Sulaimon was dismissed by the Blue Devils in January because Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski claimed he “has been unable to consistently live up to the standards required to be a member of our program,” and it is believed that his dismissal stemmed from multiple sexual assault allegations.

From ESPN:

Former Duke Blue Devils guard Rasheed Sulaimon told ESPN he has committed to Maryland and will spend his final season in college with the Terps.

 

“For everything I’ve been through, my family and I wanted me to be at a place where I trusted everyone,” Sulaimon said. “I’ve known Coach [Mark] Turgeon and [assistant coach Dustin] Clark since I was 13. I trust them.”

 

Sulaimon, who was dismissed from the Blue Devils program in January, took a visit to College Park over the weekend and met with athletic director Kevin Anderson, president Wallace D. Loh and the Maryland players.

 

“We did our due diligence,” Turgeon told ESPN. “We were extremely thorough and talked to a lot of people and vetted the entire situation. I’ve known Rasheed and his family since he was 13, and I believe in him. There’s a trust factor, and we’ve had a strong relationship.”

 

Sulaimon said he is on track to graduate in early August. Due to the NCAA’s graduate transfer rule, he will be eligible next season — his final one in college.

 

His addition makes Turgeon’s team a legitimate candidate to cut down the nets in April.

 

“They have a chance to be a special team,” Sulaimon said. “They are great guys off the court, and they embraced me. At the end of the day, I wanted to go somewhere to have the opportunity to be part of something bigger than myself.”

 

Said Turgeon: “He wanted a chance to win at the highest level. He’s a piece that fits what we’re doing here — both personality-wise and on the court. He’ll add leadership. We had other options, but we felt like Rasheed was the best one.”

The post Former Duke Guard Rasheed Sulaimon Will Play for Maryland in 2015 appeared first on SLAM.

Today, a report in Sports Illustrated elaborated on Sulaimon’s current situation. According to the report, Sulaimon is “not currently under investigation by the school,” and his dismissal was because of “an accumulation of events.”

From Sports Illustrated:

Dismissed from the Duke basketball program in January, Rasheed Sulaimon has been in the national spotlight this week because of allegations that he committed sexual assault, while the school has had to deflect inquiries of an institutional coverup.

 

Yet SI.com has learned that Sulaimon is not currently under investigation by the school. This was confirmed by Bob Ekstrand, who is serving as Sulaimon’s advisor. While Ekstrand is a local Durham attorney, he is reluctant to identify himself as Sulaimon’s “lawyer,” since the former player is not subject to any current legal proceedings.

 

Multiple sources say there was not one specific incident that served as the impetus for Sulaimon’s dismissal. Rather it was an accumulation of events that led to that action, including a missed 11 p.m. curfew that occurred shortly before he was kicked off the team.

 

On Monday, Duke’s student newspaper, The Chronicle, published a story claiming two female students told peers at two separate retreats last year that they were sexually assaulted by Sulaimon. The Chronicle reported that high-ranking figures within the Duke athletic department, including men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, became aware of these allegations as early as March 2014, roughly 10 months before Sulaimon was dismissed.

 

Krzyzewski and the athletic department have not publicly addressed any specifics regarding the situation, citing federal privacy laws. The university looked into allegations against Sulaimon at some point last year, SI.com has learned. The alleged victims did not file an official complaint to the school or the local police department. It is unclear if they participated in the investigation.

 

Sulaimon was notified when an investigation was opened, and then told weeks later that the matter was closed and the university did not have enough information to proceed.

 

A source tell SI.com that that was the last time Sulaimon had heard from Duke’s Office of Student Conduct in Student Affairs. There is currently no open investigation against Sulaimon, at least to his knowledge. However that should be telling: It is standard procedure for accused students to receive initial notice if an investigation is being opened against them.

 

The Durham Police Department confirmed that it had no report on Sulaimon.

The post Report: Duke Not Investigating Assault Accusations Against Rasheed Sulaimon appeared first on SLAM.

