Men's College Basketball

Legendary ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale said Thursday that he has been cleared to "ring the bell" following his final chemotherapy treatment. 

Vitale announced in October that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma just months after he had surgery to remove melanoma. He returned to calling games in November, but he revealed in December he had been suffering from inflammation in his throat and that he wouldn't return this season. 

The 82-year-old made an appearance at the SEC tournament in March and was recognized for his contributions to basketball. He was given a basketball signed by all 14 SEC coaches and received a standing ovation at Amalie Arena. 

Vitale, who called ESPN's first-ever college basketball broadcast, has been with the company since 1979.

Former Saint Peter's guard Doug Edert, who played a crucial role in the Peacocks' Cinderella run to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, will be transferring to Bryant University.

Joe Tipton of On3 reported the news on Edert, who announced his intention to transfer Tuesday:

I want to start by thanking my family, friends, coaches, teammates and Peacock Nation for an amazing three years at Saint Peter's University. I have nothing but love for everyone who has been by my side throughout my journey. With that being said, I have entered the transfer portal. I'm excited for what is to come and looking forward to exploring other opportunities for my basketball career.

Edert, who has two years of eligibility remaining, averaged 9.5 points on 45.3 percent shooting (41.1 percent from three-point range) for Saint Peter's last year. He played in 33 games, starting seven.

The former Bergen Catholic High School star turned it up in the NCAA tournament, though, dropping 20 points in an 85-79 upset win over No. 2 seed Kentucky in the first round. He added 13 more versus No. 7 seed Murray State and an additional 10 against No. 3 seed Purdue as the No. 15 seed Peacocks became the lowest seed ever to advance to the Elite Eight. The Peacocks' run ended with a loss to UNC.

Along the way, Edert became a popular figure for his mustache and swagger, and he landed an NIL deal with Buffalo Wild Wings.

Edert was among a wave of transfers after former Peacocks head coach Shaheen Holloway left the school to lead Seton Hall, where he starred as the team's point guard from 1996 to 2000. Other Peacocks who entered the transfer portal include Daryl Banks III, Matthew Lee, Hassan Drame and Fousseyni Drame.

Edert now joins a Bryant team that won the Northeast Conference last year. The Bulldogs fell to Wright State in the First Four.

Any time a college program can land a player who has drawn comparisons to Jayson Tatum, it is a good day on the recruiting trail.

That is exactly what happened to the Duke Blue Devils on Friday when Mackenzie Mgbako joined their 2023 recruiting class. He is the second five-star recruit to commit to Duke over the last two days, joining Tyrese Proctor.

Mgbako, who checks in at 6'7" and 185 pounds, is a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is also the No. 3 overall player, No. 1 small forward and No. 2 player from the state of New Jersey in his class.

The list of interested programs at one point included Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Memphis, Ohio State and Michigan.

His overall versatility immediately makes him stand out as someone who can defend multiple positions, battle for rebounds because of his length, shoot from the outside and get to the rim off the bounce. His combination of athleticism and size makes him a matchup nightmare for opponents.

Jason Jordan of Sports Illustrated noted Mgbako has been compared to Tatum because, like the Boston Celtics star, he can score from all over the floor at his size.

"I definitely want to play like Jayson Tatum, but I'm still trying to get there," Mgbako said. "I actually FaceTimed him before so that was pretty cool. For me, it's all about the fit, and that's something I feel like will come to me in time. I may take a couple unofficials, but I'm done with officials right now. I'm not in a big hurry. I may cut my list during the season, and I could see myself deciding next summer. Right now, I'm just enjoying the process."

That process resulted in a significant victory on the recruiting trail for Duke, as Mgbako figures to be a key part of its offensive attack and overall team defense during his freshman season. He could be off to the NBA after just one year if he lives up to his potential, but he is talented enough to guide the Blue Devils to the Final Four while in college.

This is also a notable recruiting development for Jon Scheyer, who is tasked with following in the footsteps of a legend in head coach Mike Krzyzewski. The only way he will be able to maintain Duke's status as an annual national title contender is by landing players like Mgbako, and he did just that on Friday.

Mgbako could be off to the NBA after just one year if he lives up to his potential, but he is talented enough to guide the Blue Devils to the Final Four while in college.

Mike Krzyzewski's retirement doesn't seem to be affecting Duke's recruiting. 

Tyrese Proctor, a 5-star prospect in the class of 2023, told Joe Tipton of On3.com that he was committing to the Blue Devils. 

"Ever since I first stepped on campus at Duke, it just felt like home," he said. "Me and my family talked while I was back in Sydney, and they're happy, and I'm happy. It just felt like home."

Proctor is considered the No. 4 combo guard and the No. 17 prospect overall in the class of 2023, per 247Sports' Composite Rankings. 247 also rates him as the top prospect out of his home country of Australia.

Duke has been crushing the recruiting game, even with the school transitioning from Krzyzewski to Jon Scheyer at head coach. The incoming class of 2022 is the top in the nation, with four 5-star recruits—Dereck Lively II, Kyle Filipowski, Dariq Whitehead and Mark Mitchell—highlighting the bunch. 

