John Wall Recruitment

[Diddy]

I love unintentional humor.

Memphis 2007

FedGradRate 25%
GradSuccessRate 36%
AcademicProgressRate 901 (<925=sanction)

Average NCAA mens bball grad rate 61%


In all fairness, it does seem that Calipari is making strides:


http://gotigersgo.cstv.com/sports/m-...ri_john00.html

I say graduate because exhausted eligibility is just so cumbersome. And I do so strive for brevity in all my communications.

[Diddy]

Well i think the first argument is what happens if Hendo stays? Who do you knock out of the starting lineup for Wall?

Second...Wall hasn't proven anything at the college level yet. Yes there is a ton of athletic ability there (same with Elliot) but what keeps Elliot out of the lineup at Duke?

Wall is and will be unstructured coming to Duke...that might not matter at 90% of programs in America...it matters at Duke. Wall is a streaky shooter...he's prone to make bad turnovers (also a no-no at Duke). And his high school team is barely a .500 team.

I haven't heard anyone say they don't want Wall if he has a good head on his shoulders...but Wall is not Derrick Rose...his game is very wild right now.

You make an excellant, albeit moot, point. Since Wall is waiting until the end of the year to decide, if G comes back, Wall won't come to Duke. Too much comp for minutes, simple as that. There would be better situations for him at one of his other schools.

However, IM(not so)HO, if G et all stays, and Wall were to magically pick Duke anyway, Wall doesn't start. We have too many options in the post to chain Kyle to the 5 on D. He is too dangerous at the 4, and whatever gains we would make by having an opposing big chase Hendo would be negated by said Big posting Hendo down low.

Nolan would start for one simple reason. Right now, for the first time in a few years, the Duke D is a spear. And Nolan is the tip of that Spear. He is a ball hawk at the 1, and that is irreplacable. Wall has two knocks. One, is shooting. The other is D. K would get him up to speed, but even if G leaves and Wall starts, at 6-4 he could guard opposing 2s or 3s while Nolan locks down the 1. Given K's love for D, and Nolan increasing competance on O, Nolan would start over Wall (should G return) for his value on D.

As for his choices, I just don't see Baylor getting him. If that were the case, he would've committed in the early period. When the Clifton hiring was announced, every recruiting site said that Wall's commitment to Baylor was both forgone and imminent. All of a sudden that talk stopped. I mean, Baylor. What kind of top B-Ball recruit goes there. Baylor fans would skip a televised NCAA tourney game if it conflicted with spring football That is not a situation for a star hoopster. Memphis, NCSU, and Duke are B-ball schools. At those programs he is a God.

If it were Baylor, I just feel like it would have happened by now.

On a related note, I really enjoy how just about every recruiting site seems to be steering him away from Duke. I can just imagine their horror if Duke got a key cog for its O to feed the weapons we've got next year. I think a resurgant Duke (with Wall a heavy favorite for the FF and NC) strikes fear into the heart of recruitniks across the interweb.

[slower]

... Kyle at C... somebody else take this one. I am getting tired of explaining it to people

Isn't one of the key points of this season that Kyle NOT have to play center? And now many people seem to be willing to throw that away in these projected lineups that make room for Wall. I just don't agree with this weak line of reasoning.

[watzone]

You make an excellant, albeit moot, point. Since Wall is waiting until the end of the year to decide, if G comes back, Wall won't come to Duke. Too much comp for minutes, simple as that. There would be better situations for him at one of his other schools.

However, IM(not so)HO, if G et all stays, and Wall were to magically pick Duke anyway, Wall doesn't start. We have too many options in the post to chain Kyle to the 5 on D. He is too dangerous at the 4, and whatever gains we would make by having an opposing big chase Hendo would be negated by said Big posting Hendo down low.

Nolan would start for one simple reason. Right now, for the first time in a few years, the Duke D is a spear. And Nolan is the tip of that Spear. He is a ball hawk at the 1, and that is irreplacable. Wall has two knocks. One, is shooting. The other is D. K would get him up to speed, but even if G leaves and Wall starts, at 6-4 he could guard opposing 2s or 3s while Nolan locks down the 1. Given K's love for D, and Nolan increasing competance on O, Nolan would start over Wall (should G return) for his value on D.

As for his choices, I just don't see Baylor getting him. If that were the case, he would've committed in the early period. When the Clifton hiring was announced, every recruiting site said that Wall's commitment to Baylor was both forgone and imminent. All of a sudden that talk stopped. I mean, Baylor. What kind of top B-Ball recruit goes there. Baylor fans would skip a televised NCAA tourney game if it conflicted with spring football That is not a situation for a star hoopster. Memphis, NCSU, and Duke are B-ball schools. At those programs he is a God.

