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.

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.

Mar 15, 2013; Greensboro, NC, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard/forward Dez Wells (32) reaches for the ball as Duke Blue Devils forward Ryan Kelly (34) and forward Mason Plumlee (5) are in the background. 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

• Lately the hubbub is about the Big Ten schedule being announced, and even though it’s an entire season-offseason cycle away from us, people like Tom Fornelli of CBSSports are putting Maryland in the losers column. I’m not sure that anyone in the state of Maryland thinks we’re losers in the scheduling discussion, even if we get to play Ohio State in our first home Big Ten game.
• If you’re curious about how the B1G 2014 schedule came together, this Adam Rittenberg article will pique your interest quite a bit. Apparently the fact that the Terps and Rutgers play both traditional powers (Michigan and Ohio State) on the same day (October 4th) was pure coincidence. And no one believes that except Jim Delany.
• In case anyone was wondering how the Terps fared in previous years against Big Ten opponents, well, it’s not very pretty. But keep in mind that a lot of these games were played before AOL was popular and kickers didn’t wear face masks. So I personally don’t put a lot of stock in this analysis. (The Gazette)
• Former Terp and future NBA player Alex Len might be recovering from a stress fracture in his foot, but he’s still putting in work. Len has been interviewing with NBA teams left and right before the upcoming draft, in hopes of convincing some team that he’s worth taking a flyer on. Even if he won’t be playing for a little while. I just hope the Wizards don’t land him, no matter what, because his career would be derailed before it even began. (Alex Prewitt, Washington Post)
• In other former Terps news, though a bit older, Nik Caner-Medley was hospitalized earlier this month for a heart arrhythmia suffered while playing for his Maccabi Tel Aviv team. Fortunately for you guys, I can speak Spanish, because this article is in complete Spanish. It’s still uncertain as to whether or not he’s going to be able to play again for his team this year, who made it to the quarter finals.
• ACC basketball is a ways away, but so far the verdict on the Terps is less than encouraging from some outlets, including Syracuse.com, who thinks the Terps will be middle-of-the-pack bad. They’re newcomers, so I’ll let it slide just this once, but they are right about one thing: we’re going to miss Alex Len.

Roll Terps, and congratulations to the graduating seniors!

Nov 24, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Randy Edsall reacts on the sidelines. The Tar Heels defeated the Terrapins 45-38 at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

• To start things off, the 2014 recruiting class for football just got a little bit stronger, as 3 1/2-star running back Jonathan Thomas committed to Maryland. Great news for the Terps, who nabbed the Mass. back over an SEC program (Arkansas). To be honest, I wasn’t fully expecting this after he took a visit to Arkansas and came away impressed, but that’s big for recruiting. Since we didn’t take any RBs in the 2013 class, this should bolster the group in the future. (Alex Prewitt of Washington Post)
• If you want a little more on Jonathan Thomas and why the Terps think he can be a program changer, check out ESPNBoston’s interview here. Excuse me while I go fist pump for joy.
• Speaking of recruiting, the Terrapins now have the #42 class in the nation and #9 class in the ACC for 2014. I would take that with a grain of salt, however, because we’re nine months from National Signing Day, and a lot can change between now and then. Still, Maryland is off to a pretty strong start already with Will Ulmer and Jared Cohen already in the fold. (Rivals)
• The local recruiting rivalry is starting to heat up between Georgetown and College Park. But chalk one up in the win column for the Hoyas, as Terps target and St. John’s point guard Tre Campbell quickly committed to Georgetown Wednesday night. Considering he was offered under a week ago, that was mighty quick. If we’re being honest, Tre Campbell was never coming to College Park. And we don’t have to worry about him convincing Dion Wiley to go to Georgetown, because their scholarship numbers won’t really allow it. Still, big Team Takeover talent off the board. (Casual Hoya)
• The injury bug hit Alex Len at the worst time, but he’s optimistic about his chances of recovery and still being drafted highly. Len is currently scheduled to go visit Chicago, which would be an awesome fit for him if he ended up falling that much. The Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau is one of the best in the biz, and he’d groom Len well just like he did with Omer Asik. Anyway, the Baltimore Sun got to speak with his agent, and it provides some good insight on the Ukrainian.
• Earlier today I threw up a post about predicting the Terrapins record for the upcoming football season. While it may feel like a stretch when I have them pegged at 5-3 or 6-2 after eight weeks, at least Andre Ware agrees with me that we’re due for a bounce back. It’s all contingent on that second half of the season, where we’re 0-12 over two years. That comes back to the injury bug, and Randy Edsall. It’d be nice to end the ACC run being bowl eligible so we don’t get laughed out upon entrance into the Big Ten…

