Had a chance to talk with DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright the other day. Wainwright coached the U19 national team in the World Championships in Serbia last month. The team overachieved in winning a silver medal, especially when you consider eligible players like Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Kevin Durant were already off earning NBA money and one of its best tryout players, Kansas' Darrell Arthur, missed the tourney with a stress fracture.

Michigan State's Raymar Morgan was among those who did play. He started five of the nine games, and though his numbers weren't spectacular (9.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg) he more than held his own while playing out of position at times because of Team USA's comparative lack of size.

"These guys are always worried about how they're going to be viewed, 'I need to be a three man,' " Wainwright said. "I told him, I said, 'Ray, all these (scouts) over here that are just watching from the NBA, they know, and if they don't I'm telling them.' Here's a kid that, he's giving up stuff, he'll go in and guard, rebound. And he said, 'Coach, I'll do whatever.' "

Arkansas guard Patrick Beverly, a recruit Michigan just missed out under Tommy Amaker, was among the most impressive players in Serbia. He averaged 13 points and made a team-high 31 steals. Under-the-radar North Carolina big man Deon Thompson (10 ppg, a team-high 6.1 rpg) looks primed for a breakout 2007-08, even with Tyler Hansbrough still in Chapel Hill, and incoming Kansas State freshman Michael Beasley (12.3 ppg) is a lottery pick for sure. He averaged 12.3 points in 17 minutes a game but routinely found himself in foul trouble.

Games, it should be noted, were played in less than optimal conditions: A gym without air-conditioning and with a decidedly anti-American crowd.