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  1. #1

    Mason Plumlee Returning to Duke for Senior Season

    I know it hasn't been 24 hours since our season ended but the deadline for early entry into the NBA draft is April 29th. This year once you enter your name into the draft you cannot withdraw... Ie, no more testing the waters. If both Austin and Mason come back, watch out we'll be one of the best teams in the country. I really want to see if Austin can make the sophomore leap. If he continues to improve at the same rate, we will have one of the top scorers in the country next year(especially if he develops the ability to finish with his left). Mason would probably be the top post player in the conference next year and has the potential to make one of the All American teams.
    Last edited by Newton_14; 04-05-2012 at 12:41 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Columbus, OH
    Are you sure there is no withdrawal date? I found this on the nba.com website.

    http://www.nba.com/news/key-dates/index.html

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by subzero02 View Post
    I know it hasn't been 24 hours since our season ended but the deadline for early entry into the NBA draft is April 29th. This year once you enter your name into the draft you cannot withdraw... Ie, no more testing the waters. If both Austin and Mason come back, watch out we'll be one of the best teams in the country. I really want to see if Austin can make the sophomore leap. If he continues to improve at the same rate, we will have one of the top scorers in the country next year(especially if he develops the ability to finish with his left). Mason would probably be the top post player in the conference next year and has the potential to make one of the All American teams.
    Although I agree that it will be a huge help to our team to bring back Austin and Mason, I think next years team is going to belong to Tyler Thornton. His leadership has been the standout story of the season, and his clutch shooting won us multiple games this season. I want to see Thornton take on the leadership role next year that Greg Paulus did during his Junior season. Also, I think if Andre can finally get a good off-season of practice in, he will be able to develop his dribble drive moves into a dangerous weapon. Since he is already by far the best shooter on the team, if he develops more as a slasher next year, then he will become even more of a match-up nightmare for our opponents.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Deeetroit City
    Amusing, the state of the basketball, Austin and Mason considering the NBA, when neither was the best player on the floor in their last game - the announcers and their coach agreed it was a player from Lehigh!

    I wish them both well, whatever their choice. Lower first round means a better team - less PT.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    Quote Originally Posted by kville33 View Post
    Although I agree that it will be a huge help to our team to bring back Austin and Mason, I think next years team is going to belong to Tyler Thornton. His leadership has been the standout story of the season, and his clutch shooting won us multiple games this season. I want to see Thornton take on the leadership role next year that Greg Paulus did during his Junior season. Also, I think if Andre can finally get a good off-season of practice in, he will be able to develop his dribble drive moves into a dangerous weapon. Since he is already by far the best shooter on the team, if he develops more as a slasher next year, then he will become even more of a match-up nightmare for our opponents.
    Uh,... I get the several jokes in here if you meant them as jokes (cruelty ones at that): Paulus's poor junior year, Thornton's mostly nonexistent offense, the cataclysmic plunge in Andre's shooting percentage and his poor handle. What's going on?

    sagegrouse

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Nashville
    Honest question: if you're an NBA GM, what position are drafting Austin to play right now? What type of plays do you expect him to make for your team, and which position to you expect him to defend?

  7. #7
    I was about to say the same thing sage. I was warned by the moderators for stating my feelings on Paulus' basketball abilities so I will utter nothing more than I hope that Thornton plays better than Greg did his junior year and takes about 25% the shots he did.

    We need some pretty unexpected things to happen to be competitive for a NC next year like Mason and Austin returning. It's not completely out of the question, but its necessary. Adding Shabazz would certainly help as well. If last night didn't add to his mindset that Duke really needs someone of his skillset/size.

    Nothing I've read has said that Mason or Austin staying in school will hurt their draft stock, heaven forbid an injury. I have no idea what would be going through Mason's head right now, maybe he wants to go ahead and make his money, maybe he wants to have the four year experience that helped his older brother out so much. It's really hard to read right now. And if Austin leaves now, his short lived legacy, despite hitting the UNC shot, will be one of disappointment after last night's game and I have a hard time seeing the Duke community as a whole being tremendously supportive of him in the future, unlike they are with Kyrie. Maybe that matters to him, maybe it doesn't. Staying in school would help his game, but you know, so would playing in the NBA. Nobody goes to the league and doesn't get better at basketball, they may not get good enough to play, but they're better than they were in college. I think that Austin's dad is going to be key in Austin's decision and who better to do so. He can give him the NBA vibe about him, but also tell him some personal things that I believe would be more for Austin staying at Duke. Unlike several other top prospects, Austin doesn't need the money, so I believe that he and his family will tell him to do what is best for him, and his game.


    Go Wolfpack (for the next 3 weeks, except in the Amile Jefferson arena)

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg_Newton View Post
    Honest question: if you're an NBA GM, what position are drafting Austin to play right now? What type of plays do you expect him to make for your team, and which position to you expect him to defend?
    How odd, my husband and I are having this exact conversation right now, and he posed the SAME question Greg!

    He said there's no way he's gonna play SG - he's not a pure shooter.

    It will be interesting to see what happens with AR and Mase. I hope like heck they come back, but I'm a Duke girl at heart and therefore only think with my heart.