As always, enjoy finals and Roll Terps

Mar 16, 2013; Greensboro, NC, USA; Maryland Terrapins center Alex Len (25) scores in the first half during the semifinals of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

According to his agent, former Maryland Terrapins big man and potential lottery pick Alex Len will miss four to six months due to a partial stress fracture in his left ankle. The Ukrainian seven footer had surgery to stabilize the fracture today, ending any chance of Len partaking in pre-draft workouts.

The terrible news comes at a bad time for Len, considering many people thought he might rise up some NBA draft boards with good workouts. His finesse game is designed for the type of workouts held before the draft, and with the only other dominant big man (Nerlens Noel) out recovering from torn knee ligaments, Len stood a chance of potentially cementing himself into the top 3-6 picks. This news obviously rules out that possibility.

Injuries of this type are commonplace for big men who try to work out too much, too soon before the draft in order to bulk up. It’s important to make that distinction, because early foot injuries for seven foot big men are like a death sentence; they point to future injuries down the road. This one was an ankle, which is not quite the same thing. That he is young and they are having surgery already is usually a good sign that he’ll recover just fine, and it won’t be a regular recurrence throughout his career.

It remains to be seen if Len will fall out of the first round with this kind of injury, but that is something I highly doubt will occur. Len’s decision to leave College Park for the riches of the NBA probably looks smarter now than at any point in time. Had he missed that amount of time while still in college, there’s no way of knowing what would have happened to him in the future in terms of playing. Len is too good of a big man for one small injury to scare off plenty of teams. He may lose out on some money, but he isn’t going to lose out on getting drafted.

As it stands, Len may actually slide a bit further down and end up on some playoff caliber teams if people deem it that much of a red flag. That might end up being better for him in the long run, anyway. Being able to play alongside an elite guard would help his game tremendously.

Either way, you have to feel for the kid. It’s a long and arduous journey to the NBA, and to have it get derailed at the last second is unfortunate. Still, Len is a strong person, and he’ll get through it just fine. Let’s just hope he gets better as fast as possible.

As many various analysts and other basketball people predicted, Alex Len is leaving Maryland to enter the NBA Draft after two seasons with the Terrapins. The Ukrainian big man came to College Park as a relative unknown and ended up putting together two strong seasons with the team despite several growing pains. As was expected from many national basketball pundits, the Terps center had a much more productive sophomore campaign in which he averaged 11.6 points-per-game and 7.8 rebounds-per-game in 26.4 minutes-per-game. It was clear pretty on this season that Len would be going pro after the season concluded. Len absolutely abused Kentucky in the Barclays Center Classic to open the season, including dominating Wildcats future first round pick Nerlens Noel. The writing was on the wall.

Even though Len’s decision was somewhat expected, now the question becomes: how will Maryland go about replacing the production of the talented big man?

The Terps do have quite a bit of production to replace down low with not just Len leaving, but senior forward James Padgett is graduating. Padgett started a handful of games for Maryland and was a key leader for the squad. However as much as both Len and Padgett will be missed, they are definitely replaceable and won’t be missed nearly as much as many people might think.

From a depth standpoint, the Terps definitely have the personnel to have a strong frontcourt next year. First off, I’d imagine that Shaquille Cleare will step into the center role that will be vacated by Len. Cleare was a highly touted prospect coming out of The Village School (TX) and was expected to be strong contributor in terms of rebounding and defense. However, it was a season of ups and downs for the Bahamas native. Playing time seemed to be the deciding factor to Cleare’s season. He averaged 3.7 points-per-game to go along with 2.7 rebounds-per-game in about 12 minutes a game. The production wasn’t exactly mind-blowing but I think the potential is definitely there for Shaq to tell in and be a productive starter next season. He has the size at 6-9 to be effective in the ACC and can alter shots much like Len did. His size is arguably his biggest asset as Cleare was able to hold his own against some of the ACC’s premiere competition this past season. In relief of Len against Duke on February 16, Shaq absolutely stifled Blue Devils superstar Mason Plumlee and the senior forward was held to a mere four points in 33 minutes. Cleare will play a much different role that he did this past season. He was merely another body to help bring toughness and size down low when Len spent time on the bench. Cleare’s main objective was to alter shots and be a force in the low post. He did a solid job of that at times but will be looked at to produce in many different ways next season. It’s a challenge that I think he is ready for.

