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houstondukie
03-28-2007, 11:27 PM
ESPN has started their own recruiting ranking.
#4 Kyle Singler
#6 Nolan Smith
#9 P Patterson
#17 Taylor King

I'm not surprised to see Singler in top 5, since he is a consensus top 5 recruit.

But I am surprised to see Nolan Smith so high. Last time I checked, Rivals had him in the late 30s and Scout in the 20s. I know these ranking services are subjective and I don't put too much stock in them anyway, but does Nolan have a strong argument to be the 6th best player in the country over players like OJ Mayo and Michael Beasley? I hope ESPN is right.

FireOgilvie
03-28-2007, 11:42 PM
Nolan Smith is not better than OJ Mayo or Michael Beasley. ESPN has no idea what they are talking about. I think that pretty much sums it up.

houstondukie
03-29-2007, 12:03 AM
Forgot to include the link:

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/tracker/espn150?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncb %2frecruiting%2ftracker%2fespn150

dcarp23
03-29-2007, 12:25 AM
Nolan Smith is not better than OJ Mayo or Michael Beasley. ESPN has no idea what they are talking about. I think that pretty much sums it up.

While they have Smith rated higher than Beasley, they do not have him higher than Mayo.

I don't know enough to know if their rankings are accurate or not, but Bob Gibbons is the one running the show for Scouts Inc.'s basketball recruiting coverage. Does he know more or less than Dave Telep (Scout) or Jerry Meyer (Rivals)--I have no clue.

Bob Green
03-29-2007, 12:30 AM
I won't enter in to the who is better than who discussion, but I am very happy that Nolan Smith is coming to Duke and happier that O.J. Mayo is not!

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

FireOgilvie
03-29-2007, 01:15 AM
While they have Smith rated higher than Beasley, they do not have him higher than Mayo.



I was going off of what the first guy said.

But, I don't understand how Beasley is so low on the list. He is ranked number 1 by some while Smith isn't even in the top 25. It seems to me like the ESPN list is biased towards shooting guards. I do believe that Nolan Smith is highly underrated in most rankings. I have no idea how ESPN is rating this. Ability to impact the college game out of high school? It's definitely not by NBA potential like some rankings. Here is how I would rank the top 10 prospects (by the level of immediate impact I think they'll have on the college game):

1. Kevin Love - although I don't really think he'll be as effective in the pros... he's just already so polished coming out of high school (he also drained a 3 in the McD's game)... big physique.
2. Micheal Beasley - might not be the most consistent but he is so athletic it probably doesn't matter... scores at will
3. Eric Gordon - he is really solid... great at creating his own shots and points
4. OJ Mayo - he has the most talent of anyone on this list... not thrilled about some of his decision-making/shot selection
5. Derrick Rose - great athlete - will be good at Memphis
6. Kyle Singler - he's very fluid - great at hitting shots off the dribble - reminds me of a smoother (that doesn't mean better), younger Adam Morrison
7. Kosta Koufos - this guy is really impressive - good skills - needs mass
8. Nick Calathes - he seems to really know the game - great shooter
9. Patrick Patterson - he plays bigger than his size - great finisher
10. JJ Hickson - this guy goes really hard - less polished than others

I don't know a lot of the SG from the NE that well.

I think JJ Hickson and NC State are going to give Duke a lot of problems next year unless some luck goes our way with Patrick Patterson. They are going to have an impressive duo inside - with Costner - but losing Atsur hurts a lot.

whereinthehellami
03-29-2007, 09:53 AM
I was going off of what the first guy said.

But, I don't understand how Beasley is so low on the list. He is ranked number 1 by some while Smith isn't even in the top 25. It seems to me like the ESPN list is biased towards shooting guards. I do believe that Nolan Smith is highly underrated in most rankings. I have no idea how ESPN is rating this. Ability to impact the college game out of high school? It's definitely not by NBA potential like some rankings. Here is how I would rank the top 10 prospects (by the level of immediate impact I think they'll have on the college game):

1. Kevin Love - although I don't really think he'll be as effective in the pros... he's just already so polished coming out of high school (he also drained a 3 in the McD's game)... big physique.
2. Micheal Beasley - might not be the most consistent but he is so athletic it probably doesn't matter... scores at will
3. Eric Gordon - he is really solid... great at creating his own shots and points
4. OJ Mayo - he has the most talent of anyone on this list... not thrilled about some of his decision-making/shot selection
5. Derrick Rose - great athlete - will be good at Memphis
6. Kyle Singler - he's very fluid - great at hitting shots off the dribble - reminds me of a smoother (that doesn't mean better), younger Adam Morrison
7. Kosta Koufos - this guy is really impressive - good skills - needs mass
8. Nick Calathes - he seems to really know the game - great shooter
9. Patrick Patterson - he plays bigger than his size - great finisher
10. JJ Hickson - this guy goes really hard - less polished than others

I don't know a lot of the SG from the NE that well.

