NCAA News Wire
CBK roundup: Michigan’s McGary opts for NBA
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Michigan sophomore power forward Mitch McGary decided to declare for the NBA draft Friday after facing a yearlong NCAA ban for testing positive for marijuana.
McGary, who is 6 feet 10, played just eight games (four stars) this season because of a back injury that ended his season in mid-December. He averaged 9.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. In 2012-13, he averaged 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 39 games, including eight starts.
Yahoo Sports reported that McGary failed a drug test administered by the NCAA after the Wolverines’ win over Tennessee in the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. McGary suited up for that game but did not intend on playing due to the injury. McGary told Yahoo Sports that he smoked marijuana one night in mid-March.
—Kentucky guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison decided to return to school for their sophomore season , the twin brothers announced Friday.
“One more year!” Andrew Harrison tweeted.
The Harrisons helped the Wildcats reach the NCAA title game earlier this month. Previously, forwards Willie Cauley-Stein, Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee, and center Dakari Johnson also announced they are staying.
Aaron averaged 13.7 points last season while Andrew averaged 10.9.
—Junior forward DeAndre Daniels, who helped Connecticut claim the NCAA championship this past season, has made himself available for the NBA Draft, but guard Ryan Boatright will return to the Huskies for his senior season, the school announced Friday.
The 6-foot-8 Daniels averaged 13.1 points and six rebounds but got even better during the Huskies’ championship run. Daniels collected 27 points and 10 rebounds in a victory over Iowa State in the round of 32 and had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the national semifinal against Florida. According to NBA sources, he has a chance to be taken late in the first round of the NBA Draft on June 26, but is more likely to be selected somewhere in the first half of the second round.
The 6-foot Boatright averaged 12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists last season.
—Indiana sophomore guard Yogi Ferrell and freshman guard Stanford Robinson received citations from police early Friday morning in Bloomington, Ind., after the two tried to use false identification at a bar.
According to Indiana State Excise Police, Ferrell and Robinson attempted to enter Kilroy’s Sports Bar at about 1 a.m. when officers determined that the IDs were fake. Both were issued summonses and released. The two are scheduled to appear in Monroe County (Ind.) Court on Sunday morning.
Ferrell was a key player for the Hoosiers this past season, averaging 17.2 points and 3.9 assists per game. Robinson averaged 6.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in his first season at Indiana.
—Dan D’Antoni was introduced as the new basketball coach at Marshall University, his alma mater, on Friday, by athletic director Mike Hamrick.
The 66-year-old D’Antoni had served as an assistant coach under his brother, Mike, with the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks since 2005. Dan D’Antoni played for the Thundering Herd from 1966 to 1970.
