Should Duke Recruit One and Done Players?

[MrBisonDevil]

Nope.

I would stop all contributions to the Duke athletic department if Duke becomes a one & done pro basketball factory. I'm not the only one...

[Edouble]

I agree with the above post and raise one other question.

How many one and done teams have won the NC?

Carmelo is the only one I remember. This year it might happen again, we don't know yet. I doubt the wisdom of having the one and done when considering what it can do to overall development of players within the program.

In response to that question, another question:

When was the last time Duke won a NC without a National Player of the Year?

Well, it was Battier in 2001, and Laettner in 1992. After the past two years it seems like it's becoming likely that one of these on-and-done guys is always gonna make a strong case for National POY. I'm not saying a senior will never be POY again, but it just seems that every year these frosh are more and more ready to play. Carmelo seemed like an anomoly to me at the time, but maybe he was just an early preview of the future of college basketball. I'm not saying this is what I believe for sure, but just something to consider. I don't have a problem with a one-and-done guy at Duke. Deng worked out beautifully, and we haven't been to a Final Four since we had a one-and-done guy.

As far as one-and-done guys being "me, me, me", I don't think that's the case. Magette and Marvin Williams were 6th men. Brandan Wright was not getting too many shots a game and actually made Carolina into a really good team last year, not a one man show. I think if Coach K had a guy like Durant or Beasley, he would get the ball into that guy's hands early and often in order to win games, not because the player was a prima donna.

[Franzez]

i understand that... but it is working pretty well for memphis and louisville both... both sweet 16 teams... not knocked out in the second rounds... thats all i'm saying... it may work for a couple of years...

Both schools have notable character issues among their players.

Memphis likes to recruit from prep schools to fill their team,they currently have 8 players on their team who attended a prep school.

Louisville likes to recruit players from high schools who had rough upbringings and that may have led to troubles in school.

Either way both teams will lose in the Sweet 16

[dukepsy1963]

Never one-and-done!! Everyone loses in the long run... Bring back the old days somehow... Go to college, play a sport, get a degree, ....expand your mind, not just your body and pocketbook! I hate what the NBA has done to basketball!!

[soccerstud2210]

Both schools have notable character issues among their players.

Memphis likes to recruit from prep schools to fill their team,they currently have 8 players on their team who attended a prep school.

Louisville likes to recruit players from high schools who had rough upbringings and that may have led to troubles in school.

Either way both teams will lose in the Sweet 16

true, and true... i would love to see both out in this round... but you do understand the point i was making...

it is working for them... and if that is what we are going after then let's do it... but if we are going for graduation rates and more to life than basketball players, then we don't need to start changing everything...

[Franzez]

true, and true... i would love to see both out in this round... but you do understand the point i was making...

it is working for them... and if that is what we are going after then let's do it... but if we are going for graduation rates and more to life than basketball players, then we don't need to start changing everything...

It worked for us too,we went 28-6 this season with only one Senior on our team and with injuries to some of our key players this season.

[soccerstud2210]

It worked for us too,we went 28-6 this season with only one Senior on our team and with injuries to some of our key players this season.

out in the second round of the NC is not a pretty good season... sorry... that is not duke basketball worthy...

[Franzez]

out in the second round of the NC is not a pretty good season... sorry... that is not duke basketball worthy...

It is Duke basketball worthy,the guys played hard this season,we had good team chemistry,and Greg Paulus began to mature.

We cant go to at least the Sweet 16 ever year,we have a young team and this was a good stepping stone for us next season.

Im very proud of this season.

[soccerstud2210]

It is Duke basketball worthy,the guys played hard this season,we had good team chemistry,and Greg Paulus began to mature.

We cant go to at least the Sweet 16 ever year,we have a young team and this was a good stepping stone for us next season.

Im very proud of this season.

a couple years ago, that statement would have been heresy... this is why there are so many articles floating around about how duke basketball is on the decline... why we aren't a powerhouse program, and so on... i'm sorry, but if losing in the first round last year and losing in the second round to a very mediocre big east team is a good season... i don't know if i can except that... and don't get me wrong... i am not saying the guys didn't play hard or do well, just saying that it is not duke basketball worthy...

[Franzez]

a couple years ago, that statement would have been heresy... this is why there are so many articles floating around about how duke basketball is on the decline... why we aren't a powerhouse program, and so on... i'm sorry, but if losing in the first round last year and losing in the second round to a very mediocre big east team is a good season... i don't know if i can except that... and don't get me wrong... i am not saying the guys didn't play hard or do well, just saying that it is not duke basketball worthy...

College Basketball has changed since the 90's there arent anymore "Powerhouse" teams.

For example,
Florida

Won Back-to-Back National Championships
Currently in the NIT

For example,
Arizona

Was a "powerhouse" school through the late 80's-early 2000's now havent reached the Sweet 16 in 3 consecutive years.

