Mike Krzyzewski has led Duke to four national championships and 15 Final Fours. (GETTY IMAGES)

Mike Krzyzewski recently became the winningest coach in Division I men’s college basketball. He surpassed his friend and mentor, Bob Knight, who had 902 victories during his Hall-of-Fame career.

Krzyzewski notched victory No. 903 at Madison Square Garden in front of many of his former players at Duke. Spearheaded by a truckload of All-Americans during his 31 years as the King of Durham, N.C., Coach K has had some of the best teams in college basketball. He won four national championships and reached the Final Four 15 times. But which team is the best? OneManFastBreak.net examines Krzyzewski’s five greatest teams:

5) 2010: SINGLER SENSATION

What started out as a good team turned into a great team by season’s end. The 2009-10 Duke team lived and rarely died by the 3-point shot. Led by forward Kyle Singler and guards Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith, the sharp-shooting Blue Devils led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring margin (+16.2), free throw percentage (.761), 3-point field goal percentage (.382) and 3-point field goals made (7.4 per game). Scheyer, Singler, and Smith became the second trio in Duke history to each score at least 600 points in a season. Singler saved his best for the NCAA Tournament as he was named the most outstanding player of the Final Four in leading the ACC champions to a 61-59 victory over Butler in the championship game in Indianapolis. Duke finished the season 35-5.

4) 2001: BATTIER TESTED

The 2000-01 Blue Devils, which finished 35-4 and 13-3 in the ACC, may have been Coach K’s most talented team with six players drafted in the NBA, and five remain active in the league.  The anchor of the team was Carlos Boozer. The 6-9 chiseled forward, who currently plays for the Chicago Bulls, was one of the best low-post players in college, averaging 18 points and nearly nine rebounds per game during the 2000-01 season. Boozer was surrounded by snipers in the perimeter. Forward Mike Dunleavy Jr., the son of the former NBA great and a member of the Indiana Pacers, was a deadly 3-point shooter and can handle the ball like a guard. Jay Williams was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, but his career was cut short by a devastating knee injury suffered after a motorcycle accident. Point guard Chris Duhon (Orlando Magic) and forward Dahntay Jones (Pacers) were very strong perimeter defenders and didn’t mind doing the dirty work. The most celebrated player from the 2001 team was Shane Battier. The 6-8 forward, who now plays for the Houston Rockets, was a Krzyzewski’s favorite and the emotional leader of the Blue Devils. Battier’s No. 31 jersey is one 13 numbers hanging in the rafters at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

3) 1991: REBEL SLAYERS

One of Krzyzewski’s motivational tactics is to never allow his teams to forget losses. When Duke was destroyed by UNLV in the 1990 national championship game, Krzyzewski admitted that his team was simply not on par with the Runnin’ Rebels but he made sure the core group of that Duke team (Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley and Brian Davis) never relinquished the taste of that bitter defeat. The 30-point loss to UNLV remained in the minds of his players, and they responded by using that setback as motivation. The rematch between Duke and UNLV in the 1991 Final Four was probably Krzyzewski’s finest hour as a coach. He kept reminding his team they were better than Jerry Tarkanian’s Rebels, even though he told the media the Rebels were the superior team. Krzyzewski had been to three straight Final Fours prior to 1991, and he was undeservingly being labeled as can’t-win-the-big-one coach. He proved everyone wrong with a stunning upset of undefeated UNLV, which boasted future NBA standouts Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon. The 1990-91 Duke squad, which finished 32-7, may not have been Krzyzewski’s most physically talented team, but it was his strongest team mentally.

2) 1986: THE FOUNDATION

Even though the 1985-86 Blue Devils team lost in the NCAA championship game to Pervis Ellison and the Louisville Cardinals they remain the school’s most important team. Why? Because Johnny Dawkins, Tommy Amaker, Jay Bilas, David Henderson, Danny Ferry, Billy King, Quin Snyder, and Mark Alarie were the foundation of Coach K’s program. Without them, there would be no Duke Dynasty. They were there during the infancy stages of the program when many doubted if Krzyzewski’s system was going to be successful. Amaker and Dawkins formed arguably the best backcourt in the ACC. Dawkins led the team in scoring (20.2 points per game) and was a consensus All-American. Alarie, Henderson and Bilas started in the frontcourt while King, Snyder and Ferry, a talented freshman, provided scoring punch off the bench. The ’92 team won a record 37 games and had just three losses.

