Dillon Brooks Declares for 2017 NBA Draft After Junior Year at Oregon
Apr 12, 2017
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 19: Dillon Brooks #24 of the Oregon Ducks handles the ball on offense against the Rhode Island Rams during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 19, 2017 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
After being named the Pac-12 Player of the Year as a junior, Oregon star Dillon Brooks has declared for the 2017 NBA draft.
Here is Brooks' official announcement video:
Per Andrew Greif of The Oregonian, Brooks has hired an agent and will not be returning to Oregon for his senios season.
Brooks led Oregon in scoring (16.1) and shot a career-high 40.1 percent from three-point range in 2016-17 to help the Ducks reach the Final Four for the first time since 1939.
Bleacher Report NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman rated Brooks as the No. 49 prospect in this year's class, noting his "scoring attack, toughness and production make him worth considering" as a second-round pick.
For more news, rumors and related stories about Dillon Brooks, the 2017 NBA draft and the NBA, check out the NBA and NBA draft streams on Bleacher Report's app.
Tyler Dorsey Declares for 2017 NBA Draft, to Hire Agent After 2 Years at Oregon
Apr 10, 2017
GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 31: Tyler Dorsey #5 of the Oregon Ducks practices ahead of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium on March 31, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Oregon Ducks guard Tyler Dorsey declared for the NBA draft Monday after two years in the program.
Dorsey noted in his tweet he plans on entering the draft with an agent, which would eliminate the chance he could return to the Ducks. He declared for the NBA draft after his freshman campaign as well but didn't hire an agent and returned to school.
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The playmaker is striking while the proverbial iron is hot after his impressive NCAA tournament run. He helped lead the Ducks to the Final Four and scored at least 20 points in all five of his team's games in the Big Dance:
Game
Result
Points
Rebounds
Assists
Round of 64 vs. Iona
93-77 W
24
5
0
Round of 32 vs. Rhode Island
75-72 W
27
5
3
Sweet 16 vs. Michigan
69-68 W
20
3
2
Elite Eight vs. Kansas
74-60 W
27
5
1
Final Four vs. North Carolina
77-76 L
21
4
0
Dorsey averaged 13.4 points per game as a freshman and 14.6 points per game last season behind 42.3 percent shooting from three-point range.
DraftExpress ranked him No. 51 among NCAA sophomores, but the list only factored in the first weekend of the NCAA tournament.
For more news, rumors and related stories about Tyler Dorsey, the Oregon Ducks and college basketball, check out the Oregon and college basketball streams on Bleacher Report's app.
Jordan Bell Says He Lost Game for Oregon vs. UNC by Allowing 2 Late Rebounds
Apr 2, 2017
Oregon's Jordan Bell (1) is interviewed in the locker room after the semifinals against North Carolina of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. North Carolina won 77-76.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
After Oregon allowed two North Carolina offensive rebounds in the waning seconds of a 77-76 loss in Saturday's national semifinal, Ducks forward Jordan Bell publicly took the blame.
"If I had just boxed out ... I had two opportunities," Bell told reporters. "People can tell me whatever they want, but I lost the game for us."
The Tar Heels blew two consecutive chances to pull ahead by three from the free-throw line down the stretch. Kennedy Meeks missed a pair of attempts with 5.8 seconds remaining, the second of which went off Bell's hand before North Carolina forward Theo Pinson tipped the ball to Joel Berry II at the top of the key. Meeks wrestled a second offensive rebound away from Bell after Berry missed another pair of free throws.
"He just took it from me," Bell said of the second board. "I hit him and went for him instead of holding on to the ball. We talk about it all the time because it happens all the time."
Bell, the hero of Oregon's regional final win over Kansas, finished with 13 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks. He was the Ducks' defensive anchor in their first Final Four run since they won the national championship in 1939.
"Right now he's gonna feel that way, like he cost us, but over time, that will heal," Oregon guard Tyler Dorsey said. "He didn't lose the game for us. Everyone could have done more."
Bell was the only Ducks starter to make half his shots, as they shot 37.9 percent from the field. They were just 7-of-26 from beyond the arc, but Dorsey did make a three with under a minute left to get Oregon back within three points.
North Carolina will play Gonzaga on Monday night with the chance to win its sixth national championship in program history.
Dylan Ennis' Vicious Block on Justin Jackson Negated by Foul Call in Final Four
Apr 1, 2017
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Oregon guard Dylan Ennis' enthusiastic block during Saturday's Final Four game against North Carolina in Glendale, Arizona, went for naught.
