K High on Bolden

[BD80]

Coach sees Marques as one of the best big men in the country:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/coach-k-says-dukes-marques-bolden-can-be-one-of-the-best-big-men-in-the-nation-despite-his-slow-start/

[UrinalCake]

K has been known to prop up guys during the off season. Last year he was effusive in his praise of Javin, even suggested he could start at the 3. We all remember him saying Alex Murphy would eventually be an all-ACC player. So I'm taking these comments with many grains of salt.

With that said, I would really love to see how good Bolden can be when fully healthy, which we've never seen. He was coming on really strong late last season even in a limited role and always playing alongside another big. If he can anchor the inside with our wings around him, that would be the type of lineup that K loves. He will likely be the only non-freshman starter and as such it would be great if he took on more of a leadership role, but I honestly don't know if he has that in him as he seems like a quiet (i.e. silent) kind of guy.

[DavidBenAkiva]

K has been known to prop up guys during the off season. Last year he was effusive in his praise of Javin, even suggested he could start at the 3. We all remember him saying Alex Murphy would eventually be an all-ACC player. So I'm taking these comments with many grains of salt.

With that said, I would really love to see how good Bolden can be when fully healthy, which we've never seen. He was coming on really strong late last season even in a limited role and always playing alongside another big. If he can anchor the inside with our wings around him, that would be the type of lineup that K loves. He will likely be the only non-freshman starter and as such it would be great if he took on more of a leadership role, but I honestly don't know if he has that in him as he seems like a quiet (i.e. silent) kind of guy.

Bolden is an ideal center for this team. He's big and long, can be a safety valve offensive option late in the possession with his jump hooks, hedges on screens and recovers very well, and can even guard wings and guards on switches for short periods of time. He also gets a lot of blocks and generates a few steals.

Comparing Wendell Carter, Jr. and Marques Bolden, both had remarkably similar block stats last season. Their per 36 blocks were 3.1 and 3.0, respectively and their per 100 possession block rate was 4.3 and 4.2. Justin Robinson, for what it is worth, led the team in both of those states by a wide margin. Carter was a better rebounder last season but wasn't that far behind.

[DukieInBrasil]

Bolden is an ideal center for this team. He's big and long, can be a safety valve offensive option late in the possession with his jump hooks, hedges on screens and recovers very well, and can even guard wings and guards on switches for short periods of time. He also gets a lot of blocks and generates a few steals.

Comparing Wendell Carter, Jr. and Marques Bolden, both had remarkably similar block stats last season. Their per 36 blocks were 3.1 and 3.0, respectively and their per 100 possession block rate was 4.3 and 4.2. Justin Robinson, for what it is worth, led the team in both of those states by a wide margin. Carter was a better rebounder last season but wasn't that far behind.

i don't know if i would call it a "light bulb moment", but Marques began playing a much more effective brand of ball a few games after returning from his brief injury time. I think that withe post cleared out and due to his own progress, Marques will have a very fine year. If he really focuses on the defensive side of things, i think the offense will come. It's quite common for a good PG to "feed the big" after he has blocked a shot and created a turnover. He's got a nice hook shot, and he can finish a lob, so there's some different ways he can score. But rebounds and defense will need to be his calling card.

[gep]

K has been known to prop up guys during the off season. Last year he was effusive in his praise of Javin, even suggested he could start at the 3. We all remember him saying Alex Murphy would eventually be an all-ACC player. So I'm taking these comments with many grains of salt.

With that said, I would really love to see how good Bolden can be when fully healthy, which we've never seen. He was coming on really strong late last season even in a limited role and always playing alongside another big. If he can anchor the inside with our wings around him, that would be the type of lineup that K loves. He will likely be the only non-freshman starter and as such it would be great if he took on more of a leadership role, but I honestly don't know if he has that in him as he seems like a quiet (i.e. silent) kind of guy.

Yes... remember Zoubs. Injured for 3 years, finally healthy as a senior. I recall an interview that Coach K answered a question on Zoubs "improvement"... and Coach K said that Zoubs was always that good, just that he was injured all of that time. So I think it's very realistic that a healthy non-injured Bolden can be very good.

