PDA

View Full Version : Guys who aren't on this team



DukeWarhead
04-06-2010, 11:18 AM
Not sure why I think of these things, but as I'm watching Duke cut down the nets, I'm thinking of Taylor King and Olek and wondering what is going through their minds. Probably mixed thoughts. They could have shared in the celebration. maybe. Or, if they had stayed, things may have played out differently for Duke. Or, maybe they are just happy for the guys they once suited up with.

Not a very interesting point, I know. Not today. But in some ways, I hope players on the bench look at these pics and realize that the chance of increased playing time might not overshadown the chance to one day celebrate as part of a championship team.

Anyway, awesome win for the guys. They earned it. Now, remind me what the naysayers were saying about Coack K's "crumbling empire" a couple seasons ago. What was that????? I didn't hear you...

SMO
04-06-2010, 11:25 AM
I wonder what Greg Monroe, Patrick Patterson, and John Wall are thinking. That's not meant to be a knock on them. I really do wonder!

Matches
04-06-2010, 11:25 AM
I noticed TK showed up in "One Shining Moment".

Chard
04-06-2010, 11:27 AM
In a word: "D@mn."

Merlindevildog91
04-06-2010, 11:30 AM
I feel sorry for EW, who left because his mother was ill. Wonder how he felt last night, watching the guys he worked and sweated with for a year, and then leaving when it looked like he was clearly on the rise.

gumbomoop
04-06-2010, 11:31 AM
I hope they're thinking: (1) I'm glad I got the benefit of K's teaching, and admit I didn't fully appreciate it at the time. (2) I'm gonna work like hell to improve over the summer to help my team win our conference and make a deep run next year.

Edit: The above #1 refers to OC and TK, the players mentioned in OP. Interestingly, I still don't quite consider EWill a "transfer," by which I mean his circumstance clearly forced him to make a decision he probably would not have otherwise made. Anyhow, #2 above certainly applies to EWill.

DevilHorns
04-06-2010, 11:35 AM
I feel sorry for EW, who left because his mother was ill. Wonder how he felt last night, watching the guys he worked and sweated with for a year, and then leaving when it looked like he was clearly on the rise.

He's a great kid. I honestly think he was pulling for Duke. Same with Boykin (after the Cal game of course).

This team has some great storylines. If Elliott doesnt go, Andre doesnt come. Not only does that change our minute distribution for our 1's and 2's, but those huge clutch shots Dawkins makes against Baylor first half that keep us alive and in the hunt.... they don't drop.

Onlyduke
04-06-2010, 11:38 AM
I feel sorry for EW, who left because his mother was ill. Wonder how he felt last night, watching the guys he worked and sweated with for a year, and then leaving when it looked like he was clearly on the rise.

I thought about him also, Merlindevildog91. I hated that he had to leave, especially the reason he had to leave.

Anyone know anything about Gerald Henderson? I read somewhere he was travelling with the team to Indianapolis.

wilko
04-06-2010, 11:38 AM
Who can say?..

TK finally realized that that he would have to D up for anybody he played for. And to his credit made strides to get better.

Olek seemed to be happy in every capacity BUT playing time. So hard to blame a guy for wanting to compete.

As for E-Wil his mom was ill so Im sure his thoughts are tempered by that need to be by her side.

The guys who Duke wasn't their 1st choice, eh, so what. Its their right to chose not to be relevant to me.

The key thing is where do we go from here.... I hope the staff has been making a few calls to top prospects saying: "This could be you, are you ready to get YOUR trophy..."

Strike while the iron is hot and to the victor go the spoils, right?

I think Kyle and Nolan are gone. Nothing but love for them, Thanks for the memories and God bless.

So we need an infusion of top talent to offset the loss of maturity.

DukieInBrasil
04-06-2010, 11:50 AM
Who can say?..

TK finally realized that that he would have to D up for anybody he played for. And to his credit made strides to get better.

Olek seemed to be happy in every capacity BUT playing time. So hard to blame a guy for wanting to compete.

As for E-Wil his mom was ill so Im sure his thoughts are tempered by that need to be by her side.

The guys who Duke wasn't their 1st choice, eh, so what. Its their right to chose not to be relevant to me.

The key thing is where do we go from here.... I hope the staff has been making a few calls to top prospects saying: "This could be you, are you ready to get YOUR trophy..."

