Austin Nichols Picks Memphis

[dukedoc]

I know we don't want to have individual threads for each recruit and Austin isn't a top five type of guy, but he seems to be a very important recruit for this cycle, particularly with Julius moving on. Would love to discuss his play and recruitment in more depth now.

Hopefully we put on a good show for him this weekend!

[superdave]

So Austin visits this weekend...do we have expectations of when he might make a decision?

Adam Rowe ‏@DukeHoopBlog
Duke has its #1 priority big man coming to town this weekend in Austin Nichols. Randle wasn't likely coming to Duke. Win some, lose some.

Jason Jordan ‏@JayJayUSATODAY
In light of today's developments, I think Duke may change the red carpet to platinum this weekend for Austin Nichols. #justahunch


Edit....third tweet added
John Martin ‏@JohnMartinCA
Briarcrest F Austin Nichols visit schedule: Duke Oct. 6, Auburn Oct. 13, and finishing up at Tennessee Oct. 20.

[ohiodukefan]

Austin is now a very, VERY important recruit to the Duke program. Even if Marshall developes into a competent center, Austin can play the PF postition and we will be loaded at the SF postition whether we get Jabari or not so our front line will be strong.

I've seen Austin play a couple times and his play (and his body) has improved tremendously. He could always run the floor, has good hands, and just dunks everything but I'm guessing the 20-25 lbs he's picked up in the last year has made him much more of a threat inside to take contact and still finish and also makes him stronger on the boards.

[Kedsy]

Austin is now a very, VERY important recruit to the Duke program. Even if Marshall developes into a competent center, Austin can play the PF postition and we will be loaded at the SF postition whether we get Jabari or not so our front line will be strong.

It would be nice to pick up a 6'8", 200 pound PF/C, but calling him a "very, VERY important recruit to the Duke program" would appear to overstate things.

He's currently #23 in the RSCI, with the potential to move up (ESPN and PrepStars moved him up to 10 and 14, while Scout and CBS have him at 47 and 49; assuming the latter haven't updated in awhile (which may or may not be true), we could be looking at a guy in the mid-teens by the end of the season, not that rating is the be-all, end-all). Still, it's hard to say that a non-top 10 guy, who despite his recent weight gain still needs to put on more muscle to play inside in college, would make or break anything for Duke.

He'd be a nice get, but I wouldn't go farther than that.

[flyingdutchdevil]

It would be nice to pick up a 6'8", 200 pound PF/C, but calling him a "very, VERY important recruit to the Duke program" would appear to overstate things.

He's currently #23 in the RSCI, with the potential to move up (ESPN and PrepStars moved him up to 10 and 14, while Scout and CBS have him at 47 and 49; assuming the latter haven't updated in awhile (which may or may not be true), we could be looking at a guy in the mid-teens by the end of the season, not that rating is the be-all, end-all). Still, it's hard to say that a non-top 10 guy, who despite his recent weight gain still needs to put on more muscle to play inside in college, would make or break anything for Duke.

He'd be a nice get, but I wouldn't go farther than that.

I would agree that Nichols isn't very, VERY important for the program, especially considering that we have a true 5 for the next 4 years. Also, we have two true 4s (Hairston, Jefferson) and a whole slew of players who can play a stretch 4 (although they are clearly better suited for the 3). But we do need a 4/5 for next year, especially considering we have no idea how Marshall will perform and, more importantly, how long he can stay on the floor (foul trouble, stamina, etc.). There isn't a player right now who can back up Marshall in 2013-2014 and beyond (Hairston is too short, Jefferson is too skinny). I believe that is an issue that we need to address first and foremost.

Randle, IMO, was a huge blow because he easily could have played the 5 when Marshall was out. Although Randle would have likely only been at Duke for a year, it would have given the coaching staff another year to recruit the big men that we want/need.

I'm confident that the coaching staff can get Nichols. He seems like a solid prospect and the true big man that can remedy the issue above.

[roywhite]

It would be nice to pick up a 6'8", 200 pound PF/C, but calling him a "very, VERY important recruit to the Duke program" would appear to overstate things.

He's currently #23 in the RSCI, with the potential to move up (ESPN and PrepStars moved him up to 10 and 14, while Scout and CBS have him at 47 and 49; assuming the latter haven't updated in awhile (which may or may not be true), we could be looking at a guy in the mid-teens by the end of the season, not that rating is the be-all, end-all). Still, it's hard to say that a non-top 10 guy, who despite his recent weight gain still needs to put on more muscle to play inside in college, would make or break anything for Duke.

He'd be a nice get, but I wouldn't go farther than that.

**caveat....just talking hoops, have seen some video, but never seen this player in person

Seems to me he is an important recruit for Duke....seems taller than 6'8" and has the long arms and good hands (!) that IMO make him an inside player, likely to be best used within 10 feet of the basket
I could see him in lineups where he would be the "big" along with one or two tall wings and the other players 6'4" or less

Esp. important if it turns out Marshall P. does not become more than a role player (not sure what to expect from Marshall, honestly)

If he commits to Duke, I think that's it for 2013; Jabari Parker would still be a target, though who knows how that goes?

[ohiodukefan]

We're going to need an inside presence after Mason leaves and I agree, we have no idea how Marshall will develope. Remember, we've really struggled to develope big men in their first 2-3 years over the last decade or so. We got almost nothing from Zoubek until his senior year and Shav, Josh, and even Miles never turned out to be what everyone thought they could be. Mason is in his 4th year (thank gawd he came back) and we haven't got consistant play from him night in and night out for 3 years. In 2013-14 if we don't get Austin, Marshall isn't ready, and K's penchant to play 3 guard lineups, who will we have to rebound on that team?? That is why Austin is so important.

[DUKIE V(A)]

Austin is now a very, VERY important recruit to the Duke program. Even if Marshall developes into a competent center, Austin can play the PF postition and we will be loaded at the SF postition whether we get Jabari or not so our front line will be strong.

I've seen Austin play a couple times and his play (and his body) has improved tremendously. He could always run the floor, has good hands, and just dunks everything but I'm guessing the 20-25 lbs he's picked up in the last year has made him much more of a threat inside to take contact and still finish and also makes him stronger on the boards.

Thanks for the insight, and I agree with your assessment that he is a critical recruit. Big men with his skill set are hard to come by. I get that Austin may not be as imposing as say a Randle but players like Austin can make a huge difference in the ultimate success of a team. I really like his game, and feel he would be an OUTSTANDING addition to Duke. I hope he finds Duke to be a good fit.

