Sean Stewart Portals to the The.

[Duke79UNLV77]

The Duke coaches very much wanted Sean to come back. In no way was Sean "ushered out."

But, here is the rub... perhaps Duke felt the role Sean was likely to play next season was not that of a 30 minute per game player. Duke knew they needed someone who could slip between the 4 and the 5 but were unsure if Sean was the right guy for that. So, what was Duke supposed to do? Was Jon supposed to eschew looking at established 4/5 players who seemed like a great fit merely because Sean felt Sean could play a big big role on next year's team?

Jon's ultimate obligation is to build the best team he can (within the rules and the academic requirements at Duke). He felt that adding Maliq Brown would help Duke build that team. He hoped that Sean would also be a part of that team, but if bringing in Maliq meant losing Sean, Jon was clearly prepared for that to happen.

If Stewart wanted a guaranteed starting spot, Jon honestly couldn’t do that but said he’d be in the solid rotation at the 4/5 and could compete for more, and Stewart transferred for a guaranteed starting spot, then that’s unfortunate but okay.

If Stewart would have been okay with what Jon described, but the Duke added Brown as a transfer, prompting Stewart to transfer, then I don’t like that. I’ll never know, but the free transfer rules have created chaos and cut against team-oriented values.

[dm9e24]

I am under the impression that Brown was brought in to replace Mitchell when he entered the portal. It was going to be Sean, Mitchell and Power coupled with Flagg going into the 2024-25 season. Mitchell and Power were gone, leaving Sean and Cooper at the 4. KM and Patrick as freshmen 5’s. Brown was recruited to play the 4/5. It seems plenty of minutes to earn at the 4/5 for Sean. I guess when Brown came in, Stewart felt the need to move on. I wonder had Mitchell stayed and Brown not come in, what’s the difference in personnel. Sean was going to have to compete against either Mitchell or Brown. I think Cooper is going to spend most of his time at the three.

Maybe Sean was always leaving

[Maged]

If Sean Stewart had come back, and had a really good year (30 mpg, let's say double digit pts. and close to double digit rebounds), I suspect he would have tested the waters. And there would be a good chance he wouldn't come back for his junior year.

So giving a guy a guarantee, or giving him minutes that he didn't earn in practice, would in no way create continuity more than one year.

So Brown actually may assure more longevity than Sean would have, if Brown stays 2 years.

[elvis14]

In hindsight it will be one of the best offseasons we'll have.

No, I don't think that in hindsight it will be one of our best off seasons. Buying a championship by bringing in players from other programs isn't something that leads to that kind of hindsight.

Boils down to what's more important: just winning (the UNCheat thing) or how you go about it (the Duke thing). It's become very difficult to win the way Duke has been doing things. We thought there was going to be a shift from mostly 1 and done guys (where we end up playing 17-19 year olds vs 23-25 year olds) to some 1 and done guys and other guys that stay 3 and 4 years and develop. Now all those guys transferred out instead of developing here and we have replaced them with strangers from other teams. That's not a good thing, even if we win a few more games.

[budwom]

^ but it’s not that different from just bringing in more OAD guys Just even more guys we don’t know

[JasonEvans]

No, I don't think that in hindsight it will be one of our best off seasons. Buying a championship by bringing in players from other programs isn't something that leads to that kind of hindsight.

Boils down to what's more important: just winning (the UNCheat thing) or how you go about it (the Duke thing). It's become very difficult to win the way Duke has been doing things. We thought there was going to be a shift from mostly 1 and done guys (where we end up playing 17-19 year olds vs 23-25 year olds) to some 1 and done guys and other guys that stay 3 and 4 years and develop. Now all those guys transferred out instead of developing here and we have replaced them with strangers from other teams. That's not a good thing, even if we win a few more games.

Two of UConn's starters (including their best player) were transfers.

Look, you don't have to like the way college basketball has evolved, but it is what it is at this point and there are very, very few top teams who are not stocking their roster with multiple transfers.

If you want Duke to focus more on developing players for the long term versus winning games this season, you can root for that but I suspect Scheyer's job would soon be in jeopardy and Duke's revenues from basketball would decline precipitously if the team shifted its focus like that.

[kshepinthehouse]

^ but it’s not that different from just bringing in more OAD guys Just even more guys we don’t know

Yea. How is bringing in transfers buying a championship but bringing in elite freshmen who leave after a year isn’t?

[bshrader]

Two of UConn's starters (including their best player) were transfers.

Look, you don't have to like the way college basketball has evolved, but it is what it is at this point and there are very, very few top teams who are not stocking their roster with multiple transfers.

If you want Duke to focus more on developing players for the long term versus winning games this season, you can root for that but I suspect Scheyer's job would soon be in jeopardy and Duke's revenues from basketball would decline precipitously if the team shifted its focus like that.

[bluedevilwildcats]

Yea. How is bringing in transfers buying a championship but bringing in elite freshmen who leave after a year isn’t?