[weezie]

It's ridiculous for me to say it but in watching Bolden towards the middle of last season there seemed to be a better look in his eyes, more alert and confident. He's physically much more solid and heavier in the legs than a lot of college players, so learning how to move that mass has been key.
Of course he can feel when the crowd in Cameron is disappointed so naturally the cheers were a tonic.

He's primed.

[ChillinDuke]

It's ridiculous for me to say it but in watching Bolden towards the middle of last season there seemed to be a better look in his eyes, more alert and confident. He's physically much more solid and heavier in the legs than a lot of college players, so learning how to move that mass has been key.
Of course he can feel when the crowd in Cameron is disappointed so naturally the cheers were a tonic.

He's primed.

Primed is right.

This is his chance this year. I know we live in an era of look-at-me, instant gratification, but Bolden has (perhaps somewhat grudgingly) followed a more traditional path in that he just wasn't ready (health-wise or, I suspect more likely, development-wise).

Entering this season, I am pulling for and expecting the Big Fella to average 10 and 7 across ~25mpg.

- Chillin

[budwom]

Showed some great moves last year, but keeping him on the court is the key (health). Javin needs to foul considerably less. Opportunity knocks for both these guys.

[DukieInBrasil]

Primed is right.

This is his chance this year. I know we live in an era of look-at-me, instant gratification, but Bolden has (perhaps somewhat grudgingly) followed a more traditional path in that he just wasn't ready (health-wise or, I suspect more likely, development-wise).

Entering this season, I am pulling for and expecting the Big Fella to average 10 and 7 across ~25mpg.

- Chillin


Showed some great moves last year, but keeping him on the court is the key (health). Javin needs to foul considerably less. Opportunity knocks for both these guys.

i doubt that Duke will go with a 2 big lineup very often, unlike last year, so there'll be roughly 40 minutes for them to divide. I guess an even 20/20 split could happen, but Chillin's estimate of 25 for Marques would leave 15 for Javin at the 5. So, add in Vrank's minutes and i'd guess that 25 for Marques, and 20 for Javin seems reasonable, giving Duke about 5-8 mpg with 2 bigs on the floor. Javin's quickness and springy nature could make him a good 3/4 type player, particularly if his 3pt shooting improves from last year. I don't see any minutes for Marques away from the C position.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Showed some great moves last year, but keeping him on the court is the key (health). Javin needs to foul considerably less. Opportunity knocks for both these guys.

Can we add "goal-tend less" to Javin's "2018 improvements" as well?

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Can we add "goal-tend less" to Javin's "2018 improvements" as well?

Hrmmmm goaltending is a bummer, but also indicative of aggressive rim protection. I don't mind a mistake here or there on that front.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Hrmmmm goaltending is a bummer, but also indicative of aggressive rim protection. I don't mind a mistake here or there on that front.

Is it still "here or there" if it happens once a game? If Javin's minutes go up - and they should - he'd probably average once a game.

[FerryFor50]

Is it still "here or there" if it happens once a game? If Javin's minutes go up - and they should - he'd probably average once a game.

Sure, but how many blocks does he also get per game when his minutes go up?

Would you rather have a guy that has a block:goaltend ratio of 2 or 3:1 or a guy who never challenges shots?

[Wheat/"/"/"]

It's ridiculous for me to say it but in watching Bolden towards the middle of last season there seemed to be a better look in his eyes, more alert and confident. He's physically much more solid and heavier in the legs than a lot of college players, so learning how to move that mass has been key.
Of course he can feel when the crowd in Cameron is disappointed so naturally the cheers were a tonic.

He's primed.

Bolden did show more confidence and more comfort as the season went along last year. He's one of those players that has just taken a little time to adjust to the college game from high school, despite the HS * rankings.

I fully expect him to have a good year and be one of the better post players in the ACC this season.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Bolden did show more confidence and more comfort as the season went along last year. He's one of those players that has just taken a little time to adjust to the college game from high school, despite the HS * rankings.

I fully expect him to have a good year and be one of the better post players in the ACC this season.

I also expect great things from Bolden. A healthy Bolden, with experience in practice against Giles, Carter, and Bagley, ought to be ready to make some noise.

[moonpie23]

Bolden did show more confidence and more comfort as the season went along last year. He's one of those players that has just taken a little time to adjust to the college game from high school, despite the HS * rankings.

I fully expect him to have a good year and be one of the better post players in the ACC this season.

