Paul Klee: Good afternoon everyone, thanks again for stopping by the News-Gazette's weekly Illini sports online chat. Unfortunately, Bob is on vacation -- for roughly the next two months -- so we're limited on the number of Illini football-related answers. But fire away with your basketball questions, since it's always basketball season.

Putting together my mock draft for Thursday's N-G. Arguably the best assignment of the year. And hoping Mario Chalmers falls to the Nuggets at No. 20.

Thanks again for coming by.

Paul

Allen, West Orange, NJ: May I have my annual summer update on Frank Williams? I find it hard to believe that he's not on an NBA roster. Thanks

Paul Klee: Allen- Thanks for your chat loyalty. Frank Williams was on campus last week Thursday, scrimmaging with the current Illini, and reportedly using the hesitation dribble with abandon. Needless to say I was quite disappointed to miss the Frank Williams display, since I was stalking Deron Williams for an interview in Chicago. I'll check on Frank Williams' pro prospects and try to get something in Sunday's Klee's Corner. He was in Italy last season -- just like Kiwane Garris and Roger Powell -- and Wayne McClain said he had a favorable experience. McClain still has a Frank Williams jersey framed in his office and speaks to the former Illini as often as possible. Jerrance Howard keeps in touch, as well, mainly through email. One possible opportunity for a Frank Williams sighting is the C-U Gus Macker in July. He made an appearance last year to watch his brother play.

Hope that helps.

Jon, Batavia, IL: What do you think about Joey Dorsey to the Bulls with their 2nd round pick? I know they still need inside scoring after taking Rose, but I don't think they will get help with that in the 2nd round. I think Dorsey can provide some toughness, good defense, and rebounding at the next level, ala Ben Wallace. Plus Dorsey is a little older, they don't need any more youngsters. Who else can provide value in the 2nd round to the Bulls?

Paul Klee: Jon- Thursday's mock draft only includes the first round, so I haven't given a great deal of thought to the Bulls' pick at No. 39. You figure Dorsey will be available, and if there's a way to finagle CDR into the mix through a trade, you'd have three-fifths of the Memphis starting lineup. (Not to mention the Dorsey-Noah dynamic in practice would be worth a ticket.) The second-round sleepers I like: Jamont Gordon, Pat Calathes and Bill Walker, who seems a whole lot like Daequan Cook, a first round pick last year, but appears destined for the second round. Strange anecdote: I was at an AAU event in Deerfield about this time last year, and Derrick Rose walked through the door, took a bleachers seat, and it was about 20 minutes before someone recognized him in a black hoody. (Anecdote No. 2: He said at the time he believed Memphis would win it all, so I put Memphis as the preseason No. 1.) One year later and the former N-G State Player of the Year is the probable No. 1 pick in the same city.

Parker, Quincy, IL: Can't wait for the Olympics with D-Will in the fold! Your opinion, does he own a gold medal by the end of the summer?

Paul Klee: Yes, but it won't be easy. The expectations will rise even more when Team USA looks like world beaters in the preliminary stages. It won't be until later in the Olympics stages that the other contenders peak. Still, the Americans are clear favorites with the most talented roster international basketball has seen since 1992. Last week when I talked to him, Deron Williams shared a sincere appreciation for the honor. He said a gold medal is "neck and neck" in terms of importance with an NBA title. He also talked about his relationship with Kobe, a player Deron admires. I don't know if the team's veterans -- guys like Kobe and Jason Kidd -- had much of a say in how the team was put together, but I don't think that relationship hurt, either.

Couple more notes on Deron Williams' selection....

Not only is Williams the first U.S. basketball Olympian from Illinois, he's also the first Olympian to have played under Bruce Weber. As a Purdue assistant, Weber had a pair of near-Olympians: Glenn Robinson and Brad Miller. Robinson was removed from the 1996 Olympic roster -- Dream Team III -- prior to the Atlanta games because of an injury. (Even so, Weber still has a USA Basketball jersey -- Robinson's No. 13 -- as a memento.) Miller was on the USA Basketball roster for the 1998 and 2006 World Championships, but he has not appeared on an Olympics roster. Given Weber's past involvement with USA Basketball -- he's coached at the World University Games and the Pan Am Games -- the selection of Williams on the Olympics roster means a great deal to the Illinois coach.

