It's Kerry Kittles. Player at all levels (including NBA - just ask JKidd) and has his BA and MBA. Currently at Princeton. Great role model and East Coast connected. Bring him on down.

petalumabear;842830621 said:

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It's Kerry Kittles. Player at all levels (including NBA - just ask JKidd) and has his BA and MBA. Currently at Princeton. Great role model and East Coast connected. Bring him on down.

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Too bad he doesn't have a year of eligibility remaining.

http://www.phillyvoice.com/yes-thats-former-villanova-superstar-kerry-kittles-on-the-princeton-bench/ A Great article on Kerry Kettles -

He has terrific credentials if it turns out Kerry Kettles is the unannounced Assistant on Wyking's staff.

Yes, that's former Villanova superstar Kerry Kittles on the Princeton bench

Kerry Kittles would rather give than receive. He began doing just that as a teenager growing up in New Orleans, working with inner-city youth and then being a life guard two summers for the city’s recreation department. He was also an altar boy.
As a junior at Villanova University, a retreat led him to becoming a Eucharistic minister. He is still active in that role, volunteering at a church near his home in North Jersey.
After nine seasons in the NBA (8 years Nets, 1 year Clippers), Kittles is back on the court. The lights aren’t as bright in the Ivy League, but as a coach for the first time, the assistant at Princeton is just fine in the shadows.
Actually, he prefers it.
Hard to believe he is now 42, married and the father of four daughters and a son – “We kept trying for the boy,’’ he cracked recently, relaxing in a soft chair in the Frick Chemistry Lab building where he goes for coffee every day. “My wife kind of had everything managed at home and told me, ‘Now is the time.’’’

6956bear;842830616 said:

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My question is why is Rooks practicing shots he will not take ever in a game. IMO he should be shooting FTs and practicing drop steps either way and baby hooks which are all shots he is likely to take in a game.

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Good shoot around methodology is for ALL players on the team to practice ALL types of shots (FTs, threes, lay ups, drop steps, mid-range, etc). It helps loosen the muscles and focus the mind. Just practicing free throws and drop steps before the game would be an indication of very poor coaching and preparation technique.

post players should practice shooting at range, regardless if they have the green light to do it

actually, I'm an advocate of them actually taking those shots when wide open, especially in games that we think we will win by a comfortable margin. having at least a threat keeps the defenses more honest.

I remember 2 games in particular when our big shot outside the range I had ever seen them take. One was Thurman who hit 3-4 mid range shots to save us from a defeat vs USC.

Another was MSF who also shot several 15 footers and maybe even 1 or 2 threes to almost bring us back when we were down big.

just about any basketball player who practices 300 days a year should be able to develop a reasonably good 15 footer, and most should be able to hit 30%+ from 3. That equates to almost 50% from the field.

but again the real value is to keep the defenses honest

6956bear;842830616 said:

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My question is why is Rooks practicing shots he will not take ever in a game. IMO he should be shooting FTs and practicing drop steps either way and baby hooks which are all shots he is likely to take in a game.

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petalumabear;842830621 said:

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It's Kerry Kittles. Player at all levels (including NBA - just ask JKidd) and has his BA and MBA. Currently at Princeton. Great role model and East Coast connected. Bring him on down.

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not kittles

HP?

Shocky1;842830674 said:

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not kittles

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Crap, because it looked like Vineyardview had really done his homework.

Hey, did you REALLY mean "east coast wildcat"? Because, for a moment there, I thought we had lured Tom Tolbert into coaching. (bad/no hair, kinda likes to talk a lot, former wildcat... that woulda been a coup)

BearBackerinLA;842830679 said:

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HP?

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not hp

BearBackerinLA;842830679 said:

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HP?

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Very nice guess! "HP": east coast wildcat, experience as a TV co-host of a hoops roundtable, played several years internationally (shocky alluded to intl experience somewhere on the staff), currently on the west coast working for an NBA team, looks like "less and less hair", from google images

6956bear;842830616 said:

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My question is why is Rooks practicing shots he will not take ever in a game. IMO he should be shooting FTs and practicing drop steps either way and baby hooks which are all shots he is likely to take in a game.

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100% agreed, i saw every second of cal basketball live in person this season & never saw kam practice any 3 pointers during the early warm ups on gamedays, it's bothered me all season that kam & the king just take kinda lazy shots (and often missing) without guarding each other whereas utah bigs warm ups involve heavily contested 5 footers which replicate game situations

Shocky1;842830684 said:

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not hp

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Arrrgh! (I believe the "HP" was Harold Pressley, btw.)

