Blake Griffin

Last year was a two-horse race – the Pac-10 and Big East were neck-and-neck for college basketball’s most competitive conference, as they combined to send 15 squads to the Big Dance and played a superior brand of basketball all year long.

This year was supposed to be different. It was supposed to be the year of the Big 12, the football conference that has recruited in its own backyard and has some of the nation’s top prospects waiting for the League.

But some recent events have many questioning whether the Big 12′s big dogs will get their season off on the right foot. First, Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin, who is projected by some sources as the top prospect in the ’09 draft, was arrested for public urination. And now, there’s word out of Norman that two OU athletes – not clear whether it’s basketball, football or any other sport – were involved in a stabbing last night at a nightclub.

Plus, the defending champion Kansas Jayhawks were going to have to scrap together in ’08-09 given that all five starters were all taken in the NBA Draft. But the 5-10 blur of a point guard, Sherron Collins has reported to camp out of shape.

“He’s a month behind where I thought he’d be at this stage,” Self said when the Jayhawks opened camp on Aug. 21. “He just reported back in bad shape.”

All of this negative press for the supposed top teams in the Big 12 could further open the door for ’09 No. 1 prospect John Wall to settle on his current top choice, Baylor, as his collegiate destination. The Bears’ Curtis Jerrells and Henry Dugat could have them finishing towards the top even without the surrounding drama.

Source: SI.com