1 » Washington Wizards rookie guard Bradley Beal, whose attendance at the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday earned his team the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft, faces a long journey before he returns to the court. Beal suffered numerous injuries during the 2013 season and was forced to miss the final nine games of the campaign (as well as 20 of the last 25) after it was revealed that he had a stress injury (fracture) to his fibula. He was originally given a six-week timetable for recovery but is past that at this point. Beal told Comcast SportsNet on Tuesday that he has not “done any basketball-related activities” since the end of the season and will be “going to get another X-ray” in the next few weeks. He should be fine for the start of next season but must heal the stress fracture completely before he returns to the court.

2 » Florida Gators guard Michael Frazier II has accepted an invitation to try out for USA Basketball’s under-19 team, which will be coached by Florida head coach Billy Donovan through the 2013 U19 FIBA World Championship. Frazier, who is entering his sophomore season, will be one of 24 invitees competing for 12 roster spots. Training camp lasts for six days from June 14-19 in Colorado Springs, CO, but the roster will be finalized on June 16. Should he make the team, Frazier will join Donovan in Prague, Czech Republic from June 27-July 7 as Donovan looks to win a second FIBA gold medal. “It’s an honor to have this opportunity with USA Basketball,” Frazier said in a school release. “I’m really looking forward to competing with some of the best players in the country and trying to earn a place on the team.”

Read two more Florida Gators basketball news BITS…after the break!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Beal, Frazier, Larson, Prather

Tags: Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, Cody Larson, FIBA, FIBA World Championship, Michael Frazier, NBA, South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Washington Wizards

1 » If Chicago point guard Derrick Rose did not have enough motivation to come back and play well next year, comments from Washington Wizards rookie guard Bradley Beal may give him that extra kick in the butt. Beal this week told 106.7 The Fan that he might lose respect for a teammate who was cleared by doctors but chose to sit out and not try and help his team in the playoffs. “He might have to give it a go,” he said. “If you’re practicing for two months, and then everybody in practice is saying you’re practicing well, I mean, I think you have to give it a shot in the game. Look at David Lee. You don’t have to play significant minutes, but the fact that you’re out there and that you’re actually giving it a go, I think people will respect that.” He continued: “Because I know the type of player he is, and the mentality and the competitiveness that he has, I think he would have gave it a go.”

2 » Quarterback Tim Tebow was back in Jacksonville for the weekend – not for a tryout with his hometown’s NFL team but rather to speak at New Life Christian Fellowship. During his speaking engagement, a fan asked Tebow to pinpoint his most memorable moment was from his breakout 2011 season. Tebow self-deprecatingly replied: “One of my favorite stories, ironically, was against the New York Jets…and probably my greatest Jets highlight, I guess.” Tebow was also on NBC’s All-Star Celebrity Apprentice finale over the weekend as he donated $300,000 to charity on behalf of Trace Adkins, one of the two finalists competing to win the show.

3 » New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes is entering the final year of his rookie contract and undoubtedly hopes to remain with his team long-term. Not only does Spikes have a tremendous personal relationship with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick also values the player’s contributions on defense. Nevertheless, Spikes is only set to earn $630,000 in salary in 2013 (along with $240,000 as part of a prorated signing bonus) and undoubtedly feels like he deserves to get paid. New England has a history of getting its players to sign below-market-value contracts before they hit free agency, so keep an eye out for Spikes to get something done soon. According to ESPNBoston.com, he “hasn’t been seen much at Gillette Stadium since the offseason program begin in mid-April,” an approach that could be productive in letting the team know he is wanting to get a deal done before the season.

Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Beal, Tebow, Spikes, Leak, Francis

Tags: Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, Brandon Spikes, Brandone Francis, Chris Chiozza, Chris Leak, NBA, New England Patriots, NFL, Tim Tebow, Washington Wizards, Will Muschamp

1 » While sophomore guard/forward DeVon Walker changed his mind about his decision to transfer and returned to the Florida Gators basketball program, sophomore point guard Braxton Ogbueze remained steadfast in his desire to leave and officially transferred this week. Ogbeuze, who committed to Florida out of Charlotte, NC, decided to return to his local community and play for the Charlotte 49ers. He will sit out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules but will have three years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2014-15.

2 » Gators head basketball coach Billy Donovan sat down for a wide-ranging interview with former long-time NBA coach Brendan Suhr on his Coaching U LIVE podcast. The interview, which is reminiscent of a conversation with Inside the Actors Studio’s James Lipton, covers a variety of topics including why Donovan is a coach, how he describes himself as a coach, if he would play for a coach like himself and how college basketball players have changed over the years.

