander Weide.

Unless Donovan wakes up today and changes his mind, the Magic will let him go, the source said.

Gotta like that parting shot from the Magic. Can't say I totally blame them; word is that over 200 season tickets sold immediately after Donovan's hire was announced. People who live in Orlando (I'm one of them) are tired of the Orlando Trajic's travails and many were looking forward to the "Championship Spirit," as the Magic's home page proudly touted, coming to O-Town.

Some will criticize Donovan for his seemingly endless flirtations with anyone and everyone looking to hire him, not to mention his here-again gone-tomorrow act. Now that he's turned down both Kentucky -- a member of the so-called "Blueblood" fraternity of elite college basketball programs -- as well as one of the most lucrative deals ever offered by an NBA franchise to a college coach with almost no NBA experience -- it seems likely that Florida's head coach will not be leaving Gainesville. Maybe whatever soul searching led him to decide to remain at the University of Florida will put an end to Donovan's pseudo-wanderlust.

Expect a whirlwind of announcements early on Monday as life adjusts back to normal for both Florida and Magic fans.

Previously at Fanhouse:
Donovan Wants Out of Magic Deal, To Return to Florida

Paper Says Magic Will Allow Donovan to Return to Florida originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Donovan Wants Out Of Magic Deal, To Return to Florida

Ryan Ferguson — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 23:41:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Gossip, NCAA Basketball Rumors, Florida

Breaking news of potentially earthshaking magnitude on Sunday night.

Jeff Goodman at Fox Sports writes:

Billy Donovan is having second thoughts.

According to two sources close to the situation, the former Florida coach, who accepted the Orlando Magic job on Friday, is attempting to return to Gainesville.

Donovan agreed to a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Magic late last week, but has approached both sides about getting out of the deal.

According to one source, Donovan was forced to make a rash decision by the Magic management - and he regretted it shortly after agreeing to the contract.

ESPN has also broken into their coverage of the Yankees-Red Sox game, indicating that the Magic is mulling over whether to let him out of his contract.

Now, just how good are these "two sources close to the situation?"

To quote Thom Brennaman from the '07 Fiesta Bowl after Boise State scored on the Hook and Ladder:

"DO YOU BELIEVE THAT!"

Stay tuned...

Update (11:47PM ET, Sunday): ESPN just picked up the story.

Donovan Wants Out Of Magic Deal, To Return to Florida originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 03 Jun 2007 23:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Grant Is Florida's Only Candidate to Replace Billy Donovan

Michael David Smith — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Gossip, Florida

Contrary to many predictions, Florida did not hire Anthony Grant as its new basketball coach Saturday. But Grant, currently the coach at Virginia Commonwealth, is Florida's only candidate to replace Billy Donovan, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The paper also referred to Florida as "a dream job for Grant" and reported that " indications point to a deal that could be finalized quickly."

Given all that, what's the holdup? It may just be that contracts for college coaches are complex documents that take some time to craft. Grant recently got a raise from Virginia Commonwealth that bumps his salary to $400,000, but he'll make much more than that from Florida. The two sides might not make it official until they can dot all the i's and cross all the t's, but there seems to be little doubt in anyone's mind that Grant will be Florida's next coach.

(Photo Credit: Andy Lyons, Getty Images)

Previously at FanHouse:
If Billy D's Out, Who's In?
All Signs Point to Anthony Grant Coaching Florida
Gator Plane Leaves Richmond Airport Without Anthony Grant

Grant Is Florida's Only Candidate to Replace Billy Donovan originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 03 Jun 2007 07:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gator Plane Leaves Richmond Airport Without Anthony Grant

Michael David Smith — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 12:34:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Gossip, Florida

Maybe Florida won't be hiring Virginia Commonwealth's Anthony Grant as its basketball coach quite as quickly as everyone thought. The Richmond Times-Dispatch is reporting that the University of Florida sent a private plane to Virginia today for its meeting with Grant, but the plane left town and Grant was not on board.

