Men's College Basketball

Tom Izzo isn't going to overstay his welcome at Michigan State, but he has no plans on retiring anytime soon.

The 67-year-old sat down for an interview on the Draymond Green Show and told the former Spartans forward he's "rejuvenated" heading into the 2022-23 season.

"I know one thing I'm not gonna do: I've watched some guys stay or year or two too long," Izzo said (20:51 mark). "I'm not into anything but the day that I feel I don't want to take redeyes, I don't want to go out recruiting, I don't want to have meetings in my office like some of the ones we had, I'm gone. And, if I'm not, I know you [Green] will tell me. ... I got some guys that will tell me, 'It's time.'

"But you are right: I am rejuvenated. Right now, the campus, it's electric right now. Mel [Tucker] has done an excellent job. We've put $70 million into football. We just put a bunch into hockey. We got cranes in the sky again. We got students walking. Two years of COVID. Two-and-a-half years, we had nobody walking around. ... I'm energized by that."

Izzo has been at Michigan State since 1995-96, delivering eight Final Four appearances and the 2000 national championship. Speculation about Izzo's future has spiked in recent season as Michigan State failed to perform to its typical standard, but the Naismith Hall of Famer quelled all rumors in August by agreeing to a five-year extension.

Michigan State will understandably allow Izzo to set his own timeline for retirement, and his new contract even calls for a post-retirement job with the university.

The retirements of Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski in recent years has only served to increase the spotlight on Izzo and Jim Boeheim, the sport's last two remaining pillars of their generation of coaches. Izzo is five years younger than Williams, eight years Krzyzewski's junior and a full decade younger than Boeheim, which likely means we'll see him for at least the next half-decade.

Former UCLA forward Jalen Hill has died at the age of 22.

Josh Giles, Hill's former head coach at Corona Centennial High, confirmed the news to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.

According to Bolch, Hill's family wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday that he died after going missing in Costa Rica.

"We know Jalen has played a part in the lives of so many people," the family's Instagram post said. "We also acknowledge the role that so many of you have played in his. As we try to navigate this devastating time in our lives, we ask that you please give us time to grieve. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers."

UCLA head coach Mick Cronin provided a statement to Bolch: "The news of Jalen Hill’s passing is heartbreaking. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time. Jalen was a warm-hearted young man with a great smile who has left us far too soon."

Hill was a 247Sports 4-star prospect coming out of Corona Centennial High School in 2017. He committed to UCLA in 2015, two years before graduating high school.

The California native only appeared in 14 games as a redshirt junior in 2020-21. He left the program midway through the season.

In a video message posted on Instagram in April 2021 (h/t USA Today's Steve Gardner), Hill revealed he stopped playing basketball due to "a bunch of anxiety and depression problems" and feeling pressure "trying to live up to somebody’s perception of how my life should be instead of just being who I am."

According to Bolch, Hill recently said he "adopted measures to help his mental state such as meditation and being open about his troubles with family and friends."

After not playing in his first season with the Bruins, Hill played a key role primarily off the bench in 2018-19. He averaged 4.3 points and ranked second on the team with 6.0 rebounds per game in 30 appearances.

Hill started a career-high 25 games during the 2019-20 campaign. He led the Bruins in rebounding (6.9 per game) and ranked second in scoring (9.0).

Eastern Michigan basketball player Emoni Bates has been suspended indefinitely after he was arrested Sunday night and charged with carrying a concealed weapon and altering ID marks on a weapon.

The university announced the suspension in a statement on Monday, via The Detroit News' Carol Thompson and Tony Paul:

"We are aware of a situation involving men's basketball student-athlete Emoni Bates. Eastern Michigan University takes all allegations of this nature very seriously. Per department policy, he has been suspended automatically from practice and playing privileges until the legal process is resolved. Because this is an ongoing legal matter, the University will have no further comment at this time."

According to police, per 7 Action News, Bates was initially pulled over in Washtenaw County, Michigan after failing to stop at an intersection. He was taken into custody after a firearm allegedly was discovered at the traffic stop.

The former Memphis player transferred to Eastern Michigan in June, returning to his hometown of Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Bates was a highly touted recruit throughout his high school career. ESPN's Paul Biancardi. listed him as the No. 1 player in any class when he was just a sophomore in 2019, ahead of future No. 1 draft picks Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero.

After reclassifying to the 2021 class, he ended up as the No. 5 overall player in 247Sports composite rankings.

Injuries slowed him down during his first season at Memphis, however, and he averaged just 9.7 points in 18 appearances. The forward decided to transfer after one season, looking to reestablish himself as a star while playing in the Mid-American Conference.