STOP IT, Wheat......you can't just slide in here and post some positive things without some controversy. I hereby DEMAND that Wheat's post be removed, and have my name replaced as the author.....


:rolleyes:

[Wheat/"/"/"]

STOP IT, Wheat...you can't just slide in here and post some positive things without some controversy. I hereby DEMAND that Wheat's post be removed, and have my name replaced as the author....


:rolleyes:

Just can’t help but call it like I see it....

[kAzE]

On a per minute basis, Bolden was pretty good last season. I thought his defense around the rim was very good. The only knock on him is that he's not the type rebounder you would hope for at his size (he just doesn't have a top end motor in him), but you could tell he was trying as hard as he could. Hopefully Zion (who is a monster rebounder, and should easily lead the team in that category) will be able to cover for that weakness.

All he really needs to do is to get into the best shape he possibly can be in, and stay healthy. If that happens, he's going to be great. His rim protection is something that no one else in the rotation offers (though Zion will probably have some spectacular blocks).

[flyingdutchdevil]

On a per minute basis, Bolden was pretty good last season. I thought his defense around the rim was very good. The only knock on him is that he's not the type rebounder you would hope for at his size (he just doesn't have a top end motor in him), but you could tell he was trying as hard as he could.

All he really needs to do is to get into the best shape he possibly can be in, and stay healthy. If that happens, he's going to be great.

I tend to agree. On defense, he's great at moving his feet and defends PnRs really well.

His rebounding numbers are a solid 12 per 40 min. I agree he looks like a poor rebounder, but his ginormous frame gets them (I think Bolden is the longest player in Duke history).

I am feeling great about Bolden on defense.

For me, the second biggest question comes on offense. Can he score in iso? Can he score over more athletic, shorter dudes? Can he get and score on second chance opportunities?

The biggest question? Health. Bolden unfortunately seems like a guy who is just always injured.

[kAzE]

For me, the second biggest question comes on offense. Can he score in iso? Can he score over more athletic, shorter dudes? Can he get and score on second chance opportunities?

I think anything he provides on offense would just be gravy. All we really need from him is finishing dump offs, a putback or two, be a lob threat, and set screens. Our offensive firepower is unreal even if Bolden doesn't develop a back to the basket game. On the other hand, he did show some touch with the jump hook last year (I think he actually was able to hit with either hand, too!), so the post up threat could be there as well, but it's not something that will make or break our offense. He'll be the 5th option in the starting lineup, almost for sure.

Totally agree the #1 thing for him is health.

[luburch]

I suppose there are worse things to be high on.

[ChillinDuke]

I think anything he provides on offense would just be gravy. All we really need from him is finishing dump offs, a putback or two, be a lob threat, and set screens. Our offensive firepower is unreal even if Bolden doesn't develop a back to the basket game. On the other hand, he did show some touch with the jump hook last year (I think he actually was able to hit with either hand, too!), so the post up threat could be there as well, but it's not something that will make or break our offense. He'll be the 5th option in the starting lineup, almost for sure.

Totally agree the #1 thing for him is health.

I like Bolden on offense. I think last year we saw enough out of him to expect with reasonable, standard offseason improvements that he will pass muster on O. Double digit scoring should be his/our goal. He should get at least a couple bunnies per game. If he can add a reliable baby hook, grab a lob here and there, and hit some throws, 10ppg seems totally attainable.

Agreed on health. But if ever someone could control their own health, this would be the opportunity. He has a clear path to be both a leader and a focal point on this team - potentially with a lot of interviews and publicity. If people respond to incentives, I like to think that what's facing Marques is unmatched heretofore in his basketball career.

- Chillin

[kAzE]

I like Bolden on offense. I think last year we saw enough out of him to expect with reasonable, standard offseason improvements that he will pass muster on O. Double digit scoring should be his/our goal. He should get at least a couple bunnies per game. If he can add a reliable baby hook, grab a lob here and there, and hit some throws, 10ppg seems totally attainable.

Yeah, I think he could definitely hit 10 PPG, even as the 5th option. All that means is that we're not running plays for him. Getting to 10 points just from free throws, putbacks, and dunks is totally attainable provided he can stay on the floor 20+ minutes.

[yancem]

Sure, but how many blocks does he also get per game when his minutes go up?