From The Chronicle:

Rasheed Sulaimon’s dismissal from the Duke basketball program is clouded by allegations of sexual assault, which surfaced nearly a year before he was released from the team in January. Multiple sources close to the situation have confirmed that members of the athletic department were made aware of the allegations as early as March 2014.

 

The Duke men’s basketball department has not provided a detailed explanation of the dismissal, which was the first in head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s 35 years at the helm of the program. Sulaimon, a junior, was dismissed from the Duke basketball team Jan. 29 after he “repeatedly struggled to meet the necessary obligations,” Krzyzewski said in his official statement.

 

Sulaimon’s dismissal came not from a singular incident, but was the result of multiple actions detrimental to the program, Matt Plizga—the men’s basketball sports information director—told The Chronicle the day of the dismissal.

 

The Duke athletic administration declined to speak with The Chronicle after multiple attempts were made to discuss the allegations.

The post Report: Former Duke Guard Rasheed Sulaimon’s Dismissal Tied To Sexual Assault Allegations appeared first on SLAM.

Kids now with a cloudy future.

In this era of big money supporting college athletics, the pressure to win has never been more prevalent. Coaches are trying to do what’s best for their program, and clearly the dismissal of key players works against school’s short-term success.

For head coach Lorenzo Romar at University of Washington, his dismissal of Robert Upshaw could very well be the deciding factor on whether or not the Huskies make the NCAA Tournament. And for head coach Mike Krzyzewski, dismissing Rasheed Sulaimon could cost the Blue Devils the ACC title and perhaps a shot at the National Championship.

Both head coaches have been widely successful in the sport and have helped hundreds of players on the court and in their lives. To dismiss a player is by far the most difficult decision a coach could make with his team.

A decision like this isn’t an easy one.

“We’ve dismissed people based on behavior, academics or breaking the university rules. It’s never just one thing,” said Mitch Buonaguro, a 38-year college coaching veteran. “In many cases where I coached, it was the university that dictated the policy because a player violated part of his scholarship contract or had a pattern of behavior issues.”

The large transfer rate prevalent in division I college basketball has swelled past 600 students per year. In most cases, the situation arose that the program was no longer the fit for the player, whether that was the coach or player’s realization. It’s fair game in this world of what is now the one-year scholarship.

Perhaps it’s an indictment on the sport that it has become easier to cut bait and recruit than to develop. Or possibly, it’s the mindset of today’s player who finds it much more appealing to be coveted and appreciated than challenged.

Former Virginia, Providence and Xavier head coach, Pete Gillen said that “it’s a culture of I and not we. I took it personal when kids left the program.”

Dismissal of a player during the season is the worst act a coach can commit. It’s a declaration not just that the coach could no longer help the player but the coach has quit and the reasons are quite simple most of the time.

“The player becomes an infection and destructive for the whole team. As the coach, you think about, can you allow mistakes? Can I rehabilitate the kid? You are emotionally attached,” Buonaguro said. “You recruited the kid and you have to explain it to the family.”

And not only to the family but to potential recruits as well.

“Schools use it against you in the recruiting wars,” Gillen said. “You definitely make enemies, there’s a significant risk. Coach K, is almost bulletproof but he may struggle getting the next player he wants from Houston.”

Washington wasn’t the first stop in the basketball odyssey of the 21-year-old Upshaw’s merry-go-round but it likely will be his last college opportunity.

And there is Sulaimon, who has to live with being the first player that Krzyzewski, the most successful coach in the history of college basketball, dismissed from his program. Imagine being labeled as a failure, no longer worth teaching and leading at 20 years old.

An earthquake rocked college basketball this week and the aftershocks are strong and lasting for both players and coaches alike. We don’t know what egregious act(s) these players may have committed to necessitate this actions and we may never truly know what they did. In-season dismissal certainly must have been the very last resort. Games are won and lost every night, but when coaches and institutions quit on college kids, the whole system loses.

