K, Team USA, and Recruiting Advantage

[NM Duke Fan]

"Every elite-level recruit in America dreams of one day winning an Olympic Gold. Do you know how many days in a row Duke could send out a USA basketball mail without having to use the same picture of Coach K twice? I'd bet they could go a year, easy. He's proved himself as the best coach in the world. He's coached LeBron, Kobe and Durant and got them all to buy in for a common purpose. Come on. Huge advantage. And it's deserved."

"It increases his celebrity. People are saying, 'There's my future coach.' And he's got a network of people. He can get in touch with Kobe and LeBron whenever he wants."

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...ed-by-team-usa

[OldPhiKap]

The best advertising is free advertising.

[Dukehky]

I thought we'd see a big surge in this since he's been the national team coach. While I think it's certainly helpful, it's obvious that Duke isn't reeling 'em in hand over fist. I disagree with the article in the sense that kids want to win an Olympic Gold. They want to play immediately in college, and then get to the pro's, which is why, Calipari is doing so well right now. Another coach could just as easily negatively recruit against Duke by saying, if they liked him so much, why didn't they CHOOSE to play for him in college?

I certainly don't think being the Olympic coach hurts by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't think it helps as much with recruiting as that article seems to indicate.

[Dukehky]

All that being said, hopefully Jabari and Julius saw those images and sign their letters really, really, really soon

[moonpie23]

some recruits aren't really interested in being "coached"...they're just looking for that springboard to the league...

[Kewlswim]

Hi,

Duke Basketball can't take every kid it wants, it sometimes seems that way, but the admissions office has a say. Coach K can put pressure and a kid who normally wouldn't be admitted sometimes is, but that pressure only goes so far and only goes to the point of one or two kids who really are super borderline. Other kids, Duke Basketball might want, but do go after recruiting when the admissions office (very quietly) makes it clear they wont admit a student-athlete. As fans, I think, there is a sense every good basketball player gets a letter of admission. Unfortunately, in terms of winning championships that is, it does not quite work that way. Ask Kenny Dennard about how Duke has to pass on some real studs who would undoubtedly help the basketball program.

GO DUKE!

[OldPhiKap]

I thought we'd see a big surge in this since he's been the national team coach. While I think it's certainly helpful, it's obvious that Duke isn't reeling 'em in hand over fist. I disagree with the article in the sense that kids want to win an Olympic Gold. They want to play immediately in college, and then get to the pro's, which is why, Calipari is doing so well right now. Another coach could just as easily negatively recruit against Duke by saying, if they liked him so much, why didn't they CHOOSE to play for him in college?

I certainly don't think being the Olympic coach hurts by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't think it helps as much with recruiting as that article seems to indicate.

Agreed, but I think it helps that we had a Kentucky one-and-done on the Olympic team. Yes, your son can play for Duke AND go straight to the pros. Just send him down to Durham. . . .

As someone else mentioned somewhere, the fact that Doc Rivers and Doug Collins were both singing K's praises -- including mentioning that they sent their own kids there -- has gotta help with the parents as well as the kids.

[Duke09]

It didn't happen last time after Beijing. While we won a title since then, it wasn't because of elite athletes we recruited post 2008. It was largely a group of skilled players recruited pre 2008. We haven't exactly seen a winfall on the court, with Kyrie and Rivers, the 2 possible people the 08 games affected, leaving after 1 year. It didn't land us any of the super elite recruits we've missed the last few years. So I'm skeptical until it happens

[Des Esseintes]

It didn't happen last time after Beijing. While we won a title since then, it wasn't because of elite athletes we recruited post 2008. It was largely a group of skilled players recruited pre 2008. We haven't exactly seen a winfall on the court, with Kyrie and Rivers, the 2 possible people the 08 games affected, leaving after 1 year. It didn't land us any of the super elite recruits we've missed the last few years. So I'm skeptical until it happens

Makes sense.

[SupaDave]

It didn't happen last time after Beijing. While we won a title since then, it wasn't because of elite athletes we recruited post 2008. It was largely a group of skilled players recruited pre 2008. We haven't exactly seen a winfall on the court, with Kyrie and Rivers, the 2 possible people the 08 games affected, leaving after 1 year. It didn't land us any of the super elite recruits we've missed the last few years. So I'm skeptical until it happens

Sometimes effects are felt in ripples. You can't expect one thing to push a recruit over the ledge BUT when you have a continuous stream of positive press then it definitely can't hurt.

In the last two years we have pulled in Matt Jones (trust me - certified beast), Rasheed, Hood, Rivers, Amile, and there could be another one OR two on the way.

[JasonEvans]

We haven't exactly seen a winfall on the court, with Kyrie and Rivers, the 2 possible people the 08 games affected, leaving after 1 year.

Yeah, we may have gotten the #1 recruit in the class 2 years in a row, but what I really want to see is if K can go one better and get the #0 recruit a couple years in a row!

Recruiting stud athletes is the ultimate catch 22. If they are really great, they go directly to the pros. If they are not good enough to go to the pros right away, they are a bust. I guess it is K's fault for developing them too quickly. If he could have just slowed down how good Kyrie was, we'd have another national title under our belt right now. Curses!

-Jason "Duke, UNC, and Kentucky are a notch above EVERYONE else in recruiting... and yet that is not enough for some fans" Evans

[OldPhiKap]

Yeah, we may have gotten the #1 recruit in the class 2 years in a row, but what I really want to see is if K can go one better and get the #0 recruit a couple years in a row!

