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loran16
04-06-2011, 04:53 PM
Kyrie just declared for the draft on twitter:

RealKyrieIrving Kyrie Irving
I will be entering the 2011 NBA draft.Thank you fans out there for your support throughout the year and hopefully you stick around!thank you

h8tarheels
04-06-2011, 04:55 PM
"I will be entering the 2011 NBA draft. Thank you fans out there for your support throughout the year and hopefully you stick around. Thank you" - RealKyrieIrving.....:(

dubldvman
04-06-2011, 04:56 PM
Disappointing but expected. Delight to watch. Wish him all the best. Next play next season.

moonpie23
04-06-2011, 04:56 PM
thank you kyrie, for everything.....proud to have you in a duke uni....even for a little while...

weezie
04-06-2011, 04:57 PM
Kind of surprised he didn't wait until after the banquet next week.

A-Tex Devil
04-06-2011, 04:59 PM
Kind of surprised he didn't wait until after the banquet next week.

Nah. It's better this way. His teammates and coaches certainly understand, and it is probably more enjoyable and comfortable at the banquet with everything out in the open.

Kewlswim
04-06-2011, 05:00 PM
Hi,

This was expected, though really disappointing (only because we only got to see him play 11 games in a Duke Uniform). Nevertheless, I hope my fellow Blue Devil fans will join me in thinking of Kyrie as a Blue Devil for life.

Kyrie, nothing wrong with coming back when you have a chance to finish your degree. Education isn't a race and you will most likely always be welcome back.

GO BACK!

superdave
04-06-2011, 05:03 PM
Good luck to Kyrie. He will always be a Dukie. I think he's going to be a great pro!

Thanks for stopping by.

DukeDevilDeb
04-06-2011, 05:03 PM
from Bleacher Report saying that Coach K announced that Kyrie is gone to the NBA and will hire an agent.

Read all about it: http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b8R6m

Mods: Feel free to move or remove. Didn't see the news on the other thread.

yancem
04-06-2011, 05:03 PM
Here's a link to GoDuke's annoucement: http://www.goduke.com//ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=%204200&ATCLID=205131514

loran16
04-06-2011, 05:03 PM
Kyrie, nothing wrong with coming back when you have a chance to finish your degree. Education isn't a race and you will most likely always be welcome back.

GO BACK!

This. If there's a lockout (and he has money), he could do this right away for a semester.

Have a great NBA career. But you should think about the option of coming back every now and then to put in time toward your degree. It can only help post-NBA (in 15-20 years, hopefully)

Cell-R
04-06-2011, 05:04 PM
I love this kid. I'm sad that he's leaving, but I am even happier that we got the chance to see him in a Duke uniform! Maybe I should walk two dorms down and congratulate him... :D

pfrduke
04-06-2011, 05:04 PM
Here's the official word from GoDuke:

http://www.goduke.com//ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=205131514

Nice words from Coach K (not that I would have expected anything else).

wilko
04-06-2011, 05:07 PM
Hi,Kyrie, nothing wrong with coming back when you have a chance to finish your degree. Education isn't a race and you will most likely always be welcome back. GO BACK!

Heck yeah!
Take the guaranteed money while its on the table. If the pros dont work out for whatever reason he can come back to college and live it like Thornton Melon. I would.

Thanks Kyrie, good luck and God Bless!

TheRose77
04-06-2011, 05:07 PM
Kyrie just tweeted that he's entering the draft. Best of luck to you!

OZZIE4DUKE
04-06-2011, 05:10 PM
Thanks Kyrie. Best of luck going forward. We appreciate all you did at Duke and marvel at what you showed us. We wish, as do you, that nature hadn't been so unkind health-wise but that is life.

Here's to #1, and to being #1 in the draft. May it bring you a long and fruitful career and all the happiness you hope for! :cool:

Come back to Duke often. You'll always be welcome. You can come home again!

flyingdutchdevil
04-06-2011, 05:12 PM
Kyrie,

Best of luck to you. You'll always be a Blue Devil and come back and visit!

Btw - fingers crossed the Cavs don't select first!

phaedrus
04-06-2011, 05:12 PM
Best wishes to KI. Wish we could have seen him play a few more games in a Duke uniform, but I look forward to seeing another Duke success story in the League.

J4Kop99
04-06-2011, 05:13 PM
I want so badly to be mad at this... but I just can't get myself to do it. Kyrie is such a great all-around person/player, I hope he has great success in the future.

It would have been great to see him for one more year but I think he's doing the right thing here... it was fun while it lasted, Kyrie.

cspan37421
04-06-2011, 05:17 PM
Boy, he will be missed. At least he got some NCAAT burn. But to have never suited up against UNC? That's gotta be tough to pass on, though not as tough as passing on $xx,xxx,xxx.

Out of curiosity, what advantage is there to players to sign with an agent before the draft? I know Kyrie isn't even close to borderline about whether he'll be drafted, but my understanding is that once you hire an agent, you can't go back. Since you don't have to sign with a team until after the draft, what are the advantages of having an agent before the draft? Seems like if he changed his mind ... not that he would. But why would anyone hire an agent prior to the draft?

6th Man
04-06-2011, 05:17 PM
Most elite level talents will be one and done with the current NBA structure. I think this process only helps Duke get more recruits like him. From the way his injury was handled to ultimately being a top 3 draft pick, future elite game changing players can only view this as a positive.

Congratulations Kyrie and give 'em h#!! in the NBA!

Son of Jarhead
04-06-2011, 05:19 PM
Best wishes to Kyrie. We'll miss ya', but we are so glad to have had you here, even for such a short time. You'll always be a part of the DUKE family. If you've gotta go, do us a favor... go brake some unc alum ankles in the league for us (& uconn, & kentucky, & etc.)... figuratively speaking of course. Come visit often. Go Duke!!!!

ChicagoHeel
04-06-2011, 05:26 PM
I can't say that I will miss him, but I wish him luck. As much as I like to see Duke lose, my animosity rarely carries over once the players take off the Duke uniform- unless they come back as an assistant coach. I have a lot of respect for his game and admired the way he conducted himself on the bench during his injury. He really looked like he was a part of the team and a great supporter of the other players.

Poincaré
04-06-2011, 05:26 PM
Godspeed Kyrie. I will root for you as long as you root for Duke, too. You're a good kid.

It is unfortunate that you never got a chance to kick Tar Hole butt in the ACC.

I hope that you will make up for it by kicking Tar Hole butt in the NBA.

J4Kop99
04-06-2011, 05:28 PM
We should all come together to say a prayer for Kyrie. "May he never end up on the Cleveland Cavs."

cspan37421
04-06-2011, 05:34 PM
We should all come together to say a prayer for Kyrie. "May he never end up on the Cleveland Cavs."

Yes, but he's not likely to end up on a good team regardless. What about the Cavs make them more hopeless in the long run than other cellar dwellers?

Philsfan
04-06-2011, 05:34 PM
Thanks for everything Kyrie. You are a class act. I don't watch the NBA, but maybe I'll turn it on for a bit if you're playing. See you at the banquet.

J4Kop99
04-06-2011, 05:36 PM
Yes, but he's not likely to end up on a good team regardless. What about the Cavs make them more hopeless in the long run than other cellar dwellers?

The simple fact that they play in Cleveland. There's only so many trips you can take to the Rock n Roll HOF before it gets boring.

NYBri
04-06-2011, 05:36 PM
....damn, I just didn't get to see him play enough.

My better self says, "Go for the gold, KI. Best of luck."

NYBri
04-06-2011, 05:37 PM
Also sad that Kyle and Nolan won't be in Duke Blue anymore. Sad day, but come next November, I'll be ready again.

DevilWearsPrada
04-06-2011, 05:39 PM
Thanks Kyrie for choosing Duke University for your one year. And the best in your NBA career. Represented Duke wonderful, while wearing the #1 Duke jersey, and on the bench while cheering on his teammates.

So glad, I went to the Tourney games in Charlotte and saw you play. Great to have a standing ovation because the Duke fans loved you so much. Your talents and skills certainly were shown in Charlotte 3 weeks ago.

And the Duke students with their campaign of SAVEKYRIESTOE and the TOE VIGIL will always be remembered. To Some you are A One and Done. To the Duke family and fans, You are our #1 for wearing that Duke jersey.

Best in your NBA career journey!

cspan37421
04-06-2011, 05:40 PM
The simple fact that they play in Cleveland. There's only so many trips you can take to the Rock n Roll HOF before it gets boring.

Oh yeah, the organization that thinks that ABBA and Neil Diamond belong there more than Rush or Pat Benetar. So much for "Cleveland Rocks."

ChicagoDevil
04-06-2011, 05:40 PM
Thank you Kyrie for choosing to play at Duke. You are a member of the "Duke family" and aclass act all the way!!! We will follow you to the next level!

LSanders
04-06-2011, 05:42 PM
Kyrie, we hardly knew ye.

Best of luck. Make us proud.

Rudy
04-06-2011, 05:43 PM
Best of luck to Kyrie in all future endeavors. Come back and visit and complete your college education when you can (the sooner you do it the more likely you are to finish). Thanks to showing great class and enthusiasm for your team and school while you were injured.

Spam Filter
04-06-2011, 05:44 PM
We all expected this. So it's not a surprise.

I can't say I'm not a little bit bitter about the whole thing though, not at KI mind you, none of it is his fault in anyway. But the whole situation. I really wanted to have him be one of the favorite Duke players. But unfortunately he's going to end up tipping my emotional scale somewhere between Shaun Livingston and Loul Deng.

Again, not his fault, and I'm not blaming him. I completely understand his decision. But it is what it is and I can't lie to myself and pretend that I'll cheer for him in the future as much as I would for a John Scheyer, or a Nolan Smith or a Chris Duhon.

chrishoke
04-06-2011, 05:45 PM
Thank you Kyrie! You will always be family.

J4Kop99
04-06-2011, 05:46 PM
Hypothetically speaking here:

But say Barnes does return and Sullinger keeps his word. Are any of us allowed to be a little angry/confused as to why Kyrie had to leave early? I think we all know why one would leave early and clearly understand the importance in being picked high in the draft... but still. Barnes is dealing with pretty much the same situation as Kyrie. They both are incredible talents, projected to go in the top 3... they both have the same amount to lose.

I love Kyrie the player/person and I thought he was a great representation for the Duke program but if Barnes stays, I would be a little upset. So this whole post is based on what Barnes will do...


*waits for DBR to rip me a new one*

sbroc012
04-06-2011, 05:47 PM
Boy, he will be missed. At least he got some NCAAT burn. But to have never suited up against UNC? That's gotta be tough to pass on, though not as tough as passing on $xx,xxx,xxx.

Out of curiosity, what advantage is there to players to sign with an agent before the draft? I know Kyrie isn't even close to borderline about whether he'll be drafted, but my understanding is that once you hire an agent, you can't go back. Since you don't have to sign with a team until after the draft, what are the advantages of having an agent before the draft? Seems like if he changed his mind ... not that he would. But why would anyone hire an agent prior to the draft?

It's a bummer he's leaving...but I was thinking kinda the same thing...why hire an agent now, I wouldn't hire an agent until the May 14th deadline has passed for no return. This would allow KI and any other player another month to learn more about the probability and process on an ensuing lockout. Like you said, contract talks don't come into play until a new CBA has been agreed to, which won't happen for who knows how long. Just my .02 cents but in the long run the money is just unpassable i suppose.

And as well, at the beginning of the year we all knew Kyrie Irving would be a one and done, and the injury just gave us a false sense of hope for his return, so ultimately we should not be surprised this was the end result.

Spam Filter
04-06-2011, 05:49 PM
Hypothetically speaking here:

But say Barnes does return and Sullinger keeps his word. Are any of us allowed to be a little angry/confused as to why Kyrie had to leave early? I think we all know why one would leave early and clearly understand the importance in being picked high in the draft... but still. Barnes is dealing with pretty much the same situation as Kyrie. They both are incredible talents, projected to go in the top 3... they both have the same amount to lose.

I love Kyrie the player/person and I thought he was a great representation for the Duke program but if Barnes stays, I would be a little upset. So this whole post is based on what Barnes will do...


*waits for DBR to rip me a new one*

Not going to rip you, but no, those decisions have nothing to do with KI. You can be envious of OSU and UNC for their good fortune, but that doesn't mean KI made a bad decision for himself.

sporthenry
04-06-2011, 05:50 PM
Hypothetically speaking here:

But say Barnes does return and Sullinger keeps his word. Are any of us allowed to be a little angry/confused as to why Kyrie had to leave early? I think we all know why one would leave early and clearly understand the importance in being picked high in the draft... but still. Barnes is dealing with pretty much the same situation as Kyrie. They both are incredible talents, projected to go in the top 3... they both have the same amount to lose.

I love Kyrie the player/person and I thought he was a great representation for the Duke program but if Barnes stays, I would be a little upset. So this whole post is based on what Barnes will do...


*waits for DBR to rip me a new one*

I kind of agree and I think a lot of it has to do with the media. KI has been in the top 3 pick area the whole year. The scouts fell in love with him and never really got to see any of his weaknesses (if there are any). Meanwhile, other freshman were exposed a bit like Barnes or Selby or even Knight. So KI's draft status was helped by him being injured. So not only do some scouts not like Barnes, he also gets the chance to return to the preseason #1 team as opposed to KI where Duke would have the potential to win it all but would have some growing pains.

If Selby or Knight didn't play a single game this year, they would be top 3 picks.

MCFinARL
04-06-2011, 05:57 PM
I want so badly to be mad at this... but I just can't get myself to do it. Kyrie is such a great all-around person/player, I hope he has great success in the future.

It would have been great to see him for one more year but I think he's doing the right thing here... it was fun while it lasted, Kyrie.

Well, I'm not sure who you would be mad at--except maybe fate, for teasing us with the prospect of a year of Kyrie and giving us only a few games.

Sad, of course, is another thing. As a fan, it's hard not to be sad that we won't get to see more of Kyrie playing for Duke. But it makes it a little easier knowing that he is a smart kid who can think through what he wants and who is undoubtedly getting good advice from both his dad and Coach K. For that reason, I also think he is doing the right thing--because the right thing is the thing he chooses.

Like other commenters here, though, I hope at some point (here and there during the offseasons, or after he is done playing, or even during the lockout if it lasts long enough) Kyrie will have a chance to continue working toward his Duke degree. A college degree isn't as financially valuable as what Kyrie has, for sure, but it's valuable in other ways.

davekay1971
04-06-2011, 06:02 PM
Nothing to say but best of luck, Kyrie! You were sensational to watch in a Duke uniform, and a great representative of our University since you stepped on campus. Hope you go number 1 in the draft (and I hope to someplace better than Cleveland!)

Lord Ash
04-06-2011, 06:10 PM
Man, getting this news at around the exact time as the Henson/Zeller news is a real kick in the gut:(

Ty Lawson and Felton stay at UNC for what... five years? Six? We only get to enjoy Kyrie for 11 games:( This makes me sad.

davekay1971
04-06-2011, 06:17 PM
Maybe Roy Williams will hand Harrison an open beer, ask him to drive it across town, and call the cops to catch him. Worked out well with Lawson!

I jestm of course...

geraldsneighbor
04-06-2011, 06:17 PM
Agreed with lord ash. Hearing Zeller and Henson return is tough to swallow. I agree Kyrie made the right call, for reasons that have been discussed here at length, but the reality that he is done is tough.


Now, let's hope Barnes doesn't get all crazy and return to school or the Holes could be primed for another run.

:(:(:(:(

ncexnyc
04-06-2011, 06:38 PM
I wish the young man the best of luck. It was a pleasure watching him both on the court and on the bench cheering during his injury. He seems like a 100% class act. Hopefully a new CBA can be reached so he can get on with his career in a timely fashion and doesn't suffer any regrets for not returning.

Namtilal
04-06-2011, 06:47 PM
Some might remember him for his incredible speed to the basket, his sharpshooting, or his support for his teammates while stuck on the bench.

I will remember him as the intrepid reporter who wasn't afraid to ask Nolan and the team all the tough questions while interviewing them after the game. What a great kid! I'll miss him next year, especially if he isn't able to play professionally due to a lockout.

Farn
04-06-2011, 06:52 PM
Best of luck to Kyrie. I'll certainly enjoy seeing him play in the league.

If I'm real lucky Phoenix will hit the draft lotto and he'll end up as the heir/replacement to Nash here. He'd give me a good reason to use the NBA.com gift card I have.

Right now Minnesota is 1 game off Cleveland for worst record. And apparently Minnesota actually wants to draft another PG. He could join Johnny Flynn and maybe Ricky Rubio.

Thanks again Kyrie. Best wishes.

Bluedevil114
04-06-2011, 07:08 PM
Kyrie will always be a Duke Blue Devil for life!! The one year he played here will go very far for Duke in the future. If he turns out to have a great NBA career. Think about what that does to our recruiting. His decision was a major impact for Austin Rivers and others.

What if Kobe had come to Duke for one year?

Thank You Kyrie!! I really enjoyed every game you played in this year.

NYC Duke Fan
04-06-2011, 07:13 PM
I am sure that UNC fans had the same feeling last year when Singler and Smith announced that they were returning and with the coming of Irving, Duke was annointed the pre-season number 1. It didn't work out that way did it.

At the beginning of the season did anyone here think that Butler, VCU and UCONN would be in the Final 4 ?

Would Duke be a championship team next year...probably not, but then again who knows

thewoosh31
04-06-2011, 07:15 PM
Sad to see him go, but I'm looking forward to him dominating (hopefully) in the NBA that I had hoped J-Will was going to do. Crossing my fingers that he doesn't get some freak injury like some of our best PGs have in the nba.

sporthenry
04-06-2011, 07:17 PM
Kyrie will always be a Duke Blue Devil for life!! The one year he played here will go very far for Duke in the future. If he turns out to have a great NBA career. Think about what that does to our recruiting. His decision was a major impact for Austin Rivers and others.