The transfer route has been very kind to Mark Turgeon so far in his tenure at Maryland. Prior to last season, Turgeon landed a commitment from Michigan transfer forward Evan Smotrycz. Smotrycz is expected to be a huge piece at the four next season. It’s unclear if Smotrycz or Charles Mitchell will get the starting nod at the power forward position. Either way, Smotrycz proved to be a strong asset in the low post for the Wolverines in his two years with the school, especially on the offensive end. In his sophomore campaign (2011-2012 season), the Reading, Ma. native averaged 7.7 points-per-game and grabbed 4.9 rebounds-per-game in 21.1 minutes a game. Smotrycz also proved that he didn’t force bad shots most of the time as he was a 48.1 percent shooter for the Wolverines. In watching tape on Smotrycz, the first thing that jumps out is that he is an exceptional shooter. He is very effective from beyond the arc (43.1 percent in his sophomore season) but can also put the ball on the floor and hit a mid-range shot as well. Smotrycz has the height but definitely could stand to put on a little more weight, just like Len did last offseason. Having a big like Smotrycz that can shoot the ball is going to be a major bonus for the Terps next year since Len was the only big that could sufficiently shoot the basketball this season. He may not be the shot-blocker that a guy like Cleare is, but Smotrycz should be a welcome addition on the offensive end.

Finally, we come to Charles Mitchell. Mitchell wasn’t a highly sought-after recruit out of the Atlanta-area. The guy that many have compared to Charles Barkley, had a pretty impressive freshman season at Maryland. Mitchell averaged 5.5 points-per-game to go along with 5.4 rebounds in only 15.7 minutes a game. It was clear early on that Mitchell was a very strong piece in the low post for the Terps. The Georgia native grabbed an astounding 10 boards in only 16 minutes against Kentucky in the season opener. One of the biggest positives about Mitchell is his clear passion for the game. On every possession, you can see just how much Mitchell loves to be out there. He gets fired up after making a shot and smacks the floor when he commits a bad foul on the defensive end. He is an absolute bull in the post and his game will only improve after gaining experience of an entire season against the tough ACC. Mitchell can score the ball more than many people thought he would. In limited minutes, he was able to replace double figures in points in six games over the course of the season. Mitchell may be the first big man off the bench once again in his sophomore season, but clearly is essential to Maryland’s success going forward.

A player that is coming into the season a bit under the radar is freshman Damonte Dodd. Dodd was a guy that not many people had heard of when he committed to the Terps. Dodd was a kid that hailed from Maryland’s Eastern Shore and decided to gain more experience by going to prep school for a year. The Centreville, Md. native starred at Massanutten Military Academy this year and is continuing to gain experience by playing AAU ball this summer. After being a relatively unknown prospect last summer, Dodd is now a three-star recruit for Maryland and caught the eye of several recruiting analysts. Dodd is definitely a longways away from being a huge contributor at the collegiate level but I think if he puts on a little of weight, he can play 10-15 minutes a game in relief of some of Maryland’s bigs.

The departure of Len is a big deal but doesn’t leave Maryland in as big of a hole that many people may think. The Terps now won’t have to worry about Len being double and triple teamed by opposing defenses and may see many teams defend them man-t0-man next year. The depth is definitely there with Cleare, Smotrycz, Mitchell, and Dodd. Three out of the four have at least one season of experience at the collegiate level and should be able to provide strong defense and consistent offense as well. Only time will tell how talented this group really is, but it’s definitely a strong core to build on.

