Some more lists as the basketball season gets underway.

DeJuan Blair gets in among the best college centers.

4. DeJuan Blair, Pitt. There aren’t a lot of 6-7 centers at the highest levels of college basketball, but you just don’t find a DeJuan Blair on every corner. Blair’s combination of length and width more than compensate for his disadvantage in height. And he isn’t just strong, he is disarmingly skilled and unreasonably quick. Of all the statistics that defined his freshman season, the one that never ceases to amaze was his total of 62 steals. That’s just under two per game. Which is what Stephen Curry averaged as a quick guard playing in an uptempo system. Just saying.

Sam Young could get himself into the middle of the 1st round of the NBA draft this year. He ranks among the top-5 seniors according the NBADraft.Net.

Want to start an argument. Try and rank the Big East coaches from 1-16.

6. Jamie Dixon (Pitt) – Pitt has become a familiar name in the NCAA tournament thanks to this guy. He’s moved up a rung in the recruiting latter by getting big-time local talent in Dejuan Blair, who grew up a mile from the Petersen Events Center. Dixon is an Elite-8 away from becoming a premier coach in college basketball.

I can’t argue too hard against Coach Dixon being slotted there. I don’t agree with the order of the top-5. I’d put Pitino #1, Calhoun #2, Boeheim #3, Thompson III #4 and Huggins #5. Here’s what’s amazing about the coaching in the Big East. You look at the top half of the coaches (include Villanova’s Jay Wright and ND’s Mike Brey), and the majority of the fans of each program would still want to stick with their coach. A lot of very good teams and outstanding coaches.