[Dukehky]

I would agree that Nichols isn't very, VERY important for the program, especially considering that we have a true 5 for the next 4 years. Also, we have two true 4s (Hairston, Jefferson) and a whole slew of players who can play a stretch 4 (although they are clearly better suited for the 3). But we do need a 4/5 for next year, especially considering we have no idea how Marshall will perform and, more importantly, how long he can stay on the floor (foul trouble, stamina, etc.). There isn't a player right now who can back up Marshall in 2013-2014 and beyond (Hairston is too short, Jefferson is too skinny). I believe that is an issue that we need to address first and foremost.

Randle, IMO, was a huge blow because he easily could have played the 5 when Marshall was out. Although Randle would have likely only been at Duke for a year, it would have given the coaching staff another year to recruit the big men that we want/need.

I'm confident that the coaching staff can get Nichols. He seems like a solid prospect and the true big man that can remedy the issue above.

Jefferson is far from a true 4 based on his body type, and same with Josh Hairston who is maybe 6'7, and until he shows me differently, I expect very little out of him in his remaining two seasons.

Nichols isn't a huge recruit, but we are running low on big man recruits since losing out on Randle. Also, while my hopes for Marshall are high, he has done absolutely nothing to prove he is the answer at the 5 for the next four years, we need back-up plans, even if they just start out being back-ups.

[Kedsy]

We're going to need an inside presence after Mason leaves and I agree, we have no idea how Marshall will develope. Remember, we've really struggled to develope big men in their first 2-3 years over the last decade or so. We got almost nothing from Zoubek until his senior year and Shav, Josh, and even Miles never turned out to be what everyone thought they could be. Mason is in his 4th year (thank gawd he came back) and we haven't got consistant play from him night in and night out for 3 years. In 2013-14 if we don't get Austin, Marshall isn't ready, and K's penchant to play 3 guard lineups, who will we have to rebound on that team?? That is why Austin is so important.

Miles was ranked 81st in the RSCI coming out of high school, one of the lowest rated Duke recruits of the 21st century. And yet he started 57 games for Duke, averaged more than 7 rpg his senior year, and was a first round NBA draft pick. What did you think he would be?

Z and Shav had severe injury problems almost their entire Duke careers. Josh was always considered a tweener and a project. I don't think anybody envisioned him as a game-changing big man. None of these guys can be fairly used as a template for predicting how quickly Marshall Plumlee will develop. And Mason, despite his inconsistency, has averaged 9 ppg and 8.75 rpg over the past two seasons, along with 1.6 bpg. If Marshall can manage anything close to that, we should all be happy.

Also, if as you say, we've really struggled to develop big men in their first 2 to 3 years, why do you think Austin Nichols will be able to make a difference during his freshman year? You're sort of arguing against yourself.

[ohiodukefan]

Kedsy,

What do you mean Josh was a project?? He was the #1 high school recruit coming out of high school on a lot of the lists, even ranked higher than Hansbrough. He was the MVP of the McDonald's all-American game. He was projected to be far more of a player at Duke than they ever got from him. I don't think he ever made first or second team all-ACC, did he? If injuries were so much of a problem for Shav and Brian, a redshirt year should have been considered. Can you imagine the 2010-2011 team with Brian had they had him for another year?

And Shav for years and now Miles are hanging around NBA rosters so the talent is there. Miles athletic numbers are off the charts, far more than even Davis's at UK. Why didn't we get any more than .8 blocked shots a game from him and Davis averaged, what, 4-5 blocks a game and altered about a half dozen more. I think Miles numbers this year in the NBA will be better than any of his numbers at Duke. Just watch.

That being said, Duke has been a guard oriented team for the last decade or more so it's easy to see why the big men aren't developed efficiently. A lot of times they are just used to set screens 20-25 ft from the basket.

[BD80]

... Remember, we've really struggled to develope big men in their first 2-3 years over the last decade or so. ...

Remember? With such wailing and gnashing of teeth regarding our "big man development" - who could forget?

While we're asking questions, if Duke is so poor at big man development, what is the standard? What is the gold standard?

Who HAS developed big men?

Certainly Jim Calhoun has that reputation, and yet he turned Andre Drummond - the consensus #1 recruit who might have been picked #1 in the NBA if allowed to turn pro out of high school, into a college role player who was drafted on potential alone. Coach Cal really developed the "unibrow" Davis' offensive game while at Kentucky - how many points did he score in the championship game?

Hansbrough developed well, but he was 20 yo when he arrived at chapel hell. Henson sure as hell didn't develop, he couldn't even complete one rep on the bench press at the NBA combine after three years at unc training.

I would suggest that Duke does quite well at developing big men, and that Miles is certainly proof of that fact.

[sagegrouse]

Kedsy,

What do you mean Josh was a project?? He was the #1 high school recruit coming out of high school on a lot of the lists, even ranked higher than Hansbrough. He was the MVP of the McDonald's all-American game. He was projected to be far more of a player at Duke than they ever got from him. I don't think he ever made first or second team all-ACC, did he? If injuries were so much of a problem for Shav and Brian, a redshirt year should have been considered. Can you imagine the 2010-2011 team with Brian had they had him for another year?

.

McRoberts was 2nd team All-ACC in 2007 -- the only Blue Devil on the team. If he had stayed four years, he may have been a great college player.

sagegrouse

[jv001]

McRoberts was 2nd team All-ACC in 2007 -- the only Blue Devil on the team. If he had stayed four years, he may have been a great college player.

sagegrouse

I believe Joshs problem was more about attitude than his physical ability. He played very well his last year at Duke and if not for him, I don't know who would have gotten a rebound for Duke. Just mho, GoDuke!

[Cameron]

I believe Joshs problem was more about attitude than his physical ability. He played very well his last year at Duke and if not for him, I don't know who would have gotten a rebound for Duke. Just mho, GoDuke!

I believe you are correct. And, without getting into trouble for telling tales, that's what teammates seemed to have thought as well. I remember hearing rumbles of "cancer in the locker room" talk in the months after he left. I know others do as well.

Quite frankly, the only emotion I felt when Josh left for the NBA was relief.

[Bluedog]

Kedsy,

What do you mean Josh was a project??

I don't want to speak for Kedsy, but I'm pretty sure the statement was referring to Josh Hairston, not McRoberts.

[Cameron]

I don't want to speak for Kedsy, but I'm pretty sure the statement was referring to Josh Hairston, not McRoberts.

If you look at ohio's original post, the player in question is clearly Josh McRoberts. So I am not sure why kedsy would have brought Josh Hairston into the equation. Although I could be mistaken.

[Bluedog]

If you look at ohio's original post, the player in question is clearly Josh McRoberts. So I am not sure why kedsy would have brought Josh Hairston into the equation. Although I could be mistaken.

