1 » Following up on a story from May in which the Dallas Mavericks head of international scouting said that point guard Nick Calathes will have an opportunity to play in the NBA this season is word that he may actually get that chance. According to ESPNDallas.com’s Tim MacMahon, Calathes “had discussions with the Mavericks [last] week indicating that he wants to play in the NBA” but continues “to be heavily recruited by European teams” now that his three-year contract with Panathinaikos has officially expired. MacMahon notes that should Dallas bring Calathes in for summer league action, he would be signed to a nonguaranteed contract.

2 » Now that the New England Patriots have locked up 2010 first-round pick tight end Rob Gronkowski long term with a six-year, $53 million contract extension, the focus has turned to what the team will do with fellow 2010 draft picks second-round linebacker Brandon Spikes and fourth-round TE Aaron Hernandez. As noted by the Boston Herald, New England signing Gronkowski to the richest contract for a tight end in NFL history could pose problems for Hernandez’s future. Hernandez remains under contract with the team through the 2013 season and is set to earn less than $1 million in salary each season. Should the team decide to give him a franchise tender, it would only cost them around $6 million, making there no immediate need for the Patriots to extend Hernandez as they would be able to avoid tying up a ton of money into one position. A No. 1 tight end in most NFL offenses, Hernandez is basically No. 2 at that position for New England despite also seeing time in the backfield and out near the sideline as a wide receiver. He most likely feels that he deserves money equal to or surpassing Gronkowski, which means his long-term future may have him wearing a different uniform.

3 » Only two of the seven former Florida Gators that participated in first-round action in the 2012 NBA Playoffs remain in contention for a title. Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem and guard/forward Mike Miller both advanced to the NBA Finals over the weekend; Haslem is looking for his second ring while Miller is still pursuing his first.

Click to expand and read three more BITS in this post.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Alex Tyus, Bradley Beal, Brandon Spikes, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Draft, Joakim Noah, Maccabi Ashdod, Mark Bartelstein, Miami Heat, Mike Miller, NBA, New England Patriots, NFL, Nick Calathes, Olympics, Playoffs, Udonis Haslem

1 » No. 5 Florida Gators baseball (37-14, 15-11 SEC) stalled in a big way on Saturday, getting shut out for the second time this season in a 2-0 loss to the No. 25 Mississippi State Bulldogs (31-19, 13-13 SEC) at McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, FL. A late scratch with a hamstring injury, junior left-hander Brian Johnson was replaced by sophomore right-hander Jonathon Crawford, who did an admirable job as a spot starter. Crawford (4-2, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, HBP, 3 K) gave up single runs in the first and fifth but received no help whatsoever from Florida’s bats in terms of production or run support. The Gators combined to register just three hits on the evening with the first five batters combining to go 0/19 with one walk and three strikeouts.

2 » No. 2 Florida women’s tennis (23-1) registered yet another shutout in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, defeating the No. 31 Washington State Cougars (19-7) and advancing to the round of 16 for the eighth consecutive season. The Gators topped the Cougars 6-0 (shutouts are normally end at 4-0 but three matches finished simultaneously) and combined to go 76-23 in individual games in the seven matches that were completed. The No. 1 pairing of junior Allie Will and sophomore Sofie Oyen registered an 8-1 victory, while the No. 22 duo of junior Lauren Embree and senior Joanna Mather won 8-2 to clinch the doubles point. No. 1 Will (6-3, 6-1), No. 9 Embree (6-2, 6-3), No. 21 Mather (6-3, 6-2), No. 61 Oyen (6-4, 6-0) and No. 79 sophomore Alex Cercone (6-0, 6-2) all won their singles matches as well. UF will take on Michigan on Thursday at 7 p.m. for the opportunity to advance to the quarterfinals.

3 » No. 12 Florida men’s tennis (15-9) began competing in their version of the 2012 NCAA Tournament on Saturday and started as hot as their female counterparts did with a 4-0 sweep of the Navy Midshipmen (18-9). The Gators won the doubles point (8-4; 8-3) and were led by their ranked players in singles action. No. 42 junior Bob van Overbeek (6-1, 6-0), No. 53 senior Nassim Slilam (6-0, 6-0) and sophomore Florent Diep (6-0, 6-0) were victorious in their individual matches as No. 48 junior Tripper Carleton and No. 66 sophomore Spencer Newman also lead at the time the contest was stopped. Florida will face Harvard in second-round action on Sunday for the chance to move on to the round of 16.