I think many folks thought that it was, at the time, but we all got used to it. Same thing will happen with transfers.

Really only followed Duke bball after Fuqua, so in the past ~ 13 years, some of my favorite players were 1ADs. For me, more about their personality, being fun to watch, and helping the team win. Their tenure at Duke doesn't have much to do with how much I enjoy them.

[AGDukesky]

No, I don't think that in hindsight it will be one of our best off seasons. Buying a championship by bringing in players from other programs isn't something that leads to that kind of hindsight.

Boils down to what's more important: just winning (the UNCheat thing) or how you go about it (the Duke thing). It's become very difficult to win the way Duke has been doing things. We thought there was going to be a shift from mostly 1 and done guys (where we end up playing 17-19 year olds vs 23-25 year olds) to some 1 and done guys and other guys that stay 3 and 4 years and develop. Now all those guys transferred out instead of developing here and we have replaced them with strangers from other teams. That's not a good thing, even if we win a few more games.

I understand the new environment is not ideal but in no way is Duke buying a championship. None of the portal transfers are going to be ringers. Our top 3 players at least will be Proctor, Foster and Flagg plus likely Maluach. Bringing in some experienced depth when a bunch of players leave because of a lack of guaranteed playing time is not Duke’s fault. Maybe Jon could have used the bench more but guys are just too impatient.

I do not love this NIL world but Duke is doing a lot less to buy a championship than most schools…

[tommy]

I understand the new environment is not ideal but in no way is Duke buying a championship. None of the portal transfers are going to be ringers. Our top 3 players at least will be Proctor, Foster and Flagg plus likely Maluach. Bringing in some experienced depth when a bunch of players leave because of a lack of guaranteed playing time is not Duke’s fault. Maybe Jon could have used the bench more but guys are just too impatient.

I do not love this NIL world but Duke is doing a lot less to buy a championship than most schools…

So you don't think Proctor, Foster, Flagg and Maluach are getting paid in a big way via NIL? I can assure you they are.

[chrishoke]

So you don't think Proctor, Foster, Flagg and Maluach are getting paid in a big way via NIL? I can assure you they are.

Curious, how can you assure us?

[AGDukesky]

So you don't think Proctor, Foster, Flagg and Maluach are getting paid in a big way via NIL? I can assure you they are.

I interpret buying a championship as stealing ringers from other schools- not recruiting from HS. If that is the standard then everyone is just buying championships so Duke is not doing anything special.

[Bluedog]

So you don't think Proctor, Foster, Flagg and Maluach are getting paid in a big way via NIL? I can assure you they are.

Curious, how can you assure us?

Can Maluach even get paid a huge way by NIL given he's Sudanese? I thought the student visa doesn't allow it. I've heard murmurings colleges are trying to get international players visas similar to what international celebrities get though so they can make more money from US-sources.

The rest of those guys are American (I think Proctor has US-citizenship courtesy of his father) so don't have the same issue.

But I think Tommy's point is that Duke HAS to be competitive in the NIL-marketplace or else we wouldn't be able to be bringing in such high profile players. Which I think is fair. It's less about his knowledge of exact contracts and more just acknowledging the marketplace -- and that $$$ talks. No way Duke competes without $$. I do think Duke has more to offer with "Traditional NIL" (e.g. outside paid sponsors) vs. "Booster/collective NIL" than most institutions, but based on reports, a few well-heeled Duke alumni have been footing the collective bills as well lately to at least make our program not totally out of whack with the best (I.e. most highly funded) collectives in the marketplace. I mean, Derek Lively said he bought his mom a house with his NIL earnings freshman year (not saying it was a huge house and no idea the cost...). And NIL has since then been sky-rocketing. RIP to Derek's mother.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I interpret buying a championship as stealing ringers from other schools- not recruiting from HS. If that is the standard then everyone is just buying championships so Duke is not doing anything special.

Yeah, I'm not seeing the nuanced differences between these varying degrees of college sports morality.

These things are here to stay - one and done, transfers, NIL money. There are early adopters and others. When Duke is an early adopter (OAD) we are proud at how our coaches and program is able to adapt to the times. When we are slower (transfer portal) it's the destruction of the game and we can be high and mighty about it.

It's all the same thing.

[clinresga]

I mean, Derek Lively said he bought his mom a house with his NIL earnings freshman year (not saying it was a huge house and no idea the cost...).

As we know from the DBB video from Derek's season, the first thing he did when he got NIL money was to buy his father a gravestone. The second was to take care of his mom, which meant buying her a house. But based on the photo, it was a very modest residence

Lively.jpg

and in no way would prove that he make huge NIL money.

Item #3 was "a shopping trip." Kid deserved that to say the least. And now he's been rewarded, and thankfully his mom at least got to see him make his ultimate goal and enjoy it with him, if only far too briefly. Great kid. I can't think of anyone representing the Brotherhood better than he has to date.

