2014 Nike Hoops Summit Game

[kAzE]

For those who want to watch the event, it's going to be televised at 4:00 PM PST (7:00 EST) this Saturday the 12th on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com

Should be a very exciting game this year, with tons of NBA prospects on both rosters. All three of our recruits (Okafor, Jones, and Winslow) will be playing for team USA, and it will be very exciting to get a sneak peek of what Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor can do together. The international team looks really strong this year, with Emmanuel Mudiay and UK recruits Trey Lyles and Karl Towns. They also have Clint Capela, who is projected as a first round pick in this year's draft, and could play himself into the lottery with a strong showing in this game. It's somewhat disappointing that Dante Exum isn't going to be participating, but he's already projected as a top 5 pick, so I guess there's really no point.

In any case, it should be a fun game, as this event is typically a bit more competitive throughout than other similar All-Star type events because of the international component, and it will be a lot of fun to root for our future players.

The complete rosters are listed on their website: http://www.nikehoopsummit.com/

[budwom]

For those who want to watch the event, it's going to be televised at 4:00 PM PST (7:00 EST) this Saturday the 12th on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com

Should be a very exciting game this year, with tons of NBA prospects on both rosters. All three of our recruits (Okafor, Jones, and Winslow) will be playing for team USA, and it will be very exciting to get a sneak peek of what Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor can do together. The international team looks really strong this year, with Emmanuel Mudiay and UK recruits Trey Lyles and Karl Towns. They also have Clint Capela, who is projected as a first round pick in this year's draft, and could play himself into the lottery with a strong showing in this game. It's somewhat disappointing that Dante Exum isn't going to be participating, but he's already projected as a top 5 pick, so I guess there's really no point.

In any case, it should be a fun game, as this event is typically a bit more competitive throughout than other similar All-Star type events because of the international component, and it will be a lot of fun to root for our future players.

The complete rosters are listed on their website: http://www.nikehoopsummit.com/

Don't forget Mr. Allen is a fourth recruit...

[roywhite]

Don't forget Mr. Allen is a fourth recruit...

Yeah, and then all 4 Duke recruits will appear in the Jordan Brand Classic April 18 in Brooklyn (http://www.jordanbrandclassic.com/featured-news/jordan-brand-classic-official-2014-roster-announced.html)

The Nike Hoops Summit game is the best of the bunch in terms of serious competition, but it's still nice to see the next generation even in the exhibition type games.

[kAzE]

Don't forget Mr. Allen is a fourth recruit...

Right, I just meant that all the Duke recruits in the game were on the same team.

[roywhite]

Right, I just meant that all the Duke recruits in the game were on the same team.

Duke players on the World Select Team?

I guess we have to go back to Marty Pocius, who scored 20 points for the World team in 2005, raising some expectations among Duke fans.

[roywhite]

Duke recruits seeking win at Nike Hoop Summit (http://www.csnnw.com/high-school/duke-recruits-seeking-win-nike-hoop-summit)

good to see them together, and playing together

[Olympic Fan]

One thing I will be watching for is to see if the US uses Okafor and Turner together ... and if so, how well the click together.

I still think Turner to Duke is an EXTREME longshot, but two thinks would have to make it happen -- (1) Parker has to leave; (2) Jahlil and Myles have to decide they want to play together.

BTW: Love the video that roywhite linked. Tyus starts out with how pumped he is to be playing for Coach K "one of the greatest coaches of all time" and Jahlil jumps in with a correction "THE greatest coach of all time."

[Troublemaker]

Scrimmage report (http://www.draftexpress.com/article/2014-Nike-Hoop-Summit-USA-Practice-Day-Two-4445/) from Draft Express. Sounds like USA didn't look too good despite winning against some mid-major college players.

Some compliments thrown towards Duke players, though.

Excerpts:


The starting lineup of Jahlil Okafor, Cliff Alexander, Stanley Johnson, Theo Pinson and Tyus Jones got Team USA out to an early 8-0 lead, but things got sloppy from there on out.


While not all that efficient, Okafor had his way in the interior on multiple occasions, finishing an And 1 around the rim and getting to the foul line with regularity.

The bigs got it going early, and after Team USA weathered the storm for the majority of the game, point guard Tyus Jones closed things out with a few impressive floaters in the lane. Jones played with poise and nice pace down the stretch, showing why he'll be running the show at Duke next season.


Backup point guard Joel Berry, who struggled badly all game long, had major issues protecting the ball in the half court against pressure, as even post entry passes were no easy feat.

Continue to love what I'm reading/seeing about Tyus.

Berry continues to get negative reviews in these All-star game scrimmages. If they are at all accurate, I think Nate Britt keeps his job next season at UNC.

[kAzE]

Continue to love what I'm reading/seeing about Tyus.


This is pretty much what I've come to expect from Tyus Jones. In addition to being a fantastic distributor and knowing how to get teammates involved, he's one of the best guys in his class at taking over and getting buckets when the game is on the line. He did this repeatedly in AAU tournaments last summer, and I expect much more of the same at Duke. It's not a sure thing, but I'd give him the inside track for the starting PG job over Cook as of now. He's not as athletic or as strong, but he reminds me a lot of Kyrie Irving because of his amazing feel for the game, nasty handles, and talent for finishing at the rim over much bigger defenders. He's more of a distributor, and less of a scorer, but there's definitely some Kyrie in his game.

Don't be surprised if it's Tyus Jones, and not Jahlil Okafor who wins the ACC rookie of the year award.

[duke09hms]

This is pretty much what I've come to expect from Tyus Jones. In addition to being a fantastic distributor and knowing how to get teammates involved, he's one of the best guys in his class at taking over and getting buckets when the game is on the line. He did this repeatedly in AAU tournaments last summer, and I expect much more of the same at Duke. It's not a sure thing, but I'd give him the inside track for the starting PG job over Cook as of now. He's not as athletic or as strong, but he reminds me a lot of Kyrie Irving because of his amazing feel for the game, nasty handles, and talent for finishing at the rim over much bigger defenders. He's more of a distributor, and less of a scorer, but there's definitely some Kyrie in his game.

Don't be surprised if it's Tyus Jones, and not Jahlil Okafor who wins the ACC rookie of the year award.

how is Tyus' defense?

[roywhite]

how is Tyus' defense?

Not his strong point, reportedly. Some of the analysts who saw McDonald's A-A practices said he was not able to stay in front the quicker guards. And physical strength is an area for improvement.

Maybe we'll get a better idea tonight.

[MCFinARL]

Great scrimmage stats for both Jones and Winslow in the USA Practice Day Three (http://www.draftexpress.com/article/2014-Nike-Hoop-Summit-USA-Practice-Day-Three-4447/) write-up by Mike Schmitz on Draft Express.

