Former Florida Gators forward Chandler Parsons played the best game of his young career at just the right time on Sunday but unfortunately for him and his team it was not enough to prevent the Houston Rockets from falling below the qualifying line for the 2012 NBA Playoffs following a 97-88 loss in Miami, FL.

Parsons, who started his 57th game of the season, scored a career-high 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting in 37 minutes. He added six rebounds, two assists, four steals and a block as he showcased the variety of ways in which he can impact the game.

The 2011-12 season has been a whirlwind for Parsons, who entered the league as a second-round pick without necessarily the same high level of expectations that first-round selections are naturally encumbered with by fans. However, he has been a big-time contributor and often an impact player for Houston this season.

Parsons has posted five 20+ point games, achieved two double-doubles (in consecutive games in late March) and registered a number of impressive highlights including dunks and buzzer-beating three-pointers that have made both fans and basketball decision-makers recognize his ability.

“It’s been incredible – me being a basketball and NBA fan my whole life growing up, it’s so surreal to play against these guys let alone playing really good against them,” Parsons told OGGOA last week when asked about his recent highlights against Kobe Bryant. “I’ve had a great year. I’ve had fun doing it. I love my teammates. I love my coaches. It would be real special to be a key factor on a team contributing going to the playoffs as a rookie. That would be unbelievable and would really top off my year.”

Though Parsons will not have that icing for his rookie cake and is not expected to be seriously considered for Rookie of the Year honors, his contributions this season were impressive nonetheless. He even realizes that with some improved consistency (.452 from the field, .337 from three, .551 from the line in 2011-12) he can become a major player in the league going forward.

“I just got to keep working hard and get better,” he said.

Photo Credit: Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Tags: Chandler Parsons, Houston Rockets, NBA

In just over two months Florida Gators freshman guard Bradley Beal will take the stage in New York, NY, shake commissioner David Stern’s hand and put on a hat representing the team that selected him early in the 2012 NBA Draft.

But before that day arrives, Beal must first hire an agent, attend league-affiliated events and take part in private workouts and interviews with interested teams. OGGOA spoke with three former Florida players the day Beal announced his decision to go pro and each was quick to offer plenty of advice for him as he takes the next step in his career.

Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and second highest-drafted UF player in school history (Neal Walk, No. 2), actually spoke with Beal while he was in the process of making his decision and said that no matter what he decided to do he had to concentrate each day on doing whatever it takes to improve as a player both on and off the court.

“I had a chance to speak with him right after the season,” Horford said. “He is very, very talented, so my advice to him was just to focus on working on his game and to make sure he got stronger. The most important thing is just to keep working and keep getting better because he has a lot of potential. He showed some positive things throughout the season, but he has a lot more to offer in the long run if he can get there.”

Horford did not attempt to influence Beal’s final decision one way or another and pointed out that the sharpshooter’s game may even be at a higher level than even his was after his sophomore season.

“He was asking me what I thought about his situation as far as him having to make a decision about whether to stay or go. I went through that experience. For me it worked out that I stuck around another year and I was able to get better,” he explained.

“He’s very talented, so I think that he was way ahead of what everybody would expect from a freshman. He’s a guard, and I told him that if it is something you want to do to then go for it. He could have stayed in school and worked on his game, but he’s talented enough to go to the NBA. With hard work and everything, he will be a good player in this league.”

Continue Reading » Former Gators offer advice as Beal preps for draft

Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Billy Donovan, Chandler Parsons, David Lee, Detroit Pistons, Draft, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Mark Bartelstein, NBA, Vernon Macklin

1 » There was plenty of good news to go around the Florida Gators football program over the weekend but one player in particular – junior long snapper Drew Ferris – may have received the best news of all when head coach Will Muschamp told him that he would be put on scholarship for his final two years with the team. Ferris, who walked on to the Gators in 2010 as a five-star long snapper (a designation given by Chris Rubio Long Snapping), played the position full-time on field goals and punts in 2011 and returns to that role this season.

2 » Florida point guard Erving Walker is unlikely to be selected in the 2012 NBA Draft later this year but is still doing his best to raise his stock by participating in the 2012 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament from April 11-14. It is the second-straight year that a former Gators player will be in the event as forward/center Vernon Macklin was a standout performer in 2011 and wound up being picked in the second round of the draft by the Detroit Pistons due in part to how impressive he was in the PIT.

3 » Houston Rockets F Chandler Parsons was credited for his defense on Kobe Bryant last time his team faced the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant, asked about him after the game, first joked that he did not know Parsons before saying he thought he had a great future in the league. This past week Parsons and Bryant went head-to-head again with the former producing a highlight Kobe-esque play on the offensive end.

4 » Florida junior guard Kenny Boynton announced on Twitter this week that he will be returning to the team for his senior season. GatorZone.com’s Chris Harry caught up with him following the announcement to inquire about the decision to which Boynton mostly said that his family and head coach Billy Donovan both agreed it would be more beneficial for him to stick around for one more year. Boynton also noted that “coming back and playing more of the point guard position” could help him overall in his quest to play in the NBA. Should freshman G Bradley Beal leave for the draft as many expect him to, Boynton may not have many opportunities to play point with sophomore Scottie Wilbekin returning and frosh Braxton Ogbueze joining the team for 2012-13. Should Beal return, Boynton could be shifted to point guard with redshirt junior Mike Rosario moving into the starting five (or he could split the duties with one of the other two).