A Cessna Citation 550 registered to the University of Florida Athletic Association landed Saturday morning at Richmond International Airport. It left 45 minutes later, without Virginia Commonwealth University men's basketball coach Anthony Grant aboard. Four men got off the plane, made some phone calls and got back on the plane.

It's entirely possible that this doesn't mean a thing, of course, but there was talk that Grant could become the Gators' coach as soon as this morning, and that didn't happen. The Florida coaching search is the biggest story in college sports today, and it's fascinating to see how every detail gets scrutinized. There will no doubt be more details coming soon.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Gator Plane Leaves Richmond Airport Without Anthony Grant originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 02 Jun 2007 12:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lucas on Donovan: 'He Told Me He Wasn't Going Anywhere'

Michael David Smith — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Gossip, NCAA Basketball Recruiting, Florida

It wasn't even three weeks ago that Jai Lucas committed to Florida, and now he's already stuck with the binding letter of intent he signed but has no idea who will coach him after Billy Donovan left to coach the Orlando Magic.

"Aww man," Lucas said several times from his home in Houston. "That's a big blow, because you know, that's who I was coming in and expecting to play for."...
"It's kind of weird, because he told me he wasn't going anywhere. But things happen, and I'm sure if he does take it it's the best thing he could do for his family."

It's too bad Lucas won't get to play for his chosen coach, but don't feel too sorry for him. Big-time high school athletes understand how the recruiting game is played, and Lucas has the added benefit of having a father, John Lucas, who's a former NBA player and coach. He understood when he signed on the dotted line that he was signing with Florida, not with Donovan.

Andy Katz said on ESPN that athletic director Jeremy Foley is calling Florida's recruits to assure them that the program will be in good hands. There's little doubt that the next coach will be a good one, but it won't be Billy Donovan.

Lucas on Donovan: 'He Told Me He Wasn't Going Anywhere' originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If Billy D's Out, Who's In?

Ryan Ferguson — Thu, 31 May 2007 20:06:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Fans, NCAA Basketball Gossip, Florida

Florida fans are still coming to grips with what's shaping up to be a bleak day for Gator Nation. Although the handwriting has been on the wall for Billy Donovan's NBA transition, most believed he'd be courtside again in Gainesville for the '08 season, leaving the pros aside for at least a few years.

Instead, it is now becoming obvious that Donovan is all but gone. The AP has picked up the story, and being that the Association Press has a reputation for usually checking out their stories -- at least when they're sports-related -- before running them, it's a safe bet that Billy the Kid will be eliminating the orange hues from his wardrobe starting Friday.

The question is: who will replace him?

The People's Choice: Anthony Grant

Anthony Grant was on the sidelines for 10 of Donovan's 11 years at Florida before leaving to coach the Virginia Commonwealth Rams prior to the 2007 season. In his first year with the Rams, he led his team to a 28-7 record and a trip to the NCAA tournament, beating 6th-seeded Duke 79-77 in the first round. Known as a tireless recruiter and a sharp evaluator of talent, Grant's courtside chops have already been proven, although his head coaching experience is obviously limited.

Grant would be a fan favorite for many reasons. One, he favors the same style of "Billyball" which have defined Gators hoops for the last decade. Grant prefers fast teams which push the pace and dictate tempo to their opponents. Two, he is a high-class, high-character individual who would be an outstanding representative of the University of Florida both in and out of the gym. Three, his amazing first year outing as VCU's head coach has made an impression on the college basketball landscape; that being, specifically, that Grant is an up and coming young coach who could be the Next Big Thing in college basketball.

Pros:

Already a member of the University of Florida athletic family
Has proven his ability as a head coach
Young and hungry for success
Can seamlessly take over for Donovan; knows every detail of Donovan's training/coaching style

Cons:

Only one year experience as a head coach
Not yet a "name" coach for a program which now considers itself among college basketball's elite (Florida played in three national championship games in the last 7 years)
Jury's still out on whether he's charismatic enough to draw top recruits and excite them about Florida basketball

Despite the strikes against him, Grant would almost certainly be Gator Nation's first choice, and he has all the tools (read: connections) to return to Florida and make an impact right away.