Mar 16, 2013; Greensboro, NC, USA;  That’s right Alex Len, take off that jersey and go get drafted. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

• The Maryland Terrapins lose a big man and a point guard for next season with the departure of Pe’Shon Howard and Alex Len. Fortunately, their 2013 recruiting class includes a point guard and a big man. Will that be enough, and what do we know about Damonte Dodd and Roddy Peters? Ryan Satsky of BleacherReport.com gives you the scoop right here.
• Alex Prewitt of the Washington Post gives us a brief synopsis of Alex Len’s career at Maryland and his declaration for the NBA draft. In another piece, he gives us a rundown of the current frontline for the Terrapins.
• North Carolina unveiled their new football uniforms yesterday, marking the first time they’ve changed them up in, well, forever. Personally, I think they might as well sign up for the Arena Football League, but that’s just me. And as we should know by now, I’m an Under Armor guy. (ESPN)
• Former Terrapin basketball great Keith Booth has decided to take his talents to Loyola University to help coach their women’s hoops team. I’ve always liked Booth, especially when he was learning the coaching game under Gary Williams tutelage. He’s never involved in any controversy, and seems to have a bright future ahead of him as a coach. That’s the Gary effect. (Matt Bracken, Baltimore Sun)
• Maryland men’s lacrosse fell to Johns Hopkins last week with their lowest scoring output of the season. In rivalry week. Against their rival. I don’t even want to talk about it anymore, it just makes me mad.
• Finally, Bleacher Report gives a rankings list of the top twenty available transfers in college basketball. Someone please forward this to Mark Turgeon stat so we can pick up a stud that’ll help us make the tournament.

Apr 2, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Head coach Mark Turgeon of the Maryland Terrapins reacts during the first half of the NIT Tournament semifinal against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

• Pe’Shon Howard is gone, and it means that the Terrapins are officially slim at the guard position. Where do they go from here? Well, Ben Broman of TestudoTimes give us a small framework of where to go next.
• Any time you lose players, there’s always the question of whether or not you’ll be better next year or not. Lots of roster flux on the Terrapins means we realistically have no idea, but Ryan Satsky of BleacherReport seems to believe that the Terps will indeed improve.
• This is a considerably older link, but it’s amazing how accurate it is about the breakdown of Mark Turgeon’s offense and defense. Compare it to this season, and it’s strikingly similar.
• The Terrapins have a long list of players they can pick up, but it’s hard to compile such a long transfer sheet. And yet, CBSSports still manages to give us a pretty good look here.
• In amazing fashion, and in case you missed it, Randy Esdall manages to piss off a bunch of Floridians with his tale about his escape from the Glades. In fairness, Randy Edsall pisses off people in Maryland, too, so this is par for the course.
• Bob Haynie of CBSSports Baltimore is a little miffed that the Terrapins don’t get any love in the preseason Top 25 basketball pool. He joins the long list of Marylanders that feel the same way.
• In case you missed it, Rysheed Jordan is going to announce his college choice Thursday. There’s virtually no chance he chooses the Terrapins, but as one of the 2013 class’ top players and a player the Terps offered, it’s worth looking at. Note: he isn’t coming to Maryland….
• And finally, Andy Katz has the latest on Alex Len and his decision to enter the NBA or stay in college for another year. Boy, do I ever hope he stays.

Apr 2, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Maryland Terrapins forward Charles Mitchell (0) and guard Logan Aronhalt (2) look on in the final seconds during the second half of the NIT Tournament semifinal against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Madison Square Garden. Iowa won the game 71-60. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Final Record: 25-13, 8-10 ACC

The Good:

Well, after that ham fisted effort against Iowa at Madison Square Garden last night, the Maryland Terrapins season finally came to a close by finishing with a loss in the same city where they got their first L against Kentucky. While the Terrapins have a right to be sullen for a day or two, as they look back on the season I think it may be be hard for them to actually be upset about it. From a numbers standpoint, this Terrapins team improved so drastically that it’s hard not to be optimistic.

First off, consider that the Terrapins were probably playing XBox this time last year, rather than any meaningful game on the hardwood. Last season’s 17-15 record was just okay, but not enough to merit bubble talk let alone NIT recognition. They were a one-man unit that played without purpose for most of the season. This year they finished with a respectable 25-13 record, and proved that, at least in the Mark Turgeon era, the Terrapins are still capable of playing with the big dogs like Gary Willliams before him. Three upset victories, and a lot more competitive, close games gave the Terrapins hope that in the future things will be awesome.

Look, any time your team doesn’t make the tournament it’s a disappointment that your team was essentially defeated. But defeat does not mean disgrace; from my vantage point, there was just so much positive to end the season that I can’t help but be optimistic. The Terrapins did a lot of things no one thought them capable of, from upsetting North Carolina State at the last second off a Len tip in, to ousting Duke twice on both their home floor and a “neutral” site. There’s something to be said about one’s team being “in” every game they played this year. When six of your team’s 13 losses came by 7 points or fewer, it’s safe to say that you did a lot of things right as a team.