What if Kobe had come to Duke for one year?

Thank You Kyrie!! I really enjoyed every game you played in this year.

I do think it will give K some credibility b/c coaches like Calipari can't say K doesn't put guys into the NBA (and I know Duke has the most players in the NBA but a one and done gets a lot more press). Now all we need is for Mason to become a lottery pick next year and Tony Parker to come here and dominate and haters won't have anything to attack.

Jderf
04-06-2011, 07:19 PM
Thank You Kyrie!! I really enjoyed every game you played in this year.

Every game? That last one was a little rough for my tastes.

But I can at least say that I enjoyed every performance you gave us, Kyrie. It was something special to watch. Good luck out there. I hope for (and expect) nothing but the best for you.

Stay blue, Ponyboy. Stay blue.

ThePublisher
04-06-2011, 07:37 PM
What a downer of a day today has been. First I get a text from espn saying zeller and barnes are coming back, then the Irving bomb is dropped via the same method not 10 minutes later. Down, further down.
This is really disappointing. We got to see one of the most talented players to ever wear a Duke uniform in a mere 11 games. I know I am entitled to nothing, but I feel robbed.

The Year that Could have been. The One that could have been. That's how I'll remember this past season.

BleedsP287
04-06-2011, 07:41 PM
Thanks and good luck Kyrie. I wish you could have had a compete season. You'll always be a Dukie, and we'll always love you, but I have to say I miss you already. Give 'em hell in the NBA.

Benjonson
04-06-2011, 07:41 PM
Sorry we won't see KI's brilliance in a Duke uniform again, but we have much to look forward to in the coming season.

Next play.

ChillinDuke
04-06-2011, 07:42 PM
Best of luck, Kyrie! Proud to call you a Dukie.

I will be on hand to hear your name in Newark.

I fully expect it will be the first name I hear.

Go get 'em, 'Rie!

obsesseddukefan
04-06-2011, 07:56 PM
Thank you Kyrie. It was truly great seeing you in a Duke uniform. I cant wait to see you shine in the NBA. Congratulations! :)

WordLife565
04-06-2011, 08:11 PM
it's impossible to not have a slighlty salty taste in my mouth, seeing as how people like Barnes, Sullinger, Henson and Zeller are staying. They're all top prospects, but they're coming back, most likely for the chance to win it all, and Kyrie obviously doesn't care about that.

Idk, I understand that he's worried about risking his future, but I still feel that one FULL year in the NCAA will do him much better than jumping to the draft now, especially with a possible lockout.

I'm not gonna be selfish about it, but if I saw ALL of the BEST players on my hugest rivals' squad come back to school, to win it all, there's no way I wouldn't come back, it's just a natural competetive spirit.

It probably did have some to do with young talent coming in, and wanting to give them playing time, which I would understand, but it still sucks to see our best guard in years, leave after 11 games.

Starter
04-06-2011, 08:22 PM
Barnes, Zeller, etc. have no bearing or relevance on Irving's individual mentality and situation. I loved watching him at Duke, I was hoping to continue to, but I would have done the exact same thing. Best of luck to Kyrie, we were fortunate to have a player of his caliber to watch for even one year, and equally fortunate to have another of his ilk next season in Austin Rivers.

J4Kop99
04-06-2011, 08:44 PM
Barnes, Zeller, etc. have no bearing or relevance on Irving's individual mentality and situation. I loved watching him at Duke, I was hoping to continue to, but I would have done the exact same thing. Best of luck to Kyrie, we were fortunate to have a player of his caliber to watch for even one year, and equally fortunate to have another of his ilk next season in Austin Rivers.

This is my only point:

Forget who goes to which school...

Player A:
Freshman
Tremendous talent
Had a great year(on a great team). Team did well but could have done better.
Said to be picked in the top 3 in the NBA draft
-Ends up leaving school to go to the draft

Player B:
Freshman
Tremendous talent
Had a great year(on a great team) Team did well but could have done better.
Said to be picked in the top 3 of the NBA draft
-Ends up staying in school for another year to try and win a Nat'l Title

-Both teams are loaded with talent but have a much higher chance of achieving great success with player A/B staying in school.

Now I am not saying either decision is the "correct" decision. However, looking at both situations, I would say Player B is more competitive. I would say Player B values winning more.

I am not trying to bad-mouth Kyrie, but I feel as if these are fair judgements. It's just the fact that we are dealing with Kyrie Irving, who happens to play for Duke, a team and school that we all care deeply for... which hurts our ability to look at this from an un-biased perspective.

If Kyrie had announced he was returning, no one and I mean NO ONE, would have been like "What?? Kyrie! Leave man. Why the hell did you come back? You're making a big mistake here." Some may say they would, but if it came down to it and he did return, that wouldn't happen. Just because we are fans of a school/basketball team, does not mean we have to automatically accept whatever the players on said team decides to do.

Also, I do not want to come off as selfish or as if I am TELLING Kyrie what to do. But looking at this from the outside, I see it a different way.


-Note: Barnes has not made any decision. So I could be simply wasting my own time here... but it's how I feel and I think it's a completely reasonable POV.

Lord Ash
04-06-2011, 08:46 PM
Barnes, Zeller, etc. have no bearing or relevance on Irving's individual mentality and situation. I loved watching him at Duke, I was hoping to continue to, but I would have done the exact same thing. Best of luck to Kyrie, we were fortunate to have a player of his caliber to watch for even a third of a year, and equally fortunate to have another of his ilk next season in Austin Rivers.

Unfortunately I had to fix your post:(

Man. Great for Kyrie, but tough for this here Duke fan... would have loved to see him in a Duke uniform for a full season... and alongside Austin? Oh man, that is the stuff dreams are made of.

Lauderdevil
04-06-2011, 08:51 PM
Kyrie was a true Dukie, and it's impossible to wish him anything but the absolute best. I don't see how he could have done anything else. Good luck, Kyrie!

Atlanta Duke
04-06-2011, 08:53 PM
Idk, I understand that he's worried about risking his future, but I still feel that one FULL year in the NCAA will do him much better than jumping to the draft now, especially with a possible lockout.

I'm not gonna be selfish about it, but if I saw ALL of the BEST players on my hugest rivals' squad come back to school, to win it all, there's no way I wouldn't come back, it's just a natural competetive spirit.

Consider the possibility the Duke-Carolina rivalry means more to you than it does to Kyrie Irving:)

I doubt his potential #1 draft position is going to improve by staying (which I do not believe to be the case for his "rivals" down 15-501) and he experienced the hazard of having it all blow up with a freak career altering injury - leaving now is the smart move

Congrats to Kyrie Irving and best regards for a fine career at the next level

moonpie23
04-06-2011, 09:00 PM
please.....folks.......stop with the judgements.....


unless any of you have been looking down the barrel of being possibly the number one pick in the nba draft vs staying at school after spending a bunch of your freshman year on the bench due to an injury, you have no right to judge.

if you don't want to wish kyrie well, fine, but could we stop with the judgements?

diveonthefloor
04-06-2011, 09:12 PM
Based on Kyrie's attitude about this announcement, I am guessing that he received pretty strong signals that he would go #1 in the draft. I think he called it "a dream come true."

No way you can begrudge him this. No way!

As a Duke alum, I sure hope he figures out a way to continue towards his degree.

And as for those fans upset because they figure it hurts Duke's chances next year: calm down! Duke is going to be good. REAL GOOD! And K's 5th NC would not be a far-fetched goal.

MartyClark
04-06-2011, 09:18 PM
What a downer of a day today has been. First I get a text from espn saying zeller and barnes are coming back, then the Irving bomb is dropped via the same method not 10 minutes later. Down, further down.
This is really disappointing. We got to see one of the most talented players to ever wear a Duke uniform in a mere 11 games. I know I am entitled to nothing, but I feel robbed.

The Year that Could have been. The One that could have been. That's how I'll remember this past season.

Agree completely. Best wishes to Kyrie. It's interesting though, I find that I never follow the Duke guys all that much once they are in the NBA. I just don't like the NBA nearly as much as college basketball.

ojaidave
04-06-2011, 09:23 PM
This is my only point:
Now I am not saying either decision is the "correct" decision. However, looking at both situations, I would say Player B is more competitive. I would say Player B values winning more.


Alternatively, Player A may be hyper competitive and wants to get to the NBA and play with and against the very best.

Kyrie's situation could not have improved with another year in college, he wouldn't be drafted any higher. I'm not trying to discount the college experience here, but staying another year he risks another injury, or having pro scouts lose some interest as they pursue some other High Potential kid. As much as those of us who love the college game hate this, for the elite players, college is a business. For Kyrie there was some upside to staying (POY awards, championship chase, jersey retirement, beating Carolina, teammates) but a ton of downside.

When the season started, I was fully prepared to believe the hype about Kyrie was just that, hype. But it wasn't. Kyrie is the real deal and is ready for the pros.

Best of luck Kyrie.

CLW
04-06-2011, 09:30 PM
Sad but understand Kyrie's decision of fulfilling his dream of playing in the NBA. Best of luck!

Gthoma2a
04-06-2011, 09:36 PM
I don't think anybody thinks we have less of a chance at winning a title (our weakness is more based on the inside). Kyrie is great but he likes the ball, and Rivers will be that guy next year. It could be a risk for Austin having chemistry problems. I hope Kyrie has great success in the NBA, but for us, I hope we have a versatile 1 who can do everything, but likes to distribute. I hope we get great/athletic wing play from Gbinije and Daniels, if we get Daniels, to help us make up for the all around great play of Kyle. If these things happen and our bigs just work on rebounding with some putbacks mixed in with kickouts to our shooters, and just keep good positioning to alter some shots (instead of going for the homerun and ending up out of position), we could be much better than this year or at least have a better result. We don't need more than rebounds and some kickouts from the bigs... seriously, that is what makes us a much more dangerous team. I hope our bigs just work with the knowledge that rebounds control the game in a way that is even more important than scoring because it is an applicable skill for both ends of the court.

DukeDevilDeb
04-06-2011, 09:36 PM
This is my only point:

If Kyrie had announced he was returning, no one and I mean NO ONE, would have been like "What?? Kyrie! Leave man. Why the hell did you come back? You're making a big mistake here." Some may say they would, but if it came down to it and he did return, that wouldn't happen. Just because we are fans of a school/basketball team, does not mean we have to automatically accept whatever the players on said team decides to do.

I think there are some people (including me) who would have said to Kyrie "Leave. We love you. We want you to stay. But we understand that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you come back, you are taking a huge risk. Injuries happen... as no one knows better than you. Performances get worse for lots of reasons. Why gamble with as sure a thing as you are going to get." I would add to that, "Kyrie, come back and finish," but I honestly don't think he will... when you have less time here than you have yet to go, it is a very hard thing to do.

Also, let me comment on the question of why hire an agent. If Kyrie--or anyone else, for that matter--is really and truly gone, hiring an agent stops the next thread on DBR which would read: Kyrie: Will he change his mind? I think this is a clear statement that his mind is made up, his family agrees, and he doesn't want to waffle any more. Although I was morally certain he was going to go to the NBA, I didn't think the announcement would happen this soon.

For that, Kyrie, thank you. No point in dragging this out or having thousands of posts trying to convince you to stay. You are following your heart. I hope your NBA career is injury free and that you beat every former Tarheel, every former Huskie, every former Woverine, Wildcat and anyone else who has ever beaten Duke. I hope you get to play with some of our guys already there... Dunleavy, Duhon, Redick, Deng. They are a great group that has done us proud... as I know you will.

Godspeed

freedevil
04-06-2011, 09:46 PM
Kyrie is the man. Wish him the best in the NBA!

jhole
04-06-2011, 10:07 PM
Kyrie set the bar for all one and one players in the future. Nevermind the fact that his game was the most mature and exciting of any freshman I've ever seen at Duke, but he truly unpacked his bags, plus his support of the team during his injury was incredible. I don't watch very many NBA games outside of my local Bobcats, but I will seek out whatever team Kyrie goes to and watch his successful pro career unfold as often as I can. It's painful to think about the potential that existed should he have never been injured, but we can't change that and so I'll try to remember the outstanding young Kyrie and watch him mature into an NBA all-star and fine ambassador for Duke.

BTW: You would have to think that Kyrie will become a great recruiting tool for landing the high quality potential one/two and done'ers of the future.

dukegirl
04-06-2011, 10:08 PM
Let's face it. Of course we're all disappointed to differing degrees that Kyrie won't be in a Duke uniform for the 11-12 season. But the spirit in which most of you are wishing the best for this young man is truly classy....and reflects so well on The Duke Fan.

"What might have been" for the 10-11 season will remain in our thoughts indefinitely, but we all move on with optimism that the next one will bring us new and different joys, as they almost always do.

Get your degree someday, kid. All the best in the meantime with your spectacular talent.

gus
04-06-2011, 10:10 PM
We all expected this. So it's not a surprise.

I can't say I'm not a little bit bitter about the whole thing though, not at KI mind you, none of it is his fault in anyway. But the whole situation. I really wanted to have him be one of the favorite Duke players. But unfortunately he's going to end up tipping my emotional scale somewhere between Shaun Livingston and Loul Deng.

Again, not his fault, and I'm not blaming him. I completely understand his decision. But it is what it is and I can't lie to myself and pretend that I'll cheer for him in the future as much as I would for a John Scheyer, or a Nolan Smith or a Chris Duhon.

I completely agree. I'm not going to cheer for him, not out of malice (I think this is the right move for him, and he certainly owes me, the fan, nothing), but because he wasn't here long enough nor did he play enough for him to register emotionally. I will care for him in the NBA as much as Deng: not much.

freedevil
04-06-2011, 10:13 PM
I completely agree. I'm not going to cheer for him, not out of malice (I think this is the right move for him, and he certainly owes me, the fan, nothing), but because he wasn't here long enough nor did he play enough for him to register emotionally. I will care for him in the NBA as much as Deng: not much.

I feel like Kyrie enjoyed Duke more than Deng, but that's just my guess from watching Kyrie cheer the team on from the bench. Obviously I have no idea if Deng enjoyed being at Duke more or the same as Kyrie, but just my observation.

dukelifer
04-06-2011, 10:31 PM
I feel like Kyrie enjoyed Duke more than Deng, but that's just my guess from watching Kyrie cheer the team on from the bench. Obviously I have no idea if Deng enjoyed being at Duke more or the same as Kyrie, but just my observation.

Hmmm. Kyrie did a lot of cheering but Deng did a lot of playing. Apples and oranges.

Reilly
04-06-2011, 10:38 PM
Looking forward to K coaching KI again ....

NYC Duke Fan
04-06-2011, 10:43 PM
You might as well keep all these posts and just substitue Austin's name for Kyrie's because we will be saying the same thing this time again next year.

Maybe, and I'm sure that I will get criticized for this, Coach K should stop recruiting kids that he knows are only going to stay for 1 year. Everyone knows that Austin is a one and done player. Will Duke have a very good year next year...absolutely because Coach K is such a great coach. Will they win a championship ...most likely not. Will Austin Rivers ever see his sophmore year at Duke....most assuredly not.

The only freshman that I can recall who was the main reason for a team winning a NCAA champion ship was Carmelo Anthony and he was special.

A tip my hat to the Nolan Smiths and Kyle Singlers of the college basketball world...they are and were special Even Roy acknowledged that after the ACC title game and I respect him even more now after that.They are true Dukies and Kyrie Irving cannot hold a candle to them by bailing out after 1 year and 11 games.Of course I wish him well but I do not nor never will have the same affection for him that I have for Smith and Singlar.

I know that I am probably in the minority here but one and done players are not true Dukies in my mind.

....Sorry to be critical but that is the way I feel and will feel the same way next year when Austin Rivers announces that after one year he is leaving Duke to enter the NBA draft.

Mcluhan
04-06-2011, 10:58 PM
Best of luck to Kyrie!

One of the odder college basketball careers. I will always remember how dominant he was in the opening weeks of this season, when the possibilities for this team seemed limitless. Seemed like a really good teammate and actually managed to play a role while injured. One of the more charismatic guys to come through as well.

I like his chances in the NBA. Sacramento, or wherever the Kings might be moving, could be a good fit. They need to move Tyreke Evans to shooting guard, and Demarcus has been an impact rookie who I actually think is a good kid, but a kid nonetheless. They might move to Anaheim, which is not such a great fit. :-(

-bdbd
04-06-2011, 11:11 PM
SIGH... Well, when I left Duke back in the 80's, WITH MY DEGREE, I was to become a Navy Ensign earning around $20K/year. Anybody who's really honest, if they'd offered me/them all of those guatranteed millions, and to pursue the career that I dreamed of/loved/enjoyed, well there's just no way I wouldn't have left early myself!!! Congratulations Kyrie on taking your next step. We enjoyed rooting for you in Duke Blue, however short it was, but we'll most certainly be rooting for you in the future as well. Make us proud in the Association -- you're heading for stardom.

To my fellow fans: While this is certainly a big,fat downer, only at Duke could you lose three incredible talents as we will this year..... and still be considered in contention the following year. Not a great day, but it sure could be a hell of a lot worse!!

Go Duke! Go Kyrie! :cool:

Mcluhan
04-06-2011, 11:12 PM
I'm also excited about all the great guys we have who will be here next year, and the opportunity opened up for Austin, Seth, Quinn, Andre and Tyler. I mean, I like the look of our backcourt next year!

roywhite
04-06-2011, 11:19 PM
I'm happy for Kyrie, because he has an opportunity that he has dreamed about. How could we not love this kid after seeing his brilliance, his personality, his perseverance through injury, and his enjoyment of Duke?