Click to expand and read three more *pro* BITS after the break.

Tags: Alex Cercone, Allie Will, Andra Davis, baseball, Bob Van Overbeek, Brian Johnson, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Mavericks, Draft, Florent Diep, Joanna Mather, Joe Haden, Jonathon Crawford, Lauren Embree, Mississippi State Rebels, Nassim Slilam, Navy Midshipmen, NBA, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, NFL, Nick Calathes, Panathinaikos, Sofie Oyen, Spencer Newman, tennis, Tripper Carleton, Washington State Cougars

1 » Not longer with the Dallas Mavericks, former Florida Gators guard/forward Corey Brewer did not receive his NBA Championship ring with his teammates when the ceremony took place at the AmericanAirlines Center early in the season. With his new team, the Denver Nuggets, in town to face Dallas on Feb. 15, the Mavericks held a special mini-ring ceremony to honor Brewer’s contributions to the team. You can check it out in the video below (hat tip to Rob K.):

2 » If you thought Tebowmania had died down at all with the 2011 season having come to a close, you would most certainly be wrong. According to the Associated Press, nearly 20,000 people attended a speaking engagement with Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow at the Canyon Ridge Christian Church in Las Vegas, NV over the weekend. During the service, Tebow discussed the Tebowing phenomenon and why he does it before, during and after games. “One of the reasons I get on a knee is because that’s a form of humbling yourself,” he explained. “I want to humble myself before the Lord and say thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for letting me play the game I love.” Senior pastor Kevin Odor also told the AP that “more than 1,000 people had logged on to the church’s website to watch a live feed of the Saturday night service, hailing from far-flung countires including Afghanistan and Bangladesh.” Tebow also donated his speaking fee to the Tim Tebow Foundation for the purposes of building a hospital in the Philippines.

Extra BIT » Former Florida basketball player Donnell Harvey, a first-round pick in 2000 who spent five seasons in the NBA from 2000-05, is now playing for the Tropang Texters of the Philippine Basketball Association after spending time off of United States soil in professional leagues in Turkey, Puerto Rico, Bosnia and China. In his debut game with his new club, Harvey posted 21 points and a league season-high 28 rebounds in a losing effort for his team (hat tip to Marco J.).

Tags: Corey Brewer, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Donnell Harvey, NBA, NFL, Tim Tebow

The shortened 2011-12 NBA season is set to tip-off on Sunday with 10 former Florida Gators standouts on professional rosters. Some won National Championships while wearing the Orange & Blue, others went undrafted, but all want to prove that the Florida basketball program has and can produce legitimate NBA stars.

Al Horford, F/C, Atlanta Hawks
- 2010-11: Averaging career highs in points (15.3), field goal percentage (.557), assists (3.5) and minutes (35.1), Horford also contributed 9.3 rebounds and 1.0 block per game last year. He led his team to the second round of the playoffs for the third-straight season; nlike the previous two years, the Hawks were not swept but rather fell 4-2.
- 2011-12: The Godfather was named a captain in Atlanta one year ago and wound up earning his second-straight NBA All-Star nod as a reserve. The Hawks resigned him to a five-year, $60 million extension in Nov. 2010, and he enters this season as one of the team’s two best and most popular players.

Joakim Noah, C, Chicago Bulls
- 2010-11: Averaging a double-double with career highs in points (11.7), field goal percentage (.525), assists (2.2) and minutes (32.8), Noah was also good for 10.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steal per game. He only played in 48 games due to having two surgeries for ligament damage in his hand and a right thumb injury but helped lead Chicago to the conference finals where the Bulls lost 4-1 in five games.
- 2011-12: Noah was rewarded by Chicago for his hard work with a five-year, $60 million extension last offseason. His defense and shot blocking makes him an elite big man in the league and he will be a key piece for the Bulls this season as they hope to earn a spot in the NBA Finals.

