September 5, 2011; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Randy Edsall (right) touches the turtle after beating the Miami Hurricanes 32-24 at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

• It’s June 19th again, which for Marylanders and Celtics fans means they will likely remember the greatest player that never was: Len Bias. Twenty-seven years ago today, Bias overdosed on cocaine and passed away just two days after being selected second overall by the Boston Celtics. His death reverberated through so many facets of society that it’s almost impossible to forget the guy, even to this day. Here’s my memorial to a legend, and here’s another great one on TestudoTimes.
• In some fantastic news for Maryland basketball, prized 2014 recruit Romelo Trimble received a big bump in the 247 rankings, thanks in large part to a phenomenal Top 100 camp. In not-so-fantastic news for Maryland basketball, Dion Wiley took some big hits after receiving a raw deal at the exact same camp. They basically switched places, but I have a feeling things will balance out towards the end of summer.
• Speaking of that heralded 2014 class, Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon would love to lock up a commitment from a big man. One of those targets happens to be 7-footer Trayvon Reed of Georgia. Reed can be considered one of the top targets, but he’s being recruited by a lot of players, and southern players tend to want to remain in the south. The move to the Big Ten, at least in this case, could hurt. But Alex Len being drafted somewhere high might give Maryland some major sway in obtaining Reed. (Baltimore Sun)
• Not a whole lot is known about the latest Terps football commit Andrew Gray, so Alex Prewitt of the Washington Post giving us an in-depth look into the personality of the guy is pretty invaluable. I love how tough this kid sounds, and the fact that he has a “nasty disposition.” As has been said many times, there is nothing like a football player with a mean streak, and you get the feeling that Gray will be a big contributor for the Terps when it’s all said and done.
• Maryland football also recently offered three-star Dwyer High (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida) safety Shawn Boone, and that’s probably a good idea. His offer sheet is starting to pick up some big names, and it’s good that Maryland made their presence known relatively early before he blows up. I’d heard of Boone before and watched him obliterate some players a few times, so yeah, hope that we get this kid. He is a major playmaker.

“During my years as an ACC coach, the two most dominant players we’ve faced were Michael Jordan and Len Bias,” Coach K

It’s a testament to the person that Len Bias was, and his tragic, shocking, story, that 27 years after his death people still go crazy over the guy. Everyone knows the gory details by now. Two days after being drafted second overall by the Boston Celtics out of College Park, he died of a cocaine overdose that shocked the sporting world and resulted in a ton of laws being enacted that brought the hammer down on drug use. He was a McDonald’s All-American, an absolute legend in the state of Maryland, a community leader, you name it. Bias was such a great guy that got caught up in a terrible situation, that his death  is still so hard to forget.

It says something about Bias’ legacy that most of his fans, myself included, weren’t even born when he was jabbing it out with Michael Jordan on a college floor. His impact on the game had just as much to do with his play on the court as it did his horrific fall from grace, and it’s why we’ll always remember him. Imagining a “what if” scenario of someone like LeBron James, who had all the hype in the world surrounding his high school career before entering into the NBA, never actually getting to play a single game in the pros, is a sobering thought. All that promise, all that hope, relegated to fantasy forever.

With the advent of the internet, an entire generation can connect with a guy who had never heard of Twitter, and as a result he’s still as popular as ever. You can go on YouTube and watch him ball out against Michael Jordan. You can listen to interviews he gave and see that 1,000-watt smile. You can watch his 30 for 30 (which I own, and which literally gives me goosebumps and tears every time I watch it). You owe it to yourself to learn his tale, and to get in touch with a massive piece of Celtics and Maryland lore.

For my money’s worth, he was the greatest Terrapin to play the game. He was LeBron James before LeBron James. He was Michael Jordan’s rival that never came to be. He was my mom and dad’s (both Celtics fans) cautionary tale. Sure, Juan Dixon has a championship, but Bias will always have a special spot in my Maryland pantheon of greatness. We’re always going to remember Len Bias, because we refuse to forget him. I’ll always be a little Bias.

Mar 15, 2013; Greensboro, NC, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard Nick Faust (5) and guard/forward Dez Wells (32) react. The Terrapins defeated the Blue Devils 83-74 during the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat overcame a seemingly insurmountable lead over the San Antonio Spurs in overtime, and I couldn’t help but think of the Maryland Terrapins throughout the entire contest. True, the Terps have very little in common with the five (or six depending on who you’re asking) Hall of Famers on the court, but there are still plenty of valuable lessons to be had by watching these men duke it out on the court.

• Dez Wells, develop a killer instinct

Sometimes it’s okay to be a real jerk, Dez.

Apr 2, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Maryland Terrapins center Alex Len (25) puts up a shot against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half of the NIT Tournament Semi-Final at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

When it comes to Alex Len, you either love him or you’re very meh about him. It’s not so much anything that he’s done that makes him such a polarizing figure; rather, it’s what he hasn’t become or done yet that gets everyone up in arms. Especially when a recent rumor has Len being pegged as the first round, first overall selection in this year’s upcoming NBA draft.

