Former Potter’s House star Udoka Azubuike a 1st-round pick in NBA draft
Former Potter’s House basketball player Udoka Azubuike joined a short list in area history when he was selected in the first round of the NBA draft on Wednesday night. He becomes just the fourth player who graduated from a Jacksonville-area high school to be drafted in the first round. As many talented players who have come through the area in basketball, area players even going in the draft has been erratic. Azubuike, who was born in Nigeria, spent his high school years as a monster in a stacked Potter’s House lineup. Azubuike wound up injuring his wrist as a junior and missed the bulk of the season after undergoing surgery.
No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first time
FILE - Gonzaga players celebrate after defeating Saint Mary's in an NCAA college basketball game in the final of the West Coast Conference men's tournament in Las Vegas, in this Tuesday, March 10, 2020, file photo. Gonzaga will begin the college basketball season No. 1 for the first time after coach Mark Few's bunch earned 28 first-place votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll released Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first time
Iowa was picked fifth behind national player of the year front-runner Luka Garza, its highest preseason ranking in school history. The Bears, who also have their highest preseason ranking, spent five weeks at No. THE REST OF THE POLLCreighton lost Ty-Shon Alexander to the NBA and Davion Mintz to Kentucky but still landed the highest preseason ranking in school history at No. 17, its highest preseason ranking since the final Phi Slama Jama team of Hakeem Olajuwon began the 1983-84 season at No. 6 in the final poll last season but losing Mountain West player of the year Malachi Flynn and two other elite producers.