Why Is Kemba Walker So Low On NBA Draft Boards?

He led the UConn Huskies to 5 straight victories in 5 days in the Big East Tournament. He averaged 23.6 ppg during the regular season while playing in arguably the best conference in all of college basketball this year. And now, he's managed to single-handedly bring the underdog Huskies to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

So why is Kemba Walker projected to go Number 22 in the 2011 NBA Draft?

1) Scouts believe he'll be an undersized two-guard in the NBA.

- Listed at a generous 6-1, Walker does have the look of a scorer than he does a point guard, which he is currently listed at. However, he did record a near triple-double in the 3rd Round of the NCAA Tournament against Bucknell with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists. Still think he can't play point guard at the next level?

2) As a Junior, scouts believe Kemba Walker has peaked.

- Yes, you could argue that college upperclassmen sometimes do appear to have reached their ceiling as they get older, but let's take a closer look at Walker's college statistics:

- He hasn't just shown progress in three years, he's shown significant progress each and every year. As a Freshman, he averaged 8.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, and 2.9 apg. In his Sophomore year, he averaged 14.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and 5.1 apg. That alone is a big jump, but let's take a look at his Junior year. In his Junior year, Walker averaged 23.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, and 4.5 apg. He has made huge strides in scoring each year and hasn't showed signs of slowing down. Still think he's reached his peak?

3) What will it take for Kemba Walker to move up in the NBA Draft?

- Perhaps, a college basketball Naismith National Player of the Year Award and a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament, but is that really necessary? Kemba Walker has already overcome all odds to get to this point and proved he's a lottery pick. Maybe if he was a couple of inches taller he could be a sure-fire lottery pick, but then again the NBA has become a Guard's game, with teams now trending smaller and quicker shooting guards than in years past.

VIDEO: Butler Stuns Pittsburgh

Butler (No. 8 Seed) defeated Pittsburgh (No. 1 Seed) in the second round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 19, 2011. They will now advance to the Sweet 16.

A year after playing Duke in the 2010 National Championship, nobody expected the Bulldogs to go this far in the tournament, especially after losing Gordon Hayward to the NBA draft.

How did this happen?

Pittsburgh's Gilbert Brown was fouled on a controversial play with a second left in the game when Butler led 70-69. Brown made his first free throw to tie the game and missed the second. The game was tied at 70 with .09 seconds left on the clock when Pittsburgh's Nasir Robinson fouled Butler's Matt Howard on another controversial play. Howard then went to the line sinking a free throw to give the Butler Bulldogs a 71-70 win over the heavily favored Pittsburgh Panthers.

The announcers said they had never seen anything like it.

Kyrie Irving a Number 1 Pick Again

Kyrie Irving is looking like he could jump back up to No. 1 on NBA draft boards after his performance in the 2nd Round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament against the Hampton Pirates Friday, March 18, 2011.

After missing 26 games and over three months of play, Irving returned to action and looked as good as ever. He mentioned before the game that he wouldn't have returned so quickly if he didn't feel he was 100% ready and able to play, after suffering a toe injury.

Irving led all Duke Blue Devils in scoring with 14 points in just 20 minutes. He also registered 4 rebounds, 2 threes, 2 steals, an assist and a block while shooting 50 percent from the field (4-8) and 100 percent from the free throw line (4-4).

While some doubted his comeback, the Chris Paul clone is now turning skeptics into believers as he hopes to take Duke deeper into the NCAA Tournament and further increase his draft stock.

When is the 2011 High School Dunk Contest?

This year's Powerade Jam Fest will take place Monday, March 28 at 5:30 on ESPN 2 as a part of the McDonald's All-American High School Basketball Games.

Check out last year's dunk contest!



Past winners include:

1) Josh Selby (2010)

2) Avery Bradley (2009)

3) DeMar DeRozan (2008)

4) Blake Griffin (2007)

5) Gerald Henderson (2006)


Stay tuned for this year's field of dunkers.


More information can be found at: http://www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com/2011/

Indiana Pacers: Signs of Bright Future

Call them what you want. Sitting in the 8th seed of the East with what could be one of the worst potential playoff records ever (currently 29 W - 38 L), the Indiana Pacers sure look good now and in the future.

After taking down the New York Knicks twice in the past week, people are starting to wonder, just who are these new-look Pacers and is Larry Bird really going to leave them now?

Let's take a look:

1) Darren Collison - A lightning quick, up and coming point guard who can pass, score, and play defense despite his lack of size at 6 feet, 160 lbs. Soon to join the list of top point guards in the NBA.

2) Danny Granger - Might leave them soon with all the rumors swirling around, but still one of the best well-rounded players in the league.

3) Paul George - If Granger leaves, you got his replacement. Watch this kid, he's very athletic and scouts compared him to T-Mac (could be a stretch), but he'll likely be very good in the future. He's already showing signs of promise with a nice complete game matching Granger's versatility.

