A busy summer for GOOD Kids & GOOD Sports

____The website has not been updated all summer, I know regular visitors is wondering what is going on. What’s going on is that GOOD Sports have created a non profit organization call GOOD Kids. We have been very busy the summer with dealing with our youth through sports and mentoring programs. GOOD Sports created the first ever summer basketball camp in our area that last the hold summer. We had over 70 boys and girls to attend the first year, big help from Olympia Learning Center and Richland School District One. GOOD Sports would like to introduce to you GOOD kids its founders and also what GOOD Kids have done this summer and future projects. To enter the world of GOOD Kids please click the link below:

GOOD KIDS: The Future of our youth and sports is here

Popularity: 2%

The 2010 Jordan Brand Classic was one of the best All Star games this year. It was pack with top talent from the class of 2010, I really see Jordan Brand Classic bypassing the McDonald’s All-American game in a couple of years. So sit back and enjoy the highlights from the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic Game.

Popularity: 2%

BISHOP GORMAN

The following is a list of 30 high school basketball teams that appear to have a powerhouse crew returning from this year’s squad.

All teams are listed in alphabetical order, with 2009-2010 records listed. This is simply an early list of squads that played well this season with underclass talent expected to return. As always, transfers are the rule, rather than the exception, these days in high school basketball, and this list is expected to be fluid and changing until our season preview occurs next fall.

This is done in fun – and follows what seems to be every college basketball website doing the same type of look at next season’s early favorites. This list does not include schools that have rosters that benefit from numerous transfers or lesser-known foreign players, including Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA), Findlay Prep (Henderson, NV), Montrose Christian (Rockville, MD), Mountain State Academy (Beckley, WV), and Montverde Academy (Montverde, FL).

Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) 30-2

Boys & Girls (Brooklyn, NY) 28-6

Chaminade (St. Louis, MO) 21-6

Christ the King (Middle Village, NY) 26-5

Christ School (Arden, NC) 37-2

City College (Baltimore, MD) 23-2

DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD) 32-4

Douglass (Oklahoma City, OK) 29-0

Dudley (Greensboro, NC) 22-7

Hamilton (Milwaukee, WI) 20-4

Hopkins (Minnetonka, MN) 30-2

Jamesville-Dewitt (Jamesville, NY) 25-1

Jesuit (Portland, OR) 26-2

Lincoln (Dallas, TX) 24-3

Lincoln (San Diego, CA) 29-2

Melrose (Memphis, TN) 37-4

Milton (Alpharetta, GA) 29-4

Morgan Park (Chicago, IL) 28-6

Norfolk Christian (Norfolk, VA) 24-4

North Central (Indianapolis, IN) 25-3

Paterson Catholic (Paterson, NJ) 28-1

Penn Wood (Landsdowne, PA) 27-4

Poly (Long Beach, CA) 28-5

Simeon (Chicago, IL) 25-9

St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, NJ) 20-1

St. Patrick (Elizabeth, NJ) 24-3

Taft (Woodland Hills, CA) 26-6

Whitney Young (Chicago, IL) 23-7

Wichita Heights (Wichita, KS) 23-2

Winter Park (Winter Park, FL) 29-6

Popularity: 2%

Parade Magazine announced their 2010 All-America High School Boys Basketball Team today. Their full article, with more detailed player information, is found on their site. Four juniors were selected, two to the second team and two to the fourth team. The rest of the selections are from the class of 2010. The two top basketball players in the country top the list and if you have been keeping up with prep hoops I don’t have to give you any information on these soon to be NBA stars.

The 2010 Parade Magazine All-America High School Boys Basketball Team:Name High School City, State Ht.
FIRST TEAM
Jared Sullinger Northland Columbus, Ohio 6′9″
Harrison Barnes Ames Ames, Iowa 6′7″
Brandon Knight Pine Crest Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 6′3″
Kyrie Irving St. Patrick Elizabeth, N.J. 6′2″
Deshaun Thomas Bishop Luers Fort Wayne, Ind. 6′7″
Tobias Harris Half Hollow Hills West Dix Hills, N.Y. 6′8″
Cory Joseph Findlay College Prep Henderson, Nev. 6′3″
Terrence Jones Jefferson Portland, Ore. 6′9″
Reggie Bullock Kinston Kinston, N.C. 6′7″
Joe Jackson White Station Memphis, Tenn. 6′0″

SECOND TEAM
Tristan Thompson Findlay College Prep Henderson, Nev. 6′10″
Michael Gilchrist St. Patrick Elizabeth, N.J. 6′7″
Doron Lamb Oak Hill Academy Mouth of Wilson, Va. 6′4″
Austin Rivers Winter Park Winter Park, Fla. 6′3″
Josh Selby Lake Clifton Baltimore, Md. 6′2″
C.J. Leslie Word of God Christian Raleigh, N.C. 6′8″
Dion Waiters Life Center Academy Burlington, N.J. 6′4″
Patric Young Providence Jacksonville, Fla. 6′9″
JayVaughn Pinkston Bishop Loughlin Brooklyn, N.Y. 6′6″
Ray McCallum Detroit County Day Beverly Hills, Mich. 6′1″

THIRD TEAM
Ryan Harrow Walton Marietta, Ga. 6′0″
Kendall Marshall Bishop O’Connell Arlington, Va. 6′4″
Josh Hairston Montrose Christian Rockville, Md. 6′9″
Nate Lubick St. Mark’s Southborough, Ma. 6′8″
Fab Melo Sagemont Weston, Fla. 7′0″
Keith Appling Pershing Detroit, Mich. 6′2″
Jereme Richmond Waukegan Waukegan, Ill. 6′7″
Jelan Kendrick Wheeler Marietta, Ga. 6′6″
Joseph Young Yates Houston, Tex. 6′2″
Perry Jones Duncanville Duncanville, Tex. 6′11″