Recruiting stud athletes is the ultimate catch 22. If they are really great, they go directly to the pros. If they are not good enough to go to the pros right away, they are a bust. I guess it is K's fault for developing them too quickly. If he could have just slowed down how good Kyrie was, we'd have another national title under our belt right now. Curses!

-Jason "Duke, UNC, and Kentucky are a notch above EVERYONE else in recruiting... and yet that is not enough for some fans" Evans

C'mon. K can't even recruit a big man for the National team.

[flyingdutchdevil]

C'mon. K can't even recruit a big man for the National team.

DBR comment of the month.

[COYS]

C'mon. K can't even recruit a big man for the National team.

Are you kidding? He does the opposite of recruit them. He concocts ways to injure them so he has an excuse to play small ball.

Ok, so we're having this debate again. I'm going to make a comparison to K and USA Basketball any major corporate brand, like, say Coke. Everyone knows what Coca Cola is. So why keep advertising? Well, by remaining visible, they prevent competitors from gaining market share. They also raise the cost of competing in the advertising market against Coke by spending more than they even need to for insane amounts of visibility. They make finding other brands like searching for a needle in a haystack. The bury the competition.

Now, this is not completely analogous to Coach K, Duke, and recruiting, obviously. More important things go into Coach K's decision to represent the USA than recruiting . Also, Coach K has NEVER had anything approaching Coke's portion of the market share for the top recruits in the land. However, USA basketball keeps Coach K visible and brings him positive press. He has had a long career while many coaches slowly fade out rather than going out with a bang, despite their very visible status as legends of the game (Knight, Williams, Olson . . . there are many others and there are reasons other than pure visibility why they faded, but still, these are examples of famous coaches who couldn't translate their glory days of old into constant recruiting success). It is very possible that if Coach K had not been the coach of USA Basketball, he would have lost more recruits over the years. Coach K himself said that USA basketball reinvigorated him. We may never see a direct link between Stud Recruit Blank that chooses Duke and K's tenure as a coach of USA basketball, but it is possible that it plays a role in maintaining the overall notoriety and perception of K as a coach still at the top of his game and, therefore, still a viable option for top recruits.

As for those who complain about our recruiting now, I really doubt there will ever be any appeasement unless Coach K brings in the number 1 recruit at each position every other year and they all stay all four years so that our backups are better than any other team in the country. No one gets everyone they want. Some coaches get lucky with how long players stay. Some coaches get lucky with how players develop. Coach K consistently brings in strong classes. He consistently brings in NBA lottery talent to supplement his strong recruiting. THe day will come when K retires. I hope we find someone who can be even half the recruiter that he has been because sometimes you don't know what you got 'til it's gone.

[Jderf]

As for those who complain about our recruiting now, I really doubt there will ever be any appeasement unless Coach K brings in the number 1 recruit at each position every other year and they all stay all four years so that our backups are better than any other team in the country.

Except if that happened, people would moan and cry about the inevitable transfers.

[COYS]

Except if that happened, people would moan and cry about the inevitable transfers.

Ah yes, and of course the endless threads about why Coach K is only using a 7 man rotation when the 10th man was the #3 recruit in the country.

[JasonEvans]

The day will come when K retires. I hope we find someone who can be even half the recruiter that he has been because sometimes you don't know what you got 'til it's gone.

THIS ^^^

If we think it is hard to match the expectations of many Duke fans now, whew... wait until we have Guthridge as our coach! We will be longing for the day when we only made the Final Four once out of every 3 or 4 years.

-Jason "lets not turn this into a 'K successor' debate please" Evans

[Scorp4me]

First off let me say I used to dread the day when K retires. But the simple fact is the man has earned it and more and when he wants to retire I have no qualms. Course if he wants to coach another 10 years then God bless him!

Second, the effects of these Olympics will not be felt for years to go. Kids pointed to the 91, 92 championships as why they grew up Duke fans years down the road. The players selecting their colleges now already have the favorites they grew up with, the coaches they think can help them the most and many of them include Duke and Coach K. It's the younger kids, growing up watching the Olympics who are being impacted by them. Who still have dreams of winning Gold medals.

They will be the ones selecting colleges 10 years from now. If Coach K is still around we may see that impact come then. If he's gone will they still associate those Olympics with Duke? I don't know, but I also don't care. I'm just enjoying being a Duke fan right now!

[Atlanta Duke]

First off let me say I used to dread the day when K retires. But the simple fact is the man has earned it and more and when he wants to retire I have no qualms. Course if he wants to coach another 10 years then God bless him!

This article shares your sentiments

Now he gets to end his career on his terms. Will it be another two years at Duke? Three? Six? His choice. Now comes the final turn, which may bring no other benchmark accomplishments but will certainly be the most relaxing period of his coaching career. Krzyzewski's earned that...

We're seeing the transmogrification of Coach K: coaching icon to Coach K: basketball legend. As long as we keep those praises in perspective, I think the sport and the man deserve the acknowledgement.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...r-the-olympics

At the end of the article is a link to audio of Coach K's high praise of LeBron during K's appearance on Jim Rome's show today

"[James] is brilliant ... and so physically gifted," Krzyzewski said. "He is all things to all people on the court."

[camion]

THIS ^^^

If we think it is hard to match the expectations of many Duke fans now, whew... wait until we have Guthridge as our coach! We will be longing for the day when we only made the Final Four once out of every 3 or 4 years.

-Jason "lets not turn this into a 'K successor' debate please" Evans

Some day we will look back on the K era as a golden time in Duke basketball. Don't wait for some day.

These are the good old days. Enjoy them now.