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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.
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Friday / March 29.
  • Diamond Stone, the new No. 1 player in the Class of 2015 according to Scout.com, visited UConn this past weekend in what can only been seen as a huge coup for the new minted NCAA champions and head coach Kevin Ollie.

    Stone’s camp has maintained a low-profile on his recruitment, keeping interviews to a minimum.

    Yet given UConn’s history with sending big men to the NBA — Andre Drummond, Emeka Okafor and Charlie Villanueva to name a few — it’s safe to say Ollie reminded the 6-foot-10, 255-pound Stone of that tradition.

    It was originally reported that 6-foot-3 Mississippi native Malik Newman would also make the trip to UConn, but he told Evan Daniels of Scout he was unable to attend.

    Adidas Eurocamp - Day 2Thon Maker, the 7-foot prospect from The Carlisle (Va.) School ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2016, says he’s “50-50” on reclassifying to 2015, which would then make him eligible for the 2016 NBA Draft.

    “The reclassifying, I don’t know yet but it’s a possibility,” Maker told Steve Kyler of BasketballInsiders.com in this video from the Adidas Eurocamp in Italy where Maker went for 22 points and six rebounds in his first game with Team USA.

    Asked if he was leaning toward reclassifying, Maker said, “Fifty-fifty right now.”

    As we previously reported, Maker’s guardian, Ed Smith, is preparing the big man academically to reclass into 2015.

    Nadal trophyRafael Nadal continues to cement his position as the Greatest of All Time in men’s tennis.

    Nadal extended his domination on Court Philippe Chatrier, winning his ninth Roland Garros title and 14th Grand Slam championship with a  3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Novak Djokovic in the 42nd meeting between the two rivals.

    Djokovic double-faulted on match point to conclude the 3-hour, 31-minute affair.

    Nadal is now tied with Pete Sampras at No. 2 on the all-time men’s list behind Roger Federer’s 17 Majors. He will also retain his No. 1 world ranking heading into Wimbledon later this month.

    Nadal is the first man in history to win five consecutive Roland Garros titles, and the first to win nine titles at any one Grand Slam.

    To put his nine French Open titles in perspective, that is more than the total number of Majors won by Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl or Jimmy Connors.

    Bjorn Borg, the Swedish legend who won Roland Garros six times en route to 11 Majors, presented Nadal with the championship trophy.

    Jaylen BrownJaylen Brown, a 6-foot-7 2015 wing from Marietta (GA) High School, is currently in Treviso, Italy with Team USA at the Adidas Eurocamp.

    Brown went for 15 points, six rebounds and four blocks Saturday as Team USA fell to the France U20 team, 77-67. Thon Maker, 2016 7-footer from The Carlisle (Va.) School who may reclass to 2015, led Team USA with 22 points and six rebounds.

    “It means everything to me,” Brown told SNY.tv contributor Chip Miller before he went to Italy. “It means everything to go over there and represent your country against the top international players, so I am looking forward to it.”

    Ranked No. 4 in 2015 by Scout.com, Brown is considering  Kentucky, UCLA, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida and Kansas, among others, but recently said he may decide this summer in order to get his recruitment over with.

    While in Italy, Brown also told Steve Kyler of BasketballInsiders.com that he has narrowed his list in his mind but won’t reveal it yet publicly.

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