2021 Men's Basketball Recruiting Thread

[Truth&Justise]

USA comes from behind to win 83-81. Wembanyama got into foul trouble and then fouled out with 3 minutes left and 22 points. Kenny Lofton Jr. and Jaden Ivey each had 16 points for USA. A well-deserved gold medal for the U19 team.

Wembanyama finished with a very impressive statline of 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 blocks (with 5 fouls) in 27 minutes. Outplayed Chet Holmgren who had 10 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds. Worth keeping in mind that Wembanyama is 18 months younger than Holmgren. Both look impossibly lean and lanky but are fluid athletes.

[Steven43]

The 2021 FIBA Men's U19 World Cup Gold Medal game between USA and France is starting in a few minutes.
No Duke commits are playing, but former recruits include Chet Holmgren and Patrick Baldwin Jr.
https://www.usab.com/news-events/new...al-canada.aspx

Great. Just what I need is to watch guys who spurned Duke play really well and remind me of what could have been. 😊

[Owen Meany]

Jalen Duren, the number 1 ranked player for 2022, has reclassed to 2021 and committed to Memphis. Emoni Bates has also reclassed and may join him. I'm not sure what to expect from Memphis, and I believe Bates stock has dropped, but given that it's Coach K's last season, I wish it was a weaker year for college basketball in general.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Jalen Duren, the number 1 ranked player for 2022, has reclassed to 2021 and committed to Memphis. Emoni Bates has also reclassed and may join him. I'm not sure what to expect from Memphis, and I believe Bates stock has dropped, but given that it's Coach K's last season, I wish it was a weaker year for college basketball in general.

I suspect K does not share that sentiment. I don't see him shying away from a Penny coached team of extremely young talent.

[Native]

That kid looks ridiculous. Only 17 too.

Easily the number one pick in 2023.

Imagine him on the French senior national team for the 2024 Olympics. Team USA is going to have its hands full.

[DavidBenAkiva]

Imagine him on the French senior national team for the 2024 Olympics. Team USA is going to have its hands full.

It'll be fun to watch Tatum and Zion go at him.

[Owen Meany]

I suspect K does not share that sentiment. I don't see him shying away from a Penny coached team of extremely young talent.

Yeah, I'm not concerned about Memphis in particular. As I said, I'm not sure what to expect from Memphis and Bates stock has dropped. The Duren signing is actually probably a positive thing from a Duke perspective since he was considered a heavy Kentucky lean. I didn't say more because I dont want to jinx anything. But college basketball as a whole will be stronger than I would have liked given that it is Coach K's last hurrah.

I really want to see Coach K go out on a high note, which, given his success, would require a good tournament run. I didn't love seeing Bacot return, Gonzaga add Holmgreen and retain Timme, Kentucky supposedly add Cockburn (this one actually never came to fruition, thankfully), Dickenson back at Michigan or Duke sitting at 10 in the preseason poll. Normally, I'd look at it as a chance to exceed expectations. This year I just want Coach K and Duke to do well, especially given last season's ending.

And to pacify the weaufx gods, Hardaway is a relatively young guy who may ultimately be a very good coach, althoughc the jury is still out. And in his first year as an assistant, Larry Brown may be doing a significant amount of coaching without the baggage he will likely quickly accumulate. If Penny adds Rasheed Wallace to his staff as rumored, it will be even more interesting (it should also be noted that Bates evidently will still be too young to declare for next year's draft). So while I don't think Coach K is at all worried about Memphis right now, I'm not sure I'd want to see them in the second round.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Yeah, I'm not concerned about Memphis in particular. As I said, I'm not sure what to expect from Memphis and Bates stock has dropped. The Duren signing is actually probably a positive thing from a Duke perspective since he was considered a heavy Kentucky lean. I didn't say more because I dont want to jinx anything. But college basketball as a whole will be stronger than I would have liked given that it is Coach K's last hurrah.

I really want to see Coach K go out on a high note, which, given his success, would require a good tournament run. I didn't love seeing Bacot return, Gonzaga add Holmgreen and retain Timme, Kentucky supposedly add Cockburn (this one actually never came to fruition, thankfully), Dickenson back at Michigan or Duke sitting at 10 in the preseason poll. Noormally, I'd look at it as a chance to exceed expectations. This year I just want Coach K and Duke to do well, especially given last season's ending.

And to pacify the weaufx gods, Hardaway is a relatively young guy who may ultimately be a very good coach, although though the jury is still out. And in his first year as an assistant, Larry Brown may be doing a significant amount of coaching without the baggage he will likely quickly accumulate. And if Penny adds Rasheed Wallace to his staff as rumored, it will be even more interesting (it should also be noted that Bates evidently will still be too young to declare for next year's draft). So while I don't think Coach K is at all worried about Memphis right now, I'm not sure I'd want to see them in the second round.

I understand your perspective. And I know/agree K wants badly to go out on top. But I suspect that he wants to beat the best. Not win situationally or against subpar competition.

[Kedsy]

I understand your perspective. And I know/agree K wants badly to go out on top. But I suspect that he wants to beat the best. Not win situationally or against subpar competition.