Next in line: Larry Shyatt

Larry Shyatt could also be a solid choice for the Gators. Shyatt has been widely credited as bringing a strong defensive mindset back to Florida, and has head coaching experience (Wyoming, Clemson.) Unfortunately, Shyatt's head coaching tenure wasn't overly successful, and he chose to resign as Clemson's head coach at the conclusion of the 2002-2003 season. Shyatt spoke freely of his happiness at Florida and of serving as an assistant under Billy Donovan. With 30 years of coaching experience already behind him, the real question with Shyatt isn't experience. It's hunger, drive, and ambition.

Pros:

Credited as being the primary reason for the Gators' toughness on the defensive end since he came to Florida
Many years of experience as both a head and assistant coach
Endless recruiting connections

Cons:

Doesn't play an overtly exciting brand of basketball
Seems content with being an assistant
Previous head coaching stints were only so-so
Resigned from his last head coaching job and demoted himself to assistant coach

In our next installment, we'll look at some of the "name" coaches Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley might consider.

Previously at FanHouse:
Sources Confirm Billy Donovan Will Leave Gators for Magic
Paper: Billy Donovan Expected to Leave Florida for Magic
Can the Orlando Magic Hire Billy Donovan?
Donovan Contract Extension has Plausible Deniability
Donovan Never Says Never to the NBA
Billy Donovan Visited Grizzlies But Will Stay at Florida
The Grizzlies Want Billy Donovan

If Billy D's Out, Who's In? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 31 May 2007 20:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Donovan Contract Extension has Plausible Deniability

Charles Rich — Sun, 20 May 2007 23:59:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, Florida

On Thursday it started being reported that Florida and Billy Donovan were closing on the long anticipated contract extension. The reported numbers were for around 7 years and at least $3.5 million per year. Huge numbers for a college basketball coach. It would probably make him the highest paid college basketball coach, and approaching Nick Saban numbers at Alabama. Considering Donovan has led Florida to back-to-back national championships and has been attracting the interest of NBA franchises (or at least has been rumored to), though, the numbers don't sound out of the expected range.

Donovan, however, has denied that a contract extension is anywhere close to being signed. That the numbers haven't really been discussed, except in the vague parameters of a contract. Florida Athletic Directer Jeremy Foley also denies that the contract is close. Only that it, "will get done."

Uh-huh.

Considering Foley also has to negotiate an extension with Urban Meyer after winning the BCS in college football as well, it's not surprising that Foley would like to keep the numbers quiet. Donovan, of course, has no incentive to say that the contract is close or done until it actually is signed. He can watch and see the market continue to inflate his value as coaches like Rick Barnes at Texas and Rick Pitino at Louisville have gotten increases.

Donovan Contract Extension has Plausible Deniability originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 20 May 2007 23:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joakim Noah 'Gone Gangsta'? News to Me

Michael David Smith — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:24:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Media Watch, Florida

I must have been watching a different NCAA tournament than New York Post columnist Phil Mushnick. In a column this weekend, Mushnnick had this to say:

Last year, during Florida's run to the championship, Joakim Noah, impressive as both a ballplayer then as a pleasant young man during interviews (he was a Lawrenceville (N.J.) Prep kid) became easy to root for. This year? Noah seemed eager to show and tell us that he'd gone gangsta. Must be part of that character-building, student-athlete NCAA experience.

Does anyone have any idea what Mushnick is getting at here? I watched most of Florida's tournament games and a lot of Noah's pre- and post-game interviews, and I saw no evidence that he had "gone gangsta," unless wearing a bad haircut and having an uncomfortably long hug with your mom is "going gangsta."

Fire Joe Morgan called that statement "not-so-borderline-racist," and although I'm loathe to go quite that far, I do have a hard time figuring out what the heck Mushnick was talking about.

Joakim Noah 'Gone Gangsta'? News to Me originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gators Gone: Green, Brewer, Noah, Horford All Leaving

Michael David Smith — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, NBA Prospects, Florida

Coach Billy Donovan is staying, but everyone else from the national champion Florida Gators is leaving. The four juniors in Florida's starting lineup (Taurean Green, Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah and Al Horfard) have announced that they're all leaving for the NBA. Florida's other starter (Lee Humphrey) and its sixth man (Chris Richard) are seniors.

