2023 Men's Basketball Recruiting

[gam7]

Hopefully the team will be in a good mood on Sunday.

Here's kind of a fun 15-minute Biancardi podcast interview with Jared McCain from a few months ago (Nov. 5, 2021). Seems like a positive and interesting kid. He mentions that he had gotten his Duke offer by this point.

Did not realize his team beat Sierra Canyon to win CIF last year (oh, and winning Peach Jam too). That's pretty darn cool.

[Pghdukie]

Thanks for clarifying.

[DavidBenAkiva]

The stunning loss to Virginia couldn't have been that bad. A pair of Duke insiders, John Watson and Adam Rowe, have both logged crystal ball picks for 5-star G Jared McCain in Duke's direction.

[budwom]

The stunning loss to Virginia couldn't have been that bad. A pair of Duke insiders, John Watson and Adam Rowe, have both logged crystal ball picks for 5-star G Jared McCain in Duke's direction.

And one can hope that unc's top target for 2023, GG Jackson (and a prominent Duke target) enjoyed Saturday's rout...he was once considered a lock for the heels, perhaps not now.

[DavidBenAkiva]

And one can hope that unc's top target for 2023, GG Jackson (and a prominent Duke target) enjoyed Saturday's rout...he was once considered a lock for the heels, perhaps not now.

Getting Jackson would be quite the coup for HCIW Scheyer and staff.

[budwom]

Getting Jackson would be quite the coup for HCIW Scheyer and staff.

It would, and Saturday's game HAD to be revelatory for GG. One team looked tremendously prepared for a very big game, the other did not.

[JasonEvans]

Getting Jackson would be quite the coup for HCIW Scheyer and staff.

I mean, how do we think GG and Sean Stewart would fit on the same roster? I get that GG is considered the superrior prospect, but Sean ain't exactly slumming. I feel like Duke is gonna be a bit loaded at the PF position in 2023-24. Heck, I think there's a decent possibility that one of Flip or Mitchell sticks around for more than one year (though Flip could certainly play C if Duke had other PFs on the roster).

Look, I'd love love love to get GG but I don't think he is a priority recruit for Duke. Mackenzie Mgbako is our #1 prospect at this point, I think.

-Jason "Caleb Foster and Sean Stewart are such a great start to this class (and I suppose you could maybe consider Christian Reeves as a class of 2023 kid as he is going to redshirt)" Evans

[budwom]

I mean, how do we think GG and Sean Stewart would fit on the same roster? I get that GG is considered the superrior prospect, but Sean ain't exactly slumming. I feel like Duke is gonna be a bit loaded at the PF position in 2023-24. Heck, I think there's a decent possibility that one of Flip or Mitchell sticks around for more than one year (though Flip could certainly play C if Duke had other PFs on the roster).

Look, I'd love love love to get GG but I don't think he is a priority recruit for Duke. Mackenzie Mgbako is our #1 prospect at this point, I think.

-Jason "Caleb Foster and Sean Stewart are such a great start to this class (and I suppose you could maybe consider Christian Reeves as a class of 2023 kid as he is going to redshirt)" Evans

I do think the staff thinks Jackson is a priority recruit...they're going after him hard.

[Kedsy]

Heck, I think there's a decent possibility that one of Flip or Mitchell sticks around for more than one year (though Flip could certainly play C if Duke had other PFs on the roster).

Why do people keep saying this about Filipowski? He's a top 5 recruit (#2 in the latest rivals). Last time a top 5 recruit stayed two years (for any school) was 2015.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Why do people keep saying this about Filipowski? He's a top 5 recruit (#2 in the latest rivals). Last time a top 5 recruit stayed two years (for any school) was 2015.

Because it's an opinion...and this is a forum.

[Kedsy]

Because it's an opinion...and this is a forum.

Does the opinion have any basis? What is it?

...that's what "why" generally means in this context.

[CDu]

Why do people keep saying this about Filipowski? He's a top 5 recruit (#2 in the latest rivals). Last time a top 5 recruit stayed two years (for any school) was 2015.

To be fair, Jason said "one of Flip and Mitchell". Presumably Mitchell is the MUCH more likely of the two to be a multi-year guy at Duke.

[DavidBenAkiva]

Does the opinion have any basis? What is it?

...that's what "why" generally means in this context.

I don't have any special insights into this, so take this with a grain of salt. Take a whole salt flat with it.