3 » Baltimore Ravens rookie safety Matt Elam met and spoke with Dwyer High School’s current football players recently, telling the members of his former team that using life’s difficulties to propel them on the football field can benefit their lives in the long run. “I feel like with me going [in the draft], it was a big motivation for the kids because they come from the same neighborhoods, the same program,” Elam told the Palm Beach Post. “I got the chance, and I took advantage of the chance. That makes the kids feel like they’ve got the chance. That’s what it’s all about.”

CLICK TO EXPAND and check out three more BITS of Florida Gators news.

Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, Braxton Ogbueze, Cleveland Browns, DeVon Walker, Draft, Eric Banks, golf, Matt Elam, NBA, NFL, Washington Wizards

With the 2012-13 NBA regular season concluding on Wednesday, 10 former Florida Gators basketball players spread over nine teams participated in the sixth month of action (16 total days), many of whom had an impact on their respective team’s performances.

For the first time, OGGOA is checking and re-checking the box scores month-by-month to bring you a summary of what all of these Gators accomplish throughout the entire 2012-13 season.

* Players names highlighted in orange have advanced to the 2013 NBA Playoffs.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
F/C DAVID LEE, Golden State Warriors: GP/GS (8/8), MIN (37.9), PPG (18.1), RPG (11.9), APG (2.1), SPG (1.0), BPG (0.5), TPG (2.0), FPG (2.5), A/TO (1.1)
» Shooting: FG% (.560), 3P% (.000), FT% (.742)
» Highlights: Seven double-doubles (four-straight); 23 points, 16 rebounds, four assists vs. New Orleans on April 3; 22 points, 14 rebounds, two assists at Phoenix on April 5
» Top 10 ranks (season): Double-doubles (No. 1); defensive rebounds per game (No. 2); defensive rebounds (No. 3); rebounds per game and total efficiency points (No. 4); total rebounds and efficiency ranking (No. 5); field goals made and efficiency ranking per 48 mins. (No. 9); triple-doubles and defensive rebounds per 48 mins. (No. 10)
» Playoffs: The Warriors are the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference and will take on the No. 3 Denver Nuggets beginning on Saturday.

Check out how the rest of the Florida Gators in the NBA played this month…
Continue Reading » Former Florida Gators in the NBA: April 2013

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Bradley Beal, Chandler Parsons, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Corey Brewer, David Lee, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Joakim Noah, Marreese Speights, Matt Bonner, Miami Heat, Mike Miller, NBA, Playoffs, San Antonio Spurs, Udonis Haslem, Washington Wizards

Now five months into the 2012-13 NBA regular season, there are 10 former Florida Gators basketball players spread over nine teams.

A total of 10 players participated in the fifth month of action, many of whom had an impact on their respective team’s performances.

For the first time, OGGOA will be checking and re-checking the box scores month-by-month to bring you a summary of what all of these Gators accomplish throughout the entire 2012-13 regular season.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
F/C AL HORFORD, Atlanta Hawks: GP/GS (16/16), MIN (38.4), PPG (19.0), RPG (10.9), APG (3.2), SPG (1.6), BPG (0.9), TPG (2.1), FPG (1.9), A/TO (1.6)
» Shooting: FG% (.519), 3P% (.667), FT% (.732)
» Highlights: 11 double-doubles (10 in an 11-game stretch, five 20-10 games); career-high two threes at Phoenix on March 1; 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists vs. Philadelphia on March 6; 22 points, 13 rebounds, five assists at Boston on March 8; 26 points, 15 rebounds vs. Milwaukee on March 20
» Top 10 ranks (season): Double-doubles (No. 4), total efficiency points (No. 7), efficiency ranking (No. 8), defensive rebounds and defensive rebounds per game (No. 8), field goals made (No. 9), total rebounds (No. 9), rebounds per game (No. 10)

Check out how the rest of the Florida Gators in the NBA played this month…
Continue Reading » Former Florida Gators in the NBA: March 2013

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Bradley Beal, Chandler Parsons, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Corey Brewer, David Lee, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Joakim Noah, Marreese Speights, Matt Bonner, Miami Heat, Mike Miller, NBA, San Antonio Spurs, Udonis Haslem, Washington Wizards

1 » The Washington Wizards announced Wednesday that rookie guard Bradley Beal will miss the remainder of the season with what the team described as a “stress injury in his right fibula.” Beal also dealt with ankle, wrist and back problems during the year, missing 18 contests scattered throughout the season (including stretches of five, six and five games) before returning on March 31 and scoring 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting (6-of-9 from downtown). He struggled in his next game on April 2, going just 3-for-11 (1-for-4 from three) and has now been shut down for the final eight games of the season. In all, Beal will miss 26-of-82 games (.317); he played in 56 and made 46 starts. He averaged 13.9 points, 3.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds during his rookie campaign, shooting .410 from the field, .386 from beyond the arc and .786 from three free throw line. Beal, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, registered a career-high 29 points against New York on March 1 and was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for both December and January. The Wizards expect Beal “to resume basketball-related activities in approximately six weeks.”

