According to Bazz, he still hasn't made his mind up between Duke, UK and UCLA (I don't believe him), and, in his words in a Rivals article posted last night, can envision himself at all three schools.

On the eve of his decision, Muhammad discussed what is intriguing about each program, beginning with the Blue Devils.

"I think they have so many pieces in place to win a lot of games next year with Mason Plumlee coming back, along with Rasheed Sulaimon and potentially myself coming in," Muhammad said of Duke. "I don't think they have a real prolific scorer and that is what Coach K is telling me about them.

"That's where they see me able to step in and score for them from a lot of different areas now that Austin Rivers is gone. With the veterans they have coming back, I think we could do a lot of damage."

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1353429

My hopes are not up, but, like a gambling junkie who just can't find the power to cash in his chips, I will flip my television to the ESPNU special tonight and put myself through the unpleasant scenario of being f*cked.

reclegend22;1141520 wrote:With Mason Plumlee's announcement on Tuesday of his return, Alex Oriakhi has removed Duke from the list of potential transfer destinations. Makes sense, as Oriakhi probably wants -- or at least hopes -- to land somewhere where he'll be the primary center, which wouldn't have been the case with Mason still around.

If K pulls another trick out of his hoops hat and makes Shabazz appear, then that will be some serious Dave Blaine shit. Duke is Duke, but, in the eyes of most recruiting gurus and others in-the-know, the Blue Devils have been out of the picture for a very long time. If Duke gets Bazz, Coach K has another possible pre-season No. 1 (with the very plausible exception of Indiana).

...and another first round exit to a 15 seed.

sleeper;1141549 wrote:...and another first round exit to a 15 seed.

Nah. They wont be a 2 seed next year. Unless Bazz shocks the world and picks Duke, I dont think they will be a top 8 seed.

Laley23;1141551 wrote:Nah. They wont be a 2 seed next year. Unless Bazz shocks the world and picks Duke, I dont think they will be a top 8 seed.

It's Duke, they'll find a way to lose a game against a crap team in March somehow.

Even if it's fun to do, let's not push Coach K and Duke off the cliff just yet.

Things certainly turned for the worse for Duke at the end of the year and that was largely due to lack of team chemistry and players not buying in as a collective unit. This problem will, IMO, actually be solved with Austin Rivers' isolation persona now departed for the NBA. He just never bought into team basketball like Kentucky's freshmen did.

Duke has an experienced and talented roster retruning in Cook, Curry, Dawkins, Kelly and Mason Plumlee. Along with additions of reshirt freshmen Alex Murphy, a versatile swingman in the mold of Kyle Singler, and athletic shooting guard Rasheed Sulaimon, a talented scorer who can create his own shot and actually gets down and excels defensively (something his predecessor, Rivers, did not).

Mason Plumlee returning changes everything. He can be a major force, and proved that earlier last season face-to-face against Jared Sullinger and Thomas Robinson. Once the Duke offense was reduced to one play -- "Austin" -- things unraveled and everyone else stopped producing. Even without Bazz, this is clearly a tournament team and likely a top five seed.

reclegend22;1141728 wrote:Even if it's fun to do, let's not push Coach K and Duke off the cliff just yet.

Things certainly turned for the worse for Duke at the end of the year and that was largely due to lack of team chemistry and players not buying in as a collective unit. This problem will, IMO, actually be solved with Austin Rivers' isolation persona now departed for the NBA. He just never bought into team basketball like Kentucky's freshmen did.

Duke has an experienced and talented roster retruning in Cook, Curry, Dawkins, Kelly and Mason Plumlee. Along with additions of reshirt freshmen Alex Murphy, a versatile swingman in the mold of Kyle Singler, and athletic shooting guard Rasheed Sulaimon, a talented scorer who can create his own shot and actually gets down and excels defensively (something his predecessor, Rivers, did not).

Mason Plumlee returning changes everything. He can be a major force, and proved that earlier last season face-to-face against Jared Sullinger and Thomas Robinson. Once the Duke offense was reduced to one play -- "Austin" -- things unraveled and everyone else stopped producing. Even without Bazz, this is clearly a tournament team and likely a top five seed.

You think Duke, without Shabazz is a top 5 team in the country??? Sorry.....but, ummmm. No.

By the way, Bazz picking Duke would be surprising -- especially with Calipari coming off a championship with a team centered on freshmen and UCLA offering Bazz a desination close to home and the Adidas connection -- but not world shattering. It's Duke. It's a dream school. Just like North Carolina, Kentucky and Kansas have been for the past two decades.

If Bazz picks Duke, he'll have made that decision based on wanting to play for a prestegious program and learning from the most successful coach of the modern era. There wouldn't be anything earth shattering about it. Perhaps surprising, sure, due to the reasons explained above.

Laley23;1141733 wrote:You think Duke, without Shabazz is a top 5 team in the country??? Sorry.....but, ummmm. No.

I meant five seed, as in a 5. Not a top five team.

reclegend22;1141738 wrote:I meant five seed, as in a 5. Not a top five team.

Oh. Well that isnt really an accomplishment lol. Doesnt really go along with the rest of your post, imo.

I assume you were in response to mine, and I was saying top 8 seed, as in 8 overall. Hence, they wont be a 2 seed....

Laley23;1141743 wrote:Oh. Well that isnt really an accomplishment lol. Doesnt really go along with the rest of your post, imo.

I assume you were in response to mine, and I was saying top 8 seed, as in 8 overall. Hence, they wont be a 2 seed....