Strike while the iron is hot and to the victor go the spoils, right?

I think Kyle and Nolan are gone. Nothing but love for them, Thanks for the memories and God bless.

So we need an infusion of top talent to offset the loss of maturity.

Nolan has said repeatedly that he is not even thinking of the draft, so your statement is founded on what? Kyle's situation is a bit more complicated, do you think that he really showed so much in the NCAAT to raise his draft stock from late 1st/early 2nd round into the lottery? I don't think he would go unless he got something close to a guarantee that he'd be a lottery pick.

As for the orig. post, i too thought of what the transfers were thinking today. Especially Olek, who actually played on this year's iteration of the team. True, he probably wouldn't have gotten a great deal of PT after the time when he transferred, but not only didn't he get a champions ring but he also didn't get to play anywhere else either.
I don't really care what Taylor is feeling to be honest, he transferred b/c he was selfish and didn't want to do what coach K asked him to do.
EWill would have been a great component for this team, and I honestly think that we would have been a better team with him than w/o in light of the Dawkins early-enrollment scenario. It's impossible to say how things would have worked out with EWill rather than Andre, but EWill was a positive factor on the court and in the locker-room, from what I gather.

COYS
04-06-2010, 11:55 AM
Who can say?..


The guys who Duke wasn't their 1st choice, eh, so what. Its their right to chose not to be relevant to me.


I think it's more or less irrelevant to the players, as well. Personally, by the time I started my freshman year in college, I forgot what my other college choices were and didn't pay attention to their academic rankings, programs, etc. I mean, I hope patterson, Monroe, etc aren't too worried about what might've been at Duke just like I hope that Henderson doesn't lament not going to UNC to win a title next to his friend Wayne Ellington . . . Personally, I think the results this season vindicate Jumbo's (and a few others) stance that it was better for Duke that Wall didn't show up, putting the ball in Scheyer's hands. And Wall still gets to be the number 1 pick, which was probably his goal. These recruits know that changing a variable as significant as which college they chose to attend would have such large ramifications that there's no guarantee that the team would still win a title.

wilko
04-06-2010, 12:03 PM
Nolan has said repeatedly that he is not even thinking of the draft, so your statement is founded on what?

I don't claim to have any "scoop".

I'm just going on the precedent set by Mike Dunleavy, when he said; "I'm a 4 year guy". Well he played 3. I'm not hating on them mind you, or anything like that. I'm just saying that he wouldnt be the 1st person in the history of the world to change his mind, especially when money is at stake.

IF Nolan were to have a change of heart, I'd support his decision and wish him the best.

Color me a tad jaded until they suit up in '11

COYS
04-06-2010, 12:04 PM
I don't claim to have any "scoop".

I'm just going on the precedent set by Mike Dunleavy, when he said; "I'm a 4 year guy". Well he played 3. I'm not hating on them mind you, or anything like that. I'm just saying that he wouldnt be the 1st person in the history of the world to change his mind, especially when money is at stake.

I'm just saying that IF Nolan were to have a change of heart, I'd support his decision and wish him the best.

Color me a tad jaded until they suit up in '11

Mike went 3rd in the draft! That's an incredible opportunity. There is zero, zero, zero chance that Nolan goes in the top 10 and there is only an incredibly remote chance that he goes in the top 20. These are two very different situations.

wilko
04-06-2010, 12:21 PM
These are two very different situations.
Not really. As a FAN they either stay or go. These 2 paths are constant.

The impact of that decision to them as individuals I cannot measure and have no stake in one way or the other. If Nolan thinks that the 2nd round is good enough for him, who am I to judge? Who are any of us?

He helped bring home a trophy, what is there for him to prove?

Are you saying that if he DOES decide to leave you wont wish him well?

vango
04-06-2010, 12:21 PM
I have been thinking about this off and on for a couple days mostly from EWill's perspective. I was going to post this exact same thing but decided to wait until the non-basketball summer doldrums came around.

Transfers: EWill (though he didn't "transfer" to me / more a permanent medical leave); King, Olek, Boykin....

Left Early: Hendo

Pick someone else: Boynton, Patterson, Wall, Monroe, etc.... I doubt they give it much thought b/c they were never here and made a decision up front.

I would be curious as to their thoughts though. If he is troubled by it I feel the most for EWill b/c he just did what he had to do. A little for Olek b/c he started the journey with THIS team....

