Taking a litany of tests and long, grueling interviews with random questions is typical for college students this time of year. Even NBA hopefuls.

The NBA draft combine – formerly called the pre-draft camp; more on that later – came to a close Sunday after four days of poking, prodding and probing about 50 of the nation's top college players.

OK, it's not like taking the bar or a series of finals, but six hours of interviews can't be easy. It's been a while since I did the post-college job interview marathon, but the pressure of saying something wrong to a prospective employer is nerve-racking. Just ask Jonny Flynn.

"You've got to talk the whole time, you've got to sit up right, you've got to make a good impression. So that's way more tiring. Playing basketball, that's the easy part," he said Thursday.

And it must be tough to maintain a straight face during some of the questions. The Washington Post dug up these nuggets from the weekend:

Ty Lawson shared a story about an interview he had with the Memphis Grizzlies. Someone asked him about one of his uncles who was a barber. Lawson had no idea who the guy was talking about until the team representative informed Lawson that his uncle cut his hair. Chase Budinger said one team official asked him if he had a girlfriend, then asked if he had any "friends with benefits." Budinger offered a "no comment." Jordan Hill said that one team official asked him what drink he prefers whenever he goes out to party. Hill's response? "Water with lemon."

Of course, players and agents know these types of questions are coming. According to Chad Ford, one agent prepared all of his clients with some stock answers.

If asked about their hobbies, they respond as such: "My hobby is doing community service. That's what I like to do in my spare time." Classic.

So what's involved in the basketball part? Not as much as it used to …

When it was the "pre-draft camp," there were 5-on-5 and 3-on-3 scrimmages. Now, it's a bunch of drills, strength and agility tests and physicals. Thus, the "combine" label. (Turns out the more scrimmaging you do, the less players want to be involved. Greater likelihood of injuries that way.)

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

"Teams have expressed dissatisfaction with the caliber of players participating in the 5-on-5 games at the camp, the absence of players who refused to play in games ... in addition, the cost of the 5-on-5 portion of the camp didn't seem to be justified by its benefits to the teams."

That decision didn't keep five of the draft's top prospects from skipping the drills, though. Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet, Ricky Rubio, James Harden and Jordan Hill all passed on the drills.

Plenty of guys did participate. Ford has a breakdown by position here. He says Jrue Holiday, Flynn, DeMar DeRozan, Austin Daye, Earl Clark and DeJuan Blair fared well. Ty Lawson was one of the few guys who didn't impress onlookers.

Then again, it's the NBA draft. The thing that usually impressed NBA teams the most are players' measurements. Height and arm reach still rule the rankings. NBADraftExpress always puts out every player's height (with and without shoes, though why they do measurements without shoes is beyond me since they play in shoes), weight, wingspan and standing reach.

Even better? The database goes back to 1989 and is sortable. It's the kind of thing you could look at for hours. If you're like me and don't have anything better to do, that is. It's all a great way of comparing players on paper, but doesn't capture just who can play and who can't.

Maybe that's what the questions were for …

The "I told you sos" will surely come Kentucky's way. But I'm not sure school officials will lose too much sleep over them. They knew this was coming.

It sounds batty – cocksure, perhaps  – to suggest that Kentucky isn't worried about NCAA allegations regarding Memphis' 2007-08 men's basketball season. After all, that's where new Wildcats coach John Calipari spent the previous nine seasons. The 2007-08 season was a biggie, too. Calipari helped lead the team to a Final Four berth and an NCAA record 38 victories that season.

Yet, it's one player on that team – reportedly Derrick Rose, now a guard with the Chicago Bulls – who is the focal point of those NCAA allegations of "knowing fraudulence or misconduct" on an SAT exam, not Calipari. The coach will cooperate with the investigation, and Kentucky made clear that he "is not at risk of being charged with any NCAA violations in this case."

In fact, Calipari told Kentucky about the allegations during his March job interview. How's that for be upfront with your prospective employer?