ESPN reported that all four players have assured Billy Donovan that they will finish this semester. If they were to leave school immediately and therefore earn Fs this semester, that could hurt the program's academic standing, which can result in scholarship reductions.

Obviously, losing a starting five that some consider the best ever means Florida will be a very different team next year. But that doesn't mean the Gators can't compete next year. Florida is said to be the front-runner to land point guard Jai Lucas and power forward Patrick Patterson, the two best high school prospects who haven't declared yet. Florida won't three-peat in 2008, but the Gators could be very good again.

UPDATE: I've heard from a few people who don't think Lucas will pick Florida. Andy Katz said on ESPN that he thought the Gators were likely to land Lucas, but both Lucas and his father (former NBA player and coach John Lucas) have said Jai will take his time choosing a college, and Florida is probably behind both John's alma mater, Maryland, and a couple of other schools in the running for Lucas's services.

Gators Gone: Green, Brewer, Noah, Horford All Leaving originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Three-Peat? Years Ago, These Gators Wouldn't Win One

Michael David Smith — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, March Madness, Florida

Could Florida three-peat? Sure, if Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Taurean Green and Corey Brewer all come back, and Billy Donovan does, too. Of course, there's a better chance that all those guys will be gone next year than that all those guys will return. It's highly unlikely that the Gators will win it all in 2008 because it's highly unlikely that one college team can get that many talented players to stick around.

So using that line of thinking, I suppose you could argue that in the old days, this Florida team would, in fact, be poised for a three-peat. And that's exactly what Donovan said last night:

"they'd all be coming back and the whole thing would start: 'Can you three-peat?"'

There's just one problem with that line of reasoning. Once we accept the premise that we're operating under the standard of every player spending four years in college, we also have to look at the talent all the other schools would have. And with all due respect to Florida, I don't even think the Gators would win one championship under those terms.

I mean, let's be real here: Can you really imagine this Florida team beating Ohio State if you add senior LeBron James to the Buckeyes' lineup? Or beating North Carolina last year if everyone from the 2005 champs had returned? This Florida team is so special because it's playing in an era when staying together is so rare. If it played in an era when college teams staying together was common, it would cease to be special.

Three-Peat? Years Ago, These Gators Wouldn't Win One originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best Starting Five Ever? Houston With Akeem and Clyde

Michael David Smith — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, UCLA Basketball, Indiana Basketball, March Madness, Houston, Los Angeles, Florida, Indiana

We established last night that no team can top Florida (well, no college team). But now let's go into the history books: Is this Florida lineup the best starting five in college basketball history?

You can certainly make that case. The Gators are, after all, the first team in history to win two national titles with the same group of starters, Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Taurean Green, and Lee Humphrey. That's why Dan Shanoff gives them his vote.

Elliott Kalb presents a list of the top 10 starting fives of all time prior to Florida, and although he doesn't say where he would put Florida within that list, he calls Bob Knight's Indiana team with Scott May, Quinn Buckner, Bobby Wilkerson, Kent Benson and Tom Abernethy the best group of starters ever.

Kalb's No. 2 was UCLA with Lew Alcindor, and before I really started looking into it, I just assumed that team would have to be the best starting five ever. But then I took a closer look at those five starters. After Alcindor, the tallest player in the Bruins' starting lineup was the 6-foot-5 Lynn Shackelford. As great as UCLA was with Alcindor at the helm, I just don't think there's any way the rest of the Bruins could have matched up with bigger, more athletic teams.

So my vote goes to Phi Slamma Jamma, the Houston team of Akeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Larry Micheaux, Alvin Franklin and Michael Young. Yeah, I know they never won a title. But those guys were incredible: Do you realize that Drexler and Olajuwon weren't even the team's leading scorers? (Young was.) Would they beat the Gators five-on-five? I'd love to see that game.