Would you rather have a guy that has a block:goaltend ratio of 2 or 3:1 or a guy who never challenges shots?

I totally agree. Ewing probably averaged a goaltend a game but also blocked a lot of shots. Some goaltends can still have a demoralizing effect as long as blocks are mixed in so the offense doesn’t know which it’s going to be. Add Bolden’s big frame in the paint and guards may think twice before driving to the basket, or at least attempt lower percentage floaters.

[JBDuke]

I hope Marques is working out his outlet passes. With the guys we're going to have on the wing, there will be plenty of opportunities for a big rebounder to start a break.

[jv001]

Is it still "here or there" if it happens once a game? If Javin's minutes go up - and they should - he'd probably average once a game.

I'm more worried about Javin's silly fouls but like you, some of the goal tends are unnecessary. GoDuke!

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I'm more worried about Javin's silly fouls but like you, some of the goal tends are unnecessary. GoDuke!

I agree with your point - in general. The flip side is that goal tending calls seem to be missed more often with true interference - than they are called when they do not actually occur. This is not scientific, just my impression after watching college hoops for decades.

In that way, there's a risk reward element to consider.

[JasonEvans]

...provided he can stay on the floor 20+ minutes.

I have seen others mention this as well and I don't really get it. Last season, Bolden played 12.9 minutes per game and averaged just 1.4 fouls per game. I never noticed him laboring badly during games last year and he quite often played 15+ minutes. I don't see any concerns about Bolden getting to 25 or so minutes per game this coming year in terms of fouls or fatigue limiting him.

Carter averaged 26.9 minutes per game last season. I think Bolden should come in very close to that number.

-Jason "if this is the moment where the thread turns into an endless minutes discussion... sorry about that!" Evans

[camion]

I have seen others mention this as well and I don't really get it. Last season, Bolden played 12.9 minutes per game and averaged just 1.4 fouls per game. I never noticed him laboring badly during games last year and he quite often played 15+ minutes. I don't see any concerns about Bolden getting to 25 or so minutes per game this coming year in terms of fouls or fatigue limiting him.

Carter averaged 26.9 minutes per game last season. I think Bolden should come in very close to that number.

-Jason "if this is the moment where the thread turns into an endless minutes discussion... sorry about that!" Evans

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the minutes discussion."

Or something like that.

[lotusland]

I have seen others mention this as well and I don't really get it. Last season, Bolden played 12.9 minutes per game and averaged just 1.4 fouls per game. I never noticed him laboring badly during games last year and he quite often played 15+ minutes. I don't see any concerns about Bolden getting to 25 or so minutes per game this coming year in terms of fouls or fatigue limiting him.

Carter averaged 26.9 minutes per game last season. I think Bolden should come in very close to that number.

-Jason "if this is the moment where the thread turns into an endless minutes discussion... sorry about that!" Evans

Well there was the “working on your motor” video with coach Capel where the clear implication was that the motor was lacking.

[JasonEvans]

Well there was the “working on your motor” video with coach Capel where the clear implication was that the motor was lacking.

What does motor have to do with whether he is capable of playing 20+ minutes per game (other than whether he could earn 20+ minutes per game)? I was under the impression folks felt he would either foul too much or Bolden was not in good enough physical condition to play 20+ minutes. I think those concerns are misplaced.

[lotusland]

What does motor have to do with whether he is capable of playing 20+ minutes per game (other than whether he could earn 20+ minutes per game)? I was under the impression folks felt he would either foul too much or Bolden was not in good enough physical condition to play 20+ minutes. I think those concerns are misplaced.

OK. He obviously hasn’t proven that he can play 20+ minutes at a high energy level since he hasn’t been asked to do it and he’s had injuries during both freshman and sophomore seasons limiting his minutes. I hope he plays 30+ at a high level without getting in foul trouble and makes 1st team All ACC. We have Zion, Bolden and Javin to share most of the post minutes along with senior Vrank, JRob and Jack to fill in. I’m not worried at all. Bolden will probably be less foul proned than Zion and Javin. I just hope Bolden can avoid injuries so he can be a major contributor this year.

