Austin Rivers - where there is smoke, there is fire

[Daniel tosh]

I love that everyone assumes Austin would start over a Junior Andre Dawkins. For one, K LOVES experience and obviously defense. I would bet Dre's defense in his 3rd year is ahead of Austin's in his 1st. Secondly, Dre is a very gifted athlete who can run and jump and by his 3rd year may be one of the better shooters in the country. Remember, he probably would have been a Mickie D, this kid is no joke. If I had to bet now, I'd bet Dre is starting by the time he is a Junior.

Not that this hasn't been discussed before...I just think its funny that this is an assumed scenario by most. Kind of like when people thought EWill would start over Scheyer...

I agree 100%

[Kedsy]

I love that everyone assumes Austin would start over a Junior Andre Dawkins. For one, K LOVES experience and obviously defense. I would bet Dre's defense in his 3rd year is ahead of Austin's in his 1st. Secondly, Dre is a very gifted athlete who can run and jump and by his 3rd year may be one of the better shooters in the country. Remember, he probably would have been a Mickie D, this kid is no joke. If I had to bet now, I'd bet Dre is starting by the time he is a Junior.

Not that this hasn't been discussed before...I just think its funny that this is an assumed scenario by most. Kind of like when people thought EWill would start over Scheyer...

Top 20 talents and top 5 talents are completely different things. For example, there's a really good chance both Seth's and Andre's defense will be ahead of Kyrie's defense at the beginning of the 2010-11 season. But Kyrie is going to start.

So I'd be shocked if Rivers came here and didn't start. That said, Andre has a good chance to start, too. It really depends on the personnel that's here in two years.

[Vasherized]

My recruits bailing off the burning ship that is Florida basketball?

Not much new on Rivers although it was reaffirming to hear him back up what we've been saying for two months now. Duke is the solid leader and it's just a matter of time.

Also a few tidbits on UNC commit McAdoo and Lousville commit Wayne Blackshear.

Keep an eye on Tony Parker. He was 6'9 240 as a freshman in High School and moves very well.

Weekly Whispers 5/5/10

[Big Pappa]

Top 20 talents and top 5 talents are completely different things. For example, there's a really good chance both Seth's and Andre's defense will be ahead of Kyrie's defense at the beginning of the 2010-11 season. But Kyrie is going to start.

So I'd be shocked if Rivers came here and didn't start. That said, Andre has a good chance to start, too. It really depends on the personnel that's here in two years.

I think they will both start like you said, but if the final spot came down to Rivers and Dre I think Rivers starts for sure. If we land the #1 or #2 recruit in the nation (depending on what recruiting service you look at) and then sit him on the bench we aren't likely to land another top 5 recruit in the near future, especially when every other school is offering him the keys to the team from day 1.

[Indoor66]

I think they will both start like you said, but if the final spot came down to Rivers and Dre I think Rivers starts for sure. If we land the #1 or #2 recruit in the nation (depending on what recruiting service you look at) and then sit him on the bench we aren't likely to land another top 5 recruit in the near future, especially when every other school is offering him the keys to the team from day 1.

I seriously doubt that this will be a consideration. He must earn his starting position the same as everyone else. If he is that good, he will earn it. First off, we have to get him.

[BlueDevilCorvette!]

I seriously doubt that this will be a consideration. He must earn his starting position the same as everyone else. If he is that good, he will earn it. First off, we have to get him.

I agree with you. It has been stated that Coach K makes no promises to recruits as to amount of playing time and whether or not they will or not be a starter. Whatever they get (recruits) they will have earn it.

[Big Pappa]

I seriously doubt that this will be a consideration. He must earn his starting position the same as everyone else. If he is that good, he will earn it. First off, we have to get him.

You honestly think that we will tell the number 1 recruit in the nation that if he comes to Duke we have no special considerations for playing time. That isn't the way that it works.

Also, if he is the number 1 recruit in the nation it isn't an accident, here are the last 7 years:

2009 - John Wall
2008 - Brandon Jennings or Tyreke Evans
2007 - O.J Mayo
2006 - Kevin Durant or Greg Oden
2005 - Andrew Bynum
2004 - Dwight Howard
2003 - Lebron James

I love Dre and I think he is a great player but do any of these guys sit behind him? No shot.

[SilkyJ]

I seriously doubt that this will be a consideration. He must earn his starting position the same as everyone else. If he is that good, he will earn it. First off, we have to get him.

Exactly. Coach K tells everyone the same thing: you have to earn your spot. He doesn't do the playing time negotiation thing.

Now in certain cases, like Kyrie, we don't have a true PG on our team and he is exactly that so I'd be willing to bet K said "You'll come in and be the starting PG for this team from day 1." But I also bet he said "We emphasize defense and you'll have to play it" with the unspoken part being "and if you don't, your minutes will suffer"

[uh_no]

I think they will both start like you said, but if the final spot came down to Rivers and Dre I think Rivers starts for sure. If we land the #1 or #2 recruit in the nation (depending on what recruiting service you look at) and then sit him on the bench we aren't likely to land another top 5 recruit in the near future, especially when every other school is offering him the keys to the team from day 1.

