| | Look out for the Gators! If you're not on the Florida Gators bandwagon for the Final Four, you should jump on it now says Steve Greenberg.
Basketball News' managing editor returned to host this week's chat and had high praise for the Gators basketball team. He likes their chances to run the table this weekend, this despite being a Wisconsin alumni. He also touched on his alma mater's chances and talked a little pro hoops as well.
An edited transcript from Greenberg's March 28 chat follows:
Rick: Can Wisconsin win it all? If yes, how?
Steve Greenberg: Can the Badgers win it all? Anyone left in the field can win it all. That said, I consider UW the
biggest long shot, mainly because it's got to play Michigan State the soonest. The Spartans
know the Badgers' game; they won't be taken by surprise by anything the Badgers do. And man
for man they're so superior as players.
Gatorjeff: Just prior to the final week of the season there was some talk that Florida would get a No. 2 seed. Florida drops to the No. 5 seed, yet Florida has the same number of
loses as Michigan State. What are your thoughts about the seeding that Florida received now that they are in the Final
Four?
Steve Greenberg: I think it's fair to say Florida was low -- by one seed, tops. I felt Illinois at a No. 4 and
Maryland at a No. 3 were too high. But Tennessee at No. 4 deserved to be seeded higher than
Florida by virtue of its two wins in their series.
Eddie: Do you think someone will pick up Isaiah Rider next season?
Steve Greenberg: Absolutely. Miami is a strong possibility. Denver could be one as well. Someone will take Rider,
no doubt, because he's a proven scorer who can hit the outside shot. Some team will gladly take
him, think it knows how to keep him in line, and likely fail miserably in the end.
Heelfan: Is there any chance that if UNC gets by Florida that Ed Cota and Terrence Newby would be out for the
game?
Steve Greenberg:
No way, heelfan. No way. That kind of thing will be worked out. It gets worked out for far less
significant games than a national final. Don't worry about that.
Jordan: Do you think that Wisconsin has the best defense in the country?
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GREENBERG'S FILE
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Managing editor Steve Greenberg returns to chat to host this week's show. As the managing editor of BasketballNews.com, Greenberg does more than cover the games as they happen on the court. He also deals extensively with the important people behind the scenes in both professional and college basketball: personnel bosses, athletic directors, national basketball writers and other insiders. Greenberg has appeared on hundreds of radio programs throughout the country - including as a regular in-studio expert on "Basketball News Weekly" - but his professional experience has come primarily as a sportswriter and editor. Prior to joining Basketball News in 1997, he was a writer and editor for Inside Sports, Football Digest and Hockey Digest. Steve is the author of "The Pro Football Trivia Bowl" (Avon Books)
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Steve Greenberg:
Not necessarily. Wisconsin's "D" is outstanding, but so is Michigan State's. So were Oklahoma
State's, Iowa State's, Syracuse's, Purdue's, Stanford's and many others. It's all relative. The
Badgers don't give up any points, but they don't score any, either. Look at Florida. That defense
is fabulous, but because the Gators push the ball non-stop, they allow lots of points. But the
Gators can bear down defensively every bit as well as the Badgers, plus they're better
athletically.
GatorGrad929: I think the Gators have a good chance of winning the national championship this year. What do
you think their chances are?
Steve Greenberg:
Their chances are excellent. I think they'll beat North Carolina in much the same way they beat
Illinois, Duke and Okie State: by wearing them down with pressure, with quick shots, with
waves of fresh legs off the bench, etc. I don't see how UNC counters that. Next up would be
Michigan State, almost for sure. At its best, Florida may be the worst matchup out there for
Michigan State. It's got the depth. It's got the shooters on the perimeter, guys who can drive the
lane, guys who are physical and bulky inside, guys who can block shots. And it's a confident,
cocky team. I love that. UF-MSU could be a great title game.
Brandon: Who do you think will get second in the MVP voting?
Steve Greenberg: You're smart for assuming Shaq will win the award. Of course he will. My vote for second goes
to Karl Malone, well ahead of the likes of Vince Carter and Chris Webber, though Kevin
Garnett is gaining on Malone fast. On second thought, Carter belongs with Garnett more than he
does with Webber. But Malone for sure ahead of the other guys. What Utah has done blows
me away -- again. And Malone's numbers are amazing. He does it every night, too.
BarryH: Why is there no coverage for the NIT compared to the NCAA Tournament?
Steve Greenberg:
There is coverage, to me about what it deserves. The games are on TV, the stories are in the
paper -- what more do you want? Mobile studios outside the top venues? The NIT
championship isn't that big a deal, nor should it be. But it's a nice opportunity for the teams that
make it. Wake Forest and N.C. State, in particular, have done a lot to reclaim their reps.
Millertime: How high do you thing the Gators' Mike Miller would get drafted if he enters the NBA draft
after the season?
Steve Greenberg:
I've talked off the record with a ton of scouts at various games about Miller. They love him.
Believe me, they love him even more after what he's done in the tourney. If Miller goes, he's top
10 for sure. Is he top five? I doubt it. But his ball-handling is what sets him apart. We know he
can do everything else, but lots of guys can't handle the ball like Miller can. Prior to the
tournament, I was hearing Miller was leaning heavily toward staying in school. I'll bet he's
thinking now about leaving. If the Gators win it all, there's got to be a good chance he'll go.
Brian: Will the Lakers put together a 15-game winning streak in the playoffs as they did during the
season and sweep through for a championship?
