Harrison Barnes recruiting thread

[SG24]

I just read this article on highschoolhoop.com, that Harrison Barnes took a secret visit to Duke after he sorry Chapel Hill. Were this close...
read the article for yourself
http://www.highschoolhoop.com/recrui...-a-duke-visit/

[UrinalCake]

That's quite a picture there. He's so fast, the camera can't even keep up!

[dukejunkie]

Seriously, all bs aside, this is a kid to get excited over. This is the kid whose thread should be the length of the "John Wall" thread. This is the kid that could probably sell me some Nikes right now. And you guys wanna debate business schools?

I don't know about yall but I need to see a few more Harrison Barnes mix tapes, and since he's so silky smooth, perhaps with a little Miles Davis in the background.

Handwritten letters for donations? Wow. In the day of modern computer that is something rarely done and the sentiment does indeed go a long way - especially when that kid probably had you at "hello".

And then the mom... I love her! Downplays making varsity and plays a little chess by stopping through Duke unannounced - something you do when apparently something seems to good to be true (and it appears to continue to hold up might I add). Just wonderful.

The Jordan obsession is not unheard of in my world but what's sweet about hers in particular is that she has NO video of Michael Jordan in a UNC uniform. Just a little reading through and smudging the lines on my part.

I mean, geez, does he speak italian when he's delivering babies in the back of cabs that he's driving? I'm simply blown away by this kid.

Have I gushed enough?

This kid sounds like a great fit for Duke. I was just a little confused at the line in the article that mentioned the hand written requests for donations. I'm concerned that it sounded like a possible NCAA violation. Does anyone know how kids normally fund their AAU trips?

If Wall was directly requesting donations could you imagine how that would have gone over with the UK commitment? Hopefully what Barnes is doing is customary and acceptable. It sounds like his intentions are always in the right place and it will be great if he chooses to enroll at Duke.

[SupaDave]

This kid sounds like a great fit for Duke. I was just a little confused at the line in the article that mentioned the hand written requests for donations. I'm concerned that it sounded like a possible NCAA violation. Does anyone know how kids normally fund their AAU trips?

If Wall was directly requesting donations could you imagine how that would have gone over with the UK commitment? Hopefully what Barnes is doing is customary and acceptable. It sounds like his intentions are always in the right place and it will be great if he chooses to enroll at Duke.

Well I'm sure he writes the letters on the behalf of the team and the money goes to the team and not directly to him. As long as a college is not giving the money then it seems to be fine. It's fundraising just like selling rice krispies treats...

It's a dirty game. This article should help.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...123000194.html

[dukejunkie]

Well I'm sure he writes the letters on the behalf of the team and the money goes to the team and not directly to him. As long as a college is not giving the money then it seems to be fine. It's fundraising just like selling rice krispies treats...

It's a dirty game. This article should help.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...123000194.html

Thanks for the link. It's a good article. However, it's still a little fuzzy to me. There is no mention of players getting involved in the fundraising.

I've read on DBR that alumni should stay away from recruits. If, for example, Barnes directly (but unknowingly) solicits donations from a UNC grad, does that cause an issue for UNC's recruitment of him?

The article seems to suggest that AAU coaches getting involved in fundraising is a sketchy practice. However, my opinion is that it would be even more dicey if specific players start getting involved in the funding issues.

By the way, I hear Duke has an insatiable appetite for rice krispies treats ;-) ;-)

[roywhite]

Seriously, all bs aside, this is a kid to get excited over. This is the kid whose thread should be the length of the "John Wall" thread.

I mean, geez, does he speak italian when he's delivering babies in the back of cabs that he's driving? I'm simply blown away by this kid.

Would he be familiar with the translation from Latin?

Eruditio et Religio et Ludus canistri

[SupaDave]

Would he be familiar with the translation from Latin?

Eruditio et Religio et Ludus canistri

Looks like it to me from a crude translation.

[Oriole Way]

As many other have mentioned, Barnes seems like one of the most ideal Duke kids since Shane Battier. I would be shocked if he doesn't commit in the end... Duke and Barnes are such a great match on so many levels.

[darkblue2769]

Judging from everything I've seen/read about him, Barnes is a phenomenal player, student, and just person in general. Just the phenomenal player part makes me want to see him in a Duke uniform, but those other two push him above and beyond that. There has never been a recruit I've ever wanted to see in Duke blue as badly as I want to see Barnes. Not only that, but it seems like Duke would be a great fit, from the academics to the general way the program is run, and of course to the basketball court. Man, I hope he comes to Duke...

[rotogod00]

As many other have mentioned, Barnes seems like one of the most ideal Duke kids since Shane Battier. I would be shocked if he doesn't commit in the end... Duke and Barnes are such a great match on so many levels.

why? have we not said this about many a recruit over the past few years

[wilko]

I've read on DBR that alumni should stay away from recruits. If, for example, Barnes directly (but unknowingly) solicits donations from a UNC grad, does that cause an issue for UNC's recruitment of him?

