View Poll Results: Who drafted the best team of Dukies?

Voters
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  • Donald's team - Zion, Shelden, JJ, Singler, Kyrie

    16 12.21%
  • Jason's team - Shane, JWill, Johnny, Elton, Dunleavy

    58 44.27%
  • Sam's team - Grant, Christian, Bobby, Marvin, Nolan

    57 43.51%
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Results 61 to 80 of 105
  1. #61
    Quote Originally Posted by bundabergdevil View Post
    See, I disagree with this. I think Zion pairing w/ Williams or Boozer is problematic. Zion needs space to operate in the paint; set all sorts of records for his 2-point conversions, conversions after misses, etc. He doesn't function well with a traditional 5; he needs a versatile five that's comfortable unclogging the lane, getting out to the perimeter and serving as an outlet (JJ and Kyrie are obviously perfect here). Christian would have been an ideal pairing, too.

    I'm also worried about JJ and Kyrie. Kyrie is an on-the-ball wizard and JJ is an off-the-ball wizard, I'm not sure those two attributes mesh well if Kyrie is works his 1-on-1 magic too much (as he is want to do). JJ and Williams proved a good 2-man game but not good enough to do what players on the other 2 teams did, win it all!
    I don't know. Zion didn't have much space in his one year at Duke and seemed to do pretty well.

  2. #62
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    New Orleans, Louisiana
    I haven't listened to the podcast, but I wanted to express my appreciation for the very straightforward draft approach to a heavily and perhaps overly discussed topic. There is some subjectivity in listing positions, but this is way better than assigning 1-5 point values to players and having 15 points to distribute among a starting five. (I've seen that on DBR before, and it's a whole lot of nonsense.)

    A bit of an off-topic analogy, but 2-3 years ago the game show Jeopardy! did a set of All-Star Games, a kind of team tournament of trivia luminaries. 6 former champions were assigned as captains, and each had to draft 12 other former champions to make six teams of 3. The draft was essentially an S-curve; one captain picked 1st and 12th, the second captain picked 2nd and 11th, and so on. YouTube has a 4-minute version of the draft:



    Despite picking "last" (6th and 7th), Brad Rutter picked Larissa Kelly and Dave Madden, and they won the whole thing. This kept Brad, at that time, undefeated on Jeopardy! against all human competition (he and Ken Jennings lost to IBM's Watson in a 2011 exhibition).

    I bring this up because Sam is Brad Rutter. He took advantage of making back-to-back draft picks at the bottom of the S-Curve to get Grant Hill and Christian Laettner, the Larissa Kelly and Dave Madden of Duke basketball. And what's crazy is how well he drafted after that. In my opinion, it's the three biggest stars of the 1991 and 1992 championship teams, plus upgrades at shooting guard, power forward, and the bench. Marvin Bagley fits in nicely here exactly because he doesn't have to do everything. He's the quick and agile rebounder that those venerated, pre-OAD Coach K teams kind of lacked. I could quibble about Sam picking Nolan Smith at #15 instead of Chris Duhon (who went #20), but he also picked Trajan Langdon as a reserve, so no real complaints.

    Look, all of the teams are good because all of the talent is good. I'm not talking crap about Donald or Jason any more than I would criticize Team Buzzy Cohen or Team Ken Jennings in the above video. But while in Donald's and Jason's teams I see amazing talent, in Sam's team I see both amazing talent and a winning strategy. I can tell how the pieces fit. The other teams, while unbelievable groupings, operate more on a "How could they lose?" level of imagination and faith.

  3. #63
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Three absurdly talented teams. I could get granular about match-ups, skills, etc., but there is one indisputable and overwhelming determinative fact IMO:

    No one has ever imposed their personal will to win on a team as effectively and as pervasively as Christian. No one.

    I love all those teams. My betting money is on Laettner, though, every time.

  4. #64
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    St. Louis, MO
    Quote Originally Posted by MarkD83 View Post
    How could you NOT vote for Jason's team that has Danny Ferry a national player of the year and whose jersey is retired as a 6th MAN OFF THE BENCH Caps and bold for definite emphasis.
    This was the deciding factor for me. When I saw the starting 5, I was undecided between the 2 teams that are basically tied. The bench tipped the scales for me.

  5. #65
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Winston Salem, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by OldPhiKap View Post
    Three absurdly talented teams. I could get granular about match-ups, skills, etc., but there is one indisputable and overwhelming determinative fact IMO:

    No one has ever imposed their personal will to win on a team as effectively and as pervasively as Christian. No one.

    I love all those teams. My betting money is on Laettner, though, every time.
    Must spread those things. He was and still is the best to play for Duke University. Pairing him with Grant and Bobby just sealed the deal. They could beat some teams 3 against 5.

    GoDuke!

  6. #66
    I went with Sam's team. They just have too much big game and senior experience. They are not going to get rattled in a close game and these games will be close. I think each team is capable of beating the other two, but I just had to go with their experience as Duke players. The bench is solid. We forget how good Deng was in his one year. And even though Okafor has not excelled in the pros, he was a difficult matchup in college. Not sure who could hang with him on the other teams.

  7. #67
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    You are expressly not allowed to judge Kyrie based on his NBA success. This is only about these guys while they were wearing a Duke uniform. Obviously, vote for whichever team you want but I strongly urge folks to divorce their opinions from the NBA versions of these players.

    Thanks!
    Sure, I think you can argue that Zion (not Kyrie!) had the best single college season of any Duke player ever, regardless of NBA things.

  8. #68
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Winston Salem, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Wander View Post
    Sure, I think you can argue that Zion (not Kyrie!) had the best single college season of any Duke player ever(not to win NCAA Championship), regardless of NBA things.
    Fixed it.

  9. #69
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    The top of each team is stacked, but the top picks on each team as a group are fairly even in my opinion. In order to evaluate these teams, we need to look at the depth, and I just think Jason's team looks a little better from top to bottom. Elton Brand at #11 is the biggest steal of the draft in my estimation. That guy was the best player on arguably the most talented Duke team of all time. And Jayson Tatum at #23 is great value, even if it's just the freshman version of him.

    I gotta throw Sam some shade here . . . You started out on fire, drafting the Laettner/Hill/Hurley ultra combo, but then Marvin Bagley over Elton? Come on, dude.

  10. #70
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Carolina Beach
    Quote Originally Posted by MarkD83 View Post
    How could you NOT vote for Jason's team that has Danny Ferry a national player of the year and whose jersey is retired as a 6th MAN OFF THE BENCH Caps and bold for definite emphasis.
    Back to Back ACC POY when the ACC was at its best. I have probably said this too often but if Duke had won one NC with Danny he would be looked at far differently in discussions of the greatest Duke players. If Brickey doesn't pull that hammy I believe that was the year for Duke and Danny Ferry to win it all.

  11. #71
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    If you have listened to the latest episode of the DBR podcast, then you heard Jason, Donald, and Sam draft their team of the best Dukies of all time. Now we need all of you to vote on which team is best. Which one of us meshed the best bunch of Duke greats into just the right bunch of guys? Here are our teams (in order of how they were drafted):

    Donald
    1. Zion Williamson – 4
    6. Shelden Williams - 5
    7. JJ Redick - 2
    12. Kyle Singler - 3
    13. Kyrie Irving – 1
    18. Carlos Boozer – big
    19. Jon Scheyer - guard
    24. Tyus Jones - guard

    Jason
    2. Shane Battier - 4
    5. Jay Will – 1
    8. Johnny Dawkins – 2
    11. Elton Brand - 5
    14. Mike Dunleavy - 3
    17. Danny Ferry - big
    20. Chris Duhon - guard
    23. Jayson Tatum – wing

    Sam
    3. Grant Hill – 3
    4. Christian Laettner - 5
    9. Bobby Hurley – 1
    10. Marvin Bagley – 4
    15. Nolan Smith – 2
    16. Luol Deng – wing
    21. Trajan Langdon – wing
    22. Jahlil Okafor - big

    -Jason "listen to the podcast before voting... you need to hear us explain our picks and rationale behind them" Evans
    Sam nailed it, his team would win it all!

  12. #72
    Where is the team with Cherokee Parks? His teams were the best too soon?

    Getting serious here, I had to go with Sam's team. Hill + Laettner + Hurley + 5 more random Duke First team All-ACC players is going to beat the snot out of every other team. Those three just got it done.

    It's a bit like putting together a team for State that has David Thompson + Towe + Burleson or for the Heels a team with Jordan, Worthy and Smith.

    It doesn't really matter who else you have on the other teams. Those teams and players were generational talents that worked together flawlessly. Maybe they are or aren't the best at their position, but it's a bit like Stockton and Malone...when you need to get it done those guys got it done. Every time.

