2013 Basketball Recruiting Thread

[DUKIE V(A)]

Randle, J. Parker, and Okafor are all absolutely absurd. How are these kids this good already??!!??

Getting any one of these players (to add to Matt Jones and the rest of the squad) would be a huge deal even for the likes of Coach K and Duke. Getting more than one could potentially be the best recruiting class in Duke history. Yes, I realize that is a mouthful and that these guys have a lot to prove, but they look amazingly talented.

[rotogod00]

Randle, J. Parker, and Okafor are all absolutely absurd. How are these kids this good already??!!??

Getting any one of these players (to add to Matt Jones and the rest of the squad) would be a huge deal even for the likes of Coach K and Duke. Getting more than one could potentially be the best recruiting class in Duke history. Yes, I realize that is a mouthful and that these guys have a lot to prove, but they look amazingly talented.

Do you also realize that Okafor is in the class of 2014?

[DUKIE V(A)]

Do you also realize that Okafor is in the class of 2014?

Wow...Thanks for the correction...I guess that makes him even scarier good. He looks ready to play major college ball right now.

[blev23]

At the beach ball classic....Ol Roy and Steve Robinson are posted up outside the locker room after Julius Randles game. Perfect timing by fans who distracted Roy just as Randle finally comes out. Wasn't even able to give him a head nod. As for the game, Randle was on cruise control most of the first half...mostly hanging out on the perimeter. I missed most of the 2nd half (hungry son) but he must have stepped it up as Prestonwood won going away. Tougher matchup tomorrow vs Whitney Young and Okafor. I'll have a better scouting report after that game.

[loldevilz]

Do you guys think Randle will be a 3 or 4 in the NBA? also do you think Jabari Parker is a 2 or 3?

[Bob Green]

Do you guys think Randle will be a 3 or 4 in the NBA? also do you think Jabari Parker is a 2 or 3?

It is irrelevant which position Randle or Parker ultimately play in the NBA. If they make the decision to play college ball at Duke, they will leave Durham as better ball players and citizens. Of course the same can be said for many programs throughout the nation. My desire is for Coach Krzyzewski and his staff to convince these young men to play ball at Duke but I equally desire for them to unpack their bags and buy into being student athletes. Discussing NBA positions for high school juniors seems a bit premature.

[dukeballboy88]

When I watched Randle play the other night I thought he looked lazy on D. More so with his help D than his on the ball D but he still looked either winded or lazy.

K would fix that quick.

[loldevilz]

It is irrelevant which position Randle or Parker ultimately play in the NBA. If they make the decision to play college ball at Duke, they will leave Durham as better ball players and citizens. Of course the same can be said for many programs throughout the nation. My desire is for Coach Krzyzewski and his staff to convince these young men to play ball at Duke but I equally desire for them to unpack their bags and buy into being student athletes. Discussing NBA positions for high school juniors seems a bit premature.

They are only 2 years away from being in the NBA, that's hardly premature.

[MChambers]

They are only 2 years away from being in the NBA, that's hardly premature.

But Bob also pointed out that it's irrelevant. This is a board about Duke basketball, not the NBA.

[Devilsfan]

Someone earlier mention dribble drive and big men. Anyone watching us this year should realize our bigs dribble as much as any.

[Newton_14]

They are only 2 years away from being in the NBA, that's hardly premature.

I think that is a tall assumption seeing as how we don't even know how they will fair against College competition. There have been many kids over the years who looked dominant at the High School level but could not translate that to the college level let alone the NBA. Not saying either of these two guys will fall into that category, as both look like fine players, but you never know.

Like Bob, I believe the better question to ask at the moment is what position they project to play in College.

[jimsumner]

I think that is a tall assumption seeing as how we don't even know how they will fair against College competition. There have been many kids over the years who looked dominant at the High School level but could not translate that to the college level let alone the NBA. Not saying either of these two guys will fall into that category, as both look like fine players, but you never know.

Like Bob, I believe the better question to ask at the moment is what position they project to play in College.

Yep. At this point in his junior year, Shavlik Randolph looked like a guaranteed NBA star. Same with Chris Burgess. Remember Schea Cotton? Or Felipe Lopez?

