The list of sons of NBA players hooping in college basketball seems to grow each year and here’s a look at the long list for the 2023-2024 season.
BY MATTY D.
Bronny James
LeBron James’ son Bronny has to be the most well recognized son of an NBA star in today’s college basketball landscape. After suffering cardiac arrest in the preseason, Bronny James made his USC debut after missing several games.
He was ranked by ESPN.com as the number 19th best basketball recruit coming out of high school. USC lists the freshman at 6-4 and 210 pounds.
2. DJ Rodman
Although USC has the son of a sure-fire Hall of Fame player, USC has the son of another current Hall of Fame player. And that’s Dennis Rodman. Rodman’s son DJ Rodman had a stellar collegiate career at Washington State. Now he gets to chase an NCAA Final Four as a member of the USC Trojans. Similar to his father, DJ has a knack for rebounding. Of course, no one is the rebounder that Dennis Rodman is. However, DJ has a smooth shooting stroke and range that his father rarely showcased.
3. Augustas Marciulionis
This guy often doesn’t make these lists, but Augustas Marciulionis has been starring at St. Mary’s for years now. The Gaels are a perennial March Madness participant, and this guard is a big reason why.
Do you like old school hoops from the 80s and 90s? Do yourself a favor and watch a sample of Šarūnas Marčiulionis Career Highlights.
4. Jamal Mashburn Jr.
Jamal Mashburn Jr. has been a best-kept-secret in the second generation category because of his teams inability to make the NCAA Tournament. Mashburn Jr. started his collegiate career with Minnesota and then transferred to the New Mexico State Lobos. Unlike his father Jamal Mashburn who starred at Kentucky and in Final Fours, junior has not been able to crack the bracket yet. The last time the Gophers made the tournament was 2019. The last time the Lobos made the tournament was 2014. Hopefully, the sharpshooting Mashburn Jr. will re-introduce the family name to a national audience come March of 2024.
5. Jaelen House
Mashburn Jr. isn’t the only Lobo with a familiar last name listed on New Mexico’s roster. Jaelen House is another sharpshooting guard who is following in his father’s footsteps. Eddie House played for the Celtics, Suns and Heat in addition to also playing for the Arizona State Sun Devils (where Jaelen started his collegiate jounrey.
6. Jace Howard
Juwan Howard has now had many sons come through the NCAA Division 1 ranks. Currently, Juwan senior’s number 25 isn’t retired from this alma mater Michigan. However, the number is in good hands with his son Jace.
Jabri Abdur-Rahim is the son of former lottery pick and Grizzlies great, Shareef Adbur-Rahim.
8-9. Ashton and Jayden Hardaway
Penny Hardaway is actually coaching two of his sons with the Memphis Tigers. Jayden Hardaway has earned his minutes over the years and is now a regular rotation player with the Tigers. Ashton Hardaway is a freshman and has had his own share of bright moments this season.
10. James Keefe
Former Atlanta Hawks forward Adam Keefe’s son James has seemingly played for Stanford for the last decade. The graduate student is a forward from Los Angeles.
11. Jameer Nelson Jr.
After playing for the Delaware Hens in the Colonial Athletic League for several years, point guard Jameer Nelson Jr. has made the leap to Big 12 Basketball as he joins the TCU Horned Frogs.
The son of one of the best-ever shot blockers, Dikembe Mutumbo, makes this list without much fanfare. Ryan Mutumbo has stuck it out during a rocky tenure with Georgetown. He has seen the thrill of coach Patrick Ewing leading his team to an unlikely tournament berth as a 12 seed after winning the 2021 Big East Championship. And, he’s seen that same coach fired for a new era with Ed Cooley.
The 7 foot 2 junior plays sparingly for the Hoyas. At last check, he had played 7 of 22 games averaging just 4 minutes per. However, Mutumbo does have 28 blocks over his college career! Mutumbo’s cameo on this list bolsters the presence of second generation talent from the 1994-1996 NBA All Star game…
Sports #Trivia: Which member of the 1996 @NBA All-Star Game does NOT have a son playing @NCAA hoops right now?
A. Penny Hardaway B. Gary Payton C. Dikembe Mutombo D. Juwan Howard
Fans of NBA basketball from the early 2000s might remember Dajuan Wagner. But, then again, then might have forgotten him. After one of the best high school basketball careers ever, Dajuan Wagner was drafted 6th overall by the Cleveland Cavs in 2002. A medical condition held him back from ever having an NBA career materialize. However, Google searches for “What happened to Dajuan Wagner” are morphing into “How high is D.J. Wagner’s draft stock?” That’s because his son D.J. Wagner is starring for a Kentucky Wildcats team that’s been consistently ranked in the top 25 this year.
