West Virginia's Joe Alexander

[tornado]

Does anyone else like this guy ?

I sure do. I have seen him a few times in televised games, and every game he gets better and better.

Alexander is a 6-8 junior, recruited to West Virginia by previous coach John Beilein, but the kid got virtually no offers out of high school.

He graduated from Linganore HS in Mt. Airy, MD.
His high school averages were 14.8 points, 7 rebounds, not really all that impressive.
"Alexander had all of three college offers (McDaniel, Washington College and Randolph-Macon) after a very ordinary senior season at Linganore High"
He grew up in China, never played AAU ball, and was a virtual unknown to recruiters.
He was never more than a 2-Star on scout/Insider, according to Dave Telep, recruiting expert.

He then spent a year at Hargrave (prep school) and still Alexander did not stand out as he played a deep bench spot, maybe 12th in the rotation.
West Virginia assistant Jeff Neubauer just happened to be at Hargrave watching some of the more well known talent, and spotted this kid and his athleticism. The kid could dunk from the FT line and had smooth moves.
He ended up getting mostly mid-major interest (Kent State, Tulane) but did get an offer from West Virginia....he took it.

"John Beilein has liked what he??™s seen of Alexander calling him a ???real sleeper.??? "

Alexander is West Virginia's leading scorer at 16.8 ppg, and leading rebounder at 6.3.
I was sure impressed with how he helped put Duke out of the tourney with his game highs of 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
I think he was the best player on the floor in that game.

[BradleyBrave]

I like him a lot. A diamond in the rough, a lot like Drake's Bucky Cox. Just proves that just like good guards, good big men can be found if you look hard enough.

[tornado]

A great quote:

"After West Virginia forward Joe Alexander led the seventh-seeded Mountaineers to an upset of second-seeded
Duke in the second round of the N.C.A.A. tournament on Saturday, he asked a pointed question.

When told that the Mountaineers had just beaten a team with eight McDonald's all-Americans, Alexander seemed startled.
He arched his eyebrows and asked in a serious tone, 'Who?'"

As a reporter was leaving, the (West Virginia) reserve Cam Thoroughman asked if Duke's Greg Paulus was one of the eight
McDonald's all-Americans. When told yes, Thoroughman said: 'Oh my God. Are you kidding?'

No joke. And for the rest of the college basketball off-season, no-names like Thoroughman have made once-mighty Duke a punch line

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/sports/ncaabasketball/23duke.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[d dub]

greg paulus

This guy is hilarious. My friend and I dubbed him "city league" during the Duke/VCU game last year because his game is so ugly. Including tipping the ball to himself, stripping the ball on defense, dribbling the length only to smack the ball off his foot out of bounds. Greg "city league" Paulus.

I bet Billy Packer loves him though and uses the following adjectives to describe him
"gritty, scrappy, smart, etc."

[tornado]

tough, hard-nosed, cerebral, crafty...

Paulus is NOT listed in anyone's projection of either the 2008 or 2009 mock drafts.
he'll be playing either CBA or Euro.
but how does a team repeatedly, year after year, land 8 - 10 McDonalds All Americans on their roster simultaneously,
and still not be able to win their confernce, or advance beyond a game in the NCAA?
If Bradley had that kind of talent and couldn't make a Sweet Sixteen, God-knows how many people
on the "other board" would be demanding a new coach!

[BradleyBrave]

tough, hard-nosed, cerebral, crafty...

Paulus is NOT listed in anyone's projection of either the 2008 or 2009 mock drafts.
he'll be playing either CBA or Euro.
but how does a team repeatedly, year after year, land 8 - 10 McDonalds All Americans on their roster simultaneously,
and still not be able to win their confernce, or advance beyond a game in the NCAA?
If Bradley had that kind of talent and couldn't make a Sweet Sixteen, God-knows how many people
on the "other board" would be demanding a new coach!

I think it's proof positive of how much of a political joke the 'McDonald's All-American' notation has become. Where was Stephen Curry, son of an NBA star, on those McD's All-American lists? He's only a sophomore. My guess is if he was going to any of the ACC schools in North Carolina instead of Davidson he'd have been on the list.

