2014 MBB Exhibition Games

[Clay Feet POF]

I doubt it. I certainly wouldn't count on it.

I would agree after 30 plus successful years I don't think its in his DNA!

[dukebluesincebirth]

Geez. I thought UK had alotta talent last year. Now they're going 10-11 deep after losing a few starters? I don't get it. Why do so many kids want to go there without knowing who's staying/leaving? I understand them recruiting competitively with other major schools, but this is getting a little absurd. It's got to backfire at some point. I think the Harrison twins were supposed to leave to free up space, then they came back. I was surprised. Maybe this will be the year it all implodes on them. I can only hope.

[fuse]

Geez. I thought UK had alotta talent last year. Now they're going 10-11 deep after losing a few starters? I don't get it. Why do so many kids want to go there without knowing who's staying/leaving? I understand them recruiting competitively with other major schools, but this is getting a little absurd. It's got to backfire at some point. I think the Harrison twins were supposed to leave to free up space, then they came back. I was surprised. Maybe this will be the year it all implodes on them. I can only hope.

See Duke circa 1999 ( and 1992?) when players discussed that practices were more competitive than games.
Iron sharpens iron, and strong players that want to get stronger don't shy away from playing against the best.
That's the attraction along with one and done at UK.

I think when Burgess committed before Brand, some reporter asked him if he was worried about playing or if Burgess' decision would influence Brand's choice.
I believe Brand's comment was along the lines of "they better worry about me" implying he was going to be the best player in the class and get playing time.

We can lament Cal, UK and their collection of talent all we want- it's just envy/ sour grapes. I wouldn't trade any of our players for UK's, and I don't doubt with K coaching that group they'd be better.

We have an embarassment of riches on our basketball team in terms of talent.
What we are missing is the refuse to lose/die trying attitude that made certain past Duke teams most formidable. Most recently that may have been the collective 2010 team. The team needs a Laettner mean streak, someone who just hates to lose and is willing to drive the team to that end.

Suliamon might be the closest we have to a player with that mindset- offhand I'm not sure we have a player with that attitude on the team. Time will tell. I hope I am wrong and the fearless Duke basketball juggernaut we all know and love comes back to stay.

[tommy]

I can't blame Cal for trying the strategy. He's recruited a bunch of players who will be expecting minutes without necessarily having to earn them. If Cal figures out how to create chemistry among the young recruits who play for him a short time while also giving all his highly touted recruits a showcase, he will have unlocked the last door to UK success.

Maybe line changes will accomplish all that for him. I'd hate to be a presumptive OAD recruit relegated to the "B" team, but he may have enough talent to run out two squads of "A" team performers with approximately equal minutes. Maybe Team 1 starts some games, and Team 2 starts others. It could be an effective way to deal with UK's overabundance of talented kids who all expect to be showcased.

Maybe, but like you, I'd wonder about it in terms of recruiting. If you're the kind of kid who sees himself as a possible (or definite) one and done kid, with that kind of talent and all the elite programs after you, are you going to be all that psyched about the prospect of playing maybe half the game, sometimes a little more and sometimes a little less, as opposed to being "showcased" or at least a featured guy, somewhere else?

And in terms of this year's team, even if he was to do the line changes, they've still got five guys who can play only the 4 or 5: Johnson, Cauley-Stein, Lee, Towns, and Lyles. I suppose maybe Lyles could play some 3, but then you get into Poythress and possibly Aaron Harrison's spot if Ullis is going to get serious minutes at the point, moving Andrew over to the 2. So if you consider Lyles a 4, which is his natural position, then you've got five guys. Two lines, four guys at those two positions. Meaning one of those five elite big-man recruits is a third stringer. It might be Marcus Lee, who won't be happy at all, feeling he earned his spot with his outstanding play in the NCAA Tournament last year. It'll be interesting, that's for sure.

[gumbomoop]

The team needs a Laettner mean streak, someone who just hates to lose and is willing to drive the team to that end.

Suliamon might be the closest we have to a player with that mindset- offhand I'm not sure we have a player with that attitude on the team.

Justise Winslow would be that guy, if he stayed until his junior year. Possibly even in 2015-16, if he's not OAD. He appears to play with intensity. Not overconfident, just confident; not showy, just relentless.

Laettner talked, and walked the talk. I'm thinking Winslow will walk the look. I hope, but doubt, for 3 seasons.