In recent years, Dajuan Wagner was interviewed by fellow past NBA players, Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles.
More: Mike Miller, Larry Hughes Jr.
See previous year’s rosters of 2nd generation NCAAB/NBA Talent:
Check out 5 fantastic values when it comes to investing in underdogs to win March Madness. At last check, these teams were selling for at least 30-1 or better odds (i.e. more favorable to the bettor).
These values indicate the odds for each team to win an NCAA Championship. This same report resulted in two Final Four teams last year! See here.
BYU Cougars – NCAAB Futures 40-1
I was buying into the BYU Cougars at 60-1 around year’s end. And after beating Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse to close out February, BYU’s stock is only going up. This team is historically older and more mature than its competition. Spencer Johnson is a saucy point forward who epitomizes this with his court awareness. Jaxson Robinson is an electric wing at 6-7 he offers a matchup problem for most teams. Power forward Fousseyni Traore has returned from injury a few weeks ago and has contributed multiple 20 plus point performances. Not many teams ever win as a road team against Kansas. This could be a sign that there’s a special season on tap in Provo.
South Florida Bulls – NCAAB Futures 300-1
Amir Abdur-Rahim has done it again. Many people didn’t realize that he did it a first time. The first year head coach at South Florida has his team cracking the AP 25 and on its way to the Men’s College Basketball Tournament as we enter March. He did the same for little-known Kennesaw State last year. Abdur-Rahim is a rising star in the coaching realm. He brings senior guards Chris Youngblood and Brandon Stroud over from his Kennesaw success. The Bulls have beaten American Athletic Conference heavyweights such as FAU, SMU and Memphis this season. They actually finish February on a 13 game winning streak. It makes no sense that a team on such a roll is listed at 250 or even 300-to-1. However, you can find that value on popular apps such as FanDuel and DraftKings.
Auburn Tigers – NCAAB Futures 30-1
Bruce Pearl’s team returns a talented and postseason tested nucleus. NBA top pick Jabari Smith has been replaced by freshman Aden Holloway in terms of underclassman scoring punch. This team is loaded with veteran players who value the ball late in games and patiently wait for the best shot. There are mutiple point guards with experience and toughness. Johni Brome looks more and more like Chris Bosh each year. You might have difficulty finding Auburn at 40-1 depending on when you’re reading this. However, they would still be worth it at 22-1 or 25-1.
Seton Hall – NCAAB Futures 200-1
The Seton Hall Pirates were spotted on DraftKings Sportsbook app the weekend of Christmas at 200-1 odds to win a college basketball championship. They remained in that range even after beating fellow bubble teams Xavier, Butler and St. John’s in late February. If Shaheen Holloway can lead the St. Peters Peacocks to the Elite 8, I think he has a chance of winning the Big East tournament. The Pirates also beat top 5 teams UCONN and Marquette this season, so it’s not out of the question that they carve out a tournament worthy resume.
College of Charleston – NCAAB Futures 350-1
Both of these long-shot odd choices are more about coaching. College of Charleston coach Pat Kelsey always has his team well conditioned and prepared to run a track meet and play above its weight class in tournament play. This team hasn’t had an earth-shattering season, but they are still among the favorites to win their conference and have a high upside.
This video below might haunt me scarier than the Ghost of Christmas Past. I made the argument to invest in Memphis, among some other dogs. Check out the archive:
Track injury updates, get under-the-radar analysis, and learn some fun facts about this year’s 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Links our top 5 trending articles are listed below.
BY MATTY D.
Filling out this year’s bracket was like putting my hand to a ouija board. I would have never expected having throwback teams like Memphis, Kentucky and Michigan State in this year’s Sweet Sixteen within one region. Alas, here is how my bracket revealed itself:
College basketball blogger Matt DeSarle (ie. yours truly) will return to Las Vegas for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic to track trends and hunt value during this March Madness. Follow on YouTube for sports betting tips and fun human interest stories. He will also be updating these articles to keep you up-to-date on these top 5 storylines.
It’s often said that “this year’s tournament will be unlike any other.” While that is always true, this March it will especially be the case. The 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will feature a high number of mid-major teams and a wide spectrum of ages. This tournament will feature kids who reclassified in high school to start playing college hoops at 17 years-old. Conversely, this will be one of the only tournaments you’ll ever see so many 24 and 25 year-olds (not to mention 26-year-old DeAndre Williams).
March Madness 2023 is underway and this article is tracking the most important injuries to monitor. That includes watching how teams are adjusting after losing stars. Don’t fill out your 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket before checking on the health statuses here!
BY MATTY D.
The new headline is to track the status of a starting guard for the odds-on favorite to win the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. Marcus Sasser missed the AAC Championship game against Memphis and is questionable going forward.