From a statement released by the school:

"Coach Calipari was forthcoming with the University of Kentucky during the hiring process about any issues under investigation at the University of Memphis at that time. It is normal procedure for the NCAA to ask a former coach to participate in a hearing. Therefore, Coach Calipari will participate as requested."

As far as Kentucky's concerned, Calipari hasn't done anything wrong.

Indeed, when the hiring was announced, athletic director Mitch Barnhart talked at length about the school's vetting process. As the Lexington Herald-Leader reports: "We then started our due diligence, more calls and background checks. Sandy Bell and the compliance folks talked with the NCAA and checked records and facts. David Price (the NCAA vice president of enforcement services), other people at the high level with the NCAA, assured us how much they enjoyed working with John in that process."

Still … it has to be unnerving.

This isn't the first time the NCAA has accused a Calipari program of major violations. Massachusetts was forced to vacate its 1996 NCAA tournament results, which included a Final Four berth, because star center Marcus Camby received money from an agent. Calipari bolted for the New Jersey Nets and UMass was left to rebuild.

The catch is that Calipari wasn't found personally culpable for Camby's mistakes. But the perception hung around.

When Memphis made its Final Four run last season, Calipari had to continually address impressions that his programs were tainted. The new allegations aren't going to help those perceptions, but that's to be expected.

It's been a big spring for Kentucky. The Wildcats, behind their new coach, have made recruiting headlines and been the buzz of college hoops. But the school knew these allegations were coming and officials still decided Calipari was worth it. Memphis thought the same thing.

And when everyone wants you despite any perceived imperfections, that's a game worth playing.

Simple question: Is John Calipari now the biggest name in college basketball?

Thanks to his recruiting prowess, non-stop Twittering and general media onslaught (a dream for those of us dreading the summer doldrums), Coach Cal's owned the college hoop headlines every since the NCAA tournament ended.

This story from Jerry Tipton at the Lexington Herald-Leader (hat tip: A Sea of Blue) covers all the bases of Calipari's wild spring, whether it's chatting it up with fans, heading to church or just generally embracing all things Big Blue. (The paper's illustration shown below just adds to it all.)

Camille Weber/Herald-Leader

John Calipari, striking the pose

That embracing of it all is probably the most important. He's in the good graces of Wildcats fans because of that once-in-a-generation recruiting class, but has gone above and beyond because of the way he's adapted to the life in Lexington.

Ex-Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall and former athletic director C.M. Newton have been blown away by the whirlwind 54 days.

"It exceeds anything I've ever seen or dreamed of, really," Newton told Tipton. Newton does think the honeymoon will end sometime, but the start has been pitch perfect.

Sure, the whole thing could get out of hand given the expectations, but for now, he's thriving at perhaps the most prestigious program in the country.

And if he's thriving there, does that make him the biggest name in the game?

Coaches rule the college game. Players can only stick around for four years, which elevates the coaches into superstar status. Take the Guitar Heroes.

Roy Williams just won his second NCAA title in the last five years. Rick Pitino was doing all this at Kentucky when Calipari was still at UMass. And it's tough to watch TV in March without seeing an ad featuring Mike Kryzewski.

Is Calipari bigger than any of them? Right now, for sure. But what about after the recruiting glow wears off? Just how long can Cal and Kentucky dominate the headlines?

It all depends on how much he wins, eh?

LeBron James' magnificent game-winner against the Magic (and because I'm at work on a long weekend) just makes me want to watch more buzzer-beaters.

That's normal, right? One good buzzer-beater deserves another – even if it isn't March…

Top 10 lists for college hoops buzzer-beaters circulate every year, even on sites that don't … condone … college hoops, to say nothing of the usual suspects.

Charles Arbogast/AP

Christian Laettner vs. Kentucky, 1992

For starters, they're a blast. Seeing it happen live – the few of us who were in the newsroom Friday night all yelled when LeBron sunk his shot – is marvelous, and just makes you (Read: me) want to talk about it all night and into the next day. (My wife rarely feels the same way, unless it's about Kansas, but even she has her limits with the Jayhawks.)

But the post-shot discussion is my favorite. Where does each shot rank? How hard was it? Did he or she get lucky? And do you remember when … well, you get the idea.

