2008-09...Duke's Big shot

[geraldsneighbor]

Now that Carolina's season has concluded, I have chosen to look towards next season. With more seasons then we have had for the past couple of seasons, it provides us a solid base leadership wise. Paulus will be leading the back court as a senior point guard, with great depth offered by Nolan Smith. After the Seniors though, another big season and Henderson could be gone. Singler might not be far behind. While I hope these players stick around for 4 seasons, the reality is with the current cast this might be our best shot. As K continued to say he wanted to build a team around juniors and seniors. We only will start one sophomore in Kyle. So this team will be a veteran group. A group hopefully that will be playing a year from Monday night. Let's Go Devils.

[lilpaulus3]

I agree, next year is looking very good. We did well through most of the regular season, though not as well in the ACC's or NCAA's. We only lose D-Marc, and Taylor, and we are gaining Olek Czyz, who at least has some size, and Elliot Williams, who looks promising. Although Zoubs recovered slowly, he was doing quite well by the end of the season. let's hope he can continue improving...
Kyle, Gerald, Greg and Co. are all looking good for us next year, as you said...
Here's to the Blue Devils of 09!

[Indoor66]

I hope that we get and remain healthy through the summer so that the team can come together for formal practices after having time to develop individual skills and be in good physical shape. It would be nice to have a team that can develop without several parts being injured and unavailable. I think we were hurt this year, late, by having to adjust our style due to injuries. Maybe next year can be different.

[Edouble]

I have been looking towards this upcoming year since the end of the 2006-07 season as the year for us to cut down lots of nets. Lots of very experienced upperclassmen with quality depth, and several players that are at an elite level. I am excited for October.

[Ignatius07]

If not for the serious threat that Henderson and Singler pose in leaving early after next season, I think that 09-10 would be the big year. But it's really not realistic to assume they will be back.

I think we will be very good next season - how good depends on how a couple of players develop and improve over the summer. I think we are a serious threat to reach the Final Four, which I think a lot of fans are anxious to return to after a semi-long drought (at least 5 years) without going.

But after watching the games yesterday, I still think it would take a Duke team that was gelling like no other to win the championship next year. Our two main problems - PG and post play - will not become strengths overnight. I am confident that both will improve, but I think it may be a long shot for those to become as stable as we would need to win it all. Like I said, though, if a couple of players make big improvements, which is certainly not out of the realm of possibility, we may have a decent shot.

[geraldsneighbor]

I think Singler will leave after his Junior season unless we cut the nets down in Detroit next season. Gerald is a break out season away from being a lottery pick. I wish they'd both stay though.

[SupaDave]

This thread is supposed to be about next year. No need for draft speculation. Next year's team will be very good. They have the potential to be great if McClure and Lance become offensively aggressive. They will have more firepower with Pocious coming back who will ease the loss of Taylor. Not to mention there's a good chance Williams will steal minutes while Paulus rests.

Next year's lineup variations could be very fluid.

The starters are...

Henderson
Paulus
Scheyer
Singler
Zoubek (yes - I expect him to really come along).

A stronger heavier Thomas coming off the bench. A better Nolan Smith off the bench. Pocious - the shooter. McClure - the defender.

And from what I have seen and heard of the rookies - Williams will be ready almost right away and Olek Czyz has some huge potential.

We'll be deep, strong, and experienced. And there wont be another team out there quite like us...

[K24U]

This thread is supposed to be about next year. No need for draft speculation. Next year's team will be very good. They have the potential to be great if McClure and Lance become offensively aggressive. They will have more firepower with Pocious coming back who will ease the loss of Taylor. Not to mention there's a good chance Williams will steal minutes while Paulus rests.

Are you sure McClure is coming back. Rumor around campus is McClure is going to play in Europe next year. Don't know how true it is. Rumors are rumors.

[devildeac]

Are you sure McClure is coming back. Rumor around campus is McClure is going to play in Europe next year. Don't know how true it is. Rumors are rumors.

In a discussion today, a friend of mine, who is very reliable and knowledgeable, said this is a possibility but it is much more likely that he will be a 5th year senior next year and complete a double major.

[geraldsneighbor]

Duke is Duke and Europe is well, Europe. IF he wants to play there the following year thats one thing. To pass up on a possibly NC run would be silly.