Throughout the year at this site I’ve openly stated that I’m an Alex Len apologist and that I think he can be a very solid pro, so let’s just get that out of the way right now. I respect how much the kid improved, and how he took so many adjustments being placed on him at once in stride. I think that’s a commendable effort in and of itself that speaks highly about his character, to say nothing about his on court play.

That is where the polarity on the subject begins to accrue, when debating his consistency, his inconsistency, his abilities, and his upside. For some, he’s the next Zydrunas Illgauskas; to others, Len is Darko Milicic reincarnate. NBA scouts aren’t completely set on him and neither are many front offices, which is why he’s jumped from first overall (at the start of the season) to late lottery (midway through the season) to mid lottery (after his injury) and back to first round again (recently). No one really knows what they’re going to get should they draft Alex Len. His college career was one of those unique stories where he showed tremendous potential one second and at the same time left a lot of food on the table that went uneaten. Because of that career, even I’d have my own reservations about taking Len first overall (and as I said before, I love the kid).

I can understand why the Cavaliers (who have this year’s top selection) would be enamored with the idea of taking Len. They have his comparative upside on staff in Big Z, and historically have been able to develop big men into solid contributors. Anderson Varejao, Big Z himself to an extent, J.J. Hickson, and even Tristan Thompson are all players who came to the Cavs with an uncertain future, and each one has become a valuable commodity in the NBA.

Plus, Cleveland has the one thing Len hasn’t had his entire career: an elite point guard running the show. Kyrie Irving is the type of player who would both benefit from Len’s presence on the floor and open things up drastically for the kid in the paint. Irving is a ridiculously good shooter and an underrated passer (mostly because his assists are an offshoot of his offense). He makes the players around him better, and can truly take some pressure off Len having to contribute offensively immediately. In many instances, it is a no brainer to take Len.

Still, you have to give pause to a rumor like this. At this time last year, a lot of scouts had Harrison Barnes pegged as a Cleveland Cavalier because of his relationship with Kyrie Irving. Even though there were questions abound about him, Cleveland threw a pretty impressive smokescreen out and confused the heck out of everyone when they selected Dion Waiters with their pick. During this time of year, a lot of misinformation gets spread around by teams so they can have the best chips to bargain with at the table, so you have to take this kind of chatter with a grain of salt.

Len hasn’t worked out, so why he would start to shoot up draft boards all of the sudden is a bit of a mystery, but one with a few explanations. For one, Len not working out is, in a way, being productive while staying put. Other players have to run through a battery of tests which are designed to highligh their flaws, whereas Len just has to answer some hard/soft questions that he has been well coached in. Since scouts tend to look for the worst in a prospect, Len not having to show any of that to them directly has to help.

The other explanation is that other people with a vested interest in seeing Len shoot up might be leaking some info. By that I mean, his agent and Alex Len. A little whisper can turn into a loud roar coming from the right person, and that could easily be the case here. Len makes more money by being considered with the first pick or being taken higher, and teams who truly want him might be more willing to part with certain pieces to move up and grab him. Either scenario is a pro for Len.

Is he a number one pick? Well, with big men it’s quite the crapshoot nowadays. There are very few Olajuwan’s or Ewing’s coming out nowadays, and you sort of just have to guess and hope for the best. Anthony Davis was a lock, but people thought Andre Drummond would bust out big time and he was a meast last year. Same deal for Roy Hibbert when he came out, and likely with Alex Len and Nerlens Noel. There is a chance you could get a superstar, or you could get a downright disaster.

Len has just as much potential as everyone in this draft, so his selection to the Cavs might be warranted if they’re looking for a big man who could develop into something special down the road. But they are in win-now mode, and Len doesn’t exactly fit that bill as a prospect. People cite his domination of Noel as a factor in Len’s ascension to the top pick, but realistically that was Noel’s first game and he wasn’t that terrible. With the first overall pick comes some major expectations and that’s what I’d be wary of. Sure, it’d be amazing for the Maryland brand and popularity, but it could also be the case of Joe Smith all over again. Len may struggle in his first year and be written off immediately by a hypercritical culture with regards to big name draft picks.

Still, Len being the first pick isn’t that far fetched when you look at the other players in the draft, so maybe he has convinced some teams that he’s worthy. If that’s the case, great for him and great for Maryland recruiting. Just be wary of expectations and rumors like these.

Feb 1, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Nets forward Jordan Williams (20) controls a rebound against the Detroit Pistons at the Prudential Center. New Jersey Nets defeat the Detroit Pistons 99-96. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

A common what-if for Maryland fans involves the 6’10″ center from Torrington, CT, Jordan Williams. The four star recruit had a solid freshman year and then a breakout sophomore season. Instead of returning to College Park for his junior year, he declared for the NBA Draft and was selected 36th overall by the New Jersey Nets.

Following Jordan’s decision to declare for the NBA Draft, long time coach Gary Williams retired. The timing of the two events made them appear as related. The common thought between fans was that Gary was waiting to see what Jordan did; when he announced his intentions to leave, Gary saw another rebuilding year and decided to leave.

Personally, I don’t agree with this idea, I think Terrence Ross had more to do with it. However, I can see why this would be a popular belief. I’ll admit that it might have played a hand in Gary’s decision, but I don’t think it was as big. But to each their own, and honestly, only Gary Williams knows the real reasons why he left College Park.

