coach k and positions

[m g]

for those of you who never get tired of needlessly pointing out that coach k "doesn't have positions"... even he uses these terms sometimes out of convenience

"If Lance is out, that's probably one of the looks we'll have, with Kyle playing a little bit at the four," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "Lance has been kind of our emotional leader and our best defender inside. That's why Mason's minutes -- he had 27 minutes -- were just huge."

[Jderf]

Yea, I never really bought into the company line, the whole "duke just recruits basketball players, not specific positions" thing. Look at our current recruiting target list. see any focus around the '3' area? It's as if our coaching staff is trying to look for a player that might fit what other's would call a "small forward."

Sarcasm aside, though, K does seem to have a special affinity for unusually flexible players, the kind that can play two or even three positions, if they have to. You could definitely make the case that K often forgives recruits for a lack of NBA all-star talent if they show beyond impressive flexibility by being all-around greats. But to then go and say that Duke doesn't play positions is absurd.

[oldnavy]

Yea, I never really bought into the company line, the whole "duke just recruits basketball players, not specific positions" thing. Look at our current recruiting target list. see any focus around the '3' area? It's as if our coaching staff is trying to look for a player that might fit what other's would call a "small forward."

Sarcasm aside, though, K does seem to have a special affinity for unusually flexible players, the kind that can play two or even three positions, if they have to. You could definitely make the case that K often forgives recruits for a lack of NBA all-star talent if they show beyond impressive flexibility by being all-around greats. But to then go and say that Duke doesn't play positions is absurd.

I don't think K has an aversion to using "positions", I just think that he prefers not to pigeon hole players or sterotype them if you will into a "3" or a "4" or a "1" or a "2" for example. He certainly understands the position's and I am certain he would agree to calling Zoubek a "5" because it is the only position he could possibly fill. I understand why he would not want to call Singler a 3 or a 4, because he can play either position.

[SilkyJ]

He certainly understands the position's and I am certain he would agree to calling Zoubek a "5" because it is the only position he could possibly fill. I understand why he would not want to call Singler a 3 or a 4, because he can play either position.

I agree, but think it goes further in that when people refer to a Center/5, for example, they think of that person as having 2 roles: post-up moves/points in the paint and rebounding. But K likes his big players to also be able to dribble/handle the ball on the perimeter and pass. He wants everyone to be complete players. That is more what I think K means about when he talks about his guys not having positions.

[Jderf]

I agree, but think it goes further in that when people refer to a Center/5, for example, they think of that person as having 2 roles: post-up moves/points in the paint and rebounding. But K likes his big players to also be able to dribble/handle the ball on the perimeter and pass. He wants everyone to be complete players. That is more what I think K means about when he talks about his guys not having positions.

I think you nailed it there. I think people sometimes get carried away taking the idea too literally (as I may or may not have done myself in the above post).

[CDu]

I agree, but think it goes further in that when people refer to a Center/5, for example, they think of that person as having 2 roles: post-up moves/points in the paint and rebounding. But K likes his big players to also be able to dribble/handle the ball on the perimeter and pass. He wants everyone to be complete players. That is more what I think K means about when he talks about his guys not having positions.

I agree with this, though I'd change the first sentence to say "when SOME people refer to..." However, I also think many people on this board take the "Duke doesn't have positions" mantra way further than the intended meaning of the concept (which is I think the point of this thread).

[gumbomoop]

Wait. All we can say for sure is that K acknowledges some position called "the 4." But that's it. All else is speculation.

Oh, wait [again]. He also referred, at end of last season, to something called "point guard." That was suspicious enough, but with this "4" stuff, he's clearly lost his mind, possibly in empathy with Roy's meltdown.

[Indoor66]

Wait. All we can say for sure is that K acknowledges some position called "the 4." But that's it. All else is speculation.

Oh, wait [again]. He also referred, at end of last season, to something called "point guard." That was suspicious enough, but with this "4" stuff, he's clearly lost his mind, possibly in empathy with Roy's meltdown.

Really cute!

[elvis14]

Best thing to do around here is use the numbers like normal. We will all know what you mean. Usually once per thread when we are talking about a particular position, someone will chime in with the whole "You don't know what you are talking about, stop using positions, Coach K doesn't use them so you are full of shizz if you use them, etc etc blah blah blah. When that post comes, ignore it. Just act like it doesn't exist and go on with your conversation and you'll discover it's much less annoying and that thread won't get hijacked as much

[licc85]

I really don't think positions are what coach thinks of when he puts together a team. The thing he cares about most is that the players are able to defend multiple positions because of the way our defense works. When you switch on every screen and commit weak side help on every drive, you need guys on the perimeter who can defend any player. Typically, duke has 1 guy who is a ballhawk who pressures the initial ball handler and then 2 or 3 wing players who are capable of defending anything from a point guard to a power forward. It's been a challenge this year with so many big guys who aren't quite as quick. I think that's the real reason Kyle, Jon, and Nolan play nearly 40 minutes every game, we need them on defense as much as we need their scoring.