The dynamic point guard, ranked No. 4 among PGs by Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy, bypassed a chance at the pros last season before deciding to return to school. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Carson will take the leap after his sophomore season.
"I know it will be his last; We know Jahii will end up going to the NBA," Arizona State coach Herb Sendek said during the Sun Devils' media day. "I've known that for a long time."
Carson was one of the most heralded in-state recruits in Arizona State history coming out of nearby Mesa High School and the hype only intensified when he sat out the 2011-12 season due to academic issues.
The 5-foot-10 guard lived up to the expectations -- maybe even exceeded them -- with a seamless adjustment to the college game.
Confident and quick, Carson led Arizona State in scoring at 18.5 points per game as a redshirt freshman last season, second-best in Arizona State history by a freshman to Ike Diogu's 19.0 in 2002-03 and seventh by a freshman in Pac-12 history. Carson also led the Sun Devils with 5.1 assists and his 177 total were most by a freshman in Sun Devils history, sixth on the conference list.
"After we had a 20-win season, that's kind of a good accomplishment, but I want more," Carson said. "I want to win more than 20 games, win the Pac-12 championship, the Pac-12 (regular season), get Pac-12 player of the year, All-American and get us a deep run in the tournament. I think that will be a nice way to end my last year."
WARE CLEARED TO PRACTICE
After suffering a gruesome compound fracture of his right leg on March 31, Louisville junior guard Kevin Ware has been cleared to return to practice, Cardinals coach Rick Pitino told reporters.
"He has a clean bill of health," Pitino said. "He can play all-out at the end of the month."
The return should not come as a surprise, given that this has been the expectation for some time. What is not still clear, however, is when Ware will return to game action. During Hall of Fame ceremonies last month, Pitino told ESPN.com that Ware's return might not come until January.
"I don't think Kevin will step on the court early in the season," Pitino said. "He will just start playing basketball in October. He'll start working out. He's almost completely healed, but he hasn't stepped on the court since last March, so it's going to take some time. I'm looking more like it's going to be second semester for him to be 100 percent or close to it."
AUSTIN VOWS TO BE DIFFERENT
Baylor center Isaiah Austin considered going pro after his freshman season, but two things got him to return for the 2013-14 campaign -- shoulder surgery that he underwent in May and his need to mature, ESPN.com reported.
Austin, who averaged 13 points and 8.3 rebounds for the NIT champion Bears last season, says he's now 85 percent recovered from his injury, which he sustained during conference play.
"I wouldn't have been able to work out for (NBA) teams," Austin told ESPN.com. "I could barely lift five pounds."
Now up to 225 pounds from the 208 he weighed at the start of his Baylor career, Austin seems eager to shed a label of being soft. In June, Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy wrote, "(Austin is) still a hot commodity for the mock drafts, and some NBA team might eventually make a sizeable bet on Austin's potential. But if he were to play tougher, it might not be a gamble at all."
To his detractors, Austin says: "People say I'm not tough, but what people don't realize is that I was the team leader in rebounds," Austin told ESPN.com. "But I'm going to be a different player this season. Way better -- because of my mindset."
With better health and added strength, Austin appears to have the pieces to succeed and work his way up 2014 NBA mock drafts. DraftsExpress.com has Austin as the No. 11 prospect.
UCONN'S OLANDER RETURNS
Connecticut senior Tyler Olander was reinstated to the team a little more than a week after drunken driving charges against him were dropped.
The 6-foot-10 forward practiced with the Huskies on Thursday afternoon.
"Tyler has demonstrated to me an added level of responsibility and maturity," UConn coach Kevin Ollie said in a statement. "His time management has been outstanding, his academic work has been excellent. We have spoken at length and I thought it was time that he be given the chance to rejoin his teammates."
Olander, who averaged 4.3 points and 3.7 rebounds for the Huskies in 2012-13, was arrested last month after he failed a field sobriety test, but two breath tests showed he was not drunk.
Olander pleaded guilty to driving without a license and was fined $75 as part of a plea deal.
Olander was pulled over while driving a friend's car just after 11 p.m. on Sept. 7. A motorist reported he was making "several jerky steering maneuvers" near the UConn campus in Storrs.
Sporting News picks the Huskies to finish third in the American Athletic Conference this season.
CYCLONES SUPPORT GROUP
Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads' contention that his team got jobbed on a goal-line stand vs. Texas was a hot topic in the hours following Thursday night's 31-30 loss to the Longhorns.
Rhoads had his share of online supporters, including Cyclones basketball coach Fred Hoiberg, who posted a quick comment on Twitter.
"So much respect for Coach Rhoads and the passion he brings leading the program I've cheered for my whole life. #Cyclones," Hoiberg wrote.
Creighton's Greg McDermott, who also has a dog in the fight as a former Cyclones coach, also expressed his thoughts: "Just watched replay of UT fumbles vs ISU. Feel bad for the Clones and Coach Rhoads....Wow. #lookedlikeafumble."
Rhoads was critical of a fumble that was not ruled as such as the Longhorns had the ball at the Cyclones' 1-yard line. His postgame comments were passionate but not hateful.
"To make a play on the 1-yard line with our backs against the wall...and (to) have it taken away from them, that's hard to express. You don't just put an arm around a guy and tell him it's OK when that happens to him," said Rhoads, his voice raising with each sentence. "I've got pretty good eyesight. The view I had of that gigantic screen in the north end zone showed a guy that was not down and our guy with the football."
Contributors: Roger Kuznia and The Associated Press