Unfortunately, this update also comes as one of the best players on one of the best teams just tore his ACL. Zakai Zeigler, the 5-9 spark plug for the Vols offense and defense just suffered the injury on the eve of March. Despite the cruel turn of events for this surging sophomore, he took to Twitter with a very positive message:
It’s all apart of God’s plan. Minor setback for a Major comeback🙏🏽🧡
Aside from Zeigler’s major injury, there are many student athletes still in recovery mode. Here are the top 11 injuries to monitor while those players are nursing different ailments. See more of a summary of how this affects each team in alphabetical order below.
Top Injuries to Monitor across College Basketball
To recap, here is a top 10 list (plus some) of the most important injuries to monitor:
14. Jett Howard – Michigan guard 13. Chucky Hepburn – Wisconsin guard 12. Moussa Cisse – Oklahoma State center 11. Anthony Anderson III – Oklahoma State guard – – – – – – – – – PROJECTED CUT – – – – – – – – – 11. Nijel Pack – Miami guard 10. Efton Reid III – Gonzaga center 9. Federiko Federiko – Pittsburgh center 8. Kendrick Davis – Memphis guard 7. Timmy Allen – Texas forward 6. Ben Vander Plas – Virginia forward 5. Zach Freemantle – Xavier forward 4. Keyonte George – Baylor guard 3. *Jaylen Clark – UCLA wing 2. *Zakai Zeigler – Tennessee guard 1. Marcus Sasser – Houston guard
In the case of 2 of the top 3 injuries here, there is no chance for a recovery. Both Jaylen Clark and Zakai Zeigler are *out for the remainder of the season. In these and similar cases, we are monitoring the team adjustments instead of the personal recoveries.
Players recently returned from injury add to resurgent college basketball teams
It’s not all bad news on this list. In fact, there’s a strong handful of players who are recently back into lineups and taking their teams to the next level. Nick Smith Jr. is adding a scoring punch to an Arkansas lineup that suddenly has found itself on the bubble. Justin Moore has a month under his belt after a torn Achilles. His Villanova Wildcats looks like Nova once again. And Dariq Whitehead has been back for Duke with the Blue Devils finally safely off the bubble.
See more about each team affected in alphabetical order below.
Arkansas and its future NBA lottery pick Nick Smith Jr. navigates knee “management”
Nick Smith Jr. returned to action on February 11th after missing nearly two months with “knee management.” He played just 21 game minutes in his first pair of games, but then averaged around 35 minutes after that. In fact, he played all 40 minutes in a close matchup against the Alabama Roll Tide in a game the Razorbacks were fighting from behind for most of. He dropped 24 points and grabbed 6 points in that game. It looks like Nick Smith Jr. is back to his NBA prospect self, but check his injury status pregame during March Madness just in case!
Keyonte George missed a game at Oklahoma State in late February, but it almost didn’t matter. The freshman shooting guard has glided right into a productive role with Baylor this season. But in his absence, the Baylor Bears just reloaded again. This team is already accustomed to losing one or two first round picks to the NBA every year. Now, it’s also been in the unfortunate habit of having injured players miss some of all of the season. Baylor has been in postseason position and jockeying for the Big 12 title this season, despite not having veteran forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua. Now he is back.
In that Oklahoma State game that George missed with an ankle sprain, seldom used guard Dale Bonner filed right in with 15 points in 32 minutes. He had rarely played in the previous few games. Baylor coach Scott Drew has an abundance of riches. This team should be feared as a top pick to win it all.
Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images
Duke started its season without the services of All-American freshmen, center Dereck Lively II and small forward Dariq Whitehead. In late February, Duke had a completely clean injury report according to Covers.com. Still, double-check these youthful Dukies for any bumps and bruises.
Gonzaga monitors the injury status of its rim protector off the bench Efton Reid III
If the Gonzaga Bulldogs are going to make a deep run in the tournament, they need to stand tall at the rim. After 7-foot something Chet Holmgren left for the NBA, the Bulldogs were a little thin on the inside. They added Efton Reid III, a big man from LSU. When Reid popped up on the injury report in late February, it was a concern for Gonzaga’s overall depth.
Reid has returned to action in March, but has played sparingly. He logged only four minutes in the WCC Championship game against St. Mary’s.
Memphis monitors a motley crew of injuries to its ball-handlers
Point guard Keynote Kennedy punched a wall after a loss to Houston and effectively sidelined himself for the rest of the regular season. He was the Tigers third leading scorer. Its top scorer and senior transfer Kendrick Davis also missed that game with a bad ankle. Davis averages around 21 points a game. Both of these teams are worth monitoring as Memphis will likely be an underdog in both its own conference tournament and if/when it makes the NCAA Basketball Tournament. They’ll need all hands on deck (and not against walls).