Still just 18 years old, Bates remains an NBA draft prospect and was considered a second-round pick in the first 2023 mock draft by ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

Kevin Ollie has reached a settlement with the University of Connecticut stemming from his wrongful termination lawsuit.

In a joint statement released on Thursday, the university and Ollie announced he will receive a $3.9 million payout "for claimed reputational damages and attorney's fees."

UConn announced in March 2018 it had begun the process of firing Ollie for just cause. The move came after the basketball program was alerted to an NCAA inquiry into potential recruiting violations.

In June 2018, the school released documents that showed Ollie and former Huskies star Ray Allen had improper training sessions and improper contact with recruits.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions gave Ollie a three-year show-cause penalty for failing to fully cooperate with the investigation.

"This case illustrates the importance of full candor and cooperation in the infractions process, as well as head coach control," the NCAA said in a statement. "The former head coach faltered in both respects, increasing the severity of his violations and allowing violations within the program to occur for most of his tenure."

The basketball program was given two years of probation and lost a scholarship during the 2019-20 academic year. It also vacated all of its wins from the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.

Ollie sent a letter to the University of Connecticut shortly after he was fired that was obtained by ESPN's Myron Medcalf. He argued the school violated his "rights under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution" and he sought the money still left on his deal at the time of his dismissal.

In January, Ollie won his arbitration case against the school and was owed $11.2 million.

UConn hired Ollie, who played for the program from 1991-95, in September 2012 after Jim Calhoun retired. He spent two seasons as an assistant on Calhoun's staff before being named head coach.

Ollie went 127-79 in six seasons with the Huskies. He led the team to two NCAA tournament appearances, including a championship in the 2013-14 season.

After spending three years out of basketball, Ollie was hired as head coach and director of player development for Overtime Elite in 2021.

Former University of Cincinnati basketball coach John Brannen has agreed to a settlement with the school over his firing in April 2021.

Per The Athletic's Justin Williams, public records revealed the school agreed to pay Brannen $2.75 million as part of a settlement signed by both parties on Wednesday.

Cincinnati fired Brannen on April 9, 2021, one week after he was placed on administrative leave.

"The decision to move in a new direction comes after a thorough review of our program, which included conversations with student-athletes, coaches and staff, as well as with Coach Brannen," athletic director John Cunningham said in the statement announcing the decision.

Brannen's dismissal came after the school opened an investigation into allegations about the men's basketball team.

In a March 2021 report from Williams, the team "experienced a mass roster exodus" with six players entering the transfer portal following a "rift" with Brannen.

Williams noted at the time that seven players recruited by Brannen following his hiring in April 2019 had left the program, with four of the team's five high-school signees from the 2020 recruiting class leaving after less than one year with the Bearcats.

Brannen originally filed a lawsuit against the university in May 2021, but he withdrew the lawsuit and refiled it in state court five months later. The 48-year-old was seeking more than $5 million in buyout money, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

According to Williams, Brannen was fired with cause by Cincinnati. He would have been owed $5.25 million for being fired without cause, per the terms of his contract.

Brannen went 32-20 in two seasons at Cincinnati. Dayton head basketball coach Anthony Grant announced earlier this week Brannen will join the program as an analyst and senior special assistant.

Wes Miller was hired as Cincinnati's new head coach in April 2021. He went 18-15 in his first season with the program.

LeBron James may have been an Ohio State Buckeye if the one-and-done NBA draft rule was in place when he went straight from high school to the sport's highest level.

Perhaps his son Bronny will be the one to don Scarlet and Gray.

According to Joe Tipton of On3, the younger James is "looking to visit Ohio State" and will "likely" make such a trip Sept. 3, when the football program plays Notre Dame in a highly anticipated primetime showdown.

Tipton reported LeBron also hopes to be in attendance.

The Buckeyes are far from the only ones recruiting Bronny, as Tipton listed USC, Memphis and Oregon as interested. LeBron was quick to shut down rumors that the Ducks were the favorites:

LeBron is from Akron, Ohio, and is a longtime advocate of the Buckeyes. He has attended football games in the past, consistently shouts the team out on social media and has provided apparel for the men's basketball team.

"If I would have had one year of college, I would have ended up down here in Columbus at Ohio State," James previously said (h/t Tipton). "No matter where I go in the world, I will always rock Ohio State colors."

He will certainly be rocking those colors if his son joins the team.

While the men's basketball program is often overshadowed by the powerhouse football team, head coach Chris Holtmann brought in the No. 8 class in the 2022 recruiting cycle and has the No. 4 group in 2023, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Landing James, a 4-star prospect and the No. 40 player in the 2023 class, would only strengthen what is already a bright future.