Yes, ohio was referring to McRoberts and kedsy mistakenly was talking about Hairston since ohio simply used the first name. It happens...That's the only logical conclusion I could come up with at least. :D Obviously, McRoberts wasn't seen as a project, while Hairston is/was (although still decently highly touted).

[Cameron]

Yes, ohio was referring to McRoberts and kedsy mistakenly was talking about Hairston since ohio simply used the first name. It happens...That's the only logical conclusion I could come up with at least. :D Obviously, McRoberts wasn't seen as a project, while Hairston is/was (although still decently highly touted).

Yeah, that would definitely make more sense. I guess I just looked at the various players ohio had mentioned, which were all from the mid-2000s, and immediately knew what Josh he was discussing. But it doesn't really matter. Kedsy can clear it up.

Josh was the No. 1 player in his class out of Carmel, correct? So he was certainly not a project. He was just rated too high.

[Dukehky]

Yeah, that would definitely make more sense. I guess I just looked at the various players ohio had mentioned, which were all from the mid-2000s, and immediately knew what Josh he was discussing. But it doesn't really matter. Kedsy can clear it up.

Josh was the No. 1 player in his class out of Carmel, correct? So he was certainly not a project. He was just rated too high.

Completely disagree with you there. He may not have developed his talent as well as the others in his class, but his high school ranking was completely justified. He was 6'10, not rail thin (not huge by anymeans), could jump out of the gym for a big guy, had a great handle, really good vision and passing ability, had good shot blocking talent and a developing low post game.

He didn't have to use/practice that low post game his freshman year because we had Shelden Williams. Josh wasn't my favorite player ever, in fact far from it, but the reason Josh didn't jump in points his sophomore year was because he refused to shoot fairly often, he was always looking to pass. He may have been a locker-room problem, but he was unselfish on the court as far as I remember.

I know that a lot of us are a little disappointed with our big men production and development in the past few years, some of it is justified, some of it's not, but lets not argue about things that happened 6-7 years ago like Shav and Josh, it's almost irrelevant now. What we can focus on is Austin's upside, how the coaches can develop him, and whether or not he's going to come to Duke

[jimsumner]

Nichols may not be an elite recruit but he's pretty well-regarded and context has made him pretty darn important to a Duke team that is losing Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly and doesn't have another post target in sight in this class.

My understanding is that Nichols is pushing 6-9, is over 200 pounds and has a wingspan in the 73-74 inch range. Give him another year in high school and access to Duke's weight-training program and we're definitely looking at a high-level post player, maybe not a 260-pound back-to-the-basket bruiser but someone more stylistically similar to a Nick Collison.

[BD80]

Nichols may not be an elite recruit but he's pretty well-regarded and context has made him pretty darn important to a Duke team that is losing Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly and doesn't have another post target in sight in this class.

My understanding is that Nichols is pushing 6-9, is over 200 pounds and has a wingspan in the 73-74 inch range. Give him another year in high school and access to Duke's weight-training program and we're definitely looking at a high-level post player, maybe not a 260-pound back-to-the-basket bruiser but someone more stylistically similar to a Nick Collison.

Boy I hope you mean a wingspan of 7'3" or 7'4" (87-88 inch range).

[jimsumner]

Boy I hope you mean a wingspan of 7'3" or 7'4" (87-88 inch range).

Nope. That's why his nickname is "T-Rex". Really short arms. :)

Yes, I did mean 7-3/7-4. Thanks for picking up on that.

[Kedsy]

I don't want to speak for Kedsy, but I'm pretty sure the statement was referring to Josh Hairston, not McRoberts.

You are correct. Sorry about the confusion.

[Kedsy]

Kedsy,

What do you mean Josh was a project?? He was the #1 high school recruit coming out of high school on a lot of the lists, even ranked higher than Hansbrough. He was the MVP of the McDonald's all-American game. He was projected to be far more of a player at Duke than they ever got from him.

Sorry again. I was talking about Hairston. If I'd realized you were talking about Josh McRoberts (which I obviously didn't), my response to you would have been that Josh McRoberts did pretty well in his two years at Duke, started 63 of his 69 games here, averaged 13 and 8 his sophomore year (after a pretty decent 9 & 5 as a third or fourth option as a freshman), and made 2nd team All ACC. Again, if that's Marshall Plumlee's trajectory, I think we'd all be more than happy with it.

Sorry one more time about the confusion.

[Kedsy]

That being said, Duke has been a guard oriented team for the last decade or more so it's easy to see why the big men aren't developed efficiently. A lot of times they are just used to set screens 20-25 ft from the basket.

Your arguments confuse me, which is why I didn't realize you were talking about Josh McRoberts. This started when you declared Austin Nichols was a critical recruit for the program. But if we're so bad developing big men and we don't allow them to play valuable roles, why would it matter if we get Austin Nichols?

Glossing over that, your argument seemed to be that there's no guarantee Marshall Plumlee will be ready to contribute by his sophomore year (and on that, we agree; there is no guarantee that Marshall will be ready), and thus we need Austin Nichols. To bolster your argument that Marshall might not be ready, you invoked Brian Zoubek and Shavlik Randolph, both of whom were injured much of their sophomore seasons, as well as Miles Plumlee, Mason Plumlee, and (apparently) Josh McRoberts. Except Miles, Mason, and Josh M all started the majority of their team's games during their sophomore year, so they were obviously ready to play. McRoberts was 2nd team all-conference his sophomore year (again explaining why I thought you meant Josh Hairston, who hardly played his sophomore year). None of your examples bolster your assertion that Marshall may not be ready (although, as I've said, I agree he may not).

Now, if what you're really saying is big men just don't succeed at Duke, then I wonder why you think Austin Nichols has a better chance than any of the others (including a redshirt sophomore Marshall Plumlee). Also, I disagree that we don't develop big men, but that's a whole 'nother conversation.

[Cameron]

Completely disagree with you there. He may not have developed his talent as well as the others in his class, but his high school ranking was completely justified. He was 6'10, not rail thin (not huge by anymeans), could jump out of the gym for a big guy, had a great handle, really good vision and passing ability, had good shot blocking talent and a developing low post game.

That depends on how you look at it. McRoberts was obviously a phenomenal high school player, as evidenced by the most valuable player trophy he won at the McDonald's game his senior year at Carmel. But if you look college basketball recruiting through the same prism as the NBA, which drafts on potential more than anything else -- which I think is mostly true in college as well, as you are aiming for the prospects that you think will best help your program in the future -- then McRoberts did not ultimately measure up as the best player in his prep class.