So come with me and take a trip down memory lane for some of the best buzzer-beaters in college hoops history.

Start with the non-NCAA tournament shots. ESPN did a fun highlight package last year when Cleveland State beat Syracuse that featured nothing but half-court shots, and some that were even farther. (The full-court heave after the missed free throw is astounding.)

But they don't have to be half-courters to be dramatic. I can't count the number of times I've seen Jeff Capel's buzzer-beater against UNC in '95 replayed.

Still, most of the memorable buzzer-beaters happen during the NCAA tourney. The event's tailor-made for drama because of what's at stake and the number of games (more chances for drama!).

This list is a pretty good rundown of the ones we all know, but there's no video involved. And here's a ranking of the Top 5.

But what good are buzzer-beaters if you can't watch 'em? Here's another ESPN highlights package of 10 good ones, including Christian Laettner sinking Kentucky, Lorenzo Charles saving N.C. State and Valpo's play for Bryce Drew.

So what's missing? I always liked this Drew Nicholas shot against UNC Wilmington in 2003. Sure, the Terps were the defending champs and it would've been a nice upset, but there's just something about Nicholas dribbling all around the court and hitting an off-balance shot. Clutch.

Ty Rogers' shot to sink Drake in 2008 was pure.

Laettner vs. Kentucky is usually hailed as the greatest college hoops shot of all time, but is it strange that his jumper two years earlier against UConn in the East Regional finals is rarely mentioned? Sure, it's a little shorter, but it also sent the Devils to a Final Four. Great shot.

I suppose if Kentucky would've eventually beaten Michigan State in 2005 Austin Regional finals, Patrick Sparks' shot from the top of the key would be talked about more often. As is, it's just a dramatic moment in part of a game.

Then again, sometimes a person's favorite shot isn't a buzzer-beater, just a last-second shot. I know I can't watch this shot enough.

How long until March again?

Pretend you're building a team of returning college players to compete in an international competition. Would it look like this?

James Anderson, G/F, Oklahoma State
Talor Battle, G, Penn State
Trevor Booker, F/C, Clemson
Craig Brackins, F, Iowa State
Da'Sean Butler, F, West Virginia
Sherron Collins, G, Kansas
Mike Davis, F, Illinois
Corey Fisher, G, Villanova
Lazar Hayward, F, Marquette
Robbie Hummel, F, Purdue
JaJuan Johnson, F/C, Purdue
Quincy Pondexter, F, Washington
Deon Thompson, PF, North Carolina
Evan Turner, G/F, Ohio State
Jarvis Varnado, C/F, Mississippi State

These 15 players will compete for 12 spots on for USA basketball's World University Games Team to be coached by Wisconsin's Bo Ryan. (Trial dates are June 16-18; the competition is July 2-12 in Belgrade, Serbia.)

Ellen Ozier/Reuters

Deon Thompson

Sure, some guys like Duke's Kyle Singler, Michigan State's Kalin Lucas or Kansas' Cole Aldrich aren't on there, but that's more likely because of other factors. KU coaches advised Aldrich to rest this summer instead of logging extra playing time.

Besides, that 15-player list is pretty loaded. Six of those guys were first-team all-conference players, and four were second teamers.

By my count, it's three point guards (Collins, Fisher and Battle), four post players (Booker, Johnson, Thompson and Varnardo) and eight guys who can play the wing. And those are the guys who seem most likely to be fighting for a roster spot.

Turner, perhaps the Big Ten's best player last season, seems like a lock. Same goes for Butler, Davis and Hummel. That leaves Anderson, Brackins, Hayward and Pondexter battling for the last roster spot. I'd take Brackins for his size and rebounding.

Then again, that's just me. What's your roster?

Kentucky's recruiting class for the ages is in place. Now the real challenge begins.

Kentucky added John Wall, the nation's top recruit, to a class that already featured three other five-star recruits. Throw in a new coach who's won 137 games in the last four seasons and it's enough to make Big Blue Nation throw up their hands and shout Hallelujah!

