2020 Duke men's basketball recruiting

[DukieTiger]

Particularly in the south there's a historical conflict between THE UNIVERSITY OF schools and the usually newer Morrill land-grant schools.

The former are the blue-blood schools, the ones that produce doctors and lawyers and legislators, that have law schools and med schools.

The latter are the country cousins who study agriculture. Most of the ag schools have added engineering, design and other fields but the roots are still agricultural.

So, North Carolina looks down at NC State, South Carolina looks down at Clemson, Virginia looks down at Virginia Tech, Ole Miss looks down at Mississippi State, well you get the trend.

The land-grant schools return the favor by looking at the blue-bloods as effete snobs who've never done an honest days work in their lives.

I'm reasonably certain that dynamic applies to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Note that none of these relates to academic superiority but rather cultural biases. But having lived my entire adult life in an area defined by that divide, it's not too hard to pick up on it.

^Obviously not from South Carolina

Sorry - had to interject with the comment that one of these things is not like the other.

[jimsumner]

^Obviously not from South Carolina

Sorry - had to interject with the comment that one of these things is not like the other.

Obviously you do not know anyone who attended the University of South Carolina.

[BD80]

Obviously you do not know anyone who attended the University of South Carolina.

USC??

[bigperm13]

USC??

Carolina.

[frb]

NEW 247Sports rankings for Duke targets (247 rankings, NOT the composite rankings that 247 also publishes).

#3 Cade Cunningham (UP 5 spots since last ranking)
#5 Scottie Barnes (ranking remained same)
#7 Jalen Johnson (Down 3 spots)
#12 Walker Kessler (up 3 spots)
#15 BJ Boston (down 5 spots)
#17 Jeremy Roach (down 3 spots)
#26 Caleb Love (UP 7 spots)
#33 Henry Coleman (UP 37 spots)
#35 Mark Williams (UP 17 spots)
#37 Cam'Ron Fletcher (UP 2 spots)
#53 Jaemyn Brakefield (DOWN 19 spots)

[bullettoothtony]

Why did Johnson go down? Everything I've ever read about him is just glowing.

[DukeBlue666s]

Why did Johnson go down? Everything I've ever read about him is just glowing.

The guys that jumped him glow brighter?!?!

[BeachBlueDevil]

Nice little article about AAU teammates Mark Williams (Duke target) and Cam Thomas (not a Duke target that I know of but apparently NC State is the frontrunner).

https://pilotonline.com/sports/colum...4e1b43304.html

I need to catch Williams at a game this year, his high school is very close to my house.

[907bluedevils]

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/b...ank/class/2020

Looks like ESPN has updated their top 100

[DavidBenAkiva]

Evan Daniels provides this Q&A with top Duke target Walker Kessler. The stretch big man appears to have a top 5, including Auburn, Duke, Gonzaga, Michigan, and UNC. Kessler appears to be lining up official visits in the fall and will return to Duke. He appears to be targeting a commitment around November.

Notably, it seems that Georgia is off his short list at the moment. Many had speculated that the young man would very interested in the Bulldogs given his family ties there. That no longer appears to be a real concern.

From an outsider's perspective, this one looks good for Duke. Auburn is shaping up to be tough competition, but it remains to be seen if the Tigers can sustain success under head coach Bruce Pearl. They have lost Chuma Okeke, Jared Harper, Bryce Brown, and much of the core of the team from last year. Michigan is an interesting fit as they have a new head coach in Juwan Howard. But the Wolverines lost all of Jordan Pool, Iggy Brazdeikis, and Charles Matthews to the pros and will graduate their senior point guard Zavier Simpson after this season. Their top incoming recruit, Jalen Wilson, also flipped to Kansas. It remains to be seen if they will be competitive this upcoming season. Gonzaga is on a real roll with recruiting these days, in particular for big men. They held onto Killian Tillie for a final and hopefully healthy senior season. They also bring in 3 big men and might possibly have a junior big man in Filip Petrusev that fills a similar role as Kessler. Keeping so many bigs happy and playing might be a bridge too far. And Kessler notes that UNC has only gotten involved with him in the past couple of weeks. They also have a number of bigs on the roster, although none can shoot it like the Georgian big man.

