Timberwolves beat writer Jerry Zgoda analyzes how the decisions of non-seniors will affect the Wolves during the NBA draft:
Davidson's Stephen Curry and North Carolina's Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington joined a list of early-entry players that also includes Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet, Jordan Hill, James Harden, Jonny Flynn and others, but still lacks a number of top players who sure look like they won't enter the June draft by Sunday's midnight declaration deadline.
That's bad news, of course, for the Wolves. Their 18th and 28th overall picks would look a lot more enticing if such a large group of promising underclassmen weren't apparently, and rather unexpectedly, headed back to school.
Also, did you see a PREP PLAYER quit school and is turning pro? San Diego 6-11 high school junior Jeremy Tyler says he's leaving for Europe, like Brandon Jennings did last year but a year earlier than did Jennings, who chose Europe over his freshman season at Arizona.
Get more On the Wolves at startribune.com/wolves.
SPRING ICE CHIPS
College hockey bits Roman Augustoviz knows fans are still thinking about ice in the spring. He keeps hockey lovers in the loop on his Goal Gophers blog:
• Junior forward Chris VandeVelde of North Dakota said recently he is leaning toward staying with the Sioux another season and not signing with Edmonton, which holds his NHL draft rights.
• Denver strength and conditioning coach Mike Sanders is using mixed martial arts training. He said it develops the speed and power needed in hockey.
• St. Louis Blues forwards David Backes and T.J. Oshie have been added to the roster of the U.S. team that will compete in the 2009 IIHF World Championships starting [today] in Switzerland. Backes played for Spring Lake Park High School and Minnesota State Mankato, Oshie for Warroad and North Dakota.
Get more Goal Gophers at startribune.com/gophers.