Miami misses Nijel Pack in a game they’d like to have back
Florida State stormed back to beat the Miami Hurricanes in a game their tournament seeding will likely want back. Florida State isn’t good this year. However, it’s important to note that K-State transfer guard Nijel Pack missed that game for Miami with a lower body injury. Watch this injury closely so that Miami doesn’t suffer anymore surprises.
Michigan plays it safe with Jett Howard’s injury, looks to get on right side of bubble
The coach’s son Jett Howard missed the Wisconsin game with an ankle injury in late February where the Wolverines nearly lost. One more loss in a close game like this might cost Michigan its tournament berth. Watch Jett Howard’s status. He is averaging 14.4 points per game for a Michigan team that can struggle at times to score.
(Missouri’s Kobe Brown out with an illness February 26th – should be short term).
Oklahoma State tournament chances on thin ice while starting center and guards out
It’s never good to have your starting center and starting guard out while you’re trying to play your way off the bubble. But that’s exactly the position that Oklahoma State finds itself in. Moussa Cisse and Anthony Anderson III are both missing time as we roll into March. Anderson’s injury might be more long-standing with him dealing with a wrist injury.
Pittsburgh wins play-in-game despite not having a center in the starting lineup
The nation learned who Federiko Federiko was on Tuesday night as the tournament tipped off with its play-in games. The Panthers center was listed as a game time decision, according to Pittsburgh Sports now, but he ended up sitting out the game while nursing a knee injury. The nation watched as the Panthers battled to win a tight one point game against Mississippi State. Jorge Diaz Graham did a nice job as a substitute center, stretching Miss St. center Tolu Smith outside of the paint. The smaller lineup worked out for Pittsburgh.
(TCU’s Eddie Lampkin Jr. out with undisclosed injury late February).
Tennessee suffers major blow with Zakai Ziegler’s injury
Ziegler’s injury leaves the Vols very thin at point guard. The Volunteers just lost Kennedy Chandler to the NBA (and Memphis Grizzlies) after a one-and-done campaign. Shooting guard Santiago Vescovi is expected to do more ball handling. Tyreke Key is also expected to get more minutes.
Wisconsin watches Chucky Hepburn’s injury status
Wisconsin’s starting point guard Chucky Hepburn missed some minutes against Michigan in a critical game to finish February. He remains on the injury report with a lower body injury. Hepburn played the last few games for the Badgers, including a first round win against Bradley in the NIT Tournament.
Xavier’s Zach Freemantle ruled out for remainder of the season
For a second straight season, Zach Freemantle’s foot is finding itself on the injury report at the most inconvenient time. As March began, the power forward was ruled out for the remainder of the season. This leaves a gaping hole in the front-court of Sean Miller’s core unit. Fellow big man Jack Nunge will now need to continue (Freemantle has been out for weeks) picking up the slack on the boards and with help defense. The power forward was enjoying the fruits of a veteran team playing winning basketball with Sean Miller’s return to the Musketeers sidelines. Xavier is a 3 seed and will play against upset-minded 14 seed Kennesaw State. Kennesaw State has surged onto the national radar with an impressive program turnaround against coach Amir Abdur-Rahim.
UCLA loses super athletic wing Jaylen Clark for the season in major postseason loss
UCLA has a major problem on its hands. Despite how consistent guards Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jaquez Jr. have been over their careers, the Bruins rely on some offense you can’t draw up. This is where Jaylen Clark has come into play. He is a great slasher, finisher, and just the type of super athletic wing who you don’t have to feed the ball to in order to get productivity. His athleticism finds a way. Clark had more than doubled his offensive productivity from a season ago and averaged 16 points a game. He gave Campbell and Jaquez a great third option in the early or late stages of a shot clock. And Clark is a great defender. Now, UCLA will head into the tournament without their most athletic wing. This is a major problem.
Bolch points to how UCLA went 6-1 while freshman guard Amari Bailey was out for a month with a foot injury. This is an apples to oranges comparison to the superior athleticism that Jaylen Clark brings on the floor. Bailey is a primary ball-handler, which UCLA already has in full supply with Tyger Campbell. Instead of thinking about Bailey as a replacement, freshman Dylan Andrews is more of the prototypical wing who Bruins fans need to look forward to stepping up.
Avoiding any chance of being upset is a good thing. That’s especially true in college basketball. On a weekend when the Super Bowl is expected to feature a tight matchup between the Chiefs and Eagles, college basketball’s conference standings are tight as well. Many important conference tournaments in college hoops have bye games for its top teams. Here’s a glance at college basketball games for Super Bowl weekend, with an eye on what teams can capture those all-important byes.