Confirm "east coast wildcat", not "east of the Rockies" (and not U of A)?

Shocky1;842830684 said:

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not hp

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Dick Vitale

mikecohen;842830690 said:

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Dick Vitale

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Nice!😄

HoopDreams;842830641 said:

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post players should practice shooting at range, regardless if they have the green light to do it

actually, I'm an advocate of them actually taking those shots when wide open, especially in games that we think we will win by a comfortable margin. having at least a threat keeps the defenses more honest.

I remember 2 games in particular when our big shot outside the range I had ever seen them take. One was Thurman who hit 3-4 mid range shots to save us from a defeat vs USC.

Another was MSF who also shot several 15 footers and maybe even 1 or 2 threes to almost bring us back when we were down big.

just about any basketball player who practices 300 days a year should be able to develop a reasonably good 15 footer, and most should be able to hit 30%+ from 3. That equates to almost 50% from the field.

but again the real value is to keep the defenses honest

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That mid-range was Thurman's shot, really from anywhere -- although he was particularly good from the baseline (maybe because defenders just don't think that shot is so probable).

Doug West?

Shocky1;842830684 said:

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not hp

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JC?

Malik Allen or Michael Bradley?

Nuts, I was starting to get enthused about that possibility.

no to all guesses

Ok guys, you have expended your 20 questions. Now it's time to wait until it's announced.

BearBackerinLA;842830696 said:

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JC?

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As an old (veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade) carpenter friend of mine was told by a local pastor when he was leaving for home from the Mississippi Freedom Summer in the 60s: "You're not the first Jewish carpenter to come down here to help us."

BearBackerinLA;842830696 said:

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JC?

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We must be going at this the same way (but you're a step ahead of me): "JC" has AAU-team and media experience ("kinda likes to talk")

balky98;842830698 said:

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Malik Allen or Michael Bradley?

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Michael Bradley's wife is really into yoga: That's it!

Big C_Cal;842830705 said:

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We must be going at this the same way (but you're a step ahead of me): "JC" has AAU-team and media experience ("kinda likes to talk")

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[U]John Celestand [/U](born March 6, 1977) is a retired American professional basketball player.
A 6'4" (1.93 m) point guard, Celestand attended Piscataway Township High School in Piscataway, New Jersey[1] before playing collegiately at Villanova University. Celestand was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 30 overall pick of the 1999 NBA Draft. He was a member of the Lakers' 1999–2000 championship team, and has [U]spent several years playing professionally in Italy—for Skipper Bologna for two months in late 2001—, France and Germany.

[/U]Celestand is currently living in New Jersey. He is the co-owner of the company All-State Basketball where he trains young aspiring basketball players in Central New Jersey. He works as an announcer for ESPN Plus and ESPNU covering college basketball games. He is also a studio analyst on 76ers Post Game Live for Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia. In addition John is the color analyst for IMG College Radio covering the National Big East Game of the Week and MSG Varsity covering high school basketball in New Jersey.

A former coach of the Central Jersey Jammers AAU team based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, he still helps out with various basketball organizations around central New Jersey. He is a member of the "I Can Foundation" a non-profit organization created in 2005 to encourage the importance of literacy among inner city youth and also works as a motivational speaker throughout New Jersey. In addition John works with Heroes and Cool Kids, a non-profit company based in North Jersey which mentors high school student-athletes. He is also a program associate with the Rutgers Future Scholars program mentoring future first generation college students in the New Brunswick and Piscataway, NJ areas.

John also serves as President of his own company Celestand Consulting. Through Celestand Consulting, John does motivational speaking and puts together seminars on education and character development all across the tri-state area. Mr. Celestand has been a featured speaker at Columbia University, Rutgers University, Villanova University, Rider University, Drexel University, Middlesex County College and Kean University. He has also spoken at over 30 high schools and middle schools all across the state of New Jersey.

Come on! We will know soon enough.

HoopDreams;842830641 said:

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post players should practice shooting at range, regardless if they have the green light to do it

actually, I'm an advocate of them actually taking those shots when wide open, especially in games that we think we will win by a comfortable margin. having at least a threat keeps the defenses more honest.

I remember 2 games in particular when our big shot outside the range I had ever seen them take. One was Thurman who hit 3-4 mid range shots to save us from a defeat vs USC.

