By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
First off, to all my sleepy and ‘net-weary friends, my last name is not Mash. It’s Stephens.
And for those who have never boarded this “clever” train, MitchMash is a funny little “clever” takeoff on mishmash, as in hodgepodge, mixture, jumble — which my wife Trine would say is a fair and accurate description of my fashion sense. Ba dun-dun (drum, drum symbol).
For those debating how many drum beats there are before the symbol crashes, click here. Yes, people will debate anything.
Anyway (my favorite word as you’ll find out), today is the launch of this national high school sports hodgepodge with all items, opinions, tidbits and prose up for debate, criticism and general scrutiny. The emphasis is on fun – sports is not ice cream (my life) or death — and topical information with a twist of MitchMashiness.
I should note that I say fun today, but I am indeed a true Gemini and my tone will sometimes cross the field like a good Devin Hester return into a state of MitchMadness. Not mad as in crazy, but anger.
Yes, without sounding overly Oprah, I do care quite deeply about the little red sports world that could. Spent a quarter-century covering the little rascals and the saints who coach and try to lead them. When any and all the prep purity and goodness gets squashed, we’ll address or at least take names and notice.
Mainly, however, we’ll jab, punch and throw an occasional haymaker.
So, without further ado, let us throw some hot ones up against the proverbial flat screen monitor and see if any stick. Feel free at any time to contribute, inform and/or enlighten by e-mailing or clicking on the comment box below.
* Wednesday was early signing day for basketball and all other sports except football, field hockey, track and field, cross country and boys water polo.
Of course, everyone is talking about the same thing. Why do the girls water polo players get to sign early and not the boys? Kidding.
* Actually, everyone wonders why so many of the top male basketball recruits are lollygagging in the backcourt?
Of the six juniors from MaxPreps Boys Basketball Editor Dave Krider’s top 30 players last season, only 6-3 shooting guard Kenny Boynton (Florida) and 6-9 center DeMarcus Cousins (Alabama Birmingham) signed letters of intents on Wednesday.
The others, 6-9 forward Derrick Favors (South Atlanta, Ga.), 6-10 center Renardo Sidney (Fairfax, Los Angeles, Calif.), 6-6 guard Lance Stephenson (Lincoln, Brooklyn, N.Y.) and 6-6 guard Xavier Henry (Putnam City, Oklahoma City, Okla.), have until Nov. 19 to choose if they want to sign early. Otherwise they’ll have to lollygag around like all the other poor neglected blue chippers until April 15.
They aren’t the only future millionaires to hold off.
John Wall (Word of God Christian Academy, N.C.), a 6-3 point guard, 6-6 shooting guard Dominic Cheek (St. Anthony, N.J.), 6-4 guard Michael Snaer (Rancho Verde, Calif.) and 6-9, 300-pound post Keith Gallon (Oak Hill Academy, Va.) have also failed to sprint to the dotted line.
* Some think there is vast hesitation to consider the footsteps of 2007-08 MaxPreps Player of the Year Brandon Jennings, who made Curt Flood history by skipping his commitment to Arizona and opting for Italy. He signed a $1.2 million contract with the Lottomatica Roma, a $2 million deal with Under Armour and after a season will be eligible for the NBA draft.
* Cha-ching!
* Am I missing something here or has Jennings just drained a last-second, game-winning 3-pointer while finding a loophole in the NBA’s one-year-and-done rule? Evidently he wasn’t going to be academically eligible for Arizona, prompting him and his advisors to find a productive and profitable 12-month avenue.
I totally get why guys like Stephenson, Sidney and others might consider Jennings' route. They can get comparable exposure and competition playing in Europe while scoring a loot of cash. The tradeoff appears completely in the player’s favor.
Of course, we’re talking about players who are fairly certain they fit under the one-and-done scenario, to whom I say, like Sting sings, “free, free, set them free.”
* I deplore the rent-a-superstar for a season mentality at the college level, as I’m sure most college coaches do. It’s horrible for morale, sends complete mixed messages to committed team players and college guys, disrupts camaraderie and general team chemistry, and overall just feels kind of icky.
For players who clearly have one agenda - to play in the NBA before they are 20 – I say soar to a place you can train against professionals and score buckets and coin doing it. It’s really a no-brainer.
No judgment here on the kids. If they are that talented and that clear that the NBA is their one and only dream, go for it. Why should we squash that aspiration?
Most truly elite basketball kids know by the time they are juniors in high school if college is for them. Clearly, the healthier path, in the vast majority of cases, is to take the college route, the college education and experience. To guide all our kids in that direction, whatever field, is smart and safe and sound.
But just as clearly, some of these paths have already been cemented with only NBA dreams, and as cracked as it may sound, college is a wayward detour and wrong exit. At least for now.
* Besides that, as many parents, guidance counselors and mentors will attest, you can’t force feed teens. Heck, that’s largely true for adults as well.
