MBB: Coach K Preseason Press Conference

[Troublemaker]

If you have the ACCN, you can watch it here: https://www.espn.com/watch/?id=edcaf...8-8341c59b9bf4

[Troublemaker]

Early on in the presser, Coach K said (paraphrasing) that while all the freshmen were good defenders, Matthew Hurt was clearly the best of the bunch at defense.

Don't forget which DBR poster actually took the time to watch film, ignored the narratives and pre-conceptions, and determined that Matthew was actually a good defender.

Oh yeah, that'd be me! As always, I rule.

Here was my series of posts about Matthew's defense.

[chrishoke]

Tx. I turned it on just as it was ending. I hope folks that watched will share interesting tidbits.

[UrinalCake]

Awesome to hear about Hurt's defense. We know he can shoot the ball but I have had my concerns about the other end of the floor especially when paired with Carey, who as a fellow freshman will have some expected growing pains. If "all the freshmen were good defenders" is actually true and not just pre-season coach-speak, then my optimism about this season will take a major bump.

[OldPhiKap]

Tx. I turned it on just as it was ending. I hope folks that watched will share interesting tidbits.

I will be very disappointed if it is not on GoDuke.com soon, too.

[Utley]

Is he saying Hurt is better at D than Moore - I thought he was supposed to be an elite defender?

[proelitedota]

Is he saying Hurt is better at D than Moore - I thought he was supposed to be an elite defender?

Everyone assumes Moore is because of his wingspan.

Hurt is a good defender because he is shown to have great instincts and IQ. His wingspan is unimpressive so his defense is slipping under the radar.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Is he saying Hurt is better at D than Moore - I thought he was supposed to be an elite defender?

Ooooor...it's coach speak.

I'm gonna guess it's coach speak.

[UrinalCake]

Everyone assumes Moore is [an elite defender] because of his wingspan.

I think it's more than that though; every scouting report I've read on Moore describes him as being a plus defender if not an elite defender. I have to think that's based on more than just his measurables.

At any rate, I'm fine with Moore being an elite defender AND Hurt being better than him

[proelitedota]

I think it's more than that though; every scouting report I've read on Moore describes him as being a plus defender if not an elite defender. I have to think that's based on more than just his measurables.

At any rate, I'm fine with Moore being an elite defender AND Hurt being better than him

Moore is elite but Hurt is proelite.

[UrinalCake]

Aaaand we have our first sighting of a "we'll use our bench more" quote from K! Who had September 23 in the pool?

Blue Devil Nation
@BlueDevilNation
Coach K said Alex O'Connell has put on 12 pounds. He said his team would look to score from many positions not having alpha dogs like Zion and RJ a season ago. Duke may be able to play more players as a result.

[proelitedota]

Aaaand we have our first sighting of a "we'll use our bench more" quote from K! Who had September 23 in the pool?

My reaction to Coach.

[Billy Dat]

ESPN had the archive available...not sure if it's because of my cable provider or the fact that I pay for ESPN+, but anyway...

-The Hurt defense comment was supported by the statement that he can guard perimeter and bigs and his defensive focus seems to be better then the rest.
-He mentioned that he really wants to pressure the ball and cited Tre, Wendell, Cassius and Goldwire as those with the most potential to do so.
-He lauded Jack and Javin's leadership and said they have both gotten better. He especially lauded Javin who, he says, got a lot out of testing the NBA waters.
-He said the team is focused on defense first. That tells me our offense may not be where it has been in the past, but offense has never really been a problem for us according to KenPom so I won't worry too much
-K says there is a much smaller gap in talent between the veterans and the freshmen because the freshmen have talent but inexperience and the vets have maybe less talent but more savvy and experience. That's not the way he said it but that is what he meant. He compared it to last year where, as he said, Zion and RJ were clearly the best guys on the team, with Cam right there. He says this means that everyone thinks they can get on the court, and that is true, so competition is really fierce.
-Tre is the engine and the most important player
-He says that this freshman class needs the leadership because they aren't otherworldly like last year
-Wistfully, about last year, "If the damn shoe doesn't break..."
-He said Debbie K has been cool about her son but Mickie is already getting fiesty about him getting PT and he had to shut that convo down real quick. He thinks maybe he's the first major college coach to coach his grandson, which, as he said, can only happen if you get really old.
-Talked a bit about Kenny Blakeney to Howard and how he hired Tyler Thornton as an assistant
-Talked a bit about William Avery and how he came back to the program via K Academy and they were able to get him re-enrolled and how he wants to be a coach so he needs that degree, etc.

[BD80]

...

At any rate, I'm fine with Moore being an elite defender AND Hurt being better than him

So our D will cause Moore Hurt?

[Troublemaker]

Here's the link for the presser on GoDuke (I think; they've changed the site since last I visited):

https://goduke.com/watch/?Archive=1812&type=Archive

[UrinalCake]

ESPN had the archive available...not sure if it's because of my cable provider or the fact that I pay for ESPN+, but anyway...

Great recap! Another tidbit that I will add is that K says the whole team is healthy. Tre had surgery at the beginning of the summer and was held out of practices until late August, but he is fully healthy now and has lost a couple of pounds thus is quicker.

Also Michael Savarino led the team in max bench press reps, doing 10 at 185 lb. Not sure how I feel about that, I would have hoped that Carey or maybe Javin or Jack would be stronger than him.

[devildeac]

So our D will cause Moore Hurt?

Sounds like you couldn't Care-y less.

[proelitedota]

Sounds like you couldn't Care-y less.

Was going to make a pun with Jack White but thought better of it.

Because the pun might have resulted in a Baker's dozen days of ban.

[Saratoga2]

Coach K in his press conference indicated Alex has added between 10 and 15 pounds of muscle since last year. The roster lists him at 6'6" and 183, same weight as last season. I suppose that means he is now more like 195 and that may help him handle bumping and the like. Has anyone seen him practice so far this summer and fall?

[jcannon]

K also gave the "He had a really big summer" jinx to Joey Baker. Translation: He and Savarino will be clapping and high-fiving a lot at the end of the bench.