[UrinalCake]

After he returned from injury last season, K outright said that his conditioning was preventing him from playing more minutes. This was maybe a month after he had returned to the court. But I agree that it shouldn’t be a factor moving forward. His foul rate did *seem* high when playing against higher level competition, but some of that may be that much like MP3 before him, his role during his first couple years was simply to provide energy and aggressively go after the ball. When called upon to play more minutes, he can adjust his playing style.

Bolden reminds me a lot of Isaiah Hicks from down the road, who also came in ranked around 15 based on being a seven footer with athleticism but very raw. Struggled with injuries and had to defer to more talented teammates early on, and also fouled out a lot, but by his senior year he developed into a key piece of a title team. Was never a primary scoring option but filled his role well

[Kedsy]

His foul rate did *seem* high when playing against higher level competition...

Yeah, in 2017-18, against "Big Six" (including ACC) schools plus the NCAA tournament, Marques committed 5.3 fouls per 40 minutes. Which is pretty high (for comparison's sake, Wendell committed 4.3 fouls per 40 in those games, and Marvin committed 2.2 fouls per 40). But Marques's totals still only amounted to 3.3 fouls per 25 minutes, so his foul rate shouldn't limit his minutes in most games.

Javin, on the other hand, committed 7.8 fouls per 40 minutes in the same games. Hopefully, experience will enable him to get that foul rate down.

[kAzE]

I have seen others mention this as well and I don't really get it. Last season, Bolden played 12.9 minutes per game and averaged just 1.4 fouls per game. I never noticed him laboring badly during games last year and he quite often played 15+ minutes. I don't see any concerns about Bolden getting to 25 or so minutes per game this coming year in terms of fouls or fatigue limiting him.

Carter averaged 26.9 minutes per game last season. I think Bolden should come in very close to that number.

-Jason "if this is the moment where the thread turns into an endless minutes discussion... sorry about that!" Evans

I think you might be misconstruing what I was saying. I predicted Marques would average 20 minutes per game in the minutes prediction thread, so clearly I don't doubt him. I do think he'll be able to average around 9-11 points and 7-8 rebounds. All I said was that it wouldn't be hard for him to get 10 points in any given game provided he's able to play 20+ minutes in that game.

[JasonEvans]

I think you might be misconstruing what I was saying. I predicted Marques would average 20 minutes per game in the minutes prediction thread, so clearly I don't doubt him. I do think he'll be able to average around 9-11 points and 7-8 rebounds. All I said was that it wouldn't be hard for him to get 10 points in any given game provided he's able to play 20+ minutes in that game.

If he averages 9-11 ppg and 7-8 rpg while playing 20 minutes per game, then it better be conditioning that keeps him from playing more because you are talking about a 15 ppg/12rpg player if he played normal starter minutes (which is 30 minutes per game). If he averages 15 and 12, then he's in the running for 1st team All-ACC.

10ppg and 8rpg in 20 minutes of playing time (which would be 20 pp40 and 12 rp40) would be fairly close to what Marvin Bagley averaged last year for Duke (24.9 pp40, 13.2 rp40).

[CDu]

If he averages 9-11 ppg and 7-8 rpg while playing 20 minutes per game, then it better be conditioning that keeps him from playing more because you are talking about a 15 ppg/12rpg player if he played normal starter minutes (which is 30 minutes per game). If he averages 15 and 12, then he's in the running for 1st team All-ACC.

10ppg and 8rpg in 20 minutes of playing time (which would be 20 pp40 and 12 rp40) would be fairly close to what Marvin Bagley averaged last year for Duke (24.9 pp40, 13.2 rp40).

And better than what Carter averaged. If Bolden is putting up those type of numbers, he should be playing as much as he can handle physically or foul-wise.

[DukieInBrasil]

If he averages 9-11 ppg and 7-8 rpg while playing 20 minutes per game, then it better be conditioning that keeps him from playing more because you are talking about a 15 ppg/12rpg player if he played normal starter minutes (which is 30 minutes per game). If he averages 15 and 12, then he's in the running for 1st team All-ACC.

10ppg and 8rpg in 20 minutes of playing time (which would be 20 pp40 and 12 rp40) would be fairly close to what Marvin Bagley averaged last year for Duke (24.9 pp40, 13.2 rp40).