4) Roy Hibbert - You can't ask a player to improve any more in one season. How many teams can boast a 7'2 big, who now has the skills to back his size. He's a rare commodity in a league lacking true post play. Look for him to jump into top big-man ranks real quick.

5) Tyler Hansbrough - Surprisingly good at the NBA level. We all knew he worked hard; what we didn't know was that it would translate into the pro game. Since becoming a starter in the month of March, the Pacers couldn't be any happier. In the past 5 games, he's averaged 25.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 2.0 spg while shooting .615 percent from the floor.


When was the last time the Pacers were this relevant? About a decade ago when they still had Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson, Jalen Rose, Rik Smits, and Dale Davis. Oh yeah, and then there was that brawl.

2011 NCAA Tournament: Team Strengths and Weaknesses

It's March Madness time! Before you fill out your bracket, check out each of these top teams' strengths and weaknesses:

Ohio State

Strengths: Very well-rounded team...High-scoring with great shooting efficiency...Top 3 field goal % in the nation.

Weaknesses: Sometimes struggles to close games out against better opponents...Take away Jared Sullinger and rebounds may be hard to come by.


Notre Dame

Strengths: A strong offensive unit...Excellent passing team complemented by solid outside shooting.

Weaknesses: May run into some trouble against better defensive teams.


Kansas

Strengths: Markieff and Marcus Morris provide tremendous post-play...Excels in nearly all facets of the game...Arguably a favorite to win it all.

Weaknesses: Not quite as deep as in years past...Depth may be the only factor holding them back.


Pittsburgh

Strengths: Hard-nosed team with great defensive tenacity...Strong rebounding ball club, ranked 8th in the nation...A true team.

Weaknesses: Lacks a go-to guy...Scoring may become a concern in crunch-time.


Duke:

Strengths:
Tested and proven, Duke returns to defend its title...Well-coached team with tremendous basketball IQ...Great chemistry gives them a chance against anyone.

Weaknesses: Without Kyrie Irving and with a recently injured Nolan Smith, do they have enough in the tank to make a push?...Kyle Singler has not been the consistent player we've come to know...Suspect play in the post, at times.


North Carolina:

Strengths:
Athletic and offensively gifted...Number 1 ranked rebounding team in the country...Able to hold its own no matter who the opponent...Finally starting to come together as a cohesive unit.

Weaknesses:
Young and inexperienced...Very inconsistent...You never know which North Carolina team will show up.

Florida:

Strengths: When they come together and play as a team, look out...With Billy Donovan under the helm, you can never count them out from going deep in this tournament.

Weaknesses: Doesn't do one thing particularly well...Not the greatest passing team, which consequently hurts its offense and scoring opportunities.


BYU:

Strengths: Can put points on the board in a hurry...A decent rebounding team.

Weaknesses: Everyone knows Jimmer Fredette, but who else do they have? Especially considering the loss of Brandon Davies...Scoring efficiency is in question.


Texas:

Strengths: Top-notch rebounding entity...Has two solid anchors in Tristan Thompson and Jordan Hamilton

Weaknesses: Always seems to disappoint during this time of year...Seeing how they've struggled against better opponents this year, is the same fate awaiting them in the tournament?


Louisville:

Strengths: They come up big when the moment counts...Defeated a number of worthy opponents...A headsy team with sound fundamentals due in large part to great coaching.

Weaknesses: Rick Pitino can only do so much with the talent he has...May not have enough firepower to win in the later rounds even with previous track record.


Syracuse:

Strengths: Experienced, tough, and gritty...A recipe for a championship.

Weaknesses:
Racked up a significant amount of losses between mid-January and mid-February, but redeemed itself in the latter portion of the season...Scoring and shot selection may be a concern.

San Diego State:

Strengths: A surprise top-seeded team, this year, with a chance to make a run...Kawhi Leonard is a truly special talent...With BYU handing them their only two loses of the season, they finally came through not only beat them in the Mountain West Tournament, they crushed them.

Weaknesses: Hype may affect them on the big-stage...They haven't faced enough ranked ranked opponents to adequately prepare them for what's to come...May need more than just big games from Malcolm Thomas and Kawhi Leonard if they want advance far.


Kentucky:

Strengths: Lots of talent gives them a huge advantage over weaker opponents...If disciplined, they have the potential to overpower even higher-seeds with athleticism.

Weaknesses: With their youth and inexperience, you have to question their intentions in the tournament...Will the NBA-to-be's play a different, selfish game to raise their draft stock?



Connecticut:

Strengths: Great momentum coming into this tournament...A team that has been doubted all season long could potentially use this to fuel them.

Weaknesses: Much like BYU, they too suffer from one-star syndrome...Take away Kemba Walker, and they will fall apart.