Money quotes:


Jones did an excellent job running the show. He got Team USA into its half court sets, made plays for his teammates, pushed the tempo in transition, and provided timely scoring when the team needed a bucket.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz2ygZ5sGu2
http://www.draftexpress.com



Jones led the team with five dimes, and Justise Winslow was right behind him with four assists. Winslow stuffed the stat-sheet with 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two highlight alley-oop finishes.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz2ygZJNSP9
http://www.draftexpress.com


Tyus Jones: 12 points, 5-of-7 FGs, 2-of-2 3FGs, 5 assists, 7 turnovers, 5 steals
Cliff Alexander: 12 points, 5-of-5 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz2ygZULpcl
http://www.draftexpress.com

[devildeac]

Scrimmage report (http://www.draftexpress.com/article/2014-Nike-Hoop-Summit-USA-Practice-Day-Two-4445/) from Draft Express. Sounds like USA didn't look too good despite winning against some mid-major college players.

Some compliments thrown towards Duke players, though.

Excerpts:








Continue to love what I'm reading/seeing about Tyus.

Berry continues to get negative reviews in these All-star game scrimmages. If they are at all accurate, I think Nate Britt keeps his job next season at UNC.

Guess we can count on Okafor's "and 1s" to end once he starts play in the ACC:rolleyes::mad:.

[mccollums]

Measurements and rosters
nbadraft.net/2014-hoop-summit-rosters

[Henderson]

Measurements and rosters
nbadraft.net/2014-hoop-summit-rosters

The internationals have a big team. Their smallest guy goes 6-4½. That's easily half a (U.S. official) cinderblock taller than the USA's smallest.

[martydoesntfoul]

I plan to be at the game (by the way, it's a pretty good deal... $5 for general admission seats; it appears the game draws 6-10K fans each year). If there's anything anyone wants me to look for which might not be apparent on TV, let me know and I'll do my best to report back on it.

[FireOgilvie]

Okafor has a 7'5" wingspan. Impressive.

[martydoesntfoul]

Justise is tearing it up! Great agility around the hoop...

[Troublemaker]

Hey marty, enjoy the game! How did Justise and Tyus look in pregame shooting? Did you get there that early?

[NashvilleDevil]

Justise was tremendous in the first half.

[MCFinARL]

Just saw part of the first half on TV but based on what I saw I am loving Justise Winslow--he is looking really good on both sides of the court.

[dukelifer]

Justise is tearing it up! Great agility around the hoop...

Hits a three at the half time buzzer. One on one with his back to the basket Okafor is very tough. He will need to learn to pass out of double teams. Tyus looks a lot to pass. Needs to look for his shot. Good half by USA.

[Duke76]

Hits a three at the half time buzzer. One on one with his back to the basket Okafor is very tough. He will need to learn to pass out of double teams. Tyus looks a lot to pass. Needs to look for his shot. Good half by USA.


also announcers just said Chad Ford said as of yesterday Parker was leaning toward staying

[conmanlhughes]

Turner just went out of the game with an injury

[Henderson]

also announcers just said Chad Ford said as of yesterday Parker was leaning toward staying

When he was interviewed on ESPN by that triumvirate that included Jay Williams, he was asked if he was leaning in one direction or the other. He kind of paused and said, "Uh, no, not really." It sounded like, "Yeah, but I'm still undecided, so you aren't going to get me to say which way I'm leaning." I don't know what Chad Ford knows, if anything.

[FerryFor50]

Okafor is presenting a lot of problems for the World team's front line. Personally got Karl Towns in foul trouble.

Winslow has been everywhere. He's going to be fun to watch.

Jones has been keeping guys involved with some good passing.

As mentioned previously, Turner went to the locker room with a lower leg injury. Looked like a potential ankle injury, but they were looking at the back of the foot, so hopefully not an Achilles injury.

[FerryFor50]

Okafor has been playing with a nasty streak this game. I like it!

[Troublemaker]

All our guys have looked very good.

We're going to win a title with these kids. Jabari (if he returns) and Coach K just need to not blow it for this class.

[dukelifer]

Okafor has been playing with a nasty streak this game. I like it!

Jones taking over late. Hmmm. Seems to like crunch time.

[Duke76]

Jones taking over late. Hmmm. Seems to like crunch time.

he's got that ball imo in October latest December,,,under control quick really quick...K's gonna give him the ball and tell him its his team to run...he's got a great floater like Nolan soft shot on his drives with both left and right handed moves to the basket...no wasted motion at all...no nonsense...haven't had a point guard like this for a while

[Troublemaker]

Duke with some help from Kansas & Arizona

beat

Kentucky and the rest of the world.

It was a good night.

[_Gary]

he's got that ball imo in October latest December,,,under control quick really quick...K's gonna give him the ball and tell him its his team to run...he's got a great floater like Nolan soft shot on his drives with both left and right handed moves to the basket...no wasted motion at all...no nonsense...haven't had a point guard like this for a while

Told ya, folks. Tyus will be the primary difference between last year's team and this year's team. He's that good and that important to Duke's upcoming season. Quinn will play with him, but not in front of him. In fact if anything, Quinn will play more shooting guard and backup PG.

Frankly, I think all 3 of the guys tonight will play starter's minutes next year. Yes, I think Winslow is that good. We know Okafor and Jones will start, but don't be surprised if Winslow doesn't start as well. I wouldn't be.

[Henderson]

Any word on Myles Turner?

Anyone got a link to game stats?

[AAA1980]

Everyones entitled to their opinion but Jerry Meyer keeps insisting that Okafor is a notch below the other top bigs Towns Aleander and Turner i dont see that at all hes by far the most polished offensively

[roywhite]

Jones taking over late. Hmmm. Seems to like crunch time.

Yeah, very impressive; I missed some parts late, but I think he scored the last 4 baskets for the USA team to put the game away; three on nice drives and also a steal and lay-up. No question where the ball belongs late in the game -- in the hands of Tyus Jones.

[Saratoga2]

I was particularly impressed with Justise in the first half. He seems to have good size and even can handle the ball well. He is a tough defender and will stick his nose in for rebounds and also finished well around the basket. One three point shot is too small a sample to talk about his shooting, but he seems to have really good conditioning.

Tyus had a great second half scoring. If they let him penetrate, he will score and was racking up points in the second half. He is very alert and has a very good handle. He fed his team mates well and I thought his defense showed how alert and aware he is. He didn't really attempt the three point shot but has a really nice floater.

Jahlil has a lot of good qualities, with size and reach. He has good footwork and can finish around the basket, although Townes seemed to pose a problem for him. I wasn't impressed with his rebounding for such a big and dominant center. His conditioning also seemed to be behind some of the others in the game. A lot of teams will not have an answer for him without double teaming. I think he has a lot of improvement that should be seen as the season progresses.

Good start for the guys and we get to watch them again on Friday.

[FerryFor50]

Any word on Myles Turner?