Mountain West Offers High Ceiling and High Seeding
The team that climbs to the top of the Mountain West Conference this season will reach certain heights in the college hoops landscape. The Mountain West is the fourth best conference in college basketball this year. Therefore, the conference winner will get regional preference and a top 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. There will also be a pack of hikers from the league who have a high ceiling. Conversely, someone in the middle of the pack will slip and suffer a dramatic fall. Right now San Diego State is the only team from the conference that is technically “ranked” in the Top 25. The veteran team is again loaded with experienced players who can contribute 6 points or more.
The team that captures the top of the Mountain West will capture a high seed.
The second pack of teams from the conference is a force to be reckoned with. CBS Sports bracketology expert Jerry Palm has Nevada, Boise State and New Mexico all projected in the tournament on Super Bowl weekend. New Mexico just took a bad loss to Air Force on Friday night. The Lobos could be the character that slips from the rocks and falls out of the picture.
Two teams that could back-fill their position are Utah State and UNLV. Today they stand in the NET rankings at 33 and 82 respectively. UNLV is a current victim of how daunting this Mountain West conference actually is. However, when you watch them play, you recognize the high ceiling. The Runnin’ Rebels November matchup against another underrated conference team in Dayton was a good barameter for UNLVs’ potential. Former Oklahoma Sooner transfer Elijah Harmless led the way with 24 points. The Rebels have a fleet of skilled guards and a do-the-dirty work center in David Muoka who can compete with anyone at the rim.
On Saturday, UNLV gets an enormous chance to boost its tournament resume with a game at San Diego State. It’s unlikely that UNLV wins. It’s also unlikely that UNLV makes the NCAA tournament as an at large team. However, this game is a good litmus test to watch whether UNLV has its A game ready for the Mountain West Tournament. With six conference games remaining, it’s also unlikely that UNLV grabs a first round bye in the Mountain West Tournament. The Rebels were one slot short of that accomplishment last season. Right now they are four games behind Utah State in the loss column with six games left.
Big brands re-emerge in the Big East
There has been a bit of a Renaissance in the Big East. With exception of Georgetown, the big brand names remain relevant late in the season. College basketball fans were treated to a UCONN season where the Huskies were an AP Top 5 team. Sean Miller has returned to Xavier and immediately made them an AP Top 25 team. Although they are not a tournament team, even St. John’s is playing relevant basketball and perhaps looking at an NIT or a CBI bid.
However, the biggest mover right now is the Villanova Wildcats. This statement has caused a storm of debate on our Twitter page. However, with veteran guard Justin Moore back from an achilles tear in last year’s Big Dance, Villanova looks much better than its record shows.
Join the Villanova debate by following CBBEyeTest on Twitter.
The tournament committee is stubborn about a lot of things. One thing they have historically actually shown common sense about is judging a team that had a major injury. With Justin Moore back today from Achilles injury, Villanova is back in the tournament hunt as well.
Villanova was leading Creighton in Omaha on the game Justin Moore returned. They lost that one, but rebounded by beating up on Depaul. With an 11-13 record, they now play Seton Hall, Butler, Providence and Xavier next. That’s four winnable games and two Quad 1 opportunities. If they win five straight in this stretch, they will be 15-13 with an opportunity to avenge their loss against Crieghton to go to 16-13. Let’s assume they lose one more of their remaining Big East schedule. They would head into Madison Square Garden as a dangerous, experienced, battle-tested, ball security advocate in the Big East Tournament at 18-14. I don’t see the tournament committee keeping this group out of the Big Dance if they win 2 of 3 in the Big East Tournament in that scenario finishing at 20-15. That’s me. Or they could just win the Big East tournament.
The scrum of college basketball teams to grab the loose bids intensifies on Super Bowl weekend.
Find free picks against the spread every Saturday for college basketball here on collegebasketballeytest.com. The theme of this article is to find incorrect odds, otherwise known as “suspect spreads.” Picks are tweeted before Saturday’s tip.
College basketball eye test’s record against the spread stands at 40-46 heading into the start of March.
Because Saturdays are really the most exciting national showcase of college basketball action, we focus on this day to have some fun.
This website and its author Matty D. took a 56% winning percentage from the 2021-2022 season into the 2022-2023 campaign. Click here to see a breakdown of last year’s picks. An archive of every pick from the 2022-2023 NCAA Men’s College Basketball Season is recorded below.
College Basketball Odds and Picks Against the Odds for Today
If sports betting isn’t your thing, the odds are still a great measuring tool to debate the best teams. Join the college hoops conversation by following us here on Twitter.
The final picks for February went 8-3 to put an unlucky streak to an end.
