2019 Men's Basketball Recruiting

[Sir Stealth]

I split 23 between C-well and Pistol Pete but never Jordan.

23 is retired at Duke, but not for C-Well...

[lotusland]

23 is retired at Duke, but not for C-Well...

Yeah I thought about the Landlord after I typed it. I still associate 23 more with C-well tho.

[lotusland]

There were never a lot of good big man grad transfers out there who would have been comfortable taking the role that Bolden didn't want (a backup in your final year of eligibility) and if there were ever any they are gone now: http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...019-20-2020-21.

Carey Jr. health issues seem overblown to me - he missed some exhibition games with a few minor injuries. Carey Jr., DeLaurier and Hurt is about as good as any school is going to get frontcourt-wise next year.

Whether Carey is healthy or injury prone, it seems like there is a better than 50% chance for him to miss a game during the season due to injury based on recent history of Duke post players. Hopefully neither Vernon nor Jav miss more than a game or two.

[CDu]

There were never a lot of good big man grad transfers out there who would have been comfortable taking the role that Bolden didn't want (a backup in your final year of eligibility) and if there were ever any they are gone now: http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...019-20-2020-21.

The question was were there guys out there better than Robinson. I see a couple of bigs on that short list that were most certainly better and went to lesser programs to be backups. I'm sure there are/were many others better than Robinson that would have been available and willing had we been interested in pursuing them. Possibly still a few out there out of the hundreds that are transferring. But I don't think the program was overly concerned about filling the 4th/5th big man spot externally.

[JasonEvans]

The question was were there guys out there better than Robinson. I see a couple of bigs on that short list that were most certainly better and went to lesser programs to be backups. I'm sure there are/were many others better than Robinson that would have been available and willing had we been interested in pursuing them. Possibly still a few out there out of the hundreds that are transferring. But I don't think the program was overly concerned about filling the 4th/5th big man spot externally.

I actually think it would be really interesting to see what K would do with a team of Hurt, White, JRob, and a bunch of wings (plus Tre and JGold). Could be kinda fun to watch.

[Kedsy]

Without looking too hard, I'd all but guarantee there is (or at least was) a better option on the transfer/grad transfer market than Justin Robinson. I don't know that White or Baker are really bigs, and we've seen next to nothing of Baker anyway, so that comparison is more difficult.

I was talking about "is," not "was." And with that caveat, unless you count Kerry Blackshear (who certainly would not be interested in a backup role and if there was any chance of Duke getting him we would have heard something about it before now), I'm fairly confident there is no non-committed (currently available) grad transfer option who would be significantly better than Justin Robinson.

Also, in a pinch, I'm sure Jack White and/or Joey Baker could adequately defend college PFs (which is all we'd really need in case of a short term Carey injury).

[jimsumner]

Remember the Duke-Carolina game at Chapel Hill? Williamson was out and then Duke lost Bolden early in the game. Carolina has some size and Duke had Vrankovic and Robinson as options. But K elected to use Jack White at the 5, when JDL was out. White competed hard, got some rebounds, had trouble scoring inside.

But if K went with White over Robinson in that instance, I suspect that would be the default next season.

Maybe White can go all senior DeMarcus Nelson and be listed as 6-9 next season.

[CDu]

I was talking about "is," not "was." And with that caveat, unless you count Kerry Blackshear (who certainly would not be interested in a backup role and if there was any chance of Duke getting him we would have heard something about it before now), I'm fairly confident there is no non-committed (currently available) grad transfer option who would be significantly better than Justin Robinson.

Also, in a pinch, I'm sure Jack White and/or Joey Baker could adequately defend college PFs (which is all we'd really need in case of a short term Carey injury).

I am not sure why the distinction between “is” and “was”. Surely the staff had a good inclination that Bolden wasn’t coming back a while ago, right? So, presumably all grad transfers would be on the market. Not just those still available.

As for those still available, I haven’t seen a complete list. But I would venture that pretty much anybody who played significant minutes at a D1 program would rate above Robinson (good kid, nice to have to help the program, but not really a major college level player). So I would guess that there is still one out there. Not including Blackshear obviously.

But, it is moot anyway. The staff hasn’t made any effort to bring in a transfer this Spring. So they are apparently comfortable with the three primary options plus Jack White manning the PF and C spots. I agree with Jim that White would be the option in the Armageddon scenario that the top 3 were out.

[jimsumner]

K was quite emphatic yesterday that he Duke did not pursue any transfer options this spring, grad or traditional.

[Kedsy]

I am not sure why the distinction between “is” and “was”. Surely the staff had a good inclination that Bolden wasn’t coming back a while ago, right? So, presumably all grad transfers would be on the market. Not just those still available.

As for those still available, I haven’t seen a complete list. But I would venture that pretty much anybody who played significant minutes at a D1 program would rate above Robinson (good kid, nice to have to help the program, but not really a major college level player). So I would guess that there is still one out there. Not including Blackshear obviously.

But, it is moot anyway. The staff hasn’t made any effort to bring in a transfer this Spring. So they are apparently comfortable with the three primary options plus Jack White manning the PF and C spots. I agree with Jim that White would be the option in the Armageddon scenario that the top 3 were out.

