Quote Originally Posted by dcdevil2009 View Post
Most important to the program? No. More important to Duke's success last year than Scheyer was in years one through three? Probably. Scheyer was an All American his senior year and runner up for ACC player of the year. If Austin had been either of those things, I'd argue that he would have been more important to the team than some of the upperclassman. I just think it's tough to say a one and done isn't as important as a four year player when the four year guy's best season is better than the one and done's only season. What if it were something like Dunleavy v. Brand, where one had a higher peak, but the other was there for longer? I'm not sure if I'd give Dunleavy the nod as more important just because he stayed longer.

Having said that, if Parker can come in and play at an AA level, like Kyrie would have been without getting hurt, then I can see him or any other one and done being the most important player to the program on that year's team. Weren't Kyrie, Austin, Deng, and Maggette all the most important recruits to the program from their respective classes? Neither of them were more important than Singler, Hill, Battier, etc., but I think their contributions during their relatively short time on campus were more important to the Duke program than the contributions of many good players over the course of their entire four year careers. I'm not saying we should indiscriminately recruit one and dones, but if a guy is talented enough to be one and done and has the character to fit into the Duke family, then I support Coach K going after him and don't think it's hyperbole to say that he is the most important recruit in his class for the Duke program.
There are other off the court considerations as well. Irving is likely to have a longer term impact on Duke's team/recruiting then say Scheyer because he is A) likely to be an nba all-star and B) is such a dynamic personality. With Irving coming back each summer to work on his degree, he will be around the current players and at certain points potential recruits. His presence can not only impact recruits but since he will also be working out, can lead to improvement of the current players. Similarly Smith (even though less successful in the nba) is the kind of player that will be helping Duke out for years to come even though he has graduated. Some players are like magnets and will help attract other high quality players. I don't know if Parker is that kind of personality but if his game is as good as advertised, it may also lead to others following his footsteps.