David Lee, F/C, Golden State Warriors
- 2010-11: Falling just short of a double-double average aver accomplishing that feat in consecutive seasons with the New York Knicks, Lee contributed 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 steal per game in 36.1 minutes on average last season. He shot 50.7 percent from the floor and 78.7 percent from the line in 73 games after missing nine due to an elbow injury that got infected.
- 2011-12: Lee agreed to a six-year, $80 million contract with Golden State after being traded from New York before last season and shined as a efficient big man in an up-tempo offense. His numbers fell because he was not relied upon as heavily with the Warriors, but he should have ample opportunities to showcase his talent.

Read the rest of OGGOA’s 2011-12 NBA Preview…after the break!
Continue Reading » NBA season begins with 10 Gators on rosters

Tags: Al Horford, All-Star, Atlanta Hawks, Chandler Parsons, Chicago Bulls, Cholet Basket, Corey Brewer, Dallas Mavericks, David Lee, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Draft, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Joakim Noah, Marreese Speights, Miami Heat, Mike Miller, NBA, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Udonis Haslem, Vernon Macklin

For the third time in under 10 months, former Florida Gators guard/forward Corey Brewer will be playing for a different NBA franchise.

Signed to a three-year contract by the Dallas Mavericks after being waived by the New York Knicks last March, Brewer has been shipped to the Denver Nuggets along with Rudy Fernandez for a second-round pick and additional space under the salary cap, according to ESPN NBA correspondent Marc Stein.

“Man the NBA is a business I’ll miss you Dallas but can’t wait to get to Denver! Thanks mavs fans y’all ate great,” he wrote on his Twitter account Tuesday evening.

Brewer, who has $5.2 million remaining on his deal, was sent from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Knicks as part of the trade for Carmelo Anthony last year.

After New York released him – partially as a favor because the team was not planning on playing him – he was courted by nearly a dozen teams.

Dallas snatched him up and used him as a bench player during their run to the 2011 NBA title, though he only saw 22 minutes over six playoff games.

Brewer averaged 24.3 minutes per contest with the Timberwolves in 2011, posting averages of 8.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He did not step on the court once for the Knicks but averaged 5.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 11.4 minutes over 13 regular season games with the Mavericks.

Though Dallas was reportedly pleased with Brewer’s long-term potential, the opportunity to create space under the salary cap for the 2012 season was too much to pass up.

Denver coveted Brewer and Fernandez and had roster spots to fill due to both Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith signing offseason contracts with professional teams in China.

The Nuggets are also said to be interested in Philadelphia 76ers center Marreese Speights, who the team sees as a potential replacement in the middle of the paint should Nene choose to sign elsewhere this offseason.

Photo Credit: Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Tags: Corey Brewer, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Marreese Speights, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, New York Knicks

1 » Former Florida Gators linebacker Dee Finley confirmed to OGGOA Thursday night that he has chosen to transfer and finish his collegiate football career with the Division II North Alabama Lions. Finley, who decided to leave Florida on Oct. 12, will return to his home state and attend a school just four hours north of his hometown. Gators cornerback Janoris Jenkins transferred to play for the Lions after being dismissed before the season by head coach Will Muschamp and has done very well during his time at North Alabama this year.

2 » Two former Florida players have told OGGOA over the last couple of days that Gators strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti is indeed headed to Columbus, OH to team up once again with head coach Urban Meyer at his new post with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Despite reports that Meyer was also after linebackers/special teams coach D.J. Durkin, OGGOA has learned that Durkin plans to stay put and remain with Florida for 2012. However, as the Columbus Dispatch noted on Thursday, Meyer is also interested in bringing over UF wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Aubrey Hill. Hill joined the Gators staff under Muschamp after Meyer left.

Click to expand and read two more BITS on Tebow and Brewer.

Tags: Aubrey Hill, Corey Brewer, D.J. Durkin, Dallas Mavericks, Dee Finley, Denver Broncos, Janoris Jenkins, John Fox, Mickey Marotti, Minnesota Vikings, NBA, NFL, North Alabama Lions, Ohio State Buckeyes, Percy Harvin, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Will Muschamp

1 » The University of Florida athletic program finished no. 4 in the nation in the 2010-11 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup. Thirteen Florida Gators programs finished in the top 10 of their respective sport nationally including women’s tennis (No. 1), men’s indoor track & field (No. 1), baseball (No. 2), softball (No. 2), men’s outdoor track & field (No. 3), men’s basketball (No. 5), men’s swimming & diving (No. 5), lacrosse (No. 5), gymnastics (No. 7), women’s swimming & diving (No. 7), men’s tennis (No. 9), volleyball (No. 9), women’s golf (No. 10). It is the third-straight year that the Gators have finished in the top four in the Cup’s final rankings.