Another was MSF who also shot several 15 footers and maybe even 1 or 2 threes to almost bring us back when we were down big.

just about any basketball player who practices 300 days a year should be able to develop a reasonably good 15 footer, and most should be able to hit 30%+ from 3. That equates to almost 50% from the field.

but again the real value is to keep the defenses honest

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My basic point is during pregame warmups they should be practicing shots they will likely attempt in the upcoming game. By all means practice all sorts of shots after practice and in the off season. But in actual game preparation I am for spending those minutes on things you are likely to be doing during a game. Of course getting more proficient in everything you do is a great thing. But we all know that if Kam were to take any 3 pt shot other than one at the very end of the shot clock he would immediately find a seat on the bench. Prove it during practice and earn the right to take those shots in games.

tsubamoto2001;842830618 said:

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I don't want to "reach" for anybody, not even with the 10th to 13th scholarship spots, which we have in the last couple of years, which is why we're in the situation we're in now.

I don't mind getting sit out transfers as well, but they've got to be guaranteed impact players when they get eligible. Chase Jeter likely fits that bill, but Cal doesn't seem to be the likely destination for him at this point (hopefully that changes). The other known player Cal is going after is Peter Kiss, a SG from Quinnipiac with 3 years left. He's an NYC native and is visiting St. John's and Seton Hall. He doesn't seem likely, as well.

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We agree. As for whom the Bears may be targeting as D1 transfers I have no idea. They may strike out. But we agree no more reaching for players simply because you have an open scholarship. Not everybody you recruit will be a star level player. That is ok. There is a belief by some that some guys that average high numbers in HS and have a high GPA project as good college players. Wish this were true. But if true the Ivy league would be a very good league. A good shooting stroke is a great thing to have, but some athleticism and size are needed as well. And if a 2G prospect you need to be able to handle and defend some as well. You occasionally strike gold with an unheralded player.

blake harris, arguably the best passer in the 2017 class, with the commitment to missouri during his official visit this weekend

the deal maker got his point guard of the future in columbia

major arizona donor told me that lorenzo romar had dinner at fleming's steakhouse this week with the donut boy of tucson & that an impending announcement is expected re: romar joining the wildcats as the associate head coach with joe pasternack's departure to become the head coach at uc santa barbara

Not that they are all good players, but that they can get admitted to Cal.

6956bear;842830734 said:

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We agree. As for whom the Bears may be targeting as D1 transfers I have no idea. They may strike out. But we agree no more reaching for players simply because you have an open scholarship. Not everybody you recruit will be a star level player. That is ok. There is a belief by some that some guys that average high numbers in HS and have a high GPA project as good college players. Wish this were true. But if true the Ivy league would be a very good league. A good shooting stroke is a great thing to have, but some athleticism and size are needed as well. And if a 2G prospect you need to be able to handle and defend some as well. You occasionally strike gold with an unheralded player.

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This has been known for days ...

Shocky1;842830736 said:

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major arizona donor told me that lorenzo romar had dinner at fleming's steakhouse this week with the donut boy of tucson & that an impending announcement is expected re: romar joining the wildcats as the associate head coach with joe pasternack's departure to become the head coach at uc santa barbara

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got it

6956bear;842830730 said:

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My basic point is during pregame warmups they should be practicing shots they will likely attempt in the upcoming game. By all means practice all sorts of shots after practice and in the off season. But in actual game preparation I am for spending those minutes on things you are likely to be doing during a game. Of course getting more proficient in everything you do is a great thing. But we all know that if Kam were to take any 3 pt shot other than one at the very end of the shot clock he would immediately find a seat on the bench. Prove it during practice and earn the right to take those shots in games.

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6956bear;842830730 said:

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My basic point is during pregame warmups they should be practicing shots they will likely attempt in the upcoming game. By all means practice all sorts of shots after practice and in the off season. But in actual game preparation I am for spending those minutes on things you are likely to be doing during a game. Of course getting more proficient in everything you do is a great thing. But we all know that if Kam were to take any 3 pt shot other than one at the very end of the shot clock he would immediately find a seat on the bench. Prove it during practice and earn the right to take those shots in games.

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This makes a lot of sense. As a teacher, it is important to set up all of the time you have with your students either learning skills or practicing those skills. The players can shoot garbage shots on their own time.

yes, but Monty didn't give him the green light to shoot it. Maybe Monty didn't have confidence that was a good shot for Thurman, maybe he wanted his bigs to be in position for rebounds, but in that one game we were down big late in the game, and Thurman started hitting shot after shot (vs UW 7-11 for 16 pts, 7 rebounds).

But his amazing game was in the NCAA Tournament vs USC. He was 6-6 and I think they were all dunks.

mikecohen;842830693 said:

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That mid-range was Thurman's shot, really from anywhere -- although he was particularly good from the baseline (maybe because defenders just don't think that shot is so probable).

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