Oh well....

ndkjr70
04-06-2010, 12:36 PM
I feel for the guy. You have to know he has 10,000 "what-if's" running through his head right now. I thought him leaving early was a bad decision, but I didn't think this would be the reason.

juise
04-06-2010, 12:54 PM
I posted this in the postgame thread, but I noticed that Marty Pocius was really pulling for Duke (http://twitter.com/ltumarty). If you remember, he used a medical redshirt year, so he could have played this year as a graduate student. With our lack of guard depth, some of us thought that he could have finally contributed this year. I am glad that he doesn't have hard feelings and I hope he's doing well in Lithuania.

I feel like this team was held together by K (and staff) in a very delicant balance. I'm not convinced that Duke would be able to put an equal or better run together with G or Elliot. If they were around, we would have likely seen less of Lance or Brian, who made so many huge plays in the last month. There is so little room for error in the NCAA-T. This Duke team had a chemistry and composition (and character!) that was really special.

TampaDukie
04-06-2010, 01:05 PM
I was thinking about Elliot a lot last night, and I'm sorry that he didn't get to be a part of the championship. I wish nothing but the best for him and his mom.

BD80
04-06-2010, 01:31 PM
I do wonder at what Patterson and Monroe are thinking. If they were convinced to go somewhere else but Duke due to a supposed deficiency in Duke's ability to coach or develop big men, how do they feel now?

This is very relevant to our future recruiting efforts.

Zoubek has "transformed," evidence of good coaching and development. Lance has also developed, and was give the green light on 15-18 foot jumpers.

In three years, Patterson has developed into Kentucky's 3rd or 4th option on offense, reduced to jacking up three point shots whenever he can for fear he would never touch the ball again. Is his draft stock any higher than when he left high school?

Monroe is headed back for a third year of "coaching" at GTown. Is his draft stock any higher? He is a great passer but a lousy shooter. Blue II beat him in a game of "HORSE" last week. Nor has GTown given Greg the opportunity to enjoy team accomplishments.

The sad thing is they would each have thrived (and developed) playing for Duke.


As for EWill, I miss him and wish him the best, but do we get Kyrie if he sees EWill, Nolan, Seth and Andre (as a frosh) competing for backcourt time? Life often works out for the best, particularly when you have Coach K at the helm. FWIW, I think EWill goes pro this year - which can also be viewed as lessening the impact of his transfer.

Regenman
04-06-2010, 01:40 PM
What was that????? I didn't hear you...

I'll play this game. This naysayer is happy that Coach K actually decided to recruit and use more than 1 big man. The funny thing is during the game, a bunch of us "older fans" were talking about next year and whether we'd go back to a 3 guard offense if Singler leaves.

But if you want to take credit for keeping the faith, what chance did you see this year after the NC State loss and the Georgetown loss for this team to win it all.

I'm happy that Coach K actually decided to use multiple big men and if you feel the need to mock other Duke fans the day after a national championship, Kudos to you.

juise
04-06-2010, 01:47 PM
if you feel the need to mock other Duke fans the day after a national championship, Kudos to you.

I'm about 99% sure that the original poster's use of "naysayers" wasn't referring to Duke fans. It was referring to members of the media (and possibly other fanbases) who have said/written repeatedly that the game has passed by Coack K and that the sun is setting on Duke's dynasty.

Dr. Tina
04-06-2010, 01:58 PM
EWill, TK, and even GH may feel a little disappointed they missed out on this amazing season, but, I do believe that things happen for a reason. When some doors close, others open...and this time the doors opened up on a 2010 National Championship!!!

COYS
04-06-2010, 02:13 PM
Not really. As a FAN they either stay or go. These 2 paths are constant.

The impact of that decision to them as individuals I cannot measure and have no stake in one way or the other. If Nolan thinks that the 2nd round is good enough for him, who am I to judge? Who are any of us?

He helped bring home a trophy, what is there for him to prove?

Are you saying that if he DOES decide to leave you wont wish him well?

