Originally Posted by
Duke79UNLV77
Perhaps, but I would say the subsequent career of most those guys validated their roles at Duke. Semi would seem the strongest case of I wish we’d played him more. McCaffrey was great at Vandy, but he was a double digit scorer for a national champion at Duke. It’s not that we didn’t play him; he just wanted to be a point guard, and that wasn’t going to happen with Hurley. Elliott Williams certainly became more of a scorer, and perhaps he should have played more early as a freshman, but he was starting for Duke by the end of the year. Gbininje was very good as a 5th year senior but score just 3 ppg in what would have been his junior year. Chappell was a contributor but never became the star some envisioned at Michigan State either. Thornton’s best year was his freshman year at Duke until this year as a 5th year senior for a bad team. Most of the guys became contributors, but not stars, for much lesser teams and never would have been difference-makers for Duke.
I wish the best for O’Connell. He was very nice to my nephew in Coach K camp the past 2 years. He had plenty of chances this year, though. Unfortunately, he seemed to have lost confidence in his shot.
IMHO, there are back stories to all of these players:
McCaffrey wasn't going anywhere until the national media started giving unasked for advice -- I'm looking at you, Dickie V. He would have been better staying at Duke -- better team, better coaching, not as many personal honors, but better prep for the NBA.
Elliott Williams is a mystery -- I expect there are personal and family reasons (though not the one given publicly).
Gbinije didn't have the patience to stay around. I mean, he sat out a year, then came off the bench the next year. He started at syracuse in his fourth year after graduating HS. I don't say he would have started for Duke in 2015, but he would have had increasing PT for four straight years.
Semi Ojeleye admits he didn't have the maturity to realize he needed to improve his skills from his HS days in Kansas, and Duke was bringing him along just about right. He should have stayed at Duke -- but that's what the teen-age years involve.
Derryck Thornton wanted to stay, I hear, but family pressures forced him to transfer because -- wait for it! -- he wasn't the featured player in the offense as a freshman at Duke. He did play, however, 26 MPG and started 20 games out of 36. How did that transfer work out, Dad and Uncle?
Mike Chappell was a long time ago. I didn't understand it at the time, and I still don't. Must have been some personal reasons.
Sage Grouse
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'When I got on the bus for my first road game at Duke, I saw that every player was carrying textbooks or laptops. I coached in the SEC for 25 years, and I had never seen that before, not even once.' - David Cutcliffe to Duke alumni in Washington, DC, June 2013