Duke can offer a lot to Kessler in terms of playing time and exposure. There's no guarantee that he will commit, of course. That being said, it certainly is trending in a positive direction for the Blue Devils.

[Spanarkel]

Evan Daniels provides this Q&A with top Duke target Walker Kessler. The stretch big man appears to have a top 5, including Auburn, Duke, Gonzaga, Michigan, and UNC. Kessler appears to be lining up official visits in the fall and will return to Duke. He appears to be targeting a commitment around November.

Notably, it seems that Georgia is off his short list at the moment. Many had speculated that the young man would very interested in the Bulldogs given his family ties there. That no longer appears to be a real concern.

From an outsider's perspective, this one looks good for Duke. Auburn is shaping up to be tough competition, but it remains to be seen if the Tigers can sustain success under head coach Bruce Pearl. They have lost Chuma Okeke, Jared Harper, Bryce Brown, and much of the core of the team from last year. Michigan is an interesting fit as they have a new head coach in Juwan Howard. But the Wolverines lost all of Jordan Pool, Iggy Brazdeikis, and Charles Matthews to the pros and will graduate their senior point guard Zavier Simpson after this season. Their top incoming recruit, Jalen Wilson, also flipped to Kansas. It remains to be seen if they will be competitive this upcoming season. Gonzaga is on a real roll with recruiting these days, in particular for big men. They held onto Killian Tillie for a final and hopefully healthy senior season. They also bring in 3 big men and might possibly have a junior big man in Filip Petrusev that fills a similar role as Kessler. Keeping so many bigs happy and playing might be a bridge too far. And Kessler notes that UNC has only gotten involved with him in the past couple of weeks. They also have a number of bigs on the roster, although none can shoot it like the Georgian big man.

Duke can offer a lot to Kessler in terms of playing time and exposure. There's no guarantee that he will commit, of course. That being said, it certainly is trending in a positive direction for the Blue Devils.

Great summary/update, DBA. Agree that it sounds positive for Duke for Walker's recruitment. Walker said that he has a top 5, or 6, yet he mentions only 5 schools by name. I wonder if UGA is his "6th" school. I am hearing that UGA is still recruiting him heavily. I'll get to see Walker play in Birmingham at the Adidas event from 7/11-14 and then again in southern California from 7/18-21 and I'll pay attention to the coaches at courtside and make a brief report on DBR.

“Right now, I think I got a top five or top six,” Kessler said.

[frb]

Great summary/update, DBA. Agree that it sounds positive for Duke for Walker's recruitment. Walker said that he has a top 5, or 6, yet he mentions only 5 schools by name. I wonder if UGA is his "6th" school. I am hearing that UGA is still recruiting him heavily. I'll get to see Walker play in Birmingham at the Adidas event from 7/11-14 and then again in southern California from 7/18-21 and I'll pay attention to the coaches at courtside and make a brief report on DBR.

“Right now, I think I got a top five or top six,” Kessler said.

can't imagine UGA isn't the other team. His dad and uncle played there.

and walker's brother, houston, currently attends UGA Law school after playing basketball there. His sister, Lilly, played beach volleyball at LSU. Sis is gorgeous btw

[Nugget]

Well, we've got a clear answer for the (seemingly) inexplicable prominence of Oklahoma St. on Cade Cunningham's list:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...-no-2-prospect

[chrishoke]

Well, we've got a clear answer for the (seemingly) inexplicable prominence of Oklahoma St. on Cade Cunningham's list:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...-no-2-prospect

OSU hired Cade's older brother as an assistant BB coach.

[JasonEvans]

OSU hired Cade's older brother as an assistant BB coach.