I wasn't talking from the fan's perspective. I was talking from the player's perspective. I was comparing dunleavy saying "I'm a 4 year guy" to Nolan's similar remarks. Mike made an easy decision in my mind because he was guaranteed to be such a high pick. I am definitely NOT saying that I won't wish Nolan well. Nowhere in any of my posts have I ever mentioned that. In fact, if you look at my post history, you'll see that I think players that are expected to be early entrants and achieve their goals help Duke more than anything. It means that those players develop at Duke, which means the team plays well, which also demonstrates to other recruits that they can develop at Duke. In fact, my hope would be that NBA GM's have enough faith in Nolan's ability to improve his court vision that his scoring instincts and stellar defense are enough to vault him into the first round for this year, even if that means he leaves. I'm just saying that Nolan won't be drafted as high as Dunleavy . . . not even close . . . so the decision to stay or go will be tougher, that is all. Even if Nolan ends up making the jump, there is zero evidence to indicate that such a jump is likely at this point.

dukeimac
04-06-2010, 02:26 PM
I'm not much in the would've could've should've thing.

Having said that, the talk about Dawkins shots going down against Baylor and if EWill was in Duke that wouldn't have happened. I believe with EWill's year of experience and his play making capability, Duke probably would not have had to have those shots fall.

As for Nolan, I take him for his word. Unless he hears otherwise, no scout report that I have seen (have a couple of paid sites) no one has him going in the first round and at best, in the late second round.

His play caught people of guard and many, I think, still don't believe they have confidence that he will repeat. I would sit tight if I was him to see if Kyle goes. If Kyle goes he is the leader; in verbal, defense and scoring.

I would test the water though and get some good feedback. Same with Kyle.

miramar
04-06-2010, 02:39 PM
I hope that if we have someone in Boyken's or King's shoes in the future, they will think of what Zoubs and Lance have achieved by staying around and buying into the program. I can understand Boateng and Olek leaving since it appeared that they would never get any playing time no matter what, but the others could have made an impact at Duke if they had committed themselves the way Zoubek and Thomas have. Nevertheless, it's hard for a young person to think long term, so I guess they need a good support system in place to give them some perspective.

DukeWarhead
04-06-2010, 02:54 PM
I'm about 99% sure that the original poster's use of "naysayers" wasn't referring to Duke fans. It was referring to members of the media (and possibly other fanbases) who have said/written repeatedly that the game has passed by Coack K and that the sun is setting on Duke's dynasty.

Correct. Said "naysayers" were those predicting a rapid decline in Duke's basketball fortunes - saying Coach K didn't have the stuff anymore. I think they might be second guessing those projections today.

banneheim
04-06-2010, 03:35 PM
I posted this in the postgame thread, but I noticed that Marty Pocius was really pulling for Duke (http://twitter.com/ltumarty). If you remember, he used a medical redshirt year, so he could have played this year as a graduate student. With our lack of guard depth, some of us thought that he could have finally contributed this year. I am glad that he doesn't have hard feelings and I hope he's doing well in Lithuania.

I feel like this team was held together by K (and staff) in a very delicant balance. I'm not convinced that Duke would be able to put an equal or better run together with G or Elliot. If they were around, we would have likely seen less of Lance or Brian, who made so many huge plays in the last month. There is so little room for error in the NCAA-T. This Duke team had a chemistry and composition (and character!) that was really special.
Completely agree! Ewill would definately have changed the dynamics of this team and Zoubs/Thomas would not have had the roles they had. Also, I think Nolan's role may have been reduced and his attack mentality would not have been there. It just seems that the Master Motivator put the correct pieces together and everybody played their roles. What a great season!

BobbyFan
04-06-2010, 08:51 PM
Anyone know anything about Gerald Henderson? I read somewhere he was travelling with the team to Indianapolis.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/04/06/1359448/duke-butler-observations.html


At any rate, Henderson sat about 10 rows up behind the Duke bench rather than on it to watch the game. Others in his section included former Duke players Mike Dunleavy, J.J. Redick, Dahntay Jones, Shane Battier, Johnny Dawkins and Sean Dockery.

"It's great to be here," Henderson said. "They've had a great season, and this is an unbelievable atmosphere."

DukeBlueNV
04-06-2010, 09:33 PM
i know this is a confusing post but try to follow it--

this is weird to think about... we won the championship, but could the team have been better with one or more of: E.Will, Henderson, Wall, Patterson, Monroe, etc.? i dunno, you would think... "yes". but we won it all without any of those players so does it matter if we would be better with them? maybe we would NOT have been as good but that defies logic seeing that all of these guys were/are great players... strange to think about. its kinda like the saying "not getting any MORE dead" and we cant win the title any more then we did...