1) 1992: THE LAETTNER SHOW

Duke and Kentucky staged an all-time classic NCAA Tournament battle in the 1992 East Regional final at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Down by a point with 2.1 seconds left Grant Hill throws a perfect length-of-the-court inbounds pass to Christian Laettner, who grabs the pass at the free throw line, takes one dribble and swished a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to advance Duke to the Final Four. It is one of the most dramatic plays in the history of the tournament, and it led to Krzyzewki’s second consecutive national title. The 1992 Duke team – which won 34 games and finished 14-2 in the conference – was led by Wooden Award winner Laettner. The 6-10 forward never lacked in confidence and his swagger permeated throughout the team. Laettner was surrounded by excellent perimeter players: Bobby Hurley, Thomas Hill, Grant Hill and Brian Davis. Thomas Hill was a shooting guard who could score in the paint and Davis completed Laettner in the frontcourt with his energy and athleticism. Grant Hill, a sophomore in 1992, was the team’s Swiss army knife. He could play four of the five positions and can create his own shot. Hurley was the point guard from New Jersey who may not fit the mold of a classic basketball player but he always got the job done and ran the offense to near perfection. Krzyzewski says his ’92 team was not only his most confident team but it was also his most determined. Laettner and Co. won the NCAA title the previous season and had a huge bulls-eye on their chest. But they cleared every hurdle and became the first team since Wooden’s UCLA squad to win back-to-back championships.

– (Home page photo courtesy of US Presswire)

Derrick Rose and John Wall are products of the one-and-done system that is currently in place in the NBA. (Getty Images photos)

Once the old collective bargaining agreement expires at midnight EST on June 30, NBA owners and players need to take a hard look at the current state of the early entry draft.

The way things are currently constructed, any American player who is 19 years of age and at least one year removed from high school can apply for the draft. With this option, the majority of high school standouts play one year in college and bolt for the NBA.

In the last five drafts, four one-and-done college players were the No. 1 overall selections: Greg Oden (2007), Derrick Rose (2008), John Wall (2010) and Kyrie Irving (2011).

Yahoo! Sports NBA writer Marc Spears wrote earlier this year that several high-ranking NBA team executives say they wouldn’t be surprised if the age limit in the new CBA is pushed to two years in college and 20 years old by the end of that calendar year. Spears said that one NBA general manager says about two-thirds of teams are in favor of that change.

That makes total sense because now the NBA and its owners have a vested interest in the college game thanks to the new14-year, $10.8 billion TV deal the NCAA inked with CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV to broadcast the men’s tournament.

Before the billion-dollar deal, the NBA could care less about players jumping to the league. With TNT now in the mix covering March Madness, it now becomes a major player in college hoops and would love to feature its college stars. Even though the NBA and TNT are two separate entities (wink, wink), they are in business together and what’s good for business is having more college All-Americans stay in school for at least two years to help to boost the ratings. At the same time, it keeps the teenagers out of the Association for a little longer, which means more jobs for the below-average NBA veterans.

As much as basketball analysts say college basketball is all about the names on the front of the jerseys instead of back of the jerseys, what attracts the non-hardcore basketball fans are the big-time athletes on the big-time teams.

High schoolers Martell Webster, Gerald Green, Eddy Curry, Sebastian Telfair, Dorell Wright and J.R. Smith would have benefited greatly from a year or two in college, but then again that argument gets swept away when you mention Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett and Amar’e Stoudemire. All of these phenoms were able to make the jump from high school to the pros with ease, and absolutely destroys the argument that you need to play college ball to be successful in the NBA.

So, what should Commissioner David Stern and the owners do about this one-and-done dilemma? Keep it or lose it? The answer lies in the dollar, and the new NCAA tournament TV deal makes the current early entry rule a chip the players could lose on the bargaining table.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.

Texas' Tristan Thompson (left) was selected by the Cavaliers, while Arizona's Derrick Williams went to the Timberwolves. (US PRESSWIRE)

The picks went fast and furious, but mostly without a hitch. At the end of the first round, NBA Commissioner David Stern was booed by the fans who attended Thursday’s draft in New Jersey but that was to be expected as basketball fans are worried about an impending lockout that may interrupt the 2011-12 season.

Duke point guard Kyrie Irving, not surprisingly, went No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, the Cavs thought they had Turkish center Enes Kanter at No. 4, but he was snagged by the Utah Jazz at No. 3, forcing the Cavs to scramble a little bit and made a panic pick with Texas’ Tristan Thompson. Jay Bilas described Thompson as someone “who needs to learn how to play and how to score.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

OneManFastBreak.net examines the five biggest losers and winners from the 2011 NBA draft.

