It actually does boil, it just takes 4.5 minutes longer. I timed it.
2025 Men's Basketball Recruiting
- Thread starter DavidBenAkiva
- Start date
JasonEvans
Host, The Duke Basketball Roundup
I did a deep dive on Dame Sarr on the podcast yesterday. Have a listen: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/RRTET7320327183?selected=RRTET1726596777
Slacker Mills
Member
Boozerx2, Sarr, Khamenia and Ngongba ... that's the starting five that should settle in and be as good as the 2024-25 version.
DonerKebab
Member
With all due respect other than Cam Boozer, every single starter in 24-25 was clearly better. Would you take any of these folks over Flagg, Kon, Maluach, Proctor, Sion?
I agree with that. Scheyer may never coach a team as talented as last years. It doesn’t mean he can’t win a title but surely last year was the opportunity to do it.
SkyBrickey
Member
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I think 2025 will go down in Duke history much like 1999. Two all-time great teams that should have won it.
Jon just needs to keep fielding top-5ish teams and eventually he will break through. This 2026 team should fit the bill and be a preseason favorite along with Purdue and Houston.
I'm not sure what we'll get from Khamenia and Cayden. The recruiting analyst ratings suggest that it's Khamenia who's more likely to have a breakout McCain/Knueppel freshman season. He's ranked almost exactly where those guys were coming in. Evans also came to Duke with that 15ish rating...
I think 2025 will go down in Duke history much like 1999. Two all-time great teams that should have won it.
Jon just needs to keep fielding top-5ish teams and eventually he will break through. This 2026 team should fit the bill and be a preseason favorite along with Purdue and Houston.
I'm not sure what we'll get from Khamenia and Cayden. The recruiting analyst ratings suggest that it's Khamenia who's more likely to have a breakout McCain/Knueppel freshman season. He's ranked almost exactly where those guys were coming in. Evans also came to Duke with that 15ish rating...
Slacker Mills
Member
I wasn't following this forum a year ago. What did the brotherhood have to say about the team at this time last year?
I realize I shouldn’t have stated this so definitively because it depends on how you do the “watching.” For example, I found that by using peripheral vision only I was able to get it down to 4:15.
AGDukesky
Member
While you will likely be correct, it is a bit unfair to proclaim players who have yet to play as clearly worse than guys who just finished a season. Nik could be as good/better than Kon and is ranked similarly. Sophomore Big Oat could be better than ManMan with that extra year of college experience. Cayden could be better than Tyrese without any disclaimers IMO. And Sarr certainly is well regarded and the better NBA prospect than Sion.
In fact, I’m not sure I would have picked last year’s team over this year’s before the season began…
Dr. Maturin
Member
Agreed, though I'm not quite as bullish on next year's team. If we get Sarr, we should be a top 10 roster. I definitely have question marks as to our youth and depth, and you never quite know how the pieces will fit together. But Jon has certainly earned our trust when it comes to roster construction.
SkyBrickey
Member
I think you're spot on. Cooper, Kon and Sion all outperformed my preseason expectations. It's very possible that a couple of the newcomers "blow up" and are even better than advertised.
Sarr especially would be a total wildcard. His floor is probably inconsistent starter, but his ceiling could be one of the top players in the country.
Music man55
Member
I think you could add the ‘86 team in there along with 99 and 25!
I like your thinking, but Slim needs to be there, probably in place of Khamenia.
SkyBrickey
Member
I think Cam Boozer + Ngongba + Brown should give this team a really high floor and allow Jon time to workout out best backcourt rotation. I would not trade our frontcourt for any in the country, including Florida.
I think if Sarr comes we will likely be a top 3 preseason team. And with 5 returnees, hopefully we are better prepared to close out and win those big early OOC games in Nov/Dec.
Another thing that's hard to factor in is that all of CBB will be a year younger. This will make a difference among the top 10 teams who have tended to hoard the mature, physical players. So we don't have to be as good as last year to be as dominant.
Indoor66
Well-known member
Thank God, a minutes discussion on boiling water
SkyBrickey
Member
Last year at this time I expected us to have a big battle between Mason, Kon and Isaiah for our 5th starter. My very early money was on Mason. But Kon settled that battle quickly over the summer. Then Sion won his job.
This year I expect Caleb and Cayden to battle for a starting job and Isaiah and Nik to battle for another - assuming we land Sarr. But there are other possibilities like Cayden/Caleb/Sarr all starting. And I think you can't rule out Darren Harris either. Will be fun to watch it play out.
Slacker Mills
Member
The newcomer that is my pick to click is Cayden. The biggest three games of his career were the final three: the Chipotle Nationals. In leading Columbus High to the title, he was easily the MVP.
The team I listed is a great collection of passers. They will be amazing and clutch free throw shooters. They will all be treated to shots they can bury.
The team I listed is a great collection of passers. They will be amazing and clutch free throw shooters. They will all be treated to shots they can bury.
Well, how’s this for a derail:Thank God, a minutes discussion on boiling water
I will never believe in the Mplemba theory that hot water freezes faster than cold water. Under exact conditions, the hot water must pass through the same temperature as the cold water. So the time it takes to get to the cold water temperature means a longer time to freeze. Fight me!
And I do apologize. I will ban myself for a long time - maybe up to an hour.
SkyBrickey
Member
You are more bullish on Cayden than the analysts. Freshmen ranked in the 20s rarely come to Duke and produce at a high level right away. The rare ones that do start right away have pretty uneven seasons. If Cayden does end up starting, I hope it's because he's playing way above his ranking and not because Caleb is struggling.