Anyone got a link to game stats?

Turner played ok, but went out with an injury in the 3rd and did not return.

[Henderson]

Turner played ok, but went out with an injury in the 3rd and did not return.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I was asking if there was an update on his injury.

[JMarley50]

Told ya, folks. Tyus will be the primary difference between last year's team and this year's team. He's that good and that important to Duke's upcoming season. Quinn will play with him, but not in front of him. In fact if anything, Quinn will play more shooting guard and backup PG.

Frankly, I think all 3 of the guys tonight will play starter's minutes next year. Yes, I think Winslow is that good. We know Okafor and Jones will start, but don't be surprised if Winslow doesn't start as well. I wouldn't be.

From what I have seen so far, I absolutely love Tyus' game. He will be the most important piece of the puzzle next year in my opinion. His decision making reminds me a lot of Kyrie. He makes very hard passes look routine, and he doesn't really force things. I love how he facilitates most of the game, doesn't really look to score that much and then suddenly, when the game is on the line, BAM he comes out of nowhere and takes over. Its almost like he lulls the other team to sleep and then pounces when they least expect it. He may not start immediately but I don't see it taking long. He is the perfect PG for K.

Also worth noting is that Big Jah is an absolute man!! When he wants a spot on the floor, he takes it. Once he has it, he don't give it up. I'm really excited for next year. We should definitely be able to get out of the first round.

[roywhite]

Seems to me that all three of the Duke recruits we saw tonight are players that others will love to play along side:

Okafor because he takes up space, scores and draws defensive attention down low
Jones because he provides leadership and gets the ball to the right place
Winslow because he defends, rebounds, and shares the ball

They come off as team players, and already enjoy playing together.
Also doesn't hurt that they're talented.

[BD80]

We had the best three players on team USA, 3 of the best 4 on the court. Each was seen playing defense. Justise set some picks. Fun to watch

[Duke76]

From what I have seen so far, I absolutely love Tyus' game. He will be the most important piece of the puzzle next year in my opinion. His decision making reminds me a lot of Kyrie. He makes very hard passes look routine, and he doesn't really force things. I love how he facilitates most of the game, doesn't really look to score that much and then suddenly, when the game is on the line, BAM he comes out of nowhere and takes over. Its almost like he lulls the other team to sleep and then pounces when they least expect it. He may not start immediately but I don't see it taking long. He is the perfect PG for K.

Also worth noting is that Big Jah is an absolute man!! When he wants a spot on the floor, he takes it. Once he has it, he don't give it up. I'm really excited for next year. We should definitely be able to get out of the first round.

I agree with everything you and Gary said about Tyus....we've been in the desert without a true pass first point guard but also one that can penetrate under control, make the floater and drives...Kyrie was it but this guy is close...did you see that move to the basket on the sideline out of bounds play where he drove to the right side and put it up? he had s 5th gear that was just beautiful....he's got the ball now in Cameron imo come October

[brevity]

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I was asking if there was an update on his injury.

Twitter search is, well, not your friend, but better than nothing. I was quoting a few secondhand sources of unknown reliability before ditching them when I found the real thing.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Original_Turner/status/455158828107980801


Myles Turner
@Original_Turner
Happy to be apart of the redeem team! Role wasnt as big as I expected but we got the W ankle is fine just a mild sprain See yall at the JBC!
8:41pm - 12 Apr 14

[Henderson]

Told ya, folks. Tyus will be the primary difference between last year's team and this year's team. He's that good and that important to Duke's upcoming season. Quinn will play with him, but not in front of him. In fact if anything, Quinn will play more shooting guard and backup PG.


I love Tyus Jones' game. Even though he struggled shooting for most of the game (I think he was 1-6 in the first three quarters?), he really did seal the game for Team USA in the fourth, scoring (I think) 10 points and just being everywhere. His court vision, decision-making, and passing are remarkable. I'm sure he'll see a lot of minutes next year.

But before we plug Tyus Jones into the starting PG slot or otherwise get too far ahead of ourselves based on his performance tonight, let's remember that in 2011 Quinn Cook played in this game, and he had 12 points on 5-7 shooting (including 2-4 from behind the longer FIBA 3 pt. line) and three assists with only one turnover in 16 minutes. He was one of four Team USA players that day who scored in double figures. The other three all play in the NBA -- Anthony Davis, Michael K-G, and Austin Rivers. And Cook wasn't even a starter; Marquis Teague and Bradley Beal (also NBA players) started ahead of him.

And let's not forget K's end-of-season reflections about the importance of senior leadership on a team. I'm not in any position to predict who will or won't start. I'm just sayin' guys do have a tendency to get starry-eyed about the new girl in school.

[Duvall]

Everyones entitled to their opinion but Jerry Meyer keeps insisting that Okafor is a notch below the other top bigs Towns Aleander and Turner i dont see that at all hes by far the most polished offensively

Meyer also thought Kyrie Irving was a notch below Brandon Knight and Josh Selby. He tends to underrate the actual ability to play basketball.

[tommy]

Seems to me that all three of the Duke recruits we saw tonight are players that others will love to play along side:

Okafor because he takes up space, scores and draws defensive attention down low
Jones because he provides leadership and gets the ball to the right place
Winslow because he defends, rebounds, and shares the ball

They come off as team players, and already enjoy playing together.
Also doesn't hurt that they're talented.

You are on the money on this.

I watched a fair amount of these guys playing AAU and elsewhere, and I can tell you for sure that the other guys really like playing with these three, largely for the reasons you cite. In particular Tyus -- the other guys LOVE playing with him. He is so skilled yet so unselfish, gets everyone else involved, plays without ego, but when the chips are down, the dude just flat out makes winning plays. Justise too -- the other guys so appreciate his versatility, his toughness, his unselfishness, everything that he brings to the table. He's one of those guys that I call a "winning player" -- the kind of guy who always plays on championship teams, even though he may not be the best player on the team, he just does things that help you win -- whatever is needed in a given situation. And the other guys out there know it.

[martydoesntfoul]

OK, so I'm back from the game and dinner and the kids are in bed, so I'll add to the discussion what I can. Since I was in the 10th row halfway between the basket and the end line, I had a really good vantage point. So these are my initial thoughts...

Justise: It's just one game, but man was he impressive. He battled down low, finished around the rim, and of course hit the three before halftime. But more than that, he showed he could handle the ball (I think he brought it up on one possession), and made some great passes that should have resulted in several more assists. And on one play where Tyus went down hard, he ran across the court to be the first one to help him up. Given his defense, athleticism, ability to drive, and passing and dribbling skills, I really see him getting big minutes next year.

Jahlil: I think he's going to be great. First, he got stronger as the game went on (perhaps some of that was wearing down Towns and the subsequent foul trouble that went along with it). Second, he has great footwork and can get very quickly to the basket where he has a nice touch on his shot. Third, he's physically very mature and doesn't get pushed around. Fourth, he appears to have good hands and showed that he could play the inside-outside game with Tyus. Fifth, he plays really hard with a lot of intensity on both ends of the floor; for instance, when he got whistled for a BS call in the first half he yelled in frustration. In summary, I think he 's the real deal.

Tyus: I came away with similar views to the ones expressed on this thread. There's something about him that just instills confidence in his teammates when he has the ball. He spent the first 85 percent of the game patiently getting everyone involved (though I wish we could have seen more work with Myles). His quickness wasn't really evident though he did play good D. And then, with 5 minutes to go, BAM! He just took over, effortlessly blowing past people and finishing. I say he starts next year. He has a calmness and a leadership capability that we missed from our guards this season. Tyus just might be the key...

Myles: Would be great to get him, but I didn't see him as dominant as I expected him to be. He really does look more comfortable at the 4 (good news for us), and did show some range. Hopefully the injury, which looked from my vantage point to be an ankle sprain, isn't serious.

Other: Cliff Alexander is a man-child... someone behind me asked, rather incredulously, if he was really still in high school... I give him the Greg Oden Award as a result. Oubre was also impressive... kind of scary to think of these guys with Myles at Kansas, so I for one hope it doesn't happen. Theo Pinson appeared lightning quick in flashes. Stanley Johnson also looks to have star potential. For the World Team, to which I was paying less attention, Mudiay really stood out as a freak athlete who can light it up... keep an eye on him and SMU next year.

Of note: It was pretty cool to see so many Blazers scattered throughout the front rows, including Damian Lillard, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and Dorell Wright.

Warmups: It was hard to see much that stood out. The drills were pretty standard.

In conclusion: I'm really excited about our Big 3 (not to mention Grayson). They seem like good kids who are super-talented and who play hard and enjoy being around one other. I can't wait!

[martydoesntfoul]

Just found a pretty decent summary here, aside from (1) the comment that the US never looked back after halftime (if I recall, the World might have been up 62-61 at one point in the second half), and (2) an under-appreciation of Tyus's athleticism:

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/2014-Nike-Hoop-Summit-Game-Recap-4449/

[mo.st.dukie]

I love Tyus Jones' game. Even though he struggled shooting for most of the game (I think he was 1-6 in the first three quarters?), he really did seal the game for Team USA in the fourth, scoring (I think) 10 points and just being everywhere. His court vision, decision-making, and passing are remarkable. I'm sure he'll see a lot of minutes next year.

But before we plug Tyus Jones into the starting PG slot or otherwise get too far ahead of ourselves based on his performance tonight, let's remember that in 2011 Quinn Cook played in this game, and he had 12 points on 5-7 shooting (including 2-4 from behind the longer FIBA 3 pt. line) and three assists with only one turnover in 16 minutes. He was one of four Team USA players that day who scored in double figures. The other three all play in the NBA -- Anthony Davis, Michael K-G, and Austin Rivers. And Cook wasn't even a starter; Marquis Teague and Bradley Beal (also NBA players) started ahead of him.

And let's not forget K's end-of-season reflections about the importance of senior leadership on a team. I'm not in any position to predict who will or won't start. I'm just sayin' guys do have a tendency to get starry-eyed about the new girl in school.

K actually just talked about the importance of leadership in general, not senior leadership, and mentioned that Tyus has that ability to be a leader.

I don't even care about what stats Tyus put up compared to that of Quinn years ago. Just watching the game and watching how Tyus plays it's obvious he is a special talent.

[FireOgilvie]

Great game. We had arguably the three best players on Team USA. I was really impressed by Winslow. He's just an overall great athlete and seems to make winning plays. I've said this before, but I think he's going to get a lot of minutes.

Tyus looked great in the last 5 minutes on offense. But, my concern with his game is on defense. He would lunge and miss on a steal or just swipe at the ball and take himself completely out of the play. That happened several times. Overall, he reminded me of a freshman Quinn Cook on defense; he just seemed like he was going through the motions and didn't hustle off the ball. I hope that is just a product of playing in this all-star game and he turns that around.

Okafor was very good, like usual. He's going to score a lot of points if we can get him the ball in decent position. He had a lot of trouble putting the ball on the floor and passing out of the double team, which is probably how every team we play next year will defend him if Jabari is in the NBA.

Overall, I actually don't think the high school class of 2014 is as good as many past classes. It has some guys who will be solid role players in the NBA, but maybe no all-stars. I think Mudiay is the one with the best chance. I agree with the ESPN announcers that Okafor could probably be a role player in the NBA right now because he's so polished, but he doesn't have as much potential/upside as guys like Myles Turner and Mudiay.

[dukelifer]

Great game. We had arguably the three best players on Team USA. I was really impressed by Winslow. He's just an overall great athlete and seems to make winning plays. I've said this before, but I think he's going to get a lot of minutes.

Tyus looked great in the last 5 minutes on offense. But, my concern with his game is on defense. He would lunge and miss on a steal or just swipe at the ball and take himself completely out of the play. That happened several times. Overall, he reminded me of a freshman Quinn Cook on defense; he just seemed like he was going through the motions and didn't hustle off the ball. I hope that is just a product of playing in this all-star game and he turns that around.

Okafor was very good, like usual. He's going to score a lot of points if we can get him the ball in decent position. He had a lot of trouble putting the ball on the floor and passing out of the double team, which is probably how every team we play next year will defend him if Jabari is in the NBA.

Overall, I actually don't think the high school class of 2014 is as good as many past classes. It has some guys who will be solid role players in the NBA, but maybe no all-stars. I think Mudiay is the one with the best chance. I agree with the ESPN announcers that Okafor could probably be a role player in the NBA right now because he's so polished, but he doesn't have as much potential/upside as guys like Myles Turner and Mudiay.
You are right that these kids are not finished products. D will remain a big concern for Duke. Jones like Cook is not big so he will struggle to handle certain guards. Winslow has the potential to be a great defender - and as such will need to play a lot. He can guard multiple positions. His O is streaky- but he is an athlete's athlete. Okafor is big and strong. He has great feet and if he gets the ball- he is hard to stop. But he is not explosive. If he develops a face up game - he will be very good. But he has much work ahead of him to be NBA ready. He will need good mentoring and guidance.

[Bob Green]

Anyone got a link to game stats?

http://www.usab.com/misc/14_hsum_stats.pdf

Winslow: 16 points, 6 rebounds.
Okafor: 14 points, 10 rebounds
Jones: 13 points, 6 assists, 3 turnovers

[roywhite]

We had the best three players on team USA, 3 of the best 4 on the court. Each was seen playing defense. Justise set some picks. Fun to watch


http://www.usab.com/misc/14_hsum_stats.pdf

Winslow: 16 points, 6 rebounds.
Okafor: 14 points, 10 rebounds
Jones: 13 points, 6 assists, 3 turnovers

The Duke guys outscored the rest of the USA team.

