'Tinsley's Jazz Renaissance'

Tinsley is averaging 5.9 APG in only 19.5 minutes per game.

With Mo Williams missing games due to minor injuries this season, Utah Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin has gone to Brooklyn-native Jamaal Tinsley as the replacement point guard, and the nine-year veteran has produced quality results.  Tinsley, 34, is coming off a 14-point (4-6 3PT), seven-assist performance in 31 minutes Nov. 24 against the Kings in Sacramento, and has been a solid contributor for the Jazz (7-7) as backup point man early this season.  He's only scoring 2.2 points per game (9.1 PPG career) but he's dishing out 5.9 assist per game while spending about 20 minutes on the floor a night, putting him second in the NBA in assists per 48 minutes with 14.6, trailing only Rajon Rondo (17.1).  Main thing about a guy like Tinsley, you better watch the 5-hole whenever you're defending him.  He's still not too old to go 'Mel-Mel the Abuser' with the ball handling and put you on the YOUTUBE highlight reel.

'UConn Jack'

Walker is averaging 26.9 ppg in 2010-11

The college basketball season really doesn't start until conference play starts.  Sure there are some good non-conference matchups but no one is paying attention to those when the NBA is starting up and the NFL is solidly in the stretch run of the season.  Lemme get you updated.  In case you don't know, the front runner for National Player of the Year honors is UConn junior point guard Kemba Walker, who has gone from being a quality player at the "1" to a scoring machine that takes over games and comes through in the clutch.  Walker, the nation's leading scorer at 26.9 ppg, has dropped 29 or more in six of the 12 games played so far this season and has scored atleast 18 points in every game.  He was especially spectacular in a 83-79 UConn win against Wichita State in Hawaii at the Maui Invitational in November, where 29 of his 31 points came in the second half.  With the Huskies (10-1, #4 ranked by Associated Press) trailing the Shockers 73-70 with 4:07 left, Walker went on a rampage, scoring 13 of UConn's final 14 points down the stretch to help seal the win and avoid the upset.  No doubt, Kemba has been ballin'.  Here are some other players around the NCAA doin' their thing.

Jared Sullinger, Forward, Ohio State Buckeyes.  The highly touted freshman has delivered early on and is averaging 17-and-10 on the year.  Sullinger is light on his feet despite his size (6-9 280) and his great hands.  Attributes that allowed him to drop 40 (12-17 FG, 16-23 FT) on IUPUI earlier this season allong with 13 boards.

Rick Jackson, Forward, Syracuse Orange.  The senior from Neumann-Goretti H.S. in Philly is finally coming into his own for Jim Boeheim's squad as a dominant inside man in the vaunted 2-3 zone defense and as a productive offensive player in the post.  Jackson's 14-and-12 average is a big improvement from his previous career high averages (9.7 ppg, 7 rpg, as a junior) and he has proved that he can come up big no matter what the stage or competition (17 points and 16 rebounds in a 72-58 against Michigan State 12/7/10 at Madison Square Garden).

Can McCamey continue the hot shooting in Big Ten play?

Demetri McCamey, Guard, Illinois Fighting Illini.  McCamey has improved his draft stock considerably so far this year.  The senior is shooting the lights out from three (49 percent) and he has shown the ability to be a consistent playmaker, averaging 7.1 assists per game, good for sixth in the country.

Terrence Jones, Forward, Kenucky Wildcats.  Jones is the next Wildcat one-and-done to the NBA player and it ain't hard to tell why when you see him play.  Though still very raw, Jones, a freshman, posses guard skills for his 6-8 244 pound frame.  He can play multiple positions at the college level and be affective at each.  Jones has proven this by filling up the stat sheet this year, averaging 18.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2 blocks, 1.4 steals, and shooting a decent 33-percent from the 3-point line.

No sophomore slump for Williams. (18.2 ppg, 11.9 rpg)

Other Players To Watch:
F - Jordan Williams, Maryland
G - Austin Freeman, Georgetown

G - Nolan Smith, Duke

G - Brandon Knight, Kentucky

F - JaJuan Johnson, Purdue

G - Corey Stokes, Villanova

G - Quincy Acy, Baylor

F - Marcus Morris, Kansas

G - Ashton Gibbs, Pitt

G - Scotty Hopson, Tennessee

F - Tristan Thompson, Texas

G - Chris Wright, Georgetown

G - LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor

G - Josh Selby, Kansas

Buck-ed Up

Pryor must pay $2,500 to charity for rules violations

Ohio State has received a black mark for the first time in the Jim Tressel era (I don't include the Maurice Clarett saga because frankly he or no one else had any control over Clarett's bipolar ass) as junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor and five other players got suspended for five games to start the 2011 season for trying to make some money by selling stuff they received from the university and thought was their's to own, but now know for sure that it wasn't the case.  Apparently, guys sold awards, rings, game worn jerseys, and other autographed memorabilia to a Colombus, OH tattoo parlor in exchange for money and of course free tatts.  Guys need cash when you're in college, I understand that because I've been there.  And tattoos are expensive, so why not take advantage of your 'celebrity' in order to get free ones?  The regular American can understand why these kids did what they did but the NCAA has different rules.  The rules of the NCAA are basically this: "We get to make tons of money off of your athletic ability and subsequent celebrity for the whole time you are in college and you don't get to make any money for yourself until you decide to go pro." 

Green missed 4 games this year for selling his jersey

Unfortunately, we have not really seen this rule being followed lately, especially in college football (see A.J. Green of Georgia, Marcel Dareus of Alabama, basically the whole UNC starting defense).  I understand that guys do it because they don't think they're gonna get caught, and they have so many people treating them like superstars, and they have friends that are pros and ballin', and they want that life already, so they do what they gotta do for that and forget the integrity of the NCAA rules.  Look, its a damn shame that the NCAA do what they do but until the rules change thats just the way it is and every player knows that they are risking tarnishing their reputation as well as the university they are enrolled in if they get caught.

Posey ranked #11 WR for 2011 NFL Draft by nfldraftscout.com

As for Pryor, junior running back Daniel "Boom" Herron, and junior wide receiver DeVier Posey, I think the most sensible business decision for them now is to leave school and enter the NFL draft, although its not as easy of a decision considering the current labor negotiations going on and the threat of a possible lockout next year.  However, the NCAA has virtually laid down the hammer on you and basically told you who the daddy is by suspending you for half of your season while at the same time saying that you can play in the Sugar Bowl, one of their big-money games, so they don't lose any viewers who would definitely not watch the game if Pryor, Herron, and Posey, were also watching from the sidelines.  The thing is all three guys could have used another year in college to polish their skills.  Of the three though I think Pryor would've benefited the most from another amateur year because his NFL passing ability is very similar to a currently maligned former star college quarterback: Vince Young.  Pryor is 30-4 as the Buckeye starting quarterback but struggled in high-profile games this year against Miami (FL), Wisconsin, and Iowa (44-88 passing, 2 TDs and 3 INTs combined).  Herron, (1,068 rushing yards, 15 TDs) was just starting to come into his own as the feature back but still is a solid prospect if he were to enter the draft now.  Posey, in my opinion, will eventually be the best pro out of this group because of his size (6-2, 213) and ability to put up solid numbers (50 receptions, 778 yards, 6 TDs in 2010) despite Pryor not always being able to get him the ball exactly where it needed to be.