Tags: Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, Braxton Ogbueze, Chandler Parsons, Detroit Pistons, Draft, Drew Ferris, Erving Walker, Houston Rockets, Kenny Boynton, Mike Rosario, NBA, Scottie Wilbekin, Vernon Macklin, Will Muschamp

1 » Florida Gators basketball may have had a rough afternoon on Saturday, but Houston Rockets rookie forward Chandler Parsons had an explosive evening against Dallas. Not only did Parsons finish an impressive alley-oop pass from teammate Luis Scola, he also hit a game-tying trey with 3.3 seconds left in the game to force overtime. Though Houston would fall 101-99 in the end, Parsons had another solid night, scoring 12 points and adding 11 rebounds for the second double-double of his young career (his first was a 20 and 11 effort on Thursday) to go along with six assists in 46 minutes.

2 » Parsons was not the only former Florida player to have a memorable NBA moment on Saturday. Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was kicked out of his game after receiving a double technical. Noah was called for a foul, argued the call with some colorful language (technical) and then threw the basketball near the referee (second technical). Though he did not speak after the game, Noah expressed his thoughts in three succinct words on Twitter early Sunday morning.

Real shit day

— Joakim Noah (@JoakimNoah) March 25, 2012

Extra BIT » Gators sophomore center Patric Young‘s one-handed alley-oop dunk that somehow did not make SportsCenter’s top plays (of course).

Tags: Chandler Parsons, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Joakim Noah, NBA, Patric Young

1 » Teammates with the Miami Heat, power forward Udonis Haslem and guard Dwyane Wade made a friendly wager on Thursday night’s Sweet 16 match-up between the No. 7-seed Florida Gators and No. 3-seed Marquette Golden Eagles. Florida defeated Marquette 68-58 in Phoenix, AZ to advance to the Elite Eight; therefore, Wade will have to put a Gators license plate on his car for a year. You can watch Haslem and Wade discuss their bet in the clip below courtesy of WSVN 7.

The trash talking continued Friday, according to the Sun-Sentinel’s Ira Winderman. Wade has already ordered the Gators license plate and will put it on the back of one of his cars; Haslem is trying to get him to put it on a new McClaren MP4-12C (price tag $230,000) that he received for his birthday. “Oh, he’s got to drive that,” Haslem told Winderman. “There’s no way, there’s no way he can’t drive a McClaren. It’s like a million-dollar car, too. I mean who’s putting that in a garage?” Haslem piled it on when the team met for practice on Friday. “U.D. made sure he made his mark,” forward LeBron James told the paper. “He came in with the Gator fight song this morning, played it on the bus, and he’s probably going to mess [with it] through the whole week.”

2 » Despite the fact that he was traded for to be a back-up quarterback and change-of-pace player, New York Jets signal caller Tim Tebow “sees a clear path to resuming his career as a starter” and supplanting Mark Sanchez, sources told the New York Daily News. That is perhaps the main reason why Tebow said going to New York over returning to Jacksonville (where most of his family and friends reside) was his preference. “They want me to come in and compete and get better as a quarterback and help the team any way possible,” Tebow said in a teleconference following his trade. “Whatever that role is, I will do my best. Every time I step on the field, I give my heart and soul.” The Daily News also notes that Tebow did not have the ability to pull the trigger on his destination, which is how both his and Denver Broncos vice president of football operations John Elway’s stories blend together.

The Broncos didn’t come to Tebow in the end and say: Okay Tim, where do you want to go? They had already solicited his opinion. [...] Tebow was impressed the Jets hung in there when it looked like the deal was falling apart: It convinced him how much the Jets wanted him. [...] Ultimately, Tebow felt the love coming from the Jets.

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Tags: Brad Culpepper, Chandler Parsons, Denver Broncos, Elite Eight, Houston Rockets, John Elway, Marquette Golden Eagles, Miami Heat, NBA, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, New York Jets, NFL, Sweet 16, Tim Tebow, Udonis Haslem

1 » Already in Phoenix, AZ preparing for their Sweet 16 game against the No. 3-seed Marquette Golden Eagles, the Florida Gators have been going through practices while also reflecting on the 2011-12 season. One hot topic of conversation has been the emergence of freshman guard Bradley Beal, who responded to a recent request from head coach Billy Donovan and has made the most out of his new opportunity. “The thing I tried to get through to him [was] stop worrying about your shot. Freshmen are going to have peaks and valleys shooting the basketball,” Donovan said, according to GatorZone.com. “I told him, ‘You do too many other things as a player that impact our team,’ and to start stepping up and trying to be more aggressive.” Beal has done just that after spending most of his season somewhat deffering to his more experienced teammates. He has begun been taking the ball to the hole more while simultaneously working on both his defense and rebounding; that in turn has helped increase his overall production. In fact, even his three-point shooting has improved. “I really took it upon myself to bear down and start guarding guys and crashing the boards,” he said. “My shot just ended up coming out of nowhere, really. Coach told me it was just a matter of me playing and getting my rhythm. Sure enough, it came.”