    As a fan, I'd love for them to hurry up and make the decision now to give me some sense of relief in this off-season.
    But, they need to do what's best for them and if that means taking the time to feel things out, I'll be ok with that. Duke basketball isn't going anywhere and neither am I.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Durham
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg_Newton View Post
    Honest question: if you're an NBA GM, what position are drafting Austin to play right now? What type of plays do you expect him to make for your team, and which position to you expect him to defend?
    I tell him he needs 1 more year :P

    But in all honesty, he's a SG with a whole lot of potential...he can drive, he can shoot...and really, who cares about defense in teh NBA anyway? He can drive, and he can shoot, i'm not sure what plays you expect him NOT to make...except for maybe distributing...he's a shooting guard through and through, so maybe i'm missing the point of the question.

    He came along so much in the second half of the year...it was incredible. But if I'm a GM, i'm not sure I draft him lottery. I would predict mid first round...just because i think he needs another year or two to come near his potential (obviously i'd love for that to be at duke). I think he's a NPOY candidate if he stays and solidifies himself as a strong candidate for the number one pick. With K and Doc, I'm sure he has all the feedback he could ever want, and he doesn't have to worry about money...so I can certainly imagine him wanting to come back for a better year (you could see how emotionally invested he became in games), and he certainly has much more to do as an individual in the college game.
    1200. DDMF.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by uh_no View Post
    I tell him he needs 1 more year :P

    But in all honesty, he's a SG with a whole lot of potential...he can drive, he can shoot...and really, who cares about defense in teh NBA anyway? He can drive, and he can shoot, i'm not sure what plays you expect him NOT to make...except for maybe distributing...he's a shooting guard through and through, so maybe i'm missing the point of the question.

    He came along so much in the second half of the year...it was incredible. But if I'm a GM, i'm not sure I draft him lottery. I would predict mid first round...just because i think he needs another year or two to come near his potential (obviously i'd love for that to be at duke). I think he's a NPOY candidate if he stays and solidifies himself as a strong candidate for the number one pick. With K and Doc, I'm sure he has all the feedback he could ever want, and he doesn't have to worry about money...so I can certainly imagine him wanting to come back for a better year (you could see how emotionally invested he became in games), and he certainly has much more to do as an individual in the college game.
    But can he drive at an NBA level? He has had trouble finishing at the rim against college players, and leaves points at the line in the event that he is fouled and misses the shot. Oh, and even though the whole "no defense in the NBA" idea is trendy it really just isn't that true anymore.

    I think Austin was a very good player for us this year and think he has the potential to be a good player in the NBA but I think he has a lot of development left before he can even be in the rotation on most NBA teams.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Durham
    Quote Originally Posted by Acymetric View Post
    But can he drive at an NBA level? He has had trouble finishing at the rim against college players, and leaves points at the line in the event that he is fouled and misses the shot. Oh, and even though the whole "no defense in the NBA" idea is trendy it really just isn't that true anymore.

    I think Austin was a very good player for us this year and think he has the potential to be a good player in the NBA but I think he has a lot of development left before he can even be in the rotation on most NBA teams.
    Yeah, I think we ultimately agree. He could go to the nba, and he could come along in a few years...As for the no defense in the NBA, did you watch the knicks in teh d'antonio era? :P

    Or he could stay and master the college game before accepting a new challenge.
    1200. DDMF.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg_Newton View Post
    Honest question: if you're an NBA GM, what position are drafting Austin to play right now? What type of plays do you expect him to make for your team, and which position to you expect him to defend?
    To my mind the question is how much physically stronger can Austin get? If he can get a lot stronger (I mean a LOT) then I see his ceiling as a Dwyane Wade type player with an even better outside shot. That style of shooting guard play results in just a physical beating game after game by the bigs when they drive into the lane and go to the rack. But you've got to be really physically strong to sustain that type of game in the NBA.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by uh_no View Post
    I tell him he needs 1 more year :P

    But in all honesty, he's a SG with a whole lot of potential...he can drive, he can shoot...and really, who cares about defense in teh NBA anyway? He can drive, and he can shoot, i'm not sure what plays you expect him NOT to make...except for maybe distributing...he's a shooting guard through and through, so maybe i'm missing the point of the question.

    He came along so much in the second half of the year...it was incredible. But if I'm a GM, i'm not sure I draft him lottery. I would predict mid first round...just because i think he needs another year or two to come near his potential (obviously i'd love for that to be at duke). I think he's a NPOY candidate if he stays and solidifies himself as a strong candidate for the number one pick. With K and Doc, I'm sure he has all the feedback he could ever want, and he doesn't have to worry about money...so I can certainly imagine him wanting to come back for a better year (you could see how emotionally invested he became in games), and he certainly has much more to do as an individual in the college game.
    There is a lot of defense played in the NBA. This is an old knock from the late 80's and early 90's that doesn't really exist anymore.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Acymetric View Post
    He ... leaves points at the line in the event that he is fouled and misses the shot.
    This is an important point. His foul shooting is unacceptably low for the type of game he would be bringing to the NBA.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Durham
    Quote Originally Posted by MaxAMillion View Post
    There is a lot of defense played in the NBA. This is an old knock from the late 80's and early 90's that doesn't really exist anymore.
    I disagree...it really really depends on the team.

