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Advice to Tyus Jones: Stay at Duke

Posted on April 10, 2015April 10, 2015 by David Shama

Bill Fitch coached the Celtics to a world championship and is among the winningest coaches in NBA history. His advice for Tyus Jones is stay at Duke and not declare for the NBA Draft as a college freshman.

The 2015 NBA Draft will be held June 25 and college underclassmen must declare for the draft at least 60 days prior. Jones—chosen the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four after leading Duke to the NCAA title last Monday night—will in the days ahead counsel with family members and others about whether to leave college after one season.

Mock NBA drafts have Jones listed as a first round pick. Draftexpress.com projects the former Apple Valley High School point guard being selected No. 21. First round draft choices receive guaranteed money, and the NBA’s predetermined compensation scale results in the No. 21 pick receiving $1,210,000 as a rookie, according to Draftexpress.

Fitch, who coached the Gophers before a long NBA career that ended in 1998, still closely follows college and pro teams. He didn’t hesitate when asked about Jones’ future. “Mentally and physically he’s better off where he’s at (Duke),” Fitch told Sports Headliners.

Jones is only 18 years old and turns 19 in May. Although the Duke website lists him at 6-1, 190-pounds, he is probably smaller. Another year or two of college basketball won’t make him taller but a weight program can make the Blue Devils point guard stronger and eventually better equipped to deal with the grown men in the NBA, some of whom are nine inches taller and 100 pounds heavier. A strong and more mature body can also help any player deal with the physically demanding pro schedule of 82 games.

The mental challenges for Jones and other young players come both on and off the court. There’s a lot to learn about basketball, including a new system of X’s and Os, and adjusting to teammates, and probably sitting on the bench instead of starting. Off the court, there are the temptations of the NBA life that can include too many social interactions with the wrong kinds of people.

Fitch said Jones faces a backlog of NBA talent that the Minnesota teenager would have to compete with for playing time. He implied there are young players who are already waiting for court time, or guys starting that shouldn’t because they’re not ready. His advice for Jones is don’t get caught up in grabbing the NBA money too soon. “A guy is always going to be worth what he is now, or more,” Fitch said.

It’s been Jones’ dream to play in the NBA but Fitch doesn’t think there is a single league team that will use him immediately as a starter. “There are too many (players) sitting in the league that have talent at that position,” he said.

Jones scored 23 points, including 19 in the second half, to lead Duke to a 68-63 win over Wisconsin on Monday night. He showed in the championship game and during other big moments this season he delivers when the pressure is the biggest. He’s an extraordinary playmaker and more accurate outside shooter than often given credit for, but he needs to become a better defensive player and could have a difficult time against taller and more physical NBA point guards.

Jones will no doubt seek the counsel of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski about leaving school early. Coach “K” has coached five national championship teams at Duke and two Olympic gold medal teams led by NBA players. He is the right man to give Jones advice. Before coaching Jones this season at Duke, he watched him play in high school and AAU ball. Jones and other top American high school players scrimmaged against the 2012 Olympic team so Krzycewski knows his freshman point guard well.

Jones is part of a super freshmen group at Duke that includes center Jahlil Okafor and forward Justise Winslow. Okafor is likely to be the first or second player taken in June’s NBA Draft, while Winslow is projected in the top 10 for sure. Those teammates are close friends, dating back to AAU days. Okafor has declared for the draft and Winslow could soon. Their decisions will influence Jones and his thinking about the future. The three played so much together for different USA national basketball teams that they are far from your typical freshmen when it comes to experience.

The first 14 players chosen in the NBA Draft are known as lottery picks because of the lottery system determining the order of first round selections. Lottery picks receive guaranteed money that can be three to four times more than late first round choices get. Lottery picks are also likelier to receive more playing time than late selections who can one day find themselves riding a bus in the NBA Development League.

A back road bus experience in the basketball minors is a long way from Duke and the glory of a national championship.

Worth Noting

Jones was surrounded by family while leading Duke to the national championship in Indianapolis on Monday but unfortunately Dennis Deutsch, his mom’s father, died last year. Jones revered his grandfather and it would have meant so much for Dennis to be in Indianapolis.

Minnesota-based Jostens will certainly be a contender to secure the order for Duke’s national championship rings. The company provided the 2010 national title rings for the Blue Devils. Former Gophers captain Al Nuness secured that order working for Jostens and will be involved again this spring soliciting business from Duke. Nuness and Krzyzewski knew each other as high school basketball players in the Chicago area.

Fitch thought highly of three Final Four teams—Duke, Kentucky and Wisconsin. “I think if you played it over any one of the three teams could win it (the title),” he said. “Kentucky without a doubt had a little more talent. Duke a little more coaching.”