If it were Baylor, I just feel like it would have happened by now.

On a related note, I really enjoy how just about every recruiting site seems to be steering him away from Duke. I can just imagine their horror if Duke got a key cog for its O to feed the weapons we've got next year. I think a resurgant Duke (with Wall a heavy favorite for the FF and NC) strikes fear into the heart of recruitniks across the interweb.

I'm not sure what sites are steering him away from Duke, but can assure that some around him are. Wait a minute, there is one site that seems to be pushing him in the direction of the team just down the road

Having talked to Wall just last evening and three times in in seven days due to tournaments, I feel there is in no way a favorite and that the Baylor team you feel is out of it is still very much in it.

I will go ahead and say that IMO, it is still wide open, but if Wall had cast his lot towards Baylor just after the signing, what would that have said? There is always a possibility that Wall would get more exposure from not making his decision until May 21st the last day of the signing period.

Per Walls comments, I can make a case for Memphis, Baylor, N.C. State and Duke.

One thing the average observer (not you) doesn't realize are the many intangibles involved here. Anyhow, I am learning those things as I dig about for an upcoming article I have been asked to do for a national outlet.

Anyhow, I can devulge from my interviews that he enjoyed coming to Duke for the game and that the Blue Devils almost certainly in this until the end. And that end will be later rather than sooner

[jv001]

I'm not sure what sites are steering him away from Duke, but can assure that some around him are. Wait a minute, there is one site that seems to be pushing him in the direction of the team just down the road

Having talked to Wall just last evening and three times in in seven days due to tournaments, I feel there is in no way a favorite and that the Baylor team you feel is out of it is still very much in it.

I will go ahead and say that IMO, it is still wide open, but if Wall had cast his lot towards Baylor just after the signing, what would that have said? There is always a possibility that Wall would get more exposure from not making his decision until May 21st the last day of the signing period.

Per Walls comments, I can make a case for Memphis, Baylor, N.C. State and Duke.

One thing the average observer (not you) doesn't realize are the many intangibles involved here. Anyhow, I am learning those things as I dig about for an upcoming article I have been asked to do for a national outlet.

Anyhow, I can devulge from my interviews that he enjoyed coming to Duke for the game and that the Blue Devils almost certainly in this until the end. And that end will be later rather than sooner

Now this is something I can hang my hat on. Not just aimless speculation about Wall's recruitment. I know that Mark has seen Wall play and would certainly tell us if there was a defiency in his point guard play and if there was a definite leader at this point in his recruitment. As for who would he replace in next years lineup? I don't know and I don't think anyone outside of The Lord that does. So I'm just going to wait and see if he comes to the very best University in the good old USA. Go Duke!

[Kedsy]

Isn't one of the key points of this season that Kyle NOT have to play center? And now many people seem to be willing to throw that away in these projected lineups that make room for Wall. I just don't agree with this weak line of reasoning.

The point is there is really no difference between a guy who starts and plays 25 to 30 minutes and a guy who comes off the bench and plays 25 to 30 minutes. If the only way to land a recruit of Wall's caliber is to let him start, then Singler could start at center for 5 minutes before Thomas or Zoubek come into the game. Nobody's suggesting Kyle guard the other team's center for any significant length of time.

[jv001]

The point is there is really no difference between a guy who starts and plays 25 to 30 minutes and a guy who comes off the bench and plays 25 to 30 minutes. If the only way to land a recruit of Wall's caliber is to let him start, then Singler could start at center for 5 minutes before Thomas or Zoubek come into the game. Nobody's suggesting Kyle guard the other team's center for any significant length of time.

Do you think Coach K is going to promise Wall a starting position b4 he steps foot on campus? If Walls ego is such that he needs a promise to be in the starting lineup, then maybe he's not the player some think him to be. Go Duke!

[BD80]

...many intangibles involved here. Anyhow, I am learning those things as I dig about for an upcoming article I have been asked to do for a national outlet.

Anyhow, I can devulge from my interviews that he enjoyed coming to Duke for the game and that the Blue Devils almost certainly in this until the end. And that end will be later rather than sooner

Golly. If it is going to be a while, why are so many currently posting speculative starting line-ups and possible early departures? Inconceivable.

Thanks for the continued info Mark, this has been an interesting recruiting story. Troubled kid, turning things around, handler being hired by a school to get a commitment, and then popping up on the radar of one of the most prestigious universities on the planet. I'm looking forward to your story.