And it surely wouldn't hurt the Buckeyes' chances if he were on campus to experience the environment at Ohio Stadium when the football team hosts Notre Dame.

Former Florida basketball player Keyontae Johnson is expected to transfer to Kansas State after being cleared by medical personnel, Jeff Goodman of Stadium reported Saturday.

Johnson last played in December 2020 when he collapsed on the court during a game, spending more than a week in the hospital before being released. He made one ceremonial start last season on senior day but was substituted after the opening tip.

He entered the transfer portal in May and was also considering Western Kentucky and Memphis, per Goodman.

Johnson had proved to be an impact player.

The 6'5" wing averaged 14.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game as a sophomore in 2019-20 and was the leading scorer for a Gators team that featured future NBA draft picks Tre Mann and Scottie Lewis.

Johnson was named the 2020-21 SEC Preseason Player of the Year and was off to a strong start with 19.7 points per game in three contests. His fourth appearance lasted just four minutes before he collapsed in a scary scene.

He was placed in a medically induced coma for three days and later diagnosed with myocarditis, which is heart inflammation.

More than a year later, Johnson will aim to make an impact for Kansas State. The Wildcats are coming off three straight losing seasons under Bruce Weber, but they are under the guidance of new head coach Jerome Tang.

The University of Memphis has thrown its hat in the ring for Bronny James.

Per Joe Tipton of On3.com, the Tigers have offered the Sierra Canyon High School star a scholarship.

According to Tipton, Memphis is believed to be the fourth college program to make James a scholarship offer. USC, North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central are the others.

James' recruitment is going to be one of the biggest stories around college basketball until he makes a decision.

Earlier this week, Jamie Shaw of On3.com reported Oregon and Ohio State are also in the recruiting mix for James.

Shaw noted Oregon was considered the front-runner, but Bronny's father, LeBron James, seemed to dismiss the notion that any school was in the lead at this early stage in the recruiting process:

The 17-year-old James appears to be carving out an excellent path on his own. He is a 4-star prospect and No. 43 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports composite rankings.

In his scouting report of James for 247Sports, Eric Bossi noted the 6'3" shooting guard has "added some pop on drives to the rim through traffic or in transition" and he is a "fantastic passer."

Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina are among the other notable programs with at least some level of interest in James.

Since taking over as head coach at his alma mater, Penny Hardaway has made the Tigers a force in recruiting. They had the top-ranked class in 2021 with six total commits, including 5-stars Emoni Bates and Jalen Duran, per 247Sports composite rankings.

Memphis has won at least 20 games in each of Hardaway's first four seasons. The program made the NCAA tournament last season for the first time since 2013-14 as the No. 9 seed in the West Region.

The Tigers defeated Boise State in the first round before falling to No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga in the second round.

The Big Ten will be raking in cash under its new media rights contracts with six different media outlets.

The conference announced Thursday it has agreed to distribution agreements with CBS, Fox, NBC and NBCUniversal's Peacock, as well as returning partners Big Ten Network and FS1, that will begin July 1, 2023, and run through the 2029-30 season.

Per Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, the deals will earn the Big Ten between $7 billion and $8 billion with escalators that could bring the total value up to $10 billion.

As negotiations between the Big Ten and networks were ongoing, John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reported last week that ESPN pulled out of talks after the conference proposed a seven-year deal worth $380 million per year.

Per Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger, the offer to ESPN would have given the network around 13 football games per season (down from 27 on the current deal) and the second- or third-best Big Ten game of the weekend in prime time.

ESPN has broadcast Big Ten games without interruption since 1982. This season will mark the final year of its deal with the conference.

In 2020, ESPN and the SEC announced a 10-year media rights deal beginning in 2024 that is worth around $300 million per year. ESPN will gain the rights to every SEC football game and men's basketball game, and ABC will air at least one football game each week.

CBS has broadcast rights to SEC games through the 2023 season.

The broadcast agreements come as the Big Ten is on the verge of expansion. USC and UCLA will join the conference as full-time members in 2024.

There has been speculation that Notre Dame football could join the Big Ten, but Ourand noted Monday that the school will probably remain an independent as it continues to negotiate a new rights deal with NBC.

According to Ourand, the Fighting Irish would "likely" add more Big Ten games to their schedule in the future given the conference's new rights deal with NBC and Peacock.

McMurphy added the Big Ten is still targeting Pac-12 programs Oregon, Washington, Stanford and Cal in its ongoing expansion efforts.

Terms of the new deals will have Big Ten football games on television virtually all day every Saturday during the season. Fox has rights to games at noon ET, followed by CBS at 3:30 p.m. and NBC in prime time.