FOURTH TEAM
Allen Crabbe Price Los Angeles, Calif. 6′6″
Ian Miller United Faith Christian Charlotte, N.C. 6′3″
Adreian Payne Jefferson Dayton, Ohio 6′10″
James McAdoo Norfolk Christian Norfolk, Va. 6′8″
Marquis Teague Pike Indianapolis, Ind. 6′1″
Marcus Thornton Westlake Atlanta, Ga. 6′8″
James Bell Montverde Academy Montverde, Fla. 6′5″
Tyler Lamb Mater Dei Santa Ana, Calif. 6′5″
Corey Hawkins Estrella Foothills Goodyear, Ariz. 6′3″
Noah Cottrill Logan Logan, W.Va. 6′2″

Popularity: 2%

Gatorade release their 2010 Boys Basketball Players of the Year  list. Our South Carolina own RJ Slawson from Fort Dorchester made the list. Congratulation to RJ and we are looking to have more players on this list next year.

In 1985, The Gatorade Company established an award honoring America’s elite high school student-athletes. Now in its third decade, the Gatorade Player of the Year award has become one of the most prestigious accolades in high school sports. The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one award-winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school boys football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, boys baseball, girls softball and boys and girls track & field. The selection process for Gatorade State and National Players of the Year is administered by ESPN RISE, the multimedia high school division of ESPN, in partnership with The Gatorade Company. All final selection decisions are the result of a collaborative effort between ESPN RISE and The Gatorade Company.

Amongst Gatorade Player of the Year award alumni, fans will discover names like Peyton Manning, Candace Parker, Alonzo Mourning and Lisa Leslie. These champions represent only a handful of exceptional talents who were first recognized by the Gatorade Player of the Year program before shining at the highest levels of competition. Over the past 24 years, more than 10,500 state and 200 national Players of the Year have been honored for their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character.

The Gatorade company is proud to recognize, celebrate and support the nation’s most outstanding high school talents throughout their journey to greatness both on and off the field.

The 2010 Gatorade Boys Basketball Players of the Year:

Alaska: Kyle Fossman, Haines, 6′-0″, SR, G, 26 ppg, 6 apg, 5 rpg, 2 stl University of Alaska-Anchorage

Alabama: KT Harrell, Brewbaker Tech, 6′-4″, SR, G, 27 ppg, 10 rpg, 6 apg, 2 stl, 1 blk Virginia

Arkansas: Preston Purifoy, Conway, 6′-5″, SR, F, 15 ppg, 5 rpg, 1 blk University of Alabama-Birmingham

Arizona: Corey Hawkins, Estrella Foothills, 6′-3″, SR, G, 36 ppg, 10 rpg, 4 stl, 3.7 apg Arizona State

California: Allan Crabbe, Price, 6′-6″, SR, G, 23 ppg, 11 rpg, 3 apg California

Colorado: Bud Thomas, Regis Jesuit, 6′-6″, SR, F, 19 ppg, 8 rpg, 3 apg, 2 blk, 1 stl Undecided

Connecticut: Brandon Sherrod, Stratford, 6′-4″, SR, C, 16 ppg, 14 rpg, 6 blk Undecided

D.C.: Tyler Thornton, Gonzaga Prep, 6′-2″, SR, G, 14 ppg, 4 apg, 3 rpg, 2 stl Duke

Delaware: Corey Crawford, Dover, 6′-0″, SR, G, 23 ppg, 4 rpg, 3 apg Undecided

Florida: Brandon Knight, Pine Crest, 6′-3″, SR, G, 31 ppg, 8 rpg, 3 apg, 2 stl Undecided

Georgia: Ryan Harrow, Walton, 6′-1″, SR, G, 32 ppg, 6 apg, 4 rpg, 3 stl NC State

Hawaii: Micah Christenson, Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama HS, 6′-5″, JR, G, 16 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 stl, 2 apg, 1 blk

Iowa: Harrison Barnes, Ames, 6′-8″, SR, F, 27 ppg, 10 rpg, 3 stl, 3 apg, 1 blk North Carolina

Idaho: Kyle Dranginis, Skyview, 6′-4″, JR, G, 21 ppg, 6 apg, 6 rpg Gonzaga

Illinois: Rayvonte Rice, Centennial, 6′-3″, SR, G, 24 ppg, 6 rpg, 2 stl, 1 apg Drake

Indiana: Travis Carroll, Danville, 6′-10″, SR, C, 19 ppg, 12 rpg, 1 blk Purdue

Kansas: Perry Ellis, Wichita Heights, 6′-8″, SO, F, 22 ppg, 10 rpg, 1 apg, 1 blk, 1 stl Undecided

Kentucky: Elisha Justice, Shelby Valley, 5′-11″, SR, G, 20 ppg, 6 apg, 4 rpg, 4 stl Louisville

Louisiana: Matt Derenbecker, Metairie Park Country Day, 6′-7″, SR, F, 26 ppg, 10 rpg, 4 apg, 2 blk, 1 stl LSU

Massachusetts: Nate Lubick, St. Mark’s, 6′-9″, SR, F, 21 ppg, 10 rpg, 4 apg, 2 blk Georgetown

Maryland: Josh Hairston, Montrose Christian, 6′-8″, SR, F, 20 ppg, 10 rpg, 2 blk Duke

