Basketball kaleidoscope: I’m OK, I think . . .

Thanks to all who sent good wishes and inquiries after I was flattened by Noel Wilmore, George Washington’s 6-4, 193-pound reserve guard Wednesday night as he leaped over the scorer’s table chasing after a loose ball in the second half.

We had quite a scene there as Wilmore flew over the signboards and right on top of me, displacing my computer, a nearly full cup of Diet Coke, all of my notes and those of my spotter Paul Roberts and some very fresh popcorn. The laptop seems to be OK (it continued to work without incident), but I lost my glasses in the melee and ended up holding on to Wilmore’s right thigh to keep him from (1) head-butting the fans in the first row and (2) slamming his knee into my face! Wilmore finally got back on the court, I recovered my glasses (still intact) and we cleaned up the mess as best we could.

It’s not the first time this has happened, and it wasn’t quite as violent as when Adam Keefe of Stanford clotheslined spotter Bruce Tenen in 1992. But I did check my insurance coverage again once I got home.

On to basketball:

>> Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos High School sophomore guard Kendall Williams announced today that he’s committed to attending UCLA. His statement read, in part:

"After careful consideration and taking unofficial visits to all the schools on my list, I’ve decided to play basketball for UCLA. This was not an easy decision for me since I had some outstanding choices, but I can assure you that my decision is solid. UCLA is the whole package — superb coaching staff, outstanding academic reputation, tradition of basketball excellence, and localed right here in so cal [sic]."

Williams is pretty savvy for a 10th-grader. His statement also included this: "I can hardly wait to be part of the first team that wins a national championship in the ‘new’ Pauley Pavilion."

>> Former Bruin center Jelani McCoy was picked up Thursday by the injury-plagued Denver Nuggets from the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League. McCoy is 29 years old and has played for five teams (including the Lakers) in his seven years in the NBA. He has career averages of 4.7 points and 3.6 assists per game.

>> A look at some Bruins who have finished playing at UCLA, but are still playing outside the NBA:

T.J. Cummings, with the L.A. D-Fenders of the NBA D-League
Tyus Edney, with Lottomattica Roma in Italy
Dijon Thompson, with Alba Berlin of the Bundesliga in Germany

And, of course, former Bruin Coach Jim Harrick, head coach of the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League.