Jordan Williams got to College Park as a chubby big man who, despite the four star rating, was largely unknown. The level of competition that Williams played in high school wasn’t great, and he was the biggest player by far in his league. The 2009-2010 Terps was the ideal starting point for the freshman. With seniors Greivis Vasquez, Eric Hayes, and Landon Milbourne, along with sophomore Sean Mosley, Maryland had an established starting line-up with experience and scoring. What the team was lacking was a rebounder and a body to cover an opposing teams big man.

The expectations were low, and Jordan Williams exceeded those expectations. He was a vital part of Maryland’s run to a 13-3 ACC season and a share of the ACC Title. Without the development of Jordan Williams throughout the 2009-2010 season, Maryland probably doesn’t go 13-3 in the ACC. As a freshman Jordan Williams averages were:

24.8 Min 9.6 Pts 8.6 Reb 0.9 TO 1.0 Blk 51% FG 53% FT 31 Starts

Overall, you couldn’t ask for a better freshman season for a big man entering the ACC. The end result of 13-3 was even better as well. Jordan Williams, in theory, got to learn from three great team players who were seniors. Getting to learn from Vasquez, Hayes, and Milbourne should have helped Williams learn more about being a team player and leading a team.

As a sophomore, Jordan Williams improved greatly in all statistical areas. Despite losing the ACC Player of the Year at point guard, he was still able to improve and lead the team. However, down the stretch of games, the lack of a point guard hurt Maryland’s ability to involve Williams in close games. Maryland dropped a number of close games during the season, that, in the end, were a big reason for them missing the tournament. Regardless, he still had as great of a season as you can ask for a sophomore:

32.5 Min 16.9 Pts 11.8 Reb 1.6 TO 1.4 Blk 54% FG 58% FT

As you can see, Jordan Williams improved a lot from this freshman year to the sophomore year. Unfortunately, the team around him wasn’t anywhere near as good as the team his sophomore year: Adrian Bowie, Cliff Tucker, and Dino Gregory, along with returning starter Sean Mosley. Dino developed a mid-range baseline jumper and hustled on the glass. Sean Mosley provided his great defense, but his offense was still limited. Adrian Bowie wasn’t able to run the offense consistently, and Cliff Tucker’s offense wasn’t enough to be the second guy on the team.

Maryland finished the season 19-14 (7-9) and missed out on the NCAA Tournament. Not the season that Jordan Williams envisioned, especially after his freshman year ended in a heartbreaking second round loss. He did break the record for most consecutive double-doubles, which was held by Len Elmore.

Rumors were going around after Jordan Williams sophomore season that he wasn’t returning to Maryland. For some time nothing was going from Jordan Williams, but many believed that his girlfriend was pushing him towards going pro, others were citing his lack of attendance at classes as signs that he was definitely declaring. Regardless of what the reasons were, Jordan Williams did withdraw from Maryland and declare for the NBA Draft.

What if Jordan Williams returns to Maryland? Where does that leave Maryland for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 season? Where does Jordan Williams end up in Maryland record books?

If Jordan Williams returns to Maryland, almost certainly coach Gary Williams stays with the team as well. With Bowie, Tucker, and Gregory graduating, the starting line up for the 2011-2012 season is: 1) Pe’Shon Howard 2) Terrell Stoglin 3) Sean Mosley 4) James Padgett 5) Jordan Williams. Off the bench: Mychal Parker, Hawk Palsson, Sterling Gibbs, and Nick Faust. The scoring ability of Stoglin allows Maryland more inside/out ability, but can Howard run the offense well enough to keep getting Williams the ball? Does Padgett develop a mid range game similar to Dino to give Williams room in the post?

As good as Williams was, I don’t see this line-up being much better than the year before. Hawk coming off the bench gives Maryland the ability to stretch the floor, and Faust/Parker give Maryland more ability to drive and get to the rim. However, Faust struggled early on as a freshman with getting to the rim consistently, and Parker struggled at playing basketball as a sophomore. Hawk and Stoglin are the only players with range, meaning Maryland sees a lot of 2-3 zone, which slowed them down the yer before. The ceiling for this team is 9-7 in the ACC, and even that seems more like a stretch. Most likely the 2011-12 Terps miss the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.

Williams senior year would see some improvements in the roster, but not to the level of what Coach Turgeon brought. Gary was about to gain a commitment from Shaq Cleare before he retired, and already had Justin Anderson on board. Seth Allen was under the radar and not receiving interest from Maryland until coach Turgeon arrived. You can wave off the late additions of Charles Mitchell and Dez Wells from the 2012-2013 Terps as well.

The starting line-up is similar to the year before, except sub Sean Mosley for Nick Faust at the small forward position. Sure, having Anderson, Parker, Pankey, and Gibbs coming off the bench would help, but does it turn Maryland into a contender? No. This squad can do better than the year before, but 10 wins in the ACC is probably the ceiling. They make the NCAA Tournament and with a scorer like Stoglin and they are capable of catching lightning in a bottle and making a run. Odds are though, they win their first game, lose the second, at most lose in the sweet sixteen.