“You feel like you failed the kid, you failed the parents,” Gillen said. “You promised them when you recruited them, that they were going to get an education; they were going to grow into young men. It’s sad, so sad.”

Leigh Klein was formerly on staff at Texas and Rhode Island and now owns Five-Star Basketball Camps. He contributes to SLAM’s coverage of college basketball and the NBA Draft and is a frequent national radio guest. He can be followed @LeighAlanKlein.

The post Class Dismissed appeared first on SLAM.

From The Herald Sun:

Duke junior guard Rasheed Sulaimon has been dismissed from the Duke basketball program as announced by head coach Mike Krzyzewski Thursday. Sulaimon remains in good academic standing and is expected to finish the spring semester.

 

“Rasheed has been unable to consistently live up to the standards required to be a member of our program,” said Krzyzewski. “It is a privilege to represent Duke University and with that privilege comes the responsibility to conduct oneself in a certain manner. After Rasheed repeatedly struggled to meet the necessary obligations, it became apparent that it was time to dismiss him from the program.”

 

Sulaimon averaged 10.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game over 90 contests as a Blue Devil. The Houston, Texas, native posted a .391 career three-point field goal percentage (115-of-294) and scored in double-figures 49 times. Sulaimon earned ACC All-Freshman Team honors in 2013 after averaging 11.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, he shot a career-best 41.0 percent (43-of-105) from three-point range but saw his scoring drop to 9.9 points per game due to inconsistent play on both ends of the floor.

The post Duke Dismisses Junior Guard Rasheed Sulaimon appeared first on SLAM.

“He has a great feel for the game and because he has such gigantic hands and has great feet, he needs to be able to have the ability to improvise. We want that,” Coach K said of his dominant near 7-footer. “There are going to be double teams, but we are going to surround him with people who can shoot the ball. This really is a special player and a great teammate.”

The ’14-15 Blue Devils have the potential to go 10 deep and showed that in throughout their Countdown To Craziness kick-off. A ridiculous video montage that projected onto the court preluded two 12-minute scrimmages that gave everyone a chance to take a look at this deep and talented group. There were athletes, there were future pros, and there were shooters. The blend left Coach K quite optimistic about what the season could hold.

“We have a really good group and they really like each other a lot. I’m glad they like to learn,” he said. “The major thing is if we can stay healthy and I think we’ll grow really well. The major thing for us is when we play someone because then I can see how we can sub and keep pressure on people.”

Here are a few of the guys who stood out from the scrimmage:

Jahlil Okafor, 6-11, C, Freshman

We’ve been watching ‘Jah’ since he was in the eighth grade and can surely say that this is the best shape that he’s ever been in. Always super nimble on his feet, he is now getting off the floor much better and we saw that with some of his explosive dunks. Another weapon that he has added is his ability to shoot the rock facing up, making him even more of a nightmare to guard in the pivot. While the Draft is still eight months away, it’s definitely Okafor’s top spot to lose.

Rasheed Sulaimon, 6-5, SG, Junior

‎Like many young players, there were times in which Rasheed Sulaimon struggled to find his identity at Duke. His role changed a few times, as did the supporting cast that was around him. Now a junior, ‘Sheed appears ready to take his game to another level. The deadly scorer is able to beat most 2-guards off of the bounce and keep the D honest with his ability to shoot it from deep. Sulaimon backed it up on Saturday too, leading all scorers with 16 points in the second half of the scrimmage.

Tyus Jones, 6-1, PG, Freshman

The best pure point guard in the class of 2014 lived up to the hype on Saturday. Doing a lot that didn’t show up in the box score, Tyus controlled the tempo of the game, made pinpoint passes, and showed the leadership that you hope to see out of an elite point guard.