[yancem]

Yep. At this point in his junior year, Shavlik Randolph looked like a guaranteed NBA star. Same with Chris Burgess. Remember Schea Cotton? Or Felipe Lopez?

Or Harrison Barnes!

[jnastasi]

Yep. At this point in his junior year, Shavlik Randolph looked like a guaranteed NBA star. Same with Chris Burgess. Remember Schea Cotton? Or Felipe Lopez?

Schea Cotton was the greatest player that never was...I saw him once play in high school and he was a complete man amongst boys...Lebron before Lebron...

It's a shame he couldn't pass his SATs

[slower]

But Bob also pointed out that it's irrelevant. This is a board about Duke basketball, not the NBA.

Get over it. People talk about the NBA ALL the time on this board.

[Turtleboy]

But Bob also pointed out that it's irrelevant. This is a board about Duke basketball, not the NBA.

Really? I guess all those threads with titles like "NBA lockout is on" and Dukies in the NBA" and "Lance signed by Charlotte" and ones about Kyrie and Shane and on and on and on need to be purged. Could you get on that?

[MChambers]

Really? I guess all those threads with titles like "NBA lockout is on" and Dukies in the NBA" and "Lance signed by Charlotte" and ones about Kyrie and Shane and on and on and on need to be purged. Could you get on that?

Those conversations are about players who actually played at Duke. But to speculate on what some position a high school junior, who may or may not go to Duke, will play in the NBA doesn't seem to me to be relevant to this board. Maybe you don't see a difference; I do.

[-jk]

Gently, folks.

We do discuss the NBA here, but this particular thread is primarily about college bound players, teens, kids who haven't finished growing even. I think it's reasonable to keep the discussion here on college projections.

If anyone wants to start a high school > nba thread, no one will stop them.

-jk

[MChambers]

Get over it. People talk about the NBA ALL the time on this board.

See my response to Turtleboy.

[gam7]

Haha, tomorrow's game can't come soon enough!

A 2013 note: I checked out a couple of games at the Holiday Classic in San Diego a couple of days ago. I used to attend this tournament every year when I was in middle and high school. (An aside: Jim mentioned Schea Cotton above - the most memorable game I ever saw in the tournament was the championship game between Mater Dei featuring Schea Cotton versus Stephon Marbury's Lincoln High School. Both scored over 30 in the game with Lincoln taking the title.)

Anyway, I had an opportunity to see DeMatha, which features BeeJay Anya from the 2013 class (as well as James Robinson and Jerami Grant from 2012). DeMatha played Lincoln High School (in San Diego), which features the Robinson twins - Tyree and Tyrell - both guards in the 2013 class. Anya was a real problem for Lincoln and scored off of several nice back to the basket moves. He was more mobile and quicker than I expected him to be for a guy his size. He drew oohs and aahs from the crowd for a nice, quick drop step move in the second half. He also scored off of numerous offensive rebounds. In the Lincoln game, Anya was clearly the star of that team, which is saying something given the talent on the team.

Grant turned his ankle early but was not a huge factor in this game - he looks like a player, but not a game changer in this particular game. He looks very much like a young member of the Grant NBA family, which he is. James Robinson was a total non-factor (in fact, I don't believe he scored at all) and made his Top 50 2012 ranking seem surprising. DeMatha won by about 12-14 points.

Tyree Robinson carried Lincoln, hitting 5 3-pointers in the first half.

I also saw Grant Jerrett from 2012, whose high school team is terrible. Jerrett himself was not impressive. He towered over the opposing team and has long arms, but the other team was quick to double him every time he touched the ball and he had trouble dealing with the pressure. He's not physical, not particularly quick, not fiery. Based on the half I saw him play, his top 10 class ranking in the class is a head scratcher.

Aaron Gordon from 2013 sometimes forced it in his game but he played pretty hard. All in all, pretty solid, very good athlete. Given his size and athletic ability, he'll generate some ESPN top plays with highlight reel dunks at the next level. He has the potential to be pretty good and has a body that looks like he'd be able to bulk up pretty easily.