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LOSERS: Cavaliers, Spurs, Raptors, Bobcats, Pistons

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– CAVALIERS – Before Cleveland fans can start coming out of their post-LeBron doldrums, remember these names: Bobby Hurley, Jeff Capel, William Avery, Jay Williams, Chris Duhon and Jon Scheyer. All were spectacular players at Duke, but none of them became stars in the NBA. Irving is a good point guard, but was he really the best player in the draft and deserves to be the No. 1 overall pick? That was the million-dollar question the Cavs faced weeks prior to the draft. He played in only 11 games in college because of a toe injury so that’s one red flag, and the other warning sign is he’s not super quick. In the Eastern Conference, you have dynamic and explosive point guards such as Derrick Rose, Deron Williams and Rajon Rondo. Irving will have to adjust to the speed of the game and must get stronger. The Cavs were hoping Kanter would fall to them at No. 4, but the Jazz ruined that master plan. Instead of taking the next best player available, the Cavs pulled off a head-scratcher with the selection of Texas forward Tristan Thompson, who is a decent player but is not worthy of a top-five pick. And where is Thompson going to play? Is he better than J.J. Hickson or Anderson Varejao? Probably not.

– SPURS – Heading into Thursday, the Spurs were reportedly shopping point guard Tony Parker for one of the top-eight picks. As it turned out, they were shopping Parker’s backup, George Hill. Now, this one is a bit puzzling. Hill is a terrific defender and can play either guard position, which makes him very valuable for Spurs coach Gregg Popovich given the history of injuries for Parker and Manu Ginobili. In a very un-Spurs-like move, Hill was traded to Indiana in exchange for the No. 15 pick, which turned out to be San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard. Leonard is a good athlete who can defend and rebound, but he shot just 29% from the college 3-point line and it’s not going to get easier since the NBA line is 3 feet farther. Normally, Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford excel on draft day but shipping Hill out of San Antonio is a little questionable.

– RAPTORS – First of all, the Raptors hired Dwane Casey as their head coach. Casey has a career coaching record of 43-59. No matter how you spin it, Casey is not a good NBA coach. That’s not a good way to retool your franchise. As if that wasn’t enough of a flub, the Raptors drafted 6-10 Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas, who is a terrific prospect but may not be able to get out of his Euroleague contract until 2014. There is no doubt about Valanciunas’ talent. But why would the Raptors gamble on a guy who can’t help them right away? Puzzling. Better hope Valanciunas is worth the wait.

– BOBCATS – So far, Michael Jordan has shown very little skills as the head of basketball operations in Charlotte. Should we be surprised about that since Jordan was the mastermind in ruining the Wizards almost 10 years ago? Jordan’s latest move was trading his best player, Stephen Jackson, to Milwaukee for Corey Maggette. What saves Jordan from having a complete disaster on draft night were his picks: center Bismack Biyombo (Congo) and guard Kemba Walker (Connecticut). Both should be decent contributors for the Bobcats, but can they change the fortunes of the franchise? Not with Michael calling the shots.

– PISTONS – The Pistons’ offseason started with the firing of head coach John Kuester. Not a good way to being your offseason. Then, general manager Joe Dumars, who has had a run of bad picks lately, chose Kentucky guard Brandon Knight with the eighth overall pick. Knight didn’t look pleased at all when he step up to the stage and shook hands with the commissioner. He’s probably thinking, “Why did a guard-heavy team that already has Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon, Will Bynum, Richard Hamilton and Tracy McGrady would ever need me?” If that’s what Knight was thinking, he certainly has a point.

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WINNERS: Timberwolves, Jazz, Kings, Wizards, Nuggets

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– TIMBERWOLVES – The night started great for general manager David Kahn with the selection of Arizona forward Derrick Williams with the No. 2 overall. Williams is the most NBA-ready player out of all the prospects, and that includes Irving, and he’ll pair up well with fellow Pac-10 stud Kevin Love. Then, the night got even better when Kahn was able to dump disappointing point guard Jonny Flynn to Houston, opening up the point position for Spanish star Ricky Rubio. The Wolves also picked up center Brad Miller via a trade, and Florida forward Chandler Parsons is not a bad second-round selection.

– JAZZ – The Jazz put a wrench into the Cavaliers master plan with they picked Kanter at No. 3. ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla rated Kanter as the best international player in the draft and he could turn out to be the best player, along with Williams, from this class. Kanter is a physical big man who can face up and hit a mid-range jumper. He describes himself as a Pau Gasol low-post player with a Dirk Nowitzki-type of perimeter game. Big talk from a very confident player. He should pair up well with Jazz forward Al Jefferson. The Jazz also added Colorado shooting guard Alec Burks in the first round to round out their excellent draft day.

– KINGS – Year after year, the Kings have done a great job in picking players in the draft and this year was no exception. BYU star Jimmer Fredette is headed for Sacramento to play with Tyreke Evans (class of 2009) and DeMarcus Cousins (class of 2010). Fredette should well in Sacramento because he’s a spot up shooter who has unlimited range, which is good news for Evans because this allows him to play more point guard. The Kings were so high on Fredette that they shipped last year’s starting point guard Beno Udrih to Milwaukee.