[Houston]

Although I expect Duke to have a fine team and a very good season, I do not think the team can punch a ticket to Detroit without more speed at the point and more of an inside pressence. I am looking forward to seeing the bigs develop and the sophomores mature. Welcome back Marty and sorry to see you go Taylor.

[eddiehaskell]

I would expect atleast an elite 8 appearance next season. I expected a sweet 16 this year, so we'll see how it goes...

[geraldsneighbor]

Think how much better we would have been this year if we shot 70% at the line.

[eddiehaskell]

Think how much better we would have been this year if we shot 70% at the line.I'm not sure if things would've been much better - season percentage .697 :p

On the bright side - Taylor King (.586) and DeMarcus (.601) won't be on the line anymore.

[SilkyJ]

And from what I have seen and heard of the rookies - Williams will be ready almost right away and Olek Czyz has some huge potential.


I think Williams is a solid player coming in, but I think he's going to have a serious level of adjustment when he starts competing against players like Jon, Gerald and Nolan. Getting stronger will help with the adjustment.

[Devilsfan]

This year Memphis and Kansas look extremely quick and very athletic. I think our squad next year will be very good but I don't think we will be in their league. We will still be non spectactular inside and our guards will not be Derrick Rose in size, quickness and athleticism. I think an elite eight should be expected. It could be an ACC championship season and a #1 seed.

[geraldsneighbor]

Derrick Rose is what Shaun Livingston would have been at Duke. How good would it have been to have a 6-6 6-7 guy with speed and skills run the point.

[nyr484]

I hate to be a Negative Nancy, or a Debbie Downer, or whatever... but really... let's be realistic here. To say we are "only" losing DeMarcus Nelson is kind of ridiculous. He will be a huge loss, especially on the defensive end. Yes, we will be an older team, but that doesn't mean that we will magically become more talented. This year's biggest weakness (interior presence) will not be resolved for next year UNLESS either Zoubek or Czyz far exceed any rational expectations. Our only true center is Zoubek. Our only true PF is Czyz. It is unlikely that either one of them is going to be all-ACC caliber next season (although I would love to be wrong on this). Singler and Thomas performed admirably this year, but both have always maintained that their true position is SF. Therefore, we will be almost exactly the same kind of team as this year. Subtract some points for losing Nelson. Add some points for the older, more experienced team. We'll be about the same.

Prediction: We will be a very good team, but not great. Just like this year, there is a very good chance that Duke will run out of gas towards the end of the season. This is because in order to compensate for the lack of interior size, Duke will need to depend on intense man-to-man defensive pressure. This is extremely draining and towards the end of the season, the legs will start to go. I would love to be wrong, but I think Sweet 16 and another disappointing finish is about the best we can hope for.

[nyr484]

Derrick Rose is what Shaun Livingston would have been at Duke. How good would it have been to have a 6-6 6-7 guy with speed and skills run the point.

I think if Livingston had come to Duke, we could have made a run to the '05 Final Four, potentially setting up the earth-shattering National Semifinal against eventual champs UNC. No offense to Dockery, but Livingston would have been starting.

[geraldsneighbor]

The reason we are optimistic is we are hoping Z can improve in the middle. Also, Scheyer and Henderson the final couple of games improved dramatically. We saw a scoring dominance in Henderson we didn't see ever before. Henderson can be the next GREAT Blue Devil. Also, I love Markie, but lets face it. We played those tourney game essentially with out him. Having another senior will help out alot. Henderson unlike Redick doesn't rely on the 3, so the chances of him going cold are lesser in the tournament. Singler also, could help form the best 1-2 punch with G in the ACC(assuming some UNC folks depart). What I am saying is: PG, Paulus-3 year starter, 2 time captain. 12ppg, 5 assists SG: Henderson, 3G, Scheyer, fundamentally sound, will score 12-13 points in a starter's roll. Forward Kyle Singler, as a sophomore and a guy thats playing to get to the NBA in a year or two, should average 15-17 a game along with G. Hopefully, Zoubek can become a poor man's David Padgett and were set. We have the depth, thats not what I'm worried about. I would like to see us use Gerald and Kyle and hopefully Z to become less reliable on the triple. I see a trip to atleast a regional final.

The next couple weeks also, will determine some of our fate in the ACC and NCAA tournament as the parade of folks to declare has begun. Hopefully, the UCLA's and UNC's of the world will lose so people. We however will experience the best of both worlds. An experience cast that is peaking as well and still improving.