[CajunDevil]

Are we really complaining about Tyus's hustle and defense? Tyus has great anticipation which resulted in several steals including the breakaway off of an inbounds play. Tyus's defense won't be a problem.

And the lack of hustle comment above, I totally didn't see. The kid makes the smart, easy play, and on occassion makes difficult, superb passes. He's so smart and clutch and got to the rim at will in the last five minutes of the game.

Jahlil's offensive repertoire is very impressive. His footwork, soft touch and skill is why scouts compare gun to Tim Duncan and his body is why he's compared to Elton Brand and Jared Sullinger. A few things - he forced things at times vs the double/triple teams. Recognition of the double and finding the shooter in the corner or on a diagonal pass will come no need to worry. With respect to the lack if explosion comment - around the 8:00 Mark of 4 quarter the defender went for steal and Jahlil made a quick decision to take it to the hoop and exploded to the rim. It surprised me in a good way. One final thing - Jahlil has massive hands. So what? Well, it allows him to dunk on people now and in time allow him to pass easier out of double-teams and snag rebounds. I love his game too.

Justise Winslow is a stud. A fantastic athlete with a great nose for the ball. His unselfishness, ability to take the ball to the rim and ability to defend are superb. He will play starter's minutes.

We are very lucky...

[COYS]

I found this game super enjoyable to watch. It left me absolutely convinced that NCAA ball needs to switch to a 24 second shot-clock immediately. I also loved how hard the teams played. Both sides were well-coached, too, switching up defenses in various situations and even running a few set plays. My favorite set play was a clear out for Tyus off an inbounds pass in which Tyus zipped past his defender for an easy bucket. Tyus ability to change speeds reminds me of Jon Scheyer except that Tyus has a faster top gear. He spent most of the game setting guys up. In an offense that is more familiar with him, he would have had 10+ assists easily. However, with the game on the like he can take matters into his own hands, and that quick iso play was just the highlight of an excellent final five minutes for Tyus.

Team USA also ran a great set play for Winslow in which he came flying off a back screen to throw down a beautiful lob from Tyus. Justise ended up being the leader for USA in points and FGA, which surprised me a little, but could mostly be attributed to his hustle. He was the first guy off the bench, and he played a huge role on the defensive end, helping to bring the USA back from an early deficit against the World Team. I don't want to get into speculation for starting spots next year, but it really does appear that Justise is destined to become a great defender.

Neither Tyus nor Justise shot well away from the basket, Justise's end of half three pointer notwithstanding. However, neither player relied on their outside shot. Tyus worked tirelessly to get the ball inside the zone and Justise attacked the rim and the offensive glass at every opportunity. I thought this showed high basketball IQ.

I didn't think Jahlil had his best game, and yet he still was dominant in stretches. He couldn't seem to buy a whistle, but he was no match for any of the World players one on one. Townes matched up with him the best, but Okafor took it right at him and got him in foul trouble. As others noted, he could have handled the double team better at times, but I also felt that apart from Tyus, the USA team did a poor job cutting into the lane or positioning themselves on the perimeter to receive passes when the double teams came. I hope that Duke takes advantage of his size, strength, and vision and floods the lane with cutters who can take advantage of the extra space Okafor creates. Teams will flat out need to double him every time he touches the ball.

The World Team had impressive players, too. Mudiay's upside is tremendous. He is a physical force of nature from the point guard spot, even if Team USA did a grey job defending him most of the time. Karl Townes impressed me, too. He is a willing defender and a slightly unorthodox but versatile threat on offense. He'll be really good as he matures and gets stronger.

Overall, it was a really fun game to watch.

[flyingdutchdevil]

-Tyus Jones will be a great passer. His court vision may be the best we've had since... I'm not sure. Hurley? He's a better passer than Kyrie, Duhon, or Avery. If we want to get the ball to our offensive players, than Jones will start. No questions asked. However, I think Cook is a much better shooter and has a great handle (maybe better than Jones). As to who starts? It's a toss up. Again, the major issue with both Jones and Cook will be defense. Like Cook, Jones has a knack for steals, but I didn't see the on-ball-pressure that next year's team needs.

-Winslow was...wow. Much better offensively than I though. He was unselfish to a fault, but his finishing when he did decide to shoot was incredible. He is a big, strong dude who looks to be at least 6'5". He clearly has the tools to be incredible on the defensive end. I honestly think that Winslow can play some 4. He loves being in the paint, is a big dude, and is a Swiss Army knife on D. I'm not saying he'll succeed at the 4, but he may be our best option as the back-up 4.

-Okafor is just such a great player to watch. He has an Old Man's Game (complement) and combines strength, footwork, and (surprise) amazing post moves. I hope we play inside-out this year rather than outside-in. I think Okafor will just command a double team from day 1, and Okafor is a very competent passer. With Sulaimon and Cook as snipers, it's gonna be fun. Okafor may not be an elite defender, but his size alone will keep big men in check and act as a reliable last resort if there is penetration.

Other impressions:
-Mudiay is gonna be star. Maybe not in college, but almost certainly in the NBA. Fearless, huge for his size, good shooter, athletic. He has the tools.
-The Kansas players were also impressive, but Cliff Alexander isn't a good offensive player.
-Stanley Johnson and Winslow seem to be identical players both physically and skillset-wise. I couldn't tell them apart with the exception of their number! Same size, same haircut.
-For an All-Star game, a lot of players were ineffective: Reid Travis, Turner (injured?), the Kentucky players, the UNC players.

[AAA1980]

Dont know if its been mentioned but i was really impressed when Okafor guarded Mudiay a few times on the permeter he moves his feet alot better on d then i thought he could..

Some people talk about his lack of mobility and abiltiy to play defense but i think hes more mobile and agile then people give him credit for hes not a big stiff by any means..

[COYS]

Dont know if its been mentioned but i was really impressed when Okafor guarded Mudiay a few times on the permeter he moves his feet alot better on d then i thought he could..

Some people talk about his lack of mobility and abiltiy to play defense but i think hes more mobile and agile then people give him credit for hes not a big stiff by any means..

Good observation. I noticed this, too, but failed to put it in my report on the game. I think this bodes well for his ability to hedge without fouling, which is of course a HUGE component of Coach K's defensive scheme. Hopefully that proves to be true.

[MCFinARL]

-Tyus Jones will be a great passer. His court vision may be the best we've had since... I'm not sure. Hurley? He's a better passer than Kyrie, Duhon, or Avery. If we want to get the ball to our offensive players, than Jones will start. No questions asked. However, I think Cook is a much better shooter and has a great handle (maybe better than Jones). As to who starts? It's a toss up. Again, the major issue with both Jones and Cook will be defense. Like Cook, Jones has a knack for steals, but I didn't see the on-ball-pressure that next year's team needs.