It's sad that he played so few games for Duke, sad that he never played an ACC game and never had a chance to participate in the greatest rivalry in college sports, Duke vs UNC. But that's the way it goes; injuries suck.

It's better to have loved him and lost him than never to have had him here.

Good luck and Godspeed, Kyrie.

gwlaw99
04-06-2011, 11:31 PM
Such a great kid with such a great attitude. Will be proud to have him representing Duke in the NBA. Very sad to see him go because I loved watching him play and he had such a positive effect on his teammates with all of his positive energy. I wish him nothing, but the best. I will pray for him not to go to Cleveland:)

jefreema
04-07-2011, 12:04 AM
i wish i cared more about kyrie but, sadly, i do not. i think he is a good kid and he was a great ambassador for duke while playing and encouraging from the sideline. it is just hard for me to have too much invested in a player i saw play for 11 games. i wish him all the best seeing as how he did make a commitment to duke (regardless of amount of time here). but i'm just not invested in him. i realize that people may consider me a "bad fan" or otherwise but i can not help it. i barely even saw him play. that's not his fault for getting injured but it is his choice to leave. it was just too little amount of time for me to connect to him as a duke player. i would never actively root against him or anything, but i also don't see me actively seeking out games he plays in the nba to watch and cheer for him.

Mcluhan
04-07-2011, 12:06 AM
Why do you care where he goes? He is no longer a Dukie, and I don't think that he will be representing Duke in the NBA. He will be representing Kyrie Irving and noone else.
Grant Hill and Shane Battier and Christian Laettner represented Duke in the NBA, but not Kyrie Irving.

Do you care where Corey Magette goes or where Elton Brand goes?

This isn't really how I want to approach my attitude toward people who I should have nothing against. And I'd always rather want the best for someone than the alternative.

Nobody betrayed anybody today. And outside of the game there's no need to be so tribal. We're all people who make decisions, and big decisions.

sagegrouse
04-07-2011, 12:09 AM
Why do you care where he goes? He is no longer a Dukie, and I don't think that he will be representing Duke in the NBA. He will be representing Kyrie Irving and noone else.
Grant Hill and Shane Battier and Christian Laettner represented Duke in the NBA, but not Kyrie Irving.

Do you care where Corey Magette goes or where Elton Brand goes?

I care because Kyrie is a special kid and wore the Duke uniform. As to Corey and Elton, yes, I do care, especially Elton. Now Shaun Livingston -- nah.

sagegrouse

Sir Stealth
04-07-2011, 12:09 AM
Why do you care where he goes? He is no longer a Dukie, and I don't think that he will be representing Duke in the NBA. He will be representing Kyrie Irving and noone else.
Grant Hill and Shane Battier and Christian Laettner represented Duke in the NBA, but not Kyrie Irving.

Do you care where Corey Magette goes or where Elton Brand goes?

This is absolutely despicable. Please see Coach K's comments about what the Duke program actually thinks regarding Kyrie's choice and his opportunity. Kyrie represents Duke very well, but you truly do not represent Duke as far as I am concerned. Kyrie's profession gives him an advantage when coming out at a young age while his stock is high. Your expectations and demands for him are based only on your selfish desire for him to entertain you. Your happiness about what Kyrie can do for you (rather than for either Duke or for himself) has nothing to do with what properly represents the Duke program. That goes for Corey Maggette (note the proper spelling) and Elton Brand as well.

JasonEvans
04-07-2011, 12:16 AM
I deleted some disgusting comments that unfairly slammed a member of the Duke team and was about to follow board custom and delete the responses to the banned comments as well. But, after seeing several folks chiming in to slap down the offender, I decided to leave their posts up as an example of level-heads prevailing here.

It is ok to regret that Kyrie left. Heck all of us probably wish he had decided otherwise. However, it is well out of bounds to say he is not a Dukie. Such conduct will not be allowed on the DBR. Kyrie gave us all we could ask for this season... and then he busted his butt to come back from an injury that would have ended the season of almost anyone else. He is very much a true Dukie and I will be eager to track his NBA career and celebrate its success.

-Jason Evans

fgb
04-07-2011, 12:29 AM
funny, this whole thing--kyrie leaving--has me feeling completely ripped off. and the thing is, it's not that he's leaving after one year; i mean, hell, that kind of money, i really, really can't imagine saying no.

but there is a sour taste in my mouth. and it's because of this: through incredibly bad luck, we lost out on watching him play for the most of this past year. that is nobody's fault. but, man, it makes me sad.

i guess my point is, maybe for those of us who have any sort of sour taste, maybe consider what is the real source of it: bad luck, for what could have been this year. that makes me sad as hell.

as for barnes, sullinger, etc...who cares. i don't, not at all.

as for kyrie: best of luck, my man. i wish i could have watched you for a full season, probably a fraction of how much you wish you could have played. thanks for giving all you were able to this year.

ncexnyc
04-07-2011, 12:36 AM
If anyone doubts Kyrie's sincerity or commitment to Duke and the team, all you have to know is that he risked everything in an attempt to help the team win another National Championship. It would have been very easy for him to sit on the sidelines and protect his draft position, but he didn't.
I just hope that there isn't a lockout as I know how much it bothered him to sit on the sidelines watching during his injury and missing next season while waiting for the labor issues to be resolved would kill him.

jefreema
04-07-2011, 12:41 AM
i wanted to clarify my earlier post:

i have no ill will towards kyrie. i wish him the best. i would have looooooved to have seen him play more but fate intervened. all that i was saying is that i never really developed a connection or any strong feelings toward him other than him wearing a duke jersey. these things happen over time and is the reason we have "favorite" players. i never got that chance with kyrie due to a multitude of reasons. well, really two reasons i guess! i wish him the best but i don't know that i will follow him as closely as i do boozer, battier, brand, or dunleavy. that's just me though.

i just didn't want anyone to think i was a butthole.

g-money
04-07-2011, 12:50 AM
First off, let me join many other posters in saying Congrats to Kyrie! While we Duke fans all wish we got to see more of you wearing that #1 jersey, we're 100% behind you as you take your next step forward in life. Here's to taking the NBA by storm, kiddo.

Now as for the System, let me just say that the System stinks. "One-and-done" may work great for the NBA, but it is the worst possible deal for major college basketball. If agents, runners, slimy coaches, and corrupt NCAA operatives didn't rule the college scene, perhaps we could get to a place where schools and coaches insisted that kids come to college primarily for an education and, to the fullest extent possible, for a degree. For those kids whose primary goal is to become a professional athlete, why not let them go for it straight out of the shoot.

Instead we're stuck in a bizarre reality in which college basketball is simply a one-year stepping stone for many of the top players. It must give Coach K migraines to have to try to coach (and educate, in his own way) players on such unsteady terms. A pity. Too bad the NBA, which holds most of the cards in this game, couldn't care less.

burns15
04-07-2011, 01:00 AM
I deleted some disgusting comments that unfairly slammed a member of the Duke team and was about to follow board custom and delete the responses to the banned comments as well. But, after seeing several folks chiming in to slap down the offender, I decided to leave their posts up as an example of level-heads prevailing here.

It is ok to regret that Kyrie left. Heck all of us probably wish he had decided otherwise. However, it is well out of bounds to say he is not a Dukie. Such conduct will not be allowed on the DBR. Kyrie gave us all we could ask for this season... and then he busted his butt to come back from an injury that would have ended the season of almost anyone else. He is very much a true Dukie and I will be eager to track his NBA career and celebrate its success.

-Jason Evans

The fact that Kyrie cheered his butt off while on the bench with his injured toe said a lot to me. The kid loved Duke, and fully invested himself in the program. How can you fault him for making, in most opinions and especially those that matter, the best choice for his future. He will never have a higher draft stock, and if K thinks he is ready for the NBA, who am I to argue?

K has a great track record... Players he has supported leaving early: Brand, JWill, Boozer, Deng... Players he did not support leaving early: Avery, Maggette, Shav, McRoberts? (not sure here)... I think there is a wide gap between those groups, and it clearly shows who was ready and who wasn't. Maggette being the only one that bucked the trend, I would argue.

Kyrie is the Dukie that I hope every player would be (and yes Kyle and Nolan fit the bill). His charisma, talent, and committment will help immeasurably in recruiting, and have already paid off with Austin Rivers (just like Nolan has helped with many people like Kyrie, Tyler Thornton, Quinn Cook, etc.)

burns15
04-07-2011, 01:23 AM
You might as well keep all these posts and just substitue Austin's name for Kyrie's because we will be saying the same thing this time again next year.

Maybe, and I'm sure that I will get criticized for this, Coach K should stop recruiting kids that he knows are only going to stay for 1 year. Everyone knows that Austin is a one and done player. Will Duke have a very good year next year...absolutely because Coach K is such a great coach. Will they win a championship ...most likely not. Will Austin Rivers ever see his sophmore year at Duke....most assuredly not.

The only freshman that I can recall who was the main reason for a team winning a NCAA champion ship was Carmelo Anthony and he was special.

A tip my hat to the Nolan Smiths and Kyle Singlers of the college basketball world...they are and were special Even Roy acknowledged that after the ACC title game and I respect him even more now after that.They are true Dukies and Kyrie Irving cannot hold a candle to them by bailing out after 1 year and 11 games.Of course I wish him well but I do not nor never will have the same affection for him that I have for Smith and Singlar.

I know that I am probably in the minority here but one and done players are not true Dukies in my mind.

....Sorry to be critical but that is the way I feel and will feel the same way next year when Austin Rivers announces that after one year he is leaving Duke to enter the NBA draft.

Everyone on here was complaining a few years ago about how we didn't get the "one and done" talents, can K do anything right haha?

K has done a fantastic job of changing his approach to recruiting. In the late 90s and early 2000s, for the most part, we saw a huge class (5 or 6 guys), followed by two smaller classes (1 or 2 guys). This strategy killed Duke in the middle part of the decade when a few people didn't show on campus, a few others left early, and a few more transferred (I have actually put together an interesting article showing my view on this, if anyone would like to take a look haha).

But since then he has gone to recruiting classes that consistently have 3 to 4 people in them (Scheyer, Thomas, Zoubs, Henderson...Nolan, Kyle, Taylor King... Miles, Olek, Elliot Williams...Kyrie, Tyler, Josh... Austin, Quinn, Marshall, Gbinije). His attempt has been to bring in a mix of QUALITY three to four year players and "One and done" talents. This helps to ensure that the core and basis of the program stays steady from year to year with quality experienced talent, and then includes a guy or two who can be a difference maker (and sometimes these guys stick around.. like Kyle or Gerald).

To prove this look at the recruiting classes since the 2007 class (One and done in bold, quality three to four year players underlined):
Scheyer, Thomas, Zoubs, Henderson(happened to stick around 3 years)
Nolan, Kyle(happened to stay all 4, but could have left after any year he wanted)...excluding TKing
Miles, Elliot(unfortunate transfer, but did leave early after his soph year.. excluding Olek
Ryan, Mason(could leave this year, might have been able to last year if he had not broken his wrist)
Tyler, Josh, Kyrie
Quinn,Marshall, Gbinije, Austin

Kfanarmy
04-07-2011, 02:05 AM
... However, it is well out of bounds to say he is not a Dukie. Such conduct will not be allowed on the DBR. -Jason Evans While I appreciate the sentiment in you're post, I am hopeful that you're paraphrase here doesn't include those who purposefully qualified their statements to insure 1) everyone understood it was an individual opinion and that 2) their statements were intended to favor multi-season players. From the limited examples I've seen your post implies more negativity than the posters wrote/intended and is inaccurate in those cases.

jammsb
04-07-2011, 06:20 AM
Kyrie,
We hardly knew you. What we did know and see was an exceptional young man who did everything and even more than was expected of him under the most trying and difficult conditions. To anybody who thinks that they wouldn't have done what he has given his situation, I say that the only word that describes you would be - hypocrite!!
I think that its hard for people who are fans to understand that Kyrie's choice to become a professional basketball player is comparable to one's deciding that one wan ts to become a doctor, a lawyer or the proverbial indian chief.
That is his profession. That is what he has chosen to become. For him to do anything other than what he has decided to do would be sheer folly.
Godspeed and continued success young man!! You have and will continue to do us proud.

flyingdutchdevil
04-07-2011, 06:43 AM
Again, congrats on Kyrie. He will be, without fail, a top 3 pick in the NBA draft. As with every draft, there are teams that have great potential and teams that, well, not so much. With that said, the lottery is most likely going to look like this in the order of odds for winning the lottery (remember that a team with the worst odds can still win, as the Bulls did 3 years ago with Derrick Rose):

-Cleveland
-Minnesota
-Toronto
-Washington DC
-Sacramento
-Utah (from NJ)
-Detroit
-Cleveland (from LAC)
-Milwaukee
-Charlotte
-Golden St
-Phoenix
-Houston

I know it's a little early, but I've broken down teams that I would like Kyrie to be drafted to. As a foreign with no ties to any city, I don't have loyalty / animosity to any team. I'm basing my thoughts purely on the potential and personnel of said team.

Teams That Will Not Draft Kyrie
-Washington (already have Wall)
-Milwaukee (already have Jennings)

Teams That I Hope Avoid Kyrie
-Cleveland (I feel for Cleveland fans, but the front office is terrible. They don't have any good assets and will have to start from ground zero)
-Sacramento (can't really grow as a person or a player with the cancer known as Cousins and the ball-hog known as Evans)
-Detroit (aging stars and no-defense role players)
-Charlotte (big upgrade over Augustin but don't have a strong roster at all. The way MJ and co and gutting the team, Kyrie may be left with a bunch of role players down the line)

Teams Where Kyrie Could Make an Instant Impact
-Toronto (big upgrade from Calderon)
-Golden St (they could finally trade either Curry or Ellis and have a really PG to run the show)
-Houston (upgrade over Lowry. Would make the team better. The team has decent players and they play so well together but I'm not sure how far they can advance)

Teams Where I Would Love To See Kyrie Go
-Minnesota (with Love, Beasley, and a few good role players, Kyrie can make an instant impact here. However, not sure what the status is on Rubio)
-Phoenix (not that great of a roster in the next few years, but imagine what Kyrie could learn from Nash)
-Utah (with two legitimate big men in Millsap and Jefferson, Kyrie would have a strong foundation to work with)

Where do you want to see Kyrie go?

UrinalCake
04-07-2011, 06:45 AM
With regard to the UNC guys staying, if the roles were reversed the UNC fans would be saying things like Duke can't develop NBA talent, Duke is only a school for four-year players, Duke has ruined elite players by forcing them to stay for more than one year, this is why great players shouldn't go to Duke, etc. Having a guy leave after a year is just part of the game these days, and in a way is a necessity to compete at the top.

I'll wish Kyrie well next year and cheer like heck for him to do well, but I also feel fine about our team heading into this season. Winning the championship isn't just about having the most talent, it's about having the best team, so there's no reason we can't do it next year.

dukedoc
04-07-2011, 07:16 AM
I'll wish Kyrie well next year and cheer like heck for him to do well, but I also feel fine about our team heading into this season. Winning the championship isn't just about having the most talent, it's about having the best team, so there's no reason we can't do it next year.

I agree. That's the beauty (and frustration) of college ball. Anything can happen. This year's tourney is a great example of that. The highest sum total of natural talent doesn't guarantee a team anything. There are too many intangibles. Neither Butler nor Uconn (even with the marvelous Kemba) were among the most talented teams this year. And yet, most people will remember 2010-2011 as the year UConn won, and not the year OSU was so talent-laden. With a good core of genuine talent, a few upper classmen to lead and offer emotional balance, and K at the helm, I am quite optimistic.

MChambers
04-07-2011, 08:54 AM
-Phoenix (not that great of a roster in the next few years, but imagine what Kyrie could learn from Nash)
Not only could he learn from Nash, but he could be Grant's teammate. I'll be rooting for the Suns, although they are quite a longshot.

moonpie23
04-07-2011, 09:11 AM
well, it IS kind of funny that if Kyrie is successful in the NBA, haters will say that "he would have been great anyway". "Calipari develops NBA talent while K just watches it go through his program for a year"


funny....


i'm sure the haters will say that K talked mason into coming back should he decide to stay, however Roy is looking out for his kids by their decision to return....

Steve68
04-07-2011, 09:33 AM
DBR: Grant Hill, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, and Jon Scheyer all had at least three years at Duke and each one left with their degree. Kyrie might have great character and he certainly demonstrated a high level of talent in his 11 games, but please don't compare him to those four Duke greats. The comparisons just don't hold.

jv001
04-07-2011, 10:26 AM
DBR: Grant Hill, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, and Jon Scheyer all had at least three years at Duke and each one left with their degree. Kyrie might have great character and he certainly demonstrated a high level of talent in his 11 games, but please don't compare him to those four Duke greats. The comparisons just don't hold.

I have to agree. I would put "potentially" by Kyrie's name in the discussion. GoDuke!

DukeCrow
04-07-2011, 10:30 AM
DBR: Grant Hill, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, and Jon Scheyer all had at least three years at Duke and each one left with their degree. Kyrie might have great character and he certainly demonstrated a high level of talent in his 11 games, but please don't compare him to those four Duke greats. The comparisons just don't hold.

+1

Nothing against Kyrie or anyone else that left before graduating, but in my heart the players who stay and graduate are in a class of their own. That kind of love for and dedication to Duke makes them special to me and, I'm sure, many other alumni and/or fans.

NYBri
04-07-2011, 10:55 AM
DBR: Grant Hill, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, and Jon Scheyer all had at least three years at Duke and each one left with their degree. Kyrie might have great character and he certainly demonstrated a high level of talent in his 11 games, but please don't compare him to those four Duke greats. The comparisons just don't hold.

I also doubt that #1 will be retired. You need to have a "career" to have that honor bestowed.

