Tyler Hansbrough, who is regarded by many as one of the best players in college basketball history, was able to make his debut for the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. The former North Carolina star was very impressive in his 14 minutes of action.
Going up against the Washington Wizards, Hansbrough had 13 points and five rebounds. He was 3-for-7 from the field and 7-for-10 at the line. The Pacers ended up blowing out the Pacers 102-86.
The Pacers were led by Danny Granger’s 22 points, six rebounds, four steals, two assists and two blocks. TJ Ford and Dahntay Jones had 18 …read more

I don’t know about you, but whenever an NBA rookie sustains an injury during the off-season and/or training camp — it’s usually a serious indication of how the season is going to go. (Can anybody say, Greg Oden?)
I might be jumping the gun a bit with Blake Griffin. The guy is a beast, an overall talent that is sure to make an impact in the NBA. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft was told late last month to rest his strained right shoulder for three to four weeks. Though he’s losing out on practice time, the …read more

On a night when surreal events appeared to be the norm, the 2009 NBA draft fit right in.
The fact that Michael Jackson passed away yesterday was beyond surreal. Add in Farrah Faucet and you’ve got a double-whammy.  Then Shaq gets traded to Cleveland to team up with Lebron for what seems to be a destined championship run in 2010.
What else happened on draft night?
Here’s a brief recap for your viewing pleasure:
• Richard Jefferson was traded to San Antonio.
• Blake Griffin was the number one pick in the ’09 draft.
• Tyler Hansbrough went to the Indiana Pacers.
• Golden State stole Stephen …read more

Out of anyone in the 2009 NBA Draft, Tyler Hansbrough had the best college career — by far. He became arguably the best player in North Carolina history and topped it off with a championship. In all four years at North Carolina, he averaged at least 18.4 points and at least 7.8 rebounds.
Despite his college success, Hansbrough won’t be a top pick in the draft. Most scouting experts believe he won’t crack the top ten.
The biggest knock against him is his athleticism. He’s just not a player who will be able to easily convert attempts near the rim. Defensively, he’s …read more

I know we’re still in NBA playoff mode (speaking of which, how good was the Bulls/Celtics series??? I didn’t want it to end!), but I took it upon myself to look ahead, just a bit, to the upcoming 2009 NBA draft.
Short of creating a mock draft, I listed which players I personally think rank in the top ten as far as prospects go. I think they are the cream of the draft crop. Whether or not NBA scouts agree with me is another question.
Lyndsey’s Top Ten 2009 NBA Draft Prospects

Many young and talented ballers cannot wait to get to the NBA. They look at  their college career as a stepping stone to something bigger and better, and nothing else. The degree doesn’t much matter, since they will be raking in the dough at the professional level anyway.
Those individuals that decide to stay in college for all four years are few and far between.
Tyler Hansbrough stayed at UNC and amassed numerous national accolades as well a national championship. Add a college degree to the mix and I’d say that he made a smart decision.
Stephen Curry is now wrestling with the …read more

The team that was suppose to win in Detroit Monday night did.
In the postgame press conference Tyler Hansbrough nonchalantly said that he guessed the decision to come back for his senior season was a good one.
Was it not quite refreshing to see the Tar Heel studs put winning a collegiate title over making millions?
Yep.

I already knew that, but now there’s some concrete evidence to fall back on.
After the game Jay Bilas said Duke is still top 10 quality but not a likely contender for the Final Four.
I concur with Bilas on this one.
By the way, anybody see the elbow lick Singler gave Hansbrough?
But let it be known, Singler does have a gentle side.

And don’t you forget it.

The Tar Heels just humiliated Duke in their house again for the fourth year in a row 101-87.
Ty Lawson led all scorers with 25 points. Tyler Hansbrough had 17 and Danny Green and Wayne Ellington had 15 points each.
Green and Hansbrough did something that’s never been done in the Mike Krzyzewski era – they went four for four at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke was led by Kyle Singler‘s 22 points. Jon Scheyer added 20 and Gerald Henderson tossed in 17 for the Blue Devils.
Honestly, after the Blue Devils (20-4, 7-3) took a 52-44 lead at halftime, I thought the outcome …read more

Ok. I’m feeling better except for the gunk that’s still stuck in my throat.
Tyler Hansbrough needed only nine points to become North Carolina’s all-time leading scorer. He scored 20 in a 91-73 win against Evansville last night.
Hansbrough broke a 30-year-old Tar Heel record set by Phil Ford. That’s pretty big for a school that’s produced guys like Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Brad Daugherty and Ford.
But just how big of a deal is it in the ACC?
The all-everything senior forward is only 10th on the all-time ACC scoring list with 2,302 points.
The leader is …read more