-Winslow was...wow. Much better offensively than I though. He was unselfish to a fault, but his finishing when he did decide to shoot was incredible. He is a big, strong dude who looks to be at least 6'5". He clearly has the tools to be incredible on the defensive end. I honestly think that Winslow can play some 4. He loves being in the paint, is a big dude, and is a Swiss Army knife on D. I'm not saying he'll succeed at the 4, but he may be our best option as the back-up 4.

-Okafor is just such a great player to watch. He has an Old Man's Game (complement) and combines strength, footwork, and (surprise) amazing post moves. I hope we play inside-out this year rather than outside-in. I think Okafor will just command a double team from day 1, and Okafor is a very competent passer. With Sulaimon and Cook as snipers, it's gonna be fun. Okafor may not be an elite defender, but his size alone will keep big men in check and act as a reliable last resort if there is penetration.

Other impressions:
-Mudiay is gonna be star. Maybe not in college, but almost certainly in the NBA. Fearless, huge for his size, good shooter, athletic. He has the tools.
-The Kansas players were also impressive, but Cliff Alexander isn't a good offensive player.
-Stanley Johnson and Winslow seem to be identical players both physically and skillset-wise. I couldn't tell them apart with the exception of their number! Same size, same haircut.
-For an All-Star game, a lot of players were ineffective: Reid Travis, Turner (injured?), the Kentucky players, the UNC players.

Turner did sprain an ankle during the game. But I also saw an interview with him from a day or so earlier in which he discussed (in response to a question from the interviewer) how he was playing for USA Basketball for the first time and felt he might have some catching up to do compared to many other players on the team who had played together, and in international competition, before. Not sure how much of a difference that might have made, but it stands to reason that, when you only have three days or so to put a team together, players who are familiar with each other's games may have a bit of an edge.

[Troublemaker]

Somebody on youtube is going to put up game highlights at some point.

In the meantime, here are practice highlights for Tyus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc7TKj6wn7Y

We're going to be raving about his pick-and-roll game and floater for his entire career.

Postgame press-conference with the USA coach, Tyus, and Jahlil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6-zim5NhQA

The kids showed so much pride in representing the USA. Very clear that after losing two years in a row, USA BBall prioritized winning this game.

[tommy]

Overall, I actually don't think the high school class of 2014 is as good as many past classes. It has some guys who will be solid role players in the NBA, but maybe no all-stars. I think Mudiay is the one with the best chance. I agree with the ESPN announcers that Okafor could probably be a role player in the NBA right now because he's so polished, but he doesn't have as much potential/upside as guys like Myles Turner and Mudiay.


Here's the thing about Mudiay. He's big and strong and skilled. Just a beast. He could overpower any guard at the high school level and probably will be able to do that in college too. To me, the question about him is: can he get his teammates involved, or does he just get his? At this point, he's not in Tyus' class as a floor general, distributor, and leader. Terrific player, don't get me wrong, but I want to see more of him as a playmaker. Has he not done that so much because he doesn't know how to play within the team concept, or because he doesn't see the floor as well, or what? We'll soon find out. If it's the former, then he's going to a great place, because Larry Brown will show him what it means to play the position properly. If it's more a court vision thing or a personality thing, then I'd be a little hesitant to say he's headed for NBA stardom.

[Henderson]

Here's the thing about Mudiay. He's big and strong and skilled. Just a beast. He could overpower any guard at the high school level and probably will be able to do that in college too. To me, the question about him is: can he get his teammates involved, or does he just get his? At this point, he's not in Tyus' class as a floor general, distributor, and leader. Terrific player, don't get me wrong, but I want to see more of him as a playmaker. Has he not done that so much because he doesn't know how to play within the team concept, or because he doesn't see the floor as well, or what? We'll soon find out. If it's the former, then he's going to a great place, because Larry Brown will show him what it means to play the position properly. If it's more a court vision thing or a personality thing, then I'd be a little hesitant to say he's headed for NBA stardom.

Couldn't agree more. Nice analysis. Fraschilla (or was it the play-by-play guy?) reported during last night's game that Mudiay says he's hungry to learn from Larry Brown. We'll see.

I had a similar reaction watching Stanley Johnson last night. Really loves to take it to the basket, and he's good at it (did not shoot well last night from outside; got fouled at the rim a lot and shot free throws). But he played almost 25 minutes at off-guard last night and didn't have a single assist. It could have been an outlier (I'd not really watched him before last night), but I found myself asking whether he can (and is inclined to) play in the team concept.

[Troublemaker]

Top 10 plays video by the Oregonian: http://www.oregonlive.com/hoop-summit/index.ssf/2014/04/2014_nike_hoop_summit_top_play.html

Dukies prominently involved, of course.

[Newton_14]

Loved the game and the play of our kids but COYS, you can have your 24 Second Shot Clock. It would ruin the college game. Basketball is a 5 man at a time team sport. It should involve all 5 team members in the offense. But I digress...

Ty is a great PG and he will be handed the keys to the offense on Day 1 just like Amaker, Hurley, Jason Williams, and Kyrie Irving. Quinn will play a lot of his minutes at SG next year. Tyus is just a special talent, but I don't think anyone was "complaining" about his defense, they were just pointing out his weaknesses. On ball defense is not his specialty, and he isn't the strongest guy in the world. He is going to have to put a lot of work in to his defense from an on ball, stopping dribble penetration standpoint. I do like his instincts on that side of the ball though so that is a plus for sure, and will help him. K may roll out the 2009 and 2010 strategy and put Rasheed at the point on defense with Tyus guarding the Shooting Guards. One of the things to watch.

Okafor is a beast down low. Old school post guy. A mix of power and finess, with great hands, incredible length, great footwork. If Jabari returns, that frontline will be wicked good. Jabari would be able to play more like the Ryan Kelly role when Ryan and Mason were Seniors, and I honestly think he would thrive in that role with Big Oak down low. A line up of Tyus, Rasheed, Winslow, Jabari, and Okafor has the potential to be really strong on both sides of the ball, something we sorely missed this past season. We could never find a combination of 5 guys that were good together on both ends of the floor. To me, that is the most important thing for next season to be a success. Being able to play at a high level on offense, and on defense. With the players we have (especially if Jabari returns) we should be really good offensively. With guys like Okafor, Winslow, Rasheed, Matt Jones, MP3, and Semi, plus the benefit of Jabari, and Amile, being able to defend their natural positions instead of banging with Centers much bigger than them, our defense should be much better than it was this season.

Last summer I predicted a really strong defensive team, and was miles offbase on that prediction. That glaring miss has me gunshy to make predictions this year. Maybe though, just maybe, the personell next season will actually lend itself to a team that can press full court, pressure in the halfcourt and this time actually cause disruption and force turnovers. Just remember I said maybe. Rasheed can defend. Matt Jones can defend. Winslow can defend (yes I know he has to prove that against ACC competition).