Wander
04-07-2011, 10:58 AM
Am I missing something? All DBR said was that Kyrie, Battier, Scheyer, etc were all "guys who are recognized for not just their basketball skills but their character as well." Not that Irving had as good a college career as Grant Hill or that his number should be retired. What is so controversial about that?

thenameisbond
04-07-2011, 11:02 AM
I can't fault Kyrie for leaving given his projected draft position. He feels he's ready for the next level and so does the staff.

While the decision makes sense economically, I can't help but think that there is part of Kyrie that will regret leaving Duke early. The experience of playing for Duke only comes along once and lasts for a brief time, after which it is gone forever. The scholarship money certainly won't be worth what he will receive in NBA (and probably endorsement) dollars next year, but from a life experience perspective it's priceless.

Sir Stealth
04-07-2011, 11:04 AM
Am I missing something? All DBR said was that Kyrie, Battier, Scheyer, etc were all "guys who are recognized for not just their basketball skills but their character as well." Not that Irving had as good a college career as Grant Hill or that his number should be retired. What is so controversial about that?

Exactly. The statement was made to compare each of them as people with great character. In no way did it attempt to equalize their Duke basketball careers. Duke fans should look to value the things that Kyrie brought to Duke and still brings by representing us, not ways in which his time here didn't live up to their own expectations.

Son of Mojo
04-07-2011, 11:36 AM
I absolutely hate seeing him go........but you have to let him follow his own path. Given his status he should be one of the top 3 picks and regardless of the labor situation, he should earn a hefty contract because of it. Wished his ride could've lasted a little longer by at least a year (lots of unfinished business IMO), but hope he does well.

On a related note, has anyone caught the four letter networks' announcement on SportsCenter this morning? After they talk of KI leaving, they show other Duke early entrants to the draft. Instead of just saying after the x season or y season this player left, they had to put specific stress on "after losing to such-and-such in the x season this player went into the draft." Really? Is that what they feel they must do?

Indoor66
04-07-2011, 11:58 AM
Didn't someone once say that everyone has to run their own race?

Spam Filter
04-07-2011, 12:13 PM
Exactly. The statement was made to compare each of them as people with great character. In no way did it attempt to equalize their Duke basketball careers. Duke fans should look to value the things that Kyrie brought to Duke and still brings by representing us, not ways in which his time here didn't live up to their own expectations.

I think the point is about KI "representing" Duke. I hate to say it but he simply haven't been associated with Duke long enough to "represent" Duke. I know it's easy to say it now because he's been just here. But 5 years from now very few people will associate him with Duke at all.

When people talk about Duke guys how often does Deng's name come up? And he was part of a FF team and also a great young men, I remember people talk about how well he'll represent Duke when he left, but the fact of the matter is he doesn't and haven't because the association simply isn't there. Again, I'm not criticizing Kyrie for his decision. But facts are facts and actions have consequences. This decision has made Kyrie a lot of money, and given him an earlier shot at his dream of playing in the NBA, the downside is he will not have a Duke legacy. He's well within his right to decide that the former is more important to him than the latter, but let there be no doubt that the cost is real, he will not have a Duke legacy, and he will not be "representing" Duke in the minds of the public. People will see him as Kyrie Irving, not "Kyrie Irving, the guy from Duke".

Indoor66
04-07-2011, 12:17 PM
I think the point is about KI "representing" Duke. I hate to say it but he simply haven't been associated with Duke long enough to "represent" Duke. I know it's easy to say it now because he's been just here. But 5 years from now very few people will associate him with Duke at all.

When people talk about Duke guys how often does Deng's name come up? And he was part of a FF team and also a great young men, I remember people talk about how well he'll represent Duke when he left, but the fact of the matter is he doesn't and haven't because the association simply isn't there. Again, I'm not criticizing Kyrie for his decision. But facts are facts and actions have consequences. This decision has made Kyrie a lot of money, and given him an earlier shot at his dream of playing in the NBA, the downside is he will not have a Duke legacy. He's well within his right to decide that the former is more important to him than the latter, but let there be no doubt that the cost is real, he will not have a Duke legacy, and he will not be "representing" Duke in the minds of the public. People will see him as Kyrie Irving, not "Kyrie Irving, the guy from Duke".

Other than zealot fans, almost no one knows or cares where a player went to school. It is not an issue in the pros other than an occasional mention.

Spam Filter
04-07-2011, 12:29 PM
Other than zealot fans, almost no one knows or cares where a player went to school. It is not an issue in the pros other than an occasional mention.

I disagree, I almost never hear people talk about Grant Hill, or Shane Battier, or JJ Redick, or Jason Williams without mentioning Duke at some point.

Sir Stealth
04-07-2011, 01:16 PM
I think the point is about KI "representing" Duke. I hate to say it but he simply haven't been associated with Duke long enough to "represent" Duke. I know it's easy to say it now because he's been just here. But 5 years from now very few people will associate him with Duke at all.

When people talk about Duke guys how often does Deng's name come up? And he was part of a FF team and also a great young men, I remember people talk about how well he'll represent Duke when he left, but the fact of the matter is he doesn't and haven't because the association simply isn't there. Again, I'm not criticizing Kyrie for his decision. But facts are facts and actions have consequences. This decision has made Kyrie a lot of money, and given him an earlier shot at his dream of playing in the NBA, the downside is he will not have a Duke legacy. He's well within his right to decide that the former is more important to him than the latter, but let there be no doubt that the cost is real, he will not have a Duke legacy, and he will not be "representing" Duke in the minds of the public. People will see him as Kyrie Irving, not "Kyrie Irving, the guy from Duke".

I disagree that Luol Deng is not associated with Duke and is not considered to represent Duke. This is an opinion that is hard to quantify and you are of course entitled to your impression, but one example would be the fact that people refer to the Bulls being Duke heavy for having both Deng and Boozer. If you listened to Coach K's recent Chicago radio appearance, he discussed loving the Bulls not just because he is a Bulls fan from Chicago but because they have both Luol and Carlos. K speaks of Luol very affectionately and you get the impression that he is still close to him.

Luol Deng is sort of an under the radar guy, both with his basketball game and with his personality, but I think that someone like Kyrie who is much more outspoken and outgoing (both about his Duke experience and in general) is likely to have an even stronger association. Time will tell.

Steve68
04-07-2011, 01:37 PM
Am I missing something? All DBR said was that Kyrie, Battier, Scheyer, etc were all "guys who are recognized for not just their basketball skills but their character as well." Not that Irving had as good a college career as Grant Hill or that his number should be retired. What is so controversial about that?

Yes, in my opinion you are missing something. The full DBR statement "Kyrie is very much in the line of Grant Hill, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, Jon Scheyer and the rest of the long blue line, guys who are recognized for not just their basketball skills but their character as well" compares Kyrie to a very special list of Duke basketball players, each of whom actually demonstated their character and basketball prowess over multiple years, each of whom had multiple team and individual accomplishments over that time, and each of whom earned a degree from Duke. Kyrie played 11 games. I don't think that belongs in the same group with Hill, Battier, Williams, and Scheyer. I applaud his willingness to sit on the bench while injured and cheer for his team mates, but that hardly compares with the character, leadership, and overall accomplishments achieved by those on the list over a 3-4 year period. In fact, I think putting him on a list with players who were exceptional even by Duke standards diminishes the accomplishments of the others on the list - there is the controversy. I'm sure he is a fine person and he will likely have an exceptional career in the NBA. I just don't think he belongs on a list with Duke greats.

thewoosh31
04-07-2011, 02:20 PM
I disagree that Luol Deng is not associated with Duke and is not considered to represent Duke. This is an opinion that is hard to quantify and you are of course entitled to your impression, but one example would be the fact that people refer to the Bulls being Duke heavy for having both Deng and Boozer. If you listened to Coach K's recent Chicago radio appearance, he discussed loving the Bulls not just because he is a Bulls fan from Chicago but because they have both Luol and Carlos. K speaks of Luol very affectionately and you get the impression that he is still close to him.

Luol Deng is sort of an under the radar guy, both with his basketball game and with his personality, but I think that someone like Kyrie who is much more outspoken and outgoing (both about his Duke experience and in general) is likely to have an even stronger association. Time will tell.

agree completely. people are going to associate people in the pros to duke for positive or negative reasons. if someone is having a bad career/year, a duke hater will say, oh yeah that's b/c that guy went to duke and vice versa. i know people that say kobe would've went to duke if he had gone to college.

PADukeMom
04-07-2011, 03:07 PM
Just heard about this. Best of luck in the NBA Kyrie except when you play against my Nolan:p. Thank you for 11 terrific games. It was a pleasure having you on the 10-11 squad.

Wait a second...let me add this...I just read some of the previous posts. I don't care if you wore the Duke jersey for 1 game or 100 games, I am sorry but you most definately ARE part of the Duke family. IDK how anyone can justify saying that Deng isn't a "real Dukie"...guess what...he is & always will be. SMH! I may be in the minority here but that is how I feel. I am not trying to argue or disrespect anyone's feelings.

This is a good day in Durham. One of our family members is going to be getting a really great paying job.

Exiled_Devil
04-07-2011, 03:57 PM
Yes, in my opinion you are missing something. The full DBR statement "Kyrie is very much in the line of Grant Hill, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, Jon Scheyer and the rest of the long blue line, guys who are recognized for not just their basketball skills but their character as well" compares Kyrie to a very special list of Duke basketball players, each of whom actually demonstated their character and basketball prowess over multiple years, each of whom had multiple team and individual accomplishments over that time, and each of whom earned a degree from Duke. Kyrie played 11 games. I don't think that belongs in the same group with Hill, Battier, Williams, and Scheyer. I applaud his willingness to sit on the bench while injured and cheer for his team mates, but that hardly compares with the character, leadership, and overall accomplishments achieved by those on the list over a 3-4 year period. In fact, I think putting him on a list with players who were exceptional even by Duke standards diminishes the accomplishments of the others on the list - there is the controversy. I'm sure he is a fine person and he will likely have an exceptional career in the NBA. I just don't think he belongs on a list with Duke greats.

Here's your mistake - just because you didn't see the evidence of him belonging on that list doesn't mean it is true. If any one individual can lump Duke players into categories, its the man that coached them. If Coach K thinks he was one of the all time greats, that holds a lot of weight.

Not only do I disagree with your idea that because you didn't see enough of those traits that Kyrie doesn't deserve them attributed to him, but you are wrong in your assessment of Kyrie's ability and character. He is one of the all-time Duke greats. It's a shame that he won't be here longer, but don't try to diminish the guy because he didn't show you personally (or the sportscenter watching public) enough to feel attached to him.

ChicagoHeel
04-07-2011, 04:00 PM
I completely agree. I'm not going to cheer for him, not out of malice (I think this is the right move for him, and he certainly owes me, the fan, nothing), but because he wasn't here long enough nor did he play enough for him to register emotionally. I will care for him in the NBA as much as Deng: not much.

I tend to think along the same lines. I think that you can respect Irving's decision to leave and still say that you have less positive feelings toward him than the Duke greats. He may be part of the Duke family, as so many posters have mentioned, but in a family there are multiple relationships and I tend to think of one-and-dones as second cousins, while the four-year players are more like siblings. I'm thankful for Brandon Wright's contributions to UNC during his one year, but I wish he would have stayed and I will never cheer for him the same way I do Hansbrough. Likewise, I will like Barnes less if he leaves. That doesn't mean I think turning pro is the wrong decision, or that he is less of a person, but there is no way I can like a guy as much if he only stays a year. Someone who stays longer shows a love of the institution and college game, which is where my loyalties are, so why wouldn't I like that person more than a player who leaves early?

ChicagoHeel
04-07-2011, 04:13 PM
Here's your mistake - just because you didn't see the evidence of him belonging on that list doesn't mean it is true. If any one individual can lump Duke players into categories, its the man that coached them. If Coach K thinks he was one of the all time greats, that holds a lot of weight.

Not only do I disagree with your idea that because you didn't see enough of those traits that Kyrie doesn't deserve them attributed to him, but you are wrong in your assessment of Kyrie's ability and character. He is one of the all-time Duke greats. It's a shame that he won't be here longer, but don't try to diminish the guy because he didn't show you personally (or the sportscenter watching public) enough to feel attached to him.

Never in a million years would I consider KI one of the all-time Duke greats. He is a tremendous talent and appeared a great teammate and someone of very solid character, but talent and character are not enough to distinguish him from many who came before him. It diminishes the label to call him one of the all-time Duke greats. Think about the college accomplishments on and off the court of the true Duke elite- how does Irving approach that?

And what would you expect Coach K to say? I'm sure he's genuinely thankful for Irving's efforts and impressed with his abilities, but he's also recruiting other potential short-term prospects. Even if he had negative feelings about KI leaving early, which he almost certainly does not, he's smart enough to know that it would be bad for recruiting to do anything other than sing the praises of the departing. In other words, just because K says he is an all-time great doesn't make it so.

MChambers
04-07-2011, 04:15 PM
I tend to think along the same lines. I think that you can respect Irving's decision to leave and still say that you have less positive feelings toward him than the Duke greats. He may be part of the Duke family, as so many posters have mentioned, but in a family there are multiple relationships and I tend to think of one-and-dones as second cousins, while the four-year players are more like siblings. I'm thankful for Brandon Wright's contributions to UNC during his one year, but I wish he would have stayed and I will never cheer for him the same way I do Hansbrough. Likewise, I will like Barnes less if he leaves. That doesn't mean I think turning pro is the wrong decision, or that he is less of a person, but there is no way I can like a guy as much if he only stays a year. Someone who stays longer shows a love of the institution and college game, which is where my loyalties are, so why wouldn't I like that person more than a player who leaves early?
Isn't his name "Brandan", not "Brandon"? Maybe if he had stayed at UNC another year more folks would spell it correctly. Not that that helped Shelden, of course.:)

MChambers
04-07-2011, 04:18 PM
Never in a million years would I consider KI one of the all-time Duke greats. He is a tremendous talent and appeared a great teammate and someone of very solid character, but talent and character are not enough to distinguish him from many who came before him. It diminishes the label to call him one of the all-time Duke greats. Think about the college accomplishments on and off the court of the true Duke elite- how does Irving approach that?

And what would you expect Coach K to say? I'm sure he's genuinely thankful for Irving's efforts and impressed with his abilities, but he's also recruiting other potential short-term prospects. Even if he had negative feelings about KI leaving early, which he almost certainly does not, he's smart enough to know that it would be bad for recruiting to do anything other than sing the praises of the departing. In other words, just because K says he is an all-time great doesn't make it so.

Don't think Coach K called him one of the all-time greats. He said, "He is a great young man, a terrific student, and a truly amazing representative for our program and for Duke. We love him and are very happy for him and his family."

That's high praise, but I don't Coach K praised Irving's college accomplishments in a way that suggested they were the equivalent of Grant's, for example.

ChicagoHeel
04-07-2011, 04:21 PM
Isn't his name "Brandan", not "Brandon"? Maybe if he had stayed at UNC another year more folks would spell it correctly. Not that that helped Shelden, of course.:)

You're probably right. Had Hansbrough not stayed four years, I'm not sure I would have ever overcome my instinct to spell it as "Hansborough".

ChicagoHeel
04-07-2011, 04:26 PM
Don't think Coach K called him one of the all-time greats. He said, "He is a great young man, a terrific student, and a truly amazing representative for our program and for Duke. We love him and are very happy for him and his family."

That's high praise, but I don't Coach K praised Irving's college accomplishments in a way that suggested they were the equivalent of Grant's, for example.

I was responding to a previous poster, whom I assumed had accurately described what Coach K said, and who was asserting that, because Coach K says KI was among the all-time greats, Irving was in fact in that category.


If any one individual can lump Duke players into categories, its the man that coached them. If Coach K thinks he was one of the all time greats, that holds a lot of weight.

stillcrazie
04-07-2011, 07:50 PM
So, on campus on Tuesday I see Ryan Kelly get into his modest Ford - probably an Escort or Taurus. Today I happened to spot Kyrie himself driving up Towerview behind the wheel of a convertible Mercedes. Nice wheels for a college freshman!

-jk
04-07-2011, 07:55 PM
So, on campus on Tuesday I see Ryan Kelly get into his modest Ford - probably an Escort or Taurus. Today I happened to spot Kyrie himself driving up Towerview behind the wheel of a convertible Mercedes. Nice wheels for a college freshman!

He's a pro, now... Sigh.

-jk

Nugget
04-07-2011, 08:02 PM
I tend to think along the same lines. I think that you can respect Irving's decision to leave and still say that you have less positive feelings toward him than the Duke greats. He may be part of the Duke family, as so many posters have mentioned, but in a family there are multiple relationships and I tend to think of one-and-dones as second cousins, while the four-year players are more like siblings. I'm thankful for Brandon Wright's contributions to UNC during his one year, but I wish he would have stayed and I will never cheer for him the same way I do Hansbrough. Likewise, I will like Barnes less if he leaves. That doesn't mean I think turning pro is the wrong decision, or that he is less of a person, but there is no way I can like a guy as much if he only stays a year. Someone who stays longer shows a love of the institution and college game, which is where my loyalties are, so why wouldn't I like that person more than a player who leaves early?

This is very much the way I feel. I'm happy for Kyrie, grateful to have seen him and gotten to know him for the time we did and think he's a fine young man who does represent Duke, and will no doubt continue to represent Duke well in the future. But, it's just not possible to have the same relationship with a one year player that Duke fans have with someone like Redick or Grant Hill or that Carolina fans have with Hansbrough or Phil Ford.

I took DBR's comment that he exhibit high "character" comparable to a Grant or Scheyer to be a reference to the fact that his situation this year was so unusual -- that his injury and its effect on his career could have caused him to withdraw from the team emotionally and that, instead, he showed nothing other than full involvement in the team, full support for the other players, full committment to unpacking his bags during his time at Duke and, when he could have taken the full year off to protect his draft status, he instead put the team first and came back sooner than he probably should have because he wanted to try to help his teammates.

skylar
04-07-2011, 08:08 PM
He's a pro, now... Sigh.

