Thanks. Forgot about Price. In any event, Duke senior seasons are usually pretty positive affairs from the standpoint of personal development. It really sticks out when something else happens.
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Actually agree with you Kedsy (surprise!!).
;)
This is a big part of why I've been saying I've come around to the view, recently, that he is more than likely to stay. Obviously the double-major announcement helps the comfort level in that prediction too, as well as the "unfinished business" feeling from this season. Even if there weren't the draw of playing with MP3, which I actually think will be a big pull, there's no doubt in my mind that Mason greatly enhances his probable draft position by staying another year. (That is partially due to who's going into this year's draft among bigs nationally, and partially on the opportunity to develop certain NBA-critical skills next year, plus enhanced visibility of being a probable pre-season All-ACC pick...) I hope that (draft enhancement) statement appears in some form or fashion in his exit interview (along with the specific "draftable" skills the staff plans to work on with him over the next 12 months.
I'll be surprised, but not shocked, if MP2 leaves. With Austin, I am much less certain, especially since I strongly suspect that he and his dad still don't know either.
For all of those pointing to the criticality of this recruit or that recruit to next year's success, the reality is that almost all years the decision as to whether certain current players return is almost always a bigger determinant of success the following year. Experience pays dividends.
:cool:
I think two of Austin's problems are: 1) he can't or won't finish with his left hand when he drives left. Right hand finishes from the left side will be blocked in the NBA; 2) He doesn't seem to ever drive baseline; even when there is no other defender once he beats his man. The few times he has, he has gotten easy layups. 99% of the time he drives down the lane and teams are ready for him.
Thornton played some very good basketball for Duke this season and was an important leader. He'll work hard on his shot, and I suspect will make signficant improvement in that area.
I disagree about Austin. The Duke Community will be tremendously supportive of him no matter his decision.
Mason's degree will be important to him and a lot will depend on how close he is to finishing (perhaps the answer is buried in this thread). As for Austib, he will be drafted. The NBA drafts potential. His game translates to the next level. Will be be great next year if he goes pro- probably not- but in two years he will be a very good. His only reasons for staying is that he likes the environment and wants a chance to play in the FF- which is possible with this team should Mason return and the summer is spent fixing some of the pieces. But his Dad may be the decider- he may want him to continue to be with his peer group for a while- he knows what lies ahead for a young man at the next level.
We all know that Austin and Mason would benefit from another year at Duke. Austin is a tremendous talent but we all know his flaws and would like to see him stay and fulfill his potential at the college level before moving on. I see no reason to think that Mason's draft stock can be anything but helped by returning to Duke. His size and athletic ability are not an easy thing to find, combined with an intensity that any great team needs. He plays hard but just does not always get the results we hope for. I see him averaging 14 and 10 with 2 or 3 blocks a game if he comes back. Either way it is crucial they return. We have know idea about Shabazz or Parker. Maybe if Austin or Mason moves on, that will bring in a couple of the big time recruits that are still available. But I would rather have them both back with the addition of a couple of new pieces than not. I just hope Austin and Mason make their decisions sooner rather than later so we can figure out whaqt the next step is.
Yes, he will be drafted if he leaves this year. And one way or another he will have a chance to develop his skills over the next couple of years. But I'm not sure I agree with the bolded part of your post. Because he is financially secure and has the benefit of wise and extremely well-informed counsel not only from his coach but from his dad, he has the luxury of thinking through whether he would rather go out now, be drafted lower, and mostly sit on an NBA bench while he is developing those skills against a higher level of players in practice, or whether he would rather work on the skills at Duke, getting many more minutes of actual game play while not taking the level of pounding in practice he would in the league. Depending on exactly what he wants from his pro career and what he thinks he most needs to work on, either one of these might be a better long-range plan.
If Mason (and our other Juniors) stay, that would mean that all of the players on our last National Champions would have exhausted their eligibility/not declared for the NBA draft, right? (Olek did leave halfway through the season) I wonder which National Champion before that can claim that?
If poor is some sort of ghetto-slang synonym for really good, like ill is for tight or sweet then, yes, you are correct in your observation.
Paulus averaged 11.4 points, nearly 4 assists and hit a career-high 83 three-pointers during his junior season for Duke. While a Chris Duhon-level defender he was not, Paulus played with unrivaled heart, momentous effort and was often times the most vitally-important offensive player on the team due to his unlimited range and ability to take a game over from the outside. Paulus was absolutely deadly from 25 feet and in that year, nailing four or more threes on eight different occasions. He was our best shooter and, many times, most reliable scorer in big-game moments.
Without Paulus, we don't win in Chapel Hill in 2008 and suffer a spell of four years without a victory against the Heels. In that early February contest in the Dean Smith Center, he netted 18 points and dropped six threes in one of the more memorable shooting performances from any Blue Devil in the rivalry in recent years. It was a very coolheaded and J.J.-like display. Also, in the second round that March against West Virginia, it was the superior shooting of Paulus early that spurted Duke out to a double-digit lead in the first half. Things didn't end as we all would have liked, but Paulus was very much a positive factor in 2008 and, when I look back on his career in Durham, that junior season is a pretty fond memory.
I agree, nothing like waiting a month to see where we will be at. The good thing is that even if Austin leaves, we will be fine with the shooting guard position. I can't wait for Rasheed, I think the kid will be special. Anyways, I fully expect Mason to come back, I think Mason has enjoyed his time here and wants to finish the right way (and play with Marshall!) I actually think marshall will help keep him there :) With Austin, yeah he can definitely improve his stock. Everyone has talked about his strength and ability to finish...one other thing I haven't heard talked about is his shooting ability! The kid has no mid-range game and his 3pt shot is very inconsistent. What did he shoot 32% on the year?
Does anyone know when the withdrawal deadline is? It says April 29th on NBA.com, but I thought I'd read that it was somewhere around April 10-12 this year, which would not allow prospects to test the waters. Did the ACC/NCAA pass something along those lines, or did I make that up?
You know, I kind of forget that Mason Plumlee is already 22. I had kind of been assuming he'd come back to improve his stock Zeller-style, but that's a little worrying. Hopefully he keeps the faith...
Well if the goal is to get drafted then I guess he should leave. But he is nowhere near ready for the league. Shelden Williams was a BEAST of a center for Duke, he got drafted and I don't even know if he is in the league anymore. I just meant I think Mason never came to Duke with the intention of leaving early to get drafted. He came to get an education and play for Coach K. And honestly I don't think he would want to leave after getting put out in the first round either. I could be wrong about all of this, I guess time will tell.
From adding value to our basketball program, I believe Mason should go if he is a first round pick in the draft. There's already this bad impression among youngsters that big men do not develop at Duke and they don't do anything other than setting screens and rebounding. With Mason getting drafted, we will have a positive development to sell for recruiting big men.
We are already known for developing good guards. So, Austin's entering the draft makes much less of a difference in terms of value.
The value I am talking about is not quantifiable. It's an impression of our program.
I think that perception changed this year, with the emergence of mason and ryan. Now, it was absolutely overshadowed by UNC's success this year, but if UNC had a slightly worse team, mason would have been getting all sorts of accolades...imagine if he had kyrie or jon feeding him the ball again...
Mason should enter his name in the draft without an agent and see were he stands in regards to the other players entering the draft. There is no reason not to do that.
Personally, I think Mason will be drafted in the 1st round and can be a serviceable backup big man in the NBA sometime in the future, but there is no way he will be an impact player as a rookie next season.
Instead in can compare his standing against the other players, then comeback to Duke and have a big impact for this Duke team as a Senior leader.