DukeDevilDeb
04-06-2010, 09:44 PM
I wasn't talking from the fan's perspective. I was talking from the player's perspective. I was comparing dunleavy saying "I'm a 4 year guy" to Nolan's similar remarks. Mike made an easy decision in my mind because he was guaranteed to be such a high pick. I am definitely NOT saying that I won't wish Nolan well. Nowhere in any of my posts have I ever mentioned that. In fact, if you look at my post history, you'll see that I think players that are expected to be early entrants and achieve their goals help Duke more than anything. It means that those players develop at Duke, which means the team plays well, which also demonstrates to other recruits that they can develop at Duke. In fact, my hope would be that NBA GM's have enough faith in Nolan's ability to improve his court vision that his scoring instincts and stellar defense are enough to vault him into the first round for this year, even if that means he leaves. I'm just saying that Nolan won't be drafted as high as Dunleavy . . . not even close . . . so the decision to stay or go will be tougher, that is all. Even if Nolan ends up making the jump, there is zero evidence to indicate that such a jump is likely at this point.

shortly after he left... had the opportunity to work with him to finish his degree. He REALLY wanted to stay a 4th year; he had a shot to have his jersey retired, to become NPOY had we continued to do well. But he also said, "How could I not go when I'm told I will be the third pick in the draft? How could I give that up?" And the fact that he did come back and finish his degree says a lot.

Reading this, Gerald? I think you should come back too. You are one of the smartest Duke students I've ever met, and it would be good to have that Duke Degree as a seal of approval for whenever your NBA career is done.

Johnboy
04-06-2010, 10:18 PM
i know this is a confusing post but try to follow it--

this is weird to think about... we won the championship, but could the team have been better with one or more of: E.Will, Henderson, Wall, Patterson, Monroe, etc.? i dunno, you would think... "yes". but we won it all without any of those players so does it matter if we would be better with them? maybe we would NOT have been as good but that defies logic seeing that all of these guys were/are great players... strange to think about. its kinda like the saying "not getting any MORE dead" and we cant win the title any more then we did...

This reminds me of the story Norm Sloan used to tell about coaching NC State. After they won the NCAA title with a 30-1 record (57-1 over two seasons), he overheard some men discussing State and one of them said "Yeah, Sloan's a fine coach, but just think what Dean Smith could have done with that team!"

kexman
04-07-2010, 12:14 AM
I saw Henderson in the team hotel last night well waiting for the team to arrive. I wondered what he was thinking not being part of this journey. Henderson may have been the most talented of the group, but he likely will not be remember nearly as dearly as those who stayed. Of course a few million can pay for some therapy to get over it:)

This team was built on chemistry. Not sure if it is the same team with Henderson. This years team played really well together. Very much like the Butler team.

Sgt. Dingleberry
04-07-2010, 12:19 AM
I feel sorry for EW, who left because his mother was ill. Wonder how he felt last night, watching the guys he worked and sweated with for a year, and then leaving when it looked like he was clearly on the rise.

I definitely thought about Elliott...I remember coming on this board when he announced his transfer, the overall mood is just a tad different today then it was back then...

What an amazing year!!

Cameron
04-07-2010, 12:25 AM
I noticed TK showed up in "One Shining Moment".


This was a particularly special moment from my seat in the Dome.

I agree that the EW/Dre storylines are very fascinating.

hc5duke
04-07-2010, 12:41 AM
Marty seems to be following and happy for the team's success:

http://twitter.com/LTUmarty/status/11673772765
http://twitter.com/LTUmarty/status/11678627669
http://twitter.com/LTUmarty/status/11679996920

killerleft
04-07-2010, 01:02 AM
Nat Hickey of the 1947-48 Providence Steamrollers

This thread could last a while!:)

DevilHorns
04-07-2010, 01:10 AM
[

Quote:
At any rate, Henderson sat about 10 rows up behind the Duke bench rather than on it to watch the game. Others in his section included former Duke players Mike Dunleavy, J.J. Redick, Dahntay Jones, Shane Battier, Johnny Dawkins and Sean Dockery.
]

Glad to hear that Dock was there!http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2005/12/04/PH2005120401432.jpg

Heyward should ask him for half-court shooting lessons! :D

SupaDave
04-07-2010, 09:37 AM
Reading this, Gerald? I think you should come back too. You are one of the smartest Duke students I've ever met, and it would be good to have that Duke Degree as a seal of approval for whenever your NBA career is done.

