John Clay’s Sidelines

Update at 5:40 p.m.: As expected Irving committed to Duke.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Dan Wiederer of the Fayetteville Observer writes that Kyrie Irving only visited UK and Texas A&M as favors.
• Gary Parrish of CBS Sportsline thinks Irving will pick Duke today at 5:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
• Bob Herzog of Newsday reports that Tobias Harris will announce Nov. 19 on ESPNU.
• Ken Tysiac of the Raleigh News and Observer writes it’s going to be an interesting week for Duke.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes on UK linebacker Danny Trevathan.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal also writes on Trevathan.
• B.W. Jones of the Kentucky Kernel writes on running back Alfonso Smith.
• Larry Vaught of the Advocate-Messenger writes that UK has a true Kentucky offensive line.
• My column on the seventh-ranked UK volleyball team, which was upset by Tennessee last night.
• T.J. Walker of the Kentucky Kernel reports on Tennessee’s upset of the volleyball Cats.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Irving announces today; Harris to announce Nov. 19′

Compare UK’s top five players by average minutes per game last year to this year:

According to the Los Angeles Times, ex-UK star Joe Crawford will play for the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA’s Developmental League.

Crawford, a second-rick pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, was cut last month.

Writes Broderick Turner in the Times:

Rookie guard Joe Crawford, cut by the Lakers during training camp, today joined the team’s Los Angeles D-Fenders club in the NBA Development League.

Crawford, selected by the Lakers in the second round with the 58th pick, averaged 2.8 points in 7.3 minutes in six exhibition games with the Lakers.

The D-League held its draft Friday. The D-Fenders already have seven of the 10 players who are allotted.

When the D-League season starts Nov. 28, the Lakers probably will have rookie Sun Yue playing some games for the D-Fenders. Sun has been inactive in the first four Lakers regular-season games.

NBA players during their first two years in the league can be assigned to the D-League up to three times during the season.