2020 Duke men's basketball recruiting

[arnie]

Quite a family it seems, and I remember Kessler at Georgia.

On a related note, 6-7 Lyman Smith, the former Duke / Minnesota DE or DT also became an orthopedic surgeon after a pro career. He was in fact on my Raleigh Y league mens basketball team for a couple of seasons (very competitive league at the time) and he diagnosed a quad problem I had by watching my play deteriorate over a period of weeks during these games. Interesting guy. BIIG DUDE.

Dr. Smith recently replaced my knee and is retiring this month. Unfortunately for him, his knees are shot and he’ll be going through TKR soon.

[brevity]

Dr. Smith recently replaced my knee and is retiring this month. Unfortunately for him, his knees are shot and he’ll be going through TKR soon.

A knee replacement surgeon with knees that need replacing? Dr. Smith must be excellent. This is like that riddle about the town with only two dentists: you choose the dentist who has bad teeth.

[Spanarkel]

Crean was a good hire for Georgia, but the team has a looong way to go to really be relevant to top tier recruits. They are hovering around the top 100 in KenPom and are nowhere near the top half of the SEC. In fact, there is a decent chance they will finish last in the conference this year. We are talking about a 2020 recruit, so the question is if Crean can get them to a point where they look really viable for a top ten player by the fall/winter of next year (unless Kessler decides to wait until spring to sign, which is increasingly rare). I think that seems like a tall order for him.

-Jason "making the NIT would be a nice goal for GA this year... does Kessler really want to go to a school where the NIT is an ambition?" Evans

Your points are sound. I feel that Crean is definitely skilled at developing players who aren't necessarily top tier. As for UGA's KenPom ranking, it's deserved at this point in the season, but Nic Claxton is a tremendous talent and, as Jon Rothstein points out, the Dawgs will be formidable at home even this year in SEC contests.

Jon Rothstein
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Georgia is far from an NCAA Tournament team, but Bulldogs should be a tough out at home in the SEC. Very talented front court.

[jimsumner]

Dr. Smith recently replaced my knee and is retiring this month. Unfortunately for him, his knees are shot and he’ll be going through TKR soon.

Lyman Smith is so good he can perform his own knee surgery.

[BD80]

Lyman Smith is so good he can perform his own knee surgery.

Reminds me of the punch line to a different anatomical joke: 'because he can."

[DavidBenAkiva]

Duke has offered Walker Kessler, 7 footer 5* from GA

Interesting. From what I have seen and read of the young man, there is a lot of skill in his game. He shoots the ball, handles it, can score around the rim and is an offensive threat out to the 3-point line. At his size, which is listed anywhere from 6'10" to 7'0" tall, that is a nice package. Physically, he doesn't seem to have that explosive element, although he appears to be reasonably quick on his feet. It does look like a lot of time in the gym, working on his lower body and core strength is going to help.

It's been a while since Duke has had a true stretch big. Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter, Jr. could stretch the court at times, but they were most effective around the rim. Kessler looks like an outside-in kind of player that would be more apt to create space with his shooting or face up and then defend the post on the other end of the court. We've seen small forwards converted to the stretch-4, but not exactly the same as a Ryan Kelly or Josh McRobers type. Bagley is about the closest I can recall, but his explosive second jump and quickness made him much more effective around the rim. Being a primary threat to shoot the ball could help Duke put together a true 5-out offense if they can pair Kessler with a versatile and good shooting forward. That player just might be Jalen Johnson, a 6'8" forward that is ranked near the top of the Class of 2020.

I don't expect Kesler to be the last big to receive an offer from Duke for this class. None of Bolden, DeLaurier, White, Robinson, or Carey will be on the roster in the fall of 2020. There is a need for at least a couple more forwards. That may come in the form of development (Joey Baker), a transfer this summer, or grad-transfer the next year. But I think we'll see at least 1-2 more Top 50 players from the Class of 2020 receive an offer from Duke soon.

[budwom]

Duke has offered Walker Kessler, 7 footer 5* from GA

he's so good he grew two inches since the day we offered him.

[devildeac]

he's so good he grew two inches since the day we offered him.

The Duke "bump."

[lotusland]

I think Kessler is a stretch 5. He reminds me of Ferry but it’s probably just the hair. I hope he has Ferry’s competitiveness.

[sagegrouse]

he's so good he grew two inches since the day we offered him.

Walking on air after being offered by Duke.

[Bluedevil114]

Kessler could be a recruiting battle between Duke and Virginia. It is early but he looks to be a kid that could fit in well with both programs. Duke did win the Marshall Plumlee recruiting battle with Virginia. Was that the last one with Virginia? He wants to commit in October or November before his senior season begins.

