2021 Men's Basketball Recruiting Thread

[lotusland]

Sorry not questioning your correction of the facts. I took your word for it that my memory was wrong so I didn’t need to crank up the google machine. Maybe I should have typed “OK” instead of “perhaps”. I think my buddy mentioned Durant when we talked about it it later or I may have invented it on my own. It was a long sordid night in Atlanta. He was a buyer for his company and were were entertained all night by one of their suppliers.

[jimsumner]

Sorry not questioning your correction of the facts. I took your word for it that my memory was wrong so I didn’t need to crank up the google machine. Maybe I should have typed “OK” instead of “perhaps”. I think my buddy mentioned Durant when we talked about it it later or I may have invented it on my own. It was a long sordid night in Atlanta. He was a buyer for his company and were were entertained all night by one of their suppliers.

Sounds like you lost some memory cells that weekend.

[Dukehk]

The 2018 team had Bagley, Carter, DeLaurier, Bolden, Vrankovic and Robinson, with Allen and Trent on the wings. A 6-8 small forward would have made that team bigger.

The 2017 team had Jeter and Jefferson but did not have Bagley and Carter. Matt Jones on the wing instead of Gary Trent.

So, in terms of just sheer size, 2018 over 2017 by a silly centimeter.

The 2010 team had Zoubek, Plumlee, Plumlee, Kelly and a pair of 6-8 forwards, Singler and Thomas.

The 2001 team started (for most of the season) 6-9 Boozer, 6-8 Battier, 6-9 Dunleavy and 6-6 James, with Sanders and Christensen on the bench. Horvath was an injury redshirt that season. That's about as much size on the wing as Duke has started.

Let's not forget 1989 when it comes to size. Danny Ferry, Alaa Abdelnaby, Christian Laetter, Clay Buckley, Crawford Palmer, George Burgin and John Smith, seven players 6-8 or taller, with three 6-10 or taller players who would be first-round NBA draft picks.

2010 was a team of giants! How could I forget about the Plumlee clan.

Love that 2001 team.

1999 had some decent size too! Taymon Domzalski & Burgess coming off the bench, with Brand and Battier.

Its been a long time since we had a legit 7 footer in Williams though. We tend to do well when we have size. 2010, 2001, 1999.

Hoping it holds true next season!

[DavidBenAkiva]

2010 was a team of giants! How could I forget about the Plumlee clan.

Love that 2001 team.

1999 had some decent size too! Taymon Domzalski & Burgess coming off the bench, with Brand and Battier.

Its been a long time since we had a legit 7 footer in Williams though. We tend to do well when we have size. 2010, 2001, 1999.

Hoping it holds true next season!

I shall not sit here and let the memory of our most recent stretch-5, Marshall Plumlee, be erased like this. Not only was he a National Champion and true 7-footer, he is also the most accurate 3-point shooter in Duke history (min 1 attempt).

[JasonEvans]

1999 had some decent size too! Taymon Domzalski & Burgess coming off the bench, with Brand and Battier.

There is a statue to Taymon Domzalski on the UVA campus... at least there is in Pete Gillen's mind.

[Kedsy]

Its been a long time since we had a legit 7 footer in Williams though.

Not so long, really. If you count Marshall Plumlee's redshirt year, we've had a legit 7-footer on our roster in 13 of the past 15 seasons (every season since 2007, except 2011 and 2020: Zoubek, Marshall Plumlee, Vrankovic, Mark Williams).

We tend to do well when we have size. 2010, 2001, 1999.

Duke's starting lineup in 1999 went 6'8, 6'8, 6'6, 6'3, 6'2. Not sure that team belongs in your list.

Here's a list of all Coach K Duke teams, with the number of tall players on the entire roster:

