Welcome to Duke, Rasheed Sulaimon!

[JNort]

I'm guessing, but if Rasheed is really the defensive dynamo people say he is and can lock down the opposing PG, then he needs minutes, and a lineup with him and Seth together in the backcourt might be worth trying every now and again. Also, with 7 guys competing for minutes at the three perimeter positions, having the flexibility of either Seth or Rasheed at the point gives Coach K more options.

Put another way, if Quinn and Tyler combine for 40 or more minutes (and assuming Seth is locked in for 30+ minutes at SG), that means two of Rasheed, Andre, Michael, or Alex won't play very much at all. If Rasheed can get some minutes at PG (and Alex can get some minutes at PF) then Coach K has options to play everybody, depending on who is hot and/or who practiced well that week.

Exactly! K loves the versatile guys who can play more than one position. It gives flexibility on offense and in turn makes it harder to play us. Also it does not hurt to have your sg handle the ball if he needs to. Just think how beneficial it is to have a PG on the floor as well as a SG who can help him out if he needs it.

[MCFinARL]

I'm guessing, but if Rasheed is really the defensive dynamo people say he is and can lock down the opposing PG, then he needs minutes, and a lineup with him and Seth together in the backcourt might be worth trying every now and again. Also, with 7 guys competing for minutes at the three perimeter positions, having the flexibility of either Seth or Rasheed at the point gives Coach K more options.

Put another way, if Quinn and Tyler combine for 40 or more minutes (and assuming Seth is locked in for 30+ minutes at SG), that means two of Rasheed, Andre, Michael, or Alex won't play very much at all. If Rasheed can get some minutes at PG (and Alex can get some minutes at PF) then Coach K has options to play everybody, depending on who is hot and/or who practiced well that week.

Thanks--that is a logical answer. Hopefully the players will be adaptable enough to work well together in a variety of configurations.

[CameronCrazy06]

Rasheed Sulaimon is expected to contribute at both guard positions for the Blue Devils.

“They told me I’m going to be playing a lot of both (guard) positions next year,” said Sulaimon, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Houston’s Strake Jesuit College Prep School. “I’ve been working on my point guard skills. Coming here, it kind of helped me get a chance to play the point against great competition.”

Wayne Jones, Sulaimon’s head coach at Strake Jesuit, said Sulaimon had a 5-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.

“I think that’s something he’s really comfortable doing,” Jones said. “It wears him out a little bit and I think, because of his legs, he didn’t get a lot of his shots early. But when we needed him, he was able to knock the shots down. I don’t think he’ll have any trouble transitioning over to full-time point guard.”
Via Durham Herald-Sun

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap...#ixzz1sDO81KD6

Saw this on RealGM and thought I'd share it with y'all. I really like everything I've seen/heard of this kid so far, and if he also has the ability to play PG he gives us a lot of flexibility next year.

[CDu]

I think the best-case scenario next year is that Cook improves his defense and quickness (hopefully a natural result of being healthy) and Sulaimon shows enough skill to play backup PG and SG to allow us to go with a 3-man rotation of Cook, Curry, and Sulaimon at the PG and SG spots, with Thornton providing fill-in minutes for defensive energy. I think that rotation provides our most dynamic combination offensively - the main question will be Cook's defense. But If Cook can go 20-25 mpg and play solid defense, Curry 30 mpg, Sulaimon 15-20 mpg, and Thornton 5-10 mpg, I think that's a good situation.

[roywhite]

Saw this on RealGM and thought I'd share it with y'all. I really like everything I've seen/heard of this kid so far, and if he also has the ability to play PG he gives us a lot of flexibility next year.

Just my opinion from watching Rasheed in all-star games, and reading about him...I don't think he's a Point Guard, or at least not at this time.

He's a combination guard who can handle and pass reasonably well, but is not likely ready to be a primary Point Guard. There are players like Jon Scheyer, who might have been described similarly, but turned out to be effective at the Point Guard position. However, that usually takes plenty of work and development within the Duke program.

As Coach K might say, Rasheed is a basketball player. He's a versatile guy who can add to both our offense and defense.

[flyingdutchdevil]

As Coach K might say, Rasheed is a basketball player. He's a versatile guy who can add to both our offense and defense.

Massive emphasis on this. There is a strong possibility that Rasheed could be our best on-the-ball defender from Day 1. That is how he'll see floor time this year.

[CDu]

Just my opinion from watching Rasheed in all-star games, and reading about him...I don't think he's a Point Guard, or at least not at this time.

He's a combination guard who can handle and pass reasonably well, but is not likely ready to be a primary Point Guard. There are players like Jon Scheyer, who might have been described similarly, but turned out to be effective at the Point Guard position. However, that usually takes plenty of work and development within the Duke program.

As Coach K might say, Rasheed is a basketball player. He's a versatile guy who can add to both our offense and defense.

Yes, I'd agree with this. Sulaimon is most definitely a SG first and foremost. He is an okay ballhandler but not a pure PG and not a true distributor. I'd see him more as a capable ballhandler when sharing the court with Curry, but I'd say he's not in Cook's playmaking category by any means.

I really hope that Cook improves his defense and Curry improves his ballhandling and playmaking skills. It would be great if he and Sulaimon could share the playmaking responsibilities for most of the time when Cook is out then we have a dynamic offensive pairing with still solid defense (because Sulaimon will likely be our best on-ball defender).

[UrinalCake]

If Cook can go 20-25 mpg and play solid defense, Curry 30 mpg, Sulaimon 15-20 mpg, and Thornton 5-10 mpg, I think that's a good situation.

