UNLV Basketball

With the UNLV Runnin' Rebels jumping back in the national radar after signing Rivals No. 7 ranked recruit, Anthony Bennett, the Rebels are looking to strengthen one of the best incoming classes as they host UConn transfer Roscoe Smith through Wednesday, according to NBC Connecticut.

Smith, a 6'8" forward, is one of the many players who has opted to transfer out of UConn after sanctions were levied on the team for recruiting violations. He would be a solid get for UNLV's already talented 2012 class.

Although the Rebels have one of the best front courts in all of college basketball, adding another high-level forward would do nothing but benefit UNLV.

Smith has been more of a role player than a star since he came out of high school as the No. 37 ranked recruit in 2010. He has the potential to be a solid back up to the Rebels  Mike Moser, who will be playing at his more natural position of small forward this season, after spending last season at the power forward spot.

Smith could give Moser the rest that he could have used last season considering how the Rebels' breakout star wore down towards the end of the season after playing an average of 31.4 minutes per contest.

It is still unknown if Smith would be eligible this year or would have to sit out a year per transfer rules, but either way UNLV will benefit from whenever Smith can play.

Smith would round out UNLV's highly touted 2012 class that includes newcomers, Bennett, Rivals No. 38 ranked Katin Reinhardt, Rivals No. 144 ranked Demetris Morant and DaQuan Cook, in addttion to Pitt transfer and former high school All-American, Khem Birch.

Without Anthony Bennett, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels would have been a top-25 team next season. With him, UNLV could be a top-10 squad and a legitimate threat to make the Final Four.

What a difference a prized recruit can make.

A power forward and the last remaining top-10 recruit on the board, Bennett immediately makes the Runnin' Rebels a talented, dangerous and well-rounded squad.

He'll join top-50 recruit Katin Reinhardt in an impressive recruiting haul for Dave Rice, along with Pittsburgh transfer Khem Birch. And with Mike Moser, Anthony Marshall (12.2 points per game last season), defensive stopper Justin Hawkins and USC transfer Bryce Jones already in tow, the UNLV roster looks solid.

But the team's success will begin and end with the trio of Bennett, Moser and Birch—three studs that could find their way to the NBA someday.

Moser was good for a double-double a game last year (14.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game), and Birch showed serious promise before deciding to transfer from Pitt after only 10 games. They'll pair with Bennett to create one of the nastiest frontcourts in college basketball next season. And, in the process, perhaps they'll help UNLV advance past the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1991.

They should be a fun team to watch next season.

Michael Peck, Bennett's head coach from Findlay Prep, noted that the Rebs should have a multi-faceted team with players that can handle any number of roles (via ESPN):

"Look at Mike Moser," Peck said. "They're going to play up-tempo and they allow guys to play multiple positions and do multiple things. They let players be players. If the guys have skills that can do certain things, he lets them utilize their skills."

UNLV will be a very good team next year. Landing a player of Bennett's caliber has ensured that.

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After an extended evaluation process, elite recruit Anthony Bennett has finally decided where he will play college basketball next season. The forward ultimately chose UNLV, according to ESPN's Dave Telep.

Anthony Bennett is a Runnin' Rebel. Rebel class now moves to No. 12.

— Dave Telep (@DaveTelep) May 12, 2012

Adding Bennett provides the Rebels with a major boost heading into next season.

A handful of teams were considered strong contenders to land Bennett before he started narrowing down his choices. He was the top available player remaining when he finally made his decision. He was rated seventh overall in the class by both Rivals and ESPN.

The 6'7'' Findlay Prep star has all the tools necessary to dominate at the college level and should continue to grow for a couple more years. His rare combination of size and athleticism will make him a force sooner rather than later.

What separates him from the pack, however, is his constant effort to add different elements to the game. Instead of settling for controlling the paint, which a lot of big men do because they don't meet any resistance at the lower levels, Bennett has kept improving.

He's able to stretch the defense by knocking down mid-range and even long-range shots. His rebounding and defending abilities have both improved, making him a truly complete prospect as he prepares to take the next step in his development.

Bennett should have no trouble sliding right into the starting lineup to make an immediate impact like so many freshman did last season, especially for national champion Kentucky. That's certainly the way college basketball has been trending in recent years.

The only concern for Bennett will be his man defense against taller players. He'll likely be asked to guard forwards and centers a couple inches taller than him, but his athletic ability should allow him to hold his own.

All told, Bennett is a really nice late addition that immediately makes the team better.

After months of speculation, Rivals No. 7 high school basketball recruit, Anthony Bennett, has committed to the UNLV Runnin' Rebels according to Adam Zagoria, ending the guessing game that has gone on for some time.

Just a few weeks ago the Florida Gators were thought to be the favorites for the 6'7" forward, but that was until he cut them from his list of four schools that remained at the time.

Then, the next speculated favorite, the Kentucky Wildcats, was clipped off his list, leaving just UNLV and the Oregon Ducks as the 5-star recruits' final two choices.

