Tony Parker to UCLA

[moonpie23]

if he doesn't WANT to come to duke, he shouldn't...if he sits down with k and the staff, listens to them, and doesn't buy in, then he SHOULD go to somewhere that he does buy into..

it's not likely that he will pick another hat from the table and his cell phone goes off with a call from K telling him how he messed up...

[dukedoc]

I worry that Parker will disappoint, wherever he goes. He's not the second coming of Brand, Boozer, or Sulllinger. He's not going to be the focal point of a top ten team next year (maybe a year or two after that). Because he's still uncommitted, people are overrating him, just like they did with Lance.

So in some sense I think we'd be better off if he went elsewhere.

It's still not clear to me though why K was/is so committed to recruiting the young man. He's a solid prospect, but it seems like K has been going extra hard after him, as if he were a top 10 sort of talent. Is it specific to Tony (i.e. K sees something truly special in him that we might not perceive), or is it simply because a big body down low is a glaring need. I'm happy to move on from TP, but the only thing that keeps bringing me back is K's aggressiveness in his recruitment (which apparently even continues into today).

[Matches]

It's still not clear to me though why K was/is so committed to recruiting the young man.

He *must* know something we don't at this point. The kid has all but burned us in effigy and apparently is about to do so again. Something doesn't add up.

[Steven43]

if he doesn't WANT to come to duke, he shouldn't...if he sits down with k and the staff, listens to them, and doesn't buy in, then he SHOULD go to somewhere that he does buy into..

it's not likely that he will pick another hat from the table and his cell phone goes off with a call from K telling him how he messed up...

Isn't that what Calipari did after Terrence Jones chose the University of Washington?

[FellowTraveler]

He *must* know something we don't at this point. The kid has all but burned us in effigy and apparently is about to do so again. Something doesn't add up.

One reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from Duke's apparent continued pursuit of Parker is that Duke values Parker quite highly. Another is that the people closest to the Duke program -- indeed, the people who run it -- don't find Parker's public comments nearly as inflammatory and insulting as do many on this board.

[Matches]

One reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from Duke's apparent continued pursuit of Parker is that Duke values Parker quite highly. Another is that the people closest to the Duke program -- indeed, the people who run it -- don't find Parker's public comments nearly as inflammatory and insulting as do many on this board.

OK - but I don't know how one extrapolates from those comments that we have a realistic shot of actually landing the kid - unless, again, K/ the staff know something we don't. Whether one finds Parker's comments inflammatory, insulting, or benign, they surely don't sound like the words of someone who is likely to matriculate here.

[CDu]

if he doesn't WANT to come to duke, he shouldn't...if he sits down with k and the staff, listens to them, and doesn't buy in, then he SHOULD go to somewhere that he does buy into..

it's not likely that he will pick another hat from the table and his cell phone goes off with a call from K telling him how he messed up...

Well said. Coach K is going to give Parker every chance to understand what Duke has to offer him and what he can offer Duke. If, at that point, Parker still feels it is best to go elsewhere, then that's the way it is. And there's nothing wrong with that. I'd hate for Coach K to muscle a kid into coming to Duke the way that Calipari did with Terrence Jones. If it is not where he wants to be, then it would be best for him to go somewhere else.

I appreciate that Coach K will give every effort to sell to Parker how the two would be a good match. And I appreciate that Coach K will not harass Parker afterward if Parker decides that the fit isn't best for him.

[crimsonandblue]

Perhaps he's responding to the perceptions that Parker has and wanting to give one more sales pitch. Coach K knows how to deal with people, and he presumably knows this kid. Given the duration of time he's invested in recruiting Parker, I'm sure he thinks it is important to make sure everyone understands each other before the kid makes perhaps the biggest decision of his life so far, and to clear up any potential misconceptions Parker may have (or try to address any negatives about Duke).

There's certainly something to be said for "knowing when your goose is cooked." But perhaps Coach K doesn't feel like the goose is cooked. Or perhaps he just feels it's important to make sure he gives it everything he's got.

Another possibility is that he's simply taking his last chance to discuss with a recruit why that recruit doesn't want to go to Duke. In business, I can go call a client after losing a proposal and ask why we lost it. I don't think you can do that in college athletics. I doubt that's the reason, but it's a remote possibility.