Another thing to be positive about? Good Lawdy, the Terps have some phenomenal young talent. I’m talking about Chuck Mitchell, who led every played in the ACC in offensive rebounding percentage as a freshman. I’m also looking at a player like Jake Layman, who, whenever he scored ten or more points, the Terrapins had an 8-0 record (this is fact). And I’m referring to Seth “Human Hibachi” Allen, who heats up like it’s nobody’s business and displayed offensive bursts throughout the season that gave the Terrapins an edge in numerous contests (see: VT, Duke).

That says nothing about the fact that the Terrapins are, in all likelihood, going to return the Deztroyer himself, Dezmine Well. After transferring from Xavier, the Terrapins got a player who was essentially a five-star transfer recruit, and it has made all the difference. Without Wells and his instantaneous, take it down the court and jam on your players in five seconds or less offense, the Terrapins would have been lost. Even as a sophomore, his presence provided leadership that the Terrapins sorely needed. Yes, he turned the ball over a bit, but everything else he did on the court was a positive. His fiery demeanor when the Terrapins were down got them back into contention on numerous occasions, and I am fearful for the ACC when he has an offseason with the team and a chance to improve his jump shot.

The Not-So-Good

Still, the bad moments can’t be overlooked for proper introspection. There was that pesky turnover issue; the Terps averaged 15 TOs game on the season, but it certainly felt like more. In nearly every loss the Terrapins had, the turnovers played a major factor. Against North Carolina, against Florida State, against Georgia Tech, against Virginia; every one of those games the Terrapins had a bad case of the butterfingers. The complete inability to hold onto the ball hindered their success rate, and was probably the main reason they were kept out of the tournament.

The point about the turnover issue, that’s a reflection of the point guard issue. Pe’Shon Howard, for all his admirable efforts late in the season and his improvement down the stretch, was one of the worst point guard’s Maryland has seen in awhile. Part of that can be blamed on his coming off of injury the prior season, but whatever it was, when the Terrapins needed him he wasn’t there. His inability to hit shots and take over the point guard position effectively damned the Terrapins from the get-go. Not many teams could have had as much success as the Terps did without a point guard, but that was the case this year. Dez Wells, Nick Faust, and a freshman 3-star guard in Allen had to handle dribbling duties at times, all with varying levels of success.

And finally, the outside shooting was a big time problem. No Terrapin outside of Logan Aronhalt shot over 36% from deep (though Faust came close), and it turned the team what was essentially N.C. State. Lots of inside presence, nothing outside. The Terrapins ended up being one-dimensional offensively a lot of games, and without the ability to get to the line a bunch, struggled. Addressing that in the offseason will be huge for the Terrapins, because without that next year may be very similar.

The Summation

All in all, you have to like what the Terrapins brought to the table this year, even if it wasn’t a major postseason berth. The future looks bright with the arrival of Roddy Peters and (eventually) Romelo Trimble. While Len may be leaving for a higher calling (the NBA), there are two blossoming bigs that can pick up some of the slack. Further development of Dez Wells and Nick Faust, along with Jake Layman getting some consistency, leaves the Terrapins in very capable hands moving forward. So while this season was a let down in that the Terrapins didn’t “arrive” as quickly as expected, it’s almost a certainty that next year will be even better than this one. The rebuild is past us, folks. Therefore, my final grade for the team:

B+

The Air Bud MVP Award goes to….

Dez Wells and Alex Len

I know it’s a big time cop out to hand out two MVP awards, but you’re splitting hairs when trying to decide which one of these two was the “most valuable” to the team. On the one hand, you have Alex Len, the mercurial big man who gets a lot of flack when he’s off but not nearly as much praise for when he’s on. When you look at his season as a whole, there is just no way the Terrapins are even remotely as successful without him. There are just so many games that the Terps literally don’t win or aren’t even in without him; N.C. State tip-in, round two vs Duke, round 3 vs UNC, Kentucky. And those are just the offensive explosions. Defensively, Len showed up for just about every game, and when you look at how opposing big men did against him, they typically get creamed. He’s a major reason why the Terrapins were one of the best rebounding teams in the country, and having a seven footer with touch is invaluable.

