McRoberts

[Uncle Drew]

Now with Green back in Portland, will Josh McRoberts travel to Idaho to get some run and experience? Weeks ago McMillan did say sending Green and McRoberts to the D-league was an option, either together or individually. And now that Green has seen been there and done that, is McRoberts next?

McRoberts last played against San Antonio on December 5th, where he logged five minutes and went scoreless in the Blazers loss. Before that, McRoberts saw one minute in a November 15th loss at Charlotte.

Regardless of what I thought of his decision to leave early, I really hate it for the guy things are going better in the NBA. I hope if he does get sent to Idaho I hope he likes potatoes and he gets back in game shape and back into a Portland uniform very quickly.


I was thinking about him last week and imagining him and his role in the new revamped Duke offense if he'd done the wise thing and stayed another year. First off I think Coach K would have still gone to this new system even if Duke didn't have front court deficiencies. And truthfully banging down under the glass and rebounding weren't Josh's strong suits anyway. Additional height to this years team would have been an obvious added bonus. But as great a passer as Josh is I think it would have made this already good team great. I still think Duke would have trouble with certain opposing centers they will / could face this season. But in my opinion this offense would have suited McRoberts much better than the sets Duke ran last year. One thing the guy did do was take the ball strong to the hole when a player penetrated and dished off. I can't help but imagine how a guy like Nolan Smith and Josh could have worked so well together. I could also see times when a Zoubek and McRoberts tag team against smaller teams, or just to match other teams height would work better with this team than it did last year.


I know, I know, what's done is done and I for one need to analyze the past less and focus on the present and future. But with him back and then seeing how well Duke is playing now I can easily see them being one of if not THE elite team.

[DukeU3x]

I won't usually say this, but it seems like Josh is enveloped in "bad karma"...22-11, first round loss, and drafted by Portland. I thought his entry into the draft was premature, even if K didn't. Nevertheless, it is impossible to argue with someone taking millions instead of another anthro class.

We could use his athleticism any year, but I was never confident in his skills at either end of the court. He was a key player on last year's team, but oftentimes it seemed to me his D was shaky and his O was built around collecting the garbage. That would explain possibly being sent down to get experience.

I guess I'm saying that I wish him no ill, but I'm not surprised.

[Karl Beem]

I swear you never saw McBobs play.

[SMO]

I swear you never saw McBobs play.

I hear you, man. Take the name McRoberts out of some of the phrases you see written on this board about him and you'd think people were talking about Gregg Newton.

[Lavabe]

Nevertheless, it is impossible to argue with someone taking millions instead of another anthro class.

Oh great! Thanks. As an anthropologist, I appreciate that remark! It's amazing that the offers are never weighed vs. chemistry, physics, biology, English, nor public policy.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[Huh?]

I pretend McRoberts never played at Duke.

[Karl Beem]

I pretend McRoberts never played at Duke.

Great third post!

[Flyers52]

I think if we had another big man (ie Shelden) to complement McRoberts last year, then we would've been more successful. His freshman year, he was the perfect 4, because the D was always attracted to JJ and Shel, and McBob was perfect for that role. Last year, had we had a great 5 man, McBob would've flourished. I would have liked to have seen both him and Singler be on the court together this year, but I guess McBob, his mother, and K had other things in mind.

[Karl Beem]

I think if we had another big man (ie Shelden) to complement McRoberts last year, then we would've been more successful. His freshman year, he was the perfect 4, because the D was always attracted to JJ and Shel, and McBob was perfect for that role. Last year, had we had a great 5 man, McBob would've flourished. I would have liked to have seen both him and Singler be on the court together this year, but I guess McBob, his mother, and K had other things in mind.

Agreed. We'd be 10-0.

[dukie8]

I think if we had another big man (ie Shelden) to complement McRoberts last year, then we would've been more successful. His freshman year, he was the perfect 4, because the D was always attracted to JJ and Shel, and McBob was perfect for that role. Last year, had we had a great 5 man, McBob would've flourished. I would have liked to have seen both him and Singler be on the court together this year, but I guess McBob, his mother, and K had other things in mind.

what team wouldn't be better with an additional first team aa and one of the best defensive players in duke's history???

[dukie8]

We could use his athleticism any year, but I was never confident in his skills at either end of the court. He was a key player on last year's team, but oftentimes it seemed to me his D was shaky and his O was built around collecting the garbage.

shaky D??? did you even watch him play last year? say what you will about his attitude and his offensive skills but night in and night out his d was extremely strong.

[lavell12]

If we had McRoberts Thrusday night we would have beaten Pitt b/c Lance and Zoubek aren't in the same league as Josh. Blair wouldn't have dominated Josh.