NCAAB Record Against the Odds for 2022-2023 by College Basketball Eye Test
Below is a log of some of the tweets from this season with picks, good and bad.
After starting with a poor record of 9-17 to start the season, the record ATS improved to 15-21 and then 18-22 after consecutive winning weeks. That record improved to 23-25 after going 5-3 during the SEC Big 12 Challenge. However, the picks had a difficult February. Picks took a nose-dive during a 1-4 showing on the first Saturday of February. The site then went back-to back losing weeks in mid February (a disgusting 2-7 performance on the heels of a 6-7 showing).
On January 7th, the picks were particularly bad. The one saving grace being that 5 of 6 favorites taken to cover at least hit ML. Kansas State the call of the day yet another +6 dog to win outright. Picking +6 underdogs to win outright has randomly been a strength of this website.
It’s the first #SuspectSpreadSaturday for me and I’m dipping my toe in the water. I’m loving Wake Forest -2 Arizona -2 Auburn -1 Arkansas -4.5. Those are all suspect spreads based on the small samples size I’ve seen so far. You?
One Saturday in December features multiple fantastic matchups
BY MATT DE SARLE
Monday’s AP Top 25 in college basketball is going to look much different after this Saturday’s action. The latter half of the top ten is going to leap-frog much of the top 5. Teams like Purdue and UCONN got relatively little challenge against conference foes, while Virginia, Alabama, and Tennessee tested themselves against non-conference powers and lost in close matchups. Here’s a brief summary of what we observed.
UCLA and Kentucky struggle to score down the stretch
This one was tough to watch down the stretch. Collectively in the final six minutes of this game, these teams went 5-of-19 from the floor while missing a handful of free throws. It was droughts in the UCLA offense that ended its season at the hands of upstart UNC in the 2022 tournament. And we all know about how Kentucky came up short on the big stage against St. Peter’s. It was a big stage for this one, in the CBS Sports Classic in primetime and at Madison Square Garden, but the stars did not light up the score board. It was weird to see last season’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award winner for center of the year, Oscar Tswiebwe, only get a few touches down the stretch. The big man missed his final three shots in the last ten minutes —a missed dunk, missed layup, and missed jumper.
UNC turns contest with Ohio State into a track meet to muster overtime win
As referenced above, the Tar Heels have a flair for the dramatics. In the 2021-2022 campaign, they started their season lousy on defense yet exciting in the open court. They played up to the competition. That volatility hit the plus side of the ledger when they ran through March Madness as the runner-up to a championship. Saturday’s game with them pitted against Ohio State at MSG felt like that moment. The Tar Heels were dominated throughout the meat of the game. However, through furious pressure defense, fast break points, and a high volume of free throws and three point attempts, the Tar Heels forced overtime. UNC trailed by as many as 14 points in the game and only made a pitiful 11 percent from three point territory. Yet, a likely X factor for their full season (Pete Nance) hit a game tying last possession shot to force overtime in dramatic fashion. Nance, the son of longtime NBA star Peter Nance, has polished a well-rounded game under the radar during his time at Northwestern. Now his ability to score at all three levels was the difference for UNC to finish off this epic comeback.
Northwestern transfer Pete Nance proves he can be an X factor for UNC
Brandon Miller officially arrives on national stage despite Alabama’s loss to Gonzaga
There are two takeaways from Alabama’s game against Gonzaga. For one, Gonzaga doesn’t need to regret scheduling so aggressively. After so many non-conference bumps in the road, Drew Timme and Bulldogs are back to their winning ways. More importantly, Brandon Miller is a star and won’t be playing college basketball next season.
Drawing comparisons to Kevin Durant during the telecast, Brandon Miller lit up the game with 36 points. That includes a simmering stretch where he essentially scored 17 points in the equivalent of the 3rd quarter. Although the freshman was a known star, Alabama had never fed him in this obnoxious of a fashion. Miller made good on his 22 attempts by making 12 of them.
You can only watch Brandon Miller to believe he plays in a league other than the NBA
Arizona asserts itself in another mega-matchup nightcap
Us college basketball fans were treated to not only an amazing game of action, but a perfect nightcap to finish the day. Arizona proved that it can continue rising to the moment. After beating Indiana in a nationally televised primetime game on a big stage in Las Vegas, the Wildcats headed back to the crib for this one. The 9th ranked Wildcats knocked off the 6th ranked Tennessee Volunteers. And it got testy early and late. The game started with a technical foul for chest-bumping and stare downs under the rim. After the game, there were flexing and more stare downs in the handshake line. Still, what these teams showed between the lines was impressive. Zagai Ziegler continues his super efficient play at point guard for the Vols. He scored 21 points on 73% shooting (but only dished one assist). Tennessee guards are ready for primetime. Arizona’s bigs can be a separator. And both of these squads looked polished and ready for another high level competition like this one. This didn’t look like a Final 4 matchup. It looked like the national championship. Arizona has now beat top 25 teams Creighton, San Diego State, Indiana, and Tennessee in the early going of this season.
