2019 Men's Basketball Recruiting

[lotusland]

Keion Brooks just committed to Kentucky. He was considered a priority recruit and a “must-get” for the CHeats. Seriously, this is a huge miss for them. I love it!

Can’t wait to hop over to IC and hear about how he was paid, and couldn’t handle the academics and UNC-CHeat, and how they don’t want soft players who are afraid of a challenge and just want to be handed minutes.

Cool it always means the heels are going to suck when they miss on big time recruits. Wait...

[frb]

Cool it always means the heels are going to suck when they miss on big time recruits. Wait...

yeah he definitely wasn't a must get for UNC. They weren't even believed to be one of the favorites- Kentucky and Indiana. they're still alive for Precious Achiuwa and 2020 relcass Isaiah Todd. They could also be in the running for Zeke Nnaji if/when Sean Miller is fired at AZ. Same for Josh Green. If they get Cole Anthony, Achiuwa, and I Todd to add to Armando Bacot and Jermiah Francis, that's a helluva class. Leaky Black will take on a bigger role next year with White and Little off to the NBA.

[TruBlu]

yeah he definitely wasn't a must get for UNC. They weren't even believed to be one of the favorites- Kentucky and Indiana. they're still alive for Precious Achiuwa and 2020 relcass Isaiah Todd. They could also be in the running for Zeke Nnaji if/when Sean Miller is fired at AZ. Same for Josh Green. If they get Cole Anthony, Achiuwa, and I Todd to add to Armando Bacot and Jermiah Francis, that's a helluva class. Leaky Black will take on a bigger role next year with White and Little off to the NBA.

Seriously, someone named a guy "Precious"?!? Were they going for the Johnny Cash theme of "A Boy Named Sue" to make sure he grew up tough? Crystal Ball has him as a heavy U Conn lean.

[DavidBenAkiva]

yeah he definitely wasn't a must get for UNC. They weren't even believed to be one of the favorites- Kentucky and Indiana. they're still alive for Precious Achiuwa and 2020 relcass Isaiah Todd. They could also be in the running for Zeke Nnaji if/when Sean Miller is fired at AZ. Same for Josh Green. If they get Cole Anthony, Achiuwa, and I Todd to add to Armando Bacot and Jermiah Francis, that's a helluva class. Leaky Black will take on a bigger role next year with White and Little off to the NBA.

Given UNC's recruiting history, this is a lot of ifs that have to break their way. It's not even a guarantee that they land Cole Anthony.

It is pretty clear that UNC is going to add to their roster for next season. They do have a 4-star PG commit in Jeremiah Francis and a 5* PF/C commit in Armando Bacot. This is in a year in which they will for sure lose 3 seniors and 1 or 2 freshmen. I would expect at least another recruit and then maybe a grad transfer. Until someone commits, though, the cupboard is looking a bit sparse in Chapel Hill for next season.

[roywhite]

Given UNC's recruiting history, this is a lot of ifs that have to break their way. It's not even a guarantee that they land Cole Anthony.

It is pretty clear that UNC is going to add to their roster for next season. They do have a 4-star PG commit in Jeremiah Francis and a 5* PF/C commit in Armando Bacot. This is in a year in which they will for sure lose 3 seniors and 1 or 2 freshmen. I would expect at least another recruit and then maybe a grad transfer. Until someone commits, though, the cupboard is looking a bit sparse in Chapel Hill for next season.

I'll believe White and Little leave early when I see it. Ole Roy does his best recruiting in getting current players to stay a little longer.

[1991 duke law]

I do not buy into the theory that Roy convinces kids to stay longer - anymore than I bought into that theory when it was allegedly being done by K. Roy has had kids stay longer because they have not met expectations - kind of like Bolden. Think Mcadoo and Little. Even Barnes fell into this camp. There is no doubt that Bolden would have happily left If the nba was calling.

Roy has been very forthright in saying that he has recruited one and dones but they have simply not come. Considering his inability to get many top 10 recruits, I give him credit for Carolina’s performance. I would have never imagined that Luke Maye would become the player that he has.

[lotusland]

I'll believe White and Little leave early when I see it. Ole Roy does his best recruiting in getting current players to stay a little longer.

Yeah for all Duke’s OAD success in recent years UNC has been better. With this year’s historic class we battled to to near draw to go 1-2 against them over all.

[jimsumner]

Some Duke fans have a bit of cognitive dissonance in the area of UNC and the NBA. On the one hand, UNC's players are mediocre NBA players but how does Roy keep these singular talents from leaving early for the NBA.

If we look at the NBA careers of James Michael McAdoo, Isiah Hicks, Joel Berry, Brice Johnson, even Justin Jackson, et. al., it seems like they may have had accurate info on their NBA prospects.

That said, my UNC friends in the media seem to think White and Little will leave after this season.

[dukelifer]

Some Duke fans have a bit of cognitive dissonance in the area of UNC and the NBA. On the one hand, UNC's players are mediocre NBA players but how does Roy keep these singular talents from leaving early for the NBA.

If we look at the NBA careers of James Michael McAdoo, Isiah Hicks, Joel Berry, Brice Johnson, even Justin Jackson, et. al., it seems like they may have had accurate info on their NBA prospects.

That said, my UNC friends in the media seem to think White and Little will leave after this season.

White has shown enough to go. He is a first rounder. When the game slows down for him, Little will be a good NBA role player. He is a bit like Cam. He could use a year but he is going to get better and worth a late pick. He will not go in the lottery but you never know.

[BandAlum83]

Given UNC's recruiting history, this is a lot of ifs that have to break their way. It's not even a guarantee that they land Cole Anthony.

It is pretty clear that UNC is going to add to their roster for next season. They do have a 4-star PG commit in Jeremiah Francis and a 5* PF/C commit in Armando Bacot. This is in a year in which they will for sure lose 3 seniors and 1 or 2 freshmen. I would expect at least another recruit and then maybe a grad transfer. Until someone commits, though, the cupboard is looking a bit sparse in Chapel Hill for next season.

I've heard this for years. I won't believe it until I see it. It's like the 14 years of Kansas winning the Big 12. Until they don't win it, all the talking heads said they won't pick against them.

[DavidBenAkiva]

Some Duke fans have a bit of cognitive dissonance in the area of UNC and the NBA. On the one hand, UNC's players are mediocre NBA players but how does Roy keep these singular talents from leaving early for the NBA.

If we look at the NBA careers of James Michael McAdoo, Isiah Hicks, Joel Berry, Brice Johnson, even Justin Jackson, et. al., it seems like they may have had accurate info on their NBA prospects.

That said, my UNC friends in the media seem to think White and Little will leave after this season.

Has there been a UNC player that has left too late?

Justin Jackson left right when he was supposed to leave. He was a heck of a college player and showed that he had an improved jumper, the one thing that had been holding him back.
Theo Pinson was never able to develop a reliable jumper in college.
Joel Berry was never much of an NBA draft prospect.
Brice Johnson was a late 1st rounder who is now out of the NBA. Was he going to be better in the NBA after his junior year?

I think you're right, Jim, to note that a lot of their guys have left when they were in the best position to do so. Tony Bradley might have been a slight exception to this rule if you believe he would have improved his draft stock by staying an additional year. That's an exception that sort of proves the rule. By leaving early, he showed that UNC isn't doing anything to hold the players on campus longer. It is the feedback they are getting from scouts.

I fully expect White and Little to leave for the NBA this offseason. They will both go in the 1st round. Another year at UNC has as much downside as upside for their draft prospects. Little could do some good by showing growth in decision-making, shooting, handling, etc. If he doesn't, that could tank his draft stock. White seems like he has less of an upside. He is a really good scorer that is going to do great things splitting screens in the pick and roll in the NBA. Does a year at UNC change that for him? How much higher could he go given the lack of high-end athleticism? And this is a weak draft.

[Dukehk]

Has there been a UNC player that has left too late?

Justin Jackson left right when he was supposed to leave. He was a heck of a college player and showed that he had an improved jumper, the one thing that had been holding him back.
Theo Pinson was never able to develop a reliable jumper in college.
Joel Berry was never much of an NBA draft prospect.
Brice Johnson was a late 1st rounder who is now out of the NBA. Was he going to be better in the NBA after his junior year?

I think you're right, Jim, to note that a lot of their guys have left when they were in the best position to do so. Tony Bradley might have been a slight exception to this rule if you believe he would have improved his draft stock by staying an additional year. That's an exception that sort of proves the rule. By leaving early, he showed that UNC isn't doing anything to hold the players on campus longer. It is the feedback they are getting from scouts.

I fully expect White and Little to leave for the NBA this offseason. They will both go in the 1st round. Another year at UNC has as much downside as upside for their draft prospects. Little could do some good by showing growth in decision-making, shooting, handling, etc. If he doesn't, that could tank his draft stock. White seems like he has less of an upside. He is a really good scorer that is going to do great things splitting screens in the pick and roll in the NBA. Does a year at UNC change that for him? How much higher could he go given the lack of high-end athleticism? And this is a weak draft.

I believe Barnes, Felton, Mcadoo and probably a few others should have left earlier when their draft stock was much higher in their freshmen years (for Felton his sophomore year).

It’s probably part of the reason why (along with the scandal) that they have had trouble attracting the top players. On the surface it does seem that a lot of players that play for them see their stock plummet and end of staying multiple years.

Nas little doesn’t help their case this year, although white is the exact opposite, he exceeded all expectations and played himself into the first round. In this day and age, I’m not even sure good ol roy could talk them out of leaving since white is a first round lock and nas little is a lottery pick any way you spin it. He has too much potential for 13 teams to pass on him.

[53n206]

If anyone looks like staying around for another year can improve his NBA stock it seems Cam is the man. Is there a significant money loss between being a late 1st rounder and going in the middle of the 1st round a year later?

[Pghdukie]

If anyone looks like staying around for another year can improve his NBA stock it seems Cam is the man. Is there a significant money loss between being a late 1st rounder and going in the middle of the 1st round a year later?

Are you referring to Duke's Cam Reddish or Carolina's Cam Johnson ? I believe Johnson has used up his eligibility.

[sagegrouse]

Has there been a UNC player that has left too late?

It's a philosophical question. Wasn't James Michael McAdoo gonna be a lottery pick after his freshman year? He would have made a lot more money had he gone then, but he wouldn't necessarily have had a more productive career.

[jimsumner]

If anyone looks like staying around for another year can improve his NBA stock it seems Cam is the man. Is there a significant money loss between being a late 1st rounder and going in the middle of the 1st round a year later?

The NBA drafts on potential more than production. Hence the Naz-Little-in-the-lottery- narrative.

Could Reddish improve his game with another year at Duke?

Absolutely.

Could he improve his game with a year in the NBA and get paid doing it?

Absolutely. And my few NBA contacts still think he's top-10, maybe top-5. He's not going late first round.

Now Tre is a different story. He could improve his draft stock with a second-year shooting improvement.

But no one at Duke expects Reddish back next season. No one.

[CDu]

It's a philosophical question. Wasn't James Michael McAdoo gonna be a lottery pick after his freshman year? He would have made a lot more money had he gone then, but he wouldn't necessarily have had a more productive career.

It is hard to imagine him leaving early would have led to a LESS productive pro career.

But yes, McAdoo is the poster child for waiting too long and hurting his draft stock. He was a lottery pick as a freshman who waited two more years and wound up I drafted after his junior year.

[53n206]

Are you referring to Duke's Cam Reddish or Carolina's Cam Johnson ? I believe Johnson has used up his eligibility.

Reddish

[1991 duke law]

I have no doubt that Cam will not be back next. And perhaps he will be drafted top 10 simply because teams are willing to take a flyer on what looks like a perfect NBA physique. Based on having watched him play numerous games this year, I do not see someone who will succeed at the next level. His shot is OK but not great. His handle is average. He does not appear to have much fire. He has been underwhelming.

To be clear, I hope he succeeds. I think he is a great kid. And I am thrilled he has come to Duke. I just don’t see at this stage a great player.

What people don’t say is that a big reason why some kids leave early is to avoid confirmation that they are not that good. If Cam came back next year and crushed it, it would validate him and make him a top three pick. But if he comes back next year and repeats his performance this year, it might validate that he is not all that great. And drafting him on “potential“ would be less applicable. So he might fall substantially. James Michael McAdoo might be a fair comparison.

Anyhow, like many others I believe that cam’s performance in the tournament will make the difference between success and failure. If he can turn it on and be a viable third scorer, it will make a huge difference.

[arnie]

I have no doubt that Cam will not be back next. And perhaps he will be drafted top 10 simply because teams are willing to take a flyer on what looks like a perfect NBA physique. Based on having watched him play numerous games this year, I do not see someone who will succeed at the next level. His shot is OK but not great. His handle is average. He does not appear to have much fire. He has been underwhelming.

To be clear, I hope he succeeds. I think he is a great kid. And I am thrilled he has come to Duke. I just don’t see at this stage a great player.

What people don’t say is that a big reason why some kids leave early is to avoid confirmation that they are not that good. If Cam came back next year and crushed it, it would validate him and make him a top three pick. But if he comes back next year and repeats his performance this year, it might validate that he is not all that great. And drafting him on “potential“ would be less applicable. So he might fall substantially. James Michael McAdoo might be a fair comparison.

Anyhow, like many others I believe that cam’s performance in the tournament will make the difference between success and failure. If he can turn it on and be a viable third scorer, it will make a huge difference.

Completely agree with your summary. We must have the more reliable Cam (shooting and fewer mistakes) to win this thing and he goes to NBA this year cause he’s “supposed to”. Kind of like Trevon last year.