-jk

Let's stay away from these types of insinuations. I'm sure his father has been supporting him well long before the draft. Not to mention the countless number of mercedes convertibles or equivalents parked in the blue zone right now ;).

tendev
04-07-2011, 08:11 PM
I am pleased that the vast majority of posts are congratulatory in tone towards Irving's decision. I shake my head at those who even disparage it a little bit. He is one of the best players, if not the best player, in college basketball and will be a top 3 pick in the NBA. I am sorry, maybe it was our dream, but I doubt it was his dream to play for Duke or any other college. The rules made him play one year in college before he could go to the NBA. He chose to go to Duke. Great choice. That makes him a Duke player forever. Anyone, who can, in all honesty, think they would have made a different decision needs to have his head examined. Give the guy his due. He did not make the rules. He is doing what he wants to do and getting paid quite well, thank you, to do it. Good luck to him.

skylar
04-07-2011, 08:22 PM
I took DBR's comment that he exhibit high "character" comparable to a Grant or Scheyer to be a reference to the fact that his situation this year was so unusual -- that his injury and its effect on his career could have caused him to withdraw from the team emotionally and that, instead, he showed nothing other than full involvement in the team, full support for the other players, full committment to unpacking his bags during his time at Duke and, when he could have taken the full year off to protect his draft status, he instead put the team first and came back sooner than he probably should have because he wanted to try to help his teammates.

I agree Kyrie's situation is quite unique and it's quite unfortunate because I think many people are reacting to this news, albeit imminent, more negatively than otherwise because we did not go as far in the NCAA tournament this year as projected. I mean he became 'Ky-repeat' from the moment Hayward's shot bounced off the backboard. If he had played a full season and we'd gone farther in the big dance, I imagine there would be much more support for Kyrie's decision right now instead of some people's (not necessarily on DBR) latent resentment for 'bolting' early.

Duke: A Dynasty
04-07-2011, 08:22 PM
I am pleased that the vast majority of posts are congratulatory in tone towards Irving's decision. I shake my head at those who even disparage it a little bit. He is one of the best players, if not the best player, in college basketball and will be a top 3 pick in the NBA. I am sorry, maybe it was our dream, but I doubt it was his dream to play for Duke or any other college. The rules made him play one year in college before he could go to the NBA. He chose to go to Duke. Great choice. That makes him a Duke player forever. Anyone, who can, in all honesty, think they would have made a different decision needs to have his head examined. Give the guy his due. He did not make the rules. He is doing what he wants to do and getting paid quite well, thank you, to do it. Good luck to him.

So its wrong to choose to have an education? Not sure what you are saying based off this. I was talking with my cousin last night and asked him this: If you were an elite college basketball player (Durant, Kyrie, Melo, etc..) would you stay 3 or 4 years in college and get a degree or jump straight to the NBA after one year? We both said it was an easy choice to make and we would stay and graduate. However we said if we were an out of the blue kind of star like Stephen Curry was or Jimmer has become then we would go pro immediately.

RoyalBlue08
04-07-2011, 08:26 PM
I only watch the NBA to cheer for the Duke players. The amount I care about how they do varies a bit, and it mostly comes down to how attached I got to them while they played at Duke. I will always be a huge Kyrie Irving fan. As Coach K has said, I really get the impression that he is just as good a young man as he is a basketball player. I am proud he attended (even if it was briefly) the same school I did and wish him nothing but success at the next level.

tendev
04-07-2011, 08:31 PM
So its wrong to choose to have an education? Not sure what you are saying based off this. I was talking with my cousin last night and asked him this: If you were an elite college basketball player (Durant, Kyrie, Melo, etc..) would you stay 3 or 4 years in college and get a degree or jump straight to the NBA after one year? We both said it was an easy choice to make and we would stay and graduate. However we said if we were an out of the blue kind of star like Stephen Curry was or Jimmer has become then we would go pro immediately.

Huh? Durant, Kyrie, Melo, Jimmer, Curry, what? Sorry I have had a few glasses of wine but I don't follow.

Also, going to the NBA and getting an education are not mutually exclusive pursuits. Sorta like work-study only the pay is better in the NBA.

Newton_14
04-07-2011, 08:34 PM
So its wrong to choose to have an education? Not sure what you are saying based off this. I was talking with my cousin last night and asked him this: If you were an elite college basketball player (Durant, Kyrie, Melo, etc..) would you stay 3 or 4 years in college and get a degree or jump straight to the NBA after one year? We both said it was an easy choice to make and we would stay and graduate. However we said if we were an out of the blue kind of star like Stephen Curry was or Jimmer has become then we would go pro immediately.

I see your point and agree. I feel it is fair to applaud the kid who chooses to go after only 1 year if he is going to be a high lottery pick, especially a top 5 pick, and at the same time, think it is fair to applaud kids like Tim Duncan who turned down a high lotto pick multiple times to stay in school all 4 years, graduate, and then head for the NBA riches.

What is unfair imo, is to criticize either choice. There is no wrong choice in that situation as long as the kid is following his heart and pursuing his dreams. I fully support either choice and in the case of Kyrie, I do not begrudge him one bit. I hope he is the Number 1 pick, and has a great NBA career. I will always pull for him as I would any former Duke player in the NBA.

SupaDave
04-07-2011, 08:59 PM
I see your point and agree. I feel it is fair to applaud the kid who chooses to go after only 1 year if he is going to be a high lottery pick, especially a top 5 pick, and at the same time, think it is fair to applaud kids like Tim Duncan who turned down a high lotto pick multiple times to stay in school all 4 years, graduate, and then head for the NBA riches.

What is unfair imo, is to criticize either choice. There is no wrong choice in that situation as long as the kid is following his heart and pursuing his dreams. I fully support either choice and in the case of Kyrie, I do not begrudge him one bit. I hope he is the Number 1 pick, and has a great NBA career. I will always pull for him as I would any former Duke player in the NBA.

Thank you!!!!!!! It's not like the choice is "stay at Duke" on one hand and "become an NBA Ballboy" on the other. He's getting the ball from day ONE. Honestly, the kid needs to compete against folks on his level. It's as simple as that.

His NBA card will say DUKE, just as Durant's says TEXAS. Just ask the folks at UT how they feel about Durant...

Duke: A Dynasty
04-07-2011, 09:05 PM
I see your point and agree. I feel it is fair to applaud the kid who chooses to go after only 1 year if he is going to be a high lottery pick, especially a top 5 pick, and at the same time, think it is fair to applaud kids like Tim Duncan who turned down a high lotto pick multiple times to stay in school all 4 years, graduate, and then head for the NBA riches.

What is unfair imo, is to criticize either choice. There is no wrong choice in that situation as long as the kid is following his heart and pursuing his dreams. I fully support either choice and in the case of Kyrie, I do not begrudge him one bit. I hope he is the Number 1 pick, and has a great NBA career. I will always pull for him as I would any former Duke player in the NBA.

I agree as well with this. I did not criticize Kyrie or any of those other example for their choice. They all are free to choose what they please I was just addressing the other poster saying if you think diff "you should have your head examined". Each person has a different dream and Kyrie's was to play for the NBA so I think he made the better decision.

Duke: A Dynasty
04-07-2011, 09:08 PM
Huh? Durant, Kyrie, Melo, Jimmer, Curry, what? Sorry I have had a few glasses of wine but I don't follow.

Also, going to the NBA and getting an education are not mutually exclusive pursuits. Sorta like work-study only the pay is better in the NBA.

I do not quite understand what you did not understand... But I meant that if I was a high profile guy going into college like Durant, Kyrie and Melo were and I knew I would be drafted I would stay in school longer. But if I was a guy like Jimmer and Stephen were and did not have the immediate hype and then all of a sudden I got it, then I would jump at the chance to make the millions while it was available.

Newton_14
04-07-2011, 09:09 PM
I agree as well with this. I did not criticize Kyrie or any of those other example for their choice. They all are free to choose what they please I was just addressing the other poster saying if you think diff "you should have your head examined". Each person has a different dream and Kyrie's was to play for the NBA so I think he made the better decision.

D, I was agreeing with you. I quoted your post because I was supporting your position. I knew you were not criticizing either choice. I was just taking it a step further and stating we should not criticize the choice either way. Sorry if I was unclear there. Was certainly not being critical of you.

burns15
04-07-2011, 09:09 PM
So its wrong to choose to have an education? Not sure what you are saying based off this. I was talking with my cousin last night and asked him this: If you were an elite college basketball player (Durant, Kyrie, Melo, etc..) would you stay 3 or 4 years in college and get a degree or jump straight to the NBA after one year? We both said it was an easy choice to make and we would stay and graduate. However we said if we were an out of the blue kind of star like Stephen Curry was or Jimmer has become then we would go pro immediately.

thats easy to say when the millions are not sittng within your reach. The kid made the best choice for his future, his draft stock will never get higher, and he is read for the NBA. The money he gets as a top 3 pick will set him up for life, especially with his father being involved in the world of financial services

ThePublisher
04-07-2011, 10:12 PM
This decision just shows that it's about the money for him, not the experience. Which is a shame. He knows very well that coming back would have made duke one of the favorites for next year, where he could actually experience a year of basketball at Duke forming one of the greatest backcourts in college basketball history.

But he chose the money.

moonpie23
04-07-2011, 10:20 PM
the nba is the greatest sport on the planet played by the greatest athletes on the planet (imho)....

I personally don't think it's JUST about the money, but the money can't hurt...

kyrie already said it was his life's dream.....can you not take that on face value? maybe, just MAYBE playing on that level trumps playing at duke .......for him anyway...

devildeac
04-07-2011, 11:08 PM
Let's stay away from these types of insinuations. I'm sure his father has been supporting him well long before the draft. Not to mention the countless number of mercedes convertibles or equivalents parked in the blue zone right now ;).

Along with my daughter's 4 year old Honda Accordhttp://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/11.gif.

Sir Stealth
04-07-2011, 11:21 PM
This decision just shows that it's about the money for him, not the experience. Which is a shame. He knows very well that coming back would have made duke one of the favorites for next year, where he could actually experience a year of basketball at Duke forming one of the greatest backcourts in college basketball history.

But he chose the money.

Kyrie has said that his number one goal/dream has been to play among the best in the sport in the NBA, basketball's highest level. How is that not about the experience? You are choosing the experience that you want for Kyrie because you are disappointed that Kyrie is not staying to play for your favorite team. Kyrie clearly valued his experience at Duke and has stated as much. Your evaluation of how he balances his experience at Duke vs. his experience in the NBA (along with the career advantages of coming out while one's stock is high, having an extra year at the beginning of his career, and yes, the money) is not valuable and only increases negativity from the fanbase that should be celebrating and supporting Kyrie right now.

rotogod00
04-07-2011, 11:24 PM
This decision just shows that it's about the money for him, not the experience. Which is a shame. He knows very well that coming back would have made duke one of the favorites for next year, where he could actually experience a year of basketball at Duke forming one of the greatest backcourts in college basketball history.

But he chose the money.

or he chose to fulfill his lifelong dream, as the probable #1 pick to boot

burns15
04-07-2011, 11:25 PM
This decision just shows that it's about the money for him, not the experience. Which is a shame. He knows very well that coming back would have made duke one of the favorites for next year, where he could actually experience a year of basketball at Duke forming one of the greatest backcourts in college basketball history.

But he chose the money.

He chose the best option for his future. Stop being selfish and acting like Kyrie owes Duke something. Kyrie owes Duke nothing, he played his heart out and worked his butt off for Duke... what more do you want? The kid has a chance to take a life-altering amount of money that will secure his financial position for the rest of his life (and most likely his kids as well). How can you blame a kid for making the best decision for his future?

I'm sorry, but saying its a shame and knocking him for securing his future, I think is just absurdly selfish. If K supports him leaving, then I support him leaving. You can't say that you would turn down the tens of millions of dollars and come back to Duke, until you have had a decision on your future of that magnitude at hand.

Come on... we knew going in he was likely one and done. I mean who did not expect that this was going to happen? I know we all hoped against hope that he would come back... but deep down we knew this was the right decision for Kyrie, no matter how good next year's team could have been

Sir Stealth
04-07-2011, 11:31 PM
Everyone who feels even the slightest bit of negativity towards Kyrie's decision should honestly ask themselves: are you really disappointed because you think that Kyrie made the wrong decision for himself? Do you really think it's a given that the best decision for Kyrie is to stay within the program for additional years? That a person can only value education if they graduate on the same track and in the same time period that you did? That Kyrie's life experience will suffer from whatever time he misses?

Or are you just disappointed because the basketball team that you cheer for probably won't be as good next year as it would be if he was staying.

Azdukefan
04-07-2011, 11:38 PM
[QUOTE=Or are you just disappointed because the basketball team that you cheer for probably won't be as good next year as it would be if he was staying.[/QUOTE]

This^! I personally understand the decision he made but am upset with the statement that he would remain in Durham until he brought home a national championship (which he didn't do). I know this can be seen as a selfish fan but that is how I feel (right, wrong, or indifferent). I will confess I feel the same way when any of our players leave early. The sting of G leaving only lessened once we won the National Championship the following year.

Eternal Outlaw
04-08-2011, 12:03 AM
Thanks Kyrie for picking Duke and good luck in the NBA. I'll be watching the NBA draft lottery rooting for a team that needs a PG to win so you can go #1. I really wish you'd end up on the Knicks somehow to pass the rock to Amar'e and Melo but don't see any possible way that happens.

Seattledukie
04-08-2011, 12:44 AM
Everyone who feels even the slightest bit of negativity towards Kyrie's decision should honestly ask themselves: are you really disappointed because you think that Kyrie made the wrong decision for himself? Do you really think it's a given that the best decision for Kyrie is to stay within the program for additional years? That a person can only value education if they graduate on the same track and in the same time period that you did? That Kyrie's life experience will suffer from whatever time he misses?

Or are you just disappointed because the basketball team that you cheer for probably won't be as good next year as it would be if he was staying.

Perfectly said. Kyrie made the right decision - just like Brand in '99. Let's be real - people go to college to get an education in their chosen field and find a good job. The top players that attend Duke, or UNC, or any major program are most often there to get their degree in Basketball to play in the NBA. That degree is gained when the player is drafted, no matter whether they attended the college 4 years or not.

Whenever I hear people say that a star athlete should stay I wonder if they say the same thing about Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. They both left school early to start companies and did pretty well. Would another year of programming classes or mathmatics made a difference?

I value my Duke education and cherish the time I was there. But if either of my sons end up being a hoops star, or a music prodigy, or a engineering genius, and they can earn a great living without spending 4 years in school I'm going to support them leaving early. Its just that simple.

So, Kyrie, thanks for spending time with us, being a great teammate, and giving us a glimpse into a world we only dream about when we're on the basketball court. Best of luck in the NBA and beyond - we know you'll do great. And be sure that I'll be looking at your stats in the box score after every game, just like I do for all Duke players!

heyman25
04-08-2011, 12:56 AM
Perfectly said. Kyrie made the right decision - just like Brand in '99. Let's be real - people go to college to get an education in their chosen field and find a good job. The top players that attend Duke, or UNC, or any major program are most often there to get their degree in Basketball to play in the NBA. That degree is gained when the player is drafted, no matter whether they attended the college 4 years or not.

Whenever I hear people say that a star athlete should stay I wonder if they say the same thing about Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. They both left school early to start companies and did pretty well. Would another year of programming classes or mathmatics made a difference?

I value my Duke education and cherish the time I was there. But if either of my sons end up being a hoops star, or a music prodigy, or a engineering genius, and they can earn a great living without spending 4 years in school I'm going to support them leaving early. Its just that simple.

So, Kyrie, thanks for spending time with us, being a great teammate, and giving us a glimpse into a world we only dream about when we're on the basketball court. Best of luck in the NBA and beyond - we know you'll do great. And be sure that I'll be looking at your stats in the box score after every game, just like I do for all Duke players!

I will be doing the same.No guarantees in life. Kyrie is following his instincts.He misses out on a fun filled sophmore year. going to China leading a young team, but to be top 5 draft pick and most likely be #1 is very hard to pass on.

Spam Filter
04-08-2011, 01:02 AM
Well, we don't know if he made the right decision. He made a reasonable decision and whether it's the right decision or not only he will know, probably 20 years from now.

But certainly none of us are in position to criticize the decision either. It is what it is, and it's time to move on.

moonpie23
04-08-2011, 09:30 AM
ha....check out ESPN's poll on whether Kyrie should go pro or stay at duke...

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/


poll on bottom right.....you have to vote to see the results, but i think it's hilarious that the only two states that favor him going pro are Kansas and Kentucky...


classic

MCFinARL
04-08-2011, 10:37 AM
Well, we don't know if he made the right decision. He made a reasonable decision and whether it's the right decision or not only he will know, probably 20 years from now.

But certainly none of us are in position to criticize the decision either. It is what it is, and it's time to move on.

Of course you are right. We can't know whether this is the right decision any more than we can know whether it is the wrong one. But it is certainly a reasonable decision, and as Kyrie has since said, it was a difficult one, because there were positives on both sides.

Another point--people who suggest Kyrie has decided against education are apparently wrong. According to the article in the Herald Sun linked on the home page, Kyrie and his dad have an agreement that he has to get his degree. As the dad noted, "Everybody in our family has a college degree." Hopefully, that can still be at Duke (and as someone pointed out in another post, if the lockout happens, he might even be able to get started on it next semester), but even if he ends up finishing elsewhere for geographical or other reasons, I think it's important that he has made this commitment. It also makes it harder to pretend that, when we criticize Kyrie's decision, we are really thinking about him and not about us.

Good luck to you, Kyrie--and when you work on that degree, I hope you can do it at Duke!