But the Blue Devils also have the top class of 2023 currently, with three 5-star commits in Proctor, Caleb Foster and Jared McCain. 

Proctor, who reportedly chose Duke over Arizona or the NBA's G League Ignite, said his goal was to fill any role the Blue Devils needed. 

"Just come in and help the team win," he told Tipton. "I can do my part by scoring the ball, finding my teammates when they need to be found, and just overall getting the job done."

There is going to be plenty of talent in Durham for Proctor to play with once he hits campus. From a recruiting standpoint, the Scheyer era hasn't missed a beat. 

Former Duke men's basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski denied any speculation that he could change his mind about retirement in a conversation with college basketball analyst Sean Farnham on ESPNU Radio.

"I'm done with the coaching part of it," Coach K said in response to a question from Farnham about whether he could return.

Krzyzewski also noted how lucky he was to coach for nearly five decades with Army and Duke and how honored he was to represent both institutions.

ESPN analyst Jay Williams, who starred for Duke under Coach K and won the 2001 national championship, said on ESPN's Keyshawn, JWill & Max Show on Tuesday that he thought there was a "legit chance" Krzyzewski could return.

"It leaves a huge gap at Duke," Williams said (h/t USA Today's Cydney Henderson).

"And the question is, who fills that void from a recruiting perspective? And it leads me to think, which I've been thinking a lot about since I heard this news (Monday), does Coach K come back for another season? One more final season."

A quick return from a brief retirement wouldn't exactly be unprecedented. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady retired for all of 40 days before announcing his comeback.

But another ESPN analyst and former Duke player, Jay Bilas, doesn't believe Krzyzewski will pull a similar move.

"Zero," Bilas said on the Rich Eisen Show when asked if there was a chance Krzyzewski returned (h/t Sam Marsdale of 247Sports).

"Yeah, zero. But if he does it, if he does come back, I hope he does it on one of Tom Brady's most important days—because Brady announced he was coming back during the bracket reveal on Selection Sunday. I think Coach K should time it to one of Brady's most important moments and do that."

Krzyzewski called it a career after Duke's 81-77 loss to UNC in the Final Four last Saturday. He retires with five national titles, 13 Final Four appearances and 1,202 wins. Krzyzewski also won five Olympic gold medals as a coach (three leading Team USA in 2008, 2012 and 2016 and two as an assistant in 1984 and 1992).

Jon Scheyer, who starred for Duke when it won the 2010 national title, has taken over on the sidelines. The 34-year-old served as an assistant coach from 2014 to 2018 before being promoted to associate head coach.

The Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team is in for a well-deserved greeting from its fans after making a historic comeback to defeat North Carolina 72-69 in the national championship game on Monday.

Kansas announced it's hosting a "welcome home celebration" at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Tuesday. Gates will open at 3 p.m. local time with the team expected to arrive around 4:15 p.m. after returning from the Final Four in New Orleans.

No announcement has been made about a potential championship parade in Lawrence.

The Jayhawks earned the celebration by making the largest comeback in men's NCAA tournament title game history.

After falling behind by as many 16 in the first half and facing a 15-point halftime deficit, a special second-half performance propelled Kansas to victory. The Jayhawks outscored the Tar Heels 47-29 in the final 20 minutes.

It was a balanced effort for the Jayhawks with five players scoring in double figures. David McCormack and Jalen Wilson led the way with 15 points apiece. Remy Martin had 14 points off the bench. Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun each had 12 points. Braun added a team-high 12 rebounds and McCormack also had 10 boards.

The win helped KU capture its fourth national championship in men's basketball and the Jayhawks' first March Madness title since 2008.

Auburn star Jabari Smith is moving on after declaring for the 2022 NBA draft.

The move was widely expected since the 6'10" forward emerged as a candidate to land No. 1 overall this summer. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected him to be the top pick to the Orlando Magic.

Smith was the seventh-best player in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2021 recruiting class, so he didn't climb up draft boards from obscurity. 

But Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren and Duke's Paolo Banchero frequently occupied the first two spots in mock drafts before the 2021-22 season tipped off. Last October, Wasserman had them at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, with Smith following closely at No. 4.

As the year went on, Smith began muscling in on Holmgren and Banchero to cement himself as potentially the top player available.

In 34 games, the 18-year-old averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. He also displayed impressive range, shooting 42.0 percent from beyond the arc and knocking down 2.3 three-pointers per game.

One of his standout performances came in a Jan. 11 win over Alabama. He finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, and he shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.

That month, Wasserman provided a stock report on Smith and noted he was challenging Holmgren for the No. 1 slot:

"What seemed like flashes of shooting and mid-range scoring early in the season have become regular occurrences for Jabari Smith. Scouts sound totally swayed by his consistent three-pointers and advanced rise-and-fire game inside the arc.

