Tony Parker to UCLA

[dukedoc]

This little article http://www.c2crecruiting.com/ says that UCLA had an in-home with Parker last night, with their representative being Parker's AAU coach-turned UCLA assistant. Further, the "source" for the article indicates that Memphis, UCLA, Kansas, and Ohio State are all "in play" for him, Duke is "on the outside" and "most feel Duke isn't a real player" in this.

I don't know how good this guy's sources are. Maybe not good at all, who knows? But if he is credible, this is not encouraging, obviously,

Interesting, although it's hard to know how much stock to put into a short blurb like that without any specifics. The general consensus has been exactly what was stated, that Duke is a long shot. The writer might be parroting some folks who are simply describing that assumption. Again, who knows? All I know is it's better to be still in the race than, as I was assuming up until reading the roundtable, being totally out of it.

Hmm - parents love Duke more than the kid. AAU coach in the mix trying to steer kid to a specific non-Duke school. Hopefully this one will end differently than the last such story.

[Duke 4 Life]

The ace in the hole is that "mom likes Duke". At the end of the day, good kids have a hard time disappointing mom. I think right now that is our best recruiter. Besides, K wouldn't have flew back down there if he thought he was on the outside looking in.

[Indoor66]

The ace in the hole is that "mom likes Duke". At the end of the day, good kids have a hard time disappointing mom. I think right now that is our best recruiter. Besides, K wouldn't have flew back down there if he thought he was on the outside looking in.

If mom's not happy, no one is happy.

[moonpie23]

Shirley you can't suggest that mom would have any influence in this...

[SupaDave]

Shirley you can't suggest that mom would have any influence in this...

LOL! Sorry but this just made me giggle.

[devildeac]

Shirley you can't suggest that mom would have any influence in this...

LOL! Sorry but this just made me giggle.

Well, I'd bet K will be Frank with them and hope they are Earnest with us in return. Just as long as his mom's middle name is not Jordan.

And stop calling me Shirley.

Back to recruiting. Sure is confusing data with K still visiting down in Georgia, TP's recent blog and the info provided above about the UCLA in-home and the other comments.

[Matches]

LOL at Chris Burgess still being used against us in recruiting. Have any current recruits ever even seen Burgess play? I guess UNC can't develop big men because Warren Martin never made an NBA All-Star team?

[fgb]

ha! burgess can and will be used against us; meanwhile elton played too long ago to be relevant. that is rich.

[dukeballboy88]

Tony, I know you watch NBA games right?
Have you watched in Philly or Chicago games?
You remind me of Elton Brand and Carlose Boozer and with hard work you can be just as good as them. Have you seen their contracts?
NOw I cant take full credit for that but have you seen their contracts?
We have the greatest facilities and academics in the game, have you seen their contracts?
I am the all time winningest coach and the coach of team usa basketball, have you seen Brand and Boozers contracts?
Did I mention how much money 2 of my big men make that I think you resemble? Ok I didnt know if I did or not.
And we have the best fan base in any sport that will show up and cheer if we are playing the durham tech and I cant remember if you have seen the 2 players contracts for Philly and Chicago that I helped get to the NBA that remind me of you?

[CDu]

I echo the comments that some folks have made that perception is reality. People who have an inkling in one direction are going to find ways to buy into the perceptions that coincide with their feelings. It doesn't matter whether those perceptions are fair or accurate. So all the nitpicking and providing of counter-examples on the board are meaningless. The perception is out there, and the perception very much exists among recruits. The two most recent recruiting targets have now very openly expressed belief in that perception. So it's absolutely a hurdle that the coaching staff is facing in recruiting.

And in this case, there is some truth to the perceptions. We haven't typically had the kind of big man like Parker. And we certainly haven't showcased big men. It has not been our primary approach. Now, the argument against that is that we just haven't had a lot of big men worthy of showcasing. But when in doubt, we've rarely tried to showcase them if they weren't clearly worth showcasing. That doesn't mean Duke wouldn't showcase Parker if he was ready to be showcased. And it doesn't mean we can't develop big men. It's just a legitimate question. And when you're looking for negatives (it seems like Parker is looking at the negatives while his family is looking at the positives) that's all it takes.

The counter is that all it takes is one or two recruits to hit it big and change the perception. If we land Okafor in a couple of years and he turns out to be the monster people think he'll be, that will go a long way towards dispelling the myth. If we land Parker and he surprises with his readiness, that would do the same. If we continue to miss on these guys, the perception will just continue to grow.

