Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Diaper Dandies Wiggins, Randle, Parker & Gordon Do Damage; Showdowns to Come on Tuesday in Champions Classic
When Adam Silver begins calling names next June in the 2014 NBA Draft, you should expect to hear several of these monikers called out right off the top.
Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, Jabari Parker and Aaron Gordon.
You may have heard that as many as six NBA teams are tanking the season — to one degree or another — to draft these guys next June.
The Big 4 Diaper Dandies did some damage right off the tip during the 2013-14 season-openers, and several will matchup this Tuesday night at the United Center in Chicago in the Champions Classic.
In that college basketball extravaganza, Randle and No. 1 Kentucky face No. 2 Michigan State, while Wiggins and No. 5 Kansas meet Parker and No. 4 Duke.
Five of the projected Top 10 picks in the 2014 NBA Draft according to DraftExpress.com will be on display: No. 1 Wiggins, No. 2 Randle, No. 6 Kansas center Joel Embiid, No. 7 Parker and No. 8 Kentucky point guard Andrew Harrison.
And the top three picks in the SheridanHoops.com 2014 Mock Draft.
Here’s how they did on opening night Friday:
**The 6-foot-8 Wiggins went for 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting to go with 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.
“He did some good things,” Jayhawks coach Bill Selftold reporters. “I think he can be more aggressive, but I think all the guys can be more aggressive.”
And oh by the way, fellow frosh Embiid had 9 points and 4 rebounds, and Wayne Selden scored 8 points and had 4 assists. **At No. 1 Kentucky, the 6-9 Randle dominated around the basket by putting up 23 points and 15 rebounds as the Wildcats crushed UNC-Asheville 89-57.
Fellow freshmen Andrew Harrison had 8 points and 5 assists and his twin Aaron Harrison tallied 10 points and 5 rebounds. Marcus Lee added 17 points while frosh James Young had 11 points and 4 rebounds.
**At Duke, Parker and Mississippi State transfer Rodney Hood scored 22 points in their first game for No. 4 Duke, a 111-77 rout of Davidson.
Parker went 8-for-10 from the field and 3-of-3 from the arc and added six rebounds.
“First game in college – are you kidding me?” coach Mike Krzyzewski said of Parker, per the AP. “That was a terrific performance.”
“That was a rather impressive display of offensive firepower,” Davidson coach Bob McKillop said. “Their ability to do things with the dribble and off the catch, and in as many spots as they did, it’s pretty darned impressive.”
**Not to be outdone, the 6-8 Gordon went for 13 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks as No. 6 Arizona beat Cal Poly 73-62.
“Aaron, he’s a special player,” said Washington coach Lorenzo Romar, who recruited Gordon and remains close with his family. “He’s one of the rare, rare young kids that comes into college that is extremely talented, yet has a motor and he has his goals. He wants to be the best, he wants to play at the highest level. But at the same time he’s a very unselfish basketball player. I just don’t know if that combination is out there much these days.”
Photos: KC Star, UK Athletics, Tucson Citizen
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
When Adam Silver begins calling names next June in the 2014 NBA Draft, you should expect to hear several of these monikers called out right off the top.
Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, Jabari Parker and Aaron Gordon.
You may have heard that as many as six NBA teams are tanking the season — to one degree or another — to draft these guys next June.
The Big 4 Diaper Dandies did some damage right off the tip during the 2013-14 season-openers, and several will matchup this Tuesday night at the United Center in Chicago in the Champions Classic.
In that college basketball extravaganza, Randle and No. 1 Kentucky face No. 2 Michigan State, while Wiggins and No. 5 Kansas meet Parker and No. 4 Duke.
Five of the projected Top 10 picks in the 2014 NBA Draft according to DraftExpress.com will be on display: No. 1 Wiggins, No. 2 Randle, No. 6 Kansas center Joel Embiid, No. 7 Parker and No. 8 Kentucky point guard Andrew Harrison.
And the top three picks in the SheridanHoops.com 2014 Mock Draft.
Here’s how they did on opening night Friday:
**The 6-foot-8 Wiggins went for 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting to go with 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.
“He did some good things,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self told reporters. “I think he can be more aggressive, but I think all the guys can be more aggressive.”
And oh by the way, fellow frosh Embiid had 9 points and 4 rebounds, and Wayne Selden scored 8 points and had 4 assists.
**At No. 1 Kentucky, the 6-9 Randle dominated around the basket by putting up 23 points and 15 rebounds as the Wildcats crushed UNC-Asheville 89-57.
Fellow freshmen Andrew Harrison had 8 points and 5 assists and his twin Aaron Harrison tallied 10 points and 5 rebounds. Marcus Lee added 17 points while frosh James Young had 11 points and 4 rebounds.
**At Duke, Parker and Mississippi State transfer Rodney Hood scored 22 points in their first game for No. 4 Duke, a 111-77 rout of Davidson.
Parker went 8-for-10 from the field and 3-of-3 from the arc and added six rebounds.
“First game in college – are you kidding me?” coach Mike Krzyzewski said of 
Parker, per the AP. “That was a terrific performance.”
“That was a rather impressive display of offensive firepower,” Davidson coach Bob McKillop said. “Their ability to do things with the dribble and off the catch, and in as many spots as they did, it’s pretty darned impressive.”
**Not to be outdone, the 6-8 Gordon went for 13 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks as No. 6 Arizona beat Cal Poly 73-62.
“Aaron, he’s a special player,” said Washington coach Lorenzo Romar, who recruited Gordon and remains close with his family. “He’s one of the rare, rare young kids that comes into college that is extremely talented, yet has a motor and he has his goals. He wants to be the best, he wants to play at the highest level. But at the same time he’s a very unselfish basketball player. I just don’t know if that combination is out there much these days.”
Photos: KC Star, UK Athletics, Tucson Citizen