– WIZARDS – In less than two years, general manager Ernie Grunfeld has managed to change the culture in Washington. Point guard John Wall is now the face of the franchise and center JaVale McGee is one of the best young big men in the league. OnThursday night, the Wizards added more young pieces to their roster in forwards Jan Vesely and Chris Singleton and guard Shelvin Mack. Vesely, from the Czech Republic, brings a lot of energy and athleticism to a Wizards squad that should be running more often next season. We’ve seen Vesely finish plays above the rim and has shown a non-stop motor. What we didn’t know about him is he likes public displays of affection. Check out the video:

Singleton is a rock-solid defender who brings a lot of toughness, and Mack was the catalyst of the Butler squad that made it to the NCAA Tournament final in back-to-back years.

– NUGGETS – If Raymond Felton is a better fit in Portland then Andre Miller is a much better fit in Denver. The Nuggets, at times, plays too fast and having the heady, crafty Miller running point should help maximize their offensive possessions. The trade also allows coach George Karl to play Ty Lawson and Miller together, with Miller defending the 2 guard spot. Denver landed a diamond in the rough with the 22nd pick in Morehead State forward Kenneth Faried. The 6-7 Faried is a high-energy player who defends and rebounds. Think Paul Millsap and Udonis Haslem. Faried doesn’t need any set plays to be effective, which is perfect in Denver because Karl has enough scorers on the team and Faried’s effort and hustle will be a tremendous addition.

But in general, teams that take chances can reap major benefits. For example, In 1999, the San Antonio Spurs used their second-round pick to select Manu Ginobili and the Spurs added three more championship rings because of it. In 2002 the Phoenix Suns ignored some of the negative reports about Amare Stoudemire and selected him ninth overall. In 2005, the Golden State Warriors took a chance in the second round on a diamond in the rough from Jackson, Miss., a high-school star named Monta Ellis, and he turned into a real gem.

The 2011 NBA draft may not have a LeBron or Shaq, but it certainly has its share of difference-makers who flew under the radar and somehow went unnoticed. And, in the right system, they have an opportunity to flourish and become a breakout star.

OneManFastBreak.net lists five little-known prospects teams can’t sleep on and worth taking in the 2011 draft:

Kenneth Faried (forward, 6-7, 225, Morehead State): A high-energy, high-motor player who doesn’t mind doing the dirty work. Faried averaged 14 rebounds per game his senior year at Morehead State, and he showed his incredible motor and relentless pursuit of every rebound in a first-round upset win over Louisville in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. His performance against Louisville drew high praise from Charles Barkley, who said anyone who rebounds like that can play in the NBA. The one major knock on Faried is his height (only 6-7), and some teams are not willing to take a 6-7 power forward in the first round. However, like Barkley said, anyone who attacks the boards like Faried has a place in the NBA. Dennis Rodman was a 6-8 power forward, and he was never overmatched in the blocks. Any team that takes Faried will get a player who can contribute right away.

Morehead State forward Kenneth Faried

Marshon Brooks (guard, 6-5, 195, Providence): During his senior year at Providence, Brooks averaged 24 points per game and showed an array of moves similar to his idol Kobe Bryant. Though Brooks has a ways to go before he reaches Kobe’s level as a scorer, he has shown flashes of Kobe-ness. He can shoot the 3-ball from NBA range, has a very good mid-range game and is capable of getting to the rim, using his quickness and length. He had a 52-point game against Notre Dame and a 43-point outing against Georgetown. Scouts say his numbers are a bit inflated because he shot the ball average of 18 times per game (very Kobe-ish), but that shouldn’t stop teams from selecting Brooks, who has the potential to be a very, very good NBA player. Brooks is not classified as a great defender, but his length and athleticism makes him a strong candidate to be a lock-down one-on-one defender.

Norris Cole (Guard, 6-1, 174, Cleveland State): Cole’s name is rising on many draft boards after his impressive pre-draft workouts. He is a superb playmaker who possesses very good quickness and a strong ability to run an offense from the point position. Cole understands how to control the temp of a game, plays with poise (which explains his solid assists-to-turnover ratio) and is an aggressive defender (averaged two steals per game) – three qualities love in a point guard. Former NBA point guard Greg Anthony says one way to evaluate prospects is how they can defend their position, and Cole definitely can hold his own against the majority of point guards playing in the pros. The one knock on Cole is his thin frame, but that can be remedied by hitting the weight room and natural maturation.

Cleveland State point guard Norris Cole

Tyler Honeycutt (Forward, 6-8, 187, UCLA): A lot of basketball experts felt Honeycutt would have benefited from another season in college, and that may be true. However, just because Honeycutt jumped too soon to the NBA shouldn’t stop teams from taking a hard look at him. The same scouts said the same thing about Trevor Ariza and he has turned into a decent NBA starter at small forward, Honeycutt comes from the Ben Howland system that has produced Ariza, Jordan Farmar, Arron Afflalo, Ryan Hollins, Luc Richard M’bah a Moute, Darren Collison, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love and Jrue Holiday. This alone should be enough to consider Honeycutt, who is a versatile forward who can handle the ball, shoot the three and knows how to move without the ball. Honeycutt has a high basketball IQ, and plays his best against good competition. Has a very similar game to another rail-thin Southern California native, Tayshaun Prince, who has had a very good NBA career.

