Hooped Up

Jennings signed to play at Arizona out of Oak Hill (Va.) Academy but is from Los Angeles. Jennings isn’t eligible for the NBA draft until a year after he graduates from high school. Jennings didn’t receive a qualifying standardized test score. His third and final test result was due Friday but Valle said it’s a moot point. Jennings is choosing Europe over Arizona.

Vaccaro said that European and Israeli teams don’t know Jennings and that’s why he needs a European-based agent. American agents Bill Duffy and Andy Miller were considered to be frontrunners for Jennings. Duffy said Friday he wasn’t pursuing Jennings as a client.

ESPN

After stumbling upon this footage of future USC player Demar Derozan, the Trojans  will definitely only get one year of service from this future 2009 NBA draft pick.  

Sure, New York will be tough. Danilo Gallinari believes he is ready, since there was plenty of pressure playing in Milan.

Especially since he wore the same number as a giant of Italian hoops — who now happens to be his coach.

Gallinari proved to be worthy of wearing Mike D’Antoni’s No. 8 back home, and hopes to win over the fans that jeered him on draft night when he dons a Knicks jersey with the same number next season.

“I think it is two different worlds,” the 19-year-old Gallinari said Friday at the Knicks’ training center. “There is a lot of pressure in Milan and a lot of pressure in New York. So I’m going to different places, but same place.”

And not an easy one. Fans at the draft booed loudly when the Knicks took Gallinari on Thursday with the No. 6 pick, and that was nothing compared to what he’ll hear if he doesn’t produce right away next season.

Boston Herald

The Grizzlies acquired the draft rights to guard O.J. Mayo, the third overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, in an eight-player trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced Thursday night.

Memphis also received guard Marko Jaric, forward Antoine Walker and guard Greg Buckner in exchange for the draft rights to forward Kevin Love (fifth overall), guard/forward Mike Miller, forward Brian Cardinal and center Jason Collins

NBA

The Indiana Pacers have a tentative agreement to send forward Ike Diogu and the rights to guard Jerryd Bayless to Portland for point guard Jarrett Jack, forward Josh McRoberts and the rights to shooting guard Brandon Rush.

The Pacers drafted Bayless, a 6-3 Arizona freshman, at No. 11, and Portland drafted Rush, a 6-6 junior from Kansas, at No. 13 in tonight’s draft.

The Pacers also are getting point guard T.J. Ford from Toronto in the multi-player deal involving Jermaine O’Neal.

Indy Star

Derrick Rose is going home, and a record crowd of freshmen are following him to the NBA. The Chicago Bulls selected Rose, who grew up on the city’s South Side, with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft Thursday night, choosing the Memphis guard over Kansas State forward Michael Beasley.  Below are the rest of the NBA draft results.

Round 1 NBA Draft Results

Second round results after the jump Read the rest of this entry »

As I mentioned last week, Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys is set to make his directorial debut with Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot opening tomorrow in selected theaters across the USA.   The documentary follows top high school players invited to a tournament held at Rucker Park in Harlem to showcase what they got.

Adam Yauch sits down to discuss the film with IFC.

Hooped Up

College Stats

The draft deals have officially started with the Portland Trail Blazers making a move to secure more young talent.

The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to acquire the 27th pick of Thursday’s NBA draft from the New Orleans Hornets for cash considerations, according to an online report.

A Blazers source told ESPN.com late Tuesday that the teams reached a verbal agreement and will finalize the deal Wednesday.

The Blazers also hold the 13th pick in the first round.

Sporting News

College Stats