Ennis' rejection knocked the Tar Heels junior's shot attempt out of the atmosphere, maintaining the Ducks' 32-38 lead with 2:32 left in the first half.
However, Oregon's Casey Benson was whistled for a blocking foul, wiping out Ennis' athletic feat and sending Jackson to the line for two.
Oregon Forward Jordan Bell Shuts Down UNC's Isaiah Hicks' Dunk in Final Four
Apr 1, 2017
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Jordan Bell had his game face on early in Saturday night's Final Four matchup against UNC.
Just seconds into the first half, the Oregon big man crushed Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks' dunk attempt.
The aggressive move kept UNC at a 3-0 lead as play began in Glendale, Arizona.
'Mr. March' Is on Fire: Oregon's Tyler Dorsey Proving Doubters Wrong in Big Way
Mar 31, 2017
KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 25: Tyler Dorsey #5 of the Oregon Ducks reacts in the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at Sprint Center on March 25, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Tyler Dorsey wants everyone to know that he would like to drop the nickname “Mr. March.”
“I don’t really care for the name,” Dorsey said. “I play throughout the season.”
Dorsey’s point is he’s been a factor all season, and yes, Dorsey was a really good college basketball player through the first four months of the season. Before the calendar turned to the month of madness, he averaged 12.4 points and shot 42.6 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Those are respectable numbers.
But over the last seven games leading up to Saturday's contest against North Carolina, Dorsey has gone from good to the best player in college basketball.
In the postseason, he’s averaged 23.6 points and scored 20 or more in seven straight games. In the seven games prior, he didn’t reach 20 points once.
His efficiency numbers mirror a guy who shoots all his shots at the rim and is not a jump-shooter. He has shot 66.7 percent from the field and 65.3 percent from beyond the arc in the NCAA tournament.
One opponent after another has waited for Dorsey to cool off, and one after another has watched an endless loop of Dorsey jumpers fall through the basket.
“We figured the way he was playing he might not play at that same level after playing the whole [Pac-12] tournament like that,” said Iona coach Tim Cluess, who saw Dorsey score 24 points in the opening round. “A lot of times guys will do it for a couple games in a row and then come back to earth. He hasn’t touched back down yet.”
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 17: Tyler Dorsey #5 of the Oregon Ducks drives to the basket against E.J. Crawford #2 of the Iona Gaels in the first half during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 17, 2017 in S
The man these coaches could blame—or maybe should have a put a call into (hint, hint Roy Williams)—is Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle.
Back on March 4, Dorsey no-showed in the regular-season finale in Corvallis, scoring just one point in 20 minutes.
The next day was an off day for the Ducks, but Oregon assistant coach Kevin McKenna took a trip to Matthew Knight Arena to fetch a leather jacket for his daughter, who had attended an Elton John concert there the night before and left it behind.
McKenna heard a ball bouncing in the practice gym and peeked his head in. He found Dorsey with a frustrated look on his face as he got up jumpers.
“Tyler, don’t worry about what’s going on,” McKenna told him. “You’re going to have a big week here, and we’re going to be fine. You’re working hard. Your shot is going to go. Don’t stress about it.”
“It wasn’t just that game,” Dorsey said. “I felt like throughout the season, I could have done more.”
Dorsey knew he needed to become more aggressive, and he got the opportunity to increase his role when third-leading scorer Chris Boucher tore his ACL in the Pac-12 semifinals against California.
The role he's playing now is more reminiscent of how he was used at Maranatha High School in Pasadena, Calif., where he averaged 34 points per game as a senior.
“He’s a guy that’s got to have the ball in his hands,” Dorsey's high school coach Tim Tucker said. “For them to have three other point guards, sometimes he gets caught as that guy like Kurt Rambis in the Lakers offense standing in the corner just waiting for the ball to come his way. That can kind of kill a kid like him. He’s got to be engaged and got to be involved in order to be effective.
“As you’ve seen in the last seven games, he’s got to touch the ball in order for them to keep moving forward.”
If there was another trigger to this ridiculous run, it's that Dorsey has always played his best when doubt from the outside might begin to creep in.
In the summer of 2015, Dorsey was cut from the Under-19 team for the United States that was scheduled to play in the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championships in Crete.
Dorsey figured out a way he could still play in the tournament—his mother Samiais is Greek—and he starred for the U-19 team, leading a run to the semifinals and averaging 15.9 points per game to earn all-tournament team honors. The highlight was 23 points against the U.S. team he had been told he wasn’t good enough to make.
