Ditto that. Good post JMS. Between Dino, the incoming frosh, Milbourne, Goins and Burney, I like the potential rotations in 4/5 slots next year a lot better than I did this time last year.

Also a quick thought on the NBA draft - Anyone else notice that San Antonio traded their back-up PF and SF.....and then their only draft back, I think, was Terp-killer Jack Mclinton.......I think the Spurs are making an opening for Mr. James Gist.

Wow nice post JMS...thanks alot

Terp Hoops info;

With Greivis back in the fold, it appears only two questions remain regarding next year's roster.......the injury status of Jerome Burney (still not back on the court), and the successful journey through qualifying and the NCAA Clearinghouse for Jordan Williams. With Dino Gregory, freshman James Padgett, and seldom used Steve Goins the only other frontcourt options, obviously, it's critical that one, or both, of these young men report for duty on October 15.



Speaking of Goins, he doesn't look anything like the Goins I saw last fall. Goins had ballooned to 275 lbs as a junior in high school, while recovering from a broken leg, and was probably in the 260 lb range here last year. It's still way too early to predict stardom for the Chicago native, but he now checks in at a svelte 238 lbs., and looks much better prepared for garnering a few minutes this year. Conditioning has been a problem for Goins in the past..........obviously, getting in better shape is a major first step to getting on the court this fall.



We saw a bunch of Maryland targets at the NBA Camp, and the big man situation is beginning to get interesting, as we got our first live looks at James Johnson, Alex Kirk, and Damontre Harris. Take those three, add Will Regan and Hippolyte Tsafack to the equation, and it certainly appears the Terps are fairly serious about bringing in a big, despite only having two more scholarships to give for the 2010 class. (note: obviously that could change should Burney not be able to play, or if there is any other attrition).



Our quick takes on the bigs...........

Johnson seems to have the best combination of skills and athleticism.......Regan is easily the most polished of the group.....Harris is a big time athlete with length, but badly in need of more weight and strength...........Kirk is a true center, a load, and a force, despite not being overly athletic...........and Tsafack (not at the NBA Camp, but showing up at Comcast on Saturday) is the powerful rebounding and shotblocking presence.



After talking to Harris and Kirk, I sense they are both going to be tough gets. Harris really likes the idea of staying near his Fayetteville,. NC home.



Kirk has nearly 30 schools recruiting him, lives in New Mexico, and has no East Coast ties. His love of the ACC does give the Terps some hope, though.



Johnson's father, Ted, did live in Maryland back in the 80s, but now resides in California, and the young man himself is just now getting exposed to recruiting , and appears totally wide open.



Which leads us back to Tsafack and Regan. Hippo has made numerous visits to campus, and has the Terps at or near the top of his list. If it's his call, the Terps have a good shot. But, as is often the case with foreign players, there may be others involved in the college selection process. So, we'll have to wait and see on this recruitment.



And then there's Regan, the picture of consistency on the court, and the epitome of the true student athlete. Maryland was his first major offer. Maryland has always been listed as one of his favorite schools. You know what you are getting with Regan.... a 6-8, 220 lb ballplayer , smart as a tack on and off the court, and a winner. We'll know soon just how hard the Terps are going to push here......... if they don't step it up, we don't see Regan in College Park.



As for the forwards, Terrence Jones and C.J. Leslie are obviously the crown jewels. Both, in our eyes, are power forwards with some small forward skills, and both seem to have serious pro potential. Tobias Harris, J.D. Weatherspoon are still out there, but the consensus seems to be that neither will be heading to Maryland. Akil Mitchell is an interesting prospect, and Jonathan Graham does have some long term potential, but clearly, Jones and Leslie head the forward list for now. We expect the staff to show both a lot of love in July, and to try and get both on campus for official visits in late summer or fall.



Mychal Parker appears to be the most viable option at the wing position, and despite having the Terps at, or near, the top of his list, Parker insists he will wait until next spring to sign. So, if you're the Terps, how long do you wait for Parker? And, in a question only Parker can answer, why would you wait that long to make the call? That's extremely rare these days, except in those cases of players who perhaps have immediate pro aspirations overseas, or kids with questionable academics, neither of which seems to apply to Parker.