This practice, which is becoming more and more common, is just disgusting. As the linked ESPN article points out:

The trend of programs hiring the relative of a highly ranked prospect has grown in recent years. Washington and then Missouri hired Michael Porter Sr., the father of Michael Porter Jr. and Jontay Porter, while Western Kentucky hired the guardian of Charles Bassey. Last spring, USC hired Eric Mobley, the father of incoming five-star freshman Isaiah Mobley and top-ranked rising senior Evan Mobley.

Look, I think the NCAA needs to come up with a solution to the players who are worth millions (or merely hundreds of thousands) getting paid nothing, but at the moment it is becoming increasingly commonplace for programs to funnel money to player's families by hiring parents, brothers, or whatever. It is just plain wrong.

-Jason "I still recall the interview with that slimeball Larry Brown at Kansas when a reporter asked him 'How did you convince Danny Manning to come to little old Lawrence, Kansas?' and Larry replied, 'I think hiring his father as an assistant coach helped the family figure out where Lawrence is'" Evans

[duke74]

This practice, which is becoming more and more common, is just disgusting. As the linked ESPN article points out:



Look, I think the NCAA needs to come up with a solution to the players who are worth millions (or merely hundreds of thousands) getting paid nothing, but at the moment it is becoming increasingly commonplace for programs to funnel money to player's families by hiring parents, brothers, or whatever. It is just plain wrong.

-Jason "I still recall the interview with that slimeball Larry Brown at Kansas when a reporter asked him 'How did you convince Danny Manning to come to little old Lawrence, Kansas?' and Larry replied, 'I think hiring his father as an assistant coach helped the family figure out where Lawrence is'" Evans

Although it’s hard to prove the “direct” causation, how is this not a “benefit” to the athletes or immediate family? Agree ... smells fishy and is at best “just” unethical.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

This practice, which is becoming more and more common, is just disgusting. As the linked ESPN article points out:



Look, I think the NCAA needs to come up with a solution to the players who are worth millions (or merely hundreds of thousands) getting paid nothing, but at the moment it is becoming increasingly commonplace for programs to funnel money to player's families by hiring parents, brothers, or whatever. It is just plain wrong.

-Jason "I still recall the interview with that slimeball Larry Brown at Kansas when a reporter asked him 'How did you convince Danny Manning to come to little old Lawrence, Kansas?' and Larry replied, 'I think hiring his father as an assistant coach helped the family figure out where Lawrence is'" Evans

I get the impression that arrangements are frequently made for family members, on or off campus. This is why I want players paid; bring it all above board and into the open. This contrivance is absurd. Call a duck a duck.

[Tazman10]

I get the impression that arrangements are frequently made for family members, on or off campus. This is why I want players paid; bring it all above board and into the open. This contrivance is absurd. Call a duck a duck.

Are we going to get into this pay thing again? Who decides how much? Is it the same for Zion as every other D1 player? Someone could offer him more money on the side. If a booster can pay them then the oil barren at Oklahoma State will have the top 5 kids every year, no chance for Duke. Paying them does not solve anything.

I think this is a great challenge for the coaching staff. If Ok State looses on this their program is for ever hurt, hired the brother but couldn’t get the kid, how bad will that look for the coach. Duke can offer a great coach, a great experience, a great chance to win a lot (which is important to these kids) and a great chance at a title. And the chance for the kid to be the center peace of a national title. He can’t get that at Ok State. Plus talk about his brother, if it is really meant for him he’ll have a job there for years to come but if it is only because of him, what will his brother do after he goes off to the pros after one year? Where his brother coaches should not be a deciding factor. How would that look for Cade, his brother only got hired because of him. I hope they go after him and hard. If they win, Kentucky will even look worse, lol.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

I get the impression that arrangements are frequently made for family members, on or off campus. This is why I want players paid; bring it all above board and into the open. This contrivance is absurd. Call a duck a duck.

And doesn’t this pretty accurately sum up the absurdity of the NCAA...

[UrinalCake]

If we land Kessler and Hurt winds up staying another year, would that give us our stretchiest front court ever?