For example,
Syracuse

Was a "powerhouse" school through the 70's-80's and had good years in the 90's and 2000's but now have failed to go past the 1st round in the last 4 years.

There is much more parity in college basketball now with the top high school players having to go to college and taking away a scholarship for a good player who would've gone to a school like Uconn for example but now heads to a school like Virginia Tech.

[soccerstud2210]

College Basketball has changed since the 90's there arent anymore "Powerhouse" teams.

For example,
Florida

Won Back-to-Back National Championships
Currently in the NIT

For example,
Arizona

Was a "powerhouse" school through the late 80's-early 2000's now havent reached the Sweet 16 in 3 consecutive years.

For example,
Syracuse

Was a "powerhouse" school through the 70's-80's and had good years in the 90's and 2000's but now have failed to go past the 1st round in the last 4 years.

There is much more parity in college basketball now with the top high school players having to go to college and taking away a scholarship for a good player who would've gone to a school like Uconn for example but now heads to a school like Virginia Tech.

i guess Kansas, UCLA, and UNC are exceptions to that statement...

[SeattleIrish]

i guess Kansas, UCLA, and UNC are exceptions to that statement...

We're not too far away from UCLA having some lousy years (mid 90s?), and Kentucky/Indiana both could have been added to the list. Heck, Illinois was a monster for a while and nothing now.

UNC can't claim to be an "exception", unless you're remarking on the exceptional 8-20 year?

Lets just hope we've reached a low point...I'm still in the gutter about Greg Echifurutger :-(

s.i.

[Clipsfan]

We're not too far away from UCLA having some lousy years (mid 90s?), and Kentucky/Indiana both could have been added to the list. Heck, Illinois was a monster for a while and nothing now.

UNC can't claim to be an "exception", unless you're remarking on the exceptional 8-20 year?

Lets just hope we've reached a low point...I'm still in the gutter about Greg Echifurutger :-(

s.i.

UCLA did win the national title in 1995, so the mid-90s couldn't have been all bad.

[merry]

Actually David Stern recently has said he wants to up the age limit to 20,which would means a player would have to do at least 2 years of college.

It will be voted on but its very likely it will be passed by the 2009 NBA Draft

Age 20 as of when? Plenty of kids these days are 19 before they ever get to college.

[miramar]

While you can't stop it from happening, as we saw with Luol Deng, I certainly hope that Duke doesn't go down the one and done path. Maybe I'm naive, but I think we're better than that. Or at least we should strive to be.

Much of the concern has been because of the late season problems the last two years, but I really don't believe that will be a long-term concern. Remember that we only had one senior this year and none last year, and I think things should be different from now on.

While things have changed a lot since Al McGuire's announcing days, towards the end of close games he would always say, "Get dah ball in the dah hands of your seenioh, get the ball ta yuh seenioh." I don't want to make Duke seem like a mid major, but most players develop so much from one year to the next that this general rule still applies (although nowadays he would probably include juniors as well).

[Turk]

I'd hate it if Duke chased the best players that were clearly looking for someplace to play some ball, stay warm, and get good TV exposure until they were NBA-eligible... (and yes, I'm exaggerating a little to help make the point...)

The trick is how to adapt to the changing landscape. Supposing the NBA keeps the age limit where it is, I'd want to say, "Here's all the good reasons for you to play for Duke for at least two years. We'll help you decide what's best for you and your family and no one has more NBA contacts than we do... If you've already made up your mind to declare for the NBA after one year no matter what happens, this isn't the place for you...)

So let's pretend Coach K wanted to go after such a "one-and-done" kid, what would the living-room pitch be? Why is Duke a better one-year school than some "Big State U"? I don't think that's our strong suit.

Coach K has adapted in so many ways with the players he's getting over the years. Sure it would have been nice to beat WVU last weekend, but that doesn't mean Duke needs to start chasing longshots. I'm happy with the recruiting approach.

Turk

[mgtr]

If we recruit one and dones, how are we better than Memphis? Sorry, I am not interested in rooting for another Memphis -- I think Duke has higher standards than that.

[dukestheheat]

NO.

dukestheheat

[weezie]

If we recruit one and dones, how are we better than Memphis? Sorry, I am not interested in rooting for another Memphis -- I think Duke has higher standards than that.

Yeah, I just don't see the admissions office going along with the gangsta' baller quota.

[geraldsneighbor]

lives near me and is involved in a murder investigation in his home town of Chester. He drove a car last November when his cousin shot and killed a man in a drive-by. The basketball academy Evans' attends didn't suspen him in fact they put a body guard on the bench for all games the rest of the season. These are the guys we don't want at Duke. Even a guy like Beasley with his ties to Nolan Smith had a colorful past after he was booted from Oak Hill following his Junior season. Guys like Deng didn't set the program back, but it certainly helps having some seniors. Hopefully Gerald will stick around his senior year as I assume he will.