And better than what Carter averaged. If Bolden is putting up those type of numbers, he should be playing as much as he can handle physically or foul-wise.

thanks for making those stats more relatable. If Bolden were to put up those numbers on a per minute basis, would that make him a good bet to go for the draft? Bagley and Carter put up those numbers as Fr. and seemed to have plenty of room for growth beyond that. If Bolden were to achieve that level of per minute productivity, but took 2 extra years to get there, my guess is that he'd probably be enticing enough for a late 1st round pick, more likely a 2nd round pick.
My guess is that is also that any team that might consider drafting him based on those per minute numbers would probably also like for him to show an uptick in defensive prowess, seeing as how Marques's style on offense is in pretty low demand these days. I would think that improving his rebounding and shot-blocking would do more to make him employable in the today's NBA than improvements on offense. Marques hasn't shown anything remotely close to a jump shot, so expecting him to add that to his game this off-season is highly unlikely, and jump-hooks and around the basket scoring is nice but not highly sought after.

[yancem]

thanks for making those stats more relatable. If Bolden were to put up those numbers on a per minute basis, would that make him a good bet to go for the draft? Bagley and Carter put up those numbers as Fr. and seemed to have plenty of room for growth beyond that. If Bolden were to achieve that level of per minute productivity, but took 2 extra years to get there, my guess is that he'd probably be enticing enough for a late 1st round pick, more likely a 2nd round pick.
My guess is that is also that any team that might consider drafting him based on those per minute numbers would probably also like for him to show an uptick in defensive prowess, seeing as how Marques's style on offense is in pretty low demand these days. I would think that improving his rebounding and shot-blocking would do more to make him employable in the today's NBA than improvements on offense. Marques hasn't shown anything remotely close to a jump shot, so expecting him to add that to his game this off-season is highly unlikely, and jump-hooks and around the basket scoring is nice but not highly sought after.

If Bolden averages those types of numbers then he would almost definitely be a first round pick. He has excellent size and mobility and was considered a likely OAD for a reason. His defense is already significantly better than Bagley and not far off from Carter. I don’t think that being a junior will hurt him too much. As for his jump shot, I’m not sure about. He made at least one nice 15 footer in a game and I remember seeing some off season training videos last year with him taking and making several 15-20 footers. He may better at that than we have seen.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

If Bolden averages those types of numbers then he would almost definitely be a first round pick. He has excellent size and mobility and was considered a likely OAD for a reason. His defense is already significantly better than Bagley and not far off from Carter. I don’t think that being a junior will hurt him too much. As for his jump shot, I’m not sure about. He made at least one nice 15 footer in a game and I remember seeing some off season training videos last year with him taking and making several 15-20 footers. He may better at that than we have seen.

Your thoughts bring something to mind....I used to think about it vis a vis the Plumlees. If they could have developed that 15 footer, from the lane, or from the baseline, it would have really opened up opportunities for their explosiveness. I am of the opinion that all college players have enough natural hand eye coordination to develop a reasonable 15 footer in a short amount of time. We've seen Mo Bamba develop a reasonable 3 pointer just recently.

I think Bolden can, and should, and that it would really help him and Duke.

[arnie]

Your thoughts bring something to mind...I used to think about it vis a vis the Plumlees. If they could have developed that 15 footer, from the lane, or from the baseline, it would have really opened up opportunities for their explosiveness. I am of the opinion that all college players have enough natural hand eye coordination to develop a reasonable 15 footer in a short amount of time. We've seen Mo Bamba develop a reasonable 3 pointer just recently.

I think Bolden can, and should, and that it would really help him and Duke.

Not so sure it’s “easy” for many athletes to develop a reliable 15-footer. If so, Billy King would have been an NBA player. Obviously many more examples, but this was an extraordinary 6’6” athlete that simply couldn’t throw it into an ocean.

[camion]

Not so sure it’s “easy” for many athletes to develop a reliable 15-footer. If so, Billy King would have been an NBA player. Obviously many more examples, but this was an extraordinary 6’6” athlete that simply couldn’t throw it into an ocean.

Fifteen feet. Isn't that free throw distance?

I'm of the opinion that everyone should be able to hit 70% of their free throws. I've apparently been wrong each year since they started keeping free throw statistics.

Note: This doesn't mean that Bolden can't develop a decent 15' shot.