I suspect that he's simply going in to set the record straight and make one last strong sales pitch. As Miles has intimated, Coach K is pretty good at sales pitches ("he just makes you want to run through a wall for him").

The other possibility is that he knows more now about players (Mason, Amile) who might or might not be in competition for minutes with Tony next season.

[dukedoc]

OK - but I don't know how one extrapolates from those comments that we have a realistic shot of actually landing the kid - unless, again, K/ the staff know something we don't. Whether one finds Parker's comments inflammatory, insulting, or benign, they surely don't sound like the words of someone who is likely to matriculate here.

I know that there is some sort of negative article coming out tomorrow, but have there been other negative/inflammatory statements in print previously? All I recall is a general sense of apathy coupled with a constantly delayed decision, but not overt negativity. Perhaps some folks have advance access to information/quotes from tomorrow's article - is that what you're referencing, or have there been other statements previously?

[CDu]

I know that there is some sort of negative article coming out tomorrow, but have there been other negative/inflammatory statements in print previously? All I recall is a general sense of apathy coupled with a constantly delayed decision, but not overt negativity. Perhaps some folks have advance access to information/quotes from tomorrow's article - is that what you're referencing, or have there been other statements previously?

I think the comments Matches is referring to were to the effect of "when a team only has 4 quality bigs in 36 years, I just don't know about that" and "it is a guard school, the bigs just set screens." There was some speculation (though this is entirely unfounded) that he was the recruit that tweeted Jason Jordan "Losing to Lehigh? That's not a good look to me."

[Matches]

I know that there is some sort of negative article coming out tomorrow, but have there been other negative/inflammatory statements in print previously? All I recall is a general sense of apathy coupled with a constantly delayed decision, but not overt negativity. Perhaps some folks have advance access to information/quotes from tomorrow's article - is that what you're referencing, or have there been other statements previously?

Both. Comments he's made on Twitter, the "4 bigs in 36 years" stuff - whether you find those things offensive or disrespectful or you don't, it's pretty hard to go from there to "Duke has a shot with this guy."

But perhaps K has some insight that we lack. Hard to understand why he'd waste time with a full court press on a kid who had zero interest in us. Only so many hours in the day, and all that.

[moonpie23]

i mean, it's not like tony is telling us over and over that he's coming to duke while he's got another coach sitting out in a car waiting for K to leave his house...


does tony have skype? that would worry me more...

[Class of '94]

Both. Comments he's made on Twitter, the "4 bigs in 36 years" stuff - whether you find those things offensive or disrespectful or you don't, it's pretty hard to go from there to "Duke has a shot with this guy."

But perhaps K has some insight that we lack. Hard to understand why he'd waste time with a full court press on a kid who had zero interest in us. Only so many hours in the day, and all that.

Obviously, we all know Duke has produced more than 4 NBA bigs under Coach K; and I would like to think that Tony knows that as well. Moreover, how many NBA bigs has Coaches like Self, Motta, Howland, and the other coaches at the respective schools that are on his final list? I could be wrong, but I don't think any of these coaches have produced NBA bigs, let alone 4 NBA bigs with the kind of impact Dukes "4" bigs have made in college and the NBA up to this point. If tony is buying into some of this crap that other coaches might be giving him, I think it's great that K is visiting him to give him the "facts" and hopefully set him straight in regards to many of these misconceptions.

And btw, I would argue that a player like Kevin Love wasn't the player that he is now and has been for the last couple of years until he played on the World Championship team under K and his staff; and that he like a lot of players on the USA team took their games to another game because of those experiences with K. I would hope that K brings that up to Parker as well during his visit with Parker. I think the bottom line is that Parker wants to go to a school (right or wrong) that will give him the best chance of making it to the NBA. I have some concerns about Parker's work ethic and mindset because I think it's just as important that a player works just as hard to get himself intothe NBA as the school positions that player to showcase his skills for the NBA. I'm not sure that he can handle K's coaching and demands for excellence so it won't bother me if doesn't pick Duke. As many posters have said previously, Duke isn't for everybody. That said, I don't want him putting negative stuff out in the public about Duke, and would hope that he will be respectful like K will regardless of where he goes to school next year.