I truly believe Semi can grow into an excellent defender of the 2 through 4 positions. If Jabari returns, we may also see Amile get some time at the 3 as a defender, in addition to his normal 4 spot. K used Amile at the 3 at certain times his Freshman year, and I felt he aquitted himself well defending wings.

Anyway, I have stated many times the Nike Hoop Summit game is easily the best High School game each year, and this game did not disappoint. Love that our 3 guys really shined in leading the USA to the win. Can't wait to see them doing their thing in their Duke uni's.

[kAzE]

Loved the game and the play of our kids but COYS, you can have your 24 Second Shot Clock. It would ruin the college game. Basketball is a 5 man at a time team sport. It should involve all 5 team members in the offense. But I digress...

Ty is a great PG and he will be handed the keys to the offense on Day 1 just like Amaker, Hurley, Jason Williams, and Kyrie Irving. Quinn will play a lot of his minutes at SG next year. Tyus is just a special talent, but I don't think anyone was "complaining" about his defense, they were just pointing out his weaknesses. On ball defense is not his specialty, and he isn't the strongest guy in the world. He is going to have to put a lot of work in to his defense from an on ball, stopping dribble penetration standpoint. I do like his instincts on that side of the ball though so that is a plus for sure, and will help him. K may roll out the 2009 and 2010 strategy and put Rasheed at the point on defense with Tyus guarding the Shooting Guards. One of the things to watch.

Okafor is a beast down low. Old school post guy. A mix of power and finess, with great hands, incredible length, great footwork. If Jabari returns, that frontline will be wicked good. Jabari would be able to play more like the Ryan Kelly role when Ryan and Mason were Seniors, and I honestly think he would thrive in that role with Big Oak down low. A line up of Tyus, Rasheed, Winslow, Jabari, and Okafor has the potential to be really strong on both sides of the ball, something we sorely missed this past season. We could never find a combination of 5 guys that were good together on both ends of the floor. To me, that is the most important thing for next season to be a success. Being able to play at a high level on offense, and on defense. With the players we have (especially if Jabari returns) we should be really good offensively. With guys like Okafor, Winslow, Rasheed, Matt Jones, MP3, and Semi, plus the benefit of Jabari, and Amile, being able to defend their natural positions instead of banging with Centers much bigger than them, our defense should be much better than it was this season.

Last summer I predicted a really strong defensive team, and was miles offbase on that prediction. That glaring miss has me gunshy to make predictions this year. Maybe though, just maybe, the personell next season will actually lend itself to a team that can press full court, pressure in the halfcourt and this time actually cause disruption and force turnovers. Just remember I said maybe. Rasheed can defend. Matt Jones can defend. Winslow can defend (yes I know he has to prove that against ACC competition).

I truly believe Semi can grow into an excellent defender of the 2 through 4 positions. If Jabari returns, we may also see Amile get some time at the 3 as a defender, in addition to his normal 4 spot. K used Amile at the 3 at certain times his Freshman year, and I felt he aquitted himself well defending wings.

Anyway, I have stated many times the Nike Hoop Summit game is easily the best High School game each year, and this game did not disappoint. Love that our 3 guys really shined in leading the USA to the win. Can't wait to see them doing their thing in their Duke uni's.

I agree with your assessments, and I think the 5 man unit you mentioned will be the starting lineup at some point next year, though it is always subject to change. I'm still a bit hesitant to say that we're going to be a really good defense, just because good defense, much more than offense, requires 5 guys working as a unit, and with the amount of inexperience we have, it will take some time before we become an above average defensive unit.

The really great defenses this past year were all teams that had 3 or 4 upperclassmen starters who had been playing together for a minimum of 2 years. Florida, Louisville, Ohio St., UConn, St. Louis, San Diego St., Wichita St, Virginia, Arizona, and Cincinnati (pretty much the entire top end of the Pomeroy rankings for AdjD) were all veteran laden teams who had 3 or 4 starters who had been playing together for a minimum of 2 years together. You mentioned the 2009-10 team, and that team started 3 seniors with 2 juniors, with 2 of the really respected perimeter defenders we've seen in a Duke uniform in Scheyer and Smith. The only outlier I can think of is that 2012 Kentucky team, but they had 2 defensive superstar NBA talents in Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist, and also other very good defensive players in Terrence Jones and Darius Miller. I give Calipari a lot of credit for that team. They were immensely talented, but I never thought such a young team could play that type of defense together.

Our team will very likely have 3 new starters next season who have never played a minute of college ball. As talented as they are, I estimate they will struggle defensively for at least the first half of the season. Even though Winslow may be excellent on defense from an individual standpoint, there's still a ton for him to learn. There is precedent (Aaron Gordon) for a freshman to come in and immediately make a huge impact on defense, but he's an athletic freak and was surrounded by upperclassmen veterans, and we won't have that luxury.

We may very likely top the Pomeroy rankings in offense all year, but I don't think we will crack the top 25 in defense with such a young team. I think we'll definitely be better defensively than last year, but still not great. But as long as we keep improving throughout the year, and stay in the top 40-ish, we're going to be one of the favorites to reach the Final Four. We're just that talented, especially if Jabari returns.

[Kedsy]

There is precedent (Aaron Gordon) for a freshman to come in and immediately make a huge impact on defense, but he's an athletic freak and was surrounded by upperclassmen veterans, and we won't have that luxury.

FWIW, Arizona this year had just two upperclassmen (both juniors) in the rotation (counting players who played 6+ mpg), and one of those was a transfer who hadn't played a minute for Arizona before this season. Zona did not have "3 or 4 upperclassmen starters who had been playing together for a minimum of 2 years." The Arizona starters were one junior, one redshirt (transfer) junior, two sophomores, and a freshman. Three of those starters had played together for a year before this season, but the team had no seniors in the rotation and only one junior who had played for the team before 2013-14 (making their rotation younger than Duke's 2013-14 rotation) and yet still managed to have Pomeroy's #1 ranked defense. So it can be done.

[kAzE]

FWIW, Arizona this year had just two upperclassmen (both juniors) in the rotation (counting players who played 6+ mpg), and one of those was a transfer who hadn't played a minute for Arizona before this season. Zona did not have "3 or 4 upperclassmen starters who had been playing together for a minimum of 2 years." The Arizona starters were one junior, one redshirt (transfer) junior, two sophomores, and a freshman. Three of those starters had played together for a year before this season, but the team had no seniors in the rotation and only one junior who had played for the team before 2013-14 (making their rotation younger than Duke's 2013-14 rotation) and yet still managed to have Pomeroy's #1 ranked defense. So it can be done.