Maine: Stefano Mancini, Falmouth, 6′-2″, SR, G, 22 ppg, 3 apg, 3 rpg, 2 stl Undecided

Michigan: Ray McCallum, Detroit Country Day, 6′-1″, SR, G, 22 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg, 3 stl Undecided

Minnesota: Kevin Noreen, Minnesota Transitions, 6′-10″, SR, F, 38 ppg, 16 rpg, 5 apg, 3 stl, 3 blk Boston College

Missouri: Bradley Beal, Chaminade, 6′-3″, JR, G, 29 ppg, 5 rpg, 1 stl Florida

Mississippi: Andre Stringer, Forest Hill, 5′-10″, SR, G, 26 ppg, 7 apg, 4 rpg, 3 stl LSU

Montana: Josh Huestis, CM Russell, 6′-7″, SR, C, 17 ppg, 12 rpg, 4 blk, 1 stl, 1 apg Stanford

North Carolina: Reggie Bullock, Kinston, 6′-7″, SR, G, 23 ppg, 11 rpg, 5 apg, 3 stl, 2 blk North Carolina

North Dakota: Nik Savageau, Fargo North, 5′-10″, SR, G, 21 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg, 2 stl University of Sioux Falls

Nebraska: Elliott Eliason, Chadron, 6′-11″, SR, C, 17 ppg, 10 rpg, 4 blk, 2 apg, 1 stl Minnesota

New Hampshire: Melvin Ejim, Brewster Academy, 6′-6″ SR, F, 13 ppg, 7 rpg, 3 stl, 2 apg Iowa

New Jersey: Kyrie Irving, St. Patrick, 6′-1″, SR, G, 24 ppg, 6 apg, 4 rpg, 3 stl Duke

New Mexico: Alex Kirk, Los Alamos, 6′-11″, SR, C, 26 ppg, 13 rpg, 7 blk, 3 apg New Mexico

Nevada: Jonathan Loyd, Bishop Gorman, 5′-9″, SR, G, 14 ppg, 8 apg, 4 rpg, 3 stl Undecided

New York: Tobias Harris, Half Hollow Hills West, 6′-9″, F, 25 ppg, 14 rpg, 3 apg, 3 blk Tennessee

Ohio: Jordan Sibert, Princeton, 6′-4″, SR, G, 18 ppg, 3 rpg, 3 stl, 2 apg Ohio State

Oklahoma: Tyler Neal, Putnam City West, 6′-6″, SR, F, 18 ppg, 8 rpg Undecided

Oregon: Garrett Jackson, Westview, 6”-6″, SR, F, 19 ppg, 8 rpg, 2 apg, 1 stl, 1 blk USC

Pennsylvania: Tony Chennault, Neumann-Goretti, 6′-2″, SR, G, 19 ppg, 5 rpg, 2 apg Wake Forest

Rhode Island: Michael Carter-Williams, St. Andrew’s, 6′-5″, JR, G, 18 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg Syracuse

South Carolina: R.J. Slawson, Fort Dorchester, 6′-8″, SR, F, 22 ppg, 12 rpg, 6 blk, 3 apg South Carolina

South Dakota: Jared Hannigan, Central, 6′-2″, SR, G, 21 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 stl Northern State

Tennessee: Joe Jackson, White Station, 6′-0″, SR, G, 30 ppg Memphis

Texas: Joseph Young, Yates, 6′-2″, SR, G, 27 ppg, 4 stl, 4 rpg, 3 apg Providence

Utah: Kyle Collinsworth, Provo, 6′-6″, SR, G, 23 ppg, 10 rpg, 8 apg BYU

Virginia: James McAdoo, Norfolk Christian, 6′-8″, JR, F, 22 ppg, 9 rpg, 1 stl, 1 blk, 1 apg North Carolina

Vermont: Joe O’Shea, Burlington, 6′-4″, SR, G, 24 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg, 3 stl Holy Cross

Washington: Joe Harris, Chelan, 6′-6″, SR, G, 26 ppg, 8 rpg, 4 apg, 4 stl, 1 blk Virginia

Wisconsin: Josh Gasser, Port Washington, 6′-4″, SR, G, 23 ppg, 9 rpg, 4 apg, 2 stl Wisconsin

West Virginia: Noah Cottrill, Logan, 6′-3″, SR, G, 29 ppg, 9 apg, 5 apg, 3 stl West Virginia

Wyoming: Daniel Estes, Laramie, 5′-11″, SR, G, 21 ppg, 4 apg, 2 rpg 2 stl Undecided

By the Numbers:

Positions

Guards: 32

Forwards:13

Centers: 6

Class

Seniors:45

Junior:5

Sophomores: 1

Freshmen: 0

Colleges Commitments/Signings

Duke: 3

North Carolina: 3

Virginia: 2

Popularity: 3%

Nike Air Max Hyperize NFW White/Red

If this pair of sneakers looks at all familiar to you, it may be because we have seen it before in some images that were scanned out of a catalog way back in the month of September. What we didn’t know back then however though is that these shoes will actually be a NFW design, which is an all time first for the Nike Hyperize series. This shoe features a few really cool things that we are going to take a closer look at right now.

First off this one abandons the woven section that was found on the LeBron Vii NFW’s in favor of a simpler nylon design with faux Fly wire impressions. As an added treat, these ones will receive red speckles all over the white midsole which help even more to bring out the color of the already bright red upper. Stay tuned for info on a release date.

