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  1. #281
    Quote Originally Posted by -bdbd View Post
    Absolutely agree 110% !!! If a kid is so immature to make such an important decision based on one 20 minute half (Duke more than acquitted itself in the second half) then I really can't be too impressed with him. But I do think some folks are underestimating the gray matter and thoughtfulness of these kids. The decision, broadly, will be based on the criteria he and his parents have long since established, which probably center around his comfort with the coach and prospective teammates, and where he'll get the best opportunity to develop and gain exposure for the next level. I have to believe that Duke falls pretty high on that scale. And, by the way, regardless of the outcome, that game and the surrounding emotion and hoopla was pretty spectacular. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that anyway??! (And if I'm the staff I'm right now pointing out to him how he could have made a difference in that game, and generally will make this team better next year.).
    The fact that Duke generated the number 1 draft pick last season should have an impact as well. Last time UNC did that was 1986.

  2. #282
    Quote Originally Posted by dukedoc View Post
    Although I agree that young people Shabazz's age do indeed live primarily in the here and now, such a shallow perspective will dominate one's school decision only if the decision is largely inconsequential. In other words, Shabazz's decision, given his high profile and potentially program-changing stature, is too complicated and has too many implications to come down to whim. If he were merely a three star prospect he might indeed choose his school simply based on where he had the most fun, or something along those lines. For Shabazz, probably not. Yes, he probably has a very sweet aftertaste from the Phog and perhaps a less sweet aftertaste from CIS, but that will be only one of many factors in his decision. As the previous poster indicated, he's also been to CIS on better days. Shabazz himself seems much more sophisticated than the typical high school senior, and his father seems much more sophisticated than the typical basketball dad. I highly doubt they'll make their decision based on the outcome of a single game. Plus, he isn't making his decision today. By the time he actually sits down to decide, those emotions will fade somewhat and what will dominate are the facts. Based on simple facts, I think Duke sits fairly prettily.
    What you said is dead on.

    I might add that if the game in Cameron last night did change his mind, then I am not sure I would want him running our team... It would make me wonder how he would handle adversity in a game or otherwise...

    One thing he did see last night was passion from the crowd, and gutty effort by the Duke team to climb back. If he is looking for a team that has a tremendous fan base, and who plays hard to the buzzer on nights when nothing seems to be going right, then he saw that last night. If he wants to play for a Coach that has passion and never gives in, but is gracious in defeat, then he saw that as well.

    Sure a blow out win for us would have been easier to live with, but I am not discouraged by our effort last night, nor should anyone else be. It doesn't change who we are and these games happen to EVERY TEAM at some point...

  3. #283
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    I just don't agree. If I saw a team come into Cameron that was allowed to dictate the pace of the game and never an attempt made to call a time out and change the pace of the game I would wonder. I still wonder why? We need talent at the next level like Shabazz is thought to be. We need his talent level badly, so last night doesn't happen again. I hope he realizes this and commits soon.

  4. #284
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Dayton, OH
    I think he saw a team that has a gaping hole that he naturally fills. If I were in his shoes, it would be hard for me not to imagine what this team could look like him in the lineup.

  5. #285
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Hope your right!

  6. #286
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    No cash, no hot girls. How can we ever compete with a Calipari coached Ky. team when he compares official visits. We're all about clean living, respectability, high academics and learning team basketball at the college level. It takes a very mature young man too see the value of playing at Duke under Coach K.

  7. #287
    I've heard that Shabazz really enjoyed his time here. He's a smart kid who knows basketball. We are overmatched against Carolina and to think that we aren't is pretty naive, and there was just a perfect storm of bad things that happened in the first half. We didn't make shots, the guards didn't box out, and they shot really well. The fact that the second half Duke showed a lot of fight and were just baskets away from making it a game does not hurt. Not to mention, the fact that the crowd was so good and supportive even when we were down 24 has to make a kid feel good. It shows that, at least in the building, they're not going to lose the support of the fans, no matter how poorly you play. I would not be surprised if this game brought Duke closer to the top of his list. Good for this kid for keeping things close to the chest and not leading anybody on like some other kids his age. I also think that Amile Jefferson is probably going to sign and sign soon with the ole Blue Devils.

