Hot summer places and faces

Things you rarely see on the summer recruiting circuit: 1. fundamentals; 2. team defense; 3. Bob Knight.

Recruiting is all about lists: top 100 players, top 10 classes, that whole thing. It's such a great topic for lists that the American Film Institute is considering making its next television special, 100 Years ... 100 Great Nike Camp Dunks.

So as the July evaluation period starts this week with the Nike All-American Camp, the Reebok ABCD Camp and the Adidas Superstar Camp, I thought you could use a few more lists to get you started.

The places to be

1. Las Vegas, July 22-26. There will be almost as many prospects as poker chips in Vegas as Reebok, Nike and Adidas hold concurrent tournaments. The Big Time Tournament is the showcase event, but it's possible to catch bits of all three as long as you've got a car (with a functioning air conditioner).

2. Reebok ABCD Camp, July 4-9. The public is welcome, and for those close to Teaneck, N.J., it's worth the small admission price. Senior center Greg Oden of Indianapolis and junior point guard O.J. Mayo of Cincinnati are scheduled to attend. They are two of the 21st century's top three prospects. That puts them in the company of you-know-who.

3. Nike Peach Jam, July 12-15. Those who attend love the convenience and competition at this annual event in North Augusta, S.C.

Best uncommitted talents

With Greg Oden, Kevin Durant and eight more of Scout.com's top 20 players committed, these are the best available:

1. Brandan Wright, 6-9, PF, Brentwood, Tenn.

2. Spencer Hawes, 6-11, C, Seattle. Hawes' father, Steve, played 10 years in the NBA. Spencer has learned well; his game is fundamentally sharp.

3. Paul Harris, 6-5, SG, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

4. Derrick Caracter, 6-10, PF, Elizabeth, N.J. There is reason to be concerned about his consistency, but he did get the better of Oden in an ABCD showdown last summer. "He blew me out," Oden says.

5. Darrell Arthur, 6-9, PF, Dallas. A fine athlete whose frame will fill out nicely, he shoots great but doesn't allow that to keep him from battling inside.

Schools that need big recruiting years

1. Michigan state. The Spartans' last real impact recruit was Shannon Brown, who'll be a junior in 2005-06. If this season goes as expected, they could lose Brown in addition to seniors Maurice Ager and Paul Davis. MSU needs to pick it up. Expect Tom Izzo to be everywhere, searching for two big-time wings (Minnesota product Isaiah Dahlman and Detroit's Ramar Smith are primary targets) and a legit post scorer.

2. Kentucky. Wildcats fans who wonder why their team hasn't reached the Final Four since 1998 need only examine recent NBA draft lists. UK hasn't produced a top 15 pick since 1997 and has had only one first-round pick (Tayshaun Prince) in the past five years. The Wildcats were shut out entirely in this year's draft, and they need players at every position. Nashville-area power forward Brandan Wright is the key.

3. Villanova. The very classy class of 2002 is entering its final season, which means coach Jay Wright will have to replace nearly an entire lineup. And he'll be doing it without ace recruiter Fred Hill, who moved on to Rutgers as an assistant. This is a strong year for talent in the East, but a lot of folks are fishing in the same waters.

High risers

Last summer, center Andrew Bynum showed up at the Nike Camp as a virtual unknown, rated by most analysts as a fringe top 50 prospect. He began his surge there and last week become a top 10 NBA draft pick. Some of these guys already are moving forward:

1. Chase Budinger, 6-7, SF, Encinitas, Calif. Once a moonlighting volleyball player, Budinger made himself a McDonald's All-American lock with a brilliant spring tournament season.

2. Willie Kemp, 6-2, PG, Bolivar, Tenn. As Memphis Pump 'N Run keeps winning tournaments, forward Thaddeus Young is the headliner. But Kemp's decision making keeps this team running.

3. Javaris Crittenton, 6-5, PG, Atlanta. As point guards keep committing, Crittenton becomes more valuable. Plus, he's working as hard as anyone at building himself into a player.

Circuit comebacks

1. Matt Doherty, Florida Atlantic coach. The players he recruited won a national title for North Carolina. That won't happen at FAU, but Doherty will begin working to rescue the program from last season's 10-17 finish.

2. Jeff Bzdelik, Air Force coach. After almost two decades away from the college game--as an NBA scout, assistant and head coach--Bzdelik is getting back into recruiting at one of Division I's toughest venues. He has experience, though. He once was an assistant at Northwestern.

3. Mike Dement, UNC Greensboro coach. Out since SMU let him go in spring 2004, Dement is an excellent scout who should do well in finding players to keep the Spartans competitive in the Southern Conference.

Mike DeCOURCY

decourcy@sportingnews.com

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