[Flyers52]

Dukie8, I'm not saying having Shelden again, but a player of Shelden's caliber, or someone who is a good legit 5. Zoubek hasn't been progressing, and Lance isn't a 5, neither is Singler. If we had a decent, traditional 5...it would have been a different story

[dukie8]

Dukie8, I'm not saying having Shelden again, but a player of Shelden's caliber, or someone who is a good legit 5. Zoubek hasn't been progressing, and Lance isn't a 5, neither is Singler. If we had a decent, traditional 5...it would have been a different story

shel's "caliber" is a consensus first team aa and one of the best players ever suit it up at duke. again, ANY team would be better, much better, if you inserted someone of that caliber into the lineup.

[devilirium]

We would've had a terrible record last year without him. He could pass and block shots.

But I have it on good authority that Josh put himself in a position where he couldn't return. He didn't like to hit the books, and he was too emotionally immature to make a mark on this team. The situation on the bench at home vs. Carolina was a glimpse that he couldn't take criticism and thrive.

Even so, I hope that he does well in Portland or the D league or whatever.

[johnnydakota]

We would've had a terrible record last year without him. He could pass and block shots.

But I have it on good authority that Josh put himself in a position where he couldn't return. He didn't like to hit the books, and he was too emotionally immature to make a mark on this team. The situation on the bench at home vs. Carolina was a glimpse that he couldn't take criticism and thrive.

Even so, I hope that he does well in Portland or the D league or whatever..

I agree, but then again there is a reason he and Paulus were the first Soph. captains since WWII. To be responsible for leading a team that was ranked #1 the previous year, losing 4 valuable seniors, two of whom were 1st team AA's is impossible for anyone. Paulus had an excuse with the injury, but even when he returned he struggled. Josh made a bad choice to leave, but considering the aforementioned experience, who's to say we wouldn't have done the same in his shoes. Josh on this team would've been nasty. With the improved health (Paulus, Henderson), quickness (Smith, Henderson), and shooting (Singler, King) he would have absolutely flourished. Sucks for both him and Duke. I hope he does go D-League and gets some floor time. His skills at his size are just too good to not make it in the NBA. If he doesn't, it's totally on him.

[lavell12]

I think people here take for granted how skilled Josh was, he is perhaps the most skilled big man we have had since Christian, his problem was confidence and the fact that he was not used properly. He was a very good defender but had no help inside. He was all alone inside and that caused much of his problems. He would have been great in this run'n gun style of offense. He was the best athelete in the ACC.

[dukie8]

I think people here take for granted how skilled Josh was, he is perhaps the most skilled big man we have had since Christian, his problem was confidence and the fact that he was not used properly. He was a very good defender but had no help inside. He was all alone inside and that caused much of his problems. He would have been great in this run'n gun style of offense. He was the best athelete in the ACC.

do you really think that someone who couldn't make a 5-foot shot or a lay-up with any consistency was the most skilled big and since laettner? battier? brand? boozer? part of being skilled is being able to shoot in a way that at least has some chance of the ball going in. i don't recall too many duke guys with a worse shot than mcbob's in the past 20 years.

best athelete [sic] in the acc??? based on what? nelson and henderson are both much better pure athletes in terms of strength, jumping, quickness and speed and they were in mcbob's starting five. what criteria are you using to assess athletic ability?

[Bob Green]

I think people here take for granted how skilled Josh was, he is perhaps the most skilled big man we have had since Christian, his problem was confidence and the fact that he was not used properly. He was a very good defender but had no help inside. He was all alone inside and that caused much of his problems. He would have been great in this run'n gun style of offense. He was the best athelete in the ACC.

McRoberts was a very talented passer especially in the open court. He had an above average handle for a 6'11" forward/center. But as far as skill level at scoring points, McRoberts could only dunk. He had zero touch on his shot. I agree with Dukie8 on this topic.

[Uncle Drew]

We would've had a terrible record last year without him. He could pass and block shots.

But I have it on good authority that Josh put himself in a position where he couldn't return. He didn't like to hit the books, and he was too emotionally immature to make a mark on this team. The situation on the bench at home vs. Carolina was a glimpse that he couldn't take criticism and thrive.

Even so, I hope that he does well in Portland or the D league or whatever.

At the risk of getting us both banned / censored for rumour mongering was it really the case he was academic deficient in his requirements and thus esentially had to go pro? If that was truly the case we were all teased after the VCU game when he insinuated returning or going pro was up in the air.

Josh wasn't much in the post unless it was flying through for a dunk or attempted dunk. But with this team I can't help but see him as being one more run and gun weapon to attack with. (And if nothing else five more fouls to hack an opposing center.) I hate he left but I still wish he'd stayed for his own good and Duke's.