2023 Men's Basketball Recruiting

[flyingdutchdevil]

Yeah, but for players at this level, their dream is the NBA. At this point in their careers, they're not getting any better. They're risking injury. If the thinking last year was that they can delay their dream 1 more year, make some NIL money, and then go pro, I don't see them staying in school any longer. Davis would be the likeliest exception in my mind.

But they are smart enough to realize they aren't going to get drafted (or else they would have bolted). They don't have Trevon Duval/DJ Steward mindsets.

[Southgate0809]

But they are smart enough to realize they aren't going to get drafted (or else they would have bolted). They don't have Trevon Duval/DJ Steward mindsets.

I can take 1 look at Armando Bacot's face and conclude that his name and the word "smart" should never ever be used in the same sentence.

[sagegrouse]

I can take 1 look at Armando Bacot's face and conclude that his name and the word "smart" should never ever be used in the same sentence.

I am also put off by his hair, etc., but by reputation and interviews I have seen, he is a very nice, well-spoken guy.

[DoubleBlue]

I am also put off by his hair, etc., but by reputation and interviews I have seen, he is a very nice, well-spoken guy.

You wonder what goes into someone wearing an outrageous hair style like that. Of course I'm pretty revolted by such things as tattoos in general so maybe I'm just too old to appreciate a true piece of art.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I am also put off by his hair, etc., but by reputation and interviews I have seen, he is a very nice, well-spoken guy.

I agree. K seemed to clearly have a very positive opinion of him and if I recall, Duke was interested in him. I despise Carolina, and I know this is blasphemy to some here, but sometimes people need to step back acknowledge that they aren't 100% evil.

[MChambers]

I agree. K seemed to clearly have a very positive opinion of him and if I recall, Duke was interested in him. I despise Carolina, and I know this is blasphemy to some here, but sometimes people need to step back acknowledge that they aren't 100% evil.

I'm too lazy to look it up, but I remember Jim Sumner writing here that Bacot was very nice in interviews.

[Southgate0809]

I don't think he's evil. He probably is a very nice person. It's not the hair (although his hairstyle a few seasons ago made him look like an angler fish). It's not the tattoos. It's just his dumb face.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I agree. K seemed to clearly have a very positive opinion of him and if I recall, Duke was interested in him. I despise Carolina, and I know this is blasphemy to some here, but sometimes people need to step back acknowledge that they aren't 100% evil.

Yeah, I wasn't going to go out of my way to defend a UNC player, but it did seem a bit extreme.

I saw video immediately after the final four loss. It was K chatting with Bacon in the tunnel. He was extremely effusive with praise, touching him as he talked, and saying he really hoped Bacot's ankle would allow him to play in the final.

[jv001]

I don't think he's evil. He probably is a very nice person. It's not the hair (although his hairstyle a few seasons ago made him look like an angler fish). It's not the tattoos. It's just his dumb face.

Well, he's not to be blamed for that. Well, unless he's had plastic surgery.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Yeah, I wasn't going to go out of my way to defend a UNC player, but it did seem a bit extreme.

I saw video immediately after the final four loss. It was K chatting with Bacon in the tunnel. He was extremely effusive with praise, touching him as he talked, and saying he really hoped Bacot's ankle would allow him to play in the final.

I like Bacot. Seems like a solid dude. Also, jealous of his game.

Love? UNC can keep him, although I wish he'd be more Hyde than Jekyll when he plays us...

[Southgate0809]

I like Bacot. Seems like a solid dude. Also, jealous of his game.

Love? UNC can keep him, although I wish he'd be more Hyde than Jekyll when he plays us...

Oh, I'm with you on that 100%. I like to make fun of Bacot because he's so darn goofy looking, but he's a guy I would have loved to have at Duke for 4 years.

I have much more negative feelings for Caleb Love. He is also a historically bad shooter who somehow takes a high volume of deep 3's.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Oh, I'm with you on that 100%. I like to make fun of Bacot because he's so darn goofy looking, but he's a guy I would have loved to have at Duke for 4 years.

I have much more negative feelings for Caleb Love. He is also a historically bad shooter who somehow takes a high volume of deep 3's.

In fairness, we kinda have one of those. Love is averaging 16.7 fg per game, shooting 50% from 2 and 28% from 3. Roach is averaging 13.8 fg per game, shooting 38% from 2 and 32% from 3.

[brlftz]

I have much more negative feelings for Caleb Love. He is also a historically bad shooter who somehow takes a high volume of deep 3's.

Unless he's playing us. Then he's an historically unstoppable shooter.

[Southgate0809]

Unless he's playing us. Then he's an historically unstoppable shooter.

I had that impression too until I looked at the stats.

Last year:
-In the game we dominated in CH, Love went 3-10 from the field, 1-5 from 3.
-In Cameron, he went 4-17 from the floor and 2-7 from 3. He managed to score 22 points due to his getting to the free throw line that game.
-In New Orleans, he was 11-20 from the floor (a good, not great performance). He was 3-10 from 3, but one of them happened to be a dagger.

For a while, I had the exact same impression as you that he kicked our asses every time he played us. I don't think that's the case. He will consistently hurt his team by missing a lot of shots. It's our job to make sure it's not a 1 possession game in the final minutes because you don't want him to have an opportunity to hit a deep 3 when it really hurts you.

[JasonEvans]

In fairness, we kinda have one of those. Love is averaging 16.7 fg per game, shooting 50% from 2 and 28% from 3. Roach is averaging 13.8 fg per game, shooting 38% from 2 and 32% from 3.

Not sure where you are getting those figures but Roach is averaging 11.1 FGA/game this season while Love is averaging 15.1 FGA/game. Are you using some calculation that also factors in shots where the player is fouled and ends up taking FTs instead? Regardless, there is a pretty big difference in 11 and 15 FGA per game. Love is shooting the ball 36% more often than Roach.

-Jason "for the record, I am far more concerned about Roach's poor 2FG shooting than anything else about his game right now. Dude is 0 for his last 11 2FGA... that's hard to do when you consider how many of those shots were taken inside of 10-feet from the basket" Evans

[Southgate0809]

Roach either thinks he is capable of hitting some incredibly difficult shots in the paint or is anticipating fouls that aren't getting called.

[CDu]

Not sure where you are getting those figures but Roach is averaging 11.1 FGA/game this season while Love is averaging 15.1 FGA/game. Are you using some calculation that also factors in shots where the player is fouled and ends up taking FTs instead? Regardless, there is a pretty big difference in 11 and 15 FGA per game. Love is shooting the ball 36% more often than Roach.

The 16.7 and 13.8 are per-40 minute numbers.

-Jason "for the record, I am far more concerned about Roach's poor 2FG shooting than anything else about his game right now. Dude is 0 for his last 11 2FGA... that's hard to do when you consider how many of those shots were taken inside of 10-feet from the basket" Evans

Yes, Roach isn't a good 3pt shooter but he's not awful at it either. It's the 2s where he's really fallen off this year.

[kshepinthehouse]

The 16.7 and 13.8 are per-40 minute numbers.



Yes, Roach isn't a good 3pt shooter but he's not awful at it either. It's the 2s where he's really fallen off this year.

Fallen off since his injury though, right?

[JasonEvans]

Fallen off since his injury though, right?

Roach is 2-14 from 2 since missing the MD-Eastern Shore game with a toe injury. That's 14.2%. Prior to that game, he was shooting 34-80 on 2FGs for 42.5%.

Make no mistake, you want your guards to shoot better than 42% on 2FGAs**, but it is clear that Roach's numbers have dropped fairly significantly since he got hurt. It is possible this is a function of small sample size (only 3 games) but also quite possible that it means he will improve on his 2FGA as his health improves.

--Jason "**- Roach was 47.3% on 2FGA as a soph and 59.1% on them as a freshman (though on a much smaller volume of shots)" Evans

[CDu]

Fallen off since his injury though, right?

Yes, though he wasn't shooting well on 2s before the injury (just 42.5%), and was at 67% (2-3) on 2s in the Wake game 2 weeks after the injury. That number needs to be higher too.

He's definitely been far worse on 2s the last 2 games (0%, 0-11). But given that the injury was a month ago and he appeared fine in the Wake game, I'm not sure that I'd blame it on injuries at this point.