Major movements mark uncertainty at the top of college basketball
BY MATT DE SARLE
It happens every Thanksgiving. Great games go on, but between the post meal nap and the NFL football, it’s hard to keep up. Even the most hardcore college basketball fans did a double-take at the post-holiday top 25 to decipher exactly what happened. Here’s a recap of the major movers and shakers over feast week. This sets the table for not only a turbulent December of non-conference play, but some important resume bullets for when the committee sifts through what happened in November.
Big East Behaves Like a “Power 5” Conference in Basketball
Speaking of double-takes, you might have looked side-eyed at the preseason top 25 when you saw Creighton crack the top 10.
Not only have the Bluejays stuck the landing in the first month of play, they’ve been joined in the top 10 by fellow Big East power UCONN. Yes, the Huskies have returned to the Big East after a hiatus in the American Conference. Danny Hurley has this club clicking with great ball movement and some immoveable objects down low.
Arizona Wildcats can’t miss opportunity to dominate the Pac-12
The Arizona Wildcats were steam-rolling through to the top 5 with a ranking of number 4 overall in the nation. That’s when they took a head-scratching loss to Utah to open up conference. Arizona has lost Ben Mathurin to the NBA Lottery where he is currently playing for the Indiana Pacers. But the Wildcats have added another dynamic combo guard in Texas transfer Courtney Ramey. Ramey won’t bring the prime Russell Westbrook-like attack to the court, but you could do a lot worse in replacing an exiting NBA player. Azuolas Tubeless, a 6-11 forward who can run the floor with ease, needs to take the next step to stardom for this team to crack the Final Four. Another big man in Gonzaga transfer in 7 footer Oumar Ballo is also adding a lot more offensive production than he did while in Spokane.
With UCLA slipping out of the top 10, USC’s former front court playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the likes of Arizona State and Stanford sputtering, this is Arizona’s conference to seize.
Purdue Boilermaker bully-ball their way into the top 10
Purdue went from unranked in the AP Preseason Top 25 to surging into the top 5. Purdue dominated Duke in the Phil Knight Legacy Championship game. Make what you will of this result, but Duke is not yet close to a finished product. Purdue’s center, 7 foot 2 Zach Edey jumps off the page and off the TV screen. However, past results have proven that Purdue, regardless of how many trees it has inside, is hard-pressed to crack the Final Four. A close game against Florida State (a struggling 1-7 record at the time although they always have size and length) in the ACC Big 10 Challenge took the shine off their early season domination.
Purdue catapults into the top 10 by dominating Duke
During the first week of college basketball’s regular season, there were a number of newsworthy outcomes to consider come March.
BY MATT DE SARLE
Conventional wisdom would tell you that a resume can be refined over time so that a candidate can mature into the opportunity when the time is right. Well, conventional wisdom doesn’t exist in college basketball.
A resume can gain that decisive bullet point three or fourth months before the opportunity becomes available. Conversely, teams that want to enter March Madness can have a deal-breaking loss in November. (In the job recruitment analogy, this would be the drunken Facebook post from years ago that will keep you from your dream job).
November 2022 is having an impact on the March Madness 2023 selection committee.
Close Upsets in the first week of College Basketball’s Regular Season
The number 14 ranked TCU Horned Frogs were trailing throughout its first game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Golden Lions were ranked to finish 11th best in its own conference, according to preseason SWAC rankings (voted on by coaches and sports information directors). TCU followed that flat performance by only beating Lamar by 12 points (only outscoring them by 2 points in the second half).
Graduate student guard Shaun Doss Jr. is someone no high major team wants to see in a 1 vs. 16 matchup. He is averaging 20 points per game in this early season.
Upset Losses in November that could cost College Basketball Teams Tournament
Oregon was ranked 21st overall headed into the season, before the Ducks were stunned in its second game against UC Irvine. The Anteaters were projected to finish fourth overall in its Big West Conference.
Things could get rocky in the Mountain West come selection Sunday for at-large hopefuls, thanks to this early season loss submitted by the Summit League. The Jackrabbits sprung an upset win on the Boise State Broncos. Both programs have been relevant with success in recent years. However, this season could have been predicted to be a regression for the Jackrabbits. They lost the number fourth overall transfer in the offseason, when Baylor Scheierman took his talents to Omaha to join the Creighton Bluejays. South Dakota should it still has postseason aspirations by beating the defending Mountain West club.