The Terps will probably wait awhile, simply because there may not be another viable option at the wing position right now. Richmond's Justin Coleman is an excellent talent, at 6-4, and showed tremendous explosion and the ability to score at the NBA Camp. But he may have some academic issues to deal with first, and so it's possible he also may wait until the spring.



Other news and notes...........

Terrell Stoglin had a great visit to Maryland last weekend, and impressed some folks who saw him in action at Comcast. As I also noted when watching Stoglin last winter, they described him to me as being "crafty." And with Lamont Jones committing to Arizona this week, there are no worries about the Wildcats coming after Stoglin now. Stoglin will be running with Pump N Run Elite this summer, and TT will likely be scouting him in Vegas in late July.



Maryland has made some inroads with outstanding junior wing Trevor Cooney (DE), who recently visited the campus. Syracuse, Villanova, Maryland, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Virginia, St. Joe's, Rutgers, and Delaware are among those on his list at the moment. Cooney, 6-3, is one of the nation's best 2011 shooters.



Another new 2011 name to remember...........Kyle Wilter, 6-8 F from Portland, OR (Jesuit HS).



It appears that Pe'Shon Howard has dropped Maryland from his list of schools, or perhaps it was the other way around. Stanford, Harvard, Virginia Tech, Alabama, and Arkansas seem to be the main contenders now.



C.J. Leslie recently took an unofficial visit to Arizona State........



DeMatha junior Mikael Hopkins, 6-8, had a breakout performance at the recent NIKE Hoop Jamboree in St. Louis. That's the good news. The bad news is that he loves Syracuse.



Here's a suggestion if Parker drags his recruitment into the spring......go harder on Michael Gbinije, the 6-6 junior from Richmond, who recently visited Maryland. Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Virginia, Pitt, and Baylor are among the many schools pursuing Gbinije at the moment.



Sterling Gibbs, the junior pg from New Jersey, seems to be in love with Villanova, though he also has offers from Seton Hall, Pitt, Rutgers, and Indiana. We still think the Terps will take a long look at Gibbs, as adding a pg in 2011 seems a certainty .



Larry Savage, 6-5 O'Connell forward, who visited Maryland last year, has an offer from VCU.



Former Montrose star Troy Brewer, who received lukewarm interest from Maryland, will be transferring from Georgia.



Speaking of Montrose, don't be shocked to hear of another local star transferring there in the coming weeks. The Mustangs have already added Tony Parker, a 6-8 rising sophomore from Georgia.



Just got off the phone with respected Gonzaga HS Coach Steve Turner, who coached both James Johnson and Terrence Jones at the NBA Camp......"I love Johnson. He will likely be a face up 4-man in college. He's a great kid from a great family, a heckuva athlete, and he has skills. No doubt he's a high major guy with a bright future."



On Jones......."I've coached Terrence before at the Hoop Jamboree and now at the NBA Camp. He's a point forward. He can do great things with the ball and off the dribble, and yet he will get it done in the paint as well. He'll get a tip in dunk in virtually every game because of his great anticipation around the hoop. I think he's a pro."

Vernon looks like a clown. I hope he realizes most people will view him as a clown unless he excels on the field first. Make a couple of Pro Bowls first and do that interview. Then he would be fashionable.

DeJuan Blair is a definitely a beast. But he's an undersized 4-man. They rarely translate in the NBA. Look at Craig Smith or Lonny Baxter or countless other guys. Blair's upside is an energy guy off the bench.

Uhhhh, I think Nolan's statement says a lot about that team...and that Nolan got fired for a reason. I've been in SF for the last three years and I can't fully explain the level of joy I get from pissing off my 49ers friends. The team (including VD) have potential. But if you can't realize potential in the worst conference in the National Football League, you have a problem.

Along the same lines of bay area sports...Germ I watched the Warriors all season. I'm pretty sure Blair is the next coming of Rony Turiaf. A great college player, but he became a little too content as a well paid reserve. That, and his posse member tried to start a fight with a buddy of mine in a club. Tell Mr. Bill that I intervened and defused the situation with no fists.

will someone take dejuan blair already? i don't care about his knees. the dude is a beast.

VD is a great kid. I think he has a ton of talent and hasn't been used very well. Mike Nolan said last year that he was the hardest working guy on the team. I still believe hard work pays off. Good things are coming for VD, just wait and see...