I think JJ Hickson and NC State are going to give Duke a lot of problems next year unless some luck goes our way with Patrick Patterson. They are going to have an impressive duo inside - with Costner - but losing Atsur hurts a lot.

I think Hickson has some serious potential and is going to be a stud next year. Is his motor always this good or was he just amped up last night?

Calathes looked really good. Kid seems to have a knack for making things happen. Should be a really good college player.

I wasn't that impressed with Love. Good hands, excellent outlet passer. but he was doughy and unathletic. I wouldn't be suprised to see him struggle with injuries. i think his size and motor allowed him to dominate the HS scene. He struggled last night against the quicker more athletic post players. He better get used to it. Hes a poor mans Hansborough IMHO.

Mayo, don't even get me started about him. Its like my fingers start typing "PUNK" on thier own. This kid needs to be a bust for whatever purity remains in the game. I'm so glad Duke never tried to get involved with him and that I won't have to watch him play at all. Good luck USC, you're going to need it.

I thought that Koufos looked intriguing. I like him as a PF and with a team that plays alot of zone. What a shooter for his size.

Beasley looked good last night but the knock on him is that he doesn't bring it unless its a big game. Thtas not an easy fix.

freedevil
03-29-2007, 10:24 AM
I was not impressed with Calathes. Nor was I impressed with Jai Lucas. I've seen video of both of these guys, and they just don't strike me as difference makers.

3rdgenDukie
03-29-2007, 10:26 AM
If State had retained Chris Wright's commitment, they'd be really strong next year. As it is, they will probably have the best frontcourt (though Lawal, Dickey, Smith, Young, Aminu, etc. is tough). They were just SO BAD this year w/o Atsur, it makes me hesitate to think too much of them. They will score a lot, but turn it over even more.

mr. synellinden
05-17-2007, 02:47 PM
Updated today:

Singler - 4
Smith - 6
King - 17

Taken for what these rankings are worth (I know, very little ...) let's keep in mind what an outstanding class we have coming in, even without Patterson, to add to last year's outstanding class.

I am pretty confident we will put together another strong class next year, hopefully headlined by Greg Monroe.

But either way, Duke is in very good shape in terms of talent for the next few years.

Also of note,

Patterson 9 (UK)

Hickson 15 (NCSU)
Lawal 23 (GT)
Alabi 34 (FSU)
Sanders 45 (BC)
Johnson 50 (Wake)
Delaney 54 (VT)
Hudson 58 (VT)
Jones 60 (UVA)
Miller 64 (GT)
Dupree 65 (MD)
Teague 67 (Wake)
Storrs 93 (GT)
Clark 95 (Wake)

Classof06
05-17-2007, 04:38 PM
That even without Patterson, Duke's class is still ranked ahead of UK :D

phaedrus
05-17-2007, 05:36 PM
That even without Patterson, Duke's class is still ranked ahead of UK :D

...and also ahead of unc-ch

pless55
05-17-2007, 08:29 PM
Nolan Smith will wind up being better than Jai Lucas.

throatybeard
05-17-2007, 08:32 PM
Specific predictions will be made. Then some will be wrong and some will be right.

kramerbr
05-17-2007, 08:51 PM
Nolan Smith will wind up being better than Jai Lucas.

A good indication of why Nolan Smith is ranked well above Jai Lucas...

mgtr
05-17-2007, 09:04 PM
I am of the view that 7 months from now (= December), people will be talking about what an outstanding recruiting class we have. OK, at least Dickie V will be! Seriously, I think we will surprise some people next year, and I am optimistic about Zoubek maturing into a force in the middle. Of course, if he doesn't, we have a problem.

Buckeye Devil
05-17-2007, 09:10 PM
I won't enter in to the who is better than who discussion, but I am very happy that Nolan Smith is coming to Duke and happier that O.J. Mayo is not!

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

Bob is right on. O.J. Mayo carries more baggage than a 747. Be very glad that Duke doesn't recruit players like this!