Some notes on K's press conference, 8-31-11

[OldPhiKap]

I don't think anyone would say that Zoubek was one our best two or three players in 2010. But we don't win it all without him.

Miles does not need to worry about personal stats. He needs to anchor the defense, rebound, and hold position. Get tap-ins and score where he can. If he can start hitting the 12 footers with regularity, that would be even better but is not necessary.

Just be you, Miles, and let the game come to you.

[CDu]

I don't think anyone would say that Zoubek was one our best two or three players in 2010. But we don't win it all without him.

Miles does not need to worry about personal stats. He needs to anchor the defense, rebound, and hold position. Get tap-ins and score where he can. If he can start hitting the 12 footers with regularity, that would be even better but is not necessary.

Just be you, Miles, and let the game come to you.

No one is suggesting that Miles needs to be our second-best player, or that Miles needs to average a double-double to be our second-best player.

This all just stemmed from a misguided (in my opinion) statement that Miles could be our second best player this year and average a double double. Neither of which seem very realistic.

Saying that he's not at all likely to be our second best player and that he's very unlikely to average a double double is in no way a negative reflection on our team's chances of success, nor is it a condemnation of his likely contribution to the team's success.

[Newton_14]

I don't think anyone would say that Zoubek was one our best two or three players in 2010. But we don't win it all without him.

Miles does not need to worry about personal stats. He needs to anchor the defense, rebound, and hold position. Get tap-ins and score where he can. If he can start hitting the 12 footers with regularity, that would be even better but is not necessary.

Just be you, Miles, and let the game come to you.

Miles actually did hit that 12 footer with regularity his entire Sophomore year, even in the tourney games. Last year he slipped with that. If he can regain that touch, and there is really no reason why he can't, it will greatly help him and the team. Agree with the others in that he will not nor will need to be, the 2nd best player on the team. He is the best defensive big of the 3 regulars, and has come on strong with his rebounding. If he improves incrementally in all area's of his game, as he mostly has year over year, he will be a strong player and very valuable to the team. Just won't be the 2nd best player overall.

One thing I feel is unfair to Miles, is that due to his superb athletic ability, people forget that he was not a 5-Star recruit, yet they judge his play as though he was. He was actually a 3 Star and outside the Top 100 in one service, and a 4 Star in another service. (Scout & Rivals, can't remember which was which). Still he has progressed into a solid player, who finished strong last year, winning his starting job back, and seems to have carried that over into the beginning of this year. I look for him to have a solid year this year, once again improving his overall game from last season.


I also feel our frontcourt will be a strength this year not a weakness. Those 3 guys are all upperclassmen who have been through the wars and are better off for it. I think the game will slow down for all 3, and given that all 3 bring a different and unique skillset, it makes each player valuable in their own way. Plus they have Josh and MP3 to push them to make them better, and should either of the 3 get hurt, Josh or MP3 could help hold down the fort until the injury heals. I find it interesting that we have 5 bigs and all of them have slightly to significantly different skillsets than any of the others. Even the MP's are all a bit unique among themselves.

[gumbomoop]

Even the MP's are all a bit unique among themselves.

Yes, this is a point worth noting. It's probably fair to note that Miles and Mason have at times shared some unfortunate traits: committing silly fouls, having weak hands and poor footwork. Thus, they're regularly lumped together by outsiders as "the Plumlees," and even on EK [including by me] as the "MPs." But their respective games, overall, aren't particularly similar at all.

[licc85]

I don't think anyone would say that Zoubek was one our best two or three players in 2010.

He definitely wasn't one of the 2 or 3 most talented players, but I don't think it's very debatable that he was one of the top 2 or 3 most IMPORTANT players on that championship team. It was no coincidence that our meteoric rise as a team began when Zoubek began dominating later in the year starting with the game vs. Maryland in Cameron. Until that point, we had the look of an Elite 8 team, but when Zoubs unleashed the beard and became a double double machine, as well as an immovable object in the post on D, it was over. His smart defense (without fouling) and offensive rebounding made him probably the 2nd most important player on that team, second only to Jon Scheyer with his steady ball handling. When you don't ever turn it over, and get 2nd or 3rd chances on every possession with a missed shot, that's a pretty good recipe for success.

I don't mean to minimize Guys like Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, or Lance Thomas at all, each of those guys came through again and again on both sides of the ball in clutch moments. After all, somebody had to hit the shot after Zoubek grabbed an offensive board and kicked it out, but without Zoubek in the middle, I just don't see how we could have done it. We often fed off him on offense, and everyone funneled players toward him on defense.

[uh_no]

He definitely wasn't one of the 2 or 3 most talented players, but I don't think it's very debatable that he was one of the top 2 or 3 most IMPORTANT players on that championship team. It was no coincidence that our meteoric rise as a team began when Zoubek began dominating later in the year starting with the game vs. Maryland in Cameron. Until that point, we had the look of an Elite 8 team, but when Zoubs unleashed the beard and became a double double machine, as well as an immovable object in the post on D, it was over. His smart defense (without fouling) and offensive rebounding made him probably the 2nd most important player on that team, second only to Jon Scheyer with his steady ball handling. When you don't ever turn it over, and get 2nd or 3rd chances on every possession with a missed shot, that's a pretty good recipe for success.

I don't mean to minimize Guys like Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, or Lance Thomas at all, each of those guys came through again and again on both sides of the ball in clutch moments. After all, somebody had to hit the shot after Zoubek grabbed an offensive board and kicked it out, but without Zoubek in the middle, I just don't see how we could have done it. We often fed off him on offense, and everyone funneled players toward him on defense.

I'll say it like this: There were 5 players who were most important on that team.

[Greg_Newton]

Your limited commodity, athletic 7-footer averaged less than five points and five rebounds per game as a junior. I love Miles and would truly love to see him have a break-out senior season. But nothing in his body of work up to this point suggests that "a solid" season this year will convince an NBA team to draft him. He has to demonstrate a consistent ability to translate that size and athleticism into consistent productivity at a high level. It's not a track meet.

...

I understand this is a fan message-board and folks see things through a dark-blue prism. That's great. A few years ago, a few people were trying to make a credible case for David McClure sticking in the NBA. Or Marty Pocius. Gotta love fans like that.

But despite your persuasive reasoning, there's almost no chance that Miles sneaks into the first round. I'll be happy if he gets drafted at all, and late second round is about the best we can hope for.

...

I think the disconnect between your sound reasoning and what I consider to be the cold facts is that Miles is a senior who hasn't shown much to date. The NBA scouts love athleticism, yes, but they love the potential of youth even more. They'll view Miles as having reached his ceiling. Thus, to get into the first round, that ceiling will have to look pretty amazing -- Miles would (in my opinion) have to have an outstanding year. Not just a "strong" year. Something along the lines of averaging a double-double, or something like 15 and 8.

His physical abilities are very good, but they will not impress anyone in the NBA. That's a cold reality check to players who get to the highest levels of college ball mainly on their physical skills

...

He is a success as a player by almost any standard, and I'll grant he could surprise me with a big year and sneak into the second round.

But the NBA is a huge step up from college, and many people refuse or don't want to accept that.

The difference is Tyler Zeller is light years ahead of Miles in his offensive abilities, and that will get Zeller in the first round and Miles undrafted.

1735916458_1240605367_eating_crow_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg

OldSchool probably deserves some retroactive sporks...

Oh, and couldn't help noticing:

Go Duke, and let's beat Richmond on Saturday!

[CDu]

I thought I remembered myself responding in the "virtually no way Miles goes in the 1st round" camp last year, but I couldn't find any of my posts saying this (must have been in another thread). I felt he could go second round on athleticism alone. Turns out, I was very wrong about that. In fairness to me, I didn't anticipate him being THAT ridiculous at the combine. But still, kudos to Miles and OldSchool, no kudos to me.

Unfortunately, I was not wrong about Curry struggling a bit at PG and Hairston not becoming our Lance Thomas defensive stopper. Sounds like next year we won't see much of Curry at PG, and with Mason, Kelly, Marshall, and Jefferson I wonder if we'll see much of Hairston on the floor.

[MChambers]

I thought I remembered myself responding in the "virtually no way Miles goes in the 1st round" camp last year, but I couldn't find any of my posts saying this (must have been in another thread). I felt he could go second round on athleticism alone. Turns out, I was very wrong about that. In fairness to me, I didn't anticipate him being THAT ridiculous at the combine. But still, kudos to Miles and OldSchool, no kudos to me.

Unfortunately, I was not wrong about Curry struggling a bit at PG and Hairston not becoming our Lance Thomas defensive stopper. Sounds like next year we won't see much of Curry at PG, and with Mason, Kelly, Marshall, and Jefferson I wonder if we'll see much of Hairston on the floor.

It looks like I didn't mouth off on Miles's first round chances, which is good, because I think I would have been wrong. In fact, I think I would have been wrong a month ago. Congrats to Miles!

I was right, however, to be concerned about Duke's defense. I'm a bit more optimistic this year, because I think our 4 new players will be more a little more defense-oriented than the players on last year's team, because Murphy should give us a better matchup at the 3 (if we played positions), and because I think some of our returning players will improve on the defensive end, particularly Mason and Quinn.

Still worried about who really sets the tone on defense.