Jeremy Tyler (Center/Power Forward, 6-10, 262, Tokyo Apache, Japan League): A year ago, it seemed like Tyler’s career was in limbo. His pro debut in Israel was considered a disaster, forcing him to rehabilitate his image and career in Japan while playing for the Tokyo Apache. Tyler’s strange basketball odyssey may not be completely his fault because he skipped his senior year in high school to play professionally in Israel. He obviously wasn’t ready to compete against grown men, and needed to mature a bit. ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla said Tyler seems to have “figured it out” and has started to show some maturity. Tyler is very intriguing prospect. He has tremendous size and could turn out to be a good NBA center. He has a 7-5 wingspan and has big hands, which enables him to catch the ball in heavy traffic. At the draft combine in Chicago, Tyler gave the other center prospects fits because he could his ground in the low post and his length made it tough to shoot over him. Although he is still very raw, Tyler has shown he can play with his back to the basket and has a soft touch around the rim.

Is Duke point guard Kyrie Irving the best fit for the Cleveland Cavaliers? (USPRESSWIRE)

Jalen Rose has been down this road before. His recent comments about Duke University players sparked a media frenzy, so you would think Rose would back off slamming Duke for a little while.

Well, Rose was at again recently when he suggested that the Cavaliers should take Arizona’s Derrick Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft over Duke’s Kyrie Irving, who most basketball experts say is the best player in the draft.

“I’d take him with the No. 1 pick,” Rose said of Williams. “Look at the NCAA Tournament. He jumped off the television. He’s a 6-10 player that can play the 3 and 4, shoot the three, jump off one foot, two feet, and if I’m the Cavs I’m trying to get two for a dollar in the top four.”

Rose continued, “I take [Williams] No. 1 and then I take [Brandon] Knight fourth, from Kentucky, so now I get a point guard that’s dynamic.”

Rose says if you’re going to take a point guard with the No. 1 overall selection he better be a great athlete, someone who is off-the-charts in terms of speed and power.

“Look at where the game is going,” Rose said. “You got Derrick Rose, you got Russell Westbrook, you got Deron Williams. These guys are tremendous athletes.

“Not that Kyrie Irving is not gonna be a good player, I think he is. But he’s not a fantastic athlete.”

Rose’s point is that Irving is not going to be catching lobs and throwing it down over 7-footers at the rim. Irving has all the ingredients to be a solid point guard in the NBA, but Rose doesn’t consider him an “explosive” player, someone who can take over a game and dominate with his athleticism.

Rose may be on to something here because, even though Irving only played one year (half a season really) at Duke, he still fits the mold of a Duke point guard.

“Let’s talk about the point guards from Duke: we’ve had Williams Avery, Bobby Hurley, Jay Williams, Chris Duhon. That’s what [Irving] has to fight.”

Rose added, “Just like a quarterback in college that comes from a certain system who has to who that he can make it in the NBA, Duke point guards have to prove the same thing. It’s not a diss, it’s a fact.”

In Rose’s defense, coming out of high school, Irving and Knight were neck-and-neck in terms of ranking, and some even had Knight ahead of Irving. So, why all of a sudden did Irving jump to the head of the class when Knight played just as well in his one season at Kentucky?

Rose makes a valid point, and the Cavs should seriously think about taking Williams at No. 1 and hope that Knight will be there at No. 1.

James McAdoo and Michael Gilchrist were named co-MVPs at the McDonald's High School All-American game in Chicago. (COURTESY OF ST. PATRICK HIGH SCHOOL)

The McDonald’s High School All-American game is annually one of the best games for all basketball fans because it offers a window to the future of the sport.

The game itself is not too entertaining because of all the bad shots, failed alley-oops and turnovers but the event serves its purpose in terms of evaluating talent and seeing who is overrated or underrated. Here are a few observations from Wednesday’s game held at the United Center in Chicago:

– Michael Gilchrist (St. Patrick HS, New Jersey) and James McAdoo (Norfolk Christian, Virginia) were named co-MVPs without doing anything spectacular. However, both were very solid and should help out their future teams. Gilchrist, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds, should immediately become Kentucky’s best on-the-ball defender and will won’t need any set plays to get his points. McAdoo, the nephew of former North Carolina great Bob McAdoo, plays with great efficiency and should fit perfectly in Roy Williams’ system at UNC.

