Las Vegas trip photo gallery

Taking in the first road trip of the season, the Wisconsin men's basketball team touched down at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas Friday afternoon. The Badgers will take on UNLV Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT).

The trip started on a high note as the Badgers were surprised to find out they would be flying on the plane used for U2's 360 Tour. A back injury to lead singer Bono has forced a postponement in the tour, making the plane available.

That meant extra leg room and comfort. Something UW's big men certainly appreciated.

After a 3.5-hour flight, UW held a two-hour practice at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV. Then it's back to the hotel for dinner and rest.

No trips to the Vegas Strip tonight... it's strictly a business trip for these guys.

Las Vegas trip photo gallery

Taking in the first road trip of the season, the Wisconsin men's basketball team touched down at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas Friday afternoon. The Badgers will take on UNLV Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT).

The trip started on a high note as the Badgers were surprised to find out they would be flying on the plane used for U2's 360 Tour. A back injury to lead singer Bono has forced a postponement in the tour, making the plane available.

That meant extra leg room and comfort. Something UW's big men certainly appreciated.

After a 3.5-hour flight, UW held a two-hour practice at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV. Then it's back to the hotel for dinner and rest.

No trips to the Vegas Strip tonight... it's strictly a business trip for these guys.

The 2010-11 school year has begun on the campus of UW-Madison, and with it, some action within the Badger basketball program. With workouts, The Hill and vacancies on the staff, it's been an eventful start.

Tuesday marked the first day of individual workouts for the players. NCAA rules allow for the student athletes to work with coaches on fundamentals in small groups. When I stopped by the Nicholas-Johnson Pavilion to see how things were going, senior Jon Leuer, sophomore Mike Bruesewitz and freshmen Duje Dukan and Josh Gasser were working on taking one dribble into a 10-foot jumper while assistant coach Gary Close whacked them across the arm and chest with a large foam club.

From what I saw, Leuer looked smooth (as always) and brushed off the "contact" from Close like a fly at a BBQ... shoo. Bruesewitz was still sporting the giant, red curly hair-do and the two freshmen were just trying not to screw up. Ah, the first day of school.

Another first this week was the inaugural running of The Hill for 2010 on Thursday. All 17 players ran eight repetitions up and down the Elver Park hill setting an impressive pace for this early in the season. The four freshmen (including 6-10 Evan Anderson and his size 20-something feet) seemed unfazed by the steep workout.

First day at The Hill photo gallery

I asked one of the newcomers, Ben Brust, how it went and he said, "Not too bad, but I came out over the summer and ran six reps just to test it out." Savvy freshmen this year, apparently.

Finally, Bo Ryan and his staff have been busy trying to replace a few valuable figures on the Badger bench. Assistant coach Howard Moore has moved on to be the head coach at Illinois-Chicago and Ryan could be close to hiring his replacement.

Wisconsin video coordinator Matt Ryan followed Moore to UIC to serve as the Director of Basketball Operations. Lastly, the Badgers' Director of Basketball Operations, Joe Robinson, moved on to explore different opportunities within the sporting world.

That's three integral pieces of a bench staff that consists of only six members to begin with. The potential influence of new blood is exciting, but the three newcomers will have big shoes to fill. Evan Anderson-sized shoes.

ESPN and the Big Ten Conference announced their 2010-11 men's college basketball schedule for coverage on ESPN and ESPN2.

This season, ESPN3.com will simulcast every ESPN and ESPN2 telecast. Conference action will tip off Tuesday, Dec. 28 with Minnesota at Wisconsin at 6 p.m. (CT) on ESPN2.

On average, ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise three Big Ten games a week, highlighted by a telecast every Tuesday as part of the popular weekly Super Tuesday Presented by KFC doubleheader that includes games from the Big Ten and SEC. Super Tuesday begins Jan. 11 with Wisconsin at Michigan State.

ESPN or ESPN2 will also televise a Big Ten game every Thursday, beginning Jan. 6 with Northwestern at Illinois, and at least one game every weekend from Jan. 22 to March 5.

Overall, the networks will combine to televise 29 conference games, with Wisconsin appearing in as many as seven of those. The ESPN networks will also carry an extensive schedule of non-conference action.

In March, ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise four games of the Big Ten Conference Championship.