I can name off a whole slew of guys who turned out to be better prospects than McRoberts -- and some of them right away, in the NBA, right out of high school. Tyler Hansbrough, Monta Ellis, Mario Chalmers, Andrew Bynum, Brandon Rush, etc. If you're making the argument that, because McRoberts produced amazing numbers and appeared to have all of the physical gifts when coming out of high school, his No. 1 ranking was solidified, then I am not sure I agree with you. Ask the Detroit Pistons about Darko Milicic.

My view of things is pretty simple: McRoberts was a great high school player. He turned out to be an above average college player and a below average pro.

[-bdbd]

Any word? At least he got to see a pretty awesome football game!!

;)

[sagegrouse]

My view of things is pretty simple: McRoberts was a great high school player. He turned out to be an above average college player and a below average pro.

I would probably rate him differently, if only in degree. Given that there are 300+ schools in Div I basketball, the fact that Josh was 2nd team All-ACC as a sophomore makes him an outstanding college player and wa-a-a-ay above average. In fact, he was "above average" as a Duke player, in that 16 Duke players in the past 13 years have made 1st or 2nd team All-ACC. Josh was one, and he probably would have repeated if he had stayed.

While Josh has been a role player in the NBA, he is one year into a three-year $9.2 million contract and will have made $12 million over seven years when the contract is over. A lot of NBA players, including some Duke ones, have not done nearly as well.

sagegrouse

[Cameron]

I would probably rate him differently, if only in degree. Given that there are 300+ schools in Div I basketball, the fact that Josh was 2nd team All-ACC as a sophomore makes him an outstanding college player and wa-a-a-ay above average. In fact, he was "above average" as a Duke player, in that 16 Duke players in the past 13 years have made 1st or 2nd team All-ACC. Josh was one, and he probably would have repeated if he had stayed.

While Josh has been a role player in the NBA, he is one year into a three-year $9.2 million contract and will have made $12 million over seven years when the contract is over. A lot of NBA players, including some Duke ones, have not done nearly as well.

sagegrouse

As you can probably tell from my previous post, I am not the world's #1 McRoberts fan, but I can certainly respect the fact that he had/has a lot of talent as a basketball player. With that, I would still contend that even with the All-ACC second team selection, he was a really good, but not great college player. I think terms like "great" and "outstanding" should be set aside for really exceptional players like Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, Chris Duhon, J.J., etc., guys who were All-Americans or were instrumental to a program's success or performed crazy individual exploits, players whose careers are something at which to really marvel. I certainly don't think McRoberts fits into that category. But, that ultimately depends on your definition of outstanding.

As for my claim that McRoberts is a below average pro, admittedly I should have first attempted to define what an "average pro" is. McRoberts has played in 205 career NBA games, with averages of 4 points and 3 rebounds per game. According to John Hollinger's NBA player efficiency ratings (http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/per.html) (PER) on basketball-reference.com, which essentially works to determine a player's worth on a per-minute basis into one defining number by calculating a complex formula of statistical performances, McRoberts has a PER of 14.4. The average NBA player, by Hollinger's calculations, has a PER of 15.

So, what I am saying is that your ratings of McRoberts seem to be more in line with reality than mine. A more accurate statement would have been that McRoberts was a phenomenal high school player, a really good collegian and an average pro. But I just can't call his career at Duke great. It was just really good. Nothing more, IMO. Could it have been great? If he had stayed, I don't doubt that it would have been.

[licc85]

As much as I love talking about Josh McRoberts (not at all), does anyone have any interesting news on Austin's visit on campus? I'm on board with the school of thought that we really need this guy. After this year, we're basically 1 big man injury from possibly being forced to play Josh Hairston 20+ minutes a game . . . a prospect that no one is looking forward to.

I'm not sold on his size or length. From the scouting reports that I've read, he has somewhat narrow shoulders, which obviously limits his wingspan. Still, any guy who is a legitimate top 25 talent who can man the post would be more than welcome, especially if you guys are accurate about his increased bulk.

Furthermore, I'm totally confident in Marshall Plumlee. I'm not sure why everyone is so hesitant to trust in him. Sure, he was redshirted, but I think it was the smart thing to do, since we really didn't need him last year, and we could REALLY use him for the next 4. Mason, who I think we can safely say is the most talented of the 3 Plumlees averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks his senior year at Christ School. Marshall averaged 12, 10, and 2.5 as a senior in the same league. He's not as talented on offense, I get that, but the defense and rebounding will not drop off at all. Plus, he's still going to be just as good of a finisher at the rim as Mason ever was, AND he has the extra benefit of a redshirt year, meaning he'll be a year more mature physically as a freshman with experience in the Duke system.

Everyone seems to forget, this kid was a McDonald's All-American, he's legitimately 7 feet tall, and he's just as athletic as his brothers. Let me say that again: ATHLETIC 7-FOOTER. He is going to be a solid college center. Sure, he will have games where he gets in foul trouble and some bad games where I'm sure he will make some stupid mistakes and turn the ball over a lot, but I think his ceiling is higher than Miles' and Miles was a dang good player for us for 4 years. We're not going to rely on him to post up and score for us. All he needs to do is get rebounds and stand tall in the post on D. Relax, people, Marshall is going to be a huge asset for 4 years, same as his brothers, you'll see.

[JasonEvans]

After this year, we're basically 1 big man injury from possibly being forced to play Josh Hairston 20+ minutes a game . . . a prospect that no one is looking forward to.

I'm not sold on his size or length. From the scouting reports that I've read, he has somewhat narrow shoulders, which obviously limits his wingspan. Still, any guy who is a legitimate top 25 talent who can man the post would be more than welcome, especially if you guys are accurate about his increased bulk.

Just for the record, Josh Hairston was a top 35 prospect (he was top 25 at this point in his senior season, but faded a tiny bit late in his senior year). Like Austin Nichols, Josh is described as a kid without freakish length.

And I would also note that Josh did ok when we asked him to step up and take a larger role late in the year when Ryan got hurt. No, he was not a focal point of the offense, but he wasn't exactly a liability out there either. I have high hopes that he can expand his role even more this season and especially next year. If you told me Josh was a valuable contributor for this team as a senior, I would not be at all surprised.

All that said, like many of you I have higher expectations for Austin Nichols and feel he could be a very valuable player for Duke quite quickly in his career.

-Jason "sadly, I have no word on how his visit went" Evans

[budwom]

His shoulders notwithstanding, Nichols' wingspan has been measured this year at 7 ft 2 inches. So the length is definitely there.

[loran16]

Just for the record, Josh Hairston was a top 35 prospect (he was top 25 at this point in his senior season, but faded a tiny bit late in his senior year). Like Austin Nichols, Josh is described as a kid without freakish length.

