Louisville Courier: Nice Compliment on JJ Hickson

07-08 Basketball General NCS Basketball47

JJ Hickson led all scorers on the East team last night with 14 points last night at Louisville’s Freedom Hall. We caught this blurb on Hickson in the morning paper:

The latest greatest high school players bounced through Freedom Hall in the 2007 McDonald’s game last night. I’ve made many silly predictions in my life. Why not one more?

Or actually, why not five more?

After watching 40 minutes of running, soaring and slamming (along with 12 seconds of defense), I made my list of the five players I’d draft first from the 24 who participated in the game the West won 114-112. Here is my Super Five — Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, Derrick Rose, Kevin Love and J.J. Hickson

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07-08 Basketball General NCS Basketball

47 Responses to Louisville Courier: Nice Compliment on JJ Hickson

  1. beowolf 03/29/2007 at 9:59 AM #

    Someone needs to tell JJ that in Chapel Hill it’s called “fashion”; at NC State it’s called “textiles.”

  2. TNCSU 03/29/2007 at 10:07 AM #

    ^^Good one, Beowolf! Textile Design is where it’s at.

  3. Buddygreen 03/29/2007 at 10:21 AM #

    Lambiotte, didn’t we nickname him “the hand” for his abilty to steal the ball and then I believe he transferred after only a year or two for more PT

  4. Buddygreen 03/29/2007 at 10:22 AM #

    Did UNC have a recruit in the game, I didn’t notice one.

  5. Redblogger 03/29/2007 at 10:32 AM #

    UNC does not have a recruiting class for 2007

  6. noah 03/29/2007 at 11:05 AM #

    Walker Lambiotte averaged about 20 ppg at N’western against Big 10 competition. He was a very good small forward. He just had the wrong vowel at the end of his name (he and Andy Kennedy claimed V was stuck on playing the Italians).

    After Bailey graduated, we had a couple of years where we were desperate for a decent small forward. Then we ended up with a glut of them…Brian Howard, Lambiotte, Kennedy, Sean Green, Bennie Bolton…

    As far as his steals go, he had 54 steals in 61 games. But he only averaged about 15 mpg in his two years here, so maybe he was known for his ability to create turnovers.

    Kennedy averaged about 18 ppg at UAB, was a 90 percent free throw shooter and a 43 percent three-point shooter. V was right about him being a 6-8 Terry Gannon.

  7. STLPACK 03/29/2007 at 11:53 AM #

    are we surprized at all that the annoucers didn’t give JJ his due? I was reading up on the top recruits yesterday on ESPNInsider after reading the nice post about JJ on this site quoted from PackPride, and the ESPN analysis was desparaging of JJ. The game was on ESPN. ESPN picks who it wants to be good, and then pretends that nothing else is hapening to the contrary (i. e. USC Trojans as the best team ever two years ago, even before they played Vince Young and the Longhorns). It is the same reason they talk up Duke and Carolina, but ignore our history. They have a lot invested in it. I am not surprized at all that JJ led all scores, and I am not surprized that he is not getting his due. But, all these things will actually come down to games that must be played. Otherwise, everyone would have just crowned USC the BCS champs two years ago (and TOSU this year instead of the G8Rs). We actually get to have JJ on our team next year, and I can’t wait. Put your bibs on National Media (esp. ESPN) more crow is coming up!

  8. STLPACK 03/29/2007 at 12:00 PM #

    sorry, i just read the article about the game, and I realized that JJ only led the East in scoring… still. both articles on ESPN focus on how Mayo and Gordon didn’t perform, not on how others shined unexpectedly. JJ get’s one line (5 words) in TWO articles, one claiming to analyze the game, while leading the whole East squad (including their darling Mayo) in scoring. This, in spite of the fact that JJ wasn’t supposed to do anything, according to their pregame analysis.

  9. redfred2 03/29/2007 at 12:58 PM #

    ESPN’s endless line up of used car salemen with microphones, are very limited in scope and they can focus only with what is the COOLEST at that particular moment. Can’t blame them though, they’re apparently required to spend most of their time in the back room going over new nicknames and new click phrases before they go on air.

    I saw only a short bit of the second half when Lawal(sp?), the kid going to GTech was going off, but that was undoubtedly the worst job of announcing that I have ever heard. You couldn’t tell who in the game, who did what, or anything. Was there a ballgame going on or just a couple guys talking about whatever popped into their heads? Maybe they had done a better job of announcing in the first half and were just bored when I started watching but I quit watching after a few minutes because of the lack of, or sloppy defense, and the even sloppier announcing.

  10. McPete 03/29/2007 at 1:03 PM #

    STLPACK:
    in what way was EspnInsider’s story disparaging toward JJ?
    as far as postgame coverage, since Mayo has loads of hype (creating in part by espn itself), they make the story about him not living up to the hype THEY create in the first place. It happens all the time and is shoddy ‘journalism’

  11. c c harrison 03/29/2007 at 1:26 PM #

    I don’t know about all the BS jargon the announcers were mumbling all game long, but after watching JJ I think he’ll be “DYNOMITE!!!”

  12. McPete 03/29/2007 at 1:44 PM #

    Is wasn’t JJ that got rejected by the rim on a dunk attempt, was it? i watched with the volumn muted and wasn’t sure who it was, but it was embarrasing.

  13. redfred2 03/29/2007 at 1:51 PM #

    McPete

    If you watched without listening and thought it was Hickson, then you are most likely correct. Now, on the other hand, if you thought you heard the announcers saying it was Hickson, I’d have to seriously question it.

  14. TNCSU 03/29/2007 at 2:32 PM #

    No, it was Lawal (twice), then Hickson got the second rebound and dunked it! Saw where Hickson was 7-9 on FG’s (I think he had 4 dunks) and one of his missed shots was a three-pointer (I’m sure the Staff loved that). I think that was his first shot. He did miss his two free throw attempts, but I think he’ll get to the line alot next year, so I’m sure Sid & Co. will work on that.

  15. choppack1 03/29/2007 at 2:33 PM #

    TN – He’s got a nice stroke and soft hands – there’s no reason why he can’t be good from the foul line.

  16. TNCSU 03/29/2007 at 2:37 PM #

    Concur — the one I remember just seems a little flat with little to no arc, but I think he’s got a good touch around the basket, so I’m sure it will improve. He’s got other abilities that you just CAN’T teach, though! I think he’ll be a tough defender — they even mentioned it during the game.

  17. Cedarblockhead 03/29/2007 at 3:02 PM #

    After seeing his three pointer clang I can see why Herb turned him down.

  18. redfred2 03/29/2007 at 3:10 PM #

    Who was it that barely caught iron on his first attempt from the FT line, then shot an airball on his next attempt?

  19. packpigskinfan23 03/29/2007 at 3:30 PM #

    I believe that was Lawal as well…. the kid looks good. but for an energenic post man going to GT, lets hope he keeps that free throw % what it was last night!!!

  20. WolftownVA81 03/29/2007 at 5:34 PM #

    Speaking of endless chatter and jargon – is anyone else tire of “surround sound defense”? Can remember if it was the WVU – Clemson game but the announcer just kept repeating it like he was trying to invent a new term.

  21. bTHEredterror 03/29/2007 at 8:56 PM #

    JJ has good range, there is a video on YouTube with some HS kids trying to be loud fans, basically dropping threes easier than lay-up line. If Sid will give Gavin the green light, I can foresee Hickson having it too.

  22. Rick 03/30/2007 at 7:13 AM #

    bThe,
    Can you give us that in English?

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