[tornado]

If there's something extra I love about Alexander and Curry, as well as Emmenecker and AJ Graves, they play their games
with a little confident smile on their faces, knowing they are far better than they've been given credit for.



One more note......out of absolutely NOWHERE, Joe Alexander has ZOOMED into the LOTTERY portion of next years draft projections!!

http://nbadraft.net/index.asp?content=mock2009

[tornado]

Virginia's Joe Alexander announced today
"he will make himself available for the 2008 NBA Draft"

"Under NCAA rules, Alexander will retain the option to withdraw from the draft and
return for his senior season at WVU since he will not sign with an agent.
The NBA Draft early entry withdrawal deadline is June 16, 10 days before the NBA Draft (June 26)."

http://westvirginia.scout.com/2/744997.html

[Braves4Life]

Your Man Joe Goin' Pro

Virginia's Joe Alexander announced today
"he will make himself available for the 2008 NBA Draft"

"Under NCAA rules, Alexander will retain the option to withdraw from the draft and
return for his senior season at WVU since he will not sign with an agent.
The NBA Draft early entry withdrawal deadline is June 16, 10 days before the NBA Draft (June 26)."
http://westvirginia.scout.com/2/744997.html

It's now official. Your man Joe is goin' pro

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10867064

[tornado]

Here is an interesting fact..........

If Joe Alexander makes the roster of an NBA team (and it is almost certain that he will)
then he will be the FIRST player from West Virginia to play in the NBA since Lowes Moore in 1980-82
who got drafted by New Jersey and had a cup of coffee in the NBA before being cut.

In fact......Bradley has had TEN PLAYERS playing the NBA since the last West Virginia player was on an NBA roster!!
(Mitchell Anderson, Danny Granger, Hersey Hawkins, Jim Les, Patrick O'Bryant, Anthony Parker, Roger Phegley, David Thirdkill, Mike Williams, and Voise Winters)
BU has at least 21 of their ex-players who played in the NBA, West Virginia only 12.

[MacabreMob]

Here is an interesting fact..........

If Joe Alexander makes the roster of an NBA team (and it is almost certain that he will)
then he will be the FIRST player from West Virginia to play in the NBA since Lowes Moore in 1980-82
who got drafted by New Jersey and had a cup of coffee in the NBA before being cut.

In fact......Bradley has had TEN PLAYERS playing the NBA since the last West Virginia player was on an NBA roster!!
(Mitchell Anderson, Danny Granger, Hersey Hawkins, Jim Les, Patrick O'Bryant, Anthony Parker, Roger Phegley, David Thirdkill, Mike Williams, and Voise Winters)
BU has at least 21 of their ex-players who played in the NBA, West Virginia only 12.

Boy... I made a ton of dough off Damian Owens and WVU in the 98 NCAA Tourney when they killed Temple and upset Cincy.

This link shows WVU's pro players:

http://www.wvustats.com/mbasketball/draft.php?team_id=308

This link says Damian was released by Minnesota Oct 13th of 2000:

http://hoopshype.com/general_managers/kevin_mchale.htm

This link shows he was on the Minnesota roster (maybe) but no stats so maybe never saw any playing time:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/players/3481/

So maybe Owens never played in the NBA, but maybe he was on a roster for a short while? I don't know.

Anyway, here's the profile page of Owens in the CBA:

http://www.ctpride.com/roster_owens_damian.php

[tornado]

Damian Owens might have been on their roster for while, but he apparently never played a minute in the NBA.

[MacabreMob]

............

In fact......Bradley has had TEN PLAYERS playing the NBA since the last West Virginia player was on an NBA roster!!
(Mitchell Anderson, Danny Granger, Hersey Hawkins, Jim Les, Patrick O'Bryant, Anthony Parker, Roger Phegley, David Thirdkill, Mike Williams, and Voise Winters)

..............

Damian Owens might have been on their roster for while, but he apparently never played a minute in the NBA.

Well .... so there! Nah nah nah-nah NAHHHH nah.

[tornado]

Here's one that surprises me.....Chase Budinger is returning to Arizona even though he is predicted to be a lottery pick by some and no later than mid 1st rounder by most!