College Basketball 2012-2013

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He's the real deal got the "it" factor, the raw talent, the work ethic and athletic pedigree up the wazzoo. My son and he have played on lines together and against each other since they were 11 or 12. KU is a great move for him. I'm a bit surprised he didn't go to Florida given that his parents are alumni, but at Kansas he'll be near his brother (also a pretty good baller, at Wichita) so maybe that factored...they can drive to see both boy's games pretty easily!

I read an analysis today that was pretty spot on..at KU he carves his own niche around him and everyone else gets to be themselves and develop more naturally rather than have too much thrust on them at once. It will probably work very well.
 
Another two of my son's teammates (known since they were little) signed late yesterday:

Mikyle McIntosh (SF) to Illinois State and Malcolm Duvivier (PG) to Oregon State. Malcolm surprised us all and went early.
 
Hey, Gabe, is it just me or does there seem to be more Canadians with top-end talent that are being developed these days? Of course Thompson was drafted fourth overall a few years ago, and Wiggins may go first next year.

As someone who has a son playing the game, to what do you attribute this jump in player development? Is the existence of the Toronto Raptors a factor? Or are we seeing the arrival of a generation that was turned on to basketball thanks to the exploits of someone like Steve Nash?
 
Hey, Gabe, is it just me or does there seem to be more Canadians with top-end talent that are being developed these days? Of course Thompson was drafted fourth overall a few years ago, and Wiggins may go first next year.

As someone who has a son playing the game, to what do you attribute this jump in player development? Is the existence of the Toronto Raptors a factor? Or are we seeing the arrival of a generation that was turned on to basketball thanks to the exploits of someone like Steve Nash?

Excellent question...and for all we fans moan about how bad the Raptors can be sometimes...It would be crazy to discount the effect the Raptors have had on both Toronto and Canada: it's huge. Basketball still gets short shrift in the media compared to hockey and maybe baseball, but they have had huge impact on the 90s-00s babies/children. My guy was born the same year the Raptors started up, and I was enthusiastic about them: had it on the TV all the time (being a Canadiens fan in Toronto, this is an easy choice! lmao), got him little tyke Raptors gear, and when he turned 6 the first thing he wanted to do was join a Raptors branded community initiative named Raptorball. For as long as he's been able to articulate, he's said he's going to the league and maybe play for the Raptors. Even though he was a big young Carmelo Anthony fan, the Raptors was still something we shared, we'd always do a game on his birthday.

So you have a whole generation of kids who have something to dream about. Tristan has said the same things in interviews, and knowing him he's not making it up. He and my guy played on the same team (mine played up Tristan's last year in high school) and they worked out 2 summers in a row together. It's a sentiment echoed in gyms all across Toronto and Ontario. It's so ingrained into the culture here now, and I think what we are seeing is those seeds sown back in 1995 coming to adult fruition.

Steve Nash...well, I think he has a bit of an impact, but let's face it he's kinda old. He's not the guy the generation I'm talking about: the college ready kids and the ones who are about to go - probably conciously are inspired by. Probably subconsiously. Having said that, he does come back and give to the programs quite a bit he's always showing up here and there and every little bit of that helps with inspiring the next generation.

And then of course you have the guys like Tristan, Cory, even the guys who have left Canada and are just on the cusp of graduating/entering college - who the kids back here in Toronto look up to.

Speaking of who going in what round: Anthony Bennett could very well go even higher than Tristan did. This kid is the real deal and super exciting to watch. Also, Kelly Olnyk, who's path is a little less than the standard one but who is a great example to younger kids about being patient and developing at your rate and getting better every year. These guys will go first round, for sure, and like I said Bennett very high up.

Also, Team Canada has shaken down their organization a bit and we now have people who actually understand the game and get out and actively recruit who are largely the best players, regardless of politics (for the most part), and that movement is gaining ground too. Less BS and more grassroots kinda stuff.

It's really kind of special what is happening here right now, very exciting.
 
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