And I would also note that Josh did ok when we asked him to step up and take a larger role late in the year when Ryan got hurt. No, he was not a focal point of the offense, but he wasn't exactly a liability out there either. I have high hopes that he can expand his role even more this season and especially next year. If you told me Josh was a valuable contributor for this team as a senior, I would not be at all surprised.

All that said, like many of you I have higher expectations for Austin Nichols and feel he could be a very valuable player for Duke quite quickly in his career.

-Jason "sadly, I have no word on how his visit went" Evans

I don't think this was Josh's fault, but I'm nor sure what you mean by 'did ok." The entire offense fell apart with Ryan.

Now, I think a major part of that was that Duke's offense for large parts of the game revolved around having someone with Ryan's abilities in the game, which is something Josh couldn't replicate on his best day (different kinds of player), but he did not do particularly well in that role.

[Dukeface88]

As much as I love talking about Josh McRoberts (not at all), does anyone have any interesting news on Austin's visit on campus? I'm on board with the school of thought that we really need this guy. After this year, we're basically 1 big man injury from possibly being forced to play Josh Hairston 20+ minutes a game . . . a prospect that no one is looking forward to.

I'm not sold on his size or length. From the scouting reports that I've read, he has somewhat narrow shoulders, which obviously limits his wingspan. Still, any guy who is a legitimate top 25 talent who can man the post would be more than welcome, especially if you guys are accurate about his increased bulk.

Furthermore, I'm totally confident in Marshall Plumlee. I'm not sure why everyone is so hesitant to trust in him. Sure, he was redshirted, but I think it was the smart thing to do, since we really didn't need him last year, and we could REALLY use him for the next 4. Mason, who I think we can safely say is the most talented of the 3 Plumlees averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks his senior year at Christ School. Marshall averaged 12, 10, and 2.5 as a senior in the same league. He's not as talented on offense, I get that, but the defense and rebounding will not drop off at all. Plus, he's still going to be just as good of a finisher at the rim as Mason ever was, AND he has the extra benefit of a redshirt year, meaning he'll be a year more mature physically as a freshman with experience in the Duke system.

Everyone seems to forget, this kid was a McDonald's All-American, he's legitimately 7 feet tall, and he's just as athletic as his brothers. Let me say that again: ATHLETIC 7-FOOTER. He is going to be a solid college center. Sure, he will have games where he gets in foul trouble and some bad games where I'm sure he will make some stupid mistakes and turn the ball over a lot, but I think his ceiling is higher than Miles' and Miles was a dang good player for us for 4 years. We're not going to rely on him to post up and score for us. All he needs to do is get rebounds and stand tall in the post on D. Relax, people, Marshall is going to be a huge asset for 4 years, same as his brothers, you'll see.

While I too have high expectations for Marshall, they don't include playing 40 minutes per game. Someone is going to have to back him up, and I'd rather it be Nichols than Amille or Josh.

[Kedsy]

While I too have high expectations for Marshall, they don't include playing 40 minutes per game. Someone is going to have to back him up, and I'd rather it be Nichols than Amille or Josh.

I agree someone is going to have to back him up. I'm not sure why you think a freshman Austin Nichols will be more prepared to do that than a sophomore Amile Jefferson.

Amile is listed by Duke as 6'8, 195 (ESPN listed him as 6'7, 190; Yahoo listed him as 6'8, 197; Draft Express listed him as 6'9, 197). I haven't seen a wingspan measurement, but he appears to have very long arms. His reputation from high school is he's a crafty and successful interior scorer. I believe he played mostly center in high school, and his RSCI ranking was #21. Most importantly, he will have a year of college to get bulkier, stronger, and better, and to understand the Duke defensive system.

Austin Nichols is listed by ESPN as 6'8, 200; by Yahoo as 6'8, 193, and by Scout as 6'9, 205. No matter which of these (if any) is right, he's not appreciably bigger, either height-wise or weight-wise, than Amile. His RSCI ranking is currently #23. He'll be a freshman playing college ball for the first time.

Neither of these guys is probably ideal as a college center, but while I admit I haven't seen either of them play, on paper I see no reason to prefer a freshman Austin over a sophomore Amile.

[Dukeface88]

I agree someone is going to have to back him up. I'm not sure why you think a freshman Austin Nichols will be more prepared to do that than a sophomore Amile Jefferson.

Amile is listed by Duke as 6'8, 195 (ESPN listed him as 6'7, 190; Yahoo listed him as 6'8, 197; Draft Express listed him as 6'9, 197). I haven't seen a wingspan measurement, but he appears to have very long arms. His reputation from high school is he's a crafty and successful interior scorer. I believe he played mostly center in high school, and his RSCI ranking was #21. Most importantly, he will have a year of college to get bulkier, stronger, and better, and to understand the Duke defensive system.

Austin Nichols is listed by ESPN as 6'8, 200; by Yahoo as 6'8, 193, and by Scout as 6'9, 205. No matter which of these (if any) is right, he's not appreciably bigger, either height-wise or weight-wise, than Amile. His RSCI ranking is currently #23. He'll be a freshman playing college ball for the first time.

Neither of these guys is probably ideal as a college center, but while I admit I haven't seen either of them play, on paper I see no reason to prefer a freshman Austin over a sophomore Amile.

Based on this thread, it seems that Nichols has a slightly longer wingspan as well (Amille is listed at 7'0 everywhere I've seen), and every little bit adds up. However, I was more thinking of skillset than size. My understanding (likewise without seeing either of them play) is that Amille plays a lot on the perimeter while Nichols is more of a pure post player, so my assumption was that it would be easier for Nichols to transition to center than Amille. It's true that neither, as far as I know, is a back-to-the-basket type, so you may well be right.

[azzefkram]

I agree someone is going to have to back him up. I'm not sure why you think a freshman Austin Nichols will be more prepared to do that than a sophomore Amile Jefferson.

Neither of these guys is probably ideal as a college center, but while I admit I haven't seen either of them play, on paper I see no reason to prefer a freshman Austin over a sophomore Amile.

Not sure if this was the OP point, but I'm hoping that Amile will be playing NEXT to Marshall. If that's the case, freshman Austin could back up both of them.

[Kedsy]

Not sure if this was the OP point, but I'm hoping that Amile will be playing NEXT to Marshall. If that's the case, freshman Austin could back up both of them.

That's possible, of course. Considering how stacked we're going to be at wing next season (Rasheed, Rodney, Andre (if he returns), Matt Jones, Semi O, and possibly/hopefully Jabari Parker), I had been working under the assumption that Alex Murphy would move to PF, meaning both Amile and Austin (if he comes to Duke), as well as Josh, would be backing up Alex and Marshall. Obviously it's all guesswork at this point.