[Duvall]

I hate to be a Negative Nancy, or a Debbie Downer, or whatever... but really... let's be realistic here. To say we are "only" losing DeMarcus Nelson is kind of ridiculous. He will be a huge loss, especially on the defensive end. Yes, we will be an older team, but that doesn't mean that we will magically become more talented. This year's biggest weakness (interior presence) will not be resolved for next year UNLESS either Zoubek or Czyz far exceed any rational expectations. Our only true center is Zoubek. Our only true PF is Czyz. It is unlikely that either one of them is going to be all-ACC caliber next season (although I would love to be wrong on this). Singler and Thomas performed admirably this year, but both have always maintained that their true position is SF. Therefore, we will be almost exactly the same kind of team as this year. Subtract some points for losing Nelson. Add some points for the older, more experienced team. We'll be about the same.

I think you may be dramatically underestimating the extent to which freshmen can improve in becoming sophomores, especially freshmen like Singler and Smith that are already pretty good.

Duke has enjoyed a great deal of success with "true small forwards" at PF. That isn't close to being a concern for next year.

[geraldsneighbor]

I don't know if Lance is a 3 on any team in the country. He isn't a big enough scorer. Shoots 55% at the line to boot.

[jimsumner]

Lance has the body of a "3" but not the skill set. That's not to say he can't develop those skills, but right now he doesn't shoot, pass, or dribble well enough to play on the perimeter at the ACC level.

[Edouble]

I don't know if Lance is a 3 on any team in the country. He isn't a big enough scorer. Shoots 55% at the line to boot.

Well, maybe on a mid-major, like Davidson or Belmont?

[geraldsneighbor]

Davidson went further then we did so no. They'd probably put him at the 4 too.

[Got_Duke]

2008-2009 will be much of the same, in all honesty

can we aim for a national championship? CERTAINLY

will it happen? it's not DEFINITE

We lose 6'3/6'4 (however you look at it) DeMarcus Nelson and 6'6" (slow, uncoordinated kind of) Taylor King.

We get 6'4" Elliott Williams and 6'7" Olek Czyz (definitely a project)

Size wise and on paper, next year's team will be the same, position wise

Will Singler outperform his freshman year? Certainly

Will Henderson become Duke's go to guy? Yes

With that said, here is my starting lineup for 2008-2009:

Greg Paulus
Gerald Henderson
Jon Scheyer
Kyle Singler
Lance Thomas

2nd five:

Nolan Smith
Dave McClure
Elliott Williams
Brian Zoubek
Marty Pocius

Rarely used:
Czyz (though I hope I am wrong, we need his size)
Walkons

[tommy]

Derrick Rose is what Shaun Livingston would have been at Duke. How good would it have been to have a 6-6 6-7 guy with speed and skills run the point.

Sorry, but I don't think Livingston is/was in Rose's league at all. Rose has an NBA-ready body. He is a power point guard, with a great handle, excellent court vision, a good shot, and a very strong body. Livingston has/had a very good handle and court vision too, but he was and remains a string bean and has yet to prove that his jump shot needs to be respected. And neither of those shortcomings is the result of his injuries. Sure, Livingston would've been an outstanding player at Duke, but Rose is, IMO, at another level entirely.

[mgtr]

For reasons stated by Got Duke above, I think that next year we will be very similar to this year. A little older, a little wiser, but missing a real stopper -- Markie. Two new guys plus a summer's work may just about make up for him.
That said, a free throw made here, a break there -- and we have a much better year.
Now if Smilin' Ed McConnell gets froggie to plunk his magic twanger, and Zoubek becomes much better over the summer, then all bets are off. I would love it.

[geraldsneighbor]

If Z can stay healthy, put on 15 lbs, get some footwork then were set. It sounds like alot but his sophomore season was a wash because of his injuries.

[camion]

I think we'll be better next year. We lose one player with three years experience, but everyone else adds a year.

Inside should be better. Everyone Thomas, Zoubek, Singler and McClure should be older, stronger, better.

Outside we should be better also. We lose Markie, but that's the position where we have the most depth. If you want a defensive stopper I'm betting Henderson, Smith and Sheyer will step up. Paulus also didn't deserver nearly the grief he got with respect to defense this year.

Plus we get Williams and Czyz. Both should help.

It's very reasonable to expect an improved team. The major question in my mind is how much Henderson is affected by the surgery and time off. If he practices lefty moves during that time even that may turn out to be an improvement.