Andre was a 5 star recruit who rode the bench....don't bet on him not starting over austin

[Big Pappa]

Andre was a 5 star recruit who rode the bench....don't bet on him not starting over austin

5 star and number 1 in the nation aren't even close.

[Duvall]

5 star and number 1 in the nation aren't even close.

Oh course, there's no reason to assume that Rivers will be number 1 in the nation, since he isn't actually ranked that high now, let alone a year from now.

[airowe]

Austin won't be #1 in the nation unless he starts concentrating on improving his defense. And he knows that. If he does that, he'll play plenty at Duke from Day One.

[/argument]

[Big Pappa]

Austin won't be #1 in the nation unless he starts concentrating on improving his defense. And he knows that. If he does that, he'll play plenty at Duke from Day One.

Fair point but with Doc as his dad I think he realized how important defense is. I have seen him as the number 2 recruit in the nation on multiple services with varying number 1s. There is reason to think, with continued improvement, he has a good chance to be number 1.

[airowe]

Fair point but with Doc as his dad I think he realized how important defense is. I have seen him as the number 2 recruit in the nation on multiple services with varying number 1s. There is reason to think, with continued improvement, he has a good chance to be number 1.

Oh no doubt. He is extremely talented on the offensive end and it nearly outweighs his lack of dedication to defense, but if you're going to find a knock on him it is his defense.

What I'm saying is, the thing that would propel him to be the #1 Recruit in the nation would also be the thing that would propel him to be either a starter or play starter's minutes at Duke. Defense. So, there' really no discussion here, because the Duke staff have been pretty clear with him on the things he needs to work on. They always are. It turns some kids off who think their stuff doesn't stink, but it really means a lot to the kids who realize that they still have a lot to learn...

[Big Pappa]

Oh no doubt. He is extremely talented on the offensive end and it nearly outweighs his lack of dedication to defense, but if you're going to find a knock on him it is his defense.

What I'm saying is, the thing that would propel him to be the #1 Recruit in the nation would also be the thing that would propel him to be either a starter or play starter's minutes at Duke. Defense. So, there' really no discussion here, because the Duke staff have been pretty clear with him on the things he needs to work on. They always are. It turns some kids off who think their stuff doesn't stink, but it really means a lot to the kids who realize that they still have a lot to learn..

And kids who realize we have the staff to teach it to them. I think that is why we land guys like KI, Kyle, Paulus and Nolan over guys like Wall, BK, and others.

[SilkyJ]

You honestly think that we will tell the number 1 recruit in the nation that if he comes to Duke we have no special considerations for playing time. That isn't the way that it works.

Well "playing time" and "starting" are two very different things. But at the end of the day, I don't think Coach K gives "special" consideration to anyone. He is just flat honest. I'll stick the "starting" thing b/c that's what I was discussing earlier.

Coach K has told top tier recruits to go pound sand after they or those close to them starting pining for playing time (recently: Kevin Love, Scout #3 and Kris Humphries, Scout #18). So do you really know how "it" works?

Coach K isn't going to make promises he can't deliver on, and what coach can possibly predict his starting lineup 18 months from now?! (Especially when you have multiple options at a certain position) So no, I don't think Coach K is using "you'll start from day 1" in his recruiting shpeel. And if you do, then you don't know Coach K very well.

Its about being HONEST, and there is no way Coach K can honestly tell Austin that he will start from Day 1 b/c Coach K can't possibly know that! He doesn't know how good Seth and Dre will be after another year against ACC competition. Look at the leap Nolan made from freshman year to junior year. You think Austin starts over Nolan this year? And K, as well as others, don't know how Austin will adjust to the ACC level of competition, so its just too hard accurately predict who will start.

OK you say, "so Coach K doesn't use it in his shpeel, but Austin says he wants to know about playing time"

Fine. Coach K says "you're good enough to start for us, but we have tremendous talent on this team - we did just win a national title - so you'll be competing with them everyday in practice and regardless of whether you start or not, you'll play quite a bit. Look at Jon Scheyer as a soph and Mike Dunleavy as a frosh, those guys were key 6th men for my teams playing 25+mpg. Just as importantly, practicing against elite talent everyday will make you into a better player."

Now that's not to say Coach K WOULDN'T tell someone they would start from day 1. In the case like Kyrie, as I posted earlier, we need a true PG and Kyrie is just that and is a tremendous talent, so yea the HONEST answer is "Kyrie, you're gonna start at PG for us."

So the way "it" works with coach K is plain and simple: tell it like it is.

In K we trust

[mattman91]

If all of our hopes of us repeating next year, and irving being as good as we think, we probablly wont have irving when (if) austin comes. Lets not drool over our keyboards or on ourselves about irving and rivers running the backcourt together. I dont see it. I do however see us getting Rivers. and getting the 3peat with or without Irving

[airowe]

And of course, Silky J said it better than me...

[mattman91]

Casey Peters > Dexter Strickland...... Austin Rivers > Andre Dawkins. I think in 2011 we will have a 3 guard starting lineup including dre, austin and a point guard

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

Austin can play point guard, for those who didn't know.