2 » Florida Gators five-star power forward commitment Chris Walker (Bonifay, FL) participated in the 2013 Powerade Jam Fest on Monday and wound up winning the contest, taking down other five-star recruits like Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins in the process. Check out the video below to see a recap of the event including all of Walker’s winning dunks. He and fellow five-star pledge point guard Kasey Hill (Clermont, FL) will be participating in the 2013 McDonald’s All-American Game which airs Wednesday on ESPN at 9:30 p.m.

CLICK TO EXPAND and read an two more BITS after the break!

Tags: Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, Chris Walker, Draft, Kasey Hill, NBA, NFL, Powerade Jam Fest, Ray McDonald, Rex Grossman, Richard Pitino, Washington Redskins, Washington Wizards

1 » Though nothing at all is finalized, the City of Jacksonville is working towards holding the Navy-Marine Corps Classic for a second-straight season and hopes to reach a deal with the U.S. Navy to do so at some point over the next few months. “The City of Jacksonville would like to continue the game and is working on a proposal to the Navy that includes several options for the 2013 Navy-Marine Corps Classic,” executive director Alan Verlander told OGGOA last Thursday. The proposal set to be delivered to the Navy includes contingencies and/or solutions to avoid the condensation issue that ended the 2012 game at halftime last year. The City of Jacksonville has also had “very preliminary” talks with programs about potentially participating in the game (with the Florida Gators being an obvious preference as the local team) but is waiting until the conclusion of March Madness before continuing to gauge interest from said teams.

2 » Grantland’s Zach Lowe sat down with Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal for a wide-ranging interview about his rookie season. In the question-and-answer session, Beal discusses his ankle injuries, playing with John Wall, watching Florida in the postseason, playing in the NBA and where he feels most comfortable on the court.

CLICK TO EXPAND and read two more BITS in this post.

Tags: Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, Jeremy Foley, Navy-Marine Corps Classic, NBA, NFL, Percy Harvin, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Wizards

1 » With the 2013 NCAA Tournament set to begin, yet another statistical model has predicted the three-seed Florida Gators to come out of the event victorious. This model comes via Sports Illustrated; it has correctly predicted half of the Final Four participants over the last six years as well as five of six champions. For 2013, the model has a Final Four of Florida, Louisville, Indiana and Gonzaga with the Gators pulling out their third national title in school history.

2 » Georgia Tech has also created its own computerized prediction system – the Logistic Regression/Markov Chain – that has predicted the national champion in three of the last five years. What conclusion did it come to this year? A Final Four of Florida, Louisville, Indiana and Gonzaga with the Gators once again coming out on top as the champion. “It’s the first time in the LRMC’s 10-year history a team that isn’t a number one seed is picked to win the title,” according to Georgia Tech. Read more about this model and its Florida projection by clicking here.

3 » Florida guard/forward DeVon Walker has not seen much court time during the 2012-13 season but remains confident that he will be able to contribute to the Gators in the future. “When you come into a major university you have these dreams,” he told The Gainesville Sun’s Kevin Brockway. “You see the sky is the limit and then you get here and you realize our role and it’s just a process of accepting it.” Walker has compensated for his lack of playing time by busting his butt in practice and ensuring that head coach Billy Donovan notices how hard he is working. Donovan has done just that and said he was prepared to give Walker more playing time when Florida was suffering through injury woes earlier in the season.

4 » For the third time this season, Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal has injured his left ankle. On Wednesday while playing against Phoenix, Beal rolled up on his ankle and did not return to the game. He was unable to put pressure on the ankle and hobbled on his way to the locker room. Beal missed two weeks earlier in the season with his last ankle injury; his ailments have really put a dent in his bid to become NBA Rookie of the Year. Though Portland G Damian Lillard appears to have the award locked up at this point, Beal has been going strong over the last third of the season and now averages 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game for Washington.

Tags: Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, DeVon Walker, NBA, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, Washington Wizards