Each Friday I will write about the sport I love, college basketball…

• One thing that drives me bananas, and would really bother me if I was still coaching, is the late deadline for players to withdraw from the NBA draft. The early entry class has until June 18th if they have not signed with an agent. For example, imagine what Virginia coach Dave Leitao is going through? In a way he and other coaches in this situation are being held hostage. Do you think things change if Sean Singletary suddenly says he is going back to Charlottesville? That would impact the line-up! There should be an earlier deadline so coaches can make the necessary plans to move on with or without the standout player.

• It was sad to learn of the tragic death of former Villanova sensation Howard Porter. The All-America, along with Chris Ford, led the Wildcats to the 1971 championship game before losing to UCLA. Porter was one of the best players ever from Sarasota County down here in Florida. He was a probation officer in Minnesota who died in such a tragic fashion. He was highly revered here in Florida and at Villanova.

• I'm thrilled that the three-point line in college basketball has officially been moved back to 20-feet, nine inches. I think it will help the game. It will make it a more challenging shot and it will help inside play as teams will look to go into the paint more on offense.

• Great news for Kansas fans with the return of Brandon Rush, who pulled out of the NBA draft. Yes, he has a torn ACL and will likely miss the start of the season. These days, modern medicine and rehab can help an athlete come back quickly. They do such amazing work and there is no reason to think he can't come back and have a big season for the Jayhawks.

• A player to look out for come draft time even though some rank him a bit low is Aaron Brooks out of Oregon. He caught the eyes of some people according to reports out of the pre-draft camp in Orlando. Brooks earlier in the season was playing as well as any guard in the nation. He has great speed and quickness needed with the 24-second clock and the transition game of the NBA.

• Tennessee has to be thrilled with the addition of former Iowa forward Tyler Smith. Steve Alford really loved him and Smith averaged just under 15 ppg. as a diaper dandy for the Hawkeyes last season. He transferred to join the Vols and Bruce Pearl has to be ecstatic with his arrival. Remember, Pearl has some ties in Iowa as he served on the staff of Dr. Tom Davis there years ago.

• It has been a busy off-season for a number of Mississippi State players. Remember the name Brian Johnson? He transferred to Starkville after playing at Louisville earlier in his college career. Johnson was part of a team which included LSU's Garrett Temple, Auburn's Quan Prowell, and Alabama's Mikhail Torrance and Demetrius Jemison which played on a tour of China. They were part of a squad called Reach USA, and these games always help make players better, facing international competition. Bulldog sophomore forward/center Jarvis Varnado and guard Phil Turner played on a team that had a successful tour of Argentina. Former Florida Gators guard David Huertas, now a member of the Ole Miss Rebels, also played on the SCORE team that went 5-0 against Argentinean competition.

• Georgia got a blue-chip prospect in 6-8 forward Trey Thompkins out of Oak Hill. That is the kind of player who will really help Dennis Felton in the future.

• Leonard Hamilton had to be thrilled to sign 6-5 guard Chris Blake out of Alabama. A finalist for Mr. Basketball in the state, Blake averaged 21 ppg. as a senior. His school team finished in the top 15 of the USA Today rankings last season.

• Norm Roberts had to be happy with the completion of his recruiting class. In all, the Red Storm landed seven newcomers, led by forward Justin Burrell. Among the later spring signings, St. John's added forward Sean Evans from the Philadelphia area, and swingman D. J. Kennedy out of Pittsburgh.

• A couple of schools lost key players as transfers. Creighton guard Isacc Miles, a 6-2 guard who averaged over six ppg. has opted to leave. Duquesne's 6-6 swingman Scott Grote started 22 games last season and averaged just under 10 ppg. has decided to go elsewhere.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.