[Matches]

I echo the comments that some folks have made that perception is reality. People who have an inkling in one direction are going to find ways to buy into the perceptions that coincide with their feelings. It doesn't matter whether those perceptions are fair or accurate. So all the nitpicking and providing of counter-examples on the board are meaningless. The perception is out there, and the perception very much exists among recruits. The two most recent recruiting targets have now very openly expressed belief in that perception. So it's absolutely a hurdle that the coaching staff is facing in recruiting.

Sure - but the problem is that there's only so much the coaching staff can do to combat perception that's not based in reality. I think it's fair to say that we haven't had a lot of traditional back-to-the-basket space-eating big men in the K era, but extrapolating from there to "K can't coach big guys" or the absurd "Wojo can't coach big guys because he's short" is silly. Landing and developing an a-list big guy would be the best medicine (and may well explain why the staff is making Parker such a priority), but even that won't stop other schools from claiming we can't coach big men because Casey Sanders or something equally absurd.

At some point you really can't control what people say about you, particularly when those people don't let little things like "facts" get in the way of a good meme.

[dukedoc]

I echo the comments that some folks have made that perception is reality. People who have an inkling in one direction are going to find ways to buy into the perceptions that coincide with their feelings. It doesn't matter whether those perceptions are fair or accurate. So all the nitpicking and providing of counter-examples on the board are meaningless. The perception is out there, and the perception very much exists among recruits. The two most recent recruiting targets have now very openly expressed belief in that perception. So it's absolutely a hurdle that the coaching staff is facing in recruiting.

And in this case, there is some truth to the perceptions. We haven't typically had the kind of big man like Parker. And we certainly haven't showcased big men. It has not been our primary approach. Now, the argument against that is that we just haven't had a lot of big men worthy of showcasing. But when in doubt, we've rarely tried to showcase them if they weren't clearly worth showcasing. That doesn't mean Duke wouldn't showcase Parker if he was ready to be showcased. And it doesn't mean we can't develop big men. It's just a legitimate question. And when you're looking for negatives (it seems like Parker is looking at the negatives while his family is looking at the positives) that's all it takes.

The counter is that all it takes is one or two recruits to hit it big and change the perception. If we land Okafor in a couple of years and he turns out to be the monster people think he'll be, that will go a long way towards dispelling the myth. If we land Parker and he surprises with his readiness, that would do the same. If we continue to miss on these guys, the perception will just continue to grow.

I agree. TP is buying in to the negative recruiting because some part of him wants to believe it. In the end it'll take a courageous young man to go against the grain and say "I want to be that guy who throws this stereotype on its head". I like that his family said something along the lines of "don't worry about the guys who came before you, be Tony Parker". Essentially, create your own identity and stop trying to be the next "insert name of successful big man from years past". Not sure if he'll have it in him to make that move, but he did say once that his decision would be "shocking". Based on his current list that would mean either us or Georgia.

[dukedoc]

At some point you really can't control what people say about you, particularly when those people don't let little things like "facts" get in the way of a good meme.

Ultimately we need to worry about winning. Even if we never ever have a big bruiser type in the middle again, if we somehow find a way to win, our critics won't have anything substantive to stand on. People will always throw garbage at us, not only because of the big man perception/misperception, but simply because we are Duke. Those barbs only sting when we aren't winning.

[SupaDave]

Back to recruiting. Sure is confusing data with K still visiting down in Georgia, TP's recent blog and the info provided above about the UCLA in-home and the other comments.

Forget what you read - believe half of what you see.

I find the UCLA blog laughable. Duke not in it? This is a kid that didn't return the home state school coach's phone call b/c he was having a "GREAT" conversation with Coach K.

If you've talked to Coach K, or talked to someone who has talked to him, then you know he's a straight shooter. (and I'll add that I went to high school with his daughter and she's the same way) Not only am I sure that Tony and Coach K have discussed these concerns but I also know that Tony has doubts and wants to be sure.

So Duke isn't in it hunh?

*Mother likes Duke
*They discuss Duke last in round table b/c it's SOMEONE's favorite
*They see a need at Duke
*Duke fits the academic profile
*Duke is very doable for a family that only wants to hit the road occasionally (tickets to Kansas aint cheap in GA)

[CDu]

I agree. TP is buying in to the negative recruiting because some part of him wants to believe it. In the end it'll take a courageous young man to go against the grain and say "I want to be that guy who throws this stereotype on its head". I like that his family said something along the lines of "don't worry about the guys who came before you, be Tony Parker". Essentially, create your own identity and stop trying to be the next "insert name of successful big man from years past". Not sure if he'll have it in him to make that move, but he did say once that his decision would be "shocking". Based on his current list that would mean either us or Georgia.