    You need to play defense to be GOOD in the NBA...but there are a lot of bad teams in the NBA...
    1200. DDMF.

  16. #16
    I was initially very hopeful for Austin returning when I listened to his post-game interview. Although it seemed like he was disgusted with himself and the rest of his team except Miles, I really think that he was actually hurting and didn't want to leave his Duke career like that. I hope I'm right and he comes back because with him out, there's still no player in a Duke uniform who can "create his own shot" as the announcers always like to point out, and I think that puts us in serious trouble. His passing is only going to get better too. AAU basketball is a showcase what YOU can do system and doesn't put a lot of emphasis on passing. Winter Park high school isn't exactly a power house where Austin can defer and pass. He had to shoot, I'd bet that his whole life he felt he had to shoot. The more time he gets with players whom he can trust or should be able to trust, the better passer he'll become (hopefully). Or he could just go pro and leave me hurting. Love that kid's swag.

    Rasheed I've heard can do it but until I see it at the college level, he's just another freshman who I have high hopes for.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Delaware
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg_Newton View Post
    Honest question: if you're an NBA GM, what position are drafting Austin to play right now? What type of plays do you expect him to make for your team, and which position to you expect him to defend?
    He's clearly a 2 at the next level. He's listed at 6-4, 200 lbs by Duke (which is at least as reliable as any NBA team measurements), so he's not undersized for that position by any means. He certainly has potential. No one is accusing him of lacking the lateral quickness or first step to be able to defend at the NBA level. He just has no clue what he is doing. I don't know what his wingspan is, but unless he's got a ridiculous case of t-rex arms, there's no reason that he won't be a 2 guard in the NBA. He doesn't have the top gear speed that some of the NBA guys have, but he can start and stop with the best of them. That's the only reason he's so good at getting his own shot. Sure he's raw in pretty much all aspects of them game, but since when has that stopped GM's from taking guys with the promise of developing them. Would he start for a team right now, of coarse not, but then again, if he were good enough to start right away, he'd be projected as a top 5 pick instead of back end lottery or mid first rounder.

  18. #18
    Does Miles have any chance of getting drafted? If so, I would think Mason would stay to avoid hurting his big brother's position. Plus, he could work on his offense some more and maybe bulk up a little to withstand banging with those NBA hosses over an 80+ game season. Plus, he'd get to play with MP3 for a season.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    New York
    Quote Originally Posted by Dukehky View Post
    I was about to say the same thing sage. I was warned by the moderators for stating my feelings on Paulus' basketball abilities so I will utter nothing more than I hope that Thornton plays better than Greg did his junior year and takes about 25% the shots he did.
    This point is a minor one, but Paulus was actually an excellent long-range shooter his junior year. His percentages were poor his first two seasons, but that year he shot over 40% from deep. His defense and handle remained an issue, but he helped the team space the floor and hit some big shots for Duke.

    What you are probably remembering was the oddity of his senior year. The plan was to make Nolan the primary pg and let Paulus focus mainly on shooting from the two. But both parts of that plan fell apart, as Paulus struggled with his demotion, shot poorly, and failed to improve the other aspects of his game, while Nolan had trouble running the offense. Two-thirds of the way through the year, K made Paulus point guard again. It didn't work, and the team continued to scuffle. That was when Scheyer took over lead guard responsibilities, with terrific success. Paulus barely played the last several games of the season. It's perhaps the lone Duke senior season in recent memory to leave a strange taste in the mouth.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Quote Originally Posted by subzero02 View Post
    I know it hasn't been 24 hours since our season ended but the deadline for early entry into the NBA draft is April 29th. This year once you enter your name into the draft you cannot withdraw... Ie, no more testing the waters. If both Austin and Mason come back, watch out we'll be one of the best teams in the country. I really want to see if Austin can make the sophomore leap. If he continues to improve at the same rate, we will have one of the top scorers in the country next year(especially if he develops the ability to finish with his left). Mason would probably be the top post player in the conference next year and has the potential to make one of the All American teams.
    At this point in his career, I don't see Mason making the leap to an becoming All-American type player. He excels in an offense where we can run in transition and get dunks (when he played with Kyrie), and he has big games when our guards can break down the other team's defense, leaving him for open dunks, or alley-oops off of double teams. We made a real effort to get him the ball early in the year to operate down low. Then, after Ohio State, we went away from that. We badly needed another offensive threat, but we didn't go to Mason very much. I don't see why, after 3 years, Coach K would decide to feature Mason in a starring offensive role. I am not sure he likes what he sees enough.

    I just don't see a player that after 3 years in our system, who wasn't able to stay in the starting line-up, becoming an All-American/top big in the conference.

    A lot of talk about where/how/how well Austin would play in the NBA in this thread. In my mind, that doesn't matter at all. Kids that are 'tweeners and kids that are not ready leave all the time. Some make it, some don't.

    The question is "Will he leave"?

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