[budwom]

Not so sure it’s “easy” for many athletes to develop a reliable 15-footer. If so, Billy King would have been an NBA player. Obviously many more examples, but this was an extraordinary 6’6” athlete that simply couldn’t throw it into an ocean.

Add Amile to that list. Terrific player in many regards, but shooting isn't one of them. As the esteemed Bobby Knight said, every player needs to have one spot on the floor where he knows he can hit a jump shot.

[kAzE]

If he averages 9-11 ppg and 7-8 rpg while playing 20 minutes per game, then it better be conditioning that keeps him from playing more because you are talking about a 15 ppg/12rpg player if he played normal starter minutes (which is 30 minutes per game). If he averages 15 and 12, then he's in the running for 1st team All-ACC.

10ppg and 8rpg in 20 minutes of playing time (which would be 20 pp40 and 12 rp40) would be fairly close to what Marvin Bagley averaged last year for Duke (24.9 pp40, 13.2 rp40).

Okay, you have a point there. That's probably a generous estimate. If he does average 20 minutes, he's probably going to put up around 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. Better? :p

The reason I guessed 20 minutes wasn't because I don't think he can play more minutes due to fouls or conditioning. On the contrary, I do think he'll be in the best shape of his life. This is a career changing year for him if he can perform, because he finally has the opportunity to start. There's no doubt in my mind he's going to do everything necessary to be successful this season.

However, we have 3 big men in the most probable rotation, 1 of whom is much more talented (Zion), and another one who offers a vastly different skill set, one that on paper, looks to be a better fit defensively against teams that go small (Javin). A LOT of teams in college go small. Marques has done a better job of moving his feet and trying to stay with smaller guys, but he's never going to have the quickness to stay with the best guards on switches. There are lots of ways to exploit a plodding big man when you can create mismatches. That would be the main reason I don't think Marques could stay on the floor for normal starter minutes.

Plus, Javin is really damn good. If Marques played 30 minutes, Javin would only get about 10, which wouldn't make much sense, since they are about equally talented in my opinion. I would want to see them both play around 20 minutes a game if possible, but going by the way Coach K has used big men in the past, I just think there's no way they could combine for more than 40 minutes, especially with Zion likely to get 24-27 minutes, and Cam/Jack/Joey possibly stealing some minutes at the 4.

Marques is also not someone who you would want on the floor late in games, unless he has significantly improved his stroke at the foul line. I think it's quite possible we will be closing some games with a lineup like Tre, RJ, Cam, Zion, and Alex.

[JetpackJesus]

Well, Bolden can jump. https://twitter.com/DukeMBB/status/1014992385837854720?s=09

They Tweeted that about 13 minutes after Tweeting that the Vertec wasn't high enough for one of their guys with a picture of them raising it by putting weight plates under it.

[devildeac]

Well, Bolden can jump. https://twitter.com/DukeMBB/status/1014992385837854720?s=09

They Tweeted that about 13 minutes after Tweeting that the Vertec wasn't high enough for one of their guys with a picture of them raising it by putting weight plates under it.

Those are some serious hops and I'm not talking about Citra and Mosaic. :rolleyes::o

[Tripping William]

Those are some serious hops and I'm not talking about Citra and Mosaic. :rolleyes::o

Well, not in *this* thread, anyway . . . . . :o

[moonpie23]

is it just me? or does he look leaner and longer?

[HereBeforeCoachK]

is it just me? or does he look leaner and longer?

He did in that picture to me too......then again, it's always been kind of deceiving with him...at times he looks a bit thick, then in the same game, I'll see another angle and he looks leaner. Anyway, he has some ups....

[WVDUKEFAN]

I think he's due to erupt. Playing alongside/behind (choose your verbiage) WC and Bags last year was probably tough for him emotionally. But, then again, he was playing behind WC and Bags. He would have been a starter, probably averaging a double double at most other programs in the NCAA. He showed a lot of promise last year. In addition, he has the opportunity to step up and be a leader for this team. By choosing to come back for his junior year, he showed a lot of maturity. I'm really excited about this team!

[kAzE]

is it just me? or does he look leaner and longer?

His official measurements are 6'11" 250. He was listed at 246 last year, but he does appear to be leaner in all his recent photos to me as well. He seems to have much more muscle definition in his arms/shoulders than before.

In any case, if he's in as good shape as I think he is, and stays healthy, he will dominate this year.