Steve Greenberg:
Not a chance. Not even close! Listen, Brian, I love the Lakers. I'm definitely going to pick
them to win the title. But they'll struggle. They are not deep. There's no guarantee Shaquille O'Neal will
be able to hold up at this level physically during the playoffs, which are so demanding. This team
still misses Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell. Those guys in place of Glen Rice would've made
the Lakers even better, maybe not in the regular season but in the playoffs for sure.
Rick: Will Jon Bryant be able to get his shot off against a very good Spartan defense?
Steve Greenberg:
He'll have lots of trouble getting his shot off. Good observation, Rick. MSU game plans for
something defensively and then goes out and gets it done. Bryant has been wonderful, but this
isn't Indiana running Steve Alford around screen after screen. This is a guy who's suddenly hot
as a pistol, but the entire UW offense isn't designed to get Bryant open. After all, he's about an 8
or 9 ppg guy.
Birdman: I like watching college ball on TV better than the pros. College seems to be more exciting. How
do you feel?
Steve Greenberg: I'm with you, birdman. For my purposes, college telecasts tend to be far more educational.
More exciting, too.
Jake Stegel: Where do you see the Kentucky Wildcats next year? Will they have
Tubby Smith. Will Prince leave early for the draft?
Steve Greenberg:
I think Tubby will be back. He deserves to be back, that's for sure. Can he take the whining by
UK fans? Yeah, he's pretty tough. Will Tayshaun Prince leave early? He's a fool if he does. I
don't expect him to -- he's got a chance to move way up next season. If he goes into the NBA
weighing what he does (maybe 200 or 210), he'll be manhandled like few before him. He
doesn't need that right now, not when he's got the chance to bulk up and be a high-teens scorer
for a very good Kentucky team. UK will be better next year. Losing Magloire hurts, but it's time
for Prince and Camare to be stars, plus Bogans could become an All-American eventually. I
love Marvin Stone, too. Just wait -- he'll be UK's best post guy in a long time.
Scotty: Are the injuries on the Blazers the major reason for their skid or are they just running out of
steam?
Steve Greenberg: The injuries have hurt the Blazers, but some of the injuries have come well after the team's slide
began. Basically, Portland played psycho defense the first few months and has slackened off.
That's been the biggest difference. Beyond that, the team STILL lacks a go-to guy, and that's
been a problem in close games. But Portland has more than 50 wins and fewer than 20 losses --
not too much is wrong. The Blazers are compared all the time to the Lakers, so a 6-7 stretch
appears more serious than it is. No one wants to play Portland in the playoffs, believe me.
Andy Elliott: Do the Pistons have a good chance at a top No. 4 seed?
Steve Greenberg:
No, Andy, they have no chance. Indiana, Miami and New York likely will account for three,
and Philadelphia, Toronto and Charlotte all are likely to finish ahead of Detroit. At the very best,
the Pistons could be fifth, but that's very doubtful. So get ready for your boys to be on the road
in the first round, I'm guessing against the Atlantic Division winner.
Lamar Ballard: Honestly, where do you see Ed Cota in the NBA draft?
Steve Greenberg:
What I've been told by a few NBA personnel people is that Cota's well down the list among
point guards. One director of player personnel said Cota doesn't really run an offense with the
Tar Heels, that he basically dribbles around and looks to feed the post or feed a cutter. People
like Cota's ball-handling ability (who wouldn't?) but apparently aren't impressed with the system
he's in. That strikes me as a little strange considering how many UNC players have done well in
the pros, but that's what I've been told. Also, the scouts don't seem real impressed with Cota as
a defender.
Chad: Better player in your opinion: Kobe Bryant , Vince Carter, or Kevin Garnett?
Steve Greenberg: Garnett's the best of those guys to me. I don't think there's any question about it. He's one of the
top five defenders in the game, and he's completely impossible to guard. I'd take Carter over
Bryant, but Kobe's great too.
Landis: What do you think about Kansas' chances next year with the recruiting class that they are
bringing in along with the players they have right now? I believe the Jayhawks have some fine
freshmen coming in to go with the three freshmen that played this year.
Steve Greenberg:
The real question is, "What stopped Kansas from being a top team this past season?" Talent-wise
and athletically, the Jayhawks were almost in a class by themselves. So what's the deal? I can't
say I know the answer. I've got to believe that team will be better next season, but just maybe
the current Jayhawks don't mesh well.
Cusefan: How do you see Etan Thomas' draft prospects and do you think Jason Hart has a chance to stick
with an NBA team? I personally think his defense and ball handling may make him a solid backup
point guard for many teams.
Steve Greenberg:
Thomas' problem is he hasn't displayed any kind of a face-up game on offense. That'll push him
well down into the first round, though his defense is very respected among pro scouts.
Meanwhile, I definitely think Jason Hart will be a solid pro. He's not a good shooter, but the
NBA has tons of point guards who lack a natural stroke. Hart is strong and he's got no fear,
plus he can penetrate and pass. He'll be a good backup, no doubt.
Brandon: Who is the best draft pick that is left in the Final Four?
Steve Greenberg:
What an interesting question. It's got to be Mark Vershaw. Yes, I'm kidding. Are we talking this
year or whenever? The top picks, whenever they go, are Brendan Haywood, Mike Miller,
Donnell Harvey, Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, Joe Forte, maybe even Jason Richardson
and Kris Lang. Who'd I leave out? If I have to commit to one of those guys as the best future
pro, I'd say Miller...or Forte...or Harvey. It's too hard!
Wm bounce: Who do you think will have the craziest celebration and parties on campus if they win the
NCAA Tournament?
Steve Greenberg:
Now that one's easy. I take it you've never been to Madison.
OK, folks, that's all the time I have. As always, thanks so much for your interest. I'll talk
to you in a couple of weeks. Enjoy the Final Four. | |
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