Yeah, I'm not saying it can't be done, it's just rare (Like that 2012 UK squad). 80-90% of the best defensive teams are typically guys who have played together for a long time.

[Saratoga2]

FWIW, Arizona this year had just two upperclassmen (both juniors) in the rotation (counting players who played 6+ mpg), and one of those was a transfer who hadn't played a minute for Arizona before this season. Zona did not have "3 or 4 upperclassmen starters who had been playing together for a minimum of 2 years." The Arizona starters were one junior, one redshirt (transfer) junior, two sophomores, and a freshman. Three of those starters had played together for a year before this season, but the team had no seniors in the rotation and only one junior who had played for the team before 2013-14 (making their rotation younger than Duke's 2013-14 rotation) and yet still managed to have Pomeroy's #1 ranked defense. So it can be done.


The Arizona example is a good one in that it makes light of the argument that you have to have a veteran team to have a strong defense. Arizona did have size and they used that. Other good defensive teams were Virginia and UCONN, both of who used a more compact defense than Duke. Perhaps our lack of physical presence and size together with our style of defense was what made us weak on defense.

[flyingdutchdevil]

The Arizona example is a good one in that it makes light of the argument that you have to have a veteran team to have a strong defense. Arizona did have size and they used that. Other good defensive teams were Virginia and UCONN, both of who used a more compact defense than Duke. Perhaps our lack of physical presence and size together with our style of defense was what made us weak on defense.

It certainly added to it. I think experience, lack of focus, and lack of ability also added to it. Quinn Cook may never have the ability to stay in front of his player. Some players just aren't that quick laterally. And it's a tough skill to develop. Maggette never had it, and neither does Amare.

[Billy Dat]

Fraschilla (or was it the play-by-play guy?) reported during last night's game that Mudiay says he's hungry to learn from Larry Brown. We'll see.

It's funny, as an old school dude who has never liked to, at least verbally, hand the keys to his team to rookies or freshmen, I assume Larry Brown will amend his ways in this instance.

[Henderson]

I have an international competition rules question: Now that Karl Towns Jr. has played on the World Team in the Hoop Summit and also internationally represented the Dominican Republic in international play, I believe he is forever disqualified from playing for another country in the World Championships and Olympics. Correct? Does the same hold true for Mudiay? I don't know that he ever played on a Democratic Republic of Congo team, but he played for the World Team in the Hoop Summit representing the D.R. Congo. If he wants to play in the Worlds or Olympics, must he always play exclusively on a DRC team?

[FerryFor50]

I have an international competition rules question: Now that Karl Towns Jr. has played on the World Team in the Hoop Summit and also internationally represented the Dominican Republic in international play, I believe he is forever disqualified from playing for another country in the World Championships and Olympics. Correct? Does the same hold true for Mudiay? I don't know that he ever played on a Democratic Republic of Congo team, but he played for the World Team in the Hoop Summit representing the D.R. Congo. If he wants to play in the Worlds or Olympics, must he always play exclusively on a DRC team?

Technically correct, but if both countries reach an agreement, exceptions could be made.

[MCFinARL]

I have an international competition rules question: Now that Karl Towns Jr. has played on the World Team in the Hoop Summit and also internationally represented the Dominican Republic in international play, I believe he is forever disqualified from playing for another country in the World Championships and Olympics. Correct? Does the same hold true for Mudiay? I don't know that he ever played on a Democratic Republic of Congo team, but he played for the World Team in the Hoop Summit representing the D.R. Congo. If he wants to play in the Worlds or Olympics, must he always play exclusively on a DRC team?

Under FIBA rules, he cannot play for another country once he as, at the age of 17 or over, represented one country in a "main international competition of FIBA." There is a discretionary exception for people who want to transfer to a second country if it is "in the interest of the development of basketball in that country." And players who represented one country before the age of 17 may play for another if both national federations agree. http://www.fiba.com/downloads/v3_expe/agen/docs/3-ELIGIBILITY-NATIONAL-STATUS-of-%20PLAYERS.pdf (http://www.fiba.com/downloads/v3_expe/agen/docs/3-ELIGIBILITY-NATIONAL-STATUS-of-%20PLAYERS.pdf)

So far, I haven't been able to figure out whether the Nike Hoop Summit counts as a "main international competition of FIBA," although it seems an argument could be made that Towns was not representing the national federation of the Dominican Republic in that game but the "World Team." In FIBA competitions, Towns was selected for the Dominican Republic team when he was 16, but if he has played in competitions since his 17th birthday, he would be permanently assigned to play for the Dominican Republic.

Mudlay does not appear on the current roster of the DRC team (according to ever-reliable Wikipedia, so take it for what it is worth), so his eligibility to play for another country would turn on whether the Hoop Summit is a "main international competition of FIBA," which I kind of doubt, though I have no evidence.

Edit: I see Ferryfor50 beat me to the most important part of this post, and much more concisely, too.

[Ichabod Drain]

I have an international competition rules question: Now that Karl Towns Jr. has played on the World Team in the Hoop Summit and also internationally represented the Dominican Republic in international play, I believe he is forever disqualified from playing for another country in the World Championships and Olympics. Correct? Does the same hold true for Mudiay? I don't know that he ever played on a Democratic Republic of Congo team, but he played for the World Team in the Hoop Summit representing the D.R. Congo. If he wants to play in the Worlds or Olympics, must he always play exclusively on a DRC team?

I do not believe that the Hoop Summit is an official FIBA event so I would say Mudiay could play for USA if he wanted to later on. If you go here the game isn't listed under FIBA events.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/even/cale/p/fibaCaleAll.html

[awhom111]

To add to this, if Mudiay did not become a US citizen until after age 16, he would have to fill the USA naturalized player slot. In competition, only one player can occupy that spot (like Nick Horvath has for New Zealand). I have said it elsewhere, but I hope that there is a loosening of this rule in the future, not for basketball-specific naturalization, but for players with some heritage in another country who do not obtain citizenship soon enough. If it were up to me, it would be even more loose to resemble some of the baseball/rugby rules.

What will be interesting is whether Calipari lets his old assistant Antigua take Towns for this summer or not. The late placement of the tournament is rather inconvenient for those with college obligations (including our coach).

[martydoesntfoul]

Hey marty, enjoy the game! How did Justise and Tyus look in pregame shooting? Did you get there that early?

Troublemaker: Below is a long overdue explanation for my DBR handle. Jim Sumner described it perfectly in a 2007 post that compared the exploits of George Burgin and Marty Nessley...

"Marty [Nessley] was the inspiration for the 'Marty doesn't foul' chant. If you aren't old enough to remember Marty, the cheer was intended to be ironic."

Speaking of George, I recall a game where he went something like 0 for 8 from the free throw line, and my friend went berserk demanding a partial tuition reimbursement equivalent to his share of George's scholarship.