McDonalds All-American Game this Wed!

[astoria26]

Let’s get excited about the future rather than dwell on the past. Here’s a nugget about the 2008-9 schedule: Duke will play in the 2K Sports Coaches vs Cancer tournament, with the final games in Madison Square Garden! The other teams haven’t been announced yet, but here’s the tentative schedule:

11/10 – 11/13 regional game #1 – vs Presbyterian
11/11 – 11/14 regional game #2
11/20 semi-final game in MSG
11/21 championship game in MSG

For the MickeyD AA game in Milwaukee, it looks like Elliot will be part of the “B” team as the PG/SG, and matched up against Larry Drew. Here’s Bob Gibbins’ preview:

“6-4 combo guard Williams will run the point for the East team, similar to what his future Duke teammate, Nolan Smith, did for the East in the 2007 McDonald's All-American Game. He will face a pure point guard in pass-first playmaker Drew. Drew, the son of Atlanta Hawks assistant coach Larry Drew, is well-schooled in the basic point guard skills and won the Leadership Award at the NBPA Top 100 Camp while taking his team to the camp championship. Williams was the Most Outstanding Player at that camp and should match up well against his future ACC rival, since Drew is a North Carolina signee. Also, another future ACC player, Georgia Tech-bound Iman Shumpert (West) could share time at this position as well as at second guard or small forward.”

Can’t wait!

[ForeverBlowingBubbles]

not sure if anyones linked this video of williams before - its the one on the main page... also some articles about him under updates you can read for free.

http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=52003

[Dukefan4Life]

Looking forward to seeing E-Mail :D

[VaDukie]

I'm very excited to see E-Mail, but let's not let the game inflate expectations. Paulus, McRoberts, and Shavlik all played like absolute studs and had the bar set for the freshmen year extraordinarily high. I don't expect him to be a stud next year but I think he has a very high ceiling.

[Dukefan4Life]

I dont know, from what ive seen the kid looks like the real deal! He seems to be a big time scorer! I think he will provide instant offense for us

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

I'm also very excited to see Email in the McDonald's game and in a Duke uniform, but please, please, please let this kid develop at his own pace. He'll be playing behind a host of Devils (ha-ha) and may not be a regular impact player for several months or more into the season.

[ForeverBlowingBubbles]

I've thought for a while now that E-mail could be the next player we get that becomes the man - inspires fear in our opponents - holds himself at some points to be impossible to stop. Watching Stephen Curry lately has got me even more excited.

I received a lot of criticism for stating that like no one on this years team really wanted to take over. We had players on occasion, but it would be nice to have one player who would constantly be a threat every time he touched the ball.

Maybe E-mail can get our hopes up in the Mickey game - and hopefully - he can deliver on campus. He will have to be incredible to take minutes from the likes of Paulus, Smith, Pocious, and of course Scheyer. If he turns out to be that incredible - it will be a good thing no doubt. I'm just excited for the preview.

[HK Dukie]

I really like that video link. Gotta love the 3.8 GPA and Elliot is a very articulate young man.

Not to mention the fact that he looks like a really good player.

[Highlander]

Where did the nickname "e-mail" come from?

[whereinthehellami]

Here is an excerpt from Rivals about the McDonalds All-Star game practices...

Certainly the East squad did its share of running, its scrimmage had a higher level of defensive intensity and more of a patient approach in the half court offense.

Among the guards Elliot Williams stood out scoring the ball. He knocked down a couple threes and finished at the rim in transition.

Ed Davis was the top scorer amongst the big men. His lefty jump hook was going down and his agility and length served him well in scramble situations.

Chris Singleton didn't impact the scrimmage with scoring, but he was ever present on both ends of the court making physical and savvy basketball plays.

Aminu didn't shoot the ball well from the outside, but he had some impressive slashing moves to the basket in the open court and had a spectacular block on a Davis dunk attempt.

[kydevil]

I like the part about Elliott sounds what were looking for in him.

The part about Davis knocked my excitement a little, thanks for the report though!

[whereinthehellami]

If UNC keeps everyone next year and adds Davis that will be an incredible team. He is the missing piece this year.

