Freshman class impact: 02-03 vs 07-08

[wumhenry]

Taylor ... has traces of Jack Marin in him

His listed height, 6'6" is the same as Marin's, but TK is heavier and (probably) stronger. Marin had better hops, a better midrange midrange shot, and was a better freethrow shooter -- at least when I watched him, in his junior and senior years. FWIW, in superficial appearance TK is nearly the spitting image of Mike Lewis.

[365Duke]

His listed height, 6'6" is the same as Marin's, but TK is heavier and (probably) stronger. Marin had better hops, a better midrange midrange shot, and was a better freethrow shooter -- at least when I watched him, in his junior and senior years. FWIW, in superficial appearance TK is nearly the spitting image of Mike Lewis.

The 3-point line is his mid-range shot

[wumhenry]

Maybe I should've just said that Marin made a lot more midrange shots per minute played than TK has to date. Another thing: Marin was also an unusually deft ballhandler for a guy his size, which I'm not sure can be said of TK. I'm not saying TK doesn't have the potential to be more effective than Marin some day, and if that happens I'll be a very happy (vicarious) camper!

[jimsumner]

Jack Marin?

C'mon people. Jack Marin was a two-time first-team All-ACC player. He was consenus second-team All-American as a senior. He was the 5th pick in the 1966 NBA draft, played 11 seasons in the NBA, and made several All-Star teams. He averaged over 22.3 ppg in his best NBA season and was once traded for Elvin Hayes.

Vic Bubas has always maintained that Marin was the most versatile player he ever coached. Marin averaged around 10 rpg as a junior and senior at Duke and was a superb passer and defender.

I like Taylor King and think he's going to be a solid contributor for four years at Duke. But he's isn't even remotely as good a college player as was Jack Marin.

Hopefully, we can revisit this topic after King has become an All-ACC player but right now the similarities pretty much end at both being 6'6" lefthanders.

[CDu]

Jack Marin?

C'mon people. Jack Marin was a two-time first-team All-ACC player. He was consenus second-team All-American as a senior. He was the 5th pick in the 1966 NBA draft, played 11 seasons in the NBA, and made several All-Star teams. He averaged over 22.3 ppg in his best NBA season and was once traded for Elvin Hayes.

Vic Bubas has always maintained that Marin was the most versatile player he ever coached. Marin averaged around 10 rpg as a junior and senior at Duke and was a superb passer and defender.

I like Taylor King and think he's going to be a solid contributor for four years at Duke. But he's isn't even remotely as good a college player as was Jack Marin.

Hopefully, we can revisit this topic after King has become an All-ACC player but right now the similarities pretty much end at both being 6'6" lefthanders.

Let's be fair now. No one compared King's overall performance to that of Marin. The original quote was simply that King "has traces of Marin in him." That's like when Bilas was saying that Henderson reminded him at times of Kobe Bryant and Grant Hill.

Now, I never saw Marin play. But I don't see any problem with saying a current player (even one not remotely as accomplished as Marin) has traces of Marin's game in him. Just like it wasn't out of line to say Henderson reminds some of Bryant and Hill. It doesn't have to mean that the player is comparable in ability or performance - it just means that SOMETHING about them is reminiscent of those greats.