The staff is not recruiting another center. You can usually tell what the roster is going to look like based on who gets recruited. The coaching staff isn't bringing in another PG next year, which is a pretty big indicator that they expect to see Jeremy Roach start (or are very high on Jaylen Blakes). For the Class of 2023, there are no offers out to centers. It's all forwards and guards. They must think they have the center of the future locked up. Maybe that guy is Kyle Filipowski. In spite of his lofty rankings, he has done nothing but talk about how he looks forward to multiple years in college. Maybe we should listen to him when he says things like that in interviews?

I guess the argument against that is that recruits say a lot of things. Players may plan on being around for 2 or more years until they find out the NBA wants them (or someone close to them is telling them that, even if that is not the case). Flip's brother is going to Harvard. He's a bright kid himself. He may be on a path of playing a few years in college, get most or all of a degree, and then the NBA will be there for him. That's a rare kid with that mindset. It's not unprecedented, though. Grayson Allen came back - twice. Marcus Smart and Miles Bridges came back another year when they each could have gone pro. Then again, Flip looks a lot like some recent big men in college that came back. Drew Timme, Hunter Dickinson, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and others had sort of maxed out in college but returned for another go of it. Perhaps Flip knows he has to prove he can defend in order to get to the NBA.

As for me, I look at what the staff is doing. They aren't going after a center. That tells me that they think they have that guy already or can pivot through the transfer portal if need be. Never say never is all I'll say.

[CameronBlue]

I don't have any special insights into this, so take this with a grain of salt. Take a whole salt flat with it.

The staff is not recruiting another center. You can usually tell what the roster is going to look like based on who gets recruited. The coaching staff isn't bringing in another PG next year, which is a pretty big indicator that they expect to see Jeremy Roach start (or are very high on Jaylen Blakes). For the Class of 2023, there are no offers out to centers. It's all forwards and guards. They must think they have the center of the future locked up. Maybe that guy is Kyle Filipowski. In spite of his lofty rankings, he has done nothing but talk about how he looks forward to multiple years in college. Maybe we should listen to him when he says things like that in interviews?

I guess the argument against that is that recruits say a lot of things. Players may plan on being around for 2 or more years until they find out the NBA wants them (or someone close to them is telling them that, even if that is not the case). Flip's brother is going to Harvard. He's a bright kid himself. He may be on a path of playing a few years in college, get most or all of a degree, and then the NBA will be there for him. That's a rare kid with that mindset. It's not unprecedented, though. Grayson Allen came back - twice. Marcus Smart and Miles Bridges came back another year when they each could have gone pro. Then again, Flip looks a lot like some recent big men in college that came back. Drew Timme, Hunter Dickinson, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and others had sort of maxed out in college but returned for another go of it. Perhaps Flip knows he has to prove he can defend in order to get to the NBA.

As for me, I look at what the staff is doing. They aren't going after a center. That tells me that they think they have that guy already or can pivot through the transfer portal if need be. Never say never is all I'll say.

Is it certain that Mark Williams is leaving? His sister has plans for Med school presumably, so perhaps Mark sees value in completing his degree before jumping to the league.

[CDu]

Is it certain that Mark Williams is leaving? His sister has plans for Med school presumably, so perhaps Mark sees value in completing his degree before jumping to the league.

We are talking about 2023. The 2022 class has a center (or 2, depending on one's opinion of Filipowski) coming in.

I'd put the chances of Williams being back next year at pretty close to 0%. I'd feel quite comfortably that he won't be here as a senior.

[flyingdutchdevil]

We are talking about 2023. The 2022 class has a center (or 2, depending on one's opinion of Filipowski) coming in.

I'd put the chances of Williams being back next year at pretty close to 0%. I'd feel quite comfortably that he won't be here as a senior.

Yeah...I just can't see a world where Flip. Lively, and Williams are on the same together.

So either Williams goes and Flip and Lively come to Duke, or Williams stays and we lose one of Flip of Lively.

Lively is going to start wherever he goes. Based on Flip's recent rise, he will too.

[DavidBenAkiva]

I mean, how do we think GG and Sean Stewart would fit on the same roster? I get that GG is considered the superrior prospect, but Sean ain't exactly slumming. I feel like Duke is gonna be a bit loaded at the PF position in 2023-24. Heck, I think there's a decent possibility that one of Flip or Mitchell sticks around for more than one year (though Flip could certainly play C if Duke had other PFs on the roster).

Look, I'd love love love to get GG but I don't think he is a priority recruit for Duke. Mackenzie Mgbako is our #1 prospect at this point, I think.