Matt Jones, 6-5, SG, Sophomore

Coming into Duke with a reputation of being one of the best shooters in the country, Jones has re-branded himself into a straight up lockdown defender. While his 14 percentfrom beyond the arc doesn’t come close to representing his stroke, the Dallas product already looks much more comfy on the hardwood than he did during his freshman campaign. Jones is more vocal, doesn’t think twice about shooting when he’s open, and defended multiple slots for Coach K. Even though he’s probably not going to be a guy who puts up huge numbers this year, Matt is going to be essential in the squad’s success.

The post Duke Midnight Madness Recap appeared first on SLAM.

For several of the top recruits in the country, the Jordan Brand Classic is, in a sense, the last game they’ll ever play that’s “just for fun.” For instance, the 2012 JBC was the last game of Shabazz Muhammad’s high school career. From this point on, save for pick-up and professional All-Star games, when Shabazz takes the court he’ll carry the enormous weight of leading the famed UCLA Bruins, and eventually, carry the weight of validating his professional paycheck.

Like every year prior, this year’s JBC didn’t disappoint. Muhammad’s West team defeated the East, 99-95, with Shabazz scoring 20 points and grabbing four rebounds en route to sharing co-MVP honors with the East’s Rodney Purvis, who dropped a game-high 22. Above are snapshots from an exciting and energizing weekend in Charlotte, featuring many of the talented JBC participants, rappers Jadakiss and Fat Joe, Kentucky star Anthony Davis and much more.

photos courtesy of Jeff Dormeus

The post Photos: 2012 Jordan Brand Classic appeared first on SLAM.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 6, 2012) — Featuring 10 elite high school seniors, USA Basketball today named the roster for the 2012 USA Junior National Select Team, which will take on the World Select Team in the 2012 Nike Hoop Summit.

Played at 7:00 p.m. (PDT) on Saturday, April 7 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore., the 15th annual Nike Hoop Summit will be broadcast nationally by Fox Sports Net and its regional affiliates.
The Nike Hoop Summit is the country’s premier annual basketball game for high-school boys and features America’s top seniors playing against a World Team comprised of international players who are 19-years-old or younger.

Suiting up for the USA will be: Kyle Anderson (St. Anthony H.S./North Bergen, N.J.); Archie Goodwin (Sylvan Hills H.S./Little Rock, Ark.); Gary Harris (Hamilton Southeastern H.S./Fishers, Ind.); Mitch McGary (Brewster Academy/Porter, Ind.); Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman H.S./Las Vegas, Nev.); Nerlens Noel (The Tilton School, N.H./Everett, Ma.); Marcus Paige (Linn-Mar H.S./Marion, Iowa); Tony Parker (Miller Grove H.S./Lithonia, Ga.); Rasheed Sulaimon (Strake Jesuit College Prep/Houston, Texas); and Kaleb Tarczewski (St. Mark’s School, Mass./Claremont, N.H.).

“Both teams are in a similar situation in this game,” said USA head coach Kevin Boyle (Montverde Academy, Fla.). “The World Team also will have just a handful of practices to come together. Some of our players have played together and played international basketball and some have not. We are going to try and develop our chemistry and our rotation quickly and get our guys to understand their roles. It’s not an all-star game, and we will be playing to win. Not everyone will have the same amount of shots or minutes. It will be whoever is most deserving based on practices and preparation.”

The U.S. assistant coach will be Mike Jones (DeMatha High School, Md.), who also serves as a 2011-12 USA Men’s Developmental National Team assistant coach. In 2011, Jones helped the USA to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship, and he will be on the U.S. sideline at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship.

Tickets for the 15th annual Nike Hoop Summit are now on sale. General admission is $5 in advance and $10 on game day, and reserved courtside seats are $25 and $50. Tickets can be purchased through the Rose Quarter Ticket Office at 877-789-ROSE (7673), by visiting rosequarter.com or at nikehoopsummit.com.