Although the Spurs have struggled this season, Fitch likes the chances of the defending NBA champions emerging from the Western Conference playoffs and advancing to the Finals. That championship matchup could be Spurs versus Cavs.

David Cobb, the Gophers record setting senior running back last season, will have his Pro Day at the University of Minnesota on Monday. Cobb had a quad injury and missed the Gophers Pro Day last month attended by some of his former Minnesota teammates and NFL personnel evaluators.

Tanner Oakes Photo courtesy of Augsburg College. — Tanner Oakes
Photo courtesy of Augsburg College.

The Oakes family from Jordan, Minnesota can be described as the state’s “first family” of pitching. Patriarch Todd Oakes is in his 17th season as Gophers pitching coach. Oldest son Tyler pitched for the Gophers and is now pitching coach at North Dakota State. Middle son T.J. also pitched for Minnesota and is head baseball coach at Legacy Christian Academy in Andover. Youngest son Tanner, a senior at Augsburg, is one of the best pitchers in the MIAC and Division III.

The Wild set home franchise attendance records this regular season, drawing 779,974 for 41 games with average attendance of 19,024. All games sold out, with 31 exceeding 19,000 in attendance. Official Xcel Energy Center capacity for hockey is 17,954 but standing-room-only tickets allow for additional capacity.

Draftsite.com projects 6-5 center Amanda Zahui B. will become the second player selected in the WNBA Draft next Thursday. Tulsa has the second pick but the Lynx no doubt would like to move up from No. 11 and choose Zahui B., who announced earlier this week she will enter the draft and give up her final two seasons of eligibility with the Gophers. The Lynx are looking for more size behind backup center Janel McCarville, the ex-Gopher. Any franchise in the WNBA will welcome Zahui B. who twice last season approached 30 rebounds for coach Marlene Stollings’ team.

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Tyus Jones Supporters in Indy Tonight

Posted on April 6, 2015April 6, 2015 by David Shama

Tyus Jones will have plenty of Minnesota support tonight when he and his Duke teammates play Wisconsin for the NCCA championship in Indianapolis.

The Blue Devils freshman point guard can look into the stands at Lucas Oil Stadium and see his mom, dad, brothers and other family and friends he has known while growing up in the Minneapolis area. Family is important to Jones and he earned many admirers while becoming a high school All-American at Apple Valley High School. Tonight he will be hoping the Blue Devils can defeat the Badgers just like they did in early December in Madison when folks from his Minnesota constituency were also in the stands cheering for him.

Jones enjoyed a Midwestern homecoming in Madison on December 3, leading then No. 4 ranked Duke to an 80-70 win over No. 2 Wisconsin. Jones scored 22 points, driving to the basket with success and making outside shots (2 of 3 three point attempts). The 6-foot-1 Jones also had a team-tying high of six rebounds and the most Duke assists with 4 during 37 minutes on the floor.

In the past the Badgers have shown vulnerability to guards like Jones who can penetrate the lane and score, or pass to teammates for easy shots. But teams make adjustments and tonight will show what answers the Badgers have for Jones.

There’s no doubt both the Blue Devils and Badgers are better than when they played in December. Duke starts Jones and two other freshmen, center Jahlil Okafor and forward Justise Winslow. Those players are not only exceptionally talented but have progressed since early December as they gained more experience. That’s a plus for Duke but Badgers fans remember that when the two teams played in Madison star forward Sam Dekker was recovering from an injured ankle.

Dekker is a junior and often shares scoring honors with Associated Press Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky, the 7-foot center. Kaminsky is a senior, as is starting guard Josh Gasser. Those three are joined in the starting lineup by two sophomores, guard Bronson Koenig and forward Nigel Hayes. All five played last year when the Badgers lost to Kentucky in a semifinals Final Four game.

All that past playing time might give the Badgers an edge tonight, just like it did in the closing minutes of last Saturday evening’s game when Wisconsin defeated a more inexperienced Kentucky team (71-64) by playing with better precision and poise. But the Blue Devils also looked like a potential national champion on Saturday night, easily defeating Michigan State 81-61.

Win or lose, Jones has proven he can play with college basketball’s best point guards. Al Nuness, the former Gopher guard and cousin to Tyus, has been impressed. “Early in the season no one knew how a freshman point guard would play,” he told Sports Headliners. “But he hasn’t played like a freshman point guard. He’s so cool, calm and collected. He sees the court as good as anybody I’ve ever seen. He doesn’t get anxious. He doesn’t try to take over the game.

“No one expects him to score a lot but he can. Everybody says he passes. He (also) penetrates. He shoots the three as good as anyone. His whole thing is getting everyone else in the game. …”

Nuness predicted it will be a “great game” tonight. As a long time Gophers booster, he has loyalties to the Big Ten but when he sorts out his emotions it’s clear he wants Duke to win. “Family always comes first,” he said.

