Niko Amato highlighted a group of several Terps that were named to the All-America teams on Thursday. (Photo Credit: Charlie DeBoyace/The Diamondback)

Despite a deflating NCAA tournament loss to Cornell in the first round, the Maryland men’s lacrosse team has plenty to be proud of. Senior Long stick midfielder Jesse Bernhardt and senior midfielder John Haus were two of the four local players that were selected to the All-America teams by the USILA.

Bernhardt had a stellar senior campaign for the Terps as he scored four goals, recorded three assists, caused 25 turnovers, and picked up 59 groundballs. The Florida native was a second-team selection a season ago. On the other hand, Haus netted 18 goals and dished out 10 assists for Maryland and was an honorable mention All-America selection during his sophomore and junior seasons.

Maryland didn’t just have members on the first-team, but also had representatives on the second and third teams as well as an honorable mention. As was expected, junior goalie Niko Amato highlighted the second-team selections for the Terps. Amato had a spectacular year as he finished in the top 10 in both save percentage (.594) and goals-against-average (7.98). Junior midfielder Mike Chanenchuk and junior defenseman Michael Ehrhardt were also named to the second-team. After losing a goal scorer like Joe Cummings after last year, Chanenchuk was one of the key cogs on Maryland’s offense. The New York native scored 23 goals and recorded 14 assists for Maryland this season. Ehrhardt had a great year at the defensive end as he scooped up 53 ground balls (3.79 per game). Chanenchuk was named to the second-team last year as well while this was Ehrhardt’s first year making any of the All-America teams.

Sophomore defenseman Goran Murray was the lone Terp to be named to the All-America third-team. Murray picked up 19 ground balls for Maryland and appeared in all 14 games for the Terps. Murray was an honorable mention for his freshman campaign performance and has made significant strides during his first two seasons in College Park. Senior midfielder Landon Carr was named as an honorable mention. Carr scored a pair of goals and dished out three assists while grabbing 17 groundballs for the Terps in his senior season.

It’s a shame that these Maryland lacrosse stars have earned all these accolades and were never able to hoist a national championship trophy. The group of seniors did make two title game appearances and were so close to capturing the ultimate crown. It’s sad to see guys like Bernhardt, Haus, and Carr go but there is a large amount of impact recruits that could change the future for the Terps and that’s something to look forward to.

Now that the NBA Draft order is all set, it’s worth playing the guessing game of where Maryland center Alex Len could end up. This year’s draft is wide open due to the fact that there isn’t a clear-cut number-one choice as there was a season ago with Anthony Davis. There’s plenty of teams that could use a player of Len’s caliber and he could be extremely productive if he lands in a good situation. Alongside guard Dez Wells, Len was arguably the Terrapins’ best player during the 2012-2013 season. The Ukrainian big man averaged 11.9 points-per-game and 7.8 assists-per-game to go along with 2.1 blocks-per-game. We saw Len being absolutely dominant at times (abusing Nerlens Noel to the tune of 23 and 12) to looking pretty pedestrian on several occasions (scoring only 8 combined points in losses to Florida State and Boston College). It may take Len a few seasons to get adjusted to the professional game but he has the potential to be very good.

Let’s take a look at the possible landing spots for Len:

Washington – The Wizards were able to move up in the lottery and secure the third pick in the draft. A year removed from selecting guard Bradley Beal, it looks like the hometown Wizards have their backcourt shored up with Beal and John Wall at the point. That leaves two possible positions that they could look to in the draft. Washington could solidify the wing with Georgetown forward Otto Porter Jr. or improve on the interior with a guy like UNLV forward Anthony Bennett or Len. It would be a very interesting scenario if the Wizards drafted the hometown prospect in Len. It’s not a popular pick at the number-three spot, but isn’t exactly a huge stretch. Some analysts are speculating that Len could be the best prospect in this draft class. Nene and Emeka Okafor currently occupy the middle and aren’t getting any younger. Len could see a decent amount of minutes at the center position and could significantly change the Wizards offense for the better.

