It's Sunday - how much longer until my Sunday mornings involve waking up at 11:45 am, quickly scarfing down some leftovers, and hustling my behind to the nearest sports bar to watch NFL for the day?
Of course, these Sundays are only complete after doing the same thing - but one hour earlier on Saturdays, since most Buckeye games are played at noon.
According to my calculations, including this weekend, we only have 10 more weekends to go before college football commences and 11 for the NFL. I really can't wait.
Oh yeah, welcome to your Sunday Skull Session.
DESHAUN GOT SKILLS. NBA superstars Deron Williams and Amar'e Stoudemire have been hosting skill academies for top college players in Chicago this week. The rosters at each respective camp are filled with studs and future NBA draft picks.
Deshaun Thomas was lucky enough to get the invite to the Amar'e Stoudemire camp for big men where he has been nothing short of a standout.
ESPN's RecruitNation blog mentions that Thomas' offense is off the charts, he can rattle of points from any area on the floor, and has never seen a shot he doesn't like. We all know that last part is 100% accurate. He also has has been deadly off the pick-and-roll, knocking down spot-up and off the dribble buckets.
Thomas told ESPN:
"I have always had a scoring mentality and when I see a matchup I like, my eyes light up.”
Thomas should be lighting up opponents and his box score this coming season. This only boosts the excitement for the upcoming basketball season.
Other notable standout from the camps: Michigan's Trey Burke.
TOPS OF THE LAST 20. With the NBA Draft in five days, ESPN (Insider) decided to rank the best #1 overall draft picks of the last 20 years.
It's tough to decipher these rankings as they are based on "information at the time, if all in one class", so in English: these rankings are based on hype each player had going into the draft and confidence the NBA had in these players to succeed as #1 picks.
It comes with no surprise that Lebron James is ranked first, followed by Tim Duncan, Chris Webber, and then a shock for fans:
4. Greg Oden, C, Ohio State
Drafted No. 1 by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2007
Much like James, Oden attracted a cult following as a freshman in high school. By the time he reached Ohio State, it had reached a fever pitch. Oden's freshman season for the Buckeyes was just so-so thanks to a wrist injury, but by the end of the year he had Ohio State in the national championship game and NBA GMs were comparing him to the next Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain. Oden was so good that every single GM I spoke with before the draft said they'd take him over Texas scoring superstar Kevin Durant. Alas, Oden injured himself before he ever played a game in the NBA, ended up having three different surgeries and played a total of 82 games in his first five seasons in the NBA. While he's still trying to make a comeback, he is, for now, the highest-profile bust in the past two decades in the NBA.
The list is littered with all-stars, Rookies of the Year, MVPs, and busts, but it's interesting to see Oden on the list.
The piece also ranks the top 20 based on how their careers turned out, ranking Oden at 19. The only player to be ranked after Oden is Anthony Davis, who is yet to play a game or even be drafted.
SUMMER CAMPS SIZZLIN'. There has been plenty going on in the last few days with Ohio State football's summer camp, the Rivals Five Star Challenge, and other camps across the country.
Several key offers have gone out to top 2014 prospects from around the nation and the 2013 commits are making as large of a mark as ever.
Eli Woodard seems to, once again, be doin' work at the Rivals camp in Atlanta:
So much talent out there it's hard to name them all. Carl Lawson is also very impressive as is Eli Woodard and Kent Perkins #RivalsChallenge
— Mike Farrell (@rivalsmike) June 23, 2012
In addition to Woodard potentially earning an additional Rivals star, other fellow '13 commits are also being noticed.
Sports Illustrated took a look at the top ten storylines for the Rivals Five Star Challenge and at #7, Ohio State commit Jalin Marshall is getting some much deserved attention:
7. Prove it at receiver Part II: Rivals100 athlete Jalin Marshall has played quarterback almost exclusively for his Middletown (Ohio) team, but the 6-foot, 190-pound prospect is expected to transition to wide receiver in college and will be playing there during the Challenge. From a size and skill standpoint, Marshall strongly resembles current NFL wide receiver Percy Harvin, and he is headed to play for Harvin's former coach, Urban Meyer, at Ohio State. Marshall went out and had a very strong showing at last month's Nike Camp while playing wide receiver, but the defensive back talent in Atlanta this weekend will be noticeably more impressive. Marshall is extremely fast and has displayed soft hands, but we will find out exactly where he is in his development as a wide receiver in this setting.
For what it's worth, Marshall could definitely be a Rivals 5-star when those final rankings hit the net.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT. OSU ranks #2 on college football's off-season winners. D. Wade just won a ring but may not play for the gold medal in the Olympics. Here's a cool analytical chart on the most overrated and underrated football programs of the last few decades. Incoming Ohio State hockey goalie Collin Olson was taken in the 6th round by the 'Canes. Israeli Gilad Shalit, former Hamas prisoner and current sports journalist, covered the NBA Finals from Miami and Sporting News covered him. When stardom ends in college: the story of Kansas stand-out Keith Langford. Juwan Howard is the first member of Michigan's "Fab-5" to win an NBA Championship.