Popularity: 4%

I found a article on one of the best big men to ever step foot on a basketball court, Columbia, South Carolina own Stanley Roberts. Shaq gives Stanley credit for helping him develop as the most dominating center ever. I could have wrote a book on Stanley Roberts basketball journey, Slam Magazine wrote a nice article on apart of Stanley Roberts journey that I felt gives a great insight on obstacles that can put your dreams on hold or take you down a longer path to success.

The Cautionary Tale of Stanley Roberts

It was November 24, 1999, and Stanley Roberts was early for practice. Timeliness had never been one of Roberts’ calling cards, but Philadelphia 76ers’ head coach Larry Brown, who had a special relationship with the big man, asked Roberts to arrive early for a meeting. And so he did.

Roberts was there. Brown was there. And, surprisingly, a disciplinary officer from the NBA who worked under Rod Thorn was also there. The officer produced an envelope, cracked it open and withdrew a letter. He read aloud the few sentences and handed the paper to Roberts. Stanley’s eyes confirmed what his ears had heard: Stanley Roberts had tested positive for high levels of amphetamines. And with that, Stanley Roberts became the first player banned under the NBA’s new anti-drug program.

“I loved the game. I didn’t like everything else that came with it,” Roberts says now. “You know, I enjoyed going out and playing in front of the fans, but everything else, I coulda did without. The autographs signings, the money—I didn’t care about that. And that’s why I gave most of it away.”

Stanley Roberts was a legit seven-footer, a hulking giant with the soft hands of a professional wide receiver. His talent gave him everything—cash, clothes, security. But his indulgences—eating, smoking and spending—would cost him millions and, ultimately, his NBA career.

Today, nearly a decade after flunking that drug test and washing out of the NBA, Roberts is in good spirits.

“I’m happy,” Roberts says from his dorm room in Baton Rouge, LA. He’s attempting to complete the college degree he abandoned at LSU nearly 20 years ago. “I got a house in Houston, my lady, a few cars and I have my four children. I am even happier now than I was with $30 million.”

Roberts was born a big kid in 1970, in the close-knit town of Hopkins, SC. It was the kind of place where neighbors had the authority to discipline neighbors’ kids. Roberts was a homebody. Despite having an older brother who played JuCo ball and uncles who balled at Coastal Carolina and for Bobby Cremins at Appalachian State, Roberts didn’t start hooping until the 8th grade.

“My first year, my concept of the game was zero,” Roberts recalls. “I didn’t go outside and play sports. In my first game, I didn’t realize you switched baskets after halftime. I scored six points for the other team shooting at the wrong basket.”

Roberts’ brother, Wayne, played at Lower Richland High School and asked the school’s varsity coach, Jim Childress, to look after his younger brother, an incoming sophomore. Roberts was already 6-7 but not serious about hoops and without the grades to play in ninth grade. Childress didn’t need much convincing to help the truck-sized youngster find his calling.

“Coach’s eyes got real big,” says Roberts. “He wanted me to play JV and work my way up. He wanted to take me to basketball camp and I said that if my mom said OK, I’d try. I went to camp and I found out I really sucked.”

Roberts never played on the JV team. After that first camp, his family took him to a playground and toughened him up. At a second camp, Lower Richland won the camp championship and Roberts was selected MVP. By his senior year, he was named to both the Dapper Dan and McDonald’s All-American teams.

“He had that brontosaurus rex body and soft hands. Body of a blacksmith, touch of a surgeon,” says Tom Konchalski. The legendary prep scout considered Roberts a Top-10 player in the class of ’88. “Good touch, was a good passer, but he was never in shape. More have been slain by suppers than by the sword.”

In April 1987, Roberts’ junior year, his brother Wayne shot and killed an 18-year-old and wounded two others in self-defense. The hearings coincided with Stanley’s recruitment. He had narrowed his choices to three schools: the University of SouthCarolina, Georgia Tech and LSU. “The judge was a South Carolina graduate and basically said that if I didn’t sign with SC, my brother would to go to jail for life,” Roberts says. “My mom worked at SC and received threats, which weren’t proven. My mother said not to commit until the trial ended, but it kept getting pushed back.”

Roberts chose LSU and Wayne was still cleared of all charges in early 1988. A state investigation couldn’t prove any wrongdoing against Roberts or his family. Lower Richland won a second straight state title, and Roberts finished his high school days being escorted by FBI agents for safety. He flew straight to LSU after graduating.

“I think what sold me on LSU was when Coach Dale Brown visited my home, sat down and said that I would be his friend and a part of his family, before I was an athlete,” said Roberts, who was joined by Chris Jackson (later Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) in that year’s Tiger recruiting class.

Roberts didn’t qualify academically to play as a freshman. By the time he was eligible for the ’89-90 season, the Tigers had signed a second seven-footer to complement their sleeping giant: Shaquille O’Neal. “He was an excellent teammate, a good friend and was hard to stop. He had it all,” Shaq says ofRoberts now. “He was unstoppable.” During their one season together, the Tigers went 23-9 and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Roberts earned Third-Team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press and was second on LSU in scoring (14.1 ppg) and rebounding (9.8), to go along with 60 blocked shots. However, after two years of school and only one season of college ball, Roberts turned pro. “LSU said I left because of academics, and I’ll leave it at that. I was supposed to carry a 2.0 [grade point average]; I had a 1.7. I would have had to sit out that fall semester, and I didn’t want to. I decided to leave.”

Roberts missed the deadline to declare hardship and put his name in the NBA Draft, but he signed with an agent, Oscar Shoenfelt, who had a tryout lined up with Real Madrid. Roberts says Real made him the highest-paid player in Europe at 19, but he racked up more than $150,000 in fines during his one season there. “It was different. The two-a-days taught me that it was a job and you had to treat it like it was a business,” Roberts recalls. “All of the fun that you enjoyed in high school and college kind of left. The only time I felt it was fun was playing in front of fans.”

When he got back to the States, Roberts toured numerous NBA cities to showcase himself for the ’91 Draft. Because he was rapidly gaining weight, he slipped from the Lottery and was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 23rd overall pick. The extra pounds would continue to hinder his development. Despite missing nearly 30 games due to injuries, Roberts showed real promise as a rookie, posting solid averages of 10 ppg and 6 rpg and being named Second-Team All-Rookie.

Still, one year after Roberts was drafted, guess who showed up in Orlando? The Magic won the Draft Lottery and selected Shaq with the first pick in ’92. Orlando had only signed Roberts for one year but owned his rights for three. Roberts remembers, “Dallas was very interested in me and I flew out and signed a contract with the Mavericks. They put an increase in pay if I get traded, all these things in in my favor ’cause they didn’t want Orlando to try to match the contract and bring me back, which they ended up doing anyway. I was upset ’cause I really wanted to play with Dallas. I went to see Pat Williams, the Magic GM and I said, I’m going to buy a house, but I’ll get an apartment if you’re gonna trade me. I was assured that my future was in Orlando. Two weeks later the Magic call and say, ‘We have a three-way deal to trade you to the Clippers.’ I had just signed papers on the house.”

Roberts says he fought the trade. “They’ll never admit this type of stuff, but Williams said, basically, ‘Shaquille don’t want to play with you. If you stay, you’re gonna be at the end of the bench.’ It hurt. This is the first time—other than telling my friends and a few people—I’ve said it publicly,” Roberts confides. “I was pissed off more than anything because I just bought a house for over half a million dollars and if I didn’t accept the trade, they were going to kill my career.”

Roberts eventually agreed to the trade to L.A., where he worked under Larry Brown, who had been brought on to turn the Clips around. Brown and Roberts formed a unique friendship, becoming close when Brown had to convince Roberts that the situation in L.A. was right for him. “I remember trying to recruit Stanley like you would a college kid,” the now-Bobcat coach says with a sparkle in his eye. “You know, I always thought he needed to be in a little better shape, but that was coming. He tried for me. He was a fun kid to be around, and I thought he had an unbelievable upside. He was so quick, athletic, explosive. I thought he had a real chance.”In L.A., Roberts started to find a groove on the court. Off it, however, life was difficult. He ran up tremendous debt buying lavish cars and giving away most of his earnings. At one point, Roberts had seven people living with him in L.A.—he eventually left the house to his guests and rented himself an apartment. “I was out there alone,” he says. “I was out there with people who were sharks and I didn’t know who to trust.”

In ’93-94, Roberts ruptured his Achilles. By that time, Brown had left to take a job with the Indiana Pacers and couldn’t make a move for Roberts. Roberts missed the entire ’94-95 season with injuries, and then the street element he’d never been exposed to in South Carolina really hit his life. “There was pressure and I didn’t want to think about basketball,” Roberts says. “I didn’t want to deal with the Clippers so I started hanging out with people from the streets, the Bloods and the Crips. I felt comfortable. They understood me.”

By the start of training camp in ’96, Roberts’ relationship with the Clips’ latest coach, Bill Fitch, was rocky at best. Roberts says he asked to come to training camp a day late to witness the birth of one of his four children and then had what he says is the only run-in he ever had with any coach. “I came back with pain in my lower back and Coach Fitch didn’t believe me. He huddled us up and started saying, ‘Some of us came in late and out of shape.’ And I just lost it,” Roberts admits. “I said, You bad-heart having sonofabitch! He’d just had a triple bypass. Had Lorenzen Wright not stopped me, I would have been the first Latrell Sprewell.”

Fitch kicked Roberts out of camp, but GM Elgin Baylor kept him on the team. Roberts played in 18 games for the Clippers but wasn’t re-signed at the end of the season. He joined the Minnesota Timberwolves in ’97-98 for what would be his last full season. Roberts posted decent numbers (6 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block per game) in limited action but still struggled with weight and injury issues, as well as mocking teammates. Stanley did, however, find words of encouragement from his T-Wolves teammate, Kevin Garnett.

“I grew up in ACC/SEC country and watched a lot of basketball, so he’s a guy I watched play a lot,” says KG, himself a South Carolina native and prep legend. “I’m going to stand up for anyone that’s getting picked on. Stanley was an interesting guy, a different type of personality, but he was a great teammate. Really nice guy off the court who—when he wanted to—was able to really be an animal on it.”

Unfortunately, Roberts never had that confidence in himself. He ate excessively, smoked marijuana and used other drugs during his NBA career. Foolish generosity and bad investments plagued his portfolio and he found himself barely hanging on to his once lucrative source of income. He signed in Greece during the ’98-99 NBA lockout , then joined the Houston Rockets once it ended. He was injured again and only played in six games.

In October of ’99, Larry Brown again recruited Roberts, this time for the Philadelphia 76ers, where Stan became friendly with Allen Iverson, Larry Hughes and Eric Snow. Philly would go on to play in the Eastern Conference Semis, though without Stanley—the drug suspension had ended his season. “Once that happened, there wasn’t much I could do,” recalls Brown. “That killed me because I had no idea. If I had an idea of what was going on, maybe I could have helped. Stanley could have played forever. He would have been able to help us in Philly.”