Charlotte (#4) – The Bobcats (soon-to-be Hornets again) have a ton of low post players on the roster but not many with potential. Byron Mullens (10.6 points-per-game) and 2011 first round pick Bismack Biyombo (4.8 points-per-game and 7.3 rebounds-per-game) are the only ones worth noting and who knows if Biyombo will ever develop a scoring touch. The Bobcats could roll with this duo for another season and see what happens or they could pull the trigger on Len with the fourth pick. He would provide scoring ability that Charlotte lacks and a defensive presence superior to Mullens.

New Orleans (#6) – The center position isn’t a glaring need for the Pelicans (man that feels weird to type). Anthony Davis has solidified the power forward spot for the next 10 years but Robin Lopez isn’t exactly lighting the fire at center. The other Lopez brother put up solid numbers this past season but hasn’t been too impressive over his career (7.3 points-per-game and 3.9 rebounds-per-game). With New Orleans, Len could be eased into the lineup and have a big impact on a young team. The combination of Davis and Len could form a potentially dominating duo for years to come.

Sacramento (#7) – The Kings haven’t had a tremendous impact of success through the draft in recent years. In terms of low post players, Sacramento has selected troubled center DeMarcus Cousins and power forward Jason Thompson. Neither has really lived up to their first round billing and an upgrade could be had. It’s long been rumored that the Kings are interested in moving Cousins due to his immaturity. Who knows if it will actually come to fruition, but they don’t have much quality depth down low. Len could almost instantly start at the power forward spot. Thompson would be a better fit coming off the bench and is an active player that can still give the Kings quality minutes. Len, possibly along with Cousins, would give the Kings a pair of seven-footers that can alter a very high amount of shots.

Philadelphia (#11) – The Sixers are a wild card spot for Len to land. If he doesn’t go in the top 10, I would tend to think that the Sixers would pounce on the Terps product with the 11th pick. Philadelphia gambled with acquiring center Andrew Bynum and if they don’t re-sign the former Laker center, they will definitely be in the market for a big man. Philly hasn’t had a productive center since Dikembe Mutombo manned the middle during the glory days of Allen Iverson and company. Len is an immediate upgrade over Spencer Hawes on both ends of the floor and would bring a shot-blocking presence that the Sixers have lacked.

Dallas (#13) –  The Mavericks don’t have much quality depth down low and could use a youth movement. Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman certainly aren’t spring chickens anymore and Dallas needs to start thinking about their future replacements. If Len is drafted by the Mavericks, it would give him a chance to slowly learn about the NBA game and not be rushed into a situation. It would give Len the opportunity to learn from one of the most offensively gifted big men of all time in Nowitzki.

Mar 14, 2013; Greensboro, NC, USA; Maryland Terrapins center Alex Len (25) goes up for a dunk over Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Travis McKie (30) during the first round of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

• The Wizards got the number three pick in the NBA draft lottery, so logically Alex Len’s name is being thrown into the mix as a potential draft pick. Problem is, the Wizards have a history of completely botching picks in recent years, especially when it comes to Europeans named Olekisy. That’s why Len made the TruthAboutIt #SoWizards picks. Great. Good thing he’s not going to Washington…I think.
• Continuing their Top 3 series, InsideMarylandSports.com gives us a (pay-to-play) look at the top three linebackers the Terps will face next year. Everyone on the list is going to be a nightmare to face, and is a future draft pick. The first guy in particular, is incredibly good.
• Heather Dinich over at ESPN gives the Terps a brief love bump by briefly summing up the whole Terps vs the ACC thing that’s currently going on. The ramifications of the ruling could have drastic effects, if there is even any ruling today at all. President Loh, as we know now, is currently in attendance though so it’s safe to say, “Does this roof look Loh? Cause I think it needs to be raiiiised!”
• It’s a shame that the Terrapins haven’t won a championship in lacrosse in a long while, because they have some very good players who deserve to get that trophy. In particular, the seven All-Americans that were named on the team. With that much firepower, Maryland has got to start winning the big one. (Diamondback)
• It may be weird, but Roddy Peters is already one of my favorite Terps players. When you read things like the Baltimore Sun’s piece on getting to know the kid, you’ll find out why. Some interesting blurbs? His favorite Terp is Juan Dixon, his role model is John Wall, and he’s ambidextrous. I can’t wait for this guy to don that beautiful Maryland pride jersey.