2 » Competing with the 2011 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship Team, Florida center Patric Young had some difficulties in the preliminary round of the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championships against Egypt. Though Team USA won 115-60, Young only went 2-of-4 from the field for five points with eight rebounds in 14 minutes. Young played much better on Friday, posting 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting with seven boards in 18:30 as Team USA came back to top Serbia 80-78.

3 » Speaking of Young, he and head coach Billy Donovan mentioned a few times last season that he had to overcome some attitude issues during the first half off the year; once doing so, he felt much better about himself and his spot on the team. Young opened up even more about this to ESPN’s Diamond Leung, who spoke with him recently. “When you hear it over and over … if 500 people came in and told you you’re the best writer in the world, you’re going to start believing it, right?” he said. “You’re going to be the next best thing. You’re going to be one-and-done. You should be starting over Vernon Macklin. You should play 30-35 minutes a game. People say stuff like that. I was so mentally blocked that I couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong and how it was hurting my team, and coaches had to sit me down and break that down for me, and I understood from that point on forward.”

4 » Dallas Mavericks guard Corey Brewer will be making his triumphant return to Gainesville, FL…for at least three days this summer. Brewer, a member of the Gators’ back-to-back men’s basketball NCAA National Championship teams, will host The Back 2 Back Youth Basketball Camp powered by Five Star Basketball in Gainesville, FL, from July 26-28. Brewer will donate all proceeds to Shands Children’s Hospital at UF and the “Corey Brewer Fight Diabetes Fund,” both benefiting the school’s medical center. “I had a great time with the kids last year. I am so fortunate to have played basketball at the University of Florida. I always like going back to give back to the community that has given me so much,” he told The Gainesville Sun.

Times: August 1-3 from 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Participants: Boys and girls ages 9-18
Activities: Basketball drills, five-on-five games, contests, educational sessions, player evaluations, lectures and much more
Extras: Lunch, T-shirt, photo with Brewer, awards, certificate, etc.
Cost: $150 per camper
More information: http://www.CoreyBrewer.com

Tags: Back 2 Back Youth Basketball Camp, Billy Donovan, Corey Brewer, Dallas Mavericks, diving, FIBA, FIBA World Championship, field, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, National Championship, NCAA, Patric Young, Shands, softball, swimming, tennis, track, Univeristy of Florida, USA, USA Basketball, Vernon Macklin, volleyball

Round 2 – No. 38
Chandler Parsons, F
Houston Rockets

Height: 6’10″ – Weight: 215 lbs.
Age: 22 – Class: Senior

Waiting patiently at his home in Orlando, FL, Florida Gators forward Chandler Parsons learned late Thursday evening that he had been selected by the Houston Rockets with the No. 38 overall pick in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Parsons, the 2011 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, is the first Florida player to be selected in the NBA Draft since his former high school teammate, guard Nick Calathes, was picked No. 45 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2009 before being traded on draft day to the Dallas Mavericks.

Parsons averaged 11.3 points per game as a senior and led the Gators in both rebounding (7.8) and assists (3.7) last season. He shot 48 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from beyond the arc and 55.7 percent from the free throw line in 2011.

A team leader who excelled in team workouts over the last month, Parsons has the size, length and basketball IQ to succeed at the next level. He can defend, rebound and make plays both off the dribble against slower opponents and in the post against smaller ones.

Parsons is the 32nd player in school history to be selected in the NBA Draft.

6/22 – Entry VI: Crossing the finish line
6/15 – Entry V: Workouts intensify
6/8 – Entry IV: East Coast trip continues
6/1 – Entry III: Month of workouts begins
5/24 – Entry II: Workouts, interviews, tests
5/17 – Entry I: Preparing for the combine

Tags: Chandler Parsons, Dallas Mavericks, Draft, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, Nick Calathes, Player of the Year, SEC, University of Florida