MBB/WBB: Former Duke Players Now at Other Schools

[DukieInBrasil]

Blakes got his Duke degree and knew he would never be more than a fringe rotation guy with us. He can get a grad degree at one of the best schools in the world and be a starter. That's terrific.

If, however, Stewart and Power would have been happy to play the roles that Brown and Gillis are playing, but we pursued Brown and Gillis as somewhat better talent fits, even though we understood that doing so would likely prompt Stewart and Power to transfer, than I don't really like it. It's nothing against Brown or Gillis. My uncle knows Gillis well and could not speak more highly of him as a person. But, that landscape may be why Wright, Bennett, and Saban have left coaching, and K says that if he were a young coach today, he likely wouldn't stay in college.

Jon's responsibility is to put the best possible team on the floor. If Brown and GIllis arriving meant that neither Power nor Stewart wanted to earn that spot, and they left, i have no problem with that. Jon's responsibility is to be honest with his players. If they didn't like what they heard and decided to leave, good luck to them at their new schools.

 

[DukieInBrasil]

How would this team perform in any of the major D1 basketball conferences - ACC, Big 10, Big 12, SEC, Big East?

Guards
Jeremy Roach
Jaylen Blakes

Wings
TJ Power
Jaemyn Brakefield
Sean Stewart
Jaden Schutt
Mark Mitchell

Bigs
Christian Reeves
Henry Coleman

Coach
Wojo

Aside from what Jason said, there's anywhere from 3 to 5 quality 3pt shooters (depending on whether Blakes is a quality 3pt shooter in an expanded role). That ain't bad. However, playmaking and creating quality shots anywhere on the floor, particularly from 3, would be difficult with only 2 real guards, neither of whom has a history of being a playmaking PG. It would also be a relatively undersized backcourt, although Jaylen's defensive acumen may make up for some of that. On the wings, Mitchell is a + defender, and versatile, but neither TJ nor Jaden are. I don't know what Jaemyn's defense is like these days. In the frontcourt, Sean comes up with some spectacular plays from time to time, but is routinely out of position. Henry's got a good reputation but is a bit undersized at C, perfectly adequate as a PF. Reeves has is good n tall, but his defensive acumen is a mystery to me.
As a team those 9 guys would probably be ok, as Jason said. Would they have any additional players to fill out the roster? A true PG and another offensively competent C seem to be necessary for that roster to be a NCAAT level team.

 

[AGDukesky]

How would this team perform in any of the major D1 basketball conferences - ACC, Big 10, Big 12, SEC, Big East?

Guards
Jeremy Roach
Jaylen Blakes

Wings
TJ Power
Jaemyn Brakefield
Sean Stewart
Jaden Schutt
Mark Mitchell

Bigs
Christian Reeves
Henry Coleman

Coach
Wojo

I don’t know enough about the rest of the country to say where that team would rank, but I’d expect our team to win by 15-20 points

 

[kAzE]

Other than Blakes, it’s been pretty underwhelming for most of the transfers so far in their debuts. I think Stewart will have big games here and there, but he’s still a foul machine. