Well it seems that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as his daughter Sydney is a HS girls basketball sensation who plays for Boon County in Kentucky. The 6‘0 senior was recently named Miss Kentucky Basketball, given annually to the best female basketball player in the state.

Everyone in Northern Kentucky knew as early as Middle School that Sydney was going to be a star as she began playing on the high school level as early as the 8th grade. During her senior season, she helped lead her squad to the Sweet 16 of the Kentucky State Playoffs, averaging an impressive 22.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.2 steals per game. Even though her Boone County lost in the Round of 16, it surely wasn’t Sydney’s fault as she scored 41 points in her final HS game, albeit in a losing effort.

The 5-foot-10 senior guard has led the Rebels to a 30-3 record and a berth in the first round of the Sweet Sixteen State Tournament against Dunbar High, scheduled for March 7. Moss averaged 22.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 4.2 steals and 1.6 blocks per game heading into the state tournament. A two-time Cincinnati Enquirer Player of the Year and a two-time Louisville Courier Journal First Team All-State selection, Moss is a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American. She had scored 2,935 points in her prep basketball career entering the 2012 postseason.

Sydney has a bright future ahead on the collegiate level as she has committed to play at the University of Florida in the Fall. Surely she intends to follow in her father’s footsteps of one day playing on the professional level, quite possibly in the WNBA. Hopefully she inherited more of the good than the bad from her famous father’s personality and never utters the words ‘Straight Cash Homey’ until receiving her first pro contract.

Topping the list of undecided impact freshmen was Canadian native Anthony Bennett, the #7 ranked player in the 2012 Class. He is a 6‘8 and 230 lb power forward that recently chose the hometown UNLV Runnin Rebels over other top tier schools like Kentucky, Florida, and Oregon. Bennett starred alongside fellow impact incoming freshman Brandon Ashley(Arizona) on Las Vegas based high school powerhouse Findlay Prep, who won the National HS Invitational.

During the offseason, Bennett played with super sophomore Andrew Wiggins on Canada’s CIA Bounce on the AAU circuit, in addition to being named to this year’s McDonald’s All American team, and playing a starring role for the World in beating Team USA in the 2012 Nike Hoops Summit.

Bennett has a unique skill set in that despite possessing the physique of a power forward, Anthony is more comfortable from the perimeter, capable of either taking his man off the dribble or shooting over the defense with above average 3 point range. While he stands barely over 6‘7, Bennett does have a 7‘1 wingspan and has elite level jumping ability to more than make up for it, at least on the collegiate level. There’s no doubting that Bennett will remind many longtime Rebels fans of former NCAA great Larry Johnson.

Although some high profile recruits like Shabazz Muhammed spurned the Rebels, they did reel in a Top 20 rated recruiting class lead by Bennett and 4 star shooting guard Katin Reinhardt, in addition to Pitt transfer Khem Birch, a former Top 10 prospect in the 2011 Class, and Demetris Morant. In addition to the top notch incoming class, coach Dave Rice returns a number of experienced players like NBA hopeful Mike Moser, Quintrell Thomas, Carlos Lopez, and Anthony Marshall. UNLV should begin next season with high hopes as a preseason Top 25 team.

Check out Anthony Bennett in action this Spring:

Jefferson, a highly touted 6’7 and 195 lb small forward, is a consensus Top 30 rated prospect that many feel can make an immediate impact as a freshman on the collegiate level next season. He along with fellow McDonald’s All American PF Anthony Bennett are the top still uncommitted players remaining in the graduating senior class.

Although still wiry thin, Jefferson is already a force as a monster rebounder and shot-blocker because of an immense 7 foot plus wingspan. He also along possesses a diverse and versatile offensive skill set that allowed him to notch multiple double-doubles during his senior campaign.

Amile is the next in line of prototypical hybrid forwards, more comfortable facing up than backing down a defender. He is most comfortable operating in the mid to high post, taking advantage of an advanced quickness to finish of an array of drop steps and hook shots. His perimeter skills are still a work in progress but has the fundamentals to be a dynamic offensive player in time. Many compare Jefferson to a slightly thinner Terrence Jones of Kentucky.

Duke and NC State are his supposed favorites with Kentucky and hometown Villanova also in Amile’s Top 4 destinations.  Surely Wolfpack and Blue Devil fans will be monitoring Jefferson’s Twitter account to be one of the first to find out his decision….

Check out Amile Jefferson in Action:

You see, Eron is a 6‘2 guard, rising at an alarming rate in the 2016 Class, and……….oh by the way, he just happens to be the youngest brother of current New Orleans Hornet Eric Gordon.

The youngest Gordon has already proven to be a highlight reel, high flying prospect, as evidence of his outstanding performance in a 7th grade dunk contest last season.

He currently plays at Westlane Middle School in Indianapolis and plans at attending North Central HS, were his oldest brother Eric was once named Mr Basketball of Indiana in 2007. Middle brother Evan Gordon is currently sitting a season out as he recently transferred from Liberty University to Arizona State.

In addition to Indiana, Eron has already made an unofficial visit to Purdue, and has virtually every Big Ten school on his radar from Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, as well as Xavier.

Check out Eron Gordon in action this season:

Just one week ago, the reigning National Champion Kentucky Wildcats added the top player in the 2012 Class, shot-blocking big man Nerlens Noel, to give Coach Cal the #1 rated recruiting class for the 4th consecutive season.

That was until the Bruins added one of the most sought after, still uncommited players in the class, Top 30 PF prospect Tony Parker, to an already vaunted recruiting haul that included Magic Johnson-esque forward Kyle Anderson, sharpshooter Jordan Adams, and the most potent offensive player in the class, Shabazz Muhammed.

The recruiting coup for Howland will be a welcome addition to the experienced Bruins roster that already includes a pair of experienced 7 footers in former UNC transfers David and Travis Wear, elite level 300lb center Josh Smith, and the sharpshooting Tyler Lamb. Surely coach Howland is hoping that the Bruins can return to their usual perch among the nation’s most vaunted programs by once again making it back to the Final Four, a feat they accomplished for 3 straight seasons between ’06-’08.

As for Parker, he’s still in the early development stages of tapping his immense potential but has a game that model’s Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger. Parker, the #27 rated prospect in the 2012 Class, is a bruising, low post scorer and rebounder with soft hands that plays mostly below the rim, but is capable of being a one man wrecking crew as he almost single-handedly led his Miller Grove HS team to a number of wins over top ranked teams this past season.

Parker averaged 16.6 ppg and 11 rebounds in helping lead Miller Grove to their fourth straight Georgia State Title. Parker, a 6’9 and 280lb PF, selected UCLA over a number of elite level NCAA programs like Duke, Ohio State, Memphis, and the hometown Georgia Bulldogs. Many feel the Bruins always had the inside track to nab Parker because his former AAU coach Korey McCray is now a Bruin assistant coach.  I will say that the move is a bit puzzling considering Parker probably won’t get much playing time behind such an experienced frontcourt.  Look for him to become a star by his sophomore season.

Check out Tony Parker in his senior season:

On Friday, a reporter from the New York Post reported the surprising news that Colonial Conference powerhouses George Mason and VCU, along with Horizon League perennial contenders Butler, will be joining the Atlantic 10 Conference on May 1st.

In the past, officials from VCU and the Colonial Conference have flatly denied the impending move but probably must keep the news behind closed doors until an official announcement can be made. Administrators from the A-10 have reportedly made a statement on the move, saying “it’s a go.”

While most of the recent conference realignment has been fueled by football money, it looks like this impending move would be purely basketball related. If you remember, Temple University will be moving to the Big East in 2013 for basketball only, leaving a void in the A-10.

Adding 3 programs of VCU, GM, and Butler’s stature sure does bring immediate respectability to the A-10, considering the 3 mid-major programs have made 4 trips to the Final Four since 2006. VCU went in 2011, Butler had back-to-back appearances in 2010 and 2011, and of course, George Mason went on their Cinderella run back in 2006.

With recent re-alignment news of Syracuse and Pitt moving to the ACC, West Virginia going to the Big 12, Missouri joining the SEC, and SMU and Memphis coming to the Big East, it shouldn’t come to anyone’s surprise at just how much the college landscape is changing.

Remember Butler’s Gordon Hayward’s Missed Shot in the 2010 Title Game:

Judging by the most recent NBA Mock Drafts, NCAA National Player of the Year Anthony Davis, multi-talented SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and athletic forward Terrence Jones are all expected to be chosen within the Lottery, while the decision to declare was probably much tougher for freshman PG Marquis Teague and sophomore SG Doron Lamb as they are projected as late 1st Round selections.

At a press conference held at the Wildcat’s practice facility, named after legendary Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall, current coach John Calipari began the festivities with a brief statement about how proud and how much of a bond he formed with each of the 5 players before turning the microphone over to each player to make their own individual announcements and thank the rabid Kentucky fanbase, called the Big Blue Nation.

Coach Cal did aid in adding some intrigue by initially announcing that only Davis, Lamb, and Jones had “thrown their names into the Draft” before pausing, smiling, then announcing that Kidd-Gilchrist and Teague had also declared, adding that he just wanted to make a few other top flight coaches a little nervous that 2 of his players were returning.  That’s what makes Cal…….well Cal.  Calipari also made sure to make mention of seniors Darius Miller and Eloy Vargas graduating in a few weeks with a college degree in hand.

In their individual announcements, Davis may have had the best one liner when, after thanking the usual culprits God, the coaching staff, and Big Blue Nation, he chose to make the statement that he “wanted to thank everyone that helped make me the great player that I am.”  The comment prompted Calipari to interject,  “Did he really just say that.”  Chalk it up to a 19 year old, incredibly talented basketball player that is nervous, and having fun with the situation.  If I recall, Davis made some similar comments last week on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.

Next season, Calipari will have to rebuild behind the nation’s top ranked recruiting class (for the 4th year in a row) with players like the nation’s #1 rated player Nerlens Noel, SG Archie Goodwin, SF Alex Poythress, and two sport sar big man Willie Cauley.  Of note, only the 6’9 sharpshooting big man Kyle Wiltjer and redshirt sophomore PG Ryan Harrow return from last season that have played any meaningful minutes.

Check out a clip from the Kentucky Underclassmen Press Conference:

You can watch the presser in it’s entirety over at the UK Athletics site.

Kevin Burke: Kevin Burke here and I have the honor and privilege to spend a few minutes with Alonzo Mourning. Zo, thanks for a few minutes today. Now, we know that you’re in Chicago at Simeon Career Academy where you just surprised Jabari Parker with the Gatorade Boys National Basketball Player of the Year trophy. I know that you usually try to surprise the winner so was he shocked to see you?

Alonzo Mourning: Yeah, he was surprised and it was an amazing day to be able to present and pass the torch, to present the award to Jabari who is very well deserving of the award. The kid truly has it together both on and off the court. When you think about his on the court skills, compiled with the fact that this kid is a tremendous student, as well as his community service…just the balance that he has in his life…he knows what is expected of a student-athlete and is aware of where his priorities lie. And he’s very active in the church as well. So I’m very pleased to have an opportunity to meet this young man and I’m looking forward to following his career.

Kevin Burke: You won this award when you were in High School. Why is this award so special to you?

Alonzo Mourning: Well, it’s special to me simply because when you think about it, it’s truly a prestigious award. The two individuals that won the award before me, J.R. Reid and LaBradford Smith…by the time I received the award, I followed those two individuals throughout their careers in high school…so when I received the award, I felt like that I had arrived as a player simply because those two players were the number one high school players in the country. So by me receiving the award I felt like I had done something right.

Kevin Burke: You and I spoke this same time last year and the year before. Two years ago we spoke right after you presented the award to Brandon Knight and last year after you presented it to Brad Beal. Brandon, as you know, went on to Kentucky and had a solid freshman year before making that leap to the NBA where he’s now doing his thing for the Pistons. Similarly, Brad Beal had a very strong freshman campaign as well and he too has decided to enter the NBA draft. Recently, both David Stern and Mark Cuban have expressed interest in adding a year to the NBA’s age limit. What’s your take on this?

Alonzo Mourning: I’m a huge fan of that decision

Kevin Burke: The decision to add another year?

Alonzo Mourning: Oh, no doubt. Add the year. I wish they could stay all four years to tell you the truth. But it’s a person’s constitutional right to work anywhere at the age of 18. But at the same, some of these kids aren’t mentally ready to perform at a professional level. Physically, yes. They draft these kids on potential, long term and I’m sure that the benefits of having a head start are there. But also, there are some adverse affects from coming into the League early. Being around these 30 and 40 year old men, who have kids their age, you know. You start gravitating towards the habits of an adult when you’re not even quite an adult yet. So, a lot of these kids get exposed to a lot at an early age and they’re not mentally ready to digest those things therefore, they tend to make bad decisions at an early age. Which in turn, will have an effect on their career, whether it be negative or positive. So, I feel like it’s the social environment that they’re missing out on. Not just the literacy skills and the education that you receive in the classroom that would allow you to communicate. But outside of the classroom, there’s a social life that you’re exposed to which is a huge part of your development. So I’m a huge fan of kids staying in school because they’re missing out on benefits they won’t get in the NBA.

Kevin Burke: Was leaving school early even talked about at all when you were in college at Georgetown?

Alonzo Mourning: I thought about it after my junior year but I knew I would be the first from my family to graduate from college and that alone was just as important to me as playing in the NBA. So staying that extra year was the right thing to do. And I’ll tell you, I was so ready for the next level after graduating that I hit the ground running, and that contributed to my NBA success because I was so seasoned as a college player that it definitely had tremendous benefits in my rookie season. It had me ready to go. That speaks to Tim Duncan and Patrick Ewing and all the other individuals that stayed for four years. Three or four years makes a tremendous difference. You know, Michael Jordan stayed three years. It’s amazing what that extra year will do for you.

Kevin Burke: Very well said. Now let’s talk some current-day NBA and your former team, the Miami Heat. Do you feel like this is a must-win year for them in light of how it ended last season, or do you think they are in just as a good a position to win next year if it doesn’t happen for them this year?

Alonzo Mourning: Everybody wants to win every year. So, as far as a must-win, everybody looks at every year as a must-win. You have to build an organization around winning. If anybody has a mind-set that’s different from that, you have to replace your front-office people. Because, that’s what it’s all about in the NBA: winning. Pat Riley has always been about winning. Micky Arison has always been about investing to win. So yes, they want to win right now.

Kevin Burke: You and I discussed the state of the big man in the NBA before and you told me that Centers want to be Guards. They want to handle the ball and shoot. Because of that, the general consensus is that the two best Centers in the League are Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard and for the first time, there’s a debate over which is better. Which do you think is better?

Alonzo Mourning: I don’t think you can go wrong with either one of them right now. I think they have similar games, to tell you the truth. But if I had to build my team around a Center right now it would be Dwight because he’s so dominant. But both those guys have the size and talent to carry a team, so either one.

Kevin Burke: Lastly, Zo, a quick game of word association. Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind. Jeff Van Gundy.

Alonzo Mourning: (Laughs) Come on man, that’s a no-brainer. I think of him being attached to my leg.

Kevin Burke: Larry Johnson.

Alonzo Mourning: Well, I think of that situation too. I think of the fight at the Garden.

Kevin Burke: New York Knicks.

Alonzo Mourning: Oh, wow. A lot of words come to my mind, brother. I don’t think you can write any of those words that are going through my mind (Laughs).

Kevin Burke: Fair enough. Thanks for the time, Alonzo.

Alonzo Mourning: My pleasure, take care.

Muhammed, who recently committed to play for UCLA, didn’t have his customarily lights out, high scoring game but got it going in the 2nd half to score 20 points and grab 4 rebounds, helping to lead a spirited West comeback down the stretch.

Arguably, the game’s best player was NC State bound SG Rodney Purvis, who scored a game high 22 points on 10-13 shooting and tallied 3 steals, in earning the game’s Co-MVP honors with Muhammed. Purvis was spectacular, showcasing his offensive prowess on continuous drives to the basket for and 1 finishes and a toughness that will make him a likely one-and-done performer for the Wolfpack.

For the winning West squad, Kentucky bound SF Alex Poythress looked ready to replace the departing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, with 16 points and 4 boards, while fellow UK signee SG Archie Goodwin added 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Austin Rivers’ replacement at Duke, guard Rasheed Sulaimon, chipped in 13 points, 7 rebounds, and made 3 NBA range threes.

For the losing East squad, UCLA bound Kyle Anderson showed again why he was so sought after in the early recruiting period by having a great all around game consisting of 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists. Arizona bound big man C Kaleb Tarczewski was impressive, putting up 14 points and 10 boards, while still uncommitted PF Tony Parker scored 8 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Incoming Syracuse SF Jerami Grant, the nephew of former Chicago Bulls forward Horace Grant, added 10 points in the losing cause.

Nerlens Noel, the nation’s #1 ranked prospect who recently got creative in his commitment to National Champion Kentucky, had 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks for the East. In a made for TV moment, last year’s Jordan Brand Classic MVP and this season’s NCAA POY Anthony Davis was courtside, and offered up some advice to UK’s newest recruit(Noel) on what to expect from Big Blue Nation this fall.

Check out a 2012 Jordan Brand Classic Recap: