Elton Brand Retires

[Billy Dat]

http://dunk360.com/former-no-1-overa...es-retirement/

The first K "hardship" jump to the pros. You repped us well, Big E! $167MM in salary in the bank!

You repped your hometown, Peekiewood, to the max!

[Olympic Fan]

http://dunk360.com/former-no-1-overa...es-retirement/

The first K "hardship" jump to the pros. You repped us well, Big E! $167MM in salary in the bank!

You repped your hometown, Peekiewood, to the max!

Is this an inside joke or did you just confuse his hometown's real name -- Peekskill, N.Y.?

I admit there may be a joke there that I'm missing.

Other than that, I agree with everything else. Classy guy who represented Duke well in the NBA.

Don't know if it happens, but soon after joining the Bulls, Brand said that one day, he'd like to return to Duke and get his degree. Wonder of that happens now?

If it does, I would suggest that soon after that happens, his number will be in the rafters.

[CDu]

Is this an inside joke or did you just confuse his hometown's real name -- Peekskill, N.Y.?

I admit there may be a joke there that I'm missing.

Other than that, I agree with everything else. Classy guy who represented Duke well in the NBA.

Don't know if it happens, but soon after joining the Bulls, Brand said that one day, he'd like to return to Duke and get his degree. Wonder of that happens now?

If it does, I would suggest that soon after that happens, his number will be in the rafters.

I believe that Billy Dat is a New Yorker and well aware of Brand's hometown. And I suspect that it is a local's play on Hollywood.

[alteran]

Is this an inside joke or did you just confuse his hometown's real name -- Peekskill, N.Y.?

I admit there may be a joke there that I'm missing.

Other than that, I agree with everything else. Classy guy who represented Duke well in the NBA.

Don't know if it happens, but soon after joining the Bulls, Brand said that one day, he'd like to return to Duke and get his degree. Wonder of that happens now?

Doesn't he have 2 years of eligibility left?

[duke blue brewcrew]

http://dunk360.com/former-no-1-overa...es-retirement/

The first K "hardship" jump to the pros. You repped us well, Big E! $167MM in salary in the bank!

You repped your hometown, Peekiewood, to the max!

Seeing this reminds me of just how old I am. During my second attempt at college (not exactly the most focused student the first time around), I was fortunate enough to land an internship with a local TV station in W-S. I was afforded the opportunity to cover Duke often for both football and basketball. I remember it was Sr. Day for Trajan Langdon during Elton's So/Final year at Duke. Trajan was injured in that game thanks to a dirty elbow by Allenspach as we all remember. In the locker-room after the game, during the player interviews I had the chance to ask Elton if this was in effect, his Sr. Day as well? It was an EF Hutton moment...EVERYONE with a mic leaned in. He looked at me a little bewildered, and the lied right to my face and said he was coming back. LOL! I don't blame him, there was the entire post-season to play still and why would he want to deal with such distractions through it all? If feels like it wasn't THAT long ago, but apparently long enough for EB to have a long and successful career in the NBA. Good for him, and congrats on his retirement! He represented himself, his family, his fans and Duke University incredibly well. IMO he was the first consistently successful NBA big man to come out of Duke under Coach K. I think he helped begin to change that perception to some degree.

[Billy Dat]

I believe that Billy Dat is a New Yorker and well aware of Brand's hometown. And I suspect that it is a local's play on Hollywood.

CDU, you wise dog. I hail from the same small city as Mr. Brand, also the birthplace of one of K's daughters (it's not far from West Point) and current Republican long shot/no shot, George Pataki.

[BD80]

A Brand new day

Congrats

[Blue in the Face]

CDU, you wise dog. I hail from the same small city as Mr. Brand, also the birthplace of one of K's daughters (it's not far from West Point) and current Republican long shot/no shot, George Pataki.

Brand went to school with Pataki's daughter, and knew their family pretty well. I was at a Ranger game in the spring of 1997 sitting across the aisle from Pataki, and at one point had a chance to talk with him and mentioned that I was a Duke fan and was excited about the big recruit coming in from his hometown. He just lit up, and absolutely gushed about what a great kid Elton was, and how sure he was that everyone at Duke would just love him. It was pretty neat seeing the politician facade he had on as he saw me step over towards him simply dissolve when I mentioned Elton, and he became a genuine guy talking about someone he had real affection for.

[Edouble]

Is this an inside joke or did you just confuse his hometown's real name -- Peekskill, N.Y.?

I admit there may be a joke there that I'm missing.

Other than that, I agree with everything else. Classy guy who represented Duke well in the NBA.

Don't know if it happens, but soon after joining the Bulls, Brand said that one day, he'd like to return to Duke and get his degree. Wonder of that happens now?

If it does, I would suggest that soon after that happens, his number will be in the rafters.

In an interview in Slam magazine shortly after Elton joined the Bulls, he said that he had no intention of getting his degree. I am having trouble finding it online, but he said something to the effect that Johnny Dawkins (then the Associate Head Coach) kept calling him to talk about coming back for classes during the summers, but he thought that the Duke staff knew it was a lost cause.

I'd be shocked if he came back for a degree. The guy is in his mid-30s with a family and many interests outside of basketball.

[johnb]

Elton is one of my all time favorite Duke players. He did things his way, including dominate games with a style that I haven't seen duplicated. He just seemed to squash opponents during that season of domination.

Congrats to him.

[BluePanda]

If I retire with anywhere within a magnitude of Brand's career earnings, I'll consider it a successful career. Congrats to Elton and hope he enjoys his retirement.

[Neals384]

...lied right to my face and said he was coming back. LOL! I don't blame him, there was the entire post-season to play still and why would he want to deal with such distractions through it all?

Gosh, isn't it possible that he was telling the truth at the time and changed his mind later?

[Dukehky]

His sophomore season was arguably the most dominant season ever had by a Duke player. He got triple teamed regularly and still scored. Absolutely incredible college player, and a very, very good pro. Worthy of the number 1 selection. People don't realize how good a pro he was. He led the league in offensive rebounding like 3 years in a row and averaged 20 and 10 in a bunch of seasons. Had he stayed with the Clippers after getting Baron Davis (good Baron Davis) to sign instead of jumping to the Sixers, we could have seen him on some adequate teams, which would have enhanced his perception.

Nicest dude too. I remember when he straight blasted that girl who wrote him about "representing Duke" and how she was disappointed in how he represented Duke when he said he would not be returning to school. He may have turned his back a bit on some of the University (been there, my friend), but never on the basketball program.

[Olympic Fan]

His sophomore season was arguably the most dominant season ever had by a Duke player. He got triple teamed regularly and still scored. Absolutely incredible college player, and a very, very good pro. Worthy of the number 1 selection. People don't realize how good a pro he was. He led the league in offensive rebounding like 3 years in a row and averaged 20 and 10 in a bunch of seasons. Had he stayed with the Clippers after getting Baron Davis (good Baron Davis) to sign instead of jumping to the Sixers, we could have seen him on some adequate teams, which would have enhanced his perception.

Nicest dude too. I remember when he straight blasted that girl who wrote him about "representing Duke" and how she was disappointed in how he represented Duke when he said he would not be returning to school. He may have turned his back a bit on some of the University (been there, my friend), but never on the basketball program.

I don't buy that at all. Brand had a great sophomore season. but he started slow (remember he lost his starting job briefly in December... coming off the bench to win it back in a game against Kentucky in the Meadowlands just before Christmas) and finished with a less-than-strong game against UConn in the national title game. I didn't see all the triple teams -- he played on one of the strongest, deepest Duke team ever. To triple team Brand, you would have had to leave two of Battier, Carrawell, Langdon or Avery ... or maybe Maggette.

I think two years after Brand, Battier had a greater season -- he scored more, rebounded almost as well, had significantly more assists and steals and slightly more blocked shots. Battier shot 44.4 percent from the 3-point line and was the nation's defensive player of the year (as well as the consensus national player of the year). And unlike Brand, Battier elevated his game to win the national championship.

And I would argue that Laettner had better seasons in 1991 and 1992.

Again, Brand has a great season in 1999 ... but the greatest ever -- no way.

[BD80]

I don't buy that at all. Brand had a great sophomore season. but he started slow (remember he lost his starting job briefly in December... coming off the bench to win it back in a game against Kentucky in the Meadowlands just before Christmas) and finished with a less-than-strong game against UConn in the national title game. I didn't see all the triple teams -- he played on one of the strongest, deepest Duke team ever. To triple team Brand, you would have had to leave two of Battier, Carrawell, Langdon or Avery ... or maybe Maggette.

I think two years after Brand, Battier had a greater season -- he scored more, rebounded almost as well, had significantly more assists and steals and slightly more blocked shots. Battier shot 44.4 percent from the 3-point line and was the nation's defensive player of the year (as well as the consensus national player of the year). And unlike Brand, Battier elevated his game to win the national championship.

And I would argue that Laettner had better seasons in 1991 and 1992.

Again, Brand has a great season in 1999 ... but the greatest ever -- no way.

OF kicks the kittens Kedsy can't catch

[duke blue brewcrew]

Gosh, isn't it possible that he was telling the truth at the time and changed his mind later?

To your point, at that time he had not been named the NPOY for college basketball, but I'm sure information had begun to trickle in about where he would eventually be drafted...#1 overall. No one knows what he knew & when, except for Elton and his inner circle. Either way, I hold no grudges and find it to be a funny story. Even if he did know, why would he say then? It would be nothing but a distraction as he prepares for his final post-season at Duke. Elton is easily in my Top 10 all time favorite players at Duke. I'm happy he's had a successful career and I hope he has an enjoyable retirement and finds success in whatever he decides to tackle next.

[kAzE]

Great player. Great career. Proud that he is a fellow Dukie.

[Edouble]

I don't buy that at all. Brand had a great sophomore season. but he started slow (remember he lost his starting job briefly in December... coming off the bench to win it back in a game against Kentucky in the Meadowlands just before Christmas) and finished with a less-than-strong game against UConn in the national title game. I didn't see all the triple teams -- he played on one of the strongest, deepest Duke team ever. To triple team Brand, you would have had to leave two of Battier, Carrawell, Langdon or Avery ... or maybe Maggette.

I think two years after Brand, Battier had a greater season -- he scored more, rebounded almost as well, had significantly more assists and steals and slightly more blocked shots. Battier shot 44.4 percent from the 3-point line and was the nation's defensive player of the year (as well as the consensus national player of the year). And unlike Brand, Battier elevated his game to win the national championship.

And I would argue that Laettner had better seasons in 1991 and 1992.

Again, Brand has a great season in 1999 ... but the greatest ever -- no way.

Tried to spork you, but couldn't.

Agree with all this. I'll never get the Brand love and the McRoberts animosity from some on this board.

I'd put Jahlil's season this past year above Brand's sophomore campaign in terms of dominance. Not to mention the final seasons by at least 75% of the players whose jerseys hang in the rafters. Brand had a great sophomore season, but there were no triple teams and no level of dominance that we haven't seen surpassed by other players. Brand's inability to handle a double team in the Championship game was part of why we lost.

[vick]

Tried to spork you, but couldn't.

Agree with all this. I'll never get the Brand love and the McRoberts animosity from some on this board.

I'd put Jahlil's season this past year above Brand's sophomore campaign in terms of dominance. Not to mention the final seasons by at least 75% of the players whose jerseys hang in the rafters. Brand had a great sophomore season, but there were no triple teams and no level of dominance that we haven't seen surpassed by other players. Brand's inability to handle a double team in the Championship game was part of why we lost.

The strange McRoberts animosity I agree with you on, but don't buy Okafor over Brand. Brand was a significantly more efficient offensive player, with a higher true shooting percentage (missing free throws hurts!) and turning the ball over far less than Okafor. Even focused solely on offense Brand was probably better as a sophomore than Okafor last year--and I cannot imagine anyone saying he was not a better defender.

[gus]

One nit I'll post here from the front page article:

Elton is not a "former" Blue Devil.