That salivating is from hoops pundits around the country who are proclaiming Kentucky the team to beat in 2009-10. They may not be wrong.

Incoming freshmen Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, Eric Bledsoe and Jon Hood will team with junior forward Patrick Patterson and possibly senior guard Jodie Meeks (if he withdraws from the NBA draft) to form one of if not the most talented rosters in the country.

It's a little scary to see just what John Calipari can do when it comes to recruiting at a premier program.

"I think right now everybody's on notice," Scout.com reporter Dave Telep told the Raleigh News & Observer. "This is old school Kentucky right now, and the rest of the country has been served notice. This is the real deal. These guys are coming after players, they're getting guys, and they have a powerful product to sell."

The only thing scarier than the loaded roster? The sky-high expectations heaped upon the 'Cats.

You won't hear Calipari or the players complain. Even some of the local writers aren't worried about it. But those expectations are very real, and very daunting.

Kentucky missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in nearly 20 years last season. It hasn't been to the Final Four since 1998 or won an SEC title since 2004. And North Carolina is just five wins shy of passing Kentucky on the all-time list (don't scoff, that one matters to the Kentucky faithful).

All of that stuff piles up. Next year, if the Wildcats start to struggle, it'll get hairy in Lexington. How will the young roster hold up to criticism? How much leeway will fans give the new coach if UK doesn't win enough?

Don't misunderstand – Kentucky's going to be good next season. It could be the nation's best team.

But if the 'Cats do cut do reach the Final Four or even win it all, they'll have earned it because winning under massive expectations isn't easy.

An experienced, talented North Carolina team had similar expectations heaped upon it this season, and managed to live up to them. Other schools – UNLV in '91, UNC in '94, Arizona in '98 or Duke in '99 – were similarly talented, but fell short.

One thing's for sure: I'm excited to see what Kentucky can do.

Now's the time to buy in college hoops – if you're in the market for a piece of parquet. (OK, it's not parquet, I just like the alliteration.)

Starting Friday, North Carolina fans can nab a piece of the court from the 2009 Final Four. Cost for the price of owning some of the Heels' fifth NCAA title? $250.

If there's even more money burning a hole in your pocket, shell out $499 for one of the 200 limited edition pieces, which are autographed by Heels coach Roy Williams and several other members of the title team.

Will a prepared statement seal the deal?

"What an outstanding memory to grab hold of from the Tar Heels' victory in Detroit."  Gary Sobba, general manager of Tar Heel Sports Properties, the multimedia rights holder of UNC athletics, said in a prepared statement.

(It's all at http://www.tarheelblue.com/)

Not a Heels fan? No problem. Maybe you heard that Philly's famed Spectrum has closed. Well, good news, because it's also for sale, piece by piece.

More specifically for college hoopheads, you can buy the panel where Christian Laettner made his famous shot in the 1992 East Regional final to beat Kentucky.

C'mon, you watched all those commercials in March where Laettner and Rick Pitino "reenacted" it. May as well call 215-952-5656 to check it out.

That bidding begins at $2,500.

Wow. Maybe the Final Four floor isn't such a bad deal after all…

Today's radical idea in a cash-strapped economy? A salary cap for college coaches.

Think about a world where John Calipari wouldn't have his eight-year, $31.65 million deal, or Bill Self doesn't get $30 million for the next 10.

OK, maybe it's not so radical.

Especially when some consultants think it won't cause coaches to bolt the NCAA for the NBA. Andrew Zimbalist, a professor of economics at Smith College in Massachusetts told the AP that "we'd still have the same talent of coaching in Division I that we currently have," because his other options wouldn't be as attractive, even if it meant more money.

That's a debatable stance – given most people think money is the backbone for nearly every decision ever made – but probably not far off. After all, Memphis did offer Caliapri more money to stay put.

Maybe a salary cap could work. But it sounds like it'll never happen.

Zimbalist says if the NCAA were controlled by the university presidents, they could go to Congress and ask for an antitrust exemption. The odds of the presidents stepping up and wresting control are only slightly better than me starting at point for Kentucky next season.