[JasonEvans]

Kessler could be a recruiting battle between Duke and Virginia. It is early but he looks to be a kid that could fit in well with both programs. Duke did win the Marshall Plumlee recruiting battle with Virginia. Was that the last one with Virginia? He wants to commit in October or November before his senior season begins.

As I mentioned upthread, Georgia is a player here as his father, uncle, and brother all played for the Dawgs.

Also, while I see that Virginia is involved and is getting a visit from Walker this weekend (he's also taken visits to Michigan and Vandy), the kid seems like a likely one-and-done (anyone ranked in the top 15 is a likely OAD) and Virginia has not been a player for one-and-done talent. In fact, in Walker Kessler's lifetime, Kyle Guy is the only Virginia recruit who was even a McDonald's All-American.

-Jason "I found a database of McD rosters and the schools the kids attended going back to 1999... Guy is the only Virginia kid in that time" Evans

[UrinalCake]

Duke did win the Marshall Plumlee recruiting battle with Virginia. Was that the last one with Virginia?

Duke did recruit Austin Nichols, not sure if that counts. Also I think we wanted Cory Alexander.

[flyingdutchdevil]

As I mentioned upthread, Georgia is a player here as his father, uncle, and brother all played for the Dawgs.

Also, while I see that Virginia is involved and is getting a visit from Walker this weekend (he's also taken visits to Michigan and Vandy), the kid seems like a likely one-and-done (anyone ranked in the top 15 is a likely OAD) and Virginia has not been a player for one-and-done talent. In fact, in Walker Kessler's lifetime, Kyle Guy is the only Virginia recruit who was even a McDonald's All-American.

-Jason "I found a database of McD rosters and the schools the kids attended going back to 1999... Guy is the only Virginia kid in that time" Evans

That's incredible given that UVa has won the ACC reg reason 3 times in the last 5 years (14, 15, 18).

[ChillinDuke]

That's incredible given that UVa has won the ACC reg reason 3 times in the last 5 years (14, 15, 18).

How many regular season titles would it take to wipe away the scourge of being the only team to ever lose to a 16-seed in the NCAAT? 1? 3? 5? More than 5?

For me personally, it's probably 5. Maybe more.

I digress.

- Chillin

[sagegrouse]

How many regular season titles would it take to wipe away the scourge of being the only team to ever lose to a 16-seed in the NCAAT? 1? 3? 5? More than 5?

For me personally, it's probably 5. Maybe more.

I digress.

- Chillin

Aside from the ability to razz the Hoos endlessly, is this more a curiosity than a disgrace? Does anyone really care that Ralph Sampson's 1982 #1 UVa team lost to Chaminade at the Maui Tournament, in the previous "largest upset in history?" Actually, it's pretty neat to have the entry 1 and 1A in the Upset Sweepstakes.

No, I take it back. It's a disgrace.

[ChillinDuke]

Aside from the ability to razz the Hoos endlessly, is this more a curiosity than a disgrace? Does anyone really care that Ralph Sampson's 1982 #1 UVa team lost to Chaminade at the Maui Tournament, in the previous "largest upset in history?" Actually, it's pretty neat to have the entry 1 and 1A in the Upset Sweepstakes.

No, I take it back. It's a disgrace.

Haha

Most definitely a disgrace. No question about it. Just imagine, for a very quick, fleeting moment that you will forever forget entirely, if it happened to Duke...

[/vomit]

- Chillin

PS - Sorry, I know this is the recruiting thread. I'll stop before someone equates a message board with a reputable news outlet (if they exist anymore).

[El_Diablo]

Duke did win the Marshall Plumlee recruiting battle with Virginia. Was that the last one with Virginia?

Duke recruited Justin Anderson and Jay Huff (both of whom went to UVA). Quinn Cook had an offer from UVA. That's all I am aware of in that timeframe.

[jimsumner]

Duke recruited Justin Anderson and Jay Huff (both of whom went to UVA). Quinn Cook had an offer from UVA. That's all I am aware of in that timeframe.

I'm not sure Anderson ever had an offer. Huff did not. Curiously, in that class Huff went from Durham to Charlottesville, while Javin DeLaurier went from Charlottesville to Durham.

Duke did very much want Willie Dersch, who was in Carrawell's class.

[ChillinDuke]

I'm not sure Anderson ever had an offer. Huff did not. Curiously, in that class Huff went from Durham to Charlottesville, while Javin DeLaurier went from Charlottesville to Durham.

Duke did very much want Willie Dersch, who was in Carrawell's class.

I recall Anderson did have an offer. At the very least, I recall Duke being very interested because he was the one guy I wanted most in Durham in the past 10 years or so I've followed recruiting. And I wouldn't have felt that way if he was just of "fringe" interest level by the program.

- Chillin