The ban was supposed to last two years, but Roberts was arrested for cocaine possession in 2000 and the suspension was extended a year. He sued FIBA for upholding the ban and blocking him from signing with a team in Turkey. In 2003, the Toronto Raptors signed him, but he couldn’t get in shape in time for training camp. After a quick summer playing in Puerto Rico, Roberts’ career was over. “I don’t even think I’m going to be remembered,” he says. “They don’t bring my name up too often, but when they do, it’s always because I was the first player suspended under the new drug policy. I was a poster child.”

Once Roberts’ career ended, the money ran out. Since then, he’s worked odd jobs, once as a security guard and another as a “car broker” in the Houston area. Nothing seemed to stick. With few options remaining, Roberts returned to LSU and restarted his education in the fall of ’07.

“I’ve been spending the past six years getting my life back on track,” Roberts says. “Coach (Dale) Brown stayed on me all these years about finishing school. It’s a change for me. When I was first here, we only had about four of five computers on the whole campus; now you even take your tests online.”

Though Roberts missed out on much of the glory of a pro sports career, he never stopped enjoying the game. He’s now about 18 months from earning a Bachelor’s Degree in sports management (he says he’s got a 3.2 GPA at the moment) and hopes to get into coaching. His education is being funded by financial aid and the Dale Brown Foundation. Roberts has gone back to church and spends time working with a substance abuse program. Because of the many physical problems he’s had in his post-playing career, Roberts is attempting to receive disability benefits. He never asked for much out of life and definitely got more than he expected. Now he’s hoping to move on to a simpler life, one without the headaches and heartbreaks he’s already endured.

“My goal, my dream my whole life was just owning a little house, having a wife and family, that’s all I ever wanted. I didn’t ask for this. It was never my dream to be an NBA player,” Roberts admits. “Everybody else threw me into it because of the money. I was pushed. Everybody told me I should play ball, but nobody ever stopped and thought what I thought my life should be like.

Popularity: 14%

The following is Prep Hoops Assist Class of 2011 player watch list. This list was composed utilizing and considering the rankings of numerous scouting services and publications. This is not a consensus list, but appears to be 80 players that most national sources consider to be the cream of the crop in the class of 2011.

The pictured below is South Carolina very own Damien Leonard a 6’4 Guard with a deadly shot. Hopefully we get more South Carolina Players on this list this summer.

We also added a video of Bishop Daniels from North Carolina;  if not the best, one of the best dunker’s in the class of 2011.

Tracy Abrams, 6′-1″, G, Mt. Carmel (Chicago, IL) ILLINOIS

Jamal Branch, 6′-3″, G, Grace Prep (Arlington, TX) TEXAS A&M

Bradley Beal, 6′-3″, G, Chaminade (St. Louis, MO) FLORIDA

Wayne Blackshear, 6′-5″, G, Morgan Park (Chicago, IL) LOUISVILLE

Jabari Brown, 6′-3″, G, Oakland (Oakland, CA)

Carlton Brundidge, 6′-0″, G, Southfield (Southfield, MI) MICHIGAN

Trey Burke, 6′-0″, G, Northland (Columbus, OH) PENN STATE

Kentavious Caldwell, 6′-5″, G, Greenville (Greenville, GA)

Matt Carlino, 6′-3″, G, Bloomington South (Bloomington, IN) INDIANA

Jahii Carson, 6′-0″, G, Mesa (Mesa, AZ) OREGON STATE

Michael Carter-Williams, 6′-4″, G, St. Andrews (Barrington, RI) SYRACUSE

K.C. Caudill, 6′-11″, C, Brea-Olinda (Brea, CA)

Michael Chandler, 6′-10″, C, Lawrence North (Lawrence, IN) LOUISVILLE

Angelo Chol, 6′-8″, F, Hoover (San Diego, CA)

Rakeem Christmas, 6′-9″, C, Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn, PA)

Quinn Cook, 6′-0″, G, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)

Trevor Cooney, 6′-4″, G, Sanford (Wilmington, DE)

DeAndre Daniels, 6′-8″, F, Taft (Woodland Hills, CA) TEXAS

Darwin “Dee” Davis, 5′-11″, G, Bloomington South (Bloomington, IN) XAVIER

Jeremiah Davis, 6′-3″, G, Muncie Central (Muncie, IN)

Myles Davis, 6′-2″, G, St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, NJ)

Branden Dawson, 6′-6″, F, Wallace (Gary, IN)

Nnanna Egwu, 6′-9″, C, St. Ignatius (Chicago, IL) ILLINOIS

Michael Gbinije, 6′-6″, F, Benedictine (Richmond, VA)

Sterling Gibbs, 6′-1″, G, Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, NJ)

Michael Gilchrist, 6′-7″, F, St. Patrick (Elizabeth, NJ)

P.J. Hairston, 6′-6″, G, Dudley (Greensboro, NC) NORTH CAROLINA

Maurice Harkless, 6′-7″, F, Forest Hills (Queens, NY) CONNECTICUT

Andre Hollins, 6′-2″, G, White Station (Memphis, TN)

Rodney Hood, 6′-7″, F, Meridian (Meridian, MS)

Mikael Hopkins, 6′-8″, F, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)

Nick Jacobs, 6′-8″, C, South Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)

Nick Johnson, 6′-4″, G, Findlay Prep (Henderson, NV)

Sidiki Johnson, 6′-8″, F, St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, NJ) ARIZONA

Tyrone Johnson, 6′-3″, G, Plainfield (Plainfield, NJ)

Chris Jones, 5′-10″, G, Melrose (Melrose, TN) TENNESSEE

Myck Kabongo, 6′-2″, G, St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, NJ) TEXAS

Brandon Kearney, 6′-4″, G, Southeastern (Detroit, MI) MICHIGAN STATE

Trevor Lacey, 6′-3″, G, Butler (Huntsville, AL)