Agree wholeheartedly. The "go where you're needed" advice given by his dad makes a lot of sense. I almost guarantee that's been Coach K's sales pitch: "We haven't had a guy like you in a while, and we need you to change the way we play to become elite again."

If I had to guess what Parker wants to do, it's go to Kansas (with the great strength coach and recent track record with bigs), UCLA ("where all the big names are going"), or OSU ("to be the next Sullinger"). He definitely seems to be identifying reasons to not go Duke, whereas with those others he's stating reasons to go there. So it would be shocking if he chose Duke.

Ultimately we need to worry about winning. Even if we never ever have a big bruiser type in the middle again, if we somehow find a way to win, our critics won't have anything substantive to stand on. People will always throw garbage at us, not only because of the big man perception/misperception, but simply because we are Duke. Those barbs only sting when we aren't winning.

Agreed. People only care about "recruiting issues" if you aren't winning. If you're regularly winning ACC Championships and making deep Tourney runs, nobody questions you because what you're doing is working. We've had a bit less fortune with the ACC Tourney than we've had in the recent past and we haven't had as much NCAA success as we've had in the more recent past. And as such, the questions arise.

[_Gary]

I echo the comments that some folks have made that perception is reality. People who have an inkling in one direction are going to find ways to buy into the perceptions that coincide with their feelings. It doesn't matter whether those perceptions are fair or accurate. So all the nitpicking and providing of counter-examples on the board are meaningless. The perception is out there, and the perception very much exists among recruits. The two most recent recruiting targets have now very openly expressed belief in that perception. So it's absolutely a hurdle that the coaching staff is facing in recruiting.

And in this case, there is some truth to the perceptions. We haven't typically had the kind of big man like Parker. And we certainly haven't showcased big men. It has not been our primary approach. Now, the argument against that is that we just haven't had a lot of big men worthy of showcasing. But when in doubt, we've rarely tried to showcase them if they weren't clearly worth showcasing. That doesn't mean Duke wouldn't showcase Parker if he was ready to be showcased. And it doesn't mean we can't develop big men. It's just a legitimate question. And when you're looking for negatives (it seems like Parker is looking at the negatives while his family is looking at the positives) that's all it takes.

The counter is that all it takes is one or two recruits to hit it big and change the perception. If we land Okafor in a couple of years and he turns out to be the monster people think he'll be, that will go a long way towards dispelling the myth. If we land Parker and he surprises with his readiness, that would do the same. If we continue to miss on these guys, the perception will just continue to grow.

Very well said. I have to concur with all those points. Let's hope Tony can break that perception up by coming to Duke and dominating.

[NashvilleDevil]

We've had a bit less fortune with the ACC Tourney than we've had in the recent past and we haven't had as much NCAA success as we've had in the more recent past. And as such, the questions arise.

Shouldn't that be more fortune in the ACC Tourney? Duke had won the last 3 ACC tourneys before this year

[CDu]

Shouldn't that be more fortune in the ACC Tourney? Duke had won the last 3 ACC tourneys before this year

Depends on what time frame you're considering. I was comparing the "golden age of big men" to the post-Williams era. In that comparison, we've won 3 of the last 6 in the post-Williams era. We won 7 of the 9 in the "golden age."

[j_man]

I'm not one to read into tweets, but this would be a pretty cool cryptic message...

tonyparker32 - God gave us talent the devil made us famous

I wish that were the case, but its a song lyric by Wale.

[BobcatsandDevils]

Many people might disagree, and from a sheer talent standpoint they should, but I believe TP is THE most important recruit for us left on the board. Listen, I love the Plumlee's. I love the way they play, and I love the athleticism they bring every night. But take a look at the teams still around. Most, of not all, have an imposing presence in the paint. Robinson, Davis, Patric Young, Sully, Christmas, Perry Jones, (I'd love to throw my Bobcats in there but we are one of the exceptions). TP could be developed into an outstanding force on the block with the right coaching. His back to the basket game is not stellar but he's got the one thing you can't coach: size. Lucky for us, we've got the right staff in place that could develop the aspects of his game that CAN be coached up. I know it's doubtful, but man I hope we land this kid.