“I think for him whenever there’s a failure, it makes him get back in the lab, and he’s going to make you remember that you didn’t take him,” Tucker said. “When they didn’t pick him on that U.S. team, he goes to Greece and made them understand that I should have been on this team.”
Many outsiders questioned Oregon’s chances to make a run in the NCAA tournament once Boucher was lost.
But Oregon’s offense has actually been better without Boucher and a heavier dose of Dorsey.
The Ducks haven’t had to change what they do, either, to accommodate his scoring binge. Getting Dorsey buckets is simple. Simply throw him the ball, and as he likes to say, let him cook.
According to Synergy Sports, Dorsey has been the most efficient scorer in the NCAA tournament in transition (1.545 points per possession) and in isolation (1.6). He isn’t No. 1 in pick-and-roll situations because of four turnovers, but he’s made seven out of the eight shots he’s taken—all threes—when working off a ball screen.
“I see teams, especially at the end of shot clock, they’re backpedaling when he’s walking them in and hands down, and he’s just pulling up and teeing up shots,” Oregon State’s Tinkle said. “I think guys like that, when they’re on this kind of roll, you’ve got to push into them and make him put the ball on the floor and try to do something inside the three-point line.”
Oregon State’s strategy was to simply not let Dorsey have the ball. The Beavers tried to stay attached wherever he was to try to prevent touches.
But that’s become more difficult now that Dorsey is bringing the ball down the floor more often. Kansas saw its chances at a Final Four berth essentially end because of that.
Dorsey walked into two three-pointers to end the first half last Sunday, burying back-to-back threes in a two-for-one situation. The shots took what felt like a manageable five-point deficit at half to 11, the second shot a buzzer-beating bank from 26 feet out that created doubt in the minds of the Jayhawks and their fans.
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The one time Kansas crowded Dorsey in a late shot-clock situation, he used a crossover to create separation from KU wing Lagareld Vick and buried the final dagger three that ended a late comeback bid.
"He can beat you off the dribble as well as shoot the three," Cluess said. "He can come off a ball screen. He’s got an in-between game. He can spin in the lane and score at the rim as well. And the fact that he’s got so many weapons around him that you have to guard, and if you run doubles at him, he’s going to make the right decision and kick the ball to open teammates to knock down those shots."
Dorsey's performances on the big stage have cooled some of the concerns about his ability to play at the NBA level. Mainly, scouts worry about his size (6'5") for a shooting guard.
"He’s proven to be a really good shooter, and the competition in the NBA is intense, and the NCAA tournament is the closest thing to it," an NBA scout told Bleacher Report.
"He’s going to be a second-round pick [if he comes out in this draft], and he’s going to be a guy who has to go to the summer league and play well to earn a spot at training camp. If the decision comes down to do you want player A or player B, and player B is Tyler Dorsey and you know what he’s been able to do in these situations, I think that breaks the tie."
Dorsey does have a track record of proving the doubters wrong. He also thrives in pressure-packed situations and has never been overwhelmed by the moment in this tournament, especially in Kansas City playing in what was like a road environment against Kansas.
Before that Elite Eight performance, legendary three-point shooter Reggie Miller approached Dorsey during warm-ups and told him to “empty the clip.”
Dorsey put 27 points and six threes on the Jayhawks.
That put him 10 threes away from tying Glen Rice's NCAA tournament record of 27 threes.
As the calendar flips to April at this weekend’s Final Four, Dorsey will reload and get a chance to get folks to quit calling him “Mr. March.”
Two more showings like the previous seven this weekend at the Final Four, and he could trade up from Mr. March to another title.
Champion.
C.J. Moore covers college basketball and football for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter: @CJMooreBR.
Kobe Bryant Gifts Oregon Ducks with New Nike Kobe A.D. NXT Shoe
After fighting their way to the Final Four as a No. 3 seed in the 2017 NCAA tournament, the Oregon Ducks are on a good streak.
Now the team has Kobe Bryant in its corner as it gears up to take on the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday to stake its spot in the championship game against either Gonzaga or South Carolina.
The NBA legend showed up to personally deliver a pair of Nike Kobe A.D. NXT shoes to each player. They came in special-edition packaging that included Black Mamba pins.
The kicks are appropriately in Oregon colors, so it seems the Ducks may have an extra boost on their feet in Phoenix.
3 Bold Predictions for the 2017 NCAA Tournament Final Four
Mar 30, 2017
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Bleacher Report is your one-stop source for March Madness. From the first round to the final buzzer, Bleacher Report has you covered with the latest news and analysis, plus every highlight you can't miss.