Tonight Jones will see family and friends from Minnesota make him a priority by being in Indianapolis.

Worth Noting

Gophers basketball coach Richard Pitino, whose name has been linked in the last couple weeks with openings at St. John’s and Alabama, must pay the University of Minnesota $1.5 million if he decides to leave prior to April 30, 2016, according to his contract. Anthony Grant, the Alabama coach who was fired last month, was once head coach at VCU where Minnesota athletic director Norwood Teague hired Grant when he was AD there. Grant’s name was mentioned with the Minnesota job before Pitino was hired by Teague two years ago.

Internet reports now are that former NBA coach Avery Johnson will take the Alabama job.

Two players the Gophers reportedly are recruiting, Chris Boucher and Mychal Mulder, were included on the All-American National Junior College Athletic Association first team announced recently. Ten players were named first team All-Americans. Boucher is a 6-10 sophomore center at Northwest Florida State College and Mulder is a 6-4 sophomore forward from Vincennes University.

Eric Musselman, the son of former Gophers and Timberwolves head coach Bill Musselman, was an assistant coach at LSU last season before recently being hired as head coach at Nevada. Eric is friends with Wolves coach Flip Saunders and it wouldn’t have been surprising if Musselman had been added to the NBA team’s coaching staff last year.

Bolder Options, the youth mentoring nonprofit headed by former Gophers running back Darrell Thompson, celebrates its 21st anniversary with a gala on Thursday evening May 28 at TCF Bank Stadium. NBC Sunday Night Football reporter and long time Minneapolis area resident Michelle Tafoya will be the keynote speaker.

The Twins open the regular season today with an afternoon game in Detroit against the Tigers, and Minnesota’s 25-man roster has changed a lot from one year ago. Twelve players weren’t with the Twins when they opened the 2014 season. Here is a listing by position of the 12: pitchers – Blaine Boyer, J.R. Graham, Tommy Milone, Tim Stauffer and Aaron Thompson; catcher Chris Herrmann; infielders – Eduardo Nunez, Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas; outfielders – Torii Hunter, Shane Robinson and Jordan Schafer. Graham is the only player without previous major league experience.

The Wild plays its final regular season home game tonight against the Jets and with a win in regulation can clinch a playoff spot for the third straight year. The club has sold out its previous 40 home games this season and is working on a stretch of 71 consecutive sellouts at Xcel Energy Center dating back to 2013-14.

Goalie Devan Dubnyk started his 37th consecutive game for the Wild in last Saturday night’s 3-2 loss to the Red Wings. That’s the most in the NHL since Evgeni Nabokov made 43 straight starts for the Sharks (in 2007-2008), according to Elias Sports Bureau. Dubnyk has given up only 62 total goals for a 26-7-2 record in 36 straight starts since joining the Wild January 15. He has allowed two goals or less in 27 of those 36 games.

The 2015 Gophers women’s hockey national championship team has 17 of 21 players returning for next season. A year from now 12 of those 17 are expected back for the 2016-2017 season, so the likelihood for continued success is considerable.

UMD is the only women’s program that has won three consecutive NCAA hockey titles. Can the Gophers win two or three in a row?

“That would certainly be the goal,” coach Brad Frost told Sports Headliners. “In 2012 and 2013 we went back to back (titles) and then lost last year in the championship game, and then won it this year. So to be in the national championship game three of the last four years and win three of those I think is remarkable. People probably think it’s pretty easy but I can promise you it’s not.”

The Gophers begin their off-ice spring conditioning work this week. Part of their endurance building in the weeks ahead will include running the steps at Mariucci Arena. Frost said players laugh about the challenge but also cry because the task is so demanding. “They love it and hate it at the same time,” he said.

Frost, who earns $170,000 from the athletic department in salary and other compensation, left town to recruit after the Gophers won the national title on March 22. He knows prospective players and their parents look at the Gophers with more interest coming off a national title. “I think we’re building something pretty special here at the University,” he said.

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Rooting Hard for Bucky in Final Four

Posted on April 3, 2015April 3, 2015 by David Shama

Warning: Read this column with scrutiny. Pay close attention to what I am saying.

I understand the DNA about the Gophers-Badgers Border Rivalry. I am a card-carrying Golden Gophers guy and it’s sweet when Minnesota beats Wisconsin in any sport. The wins can make for a scrapbook weekend–and the losses destroy Saturday and Sunday.

I hate the Gophers football record against the Badgers, losing 11 consecutive games. I am jealous that Wisconsin has one of the Big Ten’s greatest basketball coaches ever, while the Gophers struggle. “Pride on Ice” is an appropriate slogan at Mariucci Arena but Bucky Badger has won one more NCAA men’s hockey national championship than Goldy Gopher. I don’t like that, but I do like Minnesota winning the Big Ten hockey title this past winter while the Badgers finished last in the conference standings.