Besides, a coaching salary cap isn't the reason schools are losing money. Funding anywhere from 15-30 varsity sports adds up and the salaries are minimal.

Calipari's base contract is $400,000 per year. The rest comes from marketing, broadcasting and endorsement payments. Self's monster deal includes an annual salary of $229,000 – the rest comes from private resources. No tuition dollars or state funds are used.

Those kinds of deals will become standard if a salary cap is put into place. NCAA vice president Wally Renfro thinks the top programs will always find ways to lure the top coaches.

"What'll you see is a shift in the source of compensation - not the amount of compensation,'' Renfro told the AP.

No kidding. Schools already know that trick.

Other news you may like:

• Three players can significantly alter the NCAA hoops landscape next season, writes Luke Winn. Great read on what could happen depending on what John Wall, Jeff Teague and Jodie Meeks decide.
• According to Gary Parrish, teams are staying away from Lance Stephenson for two reasons: His dad's supposedly a pain, and the NCAA may question Stephenson's amateur status. Still, it's hard to believe that no one wants supreme scorer …
• Mississippi State is elated to have shot swatter extraordinaire Jarvis Varnardo back at school. Duh. Now the Bulldogs just have to hope Renardo Sidney is eligible.
• Great feature by Dana O'Neil on new Memphis coach Josh Pastner, a whirling recruiting dervish who was apparently born with a cell phone attached to his ear.
• Pauley Pavilion is getting a $185 million facelift, but BruinsNation.com isn't overly impressed.
• Sonny Vaccaro vs. the NCAA, summed up thusly: "Amateurism lost its virginity a long time ago."
• Finally, Rick Pitino's would-be extorter, Karen Sypher, was indicted Tuesday. She faces a combined maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a $500,000 fine if convicted.

Jack Wooten, take a bow.

The North Carolina senior spent the last two seasons as a little-known reserve on the men's roster. In 37 career games, he played 70 minutes, scored a total of 15 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished five assists. The Burlington, N.C. senior got his championship ring like the rest of the squad when the Heels beat Michigan State in April.

Yet, it was his role during a scrimmage last spring that will forever immortalize Wooten's playing career. (OK, that build up's a little much. Just go with it.)

Wooten decided to guard Barack Obama. And I mean guard.

In April 2008, Obama, then a democratic candidate for president, stopped by the UNC campus, got a tour of the Heels' facility and got in a quick game.

Most players were smart enough to give the future president a wide berth – except Wooten.

The 6-2 guard wasn't about to get burned on defense. From Robbi Pickeral's season recap story:

"I subbed in, and everyone was matched up, and the only guy left unguarded was Sen. Obama," Wooten said. "So I was like, 'Well, I guess I've got this guy.' I scouted him the first game, and he only went left. So I forced him right ... didn't let him have any room and blocked a couple of them.

"But then I got some dirty looks from the coaches and some of the guys sitting, like, 'What are you doing?' so I kind of relaxed the defense a little bit."

More than a year later, Obama welcomed the champion Heels to the White House. He was presented a jersey by coach Roy Williams, joked a bit ("If somebody could please present me a jump shot, I need one of those!") and thanked UNC for for "salvaging my bracket and vindicating me before the entire nation."

Then, he told the crowd what he remembered from the scrimmage. Like Wooten's defense.

"He stole the ball from me, he blocked me shot, he fouled me once," Obama said. "Coach Williams had to remind him there were guys with guns around."

Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and the rest can have their NBA careers. Wooten got name dropped by the president. Not bad for a bench warmer.

Rick Pitino could probably use a trip to the beach about now. But first, he better call any recruits to let him know he isn't going anywhere…

Louisville's coach said there is "absolutely no truth" to the rumors that he's returning to the NBA to take the Sacramento Kings job.

Count that as a win for the school, for college hoops and the Kings.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty

Rick Pitino

Louisville's back among the game's elite thanks to Pitino. It's been to back-to-back Elite Eights and is coming off a Big East title. The game benefits by having one of its best coaches and biggest names stick around.