Stats and records are correct as of the end of the regular season.
Kansas vs. Oregon: Score and Twitter Reaction from March Madness 2017
Mar 25, 2017
Oregon forward Jordan Bell (1) blocks a shot by Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) during the first half of the Midwest Regional final of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 25, 2017, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Oregon produced one of the most impressive team performances in the 2017 NCAA tournament as the Ducks beat Kansas, 74-60, in front of a pro-Jayhawks crowd at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday night.
The Ducks now advance to the Final Four for the first time since 1939, when they were known as the Webfoots and won the first-ever NCAA tournament.
Oregon shot 50.9 percent from the field and held Kansas to 35 percent shooting thanks in part to Jordan Bell. The energetic junior forward was a force down low, blocking a mind-boggling eight shots and grabbing 13 rebounds to go along with 11 points and four assists.
His dunk-and-block combination midway through the first half symbolized his performance Saturday:
Bell's defense clearly affected Kansas' ability to even attempt to enter the paint as ESPN's Jeff Borzello noted. Colleague Chad Ford also highlighted the big man's defensive prowess:
Kansas is terrified of Jordan Bell when they get into the lane. Shots constantly coming up short, totally adjusting trajectory and release.
Oregon sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey and junior forward Dillon Brooks led the Ducks in scoring, posting 27 and 17 points, respectively.
Dorsey, who hit game-winning shots against Rhode Island and Michigan, is now averaging 24.5 points per game in the NCAA tournament. He also hit back-to-back three-pointers to close the first half, giving the Ducks a 44-33 lead, as NCAA March Madness relayed:
Kansas senior guard Frank Mason III did all he could to keep the Jayhawks in the game. He scored 15 straight Kansas points in the first half en route to posting 21 on the night. If you have ever played the video game NBA Jam, you might've noticed he was hotter than a player who caught fire:
The first half developed like a movie, with plot twists and turns every few minutes.
From the jump, it was clear that the vast majority of fans were pro-Kansas (understandably, as the arena is 45 minutes away from the KU campus). The crowd was a sea of blue with one lonely section of green for Oregon fans, as USA Today's George Schroeder and the Associated Press' Eric Olson illustrated:
The game got off to a sloppy start, with neither team finding an offensive rhythm and the contest lacking any sort of flow.
Then in the span of 17 seconds, Kansas freshman star Josh Jackson committed two fouls, and he found himself on the bench with 17:23 left in first half.
Understandably, Jackson was not happy, per B/R's CJ Moore and the Oregonian's John Canzano:
Josh Jackson ripped his jersey out of his shorts after that second foul. HUGE call.
Sophomore guard Lagerald Vick came in for Jackson and helped keep Kansas in the game, scoring seven points.
However, the latter half of the first 20 minutes turned into a scoring exhibition. The Ducks began pouring in shots from the outside, making 60 percent of their field goals and seven of 12 three-pointers. Meanwhile, Mason was putting on a one-man show, as KCTV's Andrew Carter and Canzano noted:
Frank Mason doing everything he can to keep up scoring with the entire Ducks offense.
Dorsey responded to Mason's torrid run by hitting those aforementioned three-pointers, and Oregon took an 11-point lead into halftime.
The Ducks stretched their lead to 55-37 following a Brooks three-pointer, but Kansas gradually chipped away at the Oregon advantage throughout the second half. After a scoreless first frame plagued by foul trouble, Jackson found a rhythm and put in a wild reverse layup to cut the Oregon lead to 11, via NCAA March Madness:
Jackson finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
Kansas eventually cut the lead to 66-60 after a three-pointer from junior guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, but Bell grabbed an offensive rebound on each of Oregon's two ensuing possessions. The first board led to another Dorsey three-pointer, and the second led to a Bell layup, effectively sealing the game.
The Ducks will now face either North Carolina or Kentucky in the Final Four on Saturday, April 1. The UNC-UK game will take place Sunday, March 26, at 5:05 p.m. ET on CBS.
Postgame Reaction
Bell was understandably excited (and exhausted) in a postgame interview with Dana Jacobson of CBS, telling her, "It feels amazing. I never got this far in my life, man. They sleep on us."
Kenny "The Jet" Smith is high on the Ducks. He said the following during the postgame show: "If there is no size on the perimeter, we will see the Oregon Ducks cutting down the national championship nets."
Kansas head coach Bill Self credited UO's remarkable shooting, telling Jacobson, "Oregon played a great game. They shot the heck out of the ball...they were really good."