  13. #73
    Donald's team:
    Zion and Kyrie are trapped in their freshmen world. Perhaps they are the most talented freshmen Duke has had, but not yet mature or clutch. The other starters are 4 year guys. JJ possessed a difference making skill-absurdly lethal from downtown. Singler and The Landlord both performed at a high level for 4 years, but were not superstars.

    Jason's team:
    I think the JWill / Dawkins backcourt is ridiculously talented and proven.
    Both of them started at the point as freshmen, yet were moved off the ball as 2nd year players. Amaker and Duhon respectively took over that role.
    So Jason selected JWill as his point. Not sure that is his best position.

    Elton and Ferry as subs? Are you kidding me? Sorry, but Dunleavy isn't starting over Ferry. Nope. This is the deepest team of the 3.

    Sam's Team:
    The starting guards are not as strong as the other 2 teams as talents. But their accomplishments, 3 NCAA titles, dwarfs the other guards. Hurley is the best pure college guard on any of the rosters. H,H, L: nuff said. Bagley would not have been my pick at the slot he was taken, but his quickness and rebounding would compliment Laettner's ability to step outside.

    Hard, difficult choice...but Hurley at point, a top 3 talent in G Hill, and Laettner who went 21-2 in the NCAA tourney (compare that to the 8 games Kyrie played) swings the deal.

    Sam gets my vote.

  14. #74
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    ^Where do you see Brand listed as a sub?

  15. #75
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Watching carolina Go To HELL!
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    I think each person needs to judge Kyrie’s college career how they want. I sorta ruled out picking him myself because I think 8 games is just too little to elevate him among the all-time greats in a Duke uniform, though he was clearly incredibly talented in those 8 games. Donald felt he saw enough to make Kyrie his starting PG. YMMV.
    Quote Originally Posted by cbarry View Post
    I agree with Donald-- From what I saw of him, Kyrie was one of the best to ever wear a Duke uni.
    Sam gets my vote. Well, his team does. Zion is unstoppable inside and out, JJJ bombs away to clear space, and Kyrie gets them both the ball. Kyrie's drive and dish to Zion (or Shelden) is almost too easy. This team is all but unbeatable. And I didn't even mention Singler - he position is winner!
    Ozzie, your paradigm of optimism!

    Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
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  16. #76
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Shaker Heights, OH
    Quote Originally Posted by MarkD83 View Post
    Shane would "D" up Laettner so much that after the 3rd charge drawn, L would stomp on him and get ejected. .

    Dunleavy would hit 3 threes in a row ...JWill would score 10 points in 60 seconds...Ferry would score 58...Duhon would go coast to coast...and Johnny would throw down a reverse dunk and this game would be OVER...
    Clearly, even if Laettner stomped on him, he wouldn't be ejected. I believe there is precedent here . . . .

  17. #77
    Quote Originally Posted by barjwr View Post
    Clearly, even if Laettner stomped on him, he wouldn't be ejected. I believe there is precedent here . . . .
    Of course he wouldn't, because Duke gets all the calls!

  18. #78
    There have been some incredible observations already, and when I was trying to envision how these teams would go at it, I always envisioned absolute slugfests—all three squads have perfectly good arguments as to why they would prevail over the other two. In a sense, who cares who is actually correct? It would be such absolute, rapturous joy to watch these three squads face off against one another in a three-way, best-of-seven series to see how they all stack up against one another. Who among us can develop a simulation to do so?

  19. #79
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Quote Originally Posted by OZZIE4DUKE View Post
    Sam gets my vote. Well, his team does. Zion is unstoppable inside and out, JJJ bombs away to clear space, and Kyrie gets them both the ball. Kyrie's drive and dish to Zion (or Shelden) is almost too easy. This team is all but unbeatable. And I didn't even mention Singler - he position is winner!
    I hope you didn't give Sam your vote, cuz you just described my team!!
    Check out the Duke Basketball Roundup!

    2003-2004 HLM
    Duke | Mirecourt | Detroit| The U | USA

  20. #80
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    Whoa... what happened? Who voted? Sam was like 2 or 3 votes ahead of me and it felt like the momentum was all going his way when... BANG... I scored a slew of new votes and now my team is in the lead. I want to know who is helping my crew of 99-01 stars combined with 1980s legends to turn the tide!
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

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