And the Kings? Well, it's not like the Celtics or Knicks are clamoring for Pitino's services … but it wouldn't have been hard to believe.

It hadn't been an easy spring for Pitino.

His son, Richard, left Louisville to be an assistant at Florida. Perhaps his top 2010 recruit, Jeremy Tyler, announced he'd skip his senior year of high school to play in Europe. Then there was the Karen Sypher blackmail mess, which … well, is still hard to believe.

And it all up, and these words must've come as a relief:

"The only job I am interested in is winning a championship at Louisville," he said in a press release. "That's been the case since I've been here."

Most of us might want to forget it all and start over. But he told Eric Crawford of the Louisville Courier-Journal that the last thing he needed.

"They're going to say, 'Because of some of the issues that Rick's dealing with right now, maybe he wants a fresh start,' " Pitino said. "That's the furthest thing from the truth."

Good for him. And good for us. College hoops would be worse without him around.

Every now and then, the NCAA tries to fix a dumb rule. Thursday was one of those times.

Thankfully. This was a win for common sense.

(Ray of light shines from heaven. Cue chorus of angels singing.)

Thank the hoop gods

Sure, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel has to approve the changes, but it should just be a formality. Starting next season, two inane rules will be history.

One rule pertains to substituting a free-throw shooter who has been injured (astute fans recognize that Missouri coach Mike Anderson utilized that rule perfectly in the Tigers' second-round NCAA tournament win vs. Marquette).

I'm not ripping Anderson, who did what any smart coach should do. But replacing an injured player with one who can make free throws? This isn't baseball. No pinch hitting!

But the more important change was to what Rush the Court calls the Battier Rule.

The rules committee recommended to prohibit a secondary defender from establishing position under the basket in an attempt to draw a an offensive foul (specifically, the area from the front of the rim to the front of the backboard).

Translation? No more cheap fouls!

It's a slight change, but an important one. And one that was looooooong overdue.

Why? For that, I turn to Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News, who's been waiting for this change for about 20 years.

Wow. That was like 15 Star Trek movies ago.

It didn't take long for John Calipari to follow through on his promise to recruit the "best of the best."

Still, recruiting the best players is one thing. Getting commitments is another. And Calipari's already exceeded any reasonable expectations in his first few weeks as Kentucky's coach.

He convinced Billy Gillispie holdovers Daniel Orton and Jon Hood to stay in Lexington. He got DeMarcus Cousins to switch from Memphis to Kentucky. JUCO small forward Darnell Dodson did the same soon after.

Eric Gay/AP

John Calipari

Wednesday, Calipari did it again.

(Has there ever been a smoother talker? Coach Cal could've gotten the stimulus passed with ease.)

Five-star prospect Eric Bledsoe announced he's headed to Kentucky, giving the Wildcats a much-needed point guard for next year. He's a sub-shooter, but most onlookers think he'll excel in Calipari's dribble-drive offense (especially if Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson return).

That gives Kentucky 3 five-star recruits (Cousins, Orton and Bledsoe, though scout.com rates Bledsoe as a four-star recruit, mostly because of that poor shot), and a couple of four-star guys (Hood and Dodson), three of which Calipari recruited.

Some Kentucky fans will say this is what every spring should bring in terms of recruits. But this may be better than any class Rick Pitino ever brought in (at least according to prep ratings; time will tell just how good all these guys actually are).

What's next? Await the return of Meeks and Patterson.

Bledsoe hinted that Patterson, the Wildcats' heart and soul the last two seasons, will be back for his junior year. If that happens, Kentucky's frontline goes from talented but young to downright scary. As for Meeks, I agree with A Sea of Blue that Meeks seems likely to return. He's not getting a lot of NBA draft buzz and the lure of playing on such a loaded team may be too great to pass up.

And if both players are in Lexington next year, the Wildcats are going to be on the short list of national title contenders.

Wow. What else does Calipari have up his sleeve?

Could be a big week for new Arizona coach Sean Miller. He could use it.

Miller became the official replacement for longtime coach Lute Olson – after the school had nearly two seasons of interim coaches Kevin O'Neil and Russ Pennell – last month, and has spent that time adjusting to life in the desert and loss of the Wildcats' three best players to the NBA draft.