Wisconsin's appearances on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3.com (All times Central, Schedule subject to change)
Dec. 28  -  6 p.m.  -  Minnesota at Wisconsin  -  ESPN2
Jan. 11  -  6 p.m.  -  Wisconsin at Michigan State  -  ESPN
Jan. 20  -  8 p.m.  -  Indiana at Wisconsin  -  ESPN or ESPN2
Feb. 1   -  6 p.m.   -  Purdue at Wisconsin  -  ESPN
Feb. 12  -  1 p.m.  -  Ohio State at Wisconsin  -  ESPN or ESPN2
March 3  -  8 p.m.  -  Wildcard Selection (Minn. at NW or Wisc. at Ind.)  -  ESPN or ESPN2
March 5  -  3 p.m.  -  Wildcard Selection (Wisc. at OSU, Ind. at Ill. or Pur at Iowa)  -  ESPN

Complete ESPN Big Ten schedule

A few days ago we talked about a CBSSports.com article that had USA Select Team coach Jay Wright praising Wisconsin senior Jon Leuer, this time it's ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla doing the gushing.

In a column posted Friday on ESPN.com, Fraschilla said Leuer will be on his short list of Big Ten Player of the Year candidates. You have to be an ESPN Insider to read the column, so below is what he had to say about Leuer:

These were a few of the college players who impressed me at the camp. It doesn't mean that I necessarily think these guys are all surefire NBA players, but I think they strengthened their standing with NBA scouts.

Jon Leuer, Wisconsin, 6-foot-10
Wright raved about Leuer during practice sessions and he was right on the money. Leuer has an excellent shooting touch to 20 feet and is your classic "stretch power forward" who will be murder in pick-and-pop situations. While not a bruising player, he held his own around the basket. And his length allowed him to elevate to create space for his deft stroke when he was in the paint. While Michigan State and Purdue have a number of Big Ten Player of the Year candidates on their rosters this coming season, Leuer will definitely be included on my list.

When Wisconsin senior Jon Leuer went to Las Vegas to train with the USA Basketball Select Team last week, he was certainly a household name in Madison and the Big Ten. After a week of impressive workouts and scrimmages against the USA National Team, Leuer is quickly becoming a household name NATIONALLY.

Don't believe me? Just ask Villanova head coach Jay Wright and CBS Sports' senior writer Gary Parrish. In Parrish's Five for Friday column he offered the following:

2. Who's the best college player with USA Basketball?

All five of the guys -- LaceDarius Dunn, Jacob Pullen, Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler and Marcus Morris -- I listed last week as frontrunners for preseason First Team All-America honors are here, so take your pick. But the question that intrigues me isn't the one about who's the best as much as it's the one about who's proved to be better than the people running these workouts anticipated.

I asked Villanova's Jay Wright that exact question.

His answer was Wisconin's Jon Leuer.

"He's really good," Wright said. "Maybe I haven't followed him as well because he's from the Midwest, and maybe he wouldn't surprise anybody else. But he's got great size, he puts it on the floor, he passes it, he can shoot it. He's just a ballplayer."

An NBA ballplayer?

"Yes," Wright answered.

Moments later, I told Leuer that Wright was raving about him.

"Really?" Leuer said. "That's a good guy to get a compliment from."

Of the many tributes to the late John Wooden, CollegeChalkTalk.com may have come up with the best and most fitting. The legendary UCLA coach passed away on June 4 and the site recruited some of the game's top coaches and former UCLA players to write about one of the blocks on Wooden's famed Pyramid of Success.

Wooden's Pyramid of Success contains 15 philosophical building blocks for winning at basketball and at life. CollegeChalkTalk.com enlisted coaches like Bo Ryan, Steve Lavin (St. John's), Phil Martelli (Saint Joseph's), Tubby Smith (Minnesota), Rick Barnes (Texas), Tom Izzo (Michigan State) and Ben Howland (UCLA), along with players like Bobby Hurley and Kevin Love to discuss one of the pyramid topics.

Wisconsin's Ryan addressed the building block titled "Team Spirit" and offered the following commentary:

One of the many things I admired about Coach Wooden's teams was that everyone on the team, one through 15, seemed to be involved, yet understood his individual role.  His teams were the ultimate esprit de corps and I have tried to emulate that spirit with my teams.

As Coach Wooden once said, "Team spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal considerations for the welfare of all."

True team spirit exists when guys on the bench live through the guys on the floor, knowing that they've been a part of getting to this moment.  Everyone involved in the program knows that the actions on the floor and the success of a team are a direct result of group preparation and involvement.  The value of the experience comes from the efforts.

At Wisconsin we always talk about everything being geared toward team goals and a team championship.

Our energy is always focused on what is coming next.  Coming together as a cohesive group and fortifying strengths. Success is shared by all and blame is spread across everyone's shoulders.

• NBA Summer League Main Page   |   Standings  |   Statistics

The 2010 NBA Summer League is in the books with the final games wrapping up on Sunday. The five Badgers playing in the league may not have posted gaudy numbers, but all were consistent contributors on some of the league's top teams.