[gumbomoop]

My understanding (likewise without seeing either of them play) is that Amille plays a lot on the perimeter....

Although I have seen Jefferson play only once, I would definitely not describe him as having played a lot on the perimeter. But, because (a) Kelly and Mason P will get the big minutes at the 4 and 5 in 2012-13, (b) there's no "logical" non-guard to back up Murphy at the 3 this season, and (c) Jefferson looks [body-type] like a 3/4, [therefore] (d) Jefferson is likely to play some back-up 3 this season.

But Jefferson is unlikely to play much 3 after 2012-13.

There's a fair amount of understandable confusion, owing to the fact that 2 players - Murphy and Jefferson - likely to play more 3 than anything else in 2012-13, might shift to the 4 in 2013-14. Even more confusing is the fact that Jefferson is ..... confusing. He looks like a 3/4, and will likely play some 3 this season, but he isn't, so far, really a 3 at all. With some weight gain, he might by 2013-14 look a little more like a 4. His play is also ..... confusing, in that he seems sometimes to start out [on O] with the ball on the perimeter, but he wants to get to the rim, slippery-like, often along the baseline, for funny, confusing shots, odd angles, but pretty close in. Jefferson doesn't seem to fit any preconceived notion of a 3, or a 4, or a 5. But IMO, absent the addition of several bigs in class of 2014 and class of 2015, Jefferson will be a big.

Two scenarios, then, for 2013-14: [1] Nichols comes to Duke. [2] He doesn't.

My guess is that in [1], Murphy plays some 3 and 4, Marshall starts at the 5, and both Jefferson and Nichols play some 4 and some 5. Hairston, too.

In [2], Murphy almost surely plays mostly at the 4, Marshall starts at the 5, and both Jefferson and Hairston play some 4 and some 5.

I hope Nichols is as confusing as Jefferson - to EK posters and especially to opponents - and that Jefferson and Nichols pair up to confuse opponents for years to come.

[wilko]

The silence about Austin is deafening.

[Sgt. Dingleberry]

The silence about Austin is deafening.

There are a ton of rumors going around, but Austin himself (via twitter) has come out and said they are not true.

The rumor du jour is that his gf, twin sister and Hubbs are going to Tennessee and that he has informed the Vols coaching staff that he will as well.

Who knows what is actually happening, but, that is what I have heard/seen.

[BlueBloodedDevil]

The rumor du jour is that his gf, twin sister and Hubbs are going to Tennessee and that he has informed the Vols coaching staff that he will as well.




We're golden then!! Nobody in their right mind goes to the same college as their high school girlfriend! What fun is that!!! ;)

[Sgt. Dingleberry]

We're golden then!! Nobody in their right mind goes to the same college as their high school girlfriend! What fun is that!!! ;)

LOL...I can't lie, that was my first thought when reading the rumor.:cool:

[BD80]

There are a ton of rumors going around, but Austin himself (via twitter) has come out and said they are not true.

The rumor du jour is that his gf, twin sister and Hubbs are going to Tennessee and that he has informed the Vols coaching staff that he will as well.

Who knows what is actually happening, but, that is what I have heard/seen.

His twin sister or his gf's twin sister? This could be important ...

[Sgt. Dingleberry]

His twin sister or his gf's twin sister? This could be important ...

Austin's twin sister.

[SeattleIrish]

There are a ton of rumors going around, but Austin himself (via twitter) has come out and said they are not true.

The rumor du jour is that his gf, twin sister and Hubbs are going to Tennessee and that he has informed the Vols coaching staff that he will as well.

Who knows what is actually happening, but, that is what I have heard/seen.

I'm just hoping those are three DIFFERENT people...

I keeed, I keeed!

s.i.

[J4Kop99]

I'm just hoping those are three DIFFERENT people...

I keeed, I keeed!

s.i.

lol. Very nice, SI, very nice.

[gam7]

We're golden then!! Nobody in their right mind goes to the same college as their high school girlfriend! What fun is that!!! ;)

Well, if you see his Twitter picture/avatar/whatever it's called, then you might change your mind (assuming that's his girlfriend).

[Dukehky]

Well, if you see his Twitter picture/avatar/whatever it's called, then you might change your mind (assuming that's his girlfriend).

Austin Rivers' girlfriend dropped out of college and moved to Durham to be Austin's girlfriend, maybe she'll do the same...

No judgement on the matter, not a dumb move though...

[tommy]

While saying that of course the decision belongs to his son, Austin Nichols's father does not think Tennessee would be a good fit (http://zagsblog.com/articles/jajuan-johnson-to-announce-nov-2-nichols-visiting-tennessee/#more-81456) for Austin, due to its style of play. This as Austin heads to UT for a visit this weekend. Dad is hoping for a decision in about three weeks.

[roywhite]

While saying that of course the decision belongs to his son, Austin Nichols's father does not think Tennessee would be a good fit (http://zagsblog.com/articles/jajuan-johnson-to-announce-nov-2-nichols-visiting-tennessee/#more-81456) for Austin, due to its style of play. This as Austin heads to UT for a visit this weekend. Dad is hoping for a decision in about three weeks.

Thanks for the link. While I'm certainly hoping Nichols chooses Duke, I'm shaking my head about his Dad's comments. He's stepped into this a bit too far IMO.

[dukedoc]

Thanks for the link. While I'm certainly hoping Nichols chooses Duke, I'm shaking my head about his Dad's comments. He's stepped into this a bit too far IMO.

I agree. Those seem like very odd comments for a parent to make. Particularly to a Tennessee blog leading into his OV there. Makes me wonder what the purpose of those statements were. I have a hard time believing they were just off the cuff.

On a related note, am I right in saying that there were essentially no reports related to Austin's recent visit to Durham? I don't recall seeing any articles about his visit. Not that it matters, but it seems odd... unless I just missed everything.

[jimsumner]

I agree. Those seem like very odd comments for a parent to make. Particularly to a Tennessee blog leading into his OV there. Makes me wonder what the purpose of those statements were. I have a hard time believing they were just off the cuff.

On a related note, am I right in saying that there were essentially no reports related to Austin's recent visit to Durham? I don't recall seeing any articles about his visit. Not that it matters, but it seems odd... unless I just missed everything.

They came, they saw, they left.

A good time was had by all.

The family is telling Duke that academics will be important. Duke leads in that and the playing-style-expectations are a plus.

But Memphis is home and his twin sister is at Tennessee and Duke can't match either of those attractions. So, what is the relative weight of these variables? Not only do we not know, its likely that Nichols doesn't know.

[mkline09]

They came, they saw, they left.