He'll be on the PGA tour then... Plenty of time to finish a degree.

wilko
04-07-2010, 10:09 AM
I'm just saying that Nolan won't be drafted as high as Dunleavy . . . not even close . . . so the decision to stay or go will be tougher, that is all. Even if Nolan ends up making the jump, there is zero evidence to indicate that such a jump is likely at this point.

I agree, Nolan wont be drafted as high as Dunleavy was. (not today anyway).
However, you do seem to agree that there IS a decision to be made.

If Nolan follows his heart as opposed to his reason, I'm not sure what evidence there will be for us on the outside to see... If you have better connections to the team and special insights to that kind of thing, please share.

Don't get me wrong I'm not throwing either Nolan or Singler under the bus. I'm not rushing them out the door, either. I'd like for them both to stay. In the end, I doubt BOTH will return.

I'm just being realistic by discussing the possibility. I'll support them either way.

UrinalCake
04-07-2010, 10:49 AM
Totally speculation here, but I'm not sure John Wall regrets his decision all that much. He's going to be the #1 pick and would have been regardless of where he went. But if he had come to Duke he'd have had to work a whole lot harder off the court (at least for one semester). At Kentucky he was handed the reins to the team and allowed to go crazy, but at Duke that wouldn't have happened. From our perspective, who knows how his presence would have affected the team's chemistry and leadership. We won it all so I guess it's impossible to say that we would have been better.

For the rest of the guys (EWill excluded) it's a question of whether individual gain matters more than team success. Would Czyz rather sit on the bench of a title winner or be on the floor for another team? No way for us to know.

ReformedAggie
04-07-2010, 11:11 AM
No disrespect intended for anyone mentioned, quoted, or discussed in this thread, but I liked this team just the way it was, for what it was. They overcame whatever obstacles to staying that they had, and gutted it out.
Thanks again guys. And Kyle - one more year :) please. You'll never regret a Duke degree.

redick4pres
04-07-2010, 06:27 PM
I mean no ill-will toward Taylor King and hadn't really thought of this until they showed him during the One Shining Moment Monday night, but how do you guys think he was feeling after Monday nights game? Think he's still happy with his decision, especially since it's been talked about that he's in the "dog house" at Nova?!?! Just thinking!

Welcome2DaSlopes
04-07-2010, 06:30 PM
http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20780

tecumseh
04-07-2010, 06:32 PM
I do you think Harrison Barnes feels, he felt going to Carolina gave him a better chance for a national championship and Final Four. I am sure he also thinks about two years in college if that. Where would he have a better chance, things look a lot different in April than they did in the fall.

cspan37421
04-10-2010, 08:23 PM
Is Olek more like Nomar Garciaparra in 2004 or Billy McCaffrey in 1992?

Nomar left mid-season and missed being around for the championship moment. But I don't think he chose to leave (IIRC). He did get a ring anyway.

Billy played on a championship team, then left of his own accord, and missed being on a second championship team.

diveonthefloor
04-11-2010, 09:50 AM
Had a chance to visit at length with one of EW's former high school instructors who keeps in touch regularly w EW.

EW is genuinely happy for his former teammates and while many of his friends keep asking him "what if?", he says he wouldn't ever give up the time he has had w his mom.

He is considering the draft but would want to go to a city with decent medical facilities....his parents would move w him in that case.

Welcome2DaSlopes
04-11-2010, 10:04 AM
Had a chance to visit at length with one of EW's former high school instructors who keeps in touch regularly w EW.

EW is genuinely happy for his former teammates and while many of his friends keep asking him "what if?", he says he wouldn't ever give up the time he has had w his mom.

He is considering the draft but would want to go to a city with decent medical facilities....his parents would move w him in that case.

That's great to hear, really I wouldn't see why he would have it anyother way.

sagegrouse
04-11-2010, 10:10 AM
I don't claim to have any "scoop".

I'm just going on the precedent set by Mike Dunleavy, when he said; "I'm a 4 year guy". Well he played 3. I'm not hating on them mind you, or anything like that. I'm just saying that he wouldnt be the 1st person in the history of the world to change his mind, especially when money is at stake.


Dunleavy didn't change his mind. The world changed in an unexpected direction: he became the #3 pick in the draft. His original statement reflected the assumption that he would need four years of physical development to play in the NBA. Even at that, he stewed for weeks before deciding.