Fellow Canadian basketball star, Khem Birch, was said to have played a big role in UNLV landing Bennett, as he was in his ear and used his social media platforms to try and convince him to play for the Rebels.

Now that Bennett has made it official, UNLV and the high school All-American can get his role figured out for the upcoming season.

UNLV has a scheduled exhibition tour in Bennett and Birch's home of Canada in August, and that will give us a first look at how Bennett will fit in with the up-tempo Rebels—Birch will not be allowed to participate in the exhibition games. (He is not eligible for play until midway through the season due to transferring halfway though last season from Pitt.)

Anyway you look at it, landing Bennett is a huge get for UNLV, as he is the first All-American recruit to sign with UNLV out of high school since Lamar Odom did back in 1997. Although, Odom never played for the Rebels after NCAA recruiting violations, and he eventually played for the University of Rhode Island.

According to Dave Telep of ESPN, the Rebels jump into the Top 25 recruiting classes of 2012 at No. 12 with the Bennett signing, as UNLV also signed Rivals No. 38-ranked Katin Reinhardt, No. 144-ranked Demetris Morant and unrated DaQuan Cook.

The incoming talent should make a Top 15 appearance in the preseason rankings come fall.

Anthony Bennett should forget about Oregon and sign on with UNLV.

He is a 5-star recruit coming from Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada, so his inclination might be to get away from home and spread his wings out in Oregon.

The smart move for the long-term success of his college career and beyond would be for him to stay close to home, though, and there are a few reasons why it makes more sense for Bennett to choose UNLV.

Jimmy Kimmel Says So

Okay, so maybe this isn't going to be at the top of Bennett's list as far as reasons to choose UNLV, but bear with me as I flesh this one out.

Kimmel recently tweeted:

UNLV needs you Anthony! @Salsaa_Stylez @ABennett24 @UNLVRebellion @Salsaa_Stylez @ABennett24 @UNLVRebellion

— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) May 8, 2012

While Kimmel isn't going to sway Bennett one way or another, it's clear that UNLV would provide him a bigger platform to show off his skills in college than Oregon.

Las Vegas is a hot spot for celebrities, and Bennett would get a ton of exposure if he chooses to go play for the Runnin' Rebels. If he decides to take his talents to the northwest, he won't get nearly the same kind of publicity.

Stay Away from the Weed!

ESPN recently ran a story about the rampant drug use at the University of Oregon. The story didn't focus on the fact that there's a lot of marijuana on campus—rather they focused on the fact that many student-athletes were the ones doing the smoking.

It would be a terrific move for Bennett to stay away from Oregon for this very reason.

I'm not making a commentary on the drug, per se. Marijuana isn't inherently bad, and Bennett could get weed anywhere in the country on any campus. 

The reason it would be a good idea for Bennett to avoid that particular trap is that public perception is everything at the next level when marketing comes into play.

If Bennett plans on becoming one of the next stars of the NBA, he'd be wise to keep his image clean and stay away from a known center for drugs.

Championships are Everything

Oregon isn't a powerhouse program like UNLV is becoming under the leadership of second-year head coach Dave Rice. They featured an extremely underrated, young team that was knocked out of the NCAA tournament in the second round by Colorado.

Bennett will fit into the scheme Rice is implementing. He's an athletic, undersized power forward with range from the perimeter and power down on the block. He loves to rebound and block shots, even at 6'7", and Rice would put him to work from the get-go at the No. 4 spot.

UNLV isn't quite championship-caliber just yet, but they have a much better shot at getting there with the addition of Bennett than Oregon. Oregon isn't even close.

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It's all fun and games in college basketball recruiting until Jimmy Kimmel gets involved.

Then it gets real.

Kimmel, who attended UNLV, recently tweeted his hope that the Findlay Prep star would suit up for the Runnin' Rebels (h/t to The Big Lead):

UNLV needs you Anthony! @Salsaa_Stylez @ABennett24 @UNLVRebellion @Salsaa_Stylez @ABennett24 @UNLVRebellion

— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) May 8, 2012

Bennett is currently deciding between UNLV and Oregon, and as I noted yesterday, choosing the Runnin' Rebels made more sense on a number of levels.

With Bennett in town, UNLV would be one of the better teams in the country and could advance past the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1991.

On the other hand, Oregon will struggle to gain a tourney berth one way or another.

There are other reasons to choose UNLV, of course. Going to college in Las Vegas, for one. Plus, he could team up with fellow Canadian and University of Pittsburgh transfer Khem Birch, who has been trying to convince Bennett to choose UNLV.

And all of those reasons are fine and dandy, but when you add Kimmel to the mix, well, that takes it to the next level.

If I were Bennett, I'd tweet back at Kimmel and tell him that if I did end up choosing UNLV, he'd have to bring me on the show to talk some UNLV basketball.

How's that for a recruiting edge?

Whatever Bennett ends up doing, I'm sure he has found it pretty entertaining getting a shout-out from Jimmy Kimmel. If nothing else, it's a memory.

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Anthony Bennett is one of the few top high school basketball recruits who has yet to decide where he is going to take his talents next year.