The NBA could force the issue and mandate age for employment at 21 or 22. The league has obviously wavered and adjusted this requirement over the years. It created the one-year rule to combat all the high school kids coming directly into the NBA, a noble gesture to be sure.
I don’t see the pendulum swinging back to the old required four years of college. I see the league looking at the Jennings case and perhaps developing more fervently its minor leagues.
That way kids caught in between college and the pros don’t have to high-tail it overseas, which, by the way, isn't a bad gig for a young person. How many of us would love to take a year or two to experience the Spanish Steps or the Leaning Tower of Pisa or in my case, authentic Gelato?
* This issue needs to be pressed, perhaps most urgently, for the college coaches who now have another quagmire to consider while recruiting players. .
* Among notable blue chippers who did sign Wednesday: 6-3 shooting guard Avery Bradley (Texas), 6-9 post DeMarcus Cousins (Alabama), 6-3 point guard Abdul Gaddy (Washington), 6-8 forward Jordan Hamilton (Texas), 6-10 forward John Henson (North Carolina), 6-8 forward Tyler Honeycutt (UCLA), 6-9 forward Milton Jennings (Clemson), 6-8 forward Wallace Judge (Kansas State), 6-9 forward Ryan Kelly (Duke), 6-9 forward Brendan Lane (UCLA), 6-5 guard Leslie McDonald (North Carolina), 6-8 forward Reeves Nelson (UCLA), 6-10 post Daniel Orton (Kentucky), 6-10 forward Mason Plumlee (Duke), 5-11 point guard Peyton Siva (Louisville), 6-3 point guard Dexter Strickland (North Carolina), 6-8 forward Dante Taylor (Pittsburgh), 6-7 forward Hollis Thompson (Georgetown), 6-foot point guard Maalik Wayns (Villanova) and 6-9 twins David and Travis Wear (North Carolina).
* If you noticed the words North and Carolina a bunch on that list it’s no misprint. The Tar Heels are by far at the top of the 2009 recruiting class.
* The two most jaw-dropping players from the long list above I saw last season were Siva and Strickland, while Hamilton was the most polished product.
* Note that Thompson recently transferred to De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) and with two other signees – 5-11 point guard Brandon Smith (Cal) and 6-7 forward Jefferson Power (Denver) — to go along with one of the nation’s most respected coaches (Frank Allocco), the Spartans should vault to top 20 national status.
* Lane, like a good kid should, didn’t just thank his varsity head coach during a signing ceremony at Rocklin High (Calif.). He thanked 13 coaches, basically from DNA onward, including his high school coach Steve Taylor
Lane, by the way, is a very versatile offensive threat with both superb post moves and 3-point range. More impressive, perhaps, is his rebounding (11.7 per game last season) and most of all, shot blocking (5.2 per game). Taylor raves about his unselfishness, which he displayed off the court Wednesday when he talked about everyone but himself. He spent a good portion thanking his rather large family that includes two brothers and two sisters, and his mom (Lelia) and dad (Steve).
“You’ve had to put up with all of my basketball commitments,” he said. “Thank you to my older brother (Dylan) who will never let me forget that he made me the basketball player I am.”
* You have to hope a humble and witty kid like Lane makes it all the way to the NBA - no matter what route he takes.
* Like the boys, there is more uncertainty among the female elite than most recruiting years.
Top dozen prizes 6-5 post Kelsey Bone (Dulles, Sugarland, Texas), 5-8 point guard Skylar Diggins (Washington, South Bend, Ind.), 5-9 guard Tierra Ruffin-Pratt (Williams, Alexandria, Va.), 5-10 guard Tayler Hill (South, Minneapolis, Minn.) and 6-1 forward Shenneika Smith (St. Michael Academy, Brooklyn, N.Y.) and are still undecided.
* And they aren’t considering Europe.
* The top prize, 6-7 post Brittney Griner (Nimitz, Houston, Texas) is a worldly talent and kept her promise from last year, signing with Baylor, who also landed 6-1 forward Mariah Chandler, another top 30 recruit. Stanford landed two of the best in 6-3 post Joslyn Tinkle and 6-3 forward Mikaela Ruef as did Illinois with 6-3 forward Destiny Williams and 6-2 forward Karisma Penn.
* What’s with Cal claiming the top 2009 recruiting class? Always an afterthought to cross-bay rival Stanford, since coach Joanne Boyle arrived four seasons ago, the Bears have risen faster than the cast from “High School Musical.”
* Boyle landed six of ESPN’s top 50, including the California trio of 5-11 wing Tierra Rogers (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco), 5-7 point guard Eliza Pierre (Muir, Pasadena) and 6-1 forward DeNesha Stallworth (Pinole Valley).
Gabriella, Sharpay and Taylor have nothing on those girls.
* BTW, lots of HSM references because my 6-year-old daughter Sofia looooves it. OMG and LOL.
BTW, opposed from my journalism training, I will constantly use the not-so-new-anymore text messaging-crazed acronyms because they are so cool, hip and concise.
* NR (Not Really).
E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com.