But after securing a commitment from small forward Kevin Parron last week, Miller and Arizona are going one of the biggest recruits still available: New York shooting guard Lance Stephenson.

The New York Daily News reports the Arizona staff will make a "big-time push" for the 6-5 guard by contacting him and his family this week. Jeff Goodman says it won't help, but I doubt that's going to dissuade Miller.

Stephenson was set to attend Kansas before the Jayhawks opted for Xavier Henry instead. Other one-time destinations Maryland and St. John's also are out of the running, which makes Memphis and new coach Josh Pastner the other prime suitor for Stephenson's skills. (The Tigers would love to pair him with point guard Eric Bledsoe.)

My favorite tidbit from the whole thing? Stephenson hasn't visited either school.

Arizona would like to schedule a visit, but it sounds like that would be futile. From the Daily News: "Whatever they want to do, that's what (Arizona is) going to do. It's time for him to (make a decision now)."

Guess he's already checked out the curriculums online and talked to people about the campus life…

Good news for those tired of the John Wall recruiting saga. One writer thinks it's nearing an end.

Wall – the nation's top recruit according to both rivals.com and scout.com – reportedly is considering Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, Miami, North Carolina and N.C. State. Yeah, it's quite a list. But that goes with the territory of being THE man.  

Depending on what you're reading, Wall may be headed to Lexington to play for John Calipari (a natural fit), or to Chapel Hill to help Roy Williams re-load (though the Heels haven't offered him a scholarship). Duke and Coach K got into the act earlier this month.

A bigger shocker was Thursday when Wall said he wanted to visit N.C. Central. But give the guy credit. He wants to know what's out there. "I want to find out what a historically black school has to offer," Wall told the News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C). "This is a visit to find out some things."

Heck, there was even talk that Wall would try to enter the NBA draft, which thankfully died down. (This great read from Luke Winn has those details.)

Thankfully, Tim Stevens of the News & Observer thinks Wall may settle on a school soon. Not that Wall ever explicitly says as much in the story…

It's an interesting read, and covers most everything related to Wall's recruitment, including what's at stake for his possible schools, the NBA and why he hasn't chosen a college yet.

In the end, I agree with the Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy. Wall's facing a huge decision. How often is it that nearly EVERY hoops power is chasing you? It's hard to weigh those options, deal with outside influences (coaches, friends, family) and feel comfortable with your choice.

Wall should take all the time he needs. The college game isn't going anywhere.

Thanks, NCAA. The card is in the mail. But don't expect one from NBA hopefuls. Or college hoops fans.

The NCAA's Board of Directors approved a new rule that requires NBA draft early entrants who wish to stay in school to withdraw by May 8, cutting into their decision time by more than a month. (The change takes effect this fall.) Anyone who wants to jump to the pros better make up their minds.

Amazingly enough, the rule is a compromise to an ACC proposal that would've moved up the deadline to mid-April.

So we're clear, once the NCAA tourney ends in early April, players can declare for the draft and take a month to decide if it's the right move. Individual NBA workouts will be April 30.

It's good for coaches, who no longer have to wait more than two months to find out if some players will return to school. That makes spring recruiting far easier.

It's also good for us media types, who like to complain about tracking who's in and who's out of the draft. (As of Thursday, 73 underclassmen threw their names in the draft.)

But it can't be good for the players. As Rush the Court wrote earlier this month, it'll likely limit the amount of good feedback a prospective draft candidate can learn. Nothing like rushing into a major decision.

After all, this isn't a rule for guys like Tyreke Evans or Jrue Holiday. They're first-round picks. It's for the Devan Downeys and Greivis Vasquezs – the players who might not get drafted could possibly pass up on solid senior seasons.

It's not good for the sport. The harder it becomes for players to make good decisions regarding the draft – and every year, we see someone declare for the draft when they clearly don't belong – the more college hoops suffers.

Why rush marginal prospects into the NBA's developmental league or overseas? We already have some high school prospects doing that…