Just two players, Anderson and Parker, come to the team with prior USA Basketball experience. Parker is a two-time gold medalist with USA Basketball, including a 5-0 record in the 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, and an 8-0 record at the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship. He averaged 3.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game for the USA in 2010 and 8.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in 2009.

Alongside Parker, Anderson also participated in the 2009-10 USA Men’s Developmental National Team’s first mini-camp in October of 2009, a U16 training camp in June 2009 and a U17 training camp in June 2010.

Seven U.S. team members have signed a National Letter of Intent for the 2012-13 NCAA season. Anderson will play at UCLA, Goodwin will go to Kentucky, Harris is headed to Michigan State, McGary signed with Michigan, Paige committed to North Carolina, Tarczewski will go to Arizona and Sulaimon will play at Duke. Muhammed, Noel and Parker are undecided about where they will attend college.

All 10 players rank among the nation’s top 50 boys basketball players.

The post US Rosters Announced for 2012 Nike Hoop Summit appeared first on SLAM.

If you’re a fan of high school basketball, today is a great day! Why? Because our good friends at the Jordan Brand Classic unveiled the 2012 roster moments ago.

Enjoy the JBC news and rosters (posted below, via official release) and remember that we’ll have you covered for all the Jordan Brand Classic news you’ll need between now and when the game tips off on April 14.

CHARLOTTE, NC (February 2, 2012) – Following in the shoes of Jordan Brand Classic alumni Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James,Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin, the next generation of basketball’s brightest stars will take the floor in the 11th annual Jordan Brand Classic at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte on Saturday, April 14th. The Jordan Brand Classic will be nationally televised live on ESPN.

Jordan Brand, a division of NIKE, Inc., announced the rosters today, which features several members of ESPNUs 100 players – No.1 Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas, NV/Undecided), No. 2 Isaiah Austin (Arlington, TX/Baylor), No. 3 Kyle Anderson (Jersey City, NJ/UCLA) and No. 4 Kaleb Tarczewski (Southborough, MA/Arizona).

The Jordan Brand Classic event will also include a Regional Game, showcasing the top prep players from the state of North Carolina in an East vs. West showdown and the fifth annual International Game featuring 16 of the top 17-and-under players from around the world.  Two of th

e top five picks in last year’s NBA Draft included International game alums Enes Kanter (Turkey) and Jonas Valančiūnas (Lithuania).

The tripleheader will begin with the International Game at 2:30 PM followed by the Regional Game at 4:30 PM, and the All-American Game at 7:00 PM. The International and regional rosters will be announced at a later date.

“For over 10 years, the Jordan Brand Classic has featured some of the game’s greatest players and intense action,” said Keith Houlemard, President of Jordan Brand. “We are thrilled once again to host these incredible players at Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena and in front of millions of people tuning in on ESPN.”

Additional selectees for this year’s event include Brandon Ashley (Henderson, NV/Arizona), Anthony Bennett (Henderson, NV/Undecided), Kris Dunn (New London, CT/Providence), Archie Goodwin (Little Rock, AR/Kentucky), Jerami Grant (Hyattsville, MD/Syracuse), Gary Harris (Fishers, IN/Michigan State), Danuel House (Houston, TX/Houston), Grant Jerrett (La Verne, CA/Arizona), Brice Johnson (Cordova, SC/North Carolina), Ricardo Ledo (South Kent, CT/Providence), Marcus Paige (Marion, IA/North Carolina), Tony Parker (Lithonia, GA/Undecided), Alex Poythress (Clarksville, TN/Kentucky), Rodney Purvis (Raleigh, NC/N.C. State), Rasheed Sulaimon (Houston, TX/Duke) and J.P. Tokoto (Milwaukee, WI/North Carolina).

Tickets for the Jordan Brand Classic are now on sale at all Ticketmaster locations, the Time Warner Cable box office, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. For more information, visit the official web site, www.JordanBrandClassic.com or follow the JBC on Twitter @JordanClassic.

The post 2012 Jordan Brand Classic Rosters Announced appeared first on SLAM.