What Basketball has taught me so far....

With the big Miami Heat vs. Los Angeles Lakers game headed this Christmas at the Staples Center, we would have completed two months worth of NBA ball and with college basketball just about wrapping up non-conference play, here's what I've learned..

• Kemba Walker is the best player in college basketball and a future lottery pick. The UCONN Huskies are the surprise of the Big East. With a fast start, they're not ranked in the top 5. It starts and ends with the Bronx PG.

• Kyle Irving should stay in school because a 3 guard lineup with Austin Rivers-Kyle Irving-Seth Curry is flat out scary.

• Illinois is my Final 4 sleeper but a bad loss to Illinois-Chicago then again to Missouri now  make me wonder going into conference play are they the best Big 10 team in the state.
• Speaking of Illinois teams in the Big 10, this is finally the year Northwestern does play in the big dance. 

• Unless the Miami Heat land a point guard via trade, they will not represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. 

• Don't count out the former champions Spurs & Celtics. Both teams have a lot of miles on them but they're both off to a great start. Let's hope their health holds up come playoff time. 

• The Dallas Mavericks are making a strong case that they're not only the best team in Texas, Western Conference, but in the NBA. Other than Tyson Chandler, no other Maverick is committed to defense.

• Dirk, Amare Stoudamire are the biggest impacts on they're team and have a strong case for MVP but the trophy belongs to Derrick Rose. 

• The new NBA rules are terrible and the Lakers are still the best team in the NBA...they're just bored until the playoffs. 

Preview - Fighting ILLINI Basketball

The Final 4 teams of 1989 and 2005 were without a doubt the best teams in school history. I have not been pleased with the recruiting class Bruce Weber has brought in until now. With senior players Demetri McCamey and Mike Davis leading the way along with a top ten recruiting class led by Jereme Richmond, this team has the makings of a Final Four sleeper. Sophomores Brandon Paul should improve after a rocky freshmen year but DJ Richardson has the makings an all Big Ten player in the future. DJ Richardson's hidden potential is similar when Deron Williams starred for ILLINI.

Crandall Head should be healthy after tearing his ACL last summer and should provide some offense for this group. Myles Head will be thrown into the starting lineup day one as he's a legit seven footer.

With Michigan State, Ohio State, and Purdue as the best teams in the conference, this Fighting ILLINI team should challenge the Buckeyes for the third best team in the conference.

March Madness - Senior Night

I DON'T CARE IF DELONTE WEST WAS FOULED THE LOB PASS TO LEBRON LAST NIGHT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST IN GAME DUNKS IN NBA HISTORY.

Madness is everywhere in the hoops world. Today Missouri Zyar Taylor went Tyus Edney against Iowa State for the game winner to silence the crowd. People in Champaign, IL are growing mad because Illinois dropped another game in the Big 10 against Ohio State hindering their tourney chances. With the loss tonight, Ohio State wrapped up the Big 10 regular season title and Evan Turner played his last game in Columbus. Now it's off to Indianapolis for the Big 10 tourney where I hope ILLINI can win a few games and get into the dance.

Congratulations to UTEP for winning the Conference USA title it's the first time in nine years another team other than Memphis wins the title. Memphis will be back as they have the top recruiting class in the nation coming in next year.

Tomorrow tune into ESPN as two Chicago west side point guard Sherron Collins and Jacob Pullen go head to head as Kansas State plays Kansas. That should be a great game and I know Kansas State will play hard tomorrow night.

Good for LeBron switching his number I agree no ball player should ever wear the #23. LeBron James will wear the #6 next season.

Weekend Recap

Let me start off by saying I'm not a fan of hockey but I did watch the USA/Canada Gold Medal game and I'm disappointed and proud of the young USA Hockey team. Now back to the show............

I'm know I'm wrong for typing this but I'm rooting against the Nets. I want them to set the all-time record for most losses in a season. The Celtics must have went out the night before and came in a the crack of dawn because they forgot to bring their "C" game against New Jersey. The bench of the Boston Celtics alone can destroy the New Jersey Nets starting five. My Chicago Bulls keep showing mix signals by defeating the Portland Trailblazers on Friday night then last night losing to the Lottery bound Indiana Pacers. Playing to the level of your competition will not work in the L.

Speaking of playing to the level of the competition, Fighting ILLINI pretty much punch it's ticket to the NIT after a bad loss at home to Minnesota 62-60. I've said this before but for the ILLNI this season, it's whatever but next season pencil in Illinois as a top ten team with Lenord Myles, Mike Davis, Jereme Richmond, Brandon Paul, and Demetri McCamey with Crandle Head and DJ Richardson coming off the bench.

The nation's top two teams suffered losses this weekend as well as Kansas fell to Oklahoma State and Kentucky lost to Tennessee. Bottom line, Kentucky and Kansas will still be seeded #1 two weeks from today. Side note: Good for Sherron Collins calling John Wall a little boy. I hope these two teams meet in the finals.

There is plenty of basketball to watch this week (especially college ball) so I will see you guy later.

TOMORROW IS A GOOD DAY TO HOOP!!!!!!

Northwestern Basketball in the Big Dance

I just watched the Northwestern Wildcats loose in overtime to Illinois but for the first time Northwestern basketball is for real. In the past, the Wildcats have always been the Big 10 door mat but not this season. Juice Thompson got the steal at the end of regulation and barely made the half court shot to win the game. Right now the Cats should put this game behind them as they face Michigan State Spartans this weekend. I still believe the Cats will make the Big Dance this season spoiling one of the other Big 10 teams.

Speaking of the Spartans Kalin Lucas came off the bench and did exactly what the Big 10 POY was supposed to do against Texas-Arlington. Let's hope the Spartans don't overlook the Wildcats because this could be a bad loss on their NCAA tournament resume.

Well tune in tomorrow as I list my all decade team.