Here is a breakdown of each of the former UW stars now donning the NBA logo:

Marcus Landry - Indiana Pacers/New York Knicks
Landry had a productive summer, playing for both the Pacers and Knicks during Summer League action. With Indiana (3-2) in the Orlando League, Landry saw duty in four contests, averaging 14.5 minutes per game. Highlighted by a nine-point, five-rebound game vs. Boston (July 9), Landry averaged 7.3 points, 3.0 boards, 1.5 assists and 0.8 steals.

Playing for the Knicks (3-2) in the Las Vegas League, Landry again appeared in four games, upping his numbers to 8.3 points per game in 12.8 minutes. A key figure in New York's 3-2 record, Landry also averaged 2.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks per game.

Trevon Hughes - Houston Rockets
Back-up point guard Trevon Hughes showed the Rockets (3-2) that when given the opportunity, he still knows how to score. Hughes appeared in four games, but saw more than 10 minutes of playing time just once, filling up the box score with 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals in 17 minutes of Houston's 100-91 loss to Toronto. Overall, Hughes averaged 2.5 points, 1.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game.

Greg Stiemsma - Minnesota Timberwolves
Former Badger big man Greg Stiemsma appeared in all five contests, playing 13.8 minutes per game for the Minnesota Timberwolves (1-4). He may have averaged only 0.6 points per game, but he flashed his rebounding and defensive prowess Wisconsin fans have come to love. The Class of 2008 Badger averaged 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

Joe Krabbenhoft - Portland Trailblazers
Krabbenhoft averaged 9.0 minutes per game for the 4-1 Blazers. The 2009 Wisconsin graduate grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes of action in Portland's league-finale win over Chicago on Sunday. For the week, Krabbenhoft appeared in all five of the Blazers' games and finished with per game averages of 1.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 0.6 steals.

Brian Butch - Denver Nuggets
Butch's season was cut short by a knee injury, but his Nuggets went on to finish the league with a 4-1 mark. Butch started the first two games - both Denver wins - averaging 7.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.5 steals per game.

Butch underwent successful surgery on Tuesday, July 13 and has begun his rehabilitation in Denver.

The next step for these former Badgers will be to hope for an invitation to an NBA training camp, which begin in late September.

The NBA Summer League has begun in Las Vegas and two of the league's five former Badgers have suited up in the early going. Through the first two days of competition, the results as far as UW fans are concerned are mostly disappointing. Here are the notables:

MOST CRUSHING DEVELOPMENT: After starting the first two games and performing well for the Nuggets, C Brian Butch suffered a crushing injury that could keep him off the court for quite some time. Butch was taken off the court on a stretcher Saturday night after injuring his left knee. The Nuggets released the following statement:

Nuggets C Brian Butch dislocated his left patella during the third quarter of today's 92-74 summer league win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Butch will return to Denver on Monday and will be examined by Nuggets Team Physician, Dr. Steve Traina.

On Friday, Butch scored 8 points and grabbed 4 boards while adding a block and a steal in 20 minutes of Denver's 88-70 win over Dallas. Prior to the injury on Saturday, Butch tallied 6 points, 8 rebounds and two blocks in 14 minutes on the Nuggets 92-74 win over the Lakers.

GETTING HIS FEET WET: In his first action as a professional, Rockets rookie Trevon Hughes dished out 2 assists in 5 minutes of Friday's 100-82 win over Phoenix. He did not get in during Houston's 87-78 win over Dallas on Saturday.

UP NEXT: Marcus Landry and the Knicks begin their season Sunday when they take on the Butch-less Nuggets at 3 p.m. on NBA TV. Joe Krabbenhoft also looks to get his first action Sunday as his Blazers tangle with Trevon Hughes and the Rockets at 5 p.m. on NBA TV.

Complete UW in NBA Summer League schedule/info

Wisconsin alum Michael Finley and the Boston Celtics tipped off the NBA Finals Thursday in Los Angeles, but several time zones East, fellow Badger Zach Morley is collecting his own hardware.

Playing for Autocid Ford Burgos in Spain, Morley was named the 2009-10 LEB Gold Spanish League MVP while leading his team to the league championship series.

Morley's Burgos team holds a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five games championship series against Vive Menorca. Burgos will look to close out the series with a home win Friday night. If necessary, game five would be played Sunday.

Morley averaged 15.1 points per game this season while shooting over 52 percent from the field. The 2005 UW alum also posted averages of 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks and made a living at the free throw line, converting 81.1 percent of his attempts.

Overall, Morley topped 20 points in 11 games this season, including a season-high 30 points with eight rebounds in a Dec. 11, 2009 win over Clin.Rincon.

Morley has been playing professionally overseas since leaving Wisconsin after the 2004-05 season. In two years with the Badgers, Morley averaged 8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds 1.7 assists and 0.9 steals in 65 career games.