[dukedoc]

Both. Comments he's made on Twitter, the "4 bigs in 36 years" stuff - whether you find those things offensive or disrespectful or you don't, it's pretty hard to go from there to "Duke has a shot with this guy."

But perhaps K has some insight that we lack. Hard to understand why he'd waste time with a full court press on a kid who had zero interest in us. Only so many hours in the day, and all that.

For someone who has otherwise kept things so close to his vest, those comments seem oddly candid. The deluded Duke-centric part of me almost thinks that those awkward comments have an ulterior motive underlying them - kind of like he wants people to believe he dislikes Duke. I mean, he did at one point say people would be "shocked" by his ultimate decision.

Now, I certainly don't believe he is going to sign on with us. I would, however, definitely be "shocked" if that were to happen.

[-bdbd]

McGary has to be second guessing his decision right now. Three UM players transferring including one starter, two senior starters graduating and leading scorer Trey Burke is supposedly one foot out the door (as his father says, "he's got juice right now"). Hardaway Jr. is good, but if Burke leaves they will struggle next year. McGary won't need to worry about PT though...

I sent the Michigan transfer article to a Mich grad (and serious sports fan) buddy of mine. This was his immediate response:


"freshman pg who got beaten out for pg job, scrub who never played and soph forward who lost his starter job halfway thru season."

I'm sure that it has been explained to McGary similarly. Heck, he could be tiold in a way that REINFORCES his recruitment... "Yeah, once he heard that you were going to get all of the starter minutes inside next year he just gave up and decided to transfer..." Everyone always has a spin.

[dukedoc]

Also, it appears Mason is officially testing the NBA waters, which in Duke speak typically suggests the player is pretty much gone. Now, I have no clue, and perhaps Mason will indeed stay as many on here have predicted, but perhaps this development has something to do with K's trip to see Tony today.

[Kedsy]

Also, it appears Mason is officially testing the NBA waters, which in Duke speak typically suggests the player is pretty much gone. Now, I have no clue, and perhaps Mason will indeed stay as many on here have predicted, but perhaps this development has something to do with K's trip to see Tony today.

Where did you read that Mason is officially testing the waters? The article I read (linked in the other thread) says he's in the information collection phase and hasn't come close to making up his mind.

[dukedoc]

Where did you read that Mason is officially testing the waters? The article I read (linked in the other thread) says he's in the information collection phase and hasn't come close to making up his mind.

Jay Williams‏ @RealJayWilliams

Breaking News: Mason Plumlee of Duke testing the NBA waters.

[G man]

But Tony is NOT a Top 5 kind of recruit. He is not necessarily a instant impact sort of fellow.

Rakeem Christmas, who was rated around the same spot, averaged about 3 pts a game this year. J. Stokes averaged around 10 a game this year. C. Behanan also averaged around 10 pts a game this year. None of those guys are "game changers" or "team changers." Now, every player is different, and maybe more importantly every SITUATION is different, but I am not sure expecting Tony to be a dominant player is reasonable.

Kids don't want to be told that though. I bet you a million dollars K does not go into a kids home saying you aren't a top five talent so you should not expect to have an immediate impact wherever you go to school. Sorry just having a little fun. These kids have egos as well and I am sure they hear it all the time about the success they are going to have. This plays into the odd decisions that these guys make.

[UrinalCake]

I think the comments Matches is referring to were to the effect of "when a team only has 4 quality bigs in 36 years, I just don't know about that" and "it is a guard school, the bigs just set screens." There was some speculation (though this is entirely unfounded) that he was the recruit that tweeted Jason Jordan "Losing to Lehigh? That's not a good look to me."

I think the comment about bigs setting screens and rebounding was made by McGary. Unless Parker also made a similar comment. At any rate, I'm not really as put off by these comments as others. As Duke fans we know that our program has put more than 4 big guys in the NBA, but if you asked the average basketball fan to name more than four, they probably couldn't. And losing to Lehigh is NOT a good look. If he still wants to come to Duke then I'd love to have him, but with that said I'm not exactly holding my breath either.