There might be two schools left on his list, but there is only one that makes sense: UNLV. 

According to Adam Zagoria of zagsblogs.com, Bennett has eliminated Kentucky from his list and will decide between the aforementioned Runnin' Rebels and the Oregon Ducks.

Trying to predict what Bennett is going to do will make your head spin.

It was thought that the two schools with the best chance to land him were Kentucky and Florida. With them gone, it is clear that Bennett not only wants to play right away but he wants to be "The Man" wherever he goes.

Given that neither UNLV nor Oregon are loaded with superstar players, it wouldn't be hard for Bennett to step on campus and be the best player on either team.

So the next question becomes, does Bennett want to compete for a championship?

Given that every player in college basketball, even if they are one-and-done, wants the thrill and honor of playing in the NCAA tournament, it should be a high priority for Bennett when he makes his decision. 

If that does turn out to be a key factor, UNLV is going to be the obvious leader in the clubhouse. The Runnin' Rebels were one of the most underrated teams in the country last year, boasting one of the most efficient offenses and a dominant, swarming defense. 

Things fell apart against Colorado in the second round of the NCAA tournament, but it doesn't change the fact that this is a program on the rise, and second-year head coach Dave Rice did a great job of implementing his style on this team. 

Bennett's strengths play right into what UNLV and Rice want to do.

Bennett is a true power forward, with strength and versatility. He has range on his shot and the aggressiveness to get to the rim. He also is a dominant defender and makes use of his size to be a rebounding machine. 

Oregon is a solid program on the rise, but it is not close to competing for a championship. UNLV is on the cusp of being an elite team—it just needs an elite player to build around. 

Bennett is the perfect player for UNLV, and UNLV is the perfect team for Bennett. When the decision is made, Bennett should tell the world he is taking his talents to Las Vegas. 

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Anthony Bennett surprised quite a few people when he eliminated Kentucky and Florida as potential schools this weekend, instead narrowing his decision to UNLV and Oregon.

This makes UNLV the most logical choice for the Findlay Prep star.

Consider the following, from Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo:

UNLV would appear to be the slim favorite if only because of Bennett's relationship with the coaching staff and with fellow Canada native Khem Birch, the Pittsburgh transfer who has actively tried to persuade Bennett to join him with the Rebels.

The trio of Bennett, Birch and Mike Moser would give UNLV a frontcourt of three potential future pros, all of whom complement one-another well. Throw in the return of slasher Anthony Marshall and defensive stopper Justin Hawkins in the backcourt as well as the arrival of USC transfer Bryce Jones and sweet-shooting incoming freshman Katin Reinhardt, and the Rebels could be a preseason top 15 team.

Sure, he might get more playing time in Oregon, but the Ducks aren't in a position to be nearly as competitive as UNLV. Plus, with top recruits Kyle Anderson and Shabazz Muhammad already in tow at UCLA, a Pac-12 title seems unlikely for Oregon.

UNLV hasn't advanced past the Sweet 16 since 1991, when the team made its second-straight trip to the Final Four under Jerry Tarkanian, a year after winning a national championship.

Bennett could help with returning UNLV to prominence, potentially leading the deepest tournament run for UNLV in 21 years.

Oh, and there's always the appeal of Las Vegas, if that's your thing.

For the average college student, a free education in Vegas would probably be hard to pass up.

I'd be surprised if Anthony Bennett passes up the opportunity to play for UNLV. Between a coaching staff he is familiar with, his friendship with Khem Birch, the potential for great things as a Runnin' Rebel next year and the area itself, UNLV seems like the logical choice.

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Anthony Bennett's commitment to a college is down to two teams, UNLV and Oregon. If he was smart, Bennett would choose UNLV.

Recently, the 6'7" forward made a couple of surprising moves taking away the Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats from his list of choices. This may come as a surprise to people; however, Bennett would have less of an immediate impact on those teams due to the forwards Kentucky and Florida already have.

UNLV needs Bennett on their team and it will give him the immediate impact that he is looking for. The Runnin' Rebels are a fast-paced team that likes to run the floor and score in transition. This is a perfect fit for Bennett and his athleticism.

Bennett can also benefit from UNLV in the half-court game. His strength makes him an excellent player driving to the lane or posting up on the block. Plays should be designed for him and give him a great opportunity to show off all of his skills.

Another reason for Bennett to choose UNLV is that it is close to home. Sometimes we forget that these college basketball players are still kids and if they have an option to stay close to home they are most likely going to take it. UNLV is about 10 miles away from where he played his high school basketball at Findlay Prep.

A player's mental state, especially in college, is very important when it comes to their play and Bennett staying close to home can't hurt his mental state.

As for Oregon, they could really use Bennett as they had trouble scoring at times last season and needed more playmakers. The Ducks also ranked 183rd in rebounding and didn't have a great front court.

Bennett would make a good fit at Oregon too, but the team does not have enough players as of now to be a legit contender. UNLV can contend with Bennett as one of its star players. Expect Bennett to make the right decision and choose UNLV as his college.