2 » Former Florida quarterback Chris Leak took a job with the AFL’s Jacksonville Sharks this year and was almost universally expected to be the team’s starting quarterback for the duration of the season. However, just days after throwing for five touchdowns in the team’s season opener, Leak was informed that he would no longer be the team’s starter. He was supplanted by Omar Jacobs, a player that was on the team as a backup last season, on Tuesday and reacted by skipping practice on Wednesday. According to the Florida Times-Union, Leak was immediately suspended by the Sharks; FOX 30 WAWS TV reported Wednesday that Jacksonville has already signed another signal caller, which makes it appear as if Leak will no longer be with the club.

Click to expand and watch/read two more BITS in this post.

Tags: AFL, Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, Chandler Parsons, Chris Leak, Denver Broncos, Houston Rockets, Jacksonville Sharks, John Elway, NBA, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, NFL, Sweet 16, Tim Tebow

1 » The Florida Gators recently let their own senior writer, GatorZone’s Scott Carter, in the football meeting rooms for two days as coaches watched film and prepared for spring practice. Three notes in particular stood out in the piece. (1) Former NFL safety Lance Schulters dropped by the facility. (2) Head coach Will Muschamp “fiery” when learning that some of his players’ lean-body mass and fast mass figures were not up to par. (3) Former Boise State backup quarterback Bush Hamdan is a football intern with the team. Doing a bit of research, former Florida graduate assistant Ryan Solesky (2006-09) has also returned to intern with the team.

2 » Gators freshman guard Bradley Beal has the NBA in his future but whether or not he decides to go pro after this season is a decision he has yet to make. “I have no clue,” he said. “I haven’t even really thought about it. Right now, I don’t know. I haven’t put too much thought into it. When that time comes I’m going to talk to Coach [Billy] Donovan and my family and we’re going to have to sit down and talk about it. When that time comes, it comes.” Beal also said he will be happy no matter what he decides. “If I leave, I still played a great year of college. I enjoyed it,” he said. “If I stay, it’s only going to make me get better. Either way it goes, I’m gaining something positive out of it.”

3 » Two former Florida players had top-notch performances in the NBA on Tuesday. Memphis Grizzlies center Marreese Speights scored a season- and team-high 25 points on 12-of-20 shooting with seven rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block in a 116-111 double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Just under 500 miles away, forward Chandler Parsons scored a team-high 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting with seven boards, six dimes and a steal to lead his Houston Rockets over Oklahoma City. Parsons also registered another impressive dunk, this time over Serge Ibaka.

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

Tags: Bradley Beal, Brittany Schutte, Chandler Parsons, Draft, Erin Andrews, ESPN, Houston Rockets, Kelsey Horton, Marreese Speights, Memphis Grizzlies, NBA, softball, Will Muschamp

1 » Dateline Hollywood reported Thursday that Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has signed with Hollywood agency WME (formerly William Morris) for his “endorsements, public appearances, speaking engagements, TV, film, books, the works –even helping with his foundation.” Tebow had previously been represented by XV Enterprises, the company started by brother Robby Tebow and good friend Angel Gonzalez, for such endeavors. Though it was well-known that Tebow was XV’s only client at the time of its creation, considering his brother is a part of the firm and it is somewhat named after his jersey number (XV = 15), the move is undoubtedly an interesting one. XV landed Tebow endorsement deals with Nike, Jockey and FRS Energy (among others) and was behind him during the release of his book Through My Eyes and movie Everything in Between (in partnership with Fiction). Dateline Hollywood‘s report has been been confirmed though neither Tebow nor WME has spoken publicly on the matter.

2 » The Florida Gators announced that sophomore forward Will Yegute has decided have surgery on Friday to repair his broken left foot. Yeguete, who suffered a Jones fracture in his fifth metatarsal against Auburn on Tuesday, will have a screw placed in the foot to promote a stronger and quicker healing process. “The last few days have been tough,” Yeguete said, according to the school. “Basically, I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not to have the surgery … and I’m going to.” Former Florida point guard Taurean Green suffered the same injury while playing overseas in Europe. Unlike Yeguete, Green chose not to have surgery and told OGGOA on Wednesday that the injury healed on his own and he has not had any problems with it since.

Extra BIT » NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon has had plenty of fun with Tebow this year, including creating a new character named “Tebowie” – a combination of Tebow and David Bowie, but decided to poke at another former Gators player this week. In a segment on Wednesday’s show called “Sports Freak-Out,” Fallon and announcer Steve Higgins crack wise on the looks of a number of NBA players including none other than Houston Rockets forward Chandler Parsons (1:30).

Tags: Chandler Parsons, Denver Broncos, Houston Rockets, Taurean Green, Tim Tebow, Will Yeguete, XV Enterprises