"The 6'10", 18-year-old is still at 42.3 percent on 5.1 attempts from behind the arc. They aren't all just simple catch-and-shoot shots. He's pulling up and using jab steps, getting himself enough space to elevate for jumpers that defenders can't effectively contest."

ESPN's Mike Schmitz also praised Smith and explained how he "has two foundational pillars that set him apart from the rest of the prospects in the top three: He's an elite shooter, and he has the footwork to be a multipositional one-on-one defender."

In terms of his draft stock, Smith stood to gain little by spending another year at Auburn. Head coach Bruce Pearl probably assumed he'd be a one-and-done when he recruited him to the Tigers.

The predraft process can be difficult to read in terms of how a player might rise or fall. Barring a significant setback, Smith seems unlikely to slip much further than No. 3 on draft night.

One of the biggest remaining pieces in the 2022 recruiting class came off the board Thursday after Yohan Traore committed to Auburn, per Joe Tipton of On3.com.

"I like Bruce Pearl," Traore said. "I think he's a great coach with experience with players at the 4 position, like Chuma Okeke, Isaac Okoro, JT Thor, and this year, Jabari [Smith] so I think they will be able to develop my game.

"There was a family atmosphere [at Auburn]. The players were cool too. Every day they're going to push me to be the best. I think it's going to be a great place and I trust the coaches."

The 6'10" big man is the No. 15 overall player and No. 4 center in the country, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

In March, LSU fired head coach Will Wade after the NCAA issued the school a notice of allegations. A few weeks later, the Tigers began witnessing the fallout when Traore told On3's Joe Tipton he was decommitting from the school.

"Due to the recent changes within the basketball program, my family and I have decided to reopen my recruitment," he said. "Looking forward to finding a new place I can call home."

That set off a late frenzy to secure his commitment.

After having evaluated Traore, 247Sports' Brandon Jenkins called him a "skilled, efficient, and productive big man with a good natural frame":

His efficiency comes in how he generally plays within himself offensively and does what is asked of him on the floor. Traore displays a natural shooting touch not only inside but out to 15 feet, and he always looks [to] dunk everything he possibly can while operating inside or in the dunker spot. He also has great hands, is a solid rebounder, and runs the floor with purpose. Traore has the size, mobility, and skill as a big man that high major guards would love to play with.

Traore fits the profile of a modern-day center. Not only does he have the size to bang inside, but he also possesses the athleticism you'd associate with a smaller forward. Somebody who's nearly 7'0" tall shouldn't really be able to do this:

While not a complete unknown on the recruiting circuit, Traore's true talent level was somewhat muddled because he had been balling out in France. Upon arriving in the United States, he didn't wait long to make an impression.

Traore turned heads in July with Dream Vision at the Adidas 3SSB in Birmingham, Alabama, after averaging 19.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. 

Eric Bossi of 247Sports wrote he was "likely the most consistently dominant performer of the entire four days in Alabama." The Athletic's CJ Moore also named him as his player of the tournament, adding that "not many people even knew who this dude was a few months ago."

As a result of his performance, Traore climbed from 67th to ninth in 247Sports' composite rankings. His stock was seemingly only going to go up as he showcased his talent at Dream City Christian.

Traore should immediately become a key player for the Tigers upon joining the squad for the 2022-23 season and should provide plenty of highlights before he inevitably makes the jump to the next level.

And Auburn should be one of the top teams in college basketball, with 4-star small forward Chance Westry joining Traore in a very solid incoming recruiting class. 

Top Class of 2023 prospect Mookie Cook is headed to the Oregon Ducks after announcing his decision Thursday.

Cook chose the Ducks and head coach Dana Altman over teams like Kentucky, Gonzaga, Arizona and others.

"I’ve been having a great relationship with coach Altman since I first got that offer in the eighth grade,” Cook told 247Sports' Eric Bossi. “Me and him have been communicating and it has been the same message since then. I also have great relationships with coach Mennenga and coach McKenna and they’ve made feel like I’m the number one guy they’ve prioritized."

Cook is considered a 5-star recruit and No. 4 overall player in his class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The small forward has good size for the position at 6'7", 200 pounds, while his athleticism allows him to finish inside with consistency. He also has a well-rounded offensive game that is only getting better as his career progresses.

"I play both sides of the ball, offense, and defense," Cook said a year ago, per Stock Risers. "I can facilitate, I’m very versatile at 6-foot-7, can guard any position 1-4, run the court hard, I can shoot the three as well as bring the ball up. All-around game and I’m a team player."

The athleticism gives Cook an extremely high floor as someone who can score consistently in the paint while also remaining a quality defender on the perimeter.

His play gained the attention of college coaches and led to dozens of scholarship offers, including from top programs around the country like Kansas, UCLA, Michigan and more. 

He eventually decided to play for the Ducks, giving the team a player who should make an instant impact from the start of his freshman year.

Cook might not be a go-to offensive option right away, but he should fill up the stat sheet while helping on both ends of the court. It will also likely be a stepping stone before quickly moving onto the NBA draft.