– Duke University-bound guard Austin Rivers (Winter Park HS, Florida) was looking very ordinary until he made that gorgeous NBA-like move when he blew by a couple of defenders with a vicious crossover dribble and then finished in style at the rim with a reverse layup. That one play alone showed why Rivers – who is the son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers – is the No. 1-rated high school player in the United States.

– Brad Beal (Chaminade College Prep, Missouri) is a scorer. The 6-5 shooting guard went right at Rivers early on and wasn’t afraid to go head-to-head against the best. He should fill up the scoreboard for Billy Donovan at the University of Florida.

– Myck Kabongo (Findlay Prep, Nevada) is a blur. The 6-1 point guard from Las Vegas has two gears: fast and superfast. He has the best handles in his class and has the look of a floor general. The University of Texas has a gem in its hands.

– Speaking of point guards, Quinn Cook (Oak Hill Academy, Virginia) and Marquis Teague (Pike HS, Indiana) entered the contest with a ton of hype, but both were somewhat disappointing. Cook didn’t really do much in the game and appears much shorter than his listed height of 6 feet. Teague is regarded as the top point guard in the United States, but he was shaky offensively and made too many mistakes.

– Indiana University has been looking for the next big Hoosier star and lead IU back to prominence and Tom Crean may have found his savior in 6-10 center Cody Zeller (Washington HS, Indiana). Zeller is a natural post player who can alter a game on both ends of the court. He also runs the floor extremely well for a big guy and is a solid rebounder.

– Pittsburgh normally doesn’t get many McDonald’s All-Americans, but head coach Jamie Dixon has a good one in 6-9 center Khem Birch (Notre Dame Prep, Massachusetts). Birch had 15 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. And about the only thing he did wrong during the game was wearing those hideous long-sleeve undershirt. C’mon, Khem. It wasn’t that cold inside the United Center.

– Zeller and Birch are head and shoulders better than Duke-bound center Marshall Plumlee (Christ School, North Carolina), who is a little soft and barely made an imprint in the game.

– Anthony Davis (Perspectives Charter, Illinois) has the highest ceiling among all the players in the game. He reportedly grew 6 inches in 12 months and went from a guard to a forward. The Kentucky-bound Davis is long and plays very fluid. When he gets more comfortable with his size, he’ll be dynamite. John Calipari has another outstanding freshman class coming to Lexington, and Davis is at the top of that class.

Guard Kemba Walker plays a similar style to former UConn star Ben Gordon. (US PRESSWIRE)

The NCAA Tournament is the best showcase event in terms of evaluating talent entering the NBA. In the past 10 years, current NBA stars Dwyane Wade (Marquette), Derrick Rose (Memphis), Russell Westbrook (UCLA), Deron Williams (Illinois) and Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse) all made their big first impressions in The Big Dance.

Of course, there are always those hidden gems (ahem! Enes Kanter) who didn’t get a chance to shine in the NCAA Tournament. But, for the most part, the best prospects in the 2011 NBA draft took part in March Madness.

Most experts feel this year’s crop of NCAA talent is not as good as previous years. I disagree. There are plenty of talent waiting to be discovered, and it takes a shrewd GM and a smart scout to pick them out of a crowd. Here are the eight best prospects this season – OneManFastBreak’s version of the Elite 8 – with their strengths and weaknesses, and who they compare with:

DERRICK WILLIAMS
Arizona, Forward, Sophomore
* Strengths: The 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward has the prototype body to play in the NBA. He can play with his back to the basket, and face up and shoot from 20 feet. Pop in the tape against Duke and that’s all you need to know about his versatility. A tough cover when he’s making his outside shot because he can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. Williams was also the 2011 Pac-10 Player of the Year, and from a talent standpoint the Pac-10 has produced some of the best NBA talent the last 10 years.
* Weaknesses: A little passive and a late-bloomer. Could also mean he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet.
NBA comparison: Amare Stoudemire

KEMBA WALKER
Connecticut, Guard, Junior
* Strengths: A typical New York City baller who plays with a chip on his shoulder and has a ton of swagger. Made a huge leap from last season to this season. An explosive scorer who can create his own shot, and has the ability to play either guard position. Plays his best against the best competition. A very dangerous scorer late in the game, and is not afraid to take – and make – the big shot.
* Weaknesses: Even though he’s capable of running point, his game is more suited for shooting guard. Listed at just 6 feet tall.
NBA comparison: Ben Gordon

KYRIE IRVING
Duke, Guard, Freshman
* Strengths: Had Irving played the entire season, nobody would have known about Nolan Smith. That’s how good Irving is. Irving has all the tools to be a top-flight point guard in the NBA: quickness, ball-handling, outside shooting, passing and creativity. He was easily the best player on the court for Duke in its loss to Arizona in the Sweet 16, and that was only his third game in three months.
* Weaknesses: The foot injury Irving suffered early in the season is the only reason to have any doubts about this young man.
NBA comparison: Chris Paul