Where does that leave Maryland? The Terps go two years without making the NCAA Tournament, and then follow it up with a second round/sweet sixteen run. They don’t finish in the top four of the ACC after winning a share of the ACC in 2009-2010. With the loss of Jordan Williams, this upcoming season of Maryland basketball would probably float around the .500 mark in conference, at most. With the impending move to the Big Ten, and the recent lack of success, the pressure would be on Gary Williams to deliver big or retire. Given his old age and the drain of constantly battling the athletic department for the better half of a decade, he would have retired after this past season.

Historically, Jordan Williams would leave behind a mixed legacy at Maryland. Sticking to his average of 336 rebounds per season and 10.18 per game, and using the scenario above of missing the tournament his junior year and making it to the sweet sixteen his senior year. Jordan Williams would have finished with 1,374 rebounds, topping Len Elmore’s 1,053 mark early in his senior year.

As great as this individual mark would be, Jordan Williams would have only made the tournament once as the leader of the team. As important as he was as a freshman, that team was still built around Vasquez, Hayes, and Milbourne. His sophomore, junior, and senior seasons would have been teams built around him as the center piece of the offense. Making the tournament once in that span wouldn’t gain him long term respect with Maryland fans. The rebound record would be great, and would have him in the conversation to have his jersey in the rafters, but with the lack of postseason success, it would be an uphill battle to get it there.

Feb 19, 2013; Chestnut Hill, MA, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Mark Turgeon on the sideline during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Conte Forum. The Boston College Eagles won 69-58. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

No other way around it: the Terrapins have some major momentum on the recruiting scene right now. Mark Turgeon and Co. locked up their priority targeted SF prospect, Jared Nickens, over the weekend to complement a 2014 class already including studs Dion Wiley and Romelo Trimble. Now, to make it a four person class, they are trying to lure in one of three big men prospects. Let’s take a look at who those players are so you can get familiar with them:

• First Priority: Goodluck Okonoboh

6’9, 225-pounds

Wilbraham Mass.

24/7 Ranking: 5-star, 22nd nationally, 3rd-best center

ESPN Ranking: 5-star, 19th nationally, 4th-best center

Biggest players: Indiana, Maryland, Duke, Florida, UConn

About the prosect: Okonoboh, whose parents hail from Nigeria, is a defensive menace and is widely considered one of the best shot blockers in the nation. One highlight reel from a single game can show you just how many shots Goodluck is capable of blocking or altering. There are some games where Okonoboh will literally block twenty total shots, but he’ll affect everything that comes his way. He has solid length and a frame that would not be prone to bullying at the college level.

Goodluck may be slightly raw offensively since he just started playing basketball in the 8th grade, but as far as prospects go it’s hard not to like him. He plays in the Mass. Prep League, which more than prepares players for college basketball with powerhouses like Brewster Academy and St. Thomas More competing against one another. The league has churned out players like Nerlens Noel and Mitch McGary, and is highly competitive.

Oh, and in case you were wondering about the origins of his name, it’s truly a great story that I’ll shorten here: When his father moved to America, he was shot in the chest and wasn’t supposed to survive, but somehow managed to. When Goodluck was born, he decided to name him as such because it was a blessing that he even had a father. Pretty cool.

Outlook: As it stands you have to look at Indiana as the favorite for Goodluck right now, as Okonoboh’s coach, Chris Sparks, has a personal relationship with Tom Crean. That’s going to be tough for most schools to overcome, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Still, the Terps have competition with other powerhouses, as Duke recently offered the kid. And when Coach K comes calling, you pick up the phone. Furthermore, Florida is in the mix for his services as well.

While the Terps are definitively on his short list, Okonoboh is still weighing his options, and his handlers have yet to be fully swayed by anyone. In all honesty, we’d have to have great luck to get Goodluck.

• Second Priority: Trayvon Reed

7’1, 210-pounds

Snellville, Georgia

247 Ranking: 4-star, 54th nationally, 4th-best center

ESPN Ranking:  4-star, 84th nationally, 9th-best center

Biggest Players: Auburn, Georgia, Maryland, Florida, Georgia Tech

About the prospect: Reed is considered a particularly interesting prospect in part because he’s a legit 7’1 big man first and foremost. Guys with his size who possess an ability to run the floor without looking like they’re missing ligaments in their knees are typically highly touted no matter how they play on the court. As the old adage goes, “You can’t teach height.”

As it stands right now with Reed, he’s still quite raw on the offensive end; his effectiveness plummets outside of five feet. His jump shot is very much a work in progress at this time. But once you take out the fact that he won’t give you a ton offensively, you can see what benefits he can bring to the table. He is a skyscraper in the middle, and has a decent basketball I.Q. that allows him to disrupt most things that approach the paint. He doesn’t have soft hands, but if he gets the ball in position down low, there aren’t many people who can stop him from scoring.

The biggest questions surrounding Reed concern his hustle and intensity, which is a label scouts throw at every big man with solid athleticism who isn’t dominating like Shaquille O’Neal right off the bat. Alex Len: lazy. Dakari Johnson: lapses at times. It’s standard. Most of that has to do with needing to learn how to play the game at that height, and it’s a big reason why Reed is planning on transferring for his senior year. As it stands, Huntington Prep in West Virginia is in the lead for his one-year rental, which would go a long way to helping him become more of an elite prospect.