[freedevil]

Missing piece to what??? They're looking pretty unstoppable right now as is...

[Highlander]

Where did the nickname "e-mail" come from?

BTTT. Anyone have a clue?

[Franzez]

I want to know what number he's going to wear @ Duke.

Avoid #21.I still feel that number should be retired in honor of both Demarcus Nelson and Chris Duhon.

Wear #23 Elliott:D
I cant remember but I dont think that number is retired

[whereinthehellami]

Missing piece to what??? They're looking pretty unstoppable right now as is...

Davis would be the finisher and shot blocker that they currently don't have. He sounds like he is that good. 6-8, long armed, and springy. He makes me really nervous in Roy's system.

[Franzez]

Davis would be the finisher and shot blocker that they currently don't have. He sounds like he is that good. 6-8, long armed, and springy. He makes me really nervous in Roy's system.
Yeah I dont get where people made comparisons to him and Marvin Williams.

Ed Davis reminds me of Hakim Warrick with a decent game outside of in the post.

[bdh21]

Wear #23 Elliott:D
I cant remember but I dont think that number is retired

The Landlord immortalized the number 23

[FreezingDevil]

By my count, here are the #s available for next year: 13, 21, 34, 40, 45, 50, 52, 53, 54.

Slim pickings. I imagine that Elliott will not take anything above 40. I think 21 is a great # with a proud legacy behind it.

[Summie444]

By my count, here are the #s available for next year: 13, 21, 34, 40, 45, 50, 52, 53, 54.

Slim pickings. I imagine that Elliott will not take anything above 40. I think 21 is a great # with a proud legacy behind it.
Excuse my ignorance but how come only those few numbers are available next year? It would seem like a lot more should be available.

[Channing]

I believe only numbers that have digits 0-5 can be used . . . i.e.:

0-5
10-15
20-25
30-35
40-45
50-55

that is a total of 36 numbers. When you consider there are already 10 or 11 players on the team, and then a slew of numbers retired, it doesnt leave all that many for the picking.

Those numbers are the ones allowed because referees dont want to make a number with more than one hand when signaling a foul to the scorers table.

As an aside, I think I saw that UNC recruit Larry Drew, who garnered skepticism by being named to the McD team for his lower ranking, won the 3 pt shootout. I remember the golden years of Duke and the 3 pt shootout . . . Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but didnt Nate James win it, followed by Battier, followed by J-Wil, Duhon, and JJ?

[FreezingDevil]

Those numbers are the ones allowed because referees dont want to make a number with more than one hand when signaling a foul to the scorers table.

I've never quite understood this because in the NBA refs use two hands to signal each digit. as a result, players can wear whatever number they like. perhaps our resident DBR ref can give a logical explanation?

[IStillHateJimBain]

Duke should consider keeping the "number" retired but put at least some of the jerseys back into circulation. It would be a flimsy reason not to sign with a school, but it's not totally far-fetched to think a kid would tell a school 'No' because the number he wants is retired.
There's an interesting story about J.J. Redick. His favorite number as a kid was 25. He fell in love with Duke after the 1992 season and made up his mind early on that he wanted to go to Durham. Then he found out Art Heyman's No. 25 was retired. He was steamed for awhile but he changed to No. 4 when he got to high school and the rest is ACC history.

[wisteria]

By my count, here are the #s available for next year: 13, 21, 34, 40, 45, 50, 52, 53, 54.

Slim pickings. I imagine that Elliott will not take anything above 40. I think 21 is a great # with a proud legacy behind it.

I would think that Elliott should pick 34, considering that we've already have 31,32,33,35 all retired! Only missing 34!!

Didn't Battier say that he picked 31 because he wanted this number to hang up there together with 32/33?

[geraldsneighbor]

With McBob and Henderson I believe having won back-to-back.

[mr. synellinden]

If UNC keeps everyone next year and adds Davis that will be an incredible team. He is the missing piece this year.

He looks like the best player in this game to me. Uggh. I know - you can't judge much based on these games but I like his game. Drew looks better than I thought too. I can't get too much of a read on on EMail but I like that he seems committed to defense and isn't so selfish that he needs to shoot every time he touches the ball.

Brandon Jennings is a whirlwind.