ENES KANTER
Kentucky (from Turkey), Center, Freshman
* Strengths: Kanter is a legit post-up big man who measures at 6-11 with a 7-1 wingspan. He recently turned 19 so he’s still maturing from a physical standpoint. He spent the entire 2010-11 season at Kentucky on the sidelines because he was ruled ineligible. Nonetheless, he made good use of that year by staying active, participating in practice and working out with the team. Kanter is cut from the same cloth as other recent big men from Turkey (Semih Erden and Omer Asik), and can play with his back to the basket.
* Weaknesses: Still a relative unknown because he hasn’t played enough games to get a strong evaluation. A high-risk, high-reward type of player.
NBA comparison: Omer Asik

BRANDON KNIGHT
Kentucky, Guard, Freshman
* Strengths: Plays with a lot of confidence. Teammate Terrence Jones may be the better talent, but there’s something special about the way Knight makes plays at the end of games. Knight showed his clutch gene during the Sweet 16 game against Ohio State when he buried the game-winning shot with five seconds left. Knight is a big point guard (6-3, 170) who can survive the physical pounding of an 82-game season. And John Calipari has done pretty well with his last two one-and-done point guards (Derrick Rose and John Wall).
* Weaknesses: At times makes questionable decisions and takes bad shots. More of a lead guard than a true point.
NBA comparison: Jason Terry

JIMMER FREDETTE
BYU, Guard, Senior
* Strengths: See Kemba Walker. A very explosive scorer who can create his own shot and has unlimited range as a shooter. Has the ability to play either guard position, but probably more suited at shooting guard. Worked out for scouts a year ago and was told to get stronger, which he did. Worked on his ball-handling this season, which has enabled him to drive through traffic.
* Weaknesses: Not a good defender. Has trouble staying in front of his man, especially against quicker point guards.
NBA comparison: Danny Ainge

JORDAN HAMILTON
Texas, Guard-Forward, Sophomore
* Strengths: A long and athletic wing player who can score from anywhere on the court. Has NBA 3-point range and a technically sound shooter. Can create scoring opportunities off the dribble, and able to rise up and get his shoulders square to the basket. Because of his length (6-9 wingspan), defenders have a hard time blocking his shot. Adapted well to Rick Barnes’ new motion/screen offense at Texas. Hamilton can play the 2 or 3 spots and is an extremely confident player with a ton of Southern California swagger.
* Weaknesses: Tends to be a volume shooter at times, and a bit of a streak shooter. Not a good defender at this point of his career.
NBA comparison: Rudy Gay

SHELVIN MACK
Butler, Guard, Junior
* Strengths: A combo guard who can create his own shot. Has decent 3-point range, but owns an above-average mid-range game. He was instant offense for Butler, and was a key reason why the Bulldogs reached the NCAA Tournament championship game the past two seasons. Having gone through the pressure cooker of the NCAA Tournament, Mack is battle-tested and is not afraid of the big moment. At 205 pounds, Mack is extremely strong for a guard and can shed physical contact.
* Weaknesses: Is more of a natural shooting guard, but may have to play some point in the NBA because he’s only 6-2. Not overly explosive off the floor, and has average quickness for a guard.
NBA comparison: Eric Gordon

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.

Arizona forward Derrick Williams posted eye-popping numbers against top-seeded Duke in the Sweet 16. (GETTY IMAGES)

NBA studio analyst Kenny Smith, who is moonlighting as a college basketball expert this month, admitted an oversight on Thursday night. Smith said he owes Arizona’s Derrick Williams an apology for underestimating his talents. “Derrick Williams is a man,” Smith said.

After the 6-foot-8, 240-pound sophomore forward put together the most impressive game of the 2011 NCAA Tournament when he single-handedly destroyed defending tournament champion Duke in Arizona’s 93-77 victory in the Sweet 16, Smith may have to change Williams’ status from “The Man” to “The Beast.” Williams’ stat line against the top-seeded Blue Devils was very LeBron-like: 32 points, 13 rebounds, 5-for-6 from behind the 3-point line and two jaw-dropping dunks.

Smith certainly wasn’t alone in praising Williams. Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski raved about him during the postgame news conference.

“He’s just a superb player. He is as good as anybody we’ve played. I should say better than anybody we played,” Krzyzewski said of the Pac-10 Player of the Year, whose 25 first-half points kept the Wildcats in the game. In the end, Williams and the Wildcats were too much for the defending NCAA Tournament champions, whose reign ended on Thursday night in Anaheim.

Coach K added, “He kept his team in the game in the first half. The rest of their team responded in the second half. He just gives you a presence all the time, that kid. He looks like he never gets tired. He can handle the ball. I think he’s actually their second best-ball handler. He is unique. He’s a very unusual player to guard. He’s a great player. A great kid. I told him afterward he is special . . . He gives you confidence. You always know you have that guy on the court. There is a physicality to this game. Clean, beautiful. He’s a beautiful player.”