Outlook: Maryland has been pressing hard for Reed, and for quite some time. He continues to pick up offer after offer because his size is simply too difficult to pass up, so being in early has an added benefit. Reed has stated in interviews that he talks with Bino [Ranson] all the time, and likes that Mark Turgeon has a history of sending big men with similar attributes to his to the NBA (DeAndre Jordan and Alex Len).

Still, Reed is from the south, and he has had a lot more exposure over a lifetime to southern schools like Florida, Georgia and Georgia Tech. Maryland doesn’t have a massive history of grabbing players from the south, but having Charles Mitchell be from the same state as Reed can’t hurt one bit. It’s also an added benefit that Reed might transfer to a West Virginia prep school (the same one O.J. Mayo attended). Being closer to Maryland for his senior year would give the Terps a chance to look at him a lot more closely.

For now, Reed isn’t deciding anything or visiting too many places, but Maryland is as much in it as anyone.

• Third Priority:Chinanu Onuaku

Upper Marlboro, Maryland

6’10, 220-pounds

N/R by scouting services

Biggest players: Cincinnati, Maryland, Kansas State, DePaul, Georgetown

About the prospect: Chinanu, brother of Arinze who played at Syracuse, is the most raw of all the prospects overall. He has a phenomenal frame for a junior in high school though, and seems to do well defensively against everyone he goes up against. He is thick, tall, and while he doesn’t have amazing length is fully capable of sending a few shots away and grabbing boards.

At the NBA Top 100 camp a few days ago, Onuaku shut down an elite 2015 prospect in Steven Zimmerman, and impressed everyone watching him. So while he may not be ranked by most recruiting services, one would stand to believe that he will be in due time, albeit a three-star prospect. His deficiencies in his offensive game are enough to bring him down, but he evens out because he can contribute on day one defensively. He stays in front of his man and never lets up, which is why people are starting to value him so much.

He also plays basketball for a traditional powerhouse in Riverdale Baptist not far from the University of Maryland campus. Playing against top-tier competition day-in day-out should help him develop further, and will certainly get him more and more exposure over his senior season.

Outlook: Maryland has to be considered a frontrunner for a largely unheralded recruit like Onuaku. His family has local ties to the area, and he has already been on two unofficial visits to Maryland in the past year (once during March Madness, and another last August). That the campus is a stone’s throw away helps big time. He has been in touch with Maryland scouts, and will continue to attract their attention should Okonoboh or Reed fall through.

Still, he has other suitors. Georgetown has offered him, DePaul is thought to be actively pursuing him, and Kansas State recently jumped into the mix as a big time player. Onuaku has time to decide, and the more time he waits the harder it may be for Maryland as elite schools get more involved. But for now, Onuaku would be a great get for Maryland and a guy who could certainly help out defensively.

Westtown School wing Jared Nickens will be joining Romelo Trimble and Dion Wiley in College Park in the fall of 2014.

After visiting College Park this weekend, Westtown School small forward Jared Nickens saw all he needed to see. The Pennsylvania wing committed to Maryland on Sunday afternoon after his weekend official visit at the school.

Nickens joins a class that already includes local guards Romelo Trimble and Dion Wiley. The class was previously ranked third in the nation according to ESPN. That ranking could get bumped up a tad with the addition of Nickens. The former St. Patrick’s standout is currently rated as a four-star prospect on ESPN and is a three-star on Rivals and 247 Sports. He had scheduled to visit with Wake Forest and Dayton later this month and also had offers from Miami and Oregon State.

The 6-6 small forward brings something that the Terrapins have lacked for many years: a lethal shooter. Nickens is a spot-up shooter that is capable of nailing a jumper from anywhere on the court. In the second half of this past season at the Westtown School, Nickens shot 48 percent from beyond the arc. The Pennsylvania native is a smart basketball player who doesn’t turn the ball over very often. As many know, the Terps were quite a turnover-prone team throughout the 2012-2013 season.

Nickens’ size also is a huge advantage. As much of a strength as his long distance shooting is, he has a strong mid-range game and can bang down low along with post players. Nickens was primarily known as a shooter early in his high school career but has added this very important dimension to his game. The Westtown School wing is not afraid to put his back to the basket and burrow his way inside. Nickens is also a very long athlete, which allows him to play very strong defense. He really is a great all-around prospect.

The addition of Nickens gives Maryland one of the strongest groups of guards around.  Barring any early entries to the NBA Draft or transfer, the 2014 guard/small forward group will consist of Nick Faust, Dez Wells, Seth Allen, Roddy Peters, Wiley, Trimble, Jake Layman, and now Nickens. That is downright scary if you’re an opposing team trying to guard players of this caliber. Now Mark Turgeon will likely turn his attention to adding a post player to round out a phenomenal 2014 class. Trayvon Reed or Goodluck Okonoboh seems to be the most likely targets for the Terps.

We will have more on the addition of Nickens in the next few days.