A recent interview with Duke players seems to indicate that Coach K is looking more for players to create offense rather than just relying upon offensive sets which an opposing team can tend study and prepare for. Wall appears to have the ballhandling skills and explosive quickness and athleticism to get into the lane, and he would definitely help in our "new" offensive system. Even if it is for just one year, to have such an explosive, penetrating guard would certainly be benefit. Nolan is developing into an offensive weapon, able to penetrate and disrupt defenses, but Wall seems to be on a different level. That level is what helps win national championships.

[Kedsy]

Inconceivable.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[Hancock 4 Duke]

Does anyone know if Wall is supposed to even come to Duke yet. I thought he considering other places?

[jimsumner]

As a general rule Mike Krzyzewski has not been inclined to promise starting spots to high-school players.

[SilkyJ]

As a general rule Mike Krzyzewski has not been inclined to promise starting spots to high-school players.

To expound on Jim's point a little, Coach K has been known to back off of players who either wanted or demanded a guarantee that they would start from day 1. Rumor had it that Kris Humphries' dad was attempting to negotiate PT with Krzyzewski so we released him from his LOI and similar rumors were floated around why we back off Kevin Love (though it may have been a more general attitude issue there...)

In general if someone is demanding a starting spot or needs that guarantee to convince them to matriculate, then they probably don't have the right attitude to fit in at Duke.

(note: I am not suggesting Wall is demanding or asking for this. I doubt that he is given our level of interest in him)

[Devilsfan]

We backed off Kevin Love. Who went deeper into the tournament? Duke without Kevin or UCLA with Kevin? Getting past the first two games of the tournament might just be enough incentive to put up with a stupid, obnoxiuos father.

[ice-9]

We backed off Kevin Love. Who went deeper into the tournament? Duke without Kevin or UCLA with Kevin? Getting past the first two games of the tournament might just be enough incentive to put up with a stupid, obnoxiuos father.

Nah.

I'd rather we lose the right way than win the wrong way. The insistence to do things the right way is what makes Duke, DUKE. GO DEVILS!

[jv001]

We backed off Kevin Love. Who went deeper into the tournament? Duke without Kevin or UCLA with Kevin? Getting past the first two games of the tournament might just be enough incentive to put up with a stupid, obnoxiuos father.

I would not like to see Coach K recruit this type of player. It would be like selling your soul to the devil(not Blue Devils). Go Duke!

[mgtr]

We backed off Kevin Love. Who went deeper into the tournament? Duke without Kevin or UCLA with Kevin? Getting past the first two games of the tournament might just be enough incentive to put up with a stupid, obnoxiuos father.

I am betting that most people on this board disagree with this approach. The Duke system does not suffer fools well, or even fathers who are fools. I think there is no value to recruiting a stupid, obnoxious kid, and very little value to recruiting a kid with a stupid, obnoxious father.

[Newton_14]

I am betting that most people on this board disagree with this approach. The Duke system does not suffer fools well, or even fathers who are fools. I think there is no value to recruiting a stupid, obnoxious kid, and very little value to recruiting a kid with a stupid, obnoxious father.

Agreed! I would not want players like that either. Sure UCLA made the FF, but they lost and how much good is Kevin Love doing for them today? Zippo. I would much rather have kids willing to work and earn their PT.

[SilkyJ]

We backed off Kevin Love. Who went deeper into the tournament? Duke without Kevin or UCLA with Kevin? Getting past the first two games of the tournament might just be enough incentive to put up with a stupid, obnoxiuos father.

see above. learn the duke way. luke, coach k is your father.

[heyman25]

I would like Duke to take Wall.I am sure he is not being promised anything. Even if Gerald Henderson stayed, Duke could use a guard and Wall would be a great addition to the team.

[slower]

The point is there is really no difference between a guy who starts and plays 25 to 30 minutes and a guy who comes off the bench and plays 25 to 30 minutes. If the only way to land a recruit of Wall's caliber is to let him start, then Singler could start at center for 5 minutes before Thomas or Zoubek come into the game. Nobody's suggesting Kyle guard the other team's center for any significant length of time.

So what are you saying? We start Wall, then after 5 minutes bring in Z or Lance and move Kyle back down to the 4? And THEN send Wall to the bench? Seriously, extend your argument and tell me where it goes from there.

And I thought the point of the original post to which I responded was that playing Kyle at the 5 was our best lineup (don't recall that it said anything about who started or finished there or who came off the bench when).

Hey, if it came down to a choice between keeping Kyle or getting Wall, that's an easy one in my book. Or do you think it wouldn't make any difference to Kyle if they told him that he'd be playing more time back at the 5 in order to get Wall? He might just decide that it wasn't worth staying at Duke.

I don't know. Maybe you guys are right. But give me Singler over Wall ANY time. I'm not saying it's an either/or proposition, just that it seems more logical to work things around Kyle's needs than Wall's.