A good time was had by all.

The family is telling Duke that academics will be important. Duke leads in that and the playing-style-expectations are a plus.

But Memphis is home and his twin sister is at Tennessee and Duke can't match either of those attractions. So, what is the relative weight of these variables? Not only do we not know, its likely that Nichols doesn't know.

I can only to speak to my experience as a twin, but I'd want to go as far away from him as possible :D

[dukedoc]

They came, they saw, they left.

A good time was had by all.

The family is telling Duke that academics will be important. Duke leads in that and the playing-style-expectations are a plus.

But Memphis is home and his twin sister is at Tennessee and Duke can't match either of those attractions. So, what is the relative weight of these variables? Not only do we not know, its likely that Nichols doesn't know.

Interesting. Thank you, Jim!

[jimsumner]

I can only to speak to my experience as a twin, but I'd want to go as far away from him as possible :D

My son had a pair of twins as friends when he was growing up. One went to UNC-Wilmington. The other went to App State.

Read into that what you will.

[BD80]

My son had a pair of twins as friends when he was growing up. One went to UNC-Wilmington. The other went to App State.

Read into that what you will.

fraternal twins

[MCFinARL]

I can only to speak to my experience as a twin, but I'd want to go as far away from him as possible :D

It's hard to predict how the twin thing will influence the decision, as you note. Some twins are apparently super close. Being opposite-sex twins could make that less likely--but it also might make it more likely, since it might be easier for the two to find their own space.

Friends of mine have twin daughters who are so-called "mirror" twins, and their personalities seem almost designed to irritate each other. It was a great relief for both, apparently, as well as for the parents, when they left for separate colleges.

I did see one tweet from Austin shortly after his visit in which he said something positive along the lines of "had a blast." That echoes Jim's understanding that it was a good visit. But of course, as Jim's post also makes clear, there is a big difference between a good visit and a commitment. What top basketball recruit wouldn't have fun spending a weekend at Duke?

[jimsumner]

fraternal twins

Yep. Brothers.

FWIW, this has the sound of a head v. heart decision. Duke is the best business option, the best way for him to step out of his comfort zone, experience new things, challenge himself in a demanding but historically elite program/school that excels on the court and in the classroom.

But other options trump Duke in terms of familiarity, access to friends and family and other variables.

This is a common dilemma, one that many of us have faced, one that many of our children have faced, one that isn't limited to athletes. It just depends on how he ranks the importance of these variables.

[Class of '94]

Yep. Brothers.

FWIW, this has the sound of a head v. heart decision. Duke is the best business option, the best way for him to step out of his comfort zone, experience new things, challenge himself in a demanding but historically elite program/school that excels on the court and in the classroom.

But other options trump Duke in terms of familiarity, access to friends and family and other variables.

This is a common dilemma, one that many of us have faced, one that many of our children have faced, one that isn't limited to athletes. It just depends on how he ranks the importance of these variables.

Many may disagree with me on this (and that's ok :)), but if Duke is possibly his choice from his head and not the choice in his heart, I think it would be best for hime and everyone involved to go to the schoool that's in his heart and not to Duke. Despite all the positives and reasons for Austin to choose Duke, imo I think there's a greater chance of him being unhappy and later transferring if things aren't going his way during his freshman year and time at Duke. I remember hearing Tony Bennett say that a recruit should choose the school that you'd be happy being at even when things are tough and not going your way. That said, things can change and feelings about a school can change for the positive once a recruit comes to a school, but I want a recruit to be emotionally invested in Duke to the point that that they want to be there regardless of circumstances.

And by no means do I have any ill-will against Austin for being conflicted, I compoletely get it and want him to do what he feels is best for him. I would love for him to choose Duke; but if not, i undeerstand and would prefer it that way if Duke does not turn out to be his heart's choice.

[roywhite]

Yep. Brothers.

FWIW, this has the sound of a head v. heart decision. Duke is the best business option, the best way for him to step out of his comfort zone, experience new things, challenge himself in a demanding but historically elite program/school that excels on the court and in the classroom.

But other options trump Duke in terms of familiarity, access to friends and family and other variables.

This is a common dilemma, one that many of us have faced, one that many of our children have faced, one that isn't limited to athletes. It just depends on how he ranks the importance of these variables.

Paging Althea Williams, Jason's mom.

Same type deal; she set him straight. Duke instead of local Rutgers.

[Indoor66]

My son had a pair of twins as friends when he was growing up. One went to UNC-Wilmington. The other went to App State.

Read into that what you will.

If they didn't like each other, the one in the West would have been in Cullowhee. :cool:

[superdave]

Article (http://blogs.knoxnews.com/quinn/2012/10/austin-nichols-father-on-visit-to-tennessee-they-didnt-miss-any-opportunities-to-impress-us.html#.UIVSdDRGWKI.twitter) on Tennessee visit. Says decision expected early November.

[roywhite]

Article (http://blogs.knoxnews.com/quinn/2012/10/austin-nichols-father-on-visit-to-tennessee-they-didnt-miss-any-opportunities-to-impress-us.html#.UIVSdDRGWKI.twitter) on Tennessee visit. Says decision expected early November.

Interesting item from the article was how impressed Austin Nichols was to meet and shake hands with Peyton Manning.


On Saturday, prior to the UT-Bama game at Neyland Stadium, Austin Nichols was so shocked to meet Manning that he missed one crucial opportunity.

He forgot to snap a picture with the hall of famer.

"He was just shocked that that was Peyton Manning," said Mark Nichols, who described himself as "lifelong" Tennessee football fan.


Say, Austin, if you really want to spend time with Peyton Manning, come to Duke. ;) That's where he likes to hang out.

[superdave]

Duke Hoop Blog (http://www.dukehoopblog.com/2012/10/25/jabari-parker-visiting-duke-this-weekend/) suggests Austin is a Tennessee lean. No quotes or evidence, just a hunch maybe?

I hope we have more of a shot than they suggest. If not, there's a few big guys left (http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/playerrankings) uncommitted, but no one I've heard Duke mentioned in conjunction with.

[oldnavy]

Nope. That's why his nickname is "T-Rex". Really short arms. :)

Yes, I did mean 7-3/7-4. Thanks for picking up on that.

Another example of why my cinder block scale should be the gold standard of measurment! :)

[dukedoc]

Duke Hoop Blog (http://www.dukehoopblog.com/2012/10/25/jabari-parker-visiting-duke-this-weekend/) suggests Austin is a Tennessee lean. No quotes or evidence, just a hunch maybe?

I hope we have more of a shot than they suggest. If not, there's a few big guys left (http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/playerrankings) uncommitted, but no one I've heard Duke mentioned in conjunction with.


