Taj Gibson News

Since Head Coach Bruce Pearl came to Rocky Top in 2005, the Tennessee Volunteers have consistently challenged themselves in nonconference play.

When the Chicago Bulls drafted Taj Gibson 26th overall back in July, many considered him to be an after thought; a guy who would come in with the rest of the scrubs and get meaningless minutes at the end of a blowout win or loss.

Today, we continue our conference countdown. We're working backward, from our No.

Dwight Lewis is the only returning Trojan who averaged more than seven points. Three players departed for professional basketball with years of eligibility unspent.

The Trojans are circling the wagons. They understand no one expects much after the hasty departure of coach Tim Floyd and the loss of three starters.

After finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds, Gibson is averaging 14.0 points and 6.5 boards, while shooting 56.4 percent, during the preseason.

Amid an ongoing NCAA investigation, player departures to the NBA and academic eligibility issues, the USC men's basketball program appears to be in transition.

Power forward Leonard Washington is academically ineligible for the first semester, USC basketball Coach Kevin O'Neill confirmed, robbing the Trojans of another player from last season's NCAA tournament team.

Catching up with onetime UA basketball coach Kevin O'Neill. Age : 52. Then : O'Neill coached the University of Arizona men's basketball team during the 2007-08 season.

For Evan Smith, 18, a recently graduated 6-foot-6 swingman from Calabasas High, it didn't matter that USC's basketball program appeared to be in shambles.

About a week after Southern California was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament, freshman forward DeMar DeRozan said he decided to ditch college and declare for the NBA Draft.

Noel Johnson had his USC gear ready and his bags packed for the West Coast. Instead, the upheaval in the Trojans' program that included the departure of coach Tim Floyd and several key players led Johnson to Clemson.

The Chicago Bulls signed both of their 2009 first-round picks on Thursday, as James Johnson and Taj Gibson inked deals with the club.

When Tim Floyd stepped down as the head coach of the USC men's basketball team amid another pay-to-player scandal, he didn't just leave a vacant position, he left a black hole.

Age: 22 2008-09 averages: 15.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, .542 FG%, 1.6 blocks pg, 1.4 steals pg The skinny: Athletic early entry candidate after leading the Demon Deacons in rebounding during both of his ACC season.

Two USC players were selected in the first round of the same draft for the first time in the program's history Thursday.

James Johnson played point guard in high school and he's aware that a legendary forward who helped the Chicago Bulls win six championships did the same thing.

Taj Gibson has made many transformations, from a furniture mover in Brooklyn while playing street basketball to a non-physical skinny forward to a first-round NBA draft pick.

Ironically, the only two first-round picks who could commute to last night's NBA Draft weren't even in the Garden.

9; Gibson taken by Chicago. USC forward DeMar DeRozan could not complain Thursday night after the Toronto Raptors selected him ninth overall in the NBA draft.