Let me tell you guys, after the Barnes Skype saga and our subsequent National Champioinship, I've come to the conclusion that investing a lot of energy & emotion in the recruiting process is a bit of a fool's errand. (You must admit, that's a pretty solid data point right there.)
I'll honestly be shocked if 'Bazz chooses Duke. If he does, that's terrific. If he doesn't, I can't wait to see what Silent G and Murphy can do for us at the three spot next year.
And above all, in K we trust.
Some perspective before two schools go into nuclear meltdown tomorrow.
Our country's Olympic Head Coach get disrespected two years in a row by a top five recruit? Highly unlikely.
With regards to recruiting, I'll say this; it's just mentally easier to have low expectations and just be pleasantly surprised if good things happen. Keeps me from going crazy about this stuff...
Curious how KY fans will react if they get "only one" of these two blue chips. Some suggest Bazz may go elsewhere while Nerlens comes to Lexington. My guess is many will "melt down" if they "only" get Nerlens. Quite the privileged cohort of fans.
I certainly hope Bazz comes to Durham, but as a consolation prize, I'll take ABK.
It's the manner in which the decision is announced.
Let's not attack kids for something they haven't even done yet. And what if they go thru their whole spiel and pick Duke? Is it then perfectly fine with you all?
I don't blame the kids. And even before ESPNU was directing this type of event, these announcement press conferences seemed to me to be, more often then not, extremely awkward.
Because these are teenagers making their first really big decision in life in public. Most of us get to make our first monumental decision in life with a lot more privacy. So, let's give the kids some slack.
...Adults on the other hand....
I like Shabazz Muhammad. He seems to be a bright, talented, and thoughtful kid who knows what he wants to do with his life. More power to him. I hope he goes to Duke. But if he doesn't, he'll be another one of many bright, talented, thoughtful kids who don't come to Duke and it works out fine for both the kids and Duke.
I agree that there's no reason to criticize these kids for this. However, I do think there's a reason to laud kids who "announce" simply by privately notifying each of the coaches that have been pursuing them, offering a brief tweet to the general public, and then having a nice event at their high school. That, to me, is the classiest way to do it.
I think Shabazz is a perfect fit for Duke. He would come into a situation with some good veterans and the best big man in the ACC. He would have lethal shooters on the wings to spread the defense that would guarantee him 1 on 1 situations the entire game. It would be the best place for him not to have to shoulder the entire load. IF he goes to UCLA or Kentucky he would have to get 30 every night for them to win. Duke is his best bet to win the NCAA championship!!!
COME TO DUKE SHABAZZ!!!!!!!
The comment that Coach K reportedly made to Shabazz about us needing a scorer made me stop and think. He's right, we don't have a proven, reliable scorer now that Austin is gone. Seth and Ryan were our leading scorers after Austin, but neither can create their own shot and neither has been able to reliably carry the team for any length of time. Mason should get more shots this year than last, but is unlikely to be our leading scorer. Of course all of this may change, and if Shabazz doesn't come I think we'll be fine and will win a lot of games, but I do agree that he would seemingly provide that missing piece.