-Jason "Caleb Foster and Sean Stewart are such a great start to this class (and I suppose you could maybe consider Christian Reeves as a class of 2023 kid as he is going to redshirt)" Evans

They are different players, of course, but there are a lot of similarities between Jackson and Paolo Banchero. The handle and vision look different and they have different bodies, but there some similar skillsets.

Stewart, from what I've seen, is less polished and more of a finisher at the rim with a developing. I am setting my expectations for him as a reserve and multi-year guy. I know he's a top 15 guy in the ESPN rankings, but the other services don't have him there. He very much has the profile of a 2-4 year player, which I think is fantastic.

At any rate, here are some recent clips of Jackson.

[tommy]

Yeah...I just can't see a world where Flip. Lively, and Williams are on the same together.

So either Williams goes and Flip and Lively come to Duke, or Williams stays and we lose one of Flip of Lively.

Lively is going to start wherever he goes. Based on Flip's recent rise, he will too.

Mark is going to have a first round grade. It would be a shock if he were to return.

Keels and Moore are more iffy, and could certainly slip to the second round, so it's a lot easier to envision them coming back. Although I bet they don't. This is our world . . .

[CDu]

I don't have any special insights into this, so take this with a grain of salt. Take a whole salt flat with it.

The staff is not recruiting another center. You can usually tell what the roster is going to look like based on who gets recruited. The coaching staff isn't bringing in another PG next year, which is a pretty big indicator that they expect to see Jeremy Roach start (or are very high on Jaylen Blakes). For the Class of 2023, there are no offers out to centers. It's all forwards and guards. They must think they have the center of the future locked up. Maybe that guy is Kyle Filipowski. In spite of his lofty rankings, he has done nothing but talk about how he looks forward to multiple years in college. Maybe we should listen to him when he says things like that in interviews?

I guess the argument against that is that recruits say a lot of things. Players may plan on being around for 2 or more years until they find out the NBA wants them (or someone close to them is telling them that, even if that is not the case). Flip's brother is going to Harvard. He's a bright kid himself. He may be on a path of playing a few years in college, get most or all of a degree, and then the NBA will be there for him. That's a rare kid with that mindset. It's not unprecedented, though. Grayson Allen came back - twice. Marcus Smart and Miles Bridges came back another year when they each could have gone pro. Then again, Flip looks a lot like some recent big men in college that came back. Drew Timme, Hunter Dickinson, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and others had sort of maxed out in college but returned for another go of it. Perhaps Flip knows he has to prove he can defend in order to get to the NBA.

As for me, I look at what the staff is doing. They aren't going after a center. That tells me that they think they have that guy already or can pivot through the transfer portal if need be. Never say never is all I'll say.

Worth noting that we do have Christian Reeves, a 3-star center that will redshirt in 2022-23 and be a freshman in the 2023-24 season. Now, I don't expect that the team is counting on Reeves to be the starter that season, but it does allow for more flexibility.

Also worth noting that the 2023 class appears to be pretty light on centers at the top of the class. Per 247, there is only 1 center in the top-20 recruits, and that guy is 6'10" and just 205lb. So it could just be that they are waiting to see how the big-man class develops before getting involved with a particular recruit. I'm not sure that the absence of a recruiting target at this point necessarily says much about the likelihood of Filipowski being a multiple year guy, or more about the idea that we're not sold on any of the options in that class at the moment.

Also, I'm not sure that Filipowski has much in common with Timme, Dickinson, and Jackson-Davis. For one thing, he's a much higher-rated recruit than those guys (they were all 20-something in their class). For another, he's more skilled than any of them, with a 3pt shot and better ballhandling. Those guys are largely underathletic guys who are tethered to the post.

[JasonEvans]

Based on what I have heard, Paolo, AJ, and Mark are 100% gone at this point. There is too much tape of them playing in ways the NBA values and all three are locks to be first rounders (unless something terrible happened that I don't even want to think about). I've actually heard that Mark told the Duke staff a year ago around the time of the draft that he was coming back, "for one more year." That's why Duke was going hard after centers before we had even seen Mark perform on the court this season.

Keels was pretty darn close to 100% gone a few weeks ago but there seems to be some belief that his stock may have suffered lately. Still, I'd make him about 90% to be OAD. Moore is really the only question mark IMO. A few weeks ago, when he seemed certain to be a top 20 pick, he was gone. I'd say the odds have drifted down lately. We shall see...