I got pumped up when the Gophers women’s hockey team defeated the Badgers in the semifinals of the NCAA championship last month at Ridder Arena. And if Bucky is counting, in the last 18 games between the two programs the Gophers are 16-0-2.

I know Badgers fans can be really obnoxious about their successes in football and basketball. The targets of their juvenile behaviors are often Gophers fans. I have driven down the streets of Madison and been taunted because some idiots spotted the Minnesota license plates on my car.

But guess what? I have been cheering hard for the Badgers basketball team in the NCAA Tournament. Tomorrow night against Kentucky I will be yelling support for coach Bo Ryan and his players as if they were family.

Maybe some Gophers fans will be wearing “Better Dead than Red” sweatshirts and screaming their heads off for the Wildcats, but not me. First off, I am a Big Ten loyalist and that point should weigh in on any Gopher fan when he or she sits down to watch the Final Four. The Badgers and Michigan State are both Big Ten teams and their successes reflect on the conference’s image.

The Big Ten football brand was subpar for years but got a big lift when Ohio State won the national championship earlier this year. It was the first time a Big Ten team had won a national football title since 2002 and only the third championship in the last 25 years. The Buckeyes’ win over Oregon brought glory to the Big Ten and eased some pain associated with the conference’s awful postseason record for the last 15 years.

Having Bucky and Sparty in the Final Four says the Big Ten is a premier college basketball league. That’s a benefit for every program in the conference including the Gophers. Recruits know when they come play for a Big Ten school they’re going to compete against some of the best players in the country.

Success by the conference on the biggest stages in football and basketball is important for reasons beyond recruiting. Winning generates ticket sales, sponsorships, advertising, merchandising, suite purchases, TV and radio ratings, and more benefits including attracting top coaches.

But here’s the other reason why I am all on board about the Badgers tomorrow: they play basketball the way I want to see the game played—five players sacrificing for the team, executing assignments and minimizing mistakes.

Anyone who understands basketball can delight in Wisconsin’s unselfishness. The team’s ball movement probes the defense for an open shot. Players move without the ball and set screens for one another, creating high percentage opportunities to drive or shoot. Ryan’s players aren’t about who scores baskets but whether the Badgers put points on the scoreboard.

Yes, other teams move the ball and sets screens, but few clubs execute like the Badgers at both ends of the floor. Watch the precision with which they run their offense. Turn your eyes away from the ball sometimes and see how good the Badgers are at blocking out other players in rebounding situations on offense and defense.

Watch how the Badgers switch on defense and help defend potential open shots and drives to the basket. Yeah, the Badgers flop to draw charging fouls but they hardly have a patent on that. They just execute (there’s that word again) the “Hollywood” stuff better than most teams.

Ryan is a phenomenal teacher and coach. His mantra is this: Don’t beat ourselves. Mistakes, including turnovers and foul trouble, are kept to a minimum. A team might defeat the Badgers but it’s not usually going to be because Wisconsin gave the opponent easy baskets or sent them to the free-throw line time and time again.

Ryan’s record in 14 seasons at Wisconsin is 356 wins, 124 losses—a .742 winning percentage. His teams have won six Big Ten titles, played in three Elite Eight games and two Final Fours. Not bad for a place like Wisconsin that historically has known decades of mediocre college basketball.

This year’s team is built like Ryan’s past clubs with a roster of mostly Midwest talent and an emphasis on Wisconsin players. Three of the starters are from Wisconsin, with one each from Illinois and Ohio. Among the top nine players, four are from Wisconsin, three from Ohio and two from Illinois.

College Player of the Year candidate Frank Kaminsky is from Illinois and in his first two years at Wisconsin the 7-foot center had minimal production including his sophomore season averaging 4.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. But Ryan saw a player with potential and developed Kaminsky into a mobile offensive beast who as a senior can drill three point shots and dribble past opponents perhaps better than any 7-footer in Big Ten basketball history.

Badgers starters from the state of Wisconsin are forward Sam Dekker and guards Josh Gasser and Bronson Koenig. Dekker and Koenig were highly recruited players who showed loyalty to their home state Badgers. While one prize prep after another skips town on the Gophers year after year, U fans can only watch in envy as Ryan bats a high percentage with the guys he wants from Dairyland.

Minnesota and Wisconsin are similar states in culture, history, population and demographics. Both have built higher education systems around their land-grant universities. If the state of Minnesota has a twin, it surely is our border neighbor to the east.

So If the Badgers can compete on the highest levels in football and basketball, then why can’t the Gophers?

You know why. It takes the right leadership to win at schools like Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Gophers have found their Barry Alvarez in football coach Jerry Kill but Minnesota is searching for a turnaround in basketball.

Just for tomorrow night (and hopefully Monday evening) I say: Go Bucky!

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