Welcome to Duke, Javin Delaurier!!

[duke blue brewcrew]

Actually, the stats don't appear to back you up at all. While it's true that Lance's FT% was much better his senior year, by pretty much every other measure, 2009-10 was his worst offensive season at Duke. Worst FG% (by a lot), fewest points per 40 minutes (by a lot), fewest points per shot (by a lot), 2nd-most TO per 40 (freshman season was worse), even fewest shots per 40 minutes (so we can't blame the lower efficiency on taking more shots). I don't have tempo-free stats for those years, but if you think Lance was an offensive contributor his senior year, you almost have to admit he was a better offensive contributor before that.

In truth, I've never thought of Lance as an offensive contributor. I loved his hustle, heart, teamwork and passion. He rebounded fiercely, and set picks all over the floor. Anytime the ball was passed in his direction, I closed my eyes and crossed my fingers. From a % reflection of the stats his Sr. year, how significant is the increase in PT and offensive opportunities impacting what the stats reveal? His FT% was the only thing to significantly increase his Sr. year IIRC. However, his PPG avg seemed to remain constant throughout his career, 4.(x) ppg depending on which year we are discussing. I'll take your word for it at the end of the day, I'll be the first to admit that math and I were never a good fit. However, the key stat to me was his career PPG Avg when considering the claim that Lance was a significant offensive contributor. He certainly hustled and did a lot of things that contributed to the flow of the offense as we've already discussed. When it comes to putting the ball in the basket, he did that to the tune of 4.6 PPG for his career...by what measure is that a significant contribution?

[Kedsy]

From a % reflection of the stats his Sr. year, how significant is the increase in PT and offensive opportunities impacting what the stats reveal?

I don't think the increased playing time had much of an effect. He had a lot more minutes his senior year, but a lot fewer shots per minute, which implies fewer offensive opportunities. His usage% his senior year was very low (12.2%), but unfortunately I don't have those numbers in the prior years for a comparison.

Given his much lower shooting percentage, my guess is that his shots during his first three years were mostly near the basket, and in his senior year he ventured away to the midrange more often. So his opportunities were different in character. I don't think you can fairly say that he contributed more to the offense his senior year than his first three years, but beyond that I'm not sure it's worth getting into a debate about the definition of "contributing."

[BD80]

I don't think the increased playing time had much of an effect. He had a lot more minutes his senior year, but a lot fewer shots per minute, which implies fewer offensive opportunities. His usage% his senior year was very low (12.2%), but unfortunately I don't have those numbers in the prior years for a comparison.

Given his much lower shooting percentage, my guess is that his shots during his first three years were mostly near the basket, and in his senior year he ventured away to the midrange more often. So his opportunities were different in character. I don't think you can fairly say that he contributed more to the offense his senior year than his first three years, but beyond that I'm not sure it's worth getting into a debate about the definition of "contributing."

I think its more an issue of whether he contributed athletically.

[NSDukeFan]

I think you're taking what was being said out of context. No one said they didn't like Lance Thomas, in fact everyone said (me included), that we cheered like crazy for LT. No one said or took anything away from what Lance did to help the 2010 team, he played a tremendous role for that team as a blue collar player doing all of the little things, and making all of the hustle plays. What WAS said, was in response to a poster who implied that Lance was a contributor on offense THROUGHOUT his career at Duke. LT's total career at Duke is a very different thing than his Sr. year at Duke. I stand by my comments, in response to that assertion, and believe them to be realistic and true. The stats back up everything I said.

I disagree that your comments were realistic and true.

However, until his Sr. year, LT had a panic attack anytime he came close to the ball. Whenever he got the ball around the rim, there was a 90% chance he was going to spazz, dribble it off his foot, knee or otherwise watch it mysteriously squirt out of his hands in a turnover of some fashion.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding tone, but that doesn't sound like a guy who started more games than he didn't on teams that won 80 games before his senior year.

[NSDukeFan]

I think you're taking what was being said out of context. No one said they didn't like Lance Thomas, in fact everyone said (me included), that we cheered like crazy for LT. No one said or took anything away from what Lance did to help the 2010 team, he played a tremendous role for that team as a blue collar player doing all of the little things, and making all of the hustle plays. What WAS said, was in response to a poster who implied that Lance was a contributor on offense THROUGHOUT his career at Duke. LT's total career at Duke is a very different thing than his Sr. year at Duke. I stand by my comments, in response to that assertion, and believe them to be realistic and true. The stats back up everything I said.

I generally like your posts on all kinds of topics. Sorry, if I got too defensive about Lance and Amile.

[gam7]

Another issue on DeLaurier's name is whether he goes by DeLaurier or Montgomery-DeLaurier. I've seen it both ways on the recruiting websites and in media reports. If the latter, he will be the first Duke player ever with a hyphenated last name and will have by far the surname with the most characters in Duke basketball history - 20 characters. The leaders in the clubhouse in that regard are the great Wright Hollingsworth, an imposing 6'2", 165 lb forward who lettered for Duke in 1944, and a certain undersized point guard from the late 90s, each with 13 characters. I sincerely hope we get to see someone try to fit "Montgomery-DeLaurier" on the back of a jersey.