MCFinARL
04-08-2011, 10:39 AM
ha....check out ESPN's poll on whether Kyrie should go pro or stay at duke...

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/


poll on bottom right.....you have to vote to see the results, but i think it's hilarious that the only two states that favor him going pro are Kansas and Kentucky...


classic

And as of right now, North Carolina is tied!

Lar77
04-08-2011, 11:15 AM
Perfectly said. Kyrie made the right decision - just like Brand in '99. Let's be real - people go to college to get an education in their chosen field and find a good job. The top players that attend Duke, or UNC, or any major program are most often there to get their degree in Basketball to play in the NBA. That degree is gained when the player is drafted, no matter whether they attended the college 4 years or not.

Whenever I hear people say that a star athlete should stay I wonder if they say the same thing about Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. They both left school early to start companies and did pretty well. Would another year of programming classes or mathmatics made a difference?

I value my Duke education and cherish the time I was there. But if either of my sons end up being a hoops star, or a music prodigy, or a engineering genius, and they can earn a great living without spending 4 years in school I'm going to support them leaving early. Its just that simple.

So, Kyrie, thanks for spending time with us, being a great teammate, and giving us a glimpse into a world we only dream about when we're on the basketball court. Best of luck in the NBA and beyond - we know you'll do great. And be sure that I'll be looking at your stats in the box score after every game, just like I do for all Duke players!



Listening to the interview on GoDuke, it seems Kyrie chose the right path for him, even though it was clearly not an easy decision. As a Duke fan, I am disappointed that I won't see him in Cameron next year, but also happy for him. Duke is a great experience, but my daughter, despite being a rabid fan from birth, went elsewhere because it was right for her.

Also, as a Duke fan, look at the silver lining. Unless my count is off (please correct if it is), we have 8 players returning on scholarship with 4 incoming freshman committed. We have one slot open and apparently a good shot at DeAndre Daniels.

I will miss Kyrie playing like he did against MSU and his enthusiasm helping Nolan get to another level, but Duke basketball is fun because it is a program that succeeds by fielding teams that have good character and players that learn how to lead within the team concept. Kyrie is the most recent success story of our program.

sporthenry
04-08-2011, 02:01 PM
The one thing that hit me with the Fab 5 documentary was that Grant Hill was still playing while the Fab 5 were busy being commentators. I know Grant played 4 games one year and missed a good portion of 3 others but did staying 4 years prolong his career. The thinking is twofold, one that by playing 30 games (which was about the same amount of games he played in 3 of his shortened seasons) you save your legs. And secondly, that you are eased into the demands of an 82 game season. I know these kids play tons more game with AAU but the college season seems to take its toll on kids so imagine what the NBA season does. Kobe seems to have gotten old over night, KG is looking old, even Lebron looks a bit older than 26.

So I never understood the belief that these kids needed to get to the league as quick as possible b/c it appears you pay for these seasons later. I understand it was KI's dream and I can't fault him for that.

g-money
04-08-2011, 02:06 PM
Good article from the worldwide leader today on Kyrie, the NBA, and college hoops:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?page=kreidler/110408

Even though it's very likely that we won't get to see Kyrie in Duke blue again, maybe the broader discussion about his leaving will light enough of a fire under somebody to change the system.

flyingdutchdevil
04-08-2011, 02:08 PM
A lot of people here are saying that Kyrie chose the NBA because it's his lifelong dream. I'm sure the money factor played a large part in that as well. And what's wrong with that? Isn't the point of getting an education to prepare us for the future? And isn't a significant proportion of that 'future' financially-focused? Playing with the Kobes, Lebrons, Durants, etc. is certainly an enormous factor for Kyrie leaving, but so is getting paid $4-5 mill a year for the next 3 years (plus a lot more from endorsements).

And what's wrong with that? We make it seem like getting paid is such a bad thing.

Side note: One thing that really upset me is how so many critiqued Boozer for spurring the Cavs for the Jazz for a lot more money. What is wrong with that? I know money isn't everything, but it is certainly an enormous factor in our futures.

sporthenry
04-08-2011, 02:19 PM
A lot of people here are saying that Kyrie chose the NBA because it's his lifelong dream. I'm sure the money factor played a large part in that as well. And what's wrong with that? Isn't the point of getting an education to prepare us for the future? And isn't a significant proportion of that 'future' financially-focused? Playing with the Kobes, Lebrons, Durants, etc. is certainly an enormous factor for Kyrie leaving, but so is getting paid $4-5 mill a year for the next 3 years (plus a lot more from endorsements).

And what's wrong with that? We make it seem like getting paid is such a bad thing.

Side note: One thing that really upset me is how so many critiqued Boozer for spurring the Cavs for the Jazz for a lot more money. What is wrong with that? I know money isn't everything, but it is certainly an enormous factor in our futures.

The one problem I have is that the money would have been there whenver. I don't really fault McBob for leaving b/c he went from a top 5 pick and his draft stock just kept falling. So he got the money while it was there. But the money would be there whenever for KI. And the big money comes after the rookie contract anyways. Grant Hill made as much money in the past 2 years as he did in his first 2 years. So if it is all about money, then prolonging a career should be the ultimate goal.

FellowTraveler
04-08-2011, 02:29 PM
The one problem I have is that the money would have been there whenver. I don't really fault McBob for leaving b/c he went from a top 5 pick and his draft stock just kept falling. So he got the money while it was there. But the money would be there whenever for KI. And the big money comes after the rookie contract anyways. Grant Hill made as much money in the past 2 years as he did in his first 2 years. So if it is all about money, then prolonging a career should be the ultimate goal.

A few of problems with this:

1) It's impossible to be certain that "the money would be there whenever."

2) It assumes each marginal dollar is as important as the last. That is almost certainly not true for most people. For many (probably most) people, dollars 1-10million are more important than dollars 80million-90million.

3) It assumes the best way to prolong a career is to stay in college.

Edit: I didn't intend to respond so narrowly. More broadly:

It's generally a mistake to try to think through these things for someone else. Nobody knows precisely how somebody else weights education vs. money vs. college experience vs. relationships with current teammates vs. playing at the highest level. And even if you know they prioritize, say, money over education, you don't know what that means. Does it mean ensuring that they make the first $3 million is of paramount importance? Does it mean maximizing lifetime earnings is most important? Etc.

We can't universalize our own approach to these questions. When we do, we end up suggesting that there's no point of diminishing returns with lifetime earnings, or that a "competitive" person would want to play Georgia Tech a few more times rather than taking on Chris Paul and the Miami Heat.

sporthenry
04-08-2011, 02:47 PM
A few of problems with this:

1) It's impossible to be certain that "the money would be there whenever."

2) It assumes each marginal dollar is as important as the last. That is almost certainly not true for most people. For many (probably most) people, dollars 1-10million are more important than dollars 80million-90million.

3) It assumes the best way to prolong a career is to stay in college.

Edit: I didn't intend to respond so narrowly. More broadly:

It's generally a mistake to try to think through these things for someone else. Nobody knows precisely how somebody else weights education vs. money vs. college experience vs. relationships with current teammates vs. playing at the highest level. And even if you know they prioritize, say, money over education, you don't know what that means. Does it mean ensuring that they make the first $3 million is of paramount importance? Does it mean maximizing lifetime earnings is most important? Etc.

We can't universalize our own approach to these questions. When we do, we end up suggesting that there's no point of diminishing returns with lifetime earnings, or that a "competitive" person would want to play Georgia Tech a few more times rather than taking on Chris Paul and the Miami Heat.

Well the only way the money would not be there would be b/c of injury and KI specifically said that injury was not why he left. And I'm dismissing the importance of each dollar b/c with KI's dad, I don't think his decision is financially driven. Sure the allure of your first contract can't be matched but does KI really need the money? And the idea that staying in college prolongs your NBA career is my main premise. All signs point to players being more ready for the NBA the longer they stay in college and Grant Hill would be my example.

But obviously, the last point is the most important. It has been his dream and he obviously wants to play at the highest level against the best and that is why I can't criticize his decision.

SoCalDukeFan
04-08-2011, 03:02 PM
Kyrie is following his dream. He is going to be a top pick. He is going to make a lot of money.

I think he tried to do his best when he could play. I think he was a great teammate when he was injured and could not play. I think the did all he could to get back and play as soon as possible.

I will be following Nolan and Kyle more closely in the pros (actually I don't follow the pros much at all.) After 4 years they have more identity to me. But I am thankful that Kyrie came to Duke, appreciate his effort, and wish him the best.

SoCal

markbdevil
04-08-2011, 03:23 PM
anyone else wish the NBA would go back to taking b-ball players right out of high school? I'm not a fan of the one and done. It must be a nightmare for coaches and recruiting.

SoCalDukeFan
04-08-2011, 03:40 PM
anyone else wish the NBA would go back to taking b-ball players right out of high school? I'm not a fan of the one and done. It must be a nightmare for coaches and recruiting.

The players who want to go straight to the NBA should be allowed to.

The problem is that the NBA does not want their scouts in high school gyms. They also want to see players play against college level players. They also get a year of free publicity for the frosh. The NCAA acts like they must live with whatever the NBA wants.

SoCal

markbdevil
04-08-2011, 03:45 PM
I'd like to see a new rule where a HS kid could go directly to the NBA or if he chooses a college, he'd have to stay at least 2 years. NCAA basketball is turning into minor league baseball.

jimsumner
04-08-2011, 04:14 PM
The players who want to go straight to the NBA should be allowed to.

The problem is that the NBA does not want their scouts in high school gyms. They also want to see players play against college level players. They also get a year of free publicity for the frosh. The NCAA acts like they must live with whatever the NBA wants.

SoCal

The NCAA does have to live with whatever the NBA wants. The NCAA cannot dictate when a player can or cannot go to the NBA. The NBA can do so only as part of a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the NBA Players Union. Doesn't mean the NCAA can't make its wishes known. But it can't legislate. The courts decided that long ago.

sporthenry
04-08-2011, 04:29 PM
Well Stern has said he initially wanted a 2 year minimum and I think Bilas helped to start this conversation again. But what if the NCAA started to count scholarships against schools whose player left early? Something like it takes a year for that scholarship to come off the book or it stays on for 4 years. Then the NBA would be forced to listen since most schools would stay away from these kids. Maybe its a bit unrealistic and I'm sure there would be some issues if that happened but something obviously has to be done.

I'd also like to see the NBDL become a legitimate feeder system so then kids can go right after high school and play in the D-league and the NBA still wouldn't be watered down.

MChambers
04-08-2011, 05:03 PM
Well Stern has said he initially wanted a 2 year minimum and I think Bilas helped to start this conversation again. But what if the NCAA started to count scholarships against schools whose player left early? Something like it takes a year for that scholarship to come off the book or it stays on for 4 years. Then the NBA would be forced to listen since most schools would stay away from these kids. Maybe its a bit unrealistic and I'm sure there would be some issues if that happened but something obviously has to be done.

I'd also like to see the NBDL become a legitimate feeder system so then kids can go right after high school and play in the D-league and the NBA still wouldn't be watered down.

I'd like to see kids get credit under the rookie salary cap for staying in school. I don't think a player who plays and develops in a college program for 4 years should have as long as a cap as a player coming to the NBA out of high school.

THE FUTURE
04-08-2011, 06:38 PM
Sorry but i have to ask im having a hard time letting go but is there any chance Kyrie changes hes mind... young kids do change there mind all the time so im wondering?

Kfanarmy
04-08-2011, 07:05 PM
Other than zealot fans, almost no one knows or cares where a player went to school. It is not an issue in the pros other than an occasional mention. This is just factually untrue of anyone who follows both the amateur and professional versions of BB. There may be a significant population that only follows pro sports, but I'll be 95% of them can tell you if and where most of their favorite players went to college.

Kfanarmy
04-08-2011, 07:11 PM
Exactly. The statement was made to compare each of them as people with great character. In no way did it attempt to equalize their Duke basketball careers. Duke fans should look to value the things that Kyrie brought to Duke and still brings by representing us, not ways in which his time here didn't live up to their own expectations.

the character of someone you've known for part of a year with those you've known for 5-15 years. It is a comparison intended to paint Kyrie with the same brush as those you've known for a significant length of time. Either you believe the young man has character of not. Placing him with a list of others has been done for effect not any real comparison.

Kfanarmy
04-08-2011, 07:24 PM
... If Coach K thinks he was one of the all time greats, that holds a lot of weight.... He is one of the all-time Duke greats. ..... First, I don't know that Coach K said or implied KI is one of Dukes all time greats. Second, if you were to say KI as a player was one of the greatest raw talents to play at Duke, I might buy in on the opionion. But saying he is one of "Dukes all time greats" requires some sort of statistical analysis or significant impact on team accomplishment. It may not be his fault, but he simply doesn't have either the stats or accomplishments to begin to climb the ladder even against many just "good" Duke players. In eleven games, he didn't even face the likelihood of a shooting slump, playing through a cold or the flu, playing through the holidays, playing through freshman's tired legs. Simply put in eleven games you can't get there unless those eleven are all at the end of the season and you LEAD the team in someway to a championship. Again, I think he may be one of the greatest talents recruited at Duke, but he is not one of Duke's greatest nor should he be burdened by a discussion he just doesn't belong in.

Duke: A Dynasty
04-08-2011, 08:03 PM
the character of someone you've known for part of a year with those you've known for 5-15 years. It is a comparison intended to paint Kyrie with the same brush as those you've known for a significant length of time. Either you believe the young man has character of not. Placing him with a list of others has been done for effect not any real comparison.


First, I don't know that Coach K said or implied KI is one of Dukes all time greats. Second, if you were to say KI as a player was one of the greatest raw talents to play at Duke, I might buy in on the opionion. But saying he is one of "Dukes all time greats" requires some sort of statistical analysis or significant impact on team accomplishment. It may not be his fault, but he simply doesn't have either the stats or accomplishments to begin to climb the ladder even against many just "good" Duke players. In eleven games, he didn't even face the likelihood of a shooting slump, playing through a cold or the flu, playing through the holidays, playing through freshman's tired legs. Simply put in eleven games you can't get there unless those eleven are all at the end of the season and you LEAD the team in someway to a championship. Again, I think he may be one of the greatest talents recruited at Duke, but he is not one of Duke's greatest nor should he be burdened by a discussion he just doesn't belong in.

Yall have your opinions and others have theirs. I for one agree thst he is in fact one of the all time greats. I will not post again on this because we are entitled to our own opinion.

Kfanarmy
04-08-2011, 08:49 PM
Fascinating how differently people understand this term. It would seem to me that if you use the term as it implies morality, faulting KI for his decision is inappropriate. If, however, you are using it to talk about those things that make him KI (his attributes, traits and abilities) then it seems well within bounds and needn't cause offense to evaluate character. Clearly many people believe there are things in life more important than money and they can opine about whether KI actually values the game, the team or just the money. Within the past year we've seen NBA talents who have few monetary worries, reaching for more dollars without regard to team, game, teammates, fans, etc. I personally think they are flawed, but they haven’t asked my opinion.
For a college student it seems much more complex to me. Their future is not secure (at least for the majority) until they make the jump. The vagaries of lady luck don't guarantee that the body parts and relative stock of a player will have the same value next year as they may have today.
Still many fans would like to think, that in the same position, they would stay for team, they would stay for teammates, they would stay for the experience. Oft times we fans are both older and less athletically talented than the young man making the decision. So yes, many have come to realize that money is indeed not everything and the memories of life's experience and those with whom we share it should be greatly valued.
But KI is not in our position and his "going for the money" is actually more important in a relative sense to him and it is a more achievable goal than it was for most of us in college. I prefer to think that it would be a tough decision were I in his position, but I am not and I accept him at his word.
Not to say that I have “bonded” with him, fan-player, as I have with the long-term Duke players. I wish him well, but I probably won’t follow him like I do others in the NBA and elsewhere. There is no fault there. It just is.

yancem
04-08-2011, 09:05 PM
I'd like to see a new rule where a HS kid could go directly to the NBA or if he chooses a college, he'd have to stay at least 2 years. NCAA basketball is turning into minor league baseball.

Actually, a better minor league is exactly what the nba needs. I read that the normal salary range for development league players is a paltry $12-24k. Seriously, only the higher end contracts are above the poverty level! That's absurd. I think that if the nba would pony up a little more salary money for the Dleague, it would provide an alternative to college for the players that aren't interested in an education. It would also improve the product.

sporthenry
04-08-2011, 10:09 PM
Actually, a better minor league is exactly what the nba needs. I read that the normal salary range for development league players is a paltry $12-24k. Seriously, only the higher end contracts are above the poverty level! That's absurd. I think that if the nba would pony up a little more salary money for the Dleague, it would provide an alternative to college for the players that aren't interested in an education. It would also improve the product.

I agree, the D-league makes a lot of things possible. Perhaps letting high school kids jump to the minors so they can make money and what not. One thing that might make this possible is to contract 2-4 teams and perhaps put the D-league teams in real cities. Then you might be able to get some interest in these teams.

sporthenry
04-08-2011, 10:27 PM
And has he hired an agent yet? B/c I know its a complete long shot and it probably wouldn't work but could he do what Randolph Morris did? I know Morris wasn't drafted but would the NCAA let them come back if they haven't signed a contract? I guess that would be answered first with the NFL but I can have a little hope can't I?

Mike Corey
04-08-2011, 11:25 PM
Kyrie may end up being one of the all-time great talents to have set foot in the program, but his contribution does not qualify among the all-time greats. That is not a slight of Kyrie, but a recognition of the distinction between an abbreviated season versus a four-year career.

Kyrie loves Duke and will always be a Blue Devil. It is my hope that after an illustrious NBA career that enables him to do the sort of good away from the game that his peers Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, Shane Battier, etc., have done, that Irving will return to campus and finish his formal education. He's given no indication that such is currently in the plans, but I am fully confident that he will always be embraced by the University.

