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View Full Version : Darius Smith recruitment



chrisheery
03-09-2009, 07:02 PM
I thought I would start a thread for this guy since there is one for Wall and Bledsoe. I had not heard of him until today and the minimal information I can find on him on my own hasn't helped much. Here's what I have pieced together:

1. He's a 6-2 wing that would need to be a PG in college
2. Supposedly has a great handle which would ease the transition
3. Shoot first, not the greatest facilitator
4. Very very good defender on the ball

Anyone have any other info on this kid or want to tell me the things I listed above are wrong? I can't find a good highlight video on youtube or anywhere else for that matter.

CDu
03-09-2009, 07:04 PM
I thought I would start a thread for this guy since there is one for Wall and Bledsoe. I had not heard of him until today and the minimal information I can find on him on my own hasn't helped much. Here's what I have pieced together:

1. He's a 6-2 wing that would need to be a PG in college
2. Supposedly has a great handle which would ease the transition
3. Shoot first, not the greatest facilitator
4. Very very good defender on the ball

Anyone have any other info on this kid or want to tell me the things I listed above are wrong? I can't find a good highlight video on youtube or anywhere else for that matter.

From your description, that sounds at least a little bit like Nolan Smith.

FireOgilvie
03-09-2009, 07:20 PM
I've never seen Darius Smith play, so I don't know what kind of skills he has... but what Duke really needs is a playmaker. Darius is listed as a SG by some and a PG by other sites... and apparently he's not a big-time playmaker. We have Elliot, Nolan, Thornton, and Dawkins already. Darius Smith is only 6'2", so he's a really undersized shooting guard. Hopefully he can develop into a playmaker like the other guys we're looking at (I'm assuming we only get 1 guy between Darius Smith, Bledsoe, and Wall).

Greg_Newton
03-09-2009, 07:30 PM
Nothing personal to the kid, but... he sounds like exactly what we don't need more of right now. Wall and Bledsoe are true quarterback-style PGs, and I can't remember the last time we had a deep tourney run without one... Williams, Avery, Hurley, etc. Trying to convert an undersized wing scorer into a PG is an interesting project when you've got a solid true PG to run the show in the meantime, which we don't really have (despite Scheyer doing all we could ask of him at the position).

MChambers
03-09-2009, 07:59 PM
Nothing personal to the kid, but... he sounds like exactly what we don't need more of right now. Wall and Bledsoe are true quarterback-style PGs, and I can't remember the last time we had a deep tourney run without one... Williams, Avery, Hurley, etc. Trying to convert an undersized wing scorer into a PG is an interesting project when you've got a solid true PG to run the show in the meantime, which we don't really have (despite Scheyer doing all we could ask of him at the position).

Gee, I really don't remember Avery as a quarterback. I thought of him as a shoot-first point.

FireOgilvie
03-09-2009, 08:07 PM
I've found about 10 websites that say Smith is "not a true lead man," but people have a tendency to repeat the same things second-hand, so it doesn't mean that much.

Has anyone watched Darius Smith play? Anyone want to share non-"premium" information?

Have any of the coaches gone to see him or has he talked to anyone?

Greg_Newton
03-09-2009, 11:32 PM
Gee, I really don't remember Avery as a quarterback. I thought of him as a shoot-first point.

Yeah, I guess that wasn't the best choice of words... I didn't consider Jay Williams pass-first either. I more meant the type point guard who pushes the ball up the court confidently, who is good at getting into the lane and creating opportunities, and who has overall court sense. That makes a big difference versus a converted SG that just brings the ball up the court and looks left and right for a wing player to pass to. Avery had an itchy trigger finger, but you could still count on him (most of the time) to man the break, initiate some offense and get a solid five assists a game. I think we've been missing that type of player lately, and from what I've seen of Wall and Bledsoe, they are that type of sparkplug natural PG.

BlueintheFace
03-09-2009, 11:41 PM
IMO, Duke doesn't really need a pass first pg next year. I just want somebody who can get the ball to Jon and G (please god) in positions to start the offense, hit the open three/ other shots that are in the flow of the offense, and can push it in transition.

I actually think that person will be Nolan Smith. Still, I'd like a Mini-Nolan as his backup.

Skitzle
03-30-2009, 09:07 PM
Darius Smith to Uconn.

I got the feeling he was our backup to Bledsoe our backup to Wall

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/highschool/chi-090329-darius-smith-commits-connecticut,0,3207006.story

weezie
03-30-2009, 10:51 PM
I guess he's not too concerned about possible NCAA sanctions?

Even though there will, of course, be a long investigatory period, would someone who has declared and signed for a college still have to go there if there were actions taken against a program? Do they have an out if they have enrolled but not started the season yet, as in summer school?