College Basketball Thoroughbreds Galloping Out to a Lead
The Number 3 ranked Houston Cougars have rewarded AP voters for the vote of confidence by crushing the competition in the early going. They beat Northern Colorado and Saint Joseph’s by 47 and 36 points, respectively. Although these teams are borderline Kenpomery top 200 teams, there are plenty of power 5 schools taking on worse competition.
Here’s list of sons of NBA players in college basketball for the 2022-23 season. March Madness 2023 will not feature as many second generation players as originally expected. UNC, New Mexico, and Michigan were snubbed by the tournament committee. That left out five second generation players alone. Still, there should be seven sons of NBA stars in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, by our count. Enjoy the list below and a trip down memory lane!
LOOKING FOR THE CURRENT LIST WITH SONS OF NBA PLAYERS? CLICK HERE! 👀
Cedric Henderson Junior snags top seed of second generation stars
Cedric Henderson played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and a few other NBA teams. Today, his son Cedric Henderson Jr’s game is coming into form. The Fighting Camels transfer from Campbell is logging some productive minutes for an Arizona Wildcats team that won the PAC-12 title and grabbed a 2 seed in the South Region.
One team takes the cake when it comes to second generation talent. In 1996, Rick Pitino was coaching Jamal Mashburn and the Kentucky Wildcats in the Final Four. Nearly 30 years later, his son Richard Pitino Jr. is coaching not only one, but two sons of NBA players. Jamal Mashburn Jr.’s New Mexico Lobos will be a tournament team this year.
2022-2023 Sons of NBA Players in College Basketball Roster
If you’re a fan of 1990s hoops, this next example will surely having you feeling old.
Larry Hughes was one of the best basketball players to ever come out of St. Louis. He played one season for the Saint Louis Billikens before skyrocketing into the NBA as the 8th overall pick. His son Larry Hughes Jr. is now following in his footsteps as a St. Louis Billiken.
Larry Hughes Jr. is also a Missouri state champion. Photo courtesy: slubillikens.com
Mike Miller had serious game over his 17 year NBA career including 41% from 3pt. His son Mason Miller is a freshman at Creighton and could be a dangerous sharpshooter off the bench.
Bobby Hurley is one of the best point guards in college basketball history. After winning championships at Duke, his NBA career was cut short by a life threatening car accident. Although he returned from the wreck, he only played a few years in the league. His full recovery includes the continuation of a coaching family legacy. Now his son Bobby Hurley Jr. serves up the occasional dish as a bench player with the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Bobby Hurley Jr. is coached by his father Bobby Hurley at Arizona State. Photo courtesy ASU Twitter
Sons of former Chicago Bulls Ron Harper and Scottie Pippen have graduated from the college basketball landscape, but there are still some Windy City remnants.
— Washington State Men's Basketball (@WSUCougarsMBB) January 7, 2022
Jabri Abdur-Rahim is the son of former lottery pick and Grizzlies great, Shareef Adbur-Rahim.
Penny Hardaway is actually coaching his son with the Memphis Tigers. Jayden Hardaway has earned his minutes over the years and is now a regular rotation player with the Tigers.
Junior Jace Howard rocks number 25, a number his father sported in the NBA.
Juwan Howard’s Michigan team could beef up the number of second generation talent in the tourney. Photo courtesy: mgoblue.com
Juwan Howard’s younger son, freshman Jett Howard lit it up in his NCAA debut. Jett Howard might be the highest rated player to make his own NBA career, according to many draft projections.
Former Indiana Pacers guard Harold Workman’s son Bryce plays D1 ball.
Found another son of an NBA player balling right now in the NCAA! Bryce Workman is in action right now against Pitt. He's the son of former Pacers guard Haywoode Workman. Here's more sons of NBA dads in NCAA right now: https://t.co/mJLplkboNopic.twitter.com/cbnQDonS9b
Here’s another random, 1990s sir name, nostalgic, NBA nugget: Marčiulionis.
Do you remember that name?
Photo courtesy smcgaels.com/sports
The second generation NBA talent discussion has an international flair as the son of Sarunas Marciulionis has been imported from Lithuania to St. Mary’s basketball. Augustus Marciulionis is a 6-4 freshman with the Gaels.
Pete Nance transferred to UNC where he is a starter for last year’s NCAA runner-up.
Longtime NBA center Duane Causwell’s son Nolan Causwell almost made an appearance in this year’s March Madness. His team lost to Southeastern Missouri in the OVC Championship game.
👪 Can you think of a son of an NBA player NOT on this list? ✅ JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON TWITTER… One Twitter follower pointed out a player who we missed below…
Do ya got Cam Krystkowiak? Last two years at Dartmouth. Son of Larry!