Williams’ performance in the Sweet 16 against Duke is by far the signature moment of a fabulous tournament for the former La Mirada (Calif.) High School standout. It has been one big play after another for Williams, who has certainly raised his NBA draft stock the last two weeks and should be a sure-fire lottery pick come June. He made the key block against Memphis in the opening round, and then his three-point play lifted Arizona over Texas in the second round.

While Connecticut’s Kemba Walker, Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, BYU’s Jimmer Fredette and, to a certain extent, Duke’s Kyrie Irving grabbed all the main headlines prior to March Madness, Arizona’s Derrick Williams is currently shining the brightest in the Big Dance.

Morehead State head coach Donnie Tyndall (center) celebrates with Demonte Harper (22) and Terrance Hill (11) after defeating Louisville in the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament. (Chris Humphreys/US PRESSWIRE)

Not counting the play-in games that happened earlier in the week, the first round of the 2011 NCAA men’s basketball tournament has been nothing short of spectacular.

Matt Howard’s put-back lifted Butler over Old Dominion and Temple’s Juan Fernandez beat the buzzer against Penn State. But the best buzzer-beater from the opening week was executed by Morehead State’s Demonte Harper.

Harper buried a 3-pointer from the top of the arc with 4 seconds left to put 13th-seeded Morehead State ahead, 62-61, over fourth-seeded Louisville. Then, when Louisville’s Mike Marra tried to launch a last-second shot from the wing Morehead State center Kenneth Faried stuffed Marra’s attempt and no foul was called. Ball game!

Replays show that Faried got a lot of basketball on the blocked shot, and it would have been a shame if the game ended on a controversial foul call. Watch the play:

Former NBA player and Michigan standout Jalen Rose, right, arrive at the Nokia Theatre with Terrell Owens during the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles. (GETTY IMAGES)

First of, I like Jalen Rose. He’s very well-spoken and honest. Not enough athletes today spew opinions with brutal honesty, and Rose is in the minority. However, Rose went a little too far with his raw, uncensored commentary regarding the black players on Duke University in ESPN’s documentary feature on “The Fab Five” that aired on Selection Sunday.

In describing his hatred for Duke, the outspoken leader of University of Michigan’s famous freshman class in 1991 revealed that he thought Duke’s black athletes, specifically Grant Hill, were subservient to the white establishment and called them an “Uncle Tom.”

To borrow a line from my good friend Jason Reid, who is a columnist for the Washington Post, the term “Uncle Tom” is the worst thing one black man can direct at another black man. Reid later wrote that Rose’s “Uncle Tom” reference, misguided as it is, asserts that academic achievement and professional accomplishment affluence somehow reduces or eliminates a person’s “blackness.”

Rose had an opportunity to soften his stance and recant his statement on ESPN’s First Take a day later, but he wasn’t exactly apologetic.

Rose said, “As a 17-year-old recruit, that’s exactly how I felt. At that time, I felt like I was not good enough for certain stages. That’s just a fact. But also that’s something I used as motivation. Now, I understand what their program represents because I’m a mature adult. I know that it’s a private school. I know that do recruit from well-to-do, affluent families. But also understand some of the reason why so they do see some of their players selling their goods for money. Also, they want to get kids that would represent the program the right way. I get all of that. But, that’s the minority. I was speaking for the majority. That’s exactly how I felt then. It wasn’t an individual, it wasn’t somebody 20 years later.”

When Rose was asked if Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski would recruit him now, Rose said “I think would recruit my kids.”

“I don’t think they would have recruited me. I never seen Coach K in Detroit. But that’s just me,” Rose said.

Rose was an honor roll student in high school and is clearly well versed in cultural issues. But, he’s way off base in his assessment of Hill or any of Duke’s black athletes. Just because Hill grew up in affluence doesn’t reduce his level ethnicity or his standing in the black community. To call Hill an “Uncle Tom” is absolutely absurd.

Rose explains that his comment had nothing to do with being a racist. Basically, Rose said “it’s being somebody who is socially conscience and you’re paying attention to what’s going on around you.”

Certain schools recruit a certain kind of guy. That is a fact. But, again, a black player shouldn’t be called an “Uncle Tom” just because he joined a private school in Durham, N.C. It’s undeserving. When I was 17, I may not have been smartest kid on the block but I was smart enough to know that you don’t call a black kid an “Uncle Tom.”

The bottom line is this, Duke should be allowed to recruit its type of players as well as Michigan should be able to recruit its type of players. As much as Rose was correct in saying that Duke would not consider a player like him because of his background, he was wrong in bringing up the term “Uncle Tom.” Rose could have made his point just as clearly had he just said Duke recruited a bunch of rich kids.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.