K has taken Duke to 12 Final Fours:

1986: Duke played a #12 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #7 seed in the Elite Eight
1988: Duke played a #11 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #6 seed in the Final Four
1989: Duke played a #11 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #3 seed in the Final Four
1990: Duke played a #7 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #4 seed in the Final Four
1991: Duke played a #11 seed in the Sweet 16, a #4 seed in the Elite Eight, and a #3 seed in the championship game
1992: Duke played a #6 seed in the championship game
1994: Duke played a #6 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #3 seed in the Final Four
1999: Duke played a #12 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #6 seed in the Elite Eight
2001: Duke played a #6 seed in the Elite Eight and a #3 seed in the Final Four
2004: Duke played a #7 seed in the Elite Eight
2010: Duke played a #5 seed in the championship game
2015: Duke played a #7 seed in the Final Four

To sum up the above, in our 12 Final Fours, we played 21 games against teams more than one off the expected seed line (e.g., as a #1, playing a #5 seed instead of a #4 in the Sweet 16 would be "one off"). In contrast, in the 13 tournaments in which Duke lost in the Sweet 16 or the Elite Eight during K's tenure, we only played four games against teams more than one off the expected seed line. Coincidence or not, we've gone further in the tournaments when we haven't played the best teams potentially in our path.

In fact, in our five championships, we only played against two #1 seeds (in theory, we could have played as many as eleven #1 seeds in those five tournaments), and the only championship run during which we played the overall #1 seed was 1991 vs. UNLV.

To my knowledge K has never complained about beating subpar competition, winning situationally, or not getting the opportunity to beat the best during or after any of his Final Four runs. (At least not publicly.) Obviously, you play who's in front of you. It probably helps when they're not the best.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

K has taken Duke to 12 Final Fours:

1986: Duke played a #12 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #7 seed in the Elite Eight
1988: Duke played a #11 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #6 seed in the Final Four
1989: Duke played a #11 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #3 seed in the Final Four
1990: Duke played a #7 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #4 seed in the Final Four
1991: Duke played a #11 seed in the Sweet 16, a #4 seed in the Elite Eight, and a #3 seed in the championship game
1992: Duke played a #6 seed in the championship game
1994: Duke played a #6 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #3 seed in the Final Four
1999: Duke played a #12 seed in the Sweet 16 and a #6 seed in the Elite Eight
2001: Duke played a #6 seed in the Elite Eight and a #3 seed in the Final Four
2004: Duke played a #7 seed in the Elite Eight
2010: Duke played a #5 seed in the championship game
2015: Duke played a #7 seed in the Final Four

To sum up the above, in our 12 Final Fours, we played 21 games against teams more than one off the expected seed line (e.g., as a #1, playing a #5 seed instead of a #4 in the Sweet 16 would be "one off"). In contrast, in the 13 tournaments in which Duke lost in the Sweet 16 or the Elite Eight during K's tenure, we only played four games against teams more than one off the expected seed line. Coincidence or not, we've gone further in the tournaments when we haven't played the best teams potentially in our path.

In fact, in our five championships, we only played against two #1 seeds (in theory, we could have played as many as eleven #1 seeds in those five tournaments), and the only championship run during which we played the overall #1 seed was 1991 vs. UNLV.

To my knowledge K has never complained about beating subpar competition, winning situationally, or not getting the opportunity to beat the best during or after any of his Final Four runs. (At least not publicly.) Obviously, you play who's in front of you. It probably helps when they're not the best.

Those are great stats. And I always respect your posts. But none of that contradicts what I said. I don't think K shies away from top tier competition. Intelligent minds can disagree, though I have never gotten the sense that he relishes lower level opposition.

[bluedev_92]

Not sure if I’m the only one, but would love for this thread to get back to recruiting. 😃

[plimnko]

Not sure if I’m the only one, but would love for this thread to get back to recruiting. 😃

what are you, some kind of mind reader?

[arnie]

No new recruiting news? Let's go with this instead.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13505[/AThttps://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13505&d=1628712925TACH]

[English]

Not sure if I’m the only one, but would love for this thread to get back to recruiting. 😃

Great idea, except this is the 2021 recruiting thread and the 2021 recruiting class is completely done, and the 2021 Duke recruits have been on campus for weeks. What 2021 recruiting news are you expecting here?

Of course, it makes no sense to have the scheduling discussion in this thread when there are at least 1-3 other threads going about scheduling, but again, this thread on 2021 recruiting is all but history.

[bluedev_92]

Great idea, except this is the 2021 recruiting thread and the 2021 recruiting class is completely done, and the 2021 Duke recruits have been on campus for weeks. What 2021 recruiting news are you expecting here?

Well it’s not like I’m looking for a new recruit. What I pretty much expect is no activity. However, when I see that there’s a new post I’m compelled to look to make sure nothing bad has happened! Who knows - someone from the class was hurt, somebody withdrew, etc…

[Pghdukie]

Maybe MOD's can close this thread and we can concentrate on 23, 24 etc.

[JasonEvans]

The scheduling conversation has been moved to the thread about Duke's schedule. Put another way, it has been...

[Steven43]

The scheduling conversation has been moved to the thread about Duke's schedule. Put another way, it has been...

My gosh, what is happening in that scene?? And which movie🍿 is that? Color me intrigued.

[Son of Jarhead]

My gosh, what is happening in that scene?? And which movie🍿 is that? Color me intrigued.

Not a movie. It's from the Disney+ series "Loki". The guy is being "pruned". Excellent series, highly entertaining.

[scottdude8]

Emoni Bates to Memphis. Imagining the fury in East Lansing right now is major schadenfreude.

Memphis may have the most NBA talent in the country now… time to see if Penny Hardaway can coach it.