May 26, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Maryland Terrapins attacker Alex Aust (10) looks to pass against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half of the 2013 NCAA Division I Women

This article is in response to a hate piece about Maryland on OffTackleEmpire.com, which can be found here. This is all in good fun, mind you, but here’s my attempt to defend Maryland.

First off, I love it when Big Ten members start giving Maryland people crap about, well, anything, because of how pathetic some of their respective states tend to be. They say something like “The only reason we need you guys is for the TV money you’ll bring in!” and act as if it’s an even remotely logical argument as to why we don’t belong in the Big Ten, so they can already hate us as a result.

In fact, they’re right in some cases. The Big Ten, and their respective states, literally can’t grow on their own; deposed idiot of Ohio State Gordon Gee said as much himself before he went on a Christmas table, senile grandpa tirade on how the Catholics were screwing the money up (and not his absurdly high salary for manning a top 50 school or his expansive bowtie collection). You know what a 1% growth rate in your footprint means? Your TV and expansion area is going to max out ricky freaking ticky. So when your network heads hit that negotiation table in 2016 with your non-expandable market and demand $2 billion plus, the big wigs would crap you out as if you were a digestive cleanse of the corn husks you guys pride yourselves on. Although I’m sure everyone is jumping at the bit to hit up that booming Iowa market, where people need sour mash just to get up every morning.

So what does Jim Delany do? He goes and gets the fourth-largest TV market (like any smart person would), to stave off the looming SEC network. Maryland’s the prostitute who sold themselves for money? Then what the hell did you guys just do? Your commissioner just handed traditionalists an econo-sized vat of Astro Glide and told them to bend over and accept change. Again. Because you guys need to make more money. I mean how stupid are you guys to think that this expansion doesn’t make you, at the very least, complicit whores? You’re the sleazy, fat businessman doing a midnight prowl through Backpages to find a nice escort for his soiree next week. You might be rich, but you still probably have herpes.

Jim Delaney: Maryland’s coming in dry

The funniest part about the Big Ten is how blissfully unaware they are that everyone outside of the Big Ten hates them. Seriously, no one likes you guys. When’s the last time anyone I know said, “Man I can’t wait to take my paid vacation and go to Ohio!” Answer: it’s never happened. You think Maryland fans are looking forward to taking a trip to Nebraska next year? Or Ohio so I can go see a Wright Brother’s exhibit? Or Iowa so I can see whatever the hell it is that Iowa brings to the table? No one is, not even our school, and it’s why you subsidized our travel budget as a condition of us coming (yet again you classy traditional schools throw money at a hooker, and now probably have the Clap as a result).

You want to know why Ohio State loves their football so much? Because every other sport sucks there, and there’s nothing else to do. The Cleveland Browns created a generation of alcoholics, and is the festering wound of the NFL. LeBron James jumped dodge the second he got the chance because the best NBA star he could convince to come to Cleveland was Larry Hughes (a Wizards defector). The Indians suck, the Blue Jackets traded Rick Nash and still haven’t done anything, and Drew Carey is a douche bag. By the way, we hate you for making the Drew Carey Show. This is the image we get when we think of Ohio:

Our state and the surrounding area, on the other hand, has the perennially good Baltimore Ravens. We have Washington D.C. with its countless museums full of historical significance (and, you know, the White House), we have the Inner Harbor, we have the Orioles (who have sucked and still have more history than the Indians), we have the Redskins (again, more championships than you can dream of, and RGIII), we have the Naval Academy in an absolutely gorgeous city, we have casinos, we have the ocean. In other words, we have much better things to do with our time than obsess over a team that sucks. And Maryland has sucked in recent years, we admit.

Undeniably so, we’ve been bad. For the last five years, the Terps haven’t done anything on the hardwood, and we haven’t done anything on the gridiron. That hurts us, because we know college sports is important and we want to be good. A bad athletic director and an economic recession can hurt a state school. But you act as if the Big Ten is that much better than the competition we’ve been facing in the freaking ACC, when it’s not. You have four schools that are really good at football in Ohio State, Michigan (recently), Penn State, and Nebraska, and the rest consists of leftover chum, as evidenced by your putrid bowl record. Not to mention that you guys are bereft of much NFL talent, unlike the ACC in last year’s draft and numerous others before that. The rest is just as much a crapshoot as the ACC.

Right, hang your hat on the big four schools (two of which couldn’t play in bowls last year) who have one BCS championship collectively since it’s inception, and haven’t appeared in one since 2007. That’s about the time the voters told Jim Tressel he wasn’t invited anymore because his teams kept getting their stuff pushed in prison-style by the SEC. Your lone championship in 2003 during that run by Ohio State came controversially (though I agree with the call) against a Big East school. In basketball? Same story. The ACC has done much of the same, so just stop with the big boy talk.

Stop, also, with the whole “we don’t have a rivalry” talk, too. We don’t have a true rival and we don’t mind not having one. We like hating everyone just the same; it gives us flexibility in our ability to hate without bias. Obviously, beating Duke means a lot to us (and everyone in the nation know it’s a rivalry BUT Duke), and we show general disdain for anything from Virginia or West Virginia. But we also take pride in leaving a steamy log on anyone’s porch.  So when Ohio State fans fill our paltry stadium, we’re going to look forward to the day when we upset you and your asshole fanbase has to get back into your mobile home and look forward to nothing back at home. Then we’ll get hyped about it for a couple days and move on to more important things, like our government/military contracting jobs that affect your national security, or having our alumni build Google or Under Armor. Not that Kroger and Walmart (your two biggest employers) aren’t important; just, you know, look big picture guys.