Shane Larkin, 5′-11″, G, Dr. Phillips (Orlando, FL)

Damien Leonard, 6′-4″, G, JL Mann (Greenville, SC)

Julien Lewis, 6′-3″, G, LaMarque (LaMarque, TX) TEXAS

Ky Madden, 6′-4″, G, East Poinsett County (Lepanto, AR)

James McAdoo, 6′-8″, F, Norfolk Christian (Norfolk, VA) NORTH CAROLINA

Sheldon McClellan 6′-5″, G/F, Bellaire (Bellaire, TX) TEXAS

Tom McCune, 6′-7″, F, Saginaw (Saginaw, MI)

Ben McLemore, 6′-5″, G, Eskridge (Wellston, MO)

George Marshall, 5′-11″, G, Brooks (Chicago, IL) WISCONSIN

Keaton Miles, 6′-7″, F, Lincoln (Dallas, TX)

Quincy Miller, 6′-9″, F, Quality Education Academy (Winston-Salem, NC)

LeBryan Nash, 6′-7″, F, Lincoln (Dallas, TX)

Anthony Norris, 6′-7″, F, Sam Houston (Houston, TX) MEMPHIS

Johnny O’Bryant, 6′-9″, F, Eastside (Cleveland, MS)

Dai Jon Parker, 6′-3″, G, Milton (Alpharetta, GA)

Norvel Pelle, 6′-10″, F, Price (Los Angeles, CA)

Marshall Plumlee, 6′-10″, C, Christ School (Arden, NC)

Zac Price, 6′-11″, C, St. Edward (Lakewood, OH)

Chasson Randle, 6′-1″, G, Rock Island (Rock Island, IL)

Marquis Rankin, 6′-1″, G, Vance (Charlotte, NC)

Austin Rivers, 6′-4″, G, Winter Park (Winter Park, FL) FLORIDA

Aaron Ross, 6′-7″, F, Parkview (Little Rock, AR) ARKANSAS

LaQuinton Ross, 6′-8″, F, Life Center Academy (Burlington, NJ)

Julian Royal, 6′-7″, F, Milton (Alpharetta, GA)

Mike Shaw, 6′-8″, F, De La Salle (Chicago, IL)

Shannon Scott, 6′-2″, G, Milton (Alpharetta, GA) OHIO STATE

Deville Smith, 5′-11″, G, Callaway (Jackson, MS)

Ryan Taylor, 6′-5″, F, Lawrence North (Lawrence, IN) LOUISVILLE

Marquis Teague, 6′-2″, G, Pike (Indianapolis, IN)

Adonis Thomas, 6′-6″, F, Melrose (Memphis, TN)

Sam Thompson, 6′-6″, F, Whitney Young (Chicago, IL)

Josiah Turner, 6′-3″, G, Sacramento (Sacramento, CA)

Kevin Ware, 6′-3″, G, Rockdale County (Conyers, GA) TENNESSEE

Dezmine Wells, 6′-5″, F, Word of God (Raleigh, NC) XAVIER

Byron Wesley, 6′-5″, F, Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) USC

Amir Williams, 6′-10″, C, Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, MI)

Nino Williams, 6′-5″, F, Leavenworth (Leavenworth, KS)

Derrick Wilson, 6′-1″, Hotchkiss School (Lakeville, CT)

Kyle Wiltjer, 6′-9″, F, Jesuit (Portland, OR)

Tony Wroten, 6′-5″, G, Garfield (Seattle, WA)

Achraf Yacoubou, 6′-3″, G, Long Island Lutheran (Long Island, NY) VILLANOVA

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If you haven’t heard about the High Point, North Carolina native Deuce Bello I’m pretty sure you will very soon. This kid have been on ESPN top 10 more than once for crazy dunks doing high school basketball games. Thanks to MemphisRoar great interview with Deuce last year here is a better insight on a good up and coming basketball player.

Bello, a 6’3’’ guard, plays for Westchester Country Day School in High Point, North Carolina. He also plays on the D-One Sports AAU team coached by Brian Clifton. Despite coming from a relatively small town, Bello’s game is primed for the limelight. His uncanny ability to get to the basket, his monster dunks, and his breath-taking alley-oops have all become standard in Bello’s game.

Bello is starting to become one of the nation’s most coveted 2011 recruits, listing interest in Baylor, Clemson, Duke, High Point University, Maryland, Memphis, NC State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Wake Forest, UNC, UNC-Charlotte, and USC, according to various recruiting services. When asked if he had any leaders at this time, Bello respectfully declined to answer. In fact, Bello went as far to say. “I’m not considering anybody (right now).” Bello told MemphisRoar that his coach Brian Clifton and his trainer are handling the colleges right now as he focuses on his sophomore year.

With more college choices than one can count on two hands, it is easy to wonder what will factor into making his decision. When asked if distance would play a factor when making his college decision, Bello replied, “I don’t think it will. It just depends on the style of play that I like to play, and what the education is like.” And what style of play does Bello like? “I like to get up and down the floor,” he said.

Deuce had the opportunity last summer to play with one of the nation’s best 2009 high school players, John Wall, on their D-One Sports AAU team. “Just watching him play helps me a lot, and I learn a lot of stuff,” Bello said. “In the beginning of the season, I was not getting a lot of time for D-One Sports, and just watching him, I started to step up.” In addition to learning a lot from John Wall, Bello said his coaches have also helped in making him the player he is today, motivating him and telling him the things he needs to do.