[Bluedog]

As we know from the DBB video from Derek's season, the first thing he did when he got NIL money was to buy his father a gravestone. The second was to take care of his mom, which meant buying her a house. But based on the photo, it was a very modest residence

Lively.jpg

and in no way would prove that he make huge NIL money.

Item #3 was "a shopping trip." Kid deserved that to say the least. And now he's been rewarded, and thankfully his mom at least got to see him make his ultimate goal and enjoy it with him, if only far too briefly. Great kid. I can't think of anyone representing the Brotherhood better than he has to date.

Thank you for that. I do recall that the first thing he bought was a gravestone for his father and buying his mother a house was absolutely something to take care of her as they'd gone through life struggles together. (And, as you stated, it was modest). Clearly, Lively wasn't living a life of opulence even after getting NIL and didn't shower his mother with obscene sums of money or anything -- Lively is a humble guy and came from humble beginnings. Apologies if my post was suggesting otherwise. I simply meant to provide some context as to the NIL earnings of typical players and the fact that those earnings have increased substantially in the current year compared to what Lively experienced as well. Lively was probably a bad "Example" to use since he's basically the COUNTER example to guys getting tons of money and flashing it around (a la Shadeur Sanders with his Rolls Royce).

Fully agreed with your last sentence!! DLive has been a great representative and his story with his mother been extremely touching and sad as well as inspiring to us all.

[dlmzzz]

No, I don't think that in hindsight it will be one of our best off seasons. Buying a championship by bringing in players from other programs isn't something that leads to that kind of hindsight.

Boils down to what's more important: just winning (the UNCheat thing) or how you go about it (the Duke thing). It's become very difficult to win the way Duke has been doing things. We thought there was going to be a shift from mostly 1 and done guys (where we end up playing 17-19 year olds vs 23-25 year olds) to some 1 and done guys and other guys that stay 3 and 4 years and develop. Now all those guys transferred out instead of developing here and we have replaced them with strangers from other teams. That's not a good thing, even if we win a few more games.

Well, is it "buying a championship" to pay the players that stayed (Proctor & Foster)? Would it have been buying a championship if we had paid Stewart & Powers starter level NIL money (e.g. whatever Stewart will get at OSU), even if they weren't likely to get that many minutes at Duke?

That also sounds like buying a championship, just without the championship part.

[Duke79UNLV77]

Thank you for that. I do recall that the first thing he bought was a gravestone for his father and buying his mother a house was absolutely something to take care of her as they'd gone through life struggles together. (And, as you stated, it was modest). Clearly, Lively wasn't living a life of opulence even after getting NIL and didn't shower his mother with obscene sums of money or anything -- Lively is a humble guy and came from humble beginnings. Apologies if my post was suggesting otherwise. I simply meant to provide some context as to the NIL earnings of typical players and the fact that those earnings have increased substantially in the current year compared to what Lively experienced as well. Lively was probably a bad "Example" to use since he's basically the COUNTER example to guys getting tons of money and flashing it around (a la Shadeur Sanders with his Rolls Royce).

Fully agreed with your last sentence!! DLive has been a great representative and his story with his mother been extremely touching and sad as well as inspiring to us all.

I think most grads of a college who are devoted to their team are looking for the players to prioritize the team, to share a deep connection and loyalty to the school, and to take actual college classes while they are there. Lively checks all those boxes to the Nth. By contrast, with it becoming commonplace for players to be on their 3rd school, and for half the starting lineups in the Final Four to be on at least their 2nd school, college basketball is watering down at least the first 2 elements listed above. I also see a difference between a school having a clear vacancy in their roster and filling it in with a transfer, versus having a Lexus and looking to trade it in to upgrade to a BMW. That type of lack of commitment to a player already in your program who wants to continue in your program would be a radical change from the last 4+ decades at Duke.

[SkyBrickey]

I think most grads of a college who are devoted to their team are looking for the players to prioritize the team, to share a deep connection and loyalty to the school, and to take actual college classes while they are there. Lively checks all those boxes to the Nth. By contrast, with it becoming commonplace for players to be on their 3rd school, and for half the starting lineups in the Final Four to be on at least their 2nd school, college basketball is watering down at least the first 2 elements listed above. I also see a difference between a school having a clear vacancy in their roster and filling it in with a transfer, versus having a Lexus and looking to trade it in to upgrade to a BMW. That type of lack of commitment to a player already in your program who wants to continue in your program would be a radical change from the last 4+ decades at Duke.

I choose to believe Jon was in a tough spot this offseason. He wants to build continuity and culture with recruits like Foster, Stewart, Power. But he also wants to go to final fours and win championships. Jon has to play the best hand he can given the broken system. This was a year to push all in around Flagg with Maluach and the transfers to chase a championship.

Will be very interesting to see if his approach is the same or different next year.