MCFinARL
04-08-2011, 11:33 PM
And has he hired an agent yet? B/c I know its a complete long shot and it probably wouldn't work but could he do what Randolph Morris did? I know Morris wasn't drafted but would the NCAA let them come back if they haven't signed a contract? I guess that would be answered first with the NFL but I can have a little hope can't I?

He hasn't signed with an agent yet, but he has announced that he will, and he hasn't given the slightest indication that he might change his mind. As for the NCAA letting them come back, the rules are pretty clear. A player who has entered the draft but not signed with an agent has about two weeks after the entry deadline to withdraw his name--I think it's about May 8. After that, it doesn't matter whether there's an agent, the player is in. Under the "nothing is impossible" standard, I suppose we'd have to say there is a theoretical chance, at least until May 8, that Kyrie might change his mind. But I would be shocked beyond belief if that happened. I can't imagine what would make him change his mind unless it was something about the lockout, and that won't be resolved until well after May 8.

g-money
04-08-2011, 11:44 PM
Well Stern has said he initially wanted a 2 year minimum and I think Bilas helped to start this conversation again. But what if the NCAA started to count scholarships against schools whose player left early? Something like it takes a year for that scholarship to come off the book or it stays on for 4 years. Then the NBA would be forced to listen since most schools would stay away from these kids. Maybe its a bit unrealistic and I'm sure there would be some issues if that happened but something obviously has to be done.

I'd also like to see the NBDL become a legitimate feeder system so then kids can go right after high school and play in the D-league and the NBA still wouldn't be watered down.

I like this idea: Make each scholarship that is given to a player count for three years regardless of what the player decides to do with his career. It would make coaches much more hesitant to give a scholarship to a projected one-year player, and in the process would give the NCAA at least a small degree of control over its own destiny.

I would also particularly enjoy the sight of Kentucky fielding a five man roster every year.

sporthenry
04-08-2011, 11:50 PM
He hasn't signed with an agent yet, but he has announced that he will, and he hasn't given the slightest indication that he might change his mind. As for the NCAA letting them come back, the rules are pretty clear. A player who has entered the draft but not signed with an agent has about two weeks after the entry deadline to withdraw his name--I think it's about May 8. After that, it doesn't matter whether there's an agent, the player is in. Under the "nothing is impossible" standard, I suppose we'd have to say there is a theoretical chance, at least until May 8, that Kyrie might change his mind. But I would be shocked beyond belief if that happened. I can't imagine what would make him change his mind unless it was something about the lockout, and that won't be resolved until well after May 8.

Well actually there is an exception that if you don't get drafted, you get 30 days to make your intentions known to come back to school. Randolph Morris did that a few years ago after he went undrafted and he could have left for the NBA at any time. But the rule is different if you get drafted, but I feel that if you don't have a contract, you shouldn't really lose your amateur status.

MCFinARL
04-09-2011, 12:05 AM
Well actually there is an exception that if you don't get drafted, you get 30 days to make your intentions known to come back to school. Randolph Morris did that a few years ago after he went undrafted and he could have left for the NBA at any time. But the rule is different if you get drafted, but I feel that if you don't have a contract, you shouldn't really lose your amateur status.

Interesting--I didn't know that (or I forgot). But I don't think the chances of Kyrie going undrafted are very good....
From the point of view of the player, your proposal makes sense--no contract, still an amateur. But if you think about it, it would make things pretty hard for the college teams the players had come from--they need to have some idea who is going to be on the team in the coming year.

OZZIE4DUKE
04-09-2011, 03:40 PM
He hasn't signed with an agent yet, but he has announced that he will, and he hasn't given the slightest indication that he might change his mind. As for the NCAA letting them come back, the rules are pretty clear. A player who has entered the draft but not signed with an agent has about two weeks after the entry deadline to withdraw his name--I think it's about May 8. After that, it doesn't matter whether there's an agent, the player is in. Under the "nothing is impossible" standard, I suppose we'd have to say there is a theoretical chance, at least until May 8, that Kyrie might change his mind. But I would be shocked beyond belief if that happened. I can't imagine what would make him change his mind unless it was something about the lockout, and that won't be resolved until well after May 8.
He hasn't signed with an agent yet and said he wouldn't until AFTER May 8th. I find that curious. Curiously optimistic? Not really, but... it does leave the door open just a bit. I mean, how many times have we said about other players "he's just a kid and he's entitled to change his mind..."? Just sayin'... :cool:

MCFinARL
04-09-2011, 04:16 PM
He hasn't signed with an agent yet and said he wouldn't until AFTER May 8th. I find that curious. Curiously optimistic? Not really, but... it does leave the door open just a bit. I mean, how many times have we said about other players "he's just a kid and he's entitled to change his mind..."? Just sayin'... :cool:

Yes, I noticed his mention of that specific date as well, but I guess I'm just not as optimistic as Ozzie! ;)

That being said, it can't really hurt to hold out a faint hope for another few weeks, right?

Lord Ash
04-09-2011, 04:24 PM
He hasn't signed with an agent yet and said he wouldn't until AFTER May 8th. I find that curious. Curiously optimistic? Not really, but... it does leave the door open just a bit. I mean, how many times have we said about other players "he's just a kid and he's entitled to change his mind..."? Just sayin'... :cool:

Sometimes there IS such a thing as too much optimism:)

sporthenry
04-09-2011, 05:22 PM
I would say he is doing that just in case. As much bad advice as most of these kids get, some of them are pretty in control with situations like this or Brandon Knight not signing a LOI. He is probably doing this in case he has another freak injury or things got really bad in terms of the lockout. There is just no need to sign with an agent now b/c you gain nothing.

SoCalDukeFan
04-09-2011, 08:43 PM
The NCAA does have to live with whatever the NBA wants. The NCAA cannot dictate when a player can or cannot go to the NBA. The NBA can do so only as part of a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the NBA Players Union. Doesn't mean the NCAA can't make its wishes known. But it can't legislate. The courts decided that long ago.

1. Making freshmen ineligible for varsity sports. No frosh teams. They can practice but not play, like red shirts.

This would mean the NBA would either have to wait two years or draft without seeing the kid play in college. I know the NCAA won't do it but I wish they would.

2. Letting kids come back to school after the draft and play in college if they don't sign a contract. So if Kyrie is drafted by the Cavs and would rather play at Duke, he can.

Either of these might force the NBA to sit down with the NCAA and work out a better deal.

I am sure that are other things they could consider but the NCAA is too busy worried about making money.

SoCal

jimsumner
04-09-2011, 09:11 PM
1. Making freshmen ineligible for varsity sports. No frosh teams. They can practice but not play, like red shirts.

This would mean the NBA would either have to wait two years or draft without seeing the kid play in college. I know the NCAA won't do it but I wish they would.

2. Letting kids come back to school after the draft and play in college if they don't sign a contract. So if Kyrie is drafted by the Cavs and would rather play at Duke, he can.

Either of these might force the NBA to sit down with the NCAA and work out a better deal.

I am sure that are other things they could consider but the NCAA is too busy worried about making money.

SoCal

The financial implications of giving scholarships to non-competing golfers and tennis players and soccer player, et. al. are fairly daunting. Freshmen were made eligible for varsity competition in all sports because of compelling financial reasons, none of which have gotten better in the interim.

sbroc012
04-10-2011, 01:32 AM
I never really have figured out the MLB system for drafts, but my impression of it is that teams draft players and have the rights to that player, but the player can still play college ball? cause i always hear...yea so and so got drafted by _________team in the mlb...this has always confused me...but why couldnt NCAA basketball doing something like that, where the player after his sophomore year could enter the draft and the nba team could either want him on their roster now and sign him to a contract or could send him back to school without a contract for another year or two. And whenever he does get his contract the payrate would reflect what position he was drafted (this would require some kind of payscale) regardless of the previous year(s) experience if he had returned to school
this is all just a thought, but there are ways to help improve the quality of the college game and still allow the nba to have their input, obviously this would not make a difference in the KI situation, but its just a thought

sagegrouse
04-10-2011, 01:51 AM
I never really have figured out the MLB system for drafts, but my impression of it is that teams draft players and have the rights to that player, but the player can still play college ball? cause i always hear...yea so and so got drafted by _________team in the mlb...this has always confused me...but why couldnt NCAA basketball doing something like that, where the player after his sophomore year could enter the draft and the nba team could either want him on their roster now and sign him to a contract or could send him back to school without a contract for another year or two. And whenever he does get his contract the payrate would reflect what position he was drafted (this would require some kind of payscale) regardless of the previous year(s) experience if he had returned to school
this is all just a thought, but there are ways to help improve the quality of the college game and still allow the nba to have their input, obviously this would not make a difference in the KI situation, but its just a thought

Others here have more expertise, but baseball can draft high school players. If they don't sign within 12 months and enter college, they are required to remain in college for three years (or wait three years) before being eligible for the draft. Therefore, a collegian could well have been drafted by the Twins or Orioles and still be be playing for Dear Old State, having received no financial benefit from the drafting club.

OTOH, in Moneyball, a drafting strategy popularized by the Oakland GM, Billy Beane, college statistics are the dominant source of material for choosing players. So, not all clubs are sold on HS players.

sagegrouse

sagegrouse

burns15
04-10-2011, 04:05 AM
Others here have more expertise, but baseball can draft high school players. If they don't sign within 12 months and enter college, they are required to remain in college for three years (or wait three years) before being eligible for the draft. Therefore, a collegian could well have been drafted by the Twins or Orioles and still be be playing for Dear Old State, having received no financial benefit from the drafting club.

OTOH, in Moneyball, a drafting strategy popularized by the Oakland GM, Billy Beane, college statistics are the dominant source of material for choosing players. So, not all clubs are sold on HS players.

sagegrouse

sagegrouse

In baseball, all players one year removed form high school may be drafted (notice Bryce Harper). When you are drafted, you mus tthen decide to either sign or honor you college committment. Once you go to college, you must stay 3 years unless you go to a junior college (only 2). You have roughly 2 months (aug 15) after getitng drafted to make this decision. MLB used to have a draft and follow system, where teams could draft a player, send him to college, then sign him when he was done with college bal... but I believe they have done away with this now

Mike Corey
04-10-2011, 02:59 PM
He hasn't signed with an agent yet and said he wouldn't until AFTER May 8th. I find that curious. Curiously optimistic? Not really, but... it does leave the door open just a bit. I mean, how many times have we said about other players "he's just a kid and he's entitled to change his mind..."? Just sayin'... :cool:

I love where your head's at Ozzie, per usual, but Kyrie's going pro this year and nothin's going to change that now, I'm afraid.

OZZIE4DUKE
04-10-2011, 03:27 PM
He hasn't signed with an agent yet and said he wouldn't until AFTER May 8th. I find that curious. Curiously optimistic? Not really, but... it does leave the door open just a bit. I mean, how many times have we said about other players "he's just a kid and he's entitled to change his mind..."? Just sayin'... :cool:


Yes, I noticed his mention of that specific date as well, but I guess I'm just not as optimistic as Ozzie! ;)

That being said, it can't really hurt to hold out a faint hope for another few weeks, right?


Sometimes there IS such a thing as too much optimism:)


I love where your head's at Ozzie, per usual, but Kyrie's going pro this year and nothin's going to change that now, I'm afraid.
Guys, read what I bolded above! I'm not saying he's going to change his mind. I just find it curious, that's all. And hey, I was also surprised that Tiger has made 4 birdies so far on the front 9 at Augusta and is only three shots out of the lead as I type. Oh, wait, he's got a <10 foot putt for eagle on #8... You never know what can happen. That's all I'm saying! :cool:

I promise not to hijack this thread any further, but Tiger made his putt!

billyj
04-10-2011, 06:46 PM
It seems like Barnes is gone as well.

-jk
04-10-2011, 06:53 PM
It seems like Barnes is gone as well.

I haven't seen that. Did you hear it somewhere?

-jk

DukeGirl4ever
04-10-2011, 07:14 PM
I haven't seen that. Did you hear it somewhere?

-jk


Seems to be the chatter over on IC. After reading this, I went over there to see if it was more than just a rumor at this point. They have a few threads going on about it, including one about a Kendall Marshall tweet about Prince Harry.

dukeballboy88
04-10-2011, 10:11 PM
when would the nba decide when the lockout begins? Do you think the potential lockout is keeping KI from signing with an agent?

MCFinARL
04-10-2011, 10:21 PM
Seems to be the chatter over on IC. After reading this, I went over there to see if it was more than just a rumor at this point. They have a few threads going on about it, including one about a Kendall Marshall tweet about Prince Harry.

Well, Kendall Marshall doesn't seem to think he knows anything about this. A recent tweet: Never understood why someone would ask me if HB is stayin like I know. And even if I did why would "I" tell on twitter?! C'mon Son.

throatybeard
04-10-2011, 10:38 PM
Guys, read what I bolded above! I'm not saying he's going to change his mind. I just find it curious, that's all. And hey, I was also surprised that Tiger has made 4 birdies so far on the front 9 at Augusta and is only three shots out of the lead as I type. Oh, wait, he's got a <10 foot putt for eagle on #8... You never know what can happen. That's all I'm saying! :cool:

I promise not to hijack this thread any further, but Tiger made his putt!


Yeah, and how did that work out?

Congratulations to Charl Schwarztel, 2011 Master Champion, and author of an insane closing sequence.

DukeGirl4ever
04-10-2011, 10:47 PM
Well, Kendall Marshall doesn't seem to think he knows anything about this. A recent tweet: Never understood why someone would ask me if HB is stayin like I know. And even if I did why would "I" tell on twitter?! C'mon Son.

Yes, and he had another tweet that said, "HB is a fool" with a picture of Harrison with some other guy. Now, I am sure he was just being sarcastic or funny and meant nothing mean towards Harrison, but the comments about the tweet show that some of their fans hit panic mode immediately. (Of course I would probably be the same way if I didn't understand the whole circumstances).

Latest draft project that I saw had him as 3rd overall pick - hard to pass that up, so I think the Carolina fans are starting to panic.

billyj
04-10-2011, 11:11 PM
Yes, and he had another tweet that said, "HB is a fool" with a picture of Harrison with some other guy. Now, I am sure he was just being sarcastic or funny and meant nothing mean towards Harrison, but the comments about the tweet show that some of their fans hit panic mode immediately. (Of course I would probably be the same way if I didn't understand the whole circumstances).

Latest draft project that I saw had him as 3rd overall pick - hard to pass that up, so I think the Carolina fans are starting to panic.

Is that just "some guy" or is that an NBA agent, from the rumor I have heard?

Duvall
04-11-2011, 01:12 AM
Yes, and he had another tweet that said, "HB is a fool" with a picture of Harrison with some other guy.

Y'all are burying the lede here.

http://c0013719.cdn1.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/x2_571c34b

DukeGirl4ever
04-11-2011, 05:47 AM
Is that just "some guy" or is that an NBA agent, from the rumor I have heard?

I know nothing of the NBA, agents, etc., but that is what some IC posters are saying. I didn't want to contribute to any rumors, so to me, he's just some guy! :p

Thanks, Duvall, for the picture...again, didn't want to post something that wasn't allowed.
(Of course, all of this discussion probably deserves it's own thread; we've hi-jacking Kyrie's thread!)

OZZIE4DUKE
04-11-2011, 08:24 AM
Y'all are burying the lede here.

http://c0013719.cdn1.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/x2_571c34b
OK, what is "lede"? Is that a typo or an acronym for something?

As for the picture, looks like HB with a Ralph Lauren shopping bag in front of him, sitting with a guy in a pink shirt wearing SolarShield sun glasses (~$20 @ WalMart):cool:. Wonder what's in the bag and who paid for it?

MCFinARL
04-11-2011, 08:39 AM
OK, what is "lede"? Is that a typo or an acronym for something?

As for the picture, looks like HB with a Ralph Lauren shopping bag in front of him, sitting with a guy in a pink shirt wearing SolarShield sun glasses (~$20 @ WalMart):cool:. Wonder what's in the bag and who paid for it?

"lede" is a journalism term for what we nonjournalists would call the "lead." I think the variant spelling has something to do with typesetting.

I have no idea who that guy is, though I admit he doesn't look as slickly dressed as my preconceived notion of an agent. But I can't actually imagine that, if this guy were really an agent, Marshall would post this pic online linked to this tweet. If I were guessing, I might think Marshall was calling HB a fool here because he looks so prepped out in his boat shoes with a Ralph Lauren bag. This may just be more evidence of how fans drive themselves crazy trying to interpret the tweets of teenagers that usually mean far less than we think.

Indoor66
04-11-2011, 08:48 AM
OK, what is "lede"? Is that a typo or an acronym for something?

As for the picture, looks like HB with a Ralph Lauren shopping bag in front of him, sitting with a guy in a pink shirt wearing SolarShield sun glasses (~$20 @ WalMart):cool:. Wonder what's in the bag and who paid for it?

And it looks like they were at The Streets at Southpoint.

MChambers
04-11-2011, 09:08 AM
If I were guessing, I might think Marshall was calling HB a fool here because he looks so prepped out in his boat shoes with a Ralph Lauren bag.
Maybe Barnes is transferring to UCLA.:rolleyes:

flyingdutchdevil
04-11-2011, 09:13 AM
If I were guessing, I might think Marshall was calling HB a fool here because he looks so prepped out in his boat shoes with a Ralph Lauren bag. This may just be more evidence of how fans drive themselves crazy trying to interpret the tweets of teenagers that usually mean far less than we think.