When asked what he considered to be the most underrated part of his game, Bello said, “I don’t think I have any part that’s underrated; I think there’s just things I need to work on. I think I need to work on my shooting right now.”

Despite gaining the attention of numerous division one programs and being regarded as a top prospect for his class, Bello maintains a very humble attitude. “It’s a blessing. It’s just hard work that paid off,” Bello told MemphisRoar. Bello’s hard work is definitely paying off, as he was named to the 2009 NCISAA 2A Boys All-State Basketball Team for this season only a few days ago.

With Bello’s size (6’3’’ and 170 lbs.) and freakish athletic ability, Bello says he is unsure what position he will play in college. “I’m playing point guard right (for Westchester Country Day), but I believe I will probably play shooting guard.” Bello’s knack at getting to the basket gives the defense fits, and with the hard work he is putting in, it is getting harder and harder to find flaws in his game.

While Deuce Bello may not know where he wants to play college ball now, or even the position he will play once he gets there, one thing is certain with this young man—Bello will be a great addition to any college program.

Popularity: 2%

2010 Jordan Brand All-American Team Announced
Madison Square Garden to Host Nation’s Elite High School Basketball Players
The top 10 ESPNU-rated players headline star-filled roster

Jordan Brand, a division of NIKE, Inc., announced today during a special ESPNU Selection Show that the top 10 ranked ESPNU 100 players – No. 1 Harrison Barnes (Ames, IA/North Carolina), No. 2 Jared Sullinger (Columbus, OH/Ohio State), No. 3 Brandon Knight (Coral Springs, FL/Undecided), No. 4 Kyrie Irving (West Orange, NJ/Duke), No. 5 Tobias Harris (Dix Hills, NY/Tennessee), No. 6 Will Barton (Baltimore, MD/Memphis), No. 7 Josh Selby (Baltimore, MD/Undecided), No. 8 C.J. Leslie (Holly Springs, NC/Undecided), No. 9 Perry Jones (Duncanville, TX/Baylor) and No. 10 Tristan Thompson (Brampton, ONT/Texas) – will headline the nation’s best high school senior basketball players at the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic, presented by Foot Locker, at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday, April 17 at 8:00 p.m. EST. This year’s event will once again be televised nationally live on ESPN2.

The Jordan Brand Classic will also continue to include a Regional Game, showcasing the top prep players from the New York City metropolitan area in a City vs. Suburbs showdown. In its third year of the event, an International Game will feature 16 of the top 17-and-under players from around the world.

“As our preeminent basketball game, the Jordan Brand Classic strives to put the top talent on the floor each year and this year is no exception as we will have the top 10 ranked players in the class of 2010,” said Keith Houlemard, President of Jordan Brand. “We are thrilled to host the nation’s best at the World’s Most Famous Arena in the biggest city in the U.S.”

Also selected for this year’s event are No. 11 Joshua Smith (Kentwood, WA/UCLA), No. 12 DeShaun Thomas (Fort Wayne, IN/Ohio State), No. 13 Terrence Jones (Portland, OR/Undecided), No. 15 Dion Waiters (Philadelphia, PA/Syracuse), No. 16 Reggie Bullock (Kinston, NC/North Carolina), No. 21 Cory Joseph (Toronto, ONT/Undecided), No. 22 Kendall Marshall (Dumfries, VA/North Carolina), No. 25 Doron Lamb (Laurelton, NY/Undecided), No. 29 Roscoe Smith (Baltimore, MD/Connecticut) and No. 43 Jelan Kendrick (Marietta, GA/Memphis).

The head coaches this year will be Greg Wise of Yates High School (Houston, TX) for the East and Mike Peck of Findlay Prep (Henderson, NV) for the West. The East assistant coaches are Charles Smith of Peabody Magnet High School (Alexandria, LA) and Doug Lipscomb of Wheeler High School (Marietta, GA). The West assistant coaches include Pat Strickland of Jefferson High School (Portland, OR) and Mark Migiishi of the Iolani School (Iolani, HI).

2010 Jordan Brand All-American Team

East Team

Reggie Bullock G Kinston, NC North Carolina

Kyrie Irving G Elizabeth, NJ Duke

Perry Jones C Duncanville, TX Baylor

Jelan Kendrick F Marietta, GA Memphis

Brandon Knight G Fort Lauderdale, FL Undecided

C.J. Leslie F Raleigh, NC Undecided

Roscoe Smith F Mouth of Wilson, VA Connecticut

Jared Sullinger C Columbus, OH Ohio State

DeShaun Thomas F Fort Wayne, IN Ohio State

Dion Waiters G Philadelphia, PA Syracuse

Head Coach: Greg Wise, Yates High School (Houston, TX)

Assistant: Charles Smith, Peabody Magnet High School (Alexandria, LA)

Assistant: Doug Lipscomb, Wheeler High School (Marietta, GA)

West Team

Harrison Barnes F Ames, IA North Carolina

Will Barton G Wolfeboro, NH Memphis

Tobias Harris F Dix Hills, NY Tennessee

Terrence Jones F Portland, OR Undecided

Cory Joseph G Henderson, NV Undecided

Doron Lamb G Mouth of Wilson, VA Undecided

Kendall Marshall G Arlington, VA North Carolina

Josh Selby G Baltimore, MD Undecided

Joshua Smith C Covington, WA UCLA

Tristan Thompson F Henderson, NV Texas

Head Coach: Mike Peck, Findlay Prep (Henderson, NV)

Assistant: Pat Striclkand, Jefferson High School (Portland, OR)

Assistant: Mark Migiishi, Iolani School (Iolani, HI)

Popularity: 1%