I've been under the impression that we're all in for Austin and Jabari, prepared to go to battle next year with both, one, or none. I haven't heard of any back up options. The one guy I think we were associated with a long time ago was BeeJay Anya. I assume he either wasn't interested, we decided we weren't interested (even as a back up option), or something else happened behind the scenes to short circuit that recruitment. Or perhaps I'm just imagining having seen his name attached to us. Either way, hoping we surprise folks and reel Austin in.

[lotusland]

Duke Hoop Blog (http://www.dukehoopblog.com/2012/10/25/jabari-parker-visiting-duke-this-weekend/) suggests Austin is a Tennessee lean. No quotes or evidence, just a hunch maybe?

I hope we have more of a shot than they suggest. If not, there's a few big guys left (http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/playerrankings) uncommitted, but no one I've heard Duke mentioned in conjunction with.

Yahoo recently had an article about Joel Embiid, an incredibly athletic 7 footer, who had only been playing the game for a year. I'm not sure why he's not on the list but a guy like that would have to be useful no matter how raw his talent. With that said I really like what I've seen of Nichols game and I hope we get him

[JasonEvans]

Austin just completed a visit to Auburn and will supposedly decide on a college in the next 2 weeks. Lots of talk he will do his announcement on ESPNU. Most seem to feel it is a Duke vs. Tennessee race with Tennessee a mild favorite.

-Jason "insta-starter and staying home at Tenn versus long-term development and playing for a contender at Duke" Evans

[jimsumner]

Austin just completed a visit to Auburn and will supposedly decide on a college in the next 2 weeks. Lots of talk he will do his announcement on ESPNU. Most seem to feel it is a Duke vs. Tennessee race with Tennessee a mild favorite.

-Jason "insta-starter and staying home at Tenn versus long-term development and playing for a contender at Duke" Evans

It should be a lot quicker than two weeks. Duke remains cautiously optimistic. The family has emphasized academics in its communications with Duke.

[superdave]

It should be a lot quicker than two weeks. Duke remains cautiously optimistic. The family has emphasized academics in its communications with Duke.

I'll take that. Coach K has done everything he could do to get Austin. Ultimately, the kid will do what he wants and what he thinks is best for him. I know he will have great opportunities at Duke. I hope that's where his heart is. We'll find out soon enough.

[DukieInBrasil]

I'll take that. Coach K has done everything he could do to get Austin. Ultimately, the kid will do what he wants and what he thinks is best for him. I know he will have great opportunities at Duke. I hope that's where his heart is. We'll find out soon enough.

K: "Last kid we had named Austin was a 1st round draft pick, in the lottery, making big money in the League right about now."
AN: "Wow, that sounds good. Where do i sign?"

[gam7]

-Jason "insta-starter and staying home at Tenn versus long-term development and playing for a contender at Duke" Evans

He'll very possibly be an insta-starter at Duke too...

[NSDukeFan]

He'll very possibly be an insta-starter at Duke too...

I am cautiously optimistic that a redshirt sophomore (#61 RSCI) Marshall, slightly lower ranked coming out of high school (#32 RSCI) senior Josh Hairston, slightly higher ranked sophomore (#21) Amile Jefferson, redshirt sophomore (#49) Alex Murphy will all have shown the ability to be, at minimum, quality ACC-level players that will be difficult to start over for a (#23 RSCI and rising?) freshman.
http://www.rscihoops.com/

[dukedoc]

From the Vols' site - Austin's Dad shoots down rumors that Austin is ready to announce. Gotta say, Austin's Dad sounds like an interesting guy based on the few snippets I've seen from him. In this one he advises everyone to take "a chill pill". LINK (http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2012/oct/30/austin-nichols-not-ready-to-announce-decision/)

[superdave]

ACC Sports ‏@ACCSports

Not good news for Duke/UVa RT @SECBballRecruit Austin Nichols is down to Memphis and Tennessee per a source.

[wilko]

ACC Sports ‏@ACCSports

Not good news for Duke/UVa RT @SECBballRecruit Austin Nichols is down to Memphis and Tennessee per a source.

This kind of background noise has been floating around twitter for a couple of days...
I'm not sure what to believe on him anymore.

We'll know when we know... and only then, it seems.

[ice-9]

Do high schoolers who intend to earn millions in the NBA ever really select a college with academics as the difference maker?

I'm cautiously optimistic but it feels more like a contested three than a layup.

[arydolphin]

From the man himself:
"‏@a_nichols33 I have committed to the University of Memphis! #GoTigers"

[dcar1985]

Austin just committed to Memphis via Paul Biancardi...next play, not really hurt about this one, I'm sure Amile will be more than up to the challenge next year

[bluedevil007]

I live in the Memphis area and I can tell you that the insiders are absolutely shocked that he didn't go to UT.

Oh well, come on Jabari!

[mr. synellinden]

From the man himself:
"‏@a_nichols33 I have committed to the University of Memphis! #GoTigers"


The family has emphasized academics in its communications with Duke.

No disrespect to Memphis, but these two facts seem rather inconsistent. Oh well. Good luck at Memphis, Mr. Nichols.

[Dukehky]

Guarantee you Pastner promised him a starting spot. Unless you're name is Kyrie Irving, K's not telling you that.

[JasonEvans]

Guarantee you Pastner promised him a starting spot. Unless you're name is Kyrie Irving, K's not telling you that.

K didn't even tell Kyrie that. He won't tell Parker that. He didn't tell Rivers that. No one gets a guarantee of anything at Duke. You earn it with hard work in practice. I would not want K to operate any other way.

I wish Austin all the best at Memphis. I join others in being surprised his recruitment ended up this way as most seemed to feel Tennessee was the top "stay at home" option. But, Memphis is a high quality program and Pastner is a fine recruiter.

-Jason "with Memphis joining the Big East, I figure they will be on national TV at least 25% as much as Duke is" Evans

[roywhite]

A bit surprised to see Memphis get the nod here, but recruiting frequently produces surprises.

I was reminded of Elliot Williams and his transfer from Duke to Memphis, where proximity to home was also a factor, though involving illness.

Didn't realize Elliot's difficulties until I read the Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliot_Williams) bio.


Williams was selected 22nd overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. After playing in the preseason for the Trail Blazers, Williams missed the entire 2010–11 season due to a knee injury.[1] Williams also missed a significant portion of the 2011–12 NBA season after dislocating his shoulder during an early March practice. Williams had made 24 appearances over the course of the season, averaging 6.2 minutes per game. Williams will miss the entire 2012–13 season due to an achilles injury.

Yikes...talk about an injury bug.

[magjayran]

We still might get him when he transfers.