If this is true I will gladly bear the burden of wearing a UNC/KU/UK shirt and hand the young man some cash on their behalf as long as some of the faithful can snap some pics...

Seriously tho... this sounds awful hard to get to the bottom of. Big ol he said she said.. But the point is well taken to stay on the sidelines and not get involved.

[slower]

The article seemed a bit UNC-centric to me and hardly mentioned Duke. Maybe I'm just paranoid. Of course, it WAS written by Kevin Armstrong, Boston College '06 grad.

[SupaDave]

Hope the handwritten letters are from our staff. Sounds like that school will be tough to beat.

This got me to thinking. Guess who's staff members like to write...

http://blog.dukeblueplanet.com/?cat=4

[RelativeWays]

I hope that it resonates with Barnes that a lot of Duke fans want him to come not just because he can throw a ball throw the hoop well, but because he seems to exemplify what we fans want from a student athlete. You look at our players, and the ones that are especially loved were not just good players, they excelled as ambassadors of Duke to the world at large. There's no reason Harrison can not only be part of that legacy, but add his own stamp to it.

[SilkyJ]

This got me to thinking. Guess who's staff members like to write...

http://blog.dukeblueplanet.com/?cat=4

When I first read the bit about handwritten letters I remembered back to midseason or so and some one asking coach K if he stays in contact with the pros he coached on the Olympic squad and he said something to the effect of "Yes. We talk and text...well they text, I write them letters. I'm not much of a texter."

Couldn't find the article (after a half-hearted search) but I'm pretty sure that's what he said.

[Madrasdukie]

When I first read the bit about handwritten letters I remembered back to midseason or so and some one asking coach K if he stays in contact with the pros he coached on the Olympic squad and he said something to the effect of "Yes. We talk and text...well they text, I write them letters. I'm not much of a texter."

Couldn't find the article (after a half-hearted search) but I'm pretty sure that's what he said.

I can second you. I, too, remember reading that article / interview.

[Oriole Way]

why? have we not said this about many a recruit over the past few years

Just a gut feeling. Barnes actually seems like an intellectual young man, and he seems well-grounded. As such, he seems to value a good education and what it will do for him outside of a basketball career. I believe his mother is an educator, so he has been raised to value a good education. I suspect that, similar to Ryan Kelly, who also has a mother in education, this will sway him to Duke because no other school can offer the academic and athletic combination that Duke offers.

[NYC Duke Fan]

Just a gut feeling. Barnes actually seems like an intellectual young man, and he seems well-grounded. As such, he seems to value a good education and what it will do for him outside of a basketball career. I believe his mother is an educator, so he has been raised to value a good education. I suspect that, similar to Ryan Kelly, who also has a mother in education, this will sway him to Duke because no other school can offer the academic and athletic combination that Duke offers.

Maybe he will pull a Bill Bradley and go to Princeton.

[rotogod00]

Just a gut feeling. Barnes actually seems like an intellectual young man, and he seems well-grounded. As such, he seems to value a good education and what it will do for him outside of a basketball career. I believe his mother is an educator, so he has been raised to value a good education. I suspect that, similar to Ryan Kelly, who also has a mother in education, this will sway him to Duke because no other school can offer the academic and athletic combination that Duke offers.

hope you're right, of course. but i hate to get my hopes up after our recent high profile misses.

[Cumae Sybl]

Just a gut feeling. Barnes actually seems like an intellectual young man, and he seems well-grounded. As such, he seems to value a good education and what it will do for him outside of a basketball career. I believe his mother is an educator, so he has been raised to value a good education. I suspect that, similar to Ryan Kelly, who also has a mother in education, this will sway him to Duke because no other school can offer the academic and athletic combination that Duke offers.

His mom is a secretary in the musical education department at Iowa State University. She isn't exactly an educator, but as someone who works in an educational institution she probably places an extremely high value on education, as do most employees at educational institutions.

That said, Harrison Barnes will probably not graduate from college, or at least not until he is well into or finished playing professionally. I saw a report on him that said he was the most well rounded and complete forward since LeBron (who obviously has physical gifts outside the realm of belief).

It is one thing to value education, and it is another to be faced with being a multimillionaire after 1 year of college. Now, Harrison may stay beyond 1 year. Who knows? But to plan on that, or to assume that his allegedly high value on education will push him to Duke is a specious hope, at best.

In recent years, lots of kids have talked about placing a high value on education only to spurn Duke for Public Schools in the SEC, which are not known for their academic rigor for regular students, to say nothing of scholly athletes.

And sure, he is the type of exemplary young man Duke likes. Every school likes upstanding, well spoken, serious young athletes. They stay eligible and out of trouble. It is not like Ky is going to say, "Oh, that young man is too nice and upstanding. I don't care how good he is, I don't want any well spoken, polite, studious young men on MY team."