The event will move to Indianapolis for 2014, then back to Chicago in 2015 and returning to New York in 2016. ESPN will continue to televise.
The lineup for the three events:
Nov. 18, 2014 (Indianapolis) : Kansas vs. Kentucky and Michigan State vs. Duke
Nov. 17, 2015 (Chicago): Kansas vs. Michigan State and Kentucky vs. Duke
Nov. 15, 2016 (New York City): Kentucky vs. Michigan State and Kansas vs. Duke
This year’s event arrives Tuesday at Chicago’s United Center and will match four of the top six teams in the Sporting News preseason rankings: No. 4 Duke vs. No. 6 Kansas in the opener, followed by No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 2 Michigan State.
The event also will feature the three highest-rated prospects in the current freshman class: Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins, Duke’s Jabari Parker and Kentucky’s Julius Randle. In the first two years of the event, it produced the 2012 NCAA champion Kentucky and runner-up Kansas, as well as league champions in the SEC (UK 2012), Big 12 (KU 2012, 13), and Big Ten (MSU 2012).
OKAFOR PAYING A VISIT
Speaking of this year's Champions Classic, Jahlil Okafor, SN's No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2014, will be taking in the Duke vs. Kansas game. The reason? Both schools are among his finalists, and since he goes to high school in Chicago, why not?
He confirmed he'll be at the game on Twitter, and he then followed up that news snippet with something open-ended that could be taken so many ways: "Is it better to follow your heart or your brain?"
So is Okafor’s heart with Duke and his head with Kansas? Or is Okafor’s heart with Kansas and his head with Duke? Or is Baylor in play? Remember, he and PG Tyus Jones will be playing together collegiately, with the school that lands them getting the top two recruits in the class. It’s possible that Justise Winslow, another top 10 recruit, joins the duo too. All three took a visit together to Duke in late October.
Another star 2014 recruit, Myles Turner, tried to help Okafor with his heart vs. head query, replying: "Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it."
DUCKS' ARTIS, CARTER OUT 9 GAMES
We knew that Oregon suspended Dominic Artis and Ben Carter for selling team-exclusive shoes. Now we know the penalty — nine games.
That means the Ducks sophomores will be out through the team’s Dec. 14 game vs. Illinois, with a return coming Dec. 17 vs. UC Irvine. The duo did not accompany the team to South Korea for Friday’s game vs. Georgetown, ESPN.com reported. And they missed a great time too, as the Ducks players got to check out several pieces of military equipment and meet with a number of soliders.
Oregon self-reported the violation to the NCAA over the summer after the school learned that Artis and Carter had sold "team-issued Nike sneakers."
"Ben and Dominic are two good young men who made a poor decision that was against NCAA rules,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said in a statement. “I feel that both regret their decisions and the impact that it has on their teammates and our university."
Carter, a forward, was expected to compete for a starting position with the Ducks after averaging 2.4 points and 2.3 rebounds off the bench last year. Artis led last year's team in assists, averaging 3.2 per game, and was expected to be the team's starting point guard this season.
HAIRSTON, MCDONALD OUT
North Carolina guards P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald will not play in the team’s season opener vs. Oakland as they continue to have their eligibility evaluated by the NCAA. Authorities twice cited Hairston during the offseason while driving a rental vehicle linked to a felon, raising the possibility of an improper benefits violation.
The school hasn't specified McDonald's issue, though UNC had to send a letter this summer ordering a company that makes designer mouth guards to stop using McDonald on a website promoting its brand.
McDonald had made at least one social media post last year about wearing one of the company's mouth guards. NCAA rules generally prohibit athletes from endorsing or promoting a company or product.
"There are some question marks we don't have control over...but I really think our team will get better as the season goes along," Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said. Meanwhile, despite the uncertain lineup, Williams said it’s business as usual for his team.
"I don't think our club has felt there is a distraction," Williams said. "The guys who are going to play are practicing and doing well and the guys who aren't going to play are also practicing really well."
JUSTICE IS SERVED
Nathan Harries, the Colgate freshman who lost a year of eligibility for playing in three games of a church basketball league, had that year restored by the NCAA after the ruling body reconsidered its decision, Yahoo Sports and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, citing sources.
The NCAA reconsidered its Oct. 21 decision after coming to the understanding that the church league was not an ultra-competitive one. In fact, one of the league's participants told the AJC that one of the players in the league had no idea how to play the game. In understanding that no competitive advantage was gained, the NCAA relented.
Harries had just finished a two-year mission for the Mormon church when he played in the games.
Harries will now have four years of eligibility for the Raiders.
Contributors: Roger Kuznia, Mike DeCourcy and The Associated Press
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