Boat shoes + Ralph Lauren = fool? You may have just insulted 75% of the Duke student body

MCFinARL
04-11-2011, 09:20 AM
Boat shoes + Ralph Lauren = fool? You may have just insulted 75% of the Duke student body

No such insult intended, but point taken. To be fair, I wasn't stating MY view but speculating on the hypothetical opinion of a person I don't know at all with absolutely no basis or evidence whatsoever, which obviously makes my original comment look much better--oh, wait. Never mind. :rolleyes:

Billy Dat
04-11-2011, 10:16 AM
One aspect of the "why would a kid leave college - the greatest 4 years of your life!" argument is that it always assumes that the player's experience is the same as the rest of the student body. From the outsider perspective, it couldn't be more different. The season basically lasts for the entire school year, between pre-season workuts, etc. For that entire time, the kid is under a microscope - fellow students treat them differently, they have to be careful about what they do and what they say, and the entire basketball staff is on them around the clock. One of the primary things the staff focuses on is time management - sound like a recipe for a good time? Granted, the experiences they have on the court must be amazing, and being a part of such a first class organization equally grand, but it must also be exhausting. I know they manage to have fun, and I know they probably get to sleep late once in a while, but I think most of it is pretty hard work and doesn't resemble the experience that most undergraduates go through and pine for as they grind away at their white collar gigs in the years after.

flyingdutchdevil
04-11-2011, 10:28 AM
One aspect of the "why would a kid leave college - the greatest 4 years of your life!" argument is that it always assumes that the player's experience is the same as the rest of the student body. From the outsider perspective, it couldn't be more different. The season basically lasts for the entire school year, between pre-season workuts, etc. For that entire time, the kid is under a microscope - fellow students treat them differently, they have to be careful about what they do and what they say, and the entire basketball staff is on them around the clock. One of the primary things the staff focuses on is time management - sound like a recipe for a good time? Granted, the experiences they have on the court must be amazing, and being a part of such a first class organization equally grand, but it must also be exhausting. I know they manage to have fun, and I know they probably get to sleep late once in a while, but I think most of it is pretty hard work and doesn't resemble the experience that most undergraduates go through and pine for as they grind away at their white collar gigs in the years after.

This is a really good point. Not everyone is like Nolan Smith (ie able to enjoy his experience at Duke as much as his fellow students, if not more). I guess that's what makes Nolan so special.

I'm going to miss Kyrie, but I will miss Nolan 10 times more no doubt. Sigh...

billy
04-11-2011, 11:32 AM
And it looks like they were at The Streets at Southpoint.

Actually, don't remember the awning things over the benches at Southpoint. I think it's the outlet at Mebane:

http://connect.in.com/tanger-outlets-mebane-nc/photos-1-1-1-fc6c7da95ed630ffb8bf19ee3fdd8b41.html

MCFinARL
04-11-2011, 11:45 AM
Actually, don't remember the awning things over the benches at Southpoint. I think it's the outlet at Mebane:

http://connect.in.com/tanger-outlets-mebane-nc/photos-1-1-1-fc6c7da95ed630ffb8bf19ee3fdd8b41.html

Yes, in fact, in an earlier tweet Marshall said he was going to the Polo outlet with Henson and Barnes, and in an exchange with Nolan Smith (who asked where it was) he said it was in Mebane.

UrinalCake
04-11-2011, 12:27 PM
Pretty sure agents don't shop at Ann Taylor Loft 8-)

Maybe what he said was "I'm going to see an Asian" (not agent).

UrinalCake
04-11-2011, 12:31 PM
Well actually there is an exception that if you don't get drafted, you get 30 days to make your intentions known to come back to school.

I'm pretty sure they changed this rule so that you can't do this anymore. For a couple years after that there was an odd discrepancy where graduating high school seniors could withdraw if they went undrafted, but current college players could not. Then that became a non-issue with the one year rule.

yancem
04-11-2011, 01:17 PM
Boat shoes + Ralph Lauren = fool? You may have just insulted 75% of the Duke student body

I'm sorry but didn't "boat shoes" go out of style in the 80's? Are they back in style? I apologize if I'm insulting any of the Duke population, but may last pair of top siders were retired over 20 years ago. Although Sperry does have some newer designs that look a little more modern.

MCFinARL
04-11-2011, 02:00 PM
I'm sorry but didn't "boat shoes" go out of style in the 80's? Are they back in style? I apologize if I'm insulting any of the Duke population, but may last pair of top siders were retired over 20 years ago. Although Sperry does have some newer designs that look a little more modern.

Well, the shoes Barnes is wearing in this photograph do look a bit updated--they are black and have a pretty wide band of white on the sides--but they sure look like Sperrys to me.

As for the Duke population, well, some people just transcend style. ;)

meloveduke
04-11-2011, 02:40 PM
I know nothing of the NBA, agents, etc., but that is what some IC posters are saying. I didn't want to contribute to any rumors, so to me, he's just some guy! :p

Thanks, Duvall, for the picture...again, didn't want to post something that wasn't allowed.
(Of course, all of this discussion probably deserves it's own thread; we've hi-jacking Kyrie's thread!)

this is the said "agent" those guys over on IC are saying this dude is.........lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVIkga6I96A

Cell-R
04-11-2011, 05:00 PM
I'm sorry but didn't "boat shoes" go out of style in the 80's? Are they back in style? I apologize if I'm insulting any of the Duke population, but may last pair of top siders were retired over 20 years ago. Although Sperry does have some newer designs that look a little more modern.

I'm from a coastal city in NC so maybe I have a different perspective, but almost everyone I know (outside of Duke) wears Sperrys and Topsiders. I would say around 20-25% of the Duke population wear them.

davekay1971
04-11-2011, 05:07 PM
Forget the Polo bag...what was HB buying for himself at Ann Taylor Loft? A sweater set?

DukeGirl4ever
04-11-2011, 05:07 PM
this is the said "agent" those guys over on IC are saying this dude is.........lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVIkga6I96A

Oh my - haha! Isn't that the same guy from The Hangover? (As you can tell, I live a sheltered life) :cool:


Anyone have the latest on Harrison? I thought he was supposed to have a decision by (last) weekend.

meloveduke
04-11-2011, 05:19 PM
Oh my - haha! Isn't that the same guy from The Hangover? (As you can tell, I live a sheltered life) :cool:


Anyone have the latest on Harrison? I thought he was supposed to have a decision by (last) weekend.



I think he is setting up skype now.

yancem
04-11-2011, 06:03 PM
Oh my - haha! Isn't that the same guy from The Hangover? (As you can tell, I live a sheltered life) :cool:


Anyone have the latest on Harrison? I thought he was supposed to have a decision by (last) weekend.

The way I look at it the longer he takes to decide the better. I think that he has to be gathering his own information about his draft position and I would be surprised if he gets the same 5-11 number Ol'Roy gave him.

Kdogg
04-11-2011, 06:58 PM
Oh my - haha! Isn't that the same guy from The Hangover? (As you can tell, I live a sheltered life) :cool:


He's also a Duke alum and a doctor.

Jderf
04-11-2011, 08:09 PM
He's also a Duke alum and a doctor.

As well as a Chapel Hill alum.

Greg_Newton
04-11-2011, 08:23 PM
I'm sorry but didn't "boat shoes" go out of style in the 80's? Are they back in style? I apologize if I'm insulting any of the Duke population, but may last pair of top siders were retired over 20 years ago. Although Sperry does have some newer designs that look a little more modern.

Nah, Sperrys are still real popular with the preppy/greek crowd.

Sperry's with black socks and shorts, on the other hand... are not.:rolleyes:

COYS
04-11-2011, 09:16 PM
Nah, Sperrys are still real popular with the preppy/greek crowd.

Sperry's with black socks and shorts, on the other hand... are not.:rolleyes:

You can add the hipster crowd to that mix, as well.

However, as you already stated, the look Barnes was sporting with the socks is only popular with Barnes.

NYC Duke Fan
04-12-2011, 02:03 AM
Unless I missed something, isn't this thread about Kyrie Irving declaring for the NBA draft?

Why not start a thread comparing Sperry's with Rockports, with Polos, with Timberlands, with Bass, with Mephistos, with Jimmy Choos, with Christian Louboutins with Manolos etc?

UrinalCake
04-12-2011, 07:00 AM
He's also a Duke alum and a doctor.

Ken Jeong (might have spelled that incorrectly), and yes he went to Duke and is still a practicing doctor, but had a dream of acting so he tried out for and got a few bit roles and has been popping up everywhere ever since. He also plays Senor Chang in the TV show Community.

Duke: A Dynasty
04-12-2011, 08:35 AM
http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&SPID=1845&SPSID=22724

davekay1971
04-12-2011, 09:12 AM
Ken Jeong (might have spelled that incorrectly), and yes he went to Duke and is still a practicing doctor, but had a dream of acting so he tried out for and got a few bit roles and has been popping up everywhere ever since. He also plays Senor Chang in the TV show Community.

You spelled it correctly. Unless I'm mistaken, Ken gave up his practice and is committed to acting full-time. For a quick bio on our very brave alum, following med school, he went to Tulane for residency. He'd been doing some stand-up/improv type stuff for awhile, competed in a Laugh-off type competition in New Orleans during residency. One of the judges was a SNL producer and convinced him to give acting a shot. He's since been in a slew of films (Hangover, Hangover 2, Knocked Up, Role Models, Pineapple Express, to name a few) and, as noted above, is on Community.

Just as a wierd aside for me, he was a friend of my roommate at Duke, and I hung out with him a few times. I'd already seen Knocked Up and had the "hey, that Asian doctor guy is really familiar. I wonder what I've seen him in before" reaction. Saw Role Models, had the same, "wow that guy looks really familiar" reaction. Finally, when watching Pineapple Express I had the "Holy crap...that's that guy from Duke, my roommates buddy!" I did the IMDB search, realized that, yes, Ken was familiar because I actually knew him. And then he jumped out of a trunk naked onto Bradley Cooper and I saw a side of Ken I'd never seen before...

Oh, and because NYC Duke Fan is correct...good luck in the draft Kyrie! Hope Charlotte somehow wins the lottery!

Cell-R
04-12-2011, 09:22 AM
Unless I missed something, isn't this thread about Kyrie Irving declaring for the NBA draft?

Why not start a thread comparing Sperry's with Rockports, with Polos, with Timberlands, with Bass, with Mephistos, with Jimmy Choos, with Christian Louboutins with Manolos etc?

Forgive us.

moonpie23
04-12-2011, 11:13 AM
has kyrie hired that agent yet? does anyone have the skinny?

meloveduke
04-12-2011, 11:29 AM
has kyrie hired that agent yet? does anyone have the skinny?

Last I saw he will not untill after the may 8 deadline......... I dont know about you guys, but it reall doesnt sound like he is 100% set on going. I mean if he was wouldnt he have hired an agent already? When G went he had an agent in two days or something like that. I dont know if it really means anything at all, but it seems interesting to me that he said he was not yet readdy to hire an agent.

gewwang
04-12-2011, 11:46 AM
This is the only place I've seen reference to Kyrie selecting an agent:

http://www.thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=697


Duke's Kyrie Irving, the likely No. 1 pick in the draft, will sign with agent Andy Miller of ASM Sports, a source has confirmed. He will likely sign this week. ASM Sports's current clients include Kevin Garnett, Sebastian Telfair, Kyle Lowry, Antonio McDyess, Serge Ibaka, Chauncey Billups and Andre Miller. Irving announced last week that he will leave Duke after just one year in college to enter the NBA Draft.

Also some other Duke/ACC news at the end of the article:


Kyle Singler and Demetri McCamey were once considered first round picks. Those days are long gone. The two seniors are not getting any love these days from scouts. Neither appears to have much of a chance to land in the first round at this point. If either somehow does, it will be as one of the final picks of the first round. But even that seems unlikely.

Jordan Williams doesn't have many fans right now in terms of NBA scouts. Nobody is in love with him. Some like him, maybe enough for him to get a look in the final few picks of the first round, but he doesn't seem to be high on many draft boards. With his size and potential, someone would draft him in the second round at the very least. But the first round seems to be less than 50/50 at this point.

meloveduke
04-12-2011, 11:58 AM
This is the only place I've seen reference to Kyrie selecting an agent:

http://www.thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=697



Also some other Duke/ACC news at the end of the article:

I guess we will have to wait and see, but here is story on cbs that has some interesting quotes.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/14913663/irving-in-no-rush-to-hire-agent


"When it gets to that point, that's when I'm going to really have to decide what I'm going to do," Irivng said. "But as of right now, the draft is still going to happen and I know there's going to be a lockout, but I just haven't figured out everything of what I'm going to do going forward when the lockout occurs."

Sounds more like he is testing the waters more so then 100% set on the draft. the story is a good read and was posted on the 7th of April. Granted things could have changed from that date, so we will have to see what happens.

flyingdutchdevil
04-12-2011, 12:18 PM
I guess we will have to wait and see, but here is story on cbs that has some interesting quotes.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/14913663/irving-in-no-rush-to-hire-agent



Sounds more like he is testing the waters more so then 100% set on the draft. the story is a good read and was posted on the 7th of April. Granted things could have changed from that date, so we will have to see what happens.

I don't think it's considered "testing the waters" when you're a consensus top 3 pick. If you know you're a top 3 pick AND you've been dreaming about the NBA since you were a little kid, I think that's called pursing a dream.

I'm happy for Kyrie. He represented Duke incredibly well and his presence at our university will have a lot of positive ramifications. But he is not coming back.

meloveduke
04-12-2011, 12:25 PM
I don't think it's considered "testing the waters" when you're a consensus top 3 pick. If you know you're a top 3 pick AND you've been dreaming about the NBA since you were a little kid, I think that's called pursing a dream.

I'm happy for Kyrie. He represented Duke incredibly well and his presence at our university will have a lot of positive ramifications. But he is not coming back.

Right, but if you go to the draft and are unsure (as it seems from that story) if your going to really go then I would call that testing the waters. Think about it this way, if he was dead set on the draft then he would have hired an agent with in a feww days. I am sure he will stay in the draft and hire an agent, but till that day he is testing the waters.

Kedsy
04-12-2011, 12:35 PM
Sounds more like he is testing the waters more so then 100% set on the draft. the story is a good read and was posted on the 7th of April. Granted things could have changed from that date, so we will have to see what happens.

I read the article you linked, and it doesn't sound like testing the waters at all.

The context of your quote, "When it gets to that point, that's when I'm going to really have to decide what I'm going to do," is he's talking about the lockout and when it happens he needs to decide how to proceed, presumably about hiring a private trainer, etc., to workout while he's locked out. Since there's no chance the lockout occurs before the point of no return, that quote can't possibly be about really having to decide about whether to return to school. That's just wishful thinking on your part.

gewwang
04-12-2011, 12:35 PM
"testing the waters" used to be about 6 weeks, now it's only 2 weeks. Not alot will change for Kyrie in the 2 weeks before May 8th or whenever the deadline is. And the NBA lockout stuff, noone will find out about until early July so there's nothing with that info that affects Kyrie's May 8th deadline.

airowe
04-12-2011, 01:13 PM
Kyrie's not coming back y'all. He's gone. Wish him well.

meloveduke
04-12-2011, 01:14 PM
I am not thinking he will return, I said I think he stays in the draft and hires an agent. I do believe that if some new info about the lockout comes out before he hires an agent that he could come back. Its not wishfull thinking on my part.


Like I said if he was dead set on the draft with no chance of returning then why has he not hired an agent? Why would he chose the words "as of right now"? Why has he said it would not be done before the 8th deadline? Look I dont think he is going to drop out of the draft, I just think that some of those quotes dont sound like a kid that is 100% set on the draft no matter what.

Call it "wishfull thinking" if you want to. I really believe he is just looking out for himself just incase something major happens before the deadline. Thats all I think.

MCFinARL
04-12-2011, 03:14 PM
I read the article you linked, and it doesn't sound like testing the waters at all.

The context of your quote, "When it gets to that point, that's when I'm going to really have to decide what I'm going to do," is he's talking about the lockout and when it happens he needs to decide how to proceed, presumably about hiring a private trainer, etc., to workout while he's locked out. Since there's no chance the lockout occurs before the point of no return, that quote can't possibly be about really having to decide about whether to return to school. That's just wishful thinking on your part.

I should know this, and I could probably look it up, but since I'm sure some of the well informed posters here know and can tell me, what are the options during the lockout? Could players take short term contracts with European teams as a way of staying in game shape, for example, or would that compromise their position with their teams when the lockout ends? Would it make a difference if the player was newly drafted, like Kyrie, and the drafting team did not choose to sign him until after the new CBA was agreed to?

1 24 90
04-12-2011, 07:37 PM
Clearing out the DVR, I just watched Duke Michigan State from the Challenge and boy was Kyrie brilliant. With that, I bid Kyrie a fond farewell.

If only...........................

OZZIE4DUKE
04-12-2011, 08:01 PM
Clearing out the DVR, I just watched Duke Michigan State from the Challenge and boy was Kyrie brilliant. With that, I bid Kyrie a fond farewell.

If only...........................
I still have the Dec. 4th Butler game on mine. I was there. I haven't gotten around to watching the recording yet. Sometime this summer maybe.

1 24 90
04-12-2011, 08:13 PM
I still have the Dec. 4th Butler game on mine. I was there. I haven't gotten around to watching the recording yet. Sometime this summer maybe.

It's a tough one to watch again, as I believe it was the game that changed everything. I still have the 2 CBE games in Kansas City and the home Virginia game to watch. I was lucky to attend all 3 and still haven't had the time to watch them.

OZZIE4DUKE
04-12-2011, 08:34 PM
I still have the Dec. 4th Butler game on mine.


It's a tough one to watch again, as I believe it was the game that changed everything.
Yes. One step, and everything changed. What could have been, was.

ThePublisher
04-12-2011, 08:53 PM
I don't think I could bring myself to watch the Butler game as that moment is basically sent our season into a whole different directly. I blame Matt Howard for all of it. ;)
The ONE that could have been.