Weber said yesterday that he would like to get involved again with USA Basketball at some level over the next two to three years. He has a history with the program, including roles at the World University Games and the Pan Am games.

"I'd really like to do it in the next couple of summers if I'm allowed to," Weber said Tuesday at Ubben. "Part of it again is that it's a commitment. You've got your own program here (to think about). You've got recruiting. If you've got some kids committed (then) it's maybe a little bit easier to do it. Or, if you can get your own players involved that helps."

So that's something to watch for. Thanks for the question, we appreciate all USA Basketball-related questions.

Paul Klee: Perhaps you saw in the News-Gazette today (and online yesterday) that Jereme Richmond and Crandall Head made campus visits again. That's something Illinois wanted to do before the July evaluation period.

Paul Klee: There's a bunch of stuff on how Illinois will approach the July evaluation period -- with its unique and enviable situation of having six commitments -- in Klee's Corner on Sunday.

Bill, Chicago, Illinois: Saw you have an interview with James Kinney in the paper. I don't have a subscription but can you tell me where he's looking at. You are the only writer who covers Illini recruiting thank you

Paul Klee: Thanks for the question. James Kinney, C-U's prep basketball headliner next season, gave me this list in his text messaging interview today: he's hearing from Kentucky, Evansville, Illinois State, Colorado State, SIU-E and SIU-C, Indiana, Murray State, Missouri State, Fairfield, Drake, Xavier, North Dakota State and Wright State. Keep an eye on Iowa and George Mason. I think those two will be at the top of the list. On a growing list of Texting with Klee interviewees, James Kinney's responses have to rank in the top three, somewhere alongside Brian Cardinal, Brandon Paul and Eddie Johnson. Remember Bill, the online chats and blogs are only about 5 percent of our Illini coverage. Thanks again.

Kevin, Liberty, IL: Hi Klee - thanks for the chats/podcasts! Who on the football team would be good hoops players?

Paul Klee: Bob would have a better idea, but I'll go with Jeff Cumberland, the Gus Macker dunk champion. I'll take Cumberland at the 3, Kyle Hudson at the 1 (if we're talking last year's roster), Vontae Davis at the 2 (defensive purposes), Martez Wilson at the 4 and C.J. Jackson at the 4/5. We'll be small in stature, but should give the Jamelle Cornley/Geary Claxton types a run on the boards. We might be offensively challenged, so we'll hire John Thompson III, er, Mike Locksley as our court coach.

Frank, Fairfax, VA: Any word on how Mike Davis is progressing?

Paul Klee: Coaches are hoping Mike Davis becomes more of a factor at all times, in lieu of the "occasional highlight," as Bruce Weber said. He'll be in the mix for the starting power forward spot. The China trip should help, and Jerrance Howard was tough on Mike Davis during the overseas tour. Davis isn't going to be big banger at the power forward, but Illinois doesn't need him to be. He's the kind of athletic forward that seems to be a rarity in the Big Ten. One thing that helps Davis: when he goes home to the Washington D.C. area, he said recently, he often works out and scrimmages with players from Georgetown, Maryland and the like. While Illinois has a load of forwards, Davis presents a different type of matchup. If you're pointing to one guy, I think he's the key wild card for Illinois over the next two seasons. The talent and athleticism is there.

Hope that helps. I'll catch up with Mike Davis for a segment in Klee's Corner in the coming weeks.

Paul Klee: Looks like we're out of basketball questions, so here's this.... I asked Bruce Weber about Dominique Keller's progress thus far. Though it's early, the coaches are pushing the juco product, knowing he's a key piece on a thin (in experience) frontcourt next season.

"We've been hard on him right from the beginning," Weber said. "We've explained to him that if you're going to play, and you're going to be successful, you're going to have to use the next six months to make the progress."

Paul Klee: Going to wrap this up, thanks for coming by. Mock draft in Thursday's N-G, a loaded-up Klee's Corner on Sunday. See you again next week, enjoy the draft.