Mark Turgeon wants out of this car crash of a tournament
Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s face it: the BB&T Classic is a joke.

Charitable intentions be damned, with the news that George Mason will draw the Oklahoma Sooners in the once-popular Washington, D.C. tournament, Maryland should spurn this dog and pony show sooner rather than later. There is just no point anymore in reserving a schedule spot for a tournament with such lackluster opponents.

Here’s a list, since 2005, of Maryland Terrapins opponents in the BB&T Classic:

2005: George Washington

2006: Notre Dame

2007: Virginia Commonwealth University

2008: George Washington

2009: Villanova

2010: Temple

2011: Notre Dame

2012: George Mason

2013: George Washington

For a one-day event, that lineup is a crapshoot and clear evidence that this “tournament” has completely lost its luster. When you draw a quality-ish opponent once every three years, it’s just time to cut your losses and look for other charitable events. Especially when fan attendance is dwindling and the other major school in the area (Georgetown) wouldn’t poke this Classic with a ten-foot retractable pole.

It’s hard not to feel slighted by this John Feinstein-led maneuver (though I’m not advocating any Duke alumni conspiracies). Maryland is a respectable brand, and now they’re fighting to be the headliner in a tournament that features George Washington and George Mason? Thanks, but no thanks.

Maryland can find much better opponents further away from the region; just look at the sellout in Brooklyn last year against Kentucky. If they have to travel a few (or more than a few) country miles to get there, then so be it. Maryland has the potential to draw in a national television audience even after not making the tournament, and right now the Terps are just limiting their potential being associated with this mess.

What does Maryland gain from this? A non-factor RPI win over George Washington or an RPI bunker-buster with a loss to the aforementioned team. Mark Turgeon was right when he said he wanted schedule flexibility to be able to play with some other headliner. Maybe replace BB&T with, and forgive me because this is just off the top of my head, a game against Georgetown.

No brainer here, folks.

Apr 10, 2013; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Tom Crean at the Cody Zeller press conference for the NBA draft. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowksi-USA TODAY Sports

The North Carolina Tar Heels are raking in the recruits for the class of 2014.

At 12:15 today the #10 player in the 2014 class, G/F Theo Pinson, announced that he was committing to UNC, surprising quite a bit of people along the way.

Earlier in the day, most analysts had Pinson pegged to attend Indiana, as Tom Crean and Co.  had recruited him harder and longer than anyone else. But UNC pressed late in the game, and by 10 AM most had it at 50/50, with a slight edge to UNC. That turned out to be true, and the High Point, North Carolina guard decided to remain in his home state and compete in the ACC.

So what does that mean for the Terrapins, intangibly? Well, Pinson was a big target for Indiana, and their failure to get a commitment from him means that they are going to get much more aggressive in their pursuit of replacement targets. One of those happens to be a target of the Terrapins as well: shooting guard Dion Wiley.

Wiley, from nearby Oxon Hill, Maryland, has been courted by the Maryland Terrapins for a long time, and he remains their top target for the 2014 class. For the Terps, he is the primary objective, the one that ties the whole class together and helps bring in other potential big name recruits. But given how Wiley has repeatedly stated that his recruitment is still wide open, he is far from a sure thing for the Terps

As of late, Indiana has started talking Wiley a lot more despite already having a shooting guard commitment from James Blackmon Jr. in 2014. They offered Wiley this summer, and should they choose to press harder on him, it could have serious implications for Maryland. Indiana is a powerhouse with tons of tradition, and anytime they start to work on a recruit, you have to be concerned about the appeal they have for certain players.