Somebody said (paraphrasing), "I'm not comfortable with the depth of our big rotation, we should (present tense) go after a transfer big." I said (again, paraphrasing), "Do you really think we could get a transfer big who is better than even Justin Robinson, not to mention Jack White or Joey Baker." You chimed in, guaranteeing there are/were better options out there, which (since both the posts in this conversation were talking about present tense) there simply aren't -- as far as I can tell, other than Blackshear, there aren't any uncomitted grad-transfer-eligible bigs out there who were above-mediocre players at even low major D1 programs. That's why the distinction is between "is" and "was."

[CDu]

Somebody said (paraphrasing), "I'm not comfortable with the depth of our big rotation, we should (present tense) go after a transfer big." I said (again, paraphrasing), "Do you really think we could get a transfer big who is better than even Justin Robinson, not to mention Jack White or Joey Baker." You chimed in, guaranteeing there are/were better options out there, which (since both the posts in this conversation were talking about present tense) there simply aren't -- as far as I can tell, other than Blackshear, there aren't any uncomitted grad-transfer-eligible bigs out there who were above-mediocre players at even low major D1 programs. That's why the distinction is between "is" and "was."

Three things:
1. I said “all but guarantee”
2. Are you looking at a complete list of grad transfers?
3. As I said, even mediocre bigs at lower D1 programs are probably better than Robinson

[Dukebasketball2020]

Jack White isn't capable of guarding bigs in the ACC and Javin can't seem to stay out of foul trouble. Robinson is more of a 4 not a 5.

[NSDukeFan]

Jack White isn't capable of guarding bigs in the ACC and Javin can't seem to stay out of foul trouble. Robinson is more of a 4 not a 5.

Is it too early to say it’s over?

[elvis14]

Jack White isn't capable of guarding bigs in the ACC and Javin can't seem to stay out of foul trouble. Robinson is more of a 4 not a 5.

Jack White is capable of guarding bigs in the ACC (doesn't mean he's fantastic at it but if you look at each team and check out their 4's and 5's I doubt you'll find too many matchups where Jack is just incapable). You're right about Javin (area for improvement). I have no idea why people are talking about Robinson unless his Dad gets another year of eligibility a Robinson will not be a factor in our rotation even if we have an injury or two.

[Troublemaker]

Jack White isn't capable of guarding bigs in the ACC and Javin can't seem to stay out of foul trouble. Robinson is more of a 4 not a 5.

We won't get anyone good to come here and be the 3rd-string center. Almost all the good grad transfers have been scooped up already, anyway.

Ultimately, how many ACC teams wouldn't trade their center situation for Duke's? Carey backed up by DeLaurier (although they'll at times play together, too) is excellent. The lack of a third center isn't going to prevent any ACC team from making the trade, imo.

[CDu]

We won't get anyone good to come here and be the 3rd-string center. Almost all the good grad transfers have been scooped up already, anyway.

Yeah, even if we wanted someone, we'd be talking about someone about that the level of White (or probably worse). We could get an upgrade over Robinson, but we would not be getting someone better than Jack White to come here and be the emergency center.

Which is fine because...

Ultimately, how many ACC teams wouldn't trade their center situation for Duke's? Carey backed up by DeLaurier (although they'll at times play together, too) is excellent. The lack of a third center isn't going to prevent any ACC team from making the trade, imo.

Agreed wholly. We will have one of the best starting centers in college basketball. We will have one of the best backup centers in college basketball - a guy who would easily start for a decent chunk of Power-6 schools. And if those two guys are out, we can probably make do with Hurt and White in a pinch.

Very few teams go 3-4 deep at center with any quality. Barring some severe bad luck/timing with injuries or fouls, we should be just fine at center. Which is almost certainly why the coaching staff made no effort to pursue the grad transfer market.

It sounds like we did reach out for a freshman big (presumably to develop and help with the transition after the 2020 season when all of our bigs could be gone). And I wouldn't mind us pursuing a true transfer with the same idea in mind. But it doesn't sound like we're going down that path either. So, c'est la vie.

[frb]

We are fine with our bigs. Carey will be one of the most productive bigs in the country. DeLaurier is as good a back up as you'll find and will also play alongside Carey. Hurt will be backed by White who was a 4 man when he was most effective last season before he went into the slump. He's tough and has a nose for the ball. Only being 6-7 isn't important. We're not asking for major minutes from him. He's better in short bursts.

You got 4 bigs and 2 of them are Seniors and the other 2 are McDonald's All Americans. If we can't make it happen with those 4, then I don't know what to tell you.

[mattman91]

We are fine with our bigs. Carey will be one of the most productive bigs in the country. DeLaurier is as good a back up as you'll find and will also play alongside Carey. Hurt will be backed by White who was a 4 man when he was most effective last season before he went into the slump. He's tough and has a nose for the ball. Only being 6-7 isn't important. We're not asking for major minutes from him. He's better in short bursts.

You got 4 bigs and 2 of them are Seniors and the other 2 are McDonald's All Americans. If we can't make it happen with those 4, then I don't know what to tell you.

I think what most people are concerned about is the fact that we will not have any post players returning next year. I think that is a reasonable concern, but I wouldn't worry too much about that yet...

[lotusland]

I think what most people are concerned about is the fact that we will not have any post players returning next year. I think that is a reasonable concern, but I wouldn't worry too much about that yet...

I don’t like to procrastinate. Why wait until tomorrow when I can worry today??

[jimsumner]

I don’t like to procrastinate. Why wait until tomorrow when I can worry today??

Sounds like a Hallmark card.