I still laugh when I think of announcer Kenny Smith complaining, "How does Mike Dunleavy [senior], who is what -- 5-11, have a son who is 6-9? How does it happen."

sagegrouse

SupaDave
04-11-2010, 11:08 AM
Had a chance to visit at length with one of EW's former high school instructors who keeps in touch regularly w EW.

EW is genuinely happy for his former teammates and while many of his friends keep asking him "what if?", he says he wouldn't ever give up the time he has had w his mom.

He is considering the draft but would want to go to a city with decent medical facilities....his parents would move w him in that case.

Good for E-Dub. He wouldn't be the first NBA kid to live with his parents. We wish him the best.

dukeimac
04-11-2010, 12:21 PM
All this talk, I'm not sure many are looking at things properly.

Take, Nolan and Singler, if they get good feedback from scouts that they would go in the mid-first round or higher, I would consider that. But anything lower than that they might want to reconsider. Dunleavy had many scouts having him go in the top 5 and I don't think you can turn that down. But I don't think that is the case with these two. Prior to Monday night no scouting report I saw (and I have 2 paid sites) had either one of these guys going in the first round. The best they had was Singler in the late second and Nolan after that. After Monday night Single moved up to the late first round. Nolan is not projected in the first round. I would "test" the waters and get some feedback but I think that feedback will lead them back to Duke for one more year.

Singler will be a 3 in the pros and he needs to work on that. If he comes back he probably plays more at the 4. That could be something that pushes him to go pros.

Nolan is a combo guy, can play the PG and SG. He caught people off guard with how well he improved this year but that was at the SG. Next year he needs to show he can lead the team, verbally. If he does that he will greatly improve his stock. I know he won't play the PG too much for Duke next year but his leadership will stand out and PGs in the pros need to be good leaders.

I would never question how EWill feels. His move was for his mother. No NC would hurt my feelings. Guys like King it might affect. He showed he learned he has to play defense and while at Duke he just wanted to shoot.

Olek can't feel to bad. His move was for playing time that never would have come at Duke. He committed to Duke before they had offered him. Sure his YouTube video was good but I haven't seen any YouTube Videos of players yet that show their weaknesses, just highlights. Thus, he could have stuck around for a year and been a part of a NC but that would have cost him a year of eligibility. And I don't think he left having a good feeling this team was going to be in the title run.

I hope Kelly is talking a lot with Zo and Lance. Next year might not be his year but if Singler comes back he could learn a lot from him and that should propel him for his Junior and Senior years.

Olympic Fan
04-11-2010, 01:56 PM
Not sure how this thread became a forum for discussing whether Kyle and/or Nolan is going pro ... maybe the point would be that if that happens, whoever jumps to the NBA will miss on next year's title celebration!!

Okay, seriously ... the two guys I really think about in this regard are Kenny Boynton and Patrick Patterson.

I wonder if Boynton has regrets because when he picked Florida over Duke, he said he was picking the Gators "because that's where I have the best chance to win a national championship."

uh ... no, Kenny.

As for Patterson, I recall the story at the time he picked Kentucky that former coach Billy Gillespie had promised him 20 shots a game. How did that work out, Patrick?

As for Elliot Williams, Greg Monroe, etc., had other reasons for their choices. More power to them. Maybe in hindsight, Olek would have delayed his transfer until the end of the season. He'd be giving up 20 or so games at his new school in return for a national championship ring.

I don't think Olek staying would have changed anything for this year's team. But Elliot or Gerald or Taylor staying would have. So would have getting Boynton or Monroe or (ugh!) John Wall. Maybe it would have made Duke better to have one or two of those guys ... maybe not -- anybody ever read Thornton Wilder's play, "The Skin of Our Teeth"? His point is changing things in history sometimes have unintended (and negative) consequences.

I'm happy with the way things played out ... no need to go back and tinker with history in this case.

DallasDevil
04-12-2010, 01:17 AM
Not to change the topic of this thread too much, but one guy that stands in sharp contrast to the other players discussed here is Jordan Davidson. He redshirted so that he could come back another year and give the team another guard to practice with, even though he was already going to graduate. He knew he wasn't going to get any playing time. How great is it that as a small reward he'll always be able to tell his kids that he drained a three pointer in the final four en route to his team winning a national championship?