When you toss Florida into the mix as well, since Billy Donovan just attended one of his AAU games, that means Dion is likely to be hearing a lot of very strong pitches from some very good teams, and that is something Maryland should be concerned about. Florida is a tournament team with a championship winning coach, and Indiana is close with even more tradition.

Wiley is a Maryland kid, and has stated how much he loves the Terps in the past, so they still have that going for them. The fact that Mark Turgeon has placed so much time and effort into recruiting him (visits, watching his basketball games, going to games with him) shows how committed the Terps are to, well, getting his commitment. As it stands, Maryland has to be considered the favorite, but it’s far from being a stone-cold lock.

I’m not sure that Indiana is going to take on another commitment at the guard position, as that would create a logjam and probably piss off some recruits. All this is mere speculation as to what could happen. In the coming weeks, we’ll find out just how committed they are in their pursuit of Wiley. Theo Pinson committing to UNC over Indiana definitely hasn’t ruined the Terps chances of landing Wiley, but you have to figure it made things tougher.

Mar 23, 2013; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) attempts to dribble by Memphis Tigers guard Antonio Barton (2) and guard Geron Johnson (55) in the first half during the third round of the NCAA basketball tournament at The Palace. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

My bro Antonio Barton will be making his decision on which school he will be going to next year Sunday afternoon after church. Let go!!!!!

— Will Barton (@WillTheThrillB5) May 22, 2013

The Antonio Barton saga will be coming to a close Sunday afternoon as his brother, Portland Trail Blazers forward Will Barton, said via Twitter early Wednesday morning that his brother intended to make his decision after church.

Three schools are thought to be in the running for the former Memphis guard’s services: Maryland, Tennessee, and Syracuse (thought to be the long shot with incoming freshman Tyler Ennis taking over). Barton visited Tennessee sometime last week, and Maryland about a weekend before that, as he listened to what each school had to offer.

Barton decided to graduate early this summer and forgo his final year at Memphis, where he played for the previous three seasons. He saw his minutes diminish each year with the Tigers, and opted to transfer following their loss to Michigan State in the third round of the NCAA tournament — a game in which he only played one minute.

The Terrapins can offer Barton a starting point guard role on the team, as their former floor general Pe’Shon Howard opted to transfer out of Maryland himself. With only sophomore Seth Allen and incoming freshman Roddy Peters to run the point, the Terrapins can assure Barton the starting minutes he is likely seeking.

In addition, Maryland is very close to where Barton grew up in Baltimore, and the fact that he has a 4-year old daughter in the area may also play a factor in his decision to come home (though he has stated it will not). Barton is also very close friends with current Terrapin player Nick Faust, and has very strong ties to the area where he played AAU basketball (for the Baltimore Stars) right around the corner.

Maryland coach Mark Turgeon wants to bring Barton on board for his experience (he has played on three NCAA tournament teams). and because he would then be able to move Seth Allen to his natural position (shooting guard) with the acquisition. Barton is a knock down three-point shooter, connecting on 40% or better from deep all three years at Memphis. The move would allow the Terrapins to fully replace scholarships lost from Alex Len (NBA), Pe’Shon Howard (transfer), James Padgett (graduated), and Logan Aronhalt (graduated).

Meanwhile, Tennessee swooped in late in the game but appears to be a contender for Barton’s services. Tennessee started pursuing Barton after their two-year starting guard Trae Golden decided to transfer out, reportedly due to academic issues. Golden averaged 12 points per game for Tennessee last season.

Last year, Tennessee was a 20-13 NIT team, but the Vols bring back a first-team SEC guard Jordan McRae and look to be building off a strong foundation. Tennessee would likely hand the starting job over to Barton upon arrival, given that their backcourt depth just got a lot thinner.

Should he decide to attend Tennessee, Barton would be remaining in the state where he played the entirety of his college career. Knoxville is about six hours away from Memphis on the opposite side of the state, but remaining in the same area may become a deciding factor.

You have to believe at this point that Barton is highly considering Maryland, given the high praise he had for the university following his visit and the close proximity to friends and family in the Baltimore area. Still, it’s difficult to count out Tennessee, since they are offering a very similar situation to Barton in terms of playing time, which appears to be the biggest factor. Syracuse, at this point, has reportedly backed off, so this is more like a two-horse race now.

Either way, whichever school Barton decides to choose, the saga will be over by Sunday afternoon.

• To start things off, SlamOnline pays homage to one of the NBA’s brightest young stars, former Maryland Terrapin Greivis Vasquez. Fans of the Terps know his story, but it’s good for the rest of the world not wearing Gary Williams-shaded glasses to acknowledge how tough his journey has been. As it stands today, Greivis is a major cog in the future of the New Orleans Pelicans, and really did start from the bottom.
• Ah , freedom of information. The Maryland v. ACC lawsuit, which is likely to go up there with McCullouch v. Maryland and Brown v. the Board of Education in terms of landmark court decisions, is revving up now. Alex Prewitt of the Washington Post is providing all the essential documents in case you’re really bored in the offseason. 44 pages of dry.
• Since it only makes sense that Maryland would still get tied to the ACC no matter how far they ran, the Detroit Lions bowl is about to pit the Big Ten and the ACC against one another yet again. They’d be traveling to Detroit…to play postseason..football? My head is on fire.
• Now that Kevin Dorsey is in the NFL, there will be plenty more written about him, as he’s on the national stage. The Journal Sentinel decided to take a look at Dorsey as a human being, and you get the idea the guy is pretty smart when he starts talking about conflict resolution skills during a conversation involving Xbox.
• And finally, even on the Duke end of things, the writers over at Bleacher Report agree that the Terps are going to pose a problem for even an incredibly talented team like the Blue Devils. I like the sound of that, although I am still extremely nervous about facing this team. Sike.
• And finally, Microsoft unveiled their Xbox One today, and that thing is an absolute beast. It actually started lighting Twitter up with its marketing towards sports fans. The whole Snap feature where I can pin my fantasy stats on the screen while watching football is seriously what’s going to push me to pick one of these up. Even if it looks like an Atari. (Joystiq)

Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

• The Detroit Free Press broke down the salaries of assistant coaches in the Big Ten (on the football side of things), and the end result is that they make some serious dinero. It’s also no surprise that the top seven spots are occupied by coaches at some of the best schools in the country at football – Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska. It’s known that to draw in better coaches, you have to draw out your wallet. But where do the Terrapins stack up? Just as WaPo’s Alex Prewitt.
• Any time Maryland can beat Duke, in anything, it’s a good day. Fortunately, the Lady Terps lax team took down the Blue Devils 14-9 Saturday in the NCAA quarterfinals. The Lady Terps are on an absolute tear right now, and don’t look to be slowing down. They get to go up against future Big Ten opponent in Northwestern in the semifinals. They haven’t had the best luck with Northwestern, but even more interesting is that they have a former Terp on the coaching staff. (WaPo)
• Well here’s something interesting that might pique a few people’s interest…if you’re into believing in longshots. The Terps were previously heavy on the trail for the best shooting guard in the 2014 class, Rashad Vaughn, before backing off. Well, it appears Vaughn is hesitant to sign with North Carolina after visiting there over the weekend. He’s opened up his recruitment again, and that means anything can happen between now and National Signing Day. I don’t think Maryland or Vaughn has interest anymore, but we’ll have to see what happens. When a recruit says he’s opened up his recruiting, it usually provides an opportunity to swoop in.
• Well Maryland can probably be a little happier about leaving the ACC now that news has come out that there may not be an ACC network for a long, long time. The ACC has yet to buy back it’s media rights from Raycom and Fox Sports Net, which means unless they figure out a way to do so, they won’t be eligible to do anything until 2027. So what does that mean? Conference realignment talk is going to continue to be talked about, and people may have been too quick in calling John Swofford a genius. (MrSEC.com)
• I’m not entirely certain how I missed this, but Athlon Sports decided to take a stab at Maryland’s potential at getting to a bowl game next year a few weeks ago. Find out their analysis (as well as plenty of others) right here.

Nov 24 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Florida International Golden Panthers wide receiver Wayne Times (5) runs the ball against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks in overtime at FIU Stadium. The Warhawks defeated FIU 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re into gambling, BetOnline.com released the entire slate of week one college football point spreads, and if you’re into Maryland, you’re going to love it.

The Terrapins are a 14.5 point favorite over Week One opponent Florida International University, which is a welcome thing to see considering last year the Terps were a 14.5 favorite over an FCS School (William & Mary). I think Vegas truly believes the Terps are better, and one thing is for certain, you don’t win when you bet against Vegas.

FIU travels to College Park for the fist time since 2010, when the Terps beat them handily, 42-28 with Danny O’Brien slinging balls to Torrey Smith. The Golden Panthers were one of the worst teams in the country last year, finishing 3-9 and dropping games against teams like Troy and Arkansas…State.

For Maryland to be given two touchdowns against a team like that is more a formality than anything else. The Terps have way more firepower than FIU, and should automatically have a two score advantage. Still, the spread doesn’t illicit a ton of confidence about the team from the bookies, and understandably so since during the Edsall regime there have been let-downs. With a strong preseason and as the season inches a bit closer, I fully expect that spread to widen a bit. Until then, place your bets now!

Apr 2, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Maryland Terrapins center Alex Len (25) blocks a shot by Iowa Hawkeyes guard Anthony Clemmons (5) during the second half of the NIT Tournament semifinal at Madison Square Garden. Iowa won the game 71-60. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Len hasn’t really been able to participate in many of the pre-draft workouts that send college players stock through the roof, so scouts are beginning to pick away at his game in hopes of getting a gauge on his potential. Len’s recent comments in the media about being the “best player in this draft” in ten years is tough talk; it’s a way to implant his toughness into the minds of evaluators without being able to show them first-hand. But all that is, is talk.

Len has been pegged as a lottery pick since the U18 European Championships, way before he stepped foot onto the Comcast Center court. I figured it’d be as good a place as ever to start looking at Len’s abilities, given the NBA players he went up against as a teenager and that’s where all the hype began.

Len played in nine games for the Ukranians, averaging 16 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks while shooting 47% over that time period. By comparison, two hyped up players (one in the NBA and one in this draft), Jonas Valanciunas and Rudy Gobert, averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds and 9.2 points and 9 rebounds per game, respectively. By looking at just his overall statistics you’d presume that Len, at the time, was a lot more like Valanciunas than Gobert. So for that, I think it’s better that you look at their head-t0-head comparisons.

Against Valanciunas, Len got more or less whipped. He only played 16 minutes and scored 6 points and grabbed two boards. Valanciunas, meanwhile, continued his dominance with 16 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. Jonas is very clearly a good NBA player, averaging around 11 points in the last month of the NBA season, but he is a year older than Len and much has changed since then. But in their first head-to-head, it wasn’t really close, and was only the second time he was held to single digit points the entire European Championship tournament.

But that was back in 2010, and three years later Len is a completely different player. To get a good look at Len as an NBA prospect, it’s even more important to understand his progression and development as a player, which includes analyzing those three years. At the time, Len was a 7’1, 220 lb. boy who couldn’t speak English. By the time he left college park, Len added significant bulk, ending up at 255 lbs. He transformed from a boy to man during the offseason between his freshman and sophomore year, displaying a drive to get better that will serve him greatly in the future.

