Another Luke Winn Article - 3 Reasons Not to Hate Duke

[davekay1971]

Here's the link. Nice enough article, particularly the insight about Nolan and his attention to Zoubek. Rather than discussing the strength of the Scheyer/Singler/Henderson trinity, he focuses on areas that were question marks before the season.

http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/261/posts/25822/

[CameronBornAndBred]

Good article but stupid title. I saw 3 reasons why we should be improved this year. That's 3 reasons why we'll have more haters.

[CDu]

Good article but stupid title. I saw 3 reasons why we should be improved this year. That's 3 reasons why we'll have more haters.

Agreed. It's not like people have hated Duke because we weren't good enough. Quite the opposite in fact.

Also, it looks like Wynn has joined Billy Packer in incorrectly anointing Duke players as McDonald's All-Americans. Packer loved mentioning how Nick Horvath was a McDonald's All-American (he wasn't) to show just how deep Duke was. Wynn has now labeled Zoubek a Mickey D's guy:

Seven-footer Brian Zoubek once looked as if his career was on a tragic path, as the giant McDonald's All-American whose time at Duke would be marred by injuries.

Thomas, Henderson, and Scheyer were All-Americans, but not Zoubek.

I do love this quote though:

A team with Paulus at the point, freshman Elliot Williams at the two, senior David McClure at the three, Thomas at the four and Plumlee at the five could probably finish above .500 in the Big Ten.

[Ignatius07]

I definitely wondered about that when I read it, because I remember Zoubek being the lowest-rated of that class.

Anyway, to be fair to Winn (one of the better college basketball writers), he does say something to the effect of, "That is, 3 reasons not to hate on Duke as a top-5 team" below the title.

[CDu]

I definitely wondered about that when I read it, because I remember Zoubek being the lowest-rated of that class.

Anyway, to be fair to Winn (one of the better college basketball writers), he does say something to the effect of, "That is, 3 reasons not to hate on Duke as a top-5 team" below the title.

I guess also to be fair to Winn is the fact that (I think) Winn probably doesn't write the title. He writes the content of the article and the editors come up with the title.

[rockymtn devil]

Just a quick correction, it's Luke Winn. I believe Winn was the only SI writer to put Duke in his preseason top 5, so he's been high on us from the beginning.

[Olympic Fan]

Just to be precise, you guys are right that Zoubek was NOT a McDonald's All-American.

He was, however, a Parade All-American (which is an older team ...probably the second most prestigious). McDonald's picks 24 All-Americans each year, while Parade picks four 10-man teams.

Zoubek was a fourth team Parade All-American, which means the selection board considered him a top 40 prospect ... but not a top 30 guy.

For the record, Duke's current list of McDonald's All-Americans:

Nolan Smith
Greg Paulus
Kyle Singler
Gerald Henderson
Elliot Williams
Jon Schyer
Lance Thomas

That's still seven --

[CDu]

Just to be precise, you guys are right that Zoubek was NOT a McDonald's All-American.

He was, however, a Parade All-American (which is an older team ...probably the second most prestigious). McDonald's picks 24 All-Americans each year, while Parade picks four 10-man teams.

Zoubek was a fourth team Parade All-American, which means the selection board considered him a top 40 prospect ... but not a top 30 guy.

For the record, Duke's current list of McDonald's All-Americans:

Nolan Smith
Greg Paulus
Kyle Singler
Gerald Henderson
Elliot Williams
Jon Schyer
Lance Thomas

That's still seven --

Yeah, I'm not saying Zoubek was chump change coming out of high school - just that he wasn't a McDonald's guy. He was certainly a higher-profile recruit than Horvath, who I don't believe was remotely close to being a McDonald's All-American.

[Diddy]

Just to be precise, you guys are right that Zoubek was NOT a McDonald's All-American.

He was, however, a Parade All-American (which is an older team ...probably the second most prestigious). McDonald's picks 24 All-Americans each year, while Parade picks four 10-man teams.

Zoubek was a fourth team Parade All-American, which means the selection board considered him a top 40 prospect ... but not a top 30 guy.

For the record, Duke's current list of McDonald's All-Americans:

Nolan Smith
Greg Paulus
Kyle Singler
Gerald Henderson
Elliot Williams
Jon Schyer
Lance Thomas

That's still seven --

The Parade Teams are picked irrelevant of class. The teams are sprinkled with HS Jrs and Sophs. By the time you factored in the Roses, Loves, etc, Parade probably did consider Zoubs to be a top 30 Prospect in the Sr class.

[Bob Green]

Is Luke Winn a DBR reader? His article no longer labels Zoubek a McDonald's All American:

Brian Zoubek once looked as if his career was on a tragic path, as a 7-foot bench-dweller whose time at Duke would be marred by injuries.

[JasonEvans]

Is Luke Winn a DBR reader? His article no longer labels Zoubek a McDonald's All American:

Bob,

Jumbo is really Luke Winn. Shhhh, don't tell anyone.

-Jason

[Jumbo]

Bob,

Jumbo is really Luke Winn. Shhhh, don't tell anyone.

-Jason

And he even has plus/minus numbers! Maybe he's my evil twin! (Or less evil, in this case.)