Correction to the Front Page article on Ricky Price

[CDu]

The DBR note says that we couldn't stop Tony Delk in our loss to Kentucky. Delk was actually in the process of completing his second NBA season in 1998 (Price's senior year), and thus was no longer at Kentucky. Wayne Turner was the guard who destroyed us in that game (16 points, 8 assists). And Turner was a PG, so it is unlikely that Price would have guarded him anyway. He might have guarded Jeff Sheppard (18 points, 11 rebounds), but that would have taken either Langdon (our second leading scorer) or Carrawell (another pretty good defender and better overall player) off the floor.

The better discussion was whether or not Avery (bigger and quicker than Wojo) could have done a better job of staying in front of Turner. But that's getting into an entirely different debate.

[UrinalCake]

Yeah, most of the complaints/criticisms I hear about this game are along the lines of

a.) We should have played Avery more since Wojo couldn't stay in front of Turner
b.) We should have tried playing zone
c.) Magloire should have been ejected for bending Wojo in half

I will add that
c.) Turner shouldn't have been playing in the first place as he was awaiting trial for a hit-and-run but the whole thing was overlooked by a judge who was a big fan


I'll always remember Price for his game-winner at Maryland and subsequent parading down the court that left the Terps fans stunned. Also, shortly after his return from suspension during his senior year he did a 360 slam against some scrub team that left Coach K pretty unhappy, but seemed to me to be his way of saying "I can do things that no one else on the team can."

[Starter]

I was disappointed to not see Price play very much my freshman year, which was his senior year. Sports Illustrated had featured him before his Junior year as part of their NCAA preview, and his was my first Duke jersey. But there were obviously factors beyond the court, mistakes he'd made, that rendered everything else irrelevant. I think it's worth wondering whether he could have helped out on Turner; I seem to remember Price being regarded as a very good defender, perhaps the best on the team. Wojo was demonstrably slower after Magloire stretched him, and all they really needed was someone to slow Turner down a bit.

[luvdahops]

The DBR note says that we couldn't stop Tony Delk in our loss to Kentucky. Delk was actually in the process of completing his second NBA season in 1998 (Price's senior year), and thus was no longer at Kentucky. Wayne Turner was the guard who destroyed us in that game (16 points, 8 assists). And Turner was a PG, so it is unlikely that Price would have guarded him anyway. He might have guarded Jeff Sheppard (18 points, 11 rebounds), but that would have taken either Langdon (our second leading scorer) or Carrawell (another pretty good defender and better overall player) off the floor.

The better discussion was whether or not Avery (bigger and quicker than Wojo) could have done a better job of staying in front of Turner. But that's getting into an entirely different debate.

I don't disagree generally, but would just note that Price frequently guarded opposing PGs in 1996, his sophomore (best) year, when our other perimeter rotation players were Collins, Capel and a chubbier, slower Wojo than the one who started in '97 and '98. Turner was having his way with even the slimmer and quicker Wojo in that '98 tourney game, but as you note, the presence of Avery, Langdon and Carrawell made Price a far from obvious option in that situation.

[hq2]

I don't disagree generally, but would just note that Price frequently guarded opposing PGs in 1996, his sophomore (best) year, when our other perimeter rotation players were Collins, Capel and a chubbier, slower Wojo than the one who started in '97 and '98. Turner was having his way with even the slimmer and quicker Wojo in that '98 tourney game, but as you note, the presence of Avery, Langdon and Carrawell made Price a far from obvious option in that situation.

The '98 team was one of Duke's better ones, and had a lot of other talent on it, including Avery, Langdon, Carawell, Battier, Brand, and Roshown
McLeod. At that point, Price was becoming an afterthought, a talented player who, for various reasons, had not really panned out. K had pretty
much cast his lot with the other players listed at that point.

[lotusland]

Price is number 2 on my very short list of former players that I'd like to give a "do over" for their Duke career or at least a well-timed red shirt season. Shav is number 1. Eric Meek and Casey Sanders are in distant 3rd and 4th position.

I'm glad to hear things are going well for Ricky and that he's reconnnected with his Duke family.

[UrinalCake]

Price is number 2 on my very short list of former players that I'd like to give a "do over" for their Duke career or at least a well-timed red shirt season. Shav is number 1. Eric Meek and Casey Sanders are in distant 3rd and 4th position.

How is Kyrie Irving not #1 on that list?

I agree about Price and Shav. Sanders I'm not sure could have gotten much more out of his career than he did. He was actually kind of fortunate that the Boozer injury happened the way it did.

[subzero02]

How is Kyrie Irving not #1 on that list?

I agree about Price and Shav. Sanders I'm not sure could have gotten much more out of his career than he did. He was actually kind of fortunate that the Boozer injury happened the way it did.

Actually the Boozer injury worked out well for all involved with the exception of Maryland.

[lotusland]

How is Kyrie Irving not #1 on that list?

I agree about Price and Shav. Sanders I'm not sure could have gotten much more out of his career than he did. He was actually kind of fortunate that the Boozer injury happened the way it did.

I really didn't think about Kyrie but I guess he should be on there. I think his brief career worked pretty well for him though being the number one pick and all. I've always felt that Ricky and Shav were extremely tallented players whose careers at duke were somewhat sabotaged by injuries and, in ricky's case, a bad decision as well. Kyrie could have come back and probably set records if he had wanted to so I doubt he has any regrets. In hindsight I would like Shav to have redshirted his freshman yr and Price his senior year.

[hq2]

I've always felt that Ricky and Shav were extremely tallented players whose careers at duke were somewhat sabotaged by injuries and, in ricky's case, a bad decision as well. Kyrie could have come back and probably set records if he had wanted to so I doubt he has any regrets. In hindsight I would like Shav to have redshirted his freshman yr and Price his senior year.

Don't know how much it would have helped either one. If Price had redshirted, he would still have had to compete with Carrawell, Battier, Langdon, and Avery for P.T. in '99. Don't think it would have happened. Shav was actually better his freshman year in many ways. The other main issue was
playing with too much weight, which took away his first step and (some of) his shot. That was the coaching staff's decision, and like Chris Burgess,
it didn't turn out well. Redshirting would not have changed that.

[luvdahops]

[QUOTE=hq2;590051]Don't know how much it would have helped either one. If Price had redshirted, he would still have had to compete with Carrawell, Battier, Langdon, and Avery for P.T. in '99. Don't think it would have happened. QUOTE]

Not to mention Maggette and Nate. Situation would have been much worse for Ricky.

[UrinalCake]

I really didn't think about Kyrie but I guess he should be on there. I think his brief career worked pretty well for him though being the number one pick and all.

Yeah, I was thinking of how it could work out better for us as fans, not how it could work out for him