Even if we don’t have a rival, and the ACC says they don’t want us, we don’t care. We’ll look forward to playing all these new teams, underdog mentality in tow. So when we upset one of your hodunk schools, we can relish in the fact that all you guys have done since we arrived is serve us up a bowl of F.U. It doesn’t matter, because Maryland fans know we’re going to get better. We have a rich tradition in athletic success, and it’s why we leave the ACC, which disrespected us outright all the time, with the second-most overall championships (in some sports you may not care about, but we do) in their conference, second only to UNC. The ACC has no idea what they’re losing, and apparently nor do you guys understand what you’re gaining. But when you start losing a bunch in basketball, in soccer, in lacrosse (which your commish is pumped to add), in field hockey, in swimming, and in track and field, you’ll realize that Maryland has arrived in your conference.

Let’s just look at what you’re getting with Maryland, and why we scoff when you guys think we’re not a great addition. Here’s a list of schools with the most total NCAA championships. Pegged on that list among a few Big Ten powerhouses? Maryland. So screw you guys, in that regard. We’ve always been good at a lot of sports, and the Big Ten trying to convince us that we’re worthless won’t work. The numbers don’t lie. For sure, we’re looking forward to the money you’ll be giving us in the millions just so we can be members and balance our budget, but watch out for what that Maryland will become. We’re in a talent-rich area that is constantly being poached by other schools (except now it’s being kept in-house), we’ve got some major recruits starting the Stay Home Movement here, and we’re on the come-up. So while you guys may hate us for the new few years, we’re going to get respect from you, whether you like it or not. And in turn? We’ll respect you too, but we’re still going to hate you. Because we’re Maryland.

Fear the Turtle.

Jake Layman = Court Awareness

2013-14 Scholarships

• Freshmen:

PG: Roddy Peters

PF/C: Damonte Dodd

• Sophomores:

PG: Seth Allen

SF: Jake Layman

PF: Charles Mitchell

PF: Shaquille Cleare

• Juniors:

SG: Nick Faust

SG: Dez Wells

PF: Evan Smotrycz

• Seniors:

N/A

Non-Scholarship Players

Varun Ram, Conner Lipinski, Jacob Susskind, A.J. Metz, John Auslander, Spencer Barks

—————-

Total Scholarships: 9

Total Available: 4

—————-

2014-2015 Scholarships

• Freshmen:

PG: Romelo Trimble

SG: Dion Wiley

• Sophomores:

PG: Roddy Peters

PF/C: Damonte Dodd

• Juniors:

PG: Seth Allen

SF: Jake Layman

PF: Charles Mitchell

PF: Shaquille Cleare

• Seniors:

SG: Dez Wells

SG: Nick Faust

F: Evan Smotrycz

————

Total Scholarships: 11

Total Available: 2

————-

2015-2016 Scholarships

• Freshmen:

N/A

• Sophomores:

PG: Romelo Trimble

SG: Dion Wiley

• Juniors:

PG: Roddy Peters

PF/C: Damonte Dodd

• Seniors:

PG: Seth Allen

SF: Jake Layman

PF: Charles Mitchell

PF: Shaquille Cleare

—————–

Total Scholarships: 8

Total Available: 5

——————

2016 – 2017 Scholarships

• Freshmen:

N/A:

• Sophomores:

N/A:

• Juniors:

PG: Romelo Trimble

SG: Dion Wiley

• Seniors:

PG: Roddy Peters

PF: Damonte Dodd

—————

Total Scholarships: 4

Total Available: 9

—————-

This is just a breakdown of the scholarship situation to A.) make you feel old and decrepit and B.) give perspective about where Maryland is headed. What can we gain from something like this? Outside of a trajectory course for when a lot of your friends will go bald, it shows areas of need.

If it weren’t obvious already, there’s a good chance that the back court is well taken care of for the next few years, this just illustrates that. In terms of real need going forward, it’s at the small forward position (if we’re talking traditional positions). Layman can fill that role until 2016, but no one said that was going to be pretty. He’s not amazing defensively, so bringing in a guy like Larrier might hep, and would give the Terps two long defenders (one of which will have plenty of experience).

There’s also a need to address the center position, where Maryland has a lot of guys who aren’t true centers filling the role. Damonte Dodd (size-wise) is actually as close as it gets. Shaquille Cleare and Charles Mitchell are more power forwards than anything, which is where we get a bit of a logjam minutes wise. But you can never have enough bigs, so this isn’t a bad thing. Still, Maryland is going to really want to hone in on Trayvon Reed/Goodluck/Onuaku/Obi. Landing one of those four would greatly benefit the Terps in that future, and would virtually set a lot of the roster.