Mason was emotional after the game and had this to say to KU fans, via Carter: "I gave it my all every day and I'm a Jayhawk for life."
Oregon vs. Michigan: Score and Twitter Reaction from March Madness 2017
Alex Ballentine
Mar 23, 2017
KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 23: Tyler Dorsey #5 of the Oregon Ducks is pursued by Zak Irvin #21 and Derrick Walton Jr. #10 of the Michigan Wolverines during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at Sprint Center on March 23, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The Oregon Ducks officially put an end to one of the biggest storylines this March, halting the Michigan Wolverines' tournament run Thursday in Kansas City, Missouri, with a 69-68 win that punched their ticket to the Elite Eight.
The win marks the Ducks' second straight trip to the Elite Eight, but they had to earn this one.
Oregon is headed to the Elite 8!
It's @OregonMBB's 2nd straight Elite 8 appearance and 5th overall (0-4 in previous 4).
In a close game, it came down to the stars as Tyler Dorsey and Jordan Bell outdueled Derrick Walton Jr. down the stretch.
Walton's three-point attempt to take the Cinderella run one step further clanged off the rim with just over a second to play. Bleacher Report posted video of the final shot:
But it was Bell's ability to hit the boards in putting up 16 points and 13 rebounds combined with Dorsey's 20 points on 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc that made the difference.
Bell's incredible defense also made a huge impact, as Campus Insiders' Seth Davis noted:
Jordan Bell is truly one of the best college defenders I have ever seen. Made Mo Buckets disappear now checking PG Derrick Walton.
Oregon appeared to be the better team throughout, but if the Wolverines have proved anything this March, it's that they don't go away. Sam Vecenie of Sporting News commented on Michigan's ability to find a way to stay in games:
Although it was in a losing effort, Walton dominated in spurts. His combination of clutch shooting and great distributing led to another stat-sheet-stuffing night. He had 20 points, eight assists and five rebounds.
CBS Sports provided a look at Walton's jumper with 4:15 to play that gave the Wolverines a one-point lead:
While Walton was Michigan's man throughout, Zak Irvin came alongside him in the second half to pace the team. After scoring just five points in the first frame, he caught fire with 14 points in the second.
Early into the second it was clear that neither team would concede momentum for long. After a first half with plenty of lead changes and nearly identical play, the foes struggled to separate from one another.
The Washington Post's Chuck Culpepper summed up the action early the second half:
Oregon and Michigan have gone at it for 24 minutes and 31 seconds, no one has led by more than 5, and maybe no one ever will
For Michigan, the lack of separation came from poor performances from forwards D.J. Wilson and Moritz Wagner, per Brian Hamilton of Sports Illustrated:
D.J. Wilson and Moritz Wagner haven’t been big enough factors for Michigan. Big men a combined 6-of-18 from the floor.
Although Michigan (fourth in offensive efficiency, per KenPom.com) and Oregon (17th) were known for their offensive explosiveness coming in, this game had much more of a defensive-slugfest feel in the first half.
The Wolverines ended the half shooting just 39.4 percent from the floor, while the Ducks were able to find easier looks, such as this dunk from Bell, as NCAA March Madness relayed:
Despite the sloppiness on offense, the stage was set for a competitive game with eight lead changes in the first half. The Wolverines got a special effort from Walton, who scored 11 points and had seven assists in the first 20 minutes, as Davis relayed:
Derrick Walton had 11 pts 7 assts in the first half. Was responsible for 9 of Michigan's 11 made field goals. Is that any good?
ESPN's Dick Vitale noted the importance of Michigan's getting production from players whose names are not Walton in order to have success in the second half:
Stars Walton UM & Dorsey Ducks have responded/for @UMMbball to win Wagner must deliver & Brooks needs to score in 2nd half Ducks up 2
Although the Wolverines got a little more help in the second frame, Oregon turned out to have a bit more depth and staved off the upset down the stretch.
Postgame Reaction
In the wake of a game as close as this one, it's easy to forget just how much these contests mean to the athletes involved. Michigan Basketball tweeted out a nice reminder:
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) March 24, 2017
Dorsey talked about how excited he was to be back in the Elite Eight, as March Madness TV relayed. Oregon will try to get to its first Final Four when it takes on the winner of Purdue-Kansas:
Walton left it all on the floor, and although he came up short on the last shot, he sounded at peace with the look that he got, per Brendan F. Quinn of MLive.com:
Walton on the last shot: "Personally, I think it was the best shot I got all night."