Year	6'8+	6'10+	7'0+	NCAAT
1981	2	0	0	n/a
1982	2	0	0	n/a
1983	4	0	0	n/a
1984	4	1	1	32
1985	4	1	1	32
1986	4	2	1	2
1987	4	4	2	16
1988	3	3	1	4
1989	5	5	1	4
1990	3	3	0	2
1991	5	2	0	1
1992	6	3	0	1
1993	6	2	0	32
1994	8	4	0	2
1995	4	2	0	n/a
1996	5	3	0	64
1997	4	2	0	32
1998	6	2	0	8
1999	4	2	0	2
2000	6	3	0	16
2001	6	3	0	1
2002	5	3	0	16
2003	6	4	0	16
2004	6	3	0	4
2005	3	1	0	16
2006	5	2	0	16
2007	4	2	1	64
2008	3	1	1	32
2009	4	2	1	16
2010	6	4	1	1
2011	6	3	0	16
2012	5	3	0	64
2013	7	3	1	8
2014	8	0	1	64
2015	4	2	1	1
2016	6	3	2	16
2017	8	5	1	32
2018	6	5	1	8
2019	5	3	1	8
2020	5	2	0	no tourney
2021	6	1	1	n/a
2022	5	0	1	???

I guess it depends on how you define "having size," but I'd say there's no correlation. Certainly we've had a lot of big teams that didn't make much post-season noise.

I shall not sit here and let the memory of our most recent stretch-5, Marshall Plumlee, be erased like this. Not only was he a National Champion and true 7-footer, he is also the most accurate 3-point shooter in Duke history (min 1 attempt).

For some reason people cite Marshall Plumlee's 3-point prowess while entirely forgetting that Miles Plumlee also shot 100% from three in his career (also 1 for 1).

[Pghdukie]

Kentucky and Gonzaga seem to be loading up for a championship run.

[JasonEvans]

Kentucky and Gonzaga seem to be loading up for a championship run.

As opposed to how they usually fill their rosters? I mean, when was the last time you looked at a Kentucky or Gonzaga roster in the pre-season and wrote them off as a national title contender? Probably not any time in the past decade.

[Truth&Justise]

Kentucky and Gonzaga seem to be loading up for a championship run.

As opposed to how they usually fill their rosters? I mean, when was the last time you looked at a Kentucky or Gonzaga roster in the pre-season and wrote them off as a national title contender? Probably not any time in the past decade.

This is new territory for Gonzaga in terms of team building. Previously they've relied on transfers, redshirts, and international scouting to offset their lack of top-tier recruiting. But this year they have three likely one-and-dones.

[dukelifer]

This is new territory for Gonzaga in terms of team building. Previously they've relied on transfers, redshirts, and international scouting to offset their lack of top-tier recruiting. But this year they have three likely one-and-dones.

Few decided to stick with the Zags rather than moving to a power conference to make more money. As a result, Gonzaga has arrived as a destination. Few needs a championship to seal his legacy and has a very good chance next year- but as we knows anything can happen. We are about to enter a new phase of college ball with many of the top coaches who have also stuck with one school are aging out in the next few years. It will be interesting to watch how this affects Duke as a destination for the best players.

[MarkD83]

Few decided to stick with the Zags rather than moving to a power conference to make more money. As a result, Gonzaga has arrived as a destination. Few needs a championship to seal his legacy and has a very good chance next year- but as we knows anything can happen. We are about to enter a new phase of college ball with many of the top coaches who have also stuck with one school are aging out in the next few years. It will be interesting to watch how this affects Duke as a destination for the best players.

Watching Hubert Davis and his ability to recruit may be an interesting harbinger.

[CoachJ10]

Or is the staff working on any last minute transfers or lower star multi year recruits?

[DavidBenAkiva]

Or is the staff working on any last minute transfers or lower star multi year recruits?

The dust appears to have settled.

[cbolden1]

Or is the staff working on any last minute transfers or lower star multi year recruits?

Barring any last minute developmental low level transfer or recruits who even if they don't play still just want to be at duke, I think K is content with what he has. I think if PBJ wasn't his first choice recruit he wanted this class would have been wrapped up with keels and the bates Theo transfers. He put in so much time with PBJ I think if you have even the smallest chance you keep going so you don't give up in the time invested already.

I think he's prob had a talk with the current guys and where he sees roles for them and with the new guys he like the roles for the returners better than a transfer that you don't know how they will do at duke. Im not the biggest Moore believer but he's a ok player who can be good in the right role (top of the key defender, third ball handler, cutter, slasher). Joey they need to put him in a Duncan Robinson role. Roach needs to be the playmaker, help break down the defense, and don't turn the ball over. Mark just need to keep playing at the level as the end of last year and get better at that role.