His freshman year was like most seven-foot big men; that is to say, it was riddled with inconsistency. Len missed his first ten games due to eligibility issues, and had three games to get ready before ACC play. He reached double figures six times the entire season, and only three times during ACC play. Still, Len was efficient, blocked two shots per game, and showed a good (not great) ability to rebound. He also proved he was a competent face-up defender, as the Terps defensive stats while he was on the floor went through the roof.

His sophomore season was similar to his freshman year in that it was clear Len still looked uncomfortable and inconsistent at times, but he also showed flashes of the ability to take over games. His first matchup of the year, on a national stage against Nerlens Noel, was evidence of that: 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Yes, he was inconsistent, but with young big men, scouts look for a few things: the ability to get better, take over games, and evidence that they haven’t hit their ceilings. Len accomplished all three of those things last year, and he did it without a point guard, which is a position that tends to bring out the very best in big men.

Len has a still-developing skill level that rivals some very good big men. Pau Gasol’s name gets thrown around, because they are both smooth, huge, athletes who have a solid face-up game. I think that’s absurd, mind you, because Pau was much better as a rookie than Len will ever be. Others look at Enes Kanter, a young European big who needs more years to develop. That’s also off-base; Len is more athletic than Kanter by far.

A lot of analysts project him with other European players of the same age, but that’s not fair for Len. They mostly do it because he’s white and somewhat skinny, with a finesse game. Len doesn’t have an entirely European game to him; for starters, he already has two years of American basketball under his belt. He also doesn’t mind contact down low, and while he may not initiate it all the time, he never shies away from it. He has a known mean streak, and actually gets fired up during games, and more importantly (as I said before), shows a clear drive to get better. Oh, and he likes to dunk.

When you compare him to whatever European you can throw out there, it’s an injustice to him unless it’s actually predicated on their games and not their faces. Notice that he is not often compared to someone like Roy Hibbert. Hibbert may be an All-Star center now, but from his freshman through senior year, he was a questionable college prospect. He didn’t run the floor well, didn’t have a complete post-game, and still isn’t a great rebounder for his size. To suggest that anyone knew, coming out of college, that Roy would be an All-Star someday is revisionist history. There were tons of questions upon his arrival into the NBA as to whether or not his game would transition to the NBA. So I’m suggesting that as prospects, not so much in their respective games, the two are similar.

Len is probably a better draft prospect than Roy Hibbert as a sophomore and junior. Want to compare them as prospects? Go right ahead here. It’s very similar, except that Len runs the floor better, is considered to have a better offensive game, and is in much better condition. But make no mistake, Len isn’t Roy Hibbert. He’ll never be that bruiser down low, nor will he likely on a night-to-night basis monster jam over opposing big men and impose his will at a Pau Gasol-type level.

But Len is a very good prospect as an NBA center. If he polishes that face-up game even more, then the worst case scenario is a watered down Brook Lopez. A guy who doesn’t score like Brook, but rebounds similarly and has more upside as a defender. A 10 point, 8 rebound a night guy who can give you some blocks, as well. Or he’s a better offensive Kosta Kofous, who has been in the league for about five years and just last year averaged eight points and six rebounds per game. Kofous was a better college player, to be sure, but Len has a lot more going for him that Kofous in terms of next-level skills.

To say that Len will be someone like Nikoloz Tskitishvili is ridiculous. That’s one of the biggest busts of all time in the NBA, and he played four years in the NBA before getting bounced. Even if you’re hard pressed to compare him to a European bust, then give him the decency of saying Darko Milicic. And quite frankly, most everyone thinks Len will be a lot better than him, too. So if you want to say that Len’s projection is a ten year veteran who didn’t live up to expectations but had a decent career, then go ahead and be my guest.

I’m sticking with something much better.