Best Starting Five Ever? Houston With Akeem and Clyde originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 11:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Florida or Kentucky? Billy Donovan Won't Say

Michael David Smith — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:04:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, Kentucky Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Gossip, Florida, Kentucky

Florida coach Billy Donovan is up early this morning for the national title trophy presentation, and he's making the interview rounds. But he's avoiding the same question he declined to answer last night: Will he return to Florida next year?

"Right now I fully plan on doing that," Donovan said this morning on ESPN2's Cold Pizza. "I think a lot of the speculation has come from outside of myself. we were in the NCAA tournament and got asked a lot of questions about it." Donovan also said he wasn't sure which of his underclassmen will return to Florida next year.

ESPN's basketball analysts said they think Donovan will stay. Andy Katz said Donovan does not have a meeting scheduled with the Kentucky brass and that he's leaving soon for a family vacation in the Dominican Republic. Pat Forde said he sees Texas's Rick Barnes as a more likely candidate for the Kentucky job.

We won't know for sure until Kentucky hires someone, but it's looking increasingly unlikely that Donovan will be that someone.

Florida or Kentucky? Billy Donovan Won't Say originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Does Billy Donovan Get In to the Hall of Fame?

Michael David Smith — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 07:09:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, SEC Basketball, March Madness, NCAA Basketball Coaches, Florida

The question everyone is asking about Billy Donovan right now is whether he'll leave Florida to coach Kentucky. He declined to answer that question last night, but we'll probably find out within the next few days.

I have another question, though: When will Donovan be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame? Unlike baseball and football, basketball's hall of fame admits active coaches (including Phil Jackson and Roy Williams, who were announced as the hall of fame's newest members of the yesterday). Donovan has the credentials to get in.

Find it hard to believe that a coach so young already belongs in Springfield? Consider that among active coaches, only four have won multiple NCAA titles, and Donovan became the fourth last night. The other three -- Bob Knight, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Calhoun -- are already in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Winning two championships is such a rare feat, that a coach who does it deserves to be enshrined among the game's immortals. Some day, Donovan will be.

When Does Billy Donovan Get In to the Hall of Fame? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 07:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beating Greg Oden Can Cement Florida's Legacy

Michael David Smith — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 22:26:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, Ohio State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, SEC Basketball, March Madness, NBA Prospects, Florida, Ohio State

America is finally getting to see what Greg Oden is like when he's not in foul trouble, and he's great. At halftime, Oden has 11 points on 5-for-9 shooting, with seven rebounds. He's the best player on the floor.

And yet Florida leads by 11, and that's what makes this Florida team so special. No matter how they do it, a win over Ohio State would make this Gators team one of the all-time great college basketball teams, but if they had done it with Oden spending most of his time on the bench in foul trouble, that might have put a bit of an asterisk next to their victory. There's no chance of that now.

As good a front line as Florida has, Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Chris Richard are clearly not in the same class as Oden. But Florida is such a complete team that it's 20 minutes away from winning anyway.

Beating Greg Oden Can Cement Florida's Legacy originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 22:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Digger Phelps Thinks Billy Donovan Should Follow His Lead

Michael David Smith — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:25:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Gossip, NCAA Basketball Media Watch, Florida

On ESPN's pregame show tonight, analyst Digger Phelps launched into a long explanation of why he thinks Florida coach Billy Donovan will leave for Kentucky.

Phelps' basic point was that Donovan's situation now is similar to Phelps' own situation when he moved from Fordham to Notre Dame. Dick Vitale, sitting next to Phelps, responded by telling him, "Fordham was no Florida." Phelps looked like his feelings were hurt, but if anything, that's an understatement.

C'mon, Digger. You spent one year, 1970-71, as head coach at Fordham and went 26-3, losing in the Sweet 16. You did a great job that year, and you earned the opportunity to jump to a big-time school like Notre Dame. Now please. Don't act like 26-3 at Fordham and the Sweet 16 is anything close to what Billy Donovan has done at Florida. Also, don't act like the Notre Dame job is anything close to the Kentucky job.

Donovan has a big decision ahead of him. I think he'll stay, some folks think he'll leave for Kentucky. Either way, it's a much bigger deal than Phelps leaving Fordham for Notre Dame 36 years ago.

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