Meanwhile you have Dez Wells, who provides a much more, shall we say, tangible effect on the game. When Dez Wells catches fire, he is far and away the MVP of this team. When I watched him against Duke in the ACC tournament, I saw a player that had starter-in-the-NBA potential. He is one of those very few players in the country that can completely change the outcome of a game single-handedly, for better or worse. Not just on the offensive end, but on the defensive end as well. Wells had to defend plenty of talented swing men and did it while staying out of foul trouble and still contributing to the offense. His rebounding and passing were underrated, but they both gave the Terps much more of an identity when they didn’t have a point guard to do it for them.

Bottom line, both these guys contributed in their own unique ways, and if you remove either one from the equation the team gets much worse. With just Dez, they’re last year’s Stoglin-led unit. Without Len, they give up way more points in the paint, don’t rebound remotely close to as well as needed to win with their turnover issue. With just Len, they are a plodding offense that barely scores and certainly doesn’t win when he is off. They have no guards on the team that truly slash and get to the line, and play at a woefully slow pace.

Both are MVP’s in my book, right up there with Air Bud.

The Kim Jong-Un LVP award goes to…

Pe’Shon Howard

Where to begin with Pe’Shon. Even coming off his knee injury, this year should have been better for the junior point guard. Howard was, by almost every measure, the worst player on the team. An 8.9 PER on the season ranks among the worst players in the country that got the minutes he did. He was the team’s worst shooter with a .448 true shooting percentage, he was the worst rebounder on the team, he had the worst turnover percentage on the team…do I need to continue? Ok, I will.

He made 32 shots the entire season. 32. Shots. The. Entire. Season. The Terrapins played 38 games, meaning he literally didn’t average one made bucket a game.  Half his shots came from three point range, and yet he made 13 three pointers all season long. Thirteen times this season he was held to zero total points, and eighteen times this season he registered a 0% shooting percentage. I mean offensively, anytime Pe’Shon Howard was on the court was a bad time.

Of course, you can point to his ability to distribute the rock as a factor that he wasn’t the worst regular rotation player on the team, and you’re right. But he also turned the ball over a ton, too. His turnover percentage was the worst on the team by far, which all but negated his ability to distribute. It’s unfortunate that I have to be hard on the kid, but I’m going to be hard on the kid and hope that he comes out better for it.

His late season play was OK, but that doesn’t excuse all the awfulness that preceded it and didn’t help Maryland win any games at all. Had the Terrapins had steady play at the point all year, they would certainly have fared quite a bit better.

The Charlie Sheen Most Improved Award goes to….Nick Faust

Faust got credit his first season for being a four-star player that actually hung around Maryland and played for his home state team. But then people realized he couldn’t shoot well and turned the ball over a lot and started to get on him. Beginning the season, it seemed like he might even have a tough time since he started the year in coach Turgeon’s doghouse. Then the season began.

Faust became a grown man during this season, and changed all my notions about him with the swagger he displayed on the court. He and Dez Wells started to gel, and everything changed. Faust was asked to play three different positions on the season, and he did all of the admirably. A 6’6 point guard, an undersized small forward, and a solid shooting guard. Faust scored 19 points against Clemson midway through the year, and after that point he scored in double figures in 10 of 12 games after that.

Everything about Faust improved; his FG% jumped from 37% to 40%; his 3PT % from 27% to 35%; his FT shooting from 61% to 72%. He had more assists than last year, and fewer turnovers per game. All the while his scoring slightly improved. Faust just grew into his role as a glue guy between Len and Wells, and I didn’t expect him to get that much better. I was completely wrong and I credit him for helping the Terps have as much success as they did.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye’s Baby Biggest Surprise goes to….Charles Mitchell

Coming into the season it was Shaquille Cleare who was expected to be the star big man. Mitchell came in out of shape and fat, and really wasn’t supposed to get the minutes he did. Then I saw the preseason inter-team scrimmage, and knew Mitchell was going to be getting major minutes. He became a rebounding machine right from the start, and was an absolute menace on the offensive glass. First in the ACC among all players in offensive rebounding percentage, 10th in total offensive rebounds, and second in total rebounding percentage in the ACC.

All as a freshman.

Mitchell has a bright future ahead of him once he learns to pass and calm down a bit going into games. He is a vicious player to go up against, and while slightly undersized doesn’t ever back down in the post given his size. An offseason of getting into better shape, and he’s the day one starter unquestioned. Considering he wasn’t supposed to be all that, he’s my biggest surprise.