That sounds about right to me. Thornton can go back to being our "energy" guy off the bench who we bring in to change things up. Cook would be our primary point but his minutes would be kept low enough that we don't have to worry about fatigue. Curry is going to play big minutes at either guard spot, and hopefully he can maintain some consistency on his shooting and also attack the lane as we saw him do in spots.

[bounce840]

Did Sulaimon grow an inch or two?? It says on different sites that he is six four now. Could he play point or is he just a two guard?? Any info on him?? Thanks.

[bounce840]

They talked about it during the McDonald's game. Talking about him possibly creating shots for others and being more of a playmaker. So, how good is he and how is he different from Rivers.

[CDu]

They talked about it during the McDonald's game. Talking about him possibly creating shots for others and being more of a playmaker. So, how good is he and how is he different from Rivers.

He is pretty good. Sort of like a sophomore version of Nolan Smith, in my opinion. But he's taller than Smith. He's not nearly as good a ballhandler as Rivers is and thus not as good as Rivers going to the basket, but he's better in many other facets of the game (quickness, shooting, defense, playing without the ball, passing). He won't dominate the ball like Rivers did (for good and for bad). His game is quite different, more similar to Smith and Ewing.

[CameronCrazy06]

Did Sulaimon grow an inch or two?? It says on different sites that he is six four now. Could he play point or is he just a two guard?? Any info on him?? Thanks.

He was measured at 6'4.5" in shoes at the Nike Hoop Summit last week. As the article from Real GM says, we could potentially see him at PG, but SG is his natural position.

[Greg_Newton]

He was measured at 6'4.5" in shoes at the Nike Hoop Summit last week. As the article from Real GM says, we could potentially see him at PG, but SG is his natural position.

He's actually pretty much the exact same size as Rivers; he's 1/2" shorter, but has 1" longer arms, which means they probably have very similar reaches. He's several inches longer than Nolan in all of his measurables, despite their similar style of play.

[jv001]

I think the best-case scenario next year is that Cook improves his defense and(hopefully a natural result of being healthy) and Sulaimon shows enough skill to play backup PG and SG to allow us to go with a 3-man rotation of Cook, Curry, and Sulaimon at the PG and SG spots, with Thornton providing fill-in minutes for defensive energy. I think that rotation provides our most dynamic combination offensively - the main question will be Cook's defense. But If Cook can go 20-25 mpg and play solid defense, Curry 30 mpg, Sulaimon 15-20 mpg, and Thornton 5-10 mpg, I think that's a good situation.

I agree with this^ and it begins with a healthy Quinn Cook. It looked like he played injured for the better part of the season and therefore did not play good on the ball defense. Plus it took away from his ability to drive the ball to the basket. Quinn must improve his defense and improve his outside shot to play many minutes. To me he is the key or X-Factor for 2013. GoDuke!

[bounce840]

Think he will be a good one. Though he is so smooth and graceful. Also he is pretty bright and seems to me a winner just like Nolan. Hey if we got ten points a game out of him we should jump for joy.

[Big Pappa]

After great outings at the McDonald's All-American game and the Jordan Brand All-American game, Sheed has moved up again in the final 2012 recruit rankings on three major recruiting websites:

#12 on Scout http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75...pid=88&yr=2012
#12 on ESPN http://espn.go.com/college-sports//b...ank/class/2012
#13 on CBS http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...-rankings/2012

I continue to think that many posters on this board are underrating and under-appreciating this stud recruit we landed for the 2012 class. Jon Pence of SCACCHOOPS.com wrote a great article (http://www.scacchoops.com/tt_NewsBre...medium=twitter) this morning on that very thing. He says, "Admittedly lost in all the hoopla over transfers (coming and going), as of yet unsigned recruits, the Mason Plumlee decision, and the general malaise of Duke's unceremonious exit from the NCAA Tournament, is the arrival of Rasheed Sulaimon."

Be excited Duke fans. We got a stud.

[mkline09]

After great outings at the McDonald's All-American game and the Jordan Brand All-American game, Sheed has moved up again in the final 2012 recruit rankings on three major recruiting websites:

#12 on Scout http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75...pid=88&yr=2012
#12 on ESPN http://espn.go.com/college-sports//b...ank/class/2012
#13 on CBS http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...-rankings/2012

I continue to think that many posters on this board are underrating and under-appreciating this stud recruit we landed for the 2012 class. Jon Pence of SCACCHOOPS.com wrote a great article (http://www.scacchoops.com/tt_NewsBre...medium=twitter) this morning on that very thing. He says, "Admittedly lost in all the hoopla over transfers (coming and going), as of yet unsigned recruits, the Mason Plumlee decision, and the general malaise of Duke's unceremonious exit from the NCAA Tournament, is the arrival of Rasheed Sulaimon."

Be excited Duke fans. We got a stud.

I actually wrote it for my site but Jon picked it up

[CDu]

I actually wrote it for my site but Jon picked it up

Nice article. The only thing I'd change is that I'd say he's closer to a sophomore year Nolan Smith than either a freshman year Smith than an upperclassman Smith.

[mkline09]

Nice article. The only thing I'd change is that I'd say he's closer to a sophomore year Nolan Smith than either a freshman year Smith than an upperclassman Smith.

I'd say that is fair but I think he will likely contribute more than Nolan did his sophomore year. I think he'll have to, especially if he is as strong as I hope he is defensively.

[riverside6]

I actually wrote it for my site but Jon picked it up

Yep, that was an article that DukeSportsBlog shared with my site. Credit should go there!