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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Durham, NC

    The best dunker on the team?

    I went to Greensboro today and caught most of Texas practicing and the entire Duke practice...

    First of all, compared to us, Texas was sleepwalking...They barely broke a sweat...It was just kind of open gym for Texas...

    Our guys were running all over the court doing drills, working on defense, offense, you name it...It was really fun to watch...

    Anyway, at the end of our practice all of the guys lined up in two lines and put on a little show for the fans. It was basically a slam dunk contest without judges. Maybe you guys have seen something similar and already knew this, but Olek Czyz can jump out of the gym! His dunks were sick! He was doing the Jason Richardson ball under the leg in midair dunk! Everybody in the crowd around me was like "Who the hell is #13?" It was funny listening to people try to pronounce his name when they were looking at programs...Maybe, you guys already knew this, but he made quite the impression on me...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Connersville, IN
    I remember seeing a youtube clip before the season that showed him doing some crazy stuff during high school games. I new he could jump, but under the leg dunks? Agile big man apparently.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Tennessee
    Back in the day, it was goal tending to touch the rim. Would like to see it reinstated - then the dunk would be a real DUNK.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Red Lion, PA

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Connersville, IN
    Quote Originally Posted by quickgtp View Post
    wow. i can't wait for him to get some more playing time

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Lewisville, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by DukieBoy View Post
    wow. i can't wait for him to get some more playing time
    There was a lot of discussion pre-season and early season about what kind of player Czyz would be and how he would fit in. I think he played only 48 minutes or so, and there wasn't much on the court to suggest he was ready to play much of a role.

    He has some athletic gifts in strength and leaping ability. I'm curious to know how much progress he made in practice during the season, and still interested to see how he will develop during the off-season.

    Stick with it, Olek, and work hard. Love to see you in action.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Quote Originally Posted by roywhite View Post
    There was a lot of discussion pre-season and early season about what kind of player Czyz would be and how he would fit in. I think he played only 48 minutes or so, and there wasn't much on the court to suggest he was ready to play much of a role.

    He has some athletic gifts in strength and leaping ability. I'm curious to know how much progress he made in practice during the season, and still interested to see how he will develop during the off-season.

    Stick with it, Olek, and work hard. Love to see you in action.
    I definitely second that. But from what little playing time he did get earlier on in the season, he always had a deer-in-the-headlights kind of vibe going on. I hope he can get into a rhythm and eventually find is own unique role amongst this group.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    High Point, NC
    I too was in G'boro for the practice today. Agree 100% with the initial post. I was surprised with some of the leaping ability and creativity of LT as well as E-Will. I was able to take around 50 pics or so and I was able to get video of the entire dunk fest...now I just need to figure out how to post it on here to share with others. It is 3:00 long...any suggestions?

    FYI....even Jon got in on the action

    ARo24

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Southern California
    Wow that video was amazing although im not sure if k would appreciate that during the game . But 1 things worries me, Olec had minimal playing time this year and we are getting 2 major contributers next year which would me olec 6th on the depth chart for bigs. I did not see King, Boykin, and Botang as likely people to transfer but I am very worried about him. His potential is great but i dont think it looks like we will have him for that long

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Deeetroit City
    Quote Originally Posted by dukeballer2294 View Post
    ...But 1 things worries me, Olec had minimal playing time this year and we are getting 2 major contributers next year which would me olec 6th on the depth chart for bigs. I did not see King, Boykin, and Botang as likely people to transfer but I am very worried about him. His potential is great but i dont think it looks like we will have him for that long
    Starting rumors would only make it more difficult for Olek.

    We lose McClure, who averaged more post minutes than Zoubs and only 2 minutes less than Lance. Both Lance and Zoubs will graduate next year. With MP1 returning, there may not be many minutes available, but if Olek can play strong, quick and smart post defense, minutes will be available. Many more the following year.

    Ryan Kelly does not seem to be a post player, he would be more apt to back up Singler or play the wing. MP2 may be more of a post player, but still may be more of a back up to Singler.

    Let's not ship Olek out just yet. Coach K may have the situation under control.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by BD80 View Post
    Starting rumors would only make it more difficult for Olek.

    We lose McClure, who averaged more post minutes than Zoubs and only 2 minutes less than Lance. Both Lance and Zoubs will graduate next year. With MP1 returning, there may not be many minutes available, but if Olek can play strong, quick and smart post defense, minutes will be available. Many more the following year.

    Ryan Kelly does not seem to be a post player, he would be more apt to back up Singler or play the wing. MP2 may be more of a post player, but still may be more of a back up to Singler.

    Let's not ship Olek out just yet. Coach K may have the situation under control.
    I think you're right. Olek is a PF/SF rather than a PF/C, so there is a logjam, but he can also play the 3. If Henderson goes, that also opens up a lot of minutes. I know that Olek has a decent 3 point shot/outside game.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    New York, NY

    The answer to the OP's question...

    Elliot Williams, Lance Thomas, Kyle Singler, and Olek Czyz competed in a dunk contest at the K center earlier this year. Elliot won with a ridiculous windmill 360 dunk... check it out.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCzxkxYELc8

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Nashville
    Quote Originally Posted by dukeballer2294 View Post
    I did not see King, Boykin, and Botang as likely people to transfer but I am very worried about him. His potential is great but i dont think it looks like we will have him for that long
    Olek was always intended to be a long term project, and I don't think he was ever really under the illusion that he would be a contributor this year. He has only played basketball for several years, and is still learning the game. In addition, they are trying to develop him as a wing player (which is what he wants to be), and this presents an additional hurdle because he played center in high school.

    There was an interview with him (posted somewhere on this board, I believe), where he explained his decision to come to Duke over smaller local midwest programs where he could have been an immediate starter. He said something to the effect of that he knew that he was still learning the game, and that he wanted to learn from the best, so he chose Duke and K. He seemed perfectly aware and accepting of the fact that he might not see many game minutes during his first couple of years, and while he acknowledged that it would be tough, he seemed to be confident in his long-term plan.

    It's probably a smart move for him, really... like he said, he might as well learn from the best, and if he can develop wing skills by his junior/senior year, he could be an incredibly explosive asset to the team and a potentially attractive NBA prospect (while had he gone and played center for say, Nevada, he would have played early but ultimately been an undersized and unskilled big man, playing on a smaller stage). I love his potential and I hope he sticks with the plan!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Durham, NC

    Elliott was no slouch either...

    Quote Originally Posted by nyr484 View Post
    Elliot Williams, Lance Thomas, Kyle Singler, and Olek Czyz competed in a dunk contest at the K center earlier this year. Elliot won with a ridiculous windmill 360 dunk... check it out.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCzxkxYELc8
    Elliott was probably neck and neck with Olek yesterday. But, we all kind of new Elliott could fly, whereas I had no idea that Olek was going to put on that kind of show and the surprise factor stuck with me...

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by aro24 View Post
    FYI....even Jon got in on the action

    ARo24
    I need to see him throw one down before his career is over. Makes me think of JJ's 2 dunks his senior year.

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