Not for a Super Six program, I agree. But, for a program that many -- I'm not saying you -- are wanting to believe is going to be in for its worst season in a long while and whose coach has apparently "lost it," finishing the season in the Top 25 would be pretty excellent. Just look at what Roy Williams and UNC experienced during their down year of 2010.

reclegend22;1141766 wrote:Not for a Super Six program, I agree. But, for a program that many -- I'm not saying you -- are wanting to believe is going to be in for its worst season in a long while and whose coach has apparently "lost it," finishing the season in the Top 25 would be pretty excellent. Just look at what Roy Williams and UNC experienced during their down year of 2010.

Yeah, I expect Duke to be down. But not THAT down lol. Bazz is good, and would make them a top seed candidate for sure. But he isnt so good that without him they drop 30 spots out of the top 25!

Laley23;1141771 wrote:Yeah, I expect Duke to be down. But not THAT down lol. Bazz is good, and would make them a top seed candidate for sure. But he isnt so good that without him they drop 30 spots out of the top 25!

Unless he actually does have tiger blood, then I think you're probably right lol. IMHO, as you alluded to earlier, UCLA fans are going to get their world turned rightside up tonight. Especially after the ultimate low of the SI article and, what I thought, was the death of the Howland era.

Oh well.

Well rumors are starting to surface that Shabazz has been sold on UCLA for months. Before they even kicked Reeves Nelson off the team. Is it coincidence that Howland kept his job? Honestly, I'm still surprised that if this WASN'T the case, he wasn't fired. I don't care what part of that article is true or not, or what part of it "goes on everywhere." It was a public outting of behaviors that does nothing but turn off people to the program. Most notably, recruits.

It's starting to make a bit more sense now...

Azubuike24;1141777 wrote:Well rumors are starting to surface that Shabazz has been sold on UCLA for months. Before they even kicked Reeves Nelson off the team. Is it coincidence that Howland kept his job? Honestly, I'm still surprised that if this WASN'T the case, he wasn't fired. I don't care what part of that article is true or not, or what part of it "goes on everywhere." It was a public outting of behaviors that does nothing but turn off people to the program. Most notably, recruits.

It's starting to make a bit more sense now...

Recent article I just read, where Shabazz talked about all three programs and coaches. He definately sounded preferrential to UCLA over Duke and UK. But who knows when it comes to recruits. Not until the sign the paper is it 100%.

If Bazz goes to Westwood, I think Az hit the theory of why Howland is still employed on the head.

And it is now being reported by various college insiders via Twitter that Scout.com has received confirmation that it will be Bazz to UCLA.

Show's over.

They had to have known. Last grasp for Howland...

They will have 2 of the top 3 players (I think Anderson is a bit overrated, but still). Another top 75 kid (SF Jordan Adams, 62). #69 overall from 2011, SG Norman Powell. Former 5-star Josh Smith, 4-star Tyler Lamb and both Wear twins, both MCDAA's. Then you add in Larry Drew, not that he's any good, but damn.

Overall, it will be UCLA's most talented team ever. Expectations will be up there for Howland. Final Four or bust, IMO. They will be a preseason top 5 team.

Calipari's subtle call-out to Shabazz and Noel...

"Kentucky isn't for everyone."

He's doing it respectfully...but still. He's sending a message...

Azubuike24;1141957 wrote:Calipari's subtle call-out to Shabazz and Noel...

"Kentucky isn't for everyone."

He's doing it respectfully...but still. He's sending a message...

What does that even mean? UK is only for guys who want to come to UK?

Bazz to UCLA is all about Adidas.

He has been stringing the other schools along the whole time. He knew exactly where he was going for quite a while.

chicago510;1141961 wrote:What does that even mean? UK is only for guys who want to come to UK?

To me, it means nothing.

However, he basically just said he's got 6 possible first round picks that just came together, nobody complained about "getting theirs" and won a title. 3 of those guys were top 10 recruits, they knew there were 2 other 5-star returning starters and a 3-year starter also in the mix. They still came on board. Jones and Lamb came back, knowing the #1 class was coming in.

We'll see how Bazz does at UCLA. I like Bazz, I wish him well, he's a GREAT talent. Best in this class and likely the only one-and-done. They will have sky-high expectations in a vastly important year for a historical program.

Azubuike24;1141957 wrote:Calipari's subtle call-out to Shabazz and Noel...

"Kentucky isn't for everyone."

He's doing it respectfully...but still. He's sending a message...

He sounds like a douche..no offense

Azubuike24;1141956 wrote:They had to have known. Last grasp for Howland...

They will have 2 of the top 3 players (I think Anderson is a bit overrated, but still). Another top 75 kid (SF Jordan Adams, 62). #69 overall from 2011, SG Norman Powell. Former 5-star Josh Smith, 4-star Tyler Lamb and both Wear twins, both MCDAA's. Then you add in Larry Drew, not that he's any good, but damn.

Overall, it will be UCLA's most talented team ever. Expectations will be up there for Howland. Final Four or bust, IMO. They will be a preseason top 5 team.

Not sure I buy into all of this as far as them knowing this or that about a recruit. Thus is saving Howlands job. I think thats a stretch. I don't think a school/administration is going to gamble on a coach based on knowing something one way or the other. Especially when it cannot be verified until signing day. I realize your not a Howland fan. Which is fine. But again, its not like the guy hasn't been successful. This past year is a wash IMO when you add in the major issue they had with not even having a home court to play on. And yes, they have had a couple of rough years prior to this year. BUT, He has taken UCLA to 3 final fours with a runnerup in there. I do think those mean something. I agree, he is on very thin ice. But as I said a month or so ago, I expected him to return.

SportsAndLady;1141965 wrote:He sounds like a douche..no offense

I agree. A douche with a scent of arrogance.