This obviously doesn’t take into account players leaving for the NBA or transferring schools, which Maryland is familiar with. They have lost a number of players the past few years due to that; Jordan Williams, Alex Len, and Stoglin to the NBA; Hakur Palsson to the pros; Mychal Parker, Pe’Shon Howard, and Ashton Pankey to transfers. The roster is clearly fluid at this point, but this at least gives us a look at what could happen if everything goes as planned.

Enjoy it folks.

Apr 5, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Toronto Raptors shooting guard Terrence Ross (31) dunks the ball in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Raptors 95-93. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

This what-if breaks into two sections. As mentioned earlier, I think this situation had a bigger impact on Gary Williams then Jordan Williams did. Terrence Ross continued his stellar progress and left Washington after his sophomore year, and was drafted tenth overall to Toronto in the NBA Draft. So far in the league, he has won the 2013 NBA Slam Dunk contest. Then there is the on court section, along with the off court part of this what if scenario.

On the court, the class of 2010 would have been one of Gary Williams best classes based off of rankings. The final ESPN Top 100 had Terrence Ross (#30), Mychal Parker (#45), and Terrell Stoglin (#97). Their freshman year would have had them alongside Seniors Adrian Bowie, Cliff Tucker, and Dino Gregory/ Junior Sean Mosley/ and Sophomores Jordan Williams and James Padgett. The team had a solid core of players, but adding three dynamic guards would have greatly improved the team. Bowie and Tucker struggled to lead the team and to run the offense efficiently. Neither was fully confident in themselves, which made Stoglin a great addition to the team because he has never seen a shot he didn’t like. The size of Ross and his shooting range would have helped a team that featured no three-point shooters. The 2010-2011 season saw the made three-point streak come to an end, when as a team Maryland did not make a three pointer at Georgia Tech. The addition of Ross would have changed this flaw in the team. Teams knew they could sit back in a zone and prevent passing lanes to Jordan Williams since no one could consistently shoot from deep. The Terps finished the season 19-14 (7-9) and missed out on the NCAA Tournament. There are a couple of notable close games that with the addition of Terrence Ross, Maryland could have won and improved their chances at the NCAA Tournament:

2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden

#4 Pittsburgh 79-70 and the next game #16 Illinois 80-76

BB&T Classic vs Temple 64-61

Both games against Boston College: 79-75 (@MD) and 76-72 (@BC)

The two vs Boston College make the Terps a 9-7 team in the ACC, and mixed with one of the other games bumps them to 22-11 and a notable non-conference win. Clemson, for example, finished the season 22-11 (9-7) and made the tournament as a last four team in. Clemson’s best non-conference win was over Seton Hall in overtime and in conference they never beat Duke or North Carolina. Maryland with the same record but a non-conference win over #16 Illinois at the Garden, would have jumped Clemson into the NCAA Tournament.

Having Ross and Stoglin returning, along with adding top 100 recruit, Nick Faust, the next year could have been enough to convince Jordan Williams to return to Maryland. The team would have been a threat to finish in the top four of the ACC. Coach Williams could have experimented with four guard line-ups of Ross, Stoglin, Parker, Faust, and J. Williams. This would have gone nicely with the more typical line up of Ross, Stoglin, Parker, Padgett, and J. Williams. With role players, Hawk Palsson, Alex Len, and Sterling Gibbs, Maryland could have made another run to the NCAA Tournament.

Off the court, Gary Williams had been criticized for his recruiting ability. The class of 2010 would have done a lot to silence the critics, especially after winning the ACC in 2010. Making the NCAA Tournament would have kept the Athletic Department happy, especially as Gary continued his recruiting surge with Shaq Cleare and Justin Anderson. While Gary did not want to play the shoe company and AAU game, with the help of assistant coach Bino, he would have continued to build up talented rosters, while avoiding the part of the game he disliked.

Instead, Gary saw the cornerstone of his 2010 class taken in political struggle of shoe company dominance. Ross at Maryland would have almost certainly locked him as an Under Armour player once he entered the league as the tenth overall pick. Nike, losing out on a top player, from their backyard to a former school of theirs would have been a blow to their ego. Especially when Ross won the 2013 NBA Slam Dunk contest, while wearing Under Armour sneakers. Ross’s decommitment symbolized the new era of college basketball, and one that Coach Williams did not want to be a part. He had a tough time already competing with the top programs for players, going up against handlers and shoe companies as well made staying competitive tough for the older coach.

Gary Williams last season in college basketball ended in a disappointing 19-14 record and no postseason birth. Coach Williams had a built a roster of under the radar recruits with a chip on their shoulder, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with the new wave of college basketball teams. Jordan Williams declared for the NBA Draft, and Coach Williams left Maryland shortly after. Maybe it was better that it happened. I love Gary as much as the next guy, but with Coach Mark Turgeon we have seen a different attitude towards recruiting. Young and not afraid at taking risk, Turgeon has led Maryland recruiting into uncharted territory. As fans, we needed a change, the past we longed for is gone, and Coach Turgeon appears to be the guy to lead us to the future. I was as upset as the next guy when Ross decommitted, but he might have only been able to lead us to couple more NCAA Tournament 2nd round exits. With Coach Turgeon we look poised for Final Four run sooner rather than later.