If those guys can play those roles and the new guys can fit there play to even play ACC level ball then well be Avery good if not great team. If a couple of the new guys and or the old guys step up and become stars and the rest can fit in then we can win a chip. If we want to win though well need a bunch of guys to be consistent and good and thats what we've been lacking for the past couple of years. Consistency

[Kedsy]

Rivals updated their 2021 rankings. AJ Griffin dropped to #13, Paolo Banchero stayed at #2, Trevor Keels is now #19, and Jaylen Blakes was ranked #113.

AJ has now dropped in all three major ranking services (he's also now #9 in 247 and #27 in ESPN), which means when RSCI comes out he'll probably be between #12 and #17, likely behind TyTy Washington (now #11 in Rivals, #12 in ESPN, and #17 in 247) and just ahead of Trevor Keels (who'll probably end up between #18 and #20). I'd say it doesn't mean much, but after Jalen Johnson's drop from #4 in the Summer RSCI to #11 in the final, which did appear to mean something, it makes me a little nervous. AJ's drop will be the same or further than Jalen's (AJ was #6 in the Summer RSCI). So who knows?

[roywhite]

Rivals updated their 2021 rankings. AJ Griffin dropped to #13, Paolo Banchero stayed at #2, Trevor Keels is now #19, and Jaylen Blakes was ranked #113.

AJ has now dropped in all three major ranking services (he's also now #9 in 247 and #27 in ESPN), which means when RSCI comes out he'll probably be between #12 and #17, likely behind TyTy Washington (now #11 in Rivals, #12 in ESPN, and #17 in 247) and just ahead of Trevor Keels (who'll probably end up between #18 and #20). I'd say it doesn't mean much, but after Jalen Johnson's drop from #4 in the Summer RSCI to #11 in the final, which did appear to mean something, it makes me a little nervous. AJ's drop will be the same or further than Jalen's (AJ was #6 in the Summer RSCI). So who knows?

Just how precise do we think these RSCI ratings are?

Didn't Mr. Griffin's high school (and many of the other players in the rankings) play a much abbreviated schedule in 2020-21? And haven't we heard that Griffin grew taller and heavier over the last year?

Let's see him play.

[Kedsy]

Just how precise do we think these RSCI ratings are?

Didn't Mr. Griffin's high school (and many of the other players in the rankings) play a much abbreviated schedule in 2020-21? And haven't we heard that Griffin grew taller and heavier over the last year?

Let's see him play.

I mean, sure. All that may be true and don't worry, be happy. And I do expect him to be really good, and Johnson was probably an anomaly. And no matter what, how he actually plays will trump all the other stuff.

On the other hand, when all the top recruiting services say this guy isn't as good as we thought he was, presumably there's a reason for that. Dismissing RSCI as imprecise doesn't really address that reason (whatever it is).

[CDu]

I mean, sure. All that may be true and don't worry, be happy. And I do expect him to be really good, and Johnson was probably an anomaly. And no matter what, how he actually plays will trump all the other stuff.

On the other hand, when all the top recruiting services say this guy isn't as good as we thought he was, presumably there's a reason for that. Dismissing RSCI as imprecise doesn't really address that reason (whatever it is).

Also worth noting that when he did play, Johnson was still really good. So unless the fear is that Griffin will bail, I am not sure Johnson’s experience is cause for alarm with Griffin.

[SkyBrickey]

Didn't he skip his senior season and train with his dad and the Raptors in Florida? Maybe he's getting penalized just because he elected not to play? For whatever it's worth, he looked incredibly fit and impressive in that one training video he posted.

I guess the evaluator types did get to evaluate him at the recent all-star game with Paolo and Trevor, but those are tough for judging talent as they tend to be more showcase games.

[MChambers]

I mean, sure. All that may be true and don't worry, be happy. And I do expect him to be really good, and Johnson was probably an anomaly. And no matter what, how he actually plays will trump all the other stuff.

On the other hand, when all the top recruiting services say this guy isn't as good as we thought he was, presumably there's a reason for that. Dismissing RSCI as imprecise doesn't really address that reason (whatever it is).

I don’t think anyone was generally dismissing the RSCI as imprecise. Rather, Roywhite was pointing out that the unique circumstances of the past 15 months make the RSCI less precise than typically is the case.

I’m not worried about AJ’s drop in the recruiting rankings. Time will tell, but I don’t see the red flags that Johnson had.