  8. #288
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by tdrake51 View Post
    I think he saw a team that has a gaping hole that he naturally fills. If I were in his shoes, it would be hard for me not to imagine what this team could look like him in the lineup.
    On a team that will still be full of perimeter scorers next year, what exactly is the gaping hole that Shabazz would fill? I would love to have Shabazz, he's a next level type of perimeter talent that may be even more gifted than Rivers. But I'm not giving up on Andre yet either. And Curry, Thornton, Gbinige, Cook, and Sulaimon should form a pretty darn good perimeter group. If Rivers shocks us and comes back next year (seriously doubt it), then it's a big step up even from what we've gotten this year.
    "Just be you. You is Enough."

  9. #289
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Quote Originally Posted by Devilsfan View Post
    I just don't agree. If I saw a team come into Cameron that was allowed to dictate the pace of the game and never an attempt made to call a time out and change the pace of the game I would wonder.
    Are you seriously suggesting that the take-away a top-level high school player would draw from last night's game was -- K doesn't know how to coach?!?

    Quote Originally Posted by Devilsfan View Post
    No cash, no hot girls. How can we ever compete with a Calipari coached Ky. team when he compares official visits. We're all about clean living, respectability, high academics and learning team basketball at the college level. It takes a very mature young man too see the value of playing at Duke under Coach K.
    Isn't that kind of what we're looking for? I'm not even sure where to start with this one.

  10. #290
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    New York
    Quote Originally Posted by Devilsfan View Post
    I just don't agree. If I saw a team come into Cameron that was allowed to dictate the pace of the game and never an attempt made to call a time out and change the pace of the game I would wonder. I still wonder why? We need talent at the next level like Shabazz is thought to be. We need his talent level badly, so last night doesn't happen again. I hope he realizes this and commits soon.
    Yes, we need Shabazz so that we never lose to North Carolina ever again. Shabazz is going to semtex Chapel Hill, I assume?

  11. #291
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by jipops View Post
    On a team that will still be full of perimeter scorers next year, what exactly is the gaping hole that Shabazz would fill? I would love to have Shabazz, he's a next level type of perimeter talent that may be even more gifted than Rivers. But I'm not giving up on Andre yet either. And Curry, Thornton, Gbinige, Cook, and Sulaimon should form a pretty darn good perimeter group. If Rivers shocks us and comes back next year (seriously doubt it), then it's a big step up even from what we've gotten this year.
    I agree. Don't get me wrong; I'd love it if Shabazz Muhammad came to Duke, because he's very talented. But Amile Jefferson seems to correspond more closely to an actual need/gap on next year's Blue Devils (and even he wouldn't fill a "gaping hole").

  12. #292
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by Des Esseintes View Post
    Yes, we need Shabazz so that we never lose to North Carolina ever again. Shabazz is going to semtex Chapel Hill, I assume?
    This is why I love DBR. Now I know what semtex is (I had to google it).

  13. #293
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Quote Originally Posted by MCFinARL View Post
    This is why I love DBR. Now I know what semtex is (I had to google it).
    In this day and age, we're more likely to Stuxnet them.


    Shhhh . . . . .

  14. #294
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Nashville
    Quote Originally Posted by MCFinARL View Post
    I agree. Don't get me wrong; I'd love it if Shabazz Muhammad came to Duke, because he's very talented. But Amile Jefferson seems to correspond more closely to an actual need/gap on next year's Blue Devils (and even he wouldn't fill a "gaping hole").
    I'd be borderline shocked if Amile was a rotation player next year. He's got great upside down the line, but he's largely a below the rim player and he's skinnier than Marshall was when he arrived. He'd be great to have in the pipeline, but he REALLY needs to bulk up before he can contribute, IMO.

  15. #295
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg_Newton View Post
    I'd be borderline shocked if Amile was a rotation player next year. He's got great upside down the line, but he's largely a below the rim player and he's skinnier than Marshall was when he arrived. He'd be great to have in the pipeline, but he REALLY needs to bulk up before he can contribute, IMO.
    I think it depends mostly on whether Mason leaves. Not to mention on whether Amile comes.

    In that case, Amile, who does bring a baseline game and willing feisty [given his weight] D, might get an early chance to play some. If he's even a little better than "advertised," he'd be competing with one R-Fr, Marshall, who must prove his readiness, with another, Alex, who must prove his adaptability, and with Josh, who must prove he can win major minutes on the interior. Miles's and Mason's departure opens up a whole lot of minutes. Ryan might play 30, but that still leaves 50 for the other 4 interior guys [counting Amile].

    Amile is certainly not a "power" forward. But he is a baseline player with an intriguingly different game. And his handle is already good, I think, which adds a dimension that Josh hasn't yet shown. Don't know how "smart" Amile is on D, nor how quickly he would "get" what K requires. But his slight frame, by itself, won't eliminate him from consideration. The bigs-rotation is up for grabs, and Amile could grab some.

  16. #296
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Nashville
    Quote Originally Posted by gumbomoop View Post
    But his slight frame, by itself, won't eliminate him from consideration.
    I'm just not quite sold on this, though. I mean, he's reallllly skinny (and he's not a way-above-the-rim player like Henson/Davis, which can offset that). Offensively, he'd be the most naturally talented post player we have next year. However, I'm not sure if he'd be good enough to warrant a very high usage rate on O. And if that's the case, I can't really see him jumping Kelly, Marshall, or Hairston; I really think he's going to get past a certain threshold, strength-wise, before he can hold his own on defense and the boards. I also think Murphy would be ahead of him if it came down to sacrificing size/strength for offense, just because he's probably a better, more versatile all-around player at this point. But I've been wrong before...

    This may all be moot though, as Mason has looked less and less like an NBA-ready player recently.

  17. #297
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg_Newton View Post

    This may all be moot though, as Mason has looked less and less like an NBA-ready player recently.
    Don't disagree with this, but--in the weird ways of the NBA--that might actually mean he should decide to go this year rather than wait, while he might still be seen as having substantial "upside" instead of being fully formed.

    On the other hand, we've just heard he has enrolled in a double major--which makes it sound like he may be planning to complete his education now, rather than on the fly later. We'll see.

  18. #298
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    Sep 2007
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    Undisclosed
    Quote Originally Posted by MCFinARL View Post
    Don't disagree with this, but--in the weird ways of the NBA--that might actually mean he should decide to go this year rather than wait, while he might still be seen as having substantial "upside" instead of being fully formed.

    On the other hand, we've just heard he has enrolled in a double major--which makes it sound like he may be planning to complete his education now, rather than on the fly later. We'll see.
    He is an Academic All-American, so the education may mean something a la Hansborough.

    But we'll see. Let's win the NC first, and then worry about next year.

  19. #299
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Virginia
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg_Newton View Post
    I'm just not quite sold on this, though. I mean, he's reallllly skinny (and he's not a way-above-the-rim player like Henson/Davis, which can offset that). Offensively, he'd be the most naturally talented post player we have next year. However, I'm not sure if he'd be good enough to warrant a very high usage rate on O. And if that's the case, I can't really see him jumping Kelly, Marshall, or Hairston; I really think he's going to get past a certain threshold, strength-wise, before he can hold his own on defense and the boards. I also think Murphy would be ahead of him if it came down to sacrificing size/strength for offense, just because he's probably a better, more versatile all-around player at this point. But I've been wrong before...

    This may all be moot though, as Mason has looked less and less like an NBA-ready player recently.
    Isn't this the same argument that was made against Henson his freshman year (Zeller too for that matter). Granted Henson is reported to be more athletic but they are both tall, skinny and long. Once Ol'Roy stopped the Henson as a 3 experiment, he really started playing well. He got pushed around on the interior a little but was a good weak side shot blocker and a sneaky rebounder. It's possible that Jefferson could do the same thing.

  20. #300
    Quote Originally Posted by yancem View Post
    Isn't this the same argument that was made against Henson his freshman year (Zeller too for that matter). Granted Henson is reported to be more athletic but they are both tall, skinny and long. Once Ol'Roy stopped the Henson as a 3 experiment, he really started playing well. He got pushed around on the interior a little but was a good weak side shot blocker and a sneaky rebounder. It's possible that Jefferson could do the same thing.
    Henson was the 5th ranked recruit, nationally. Amile is 20th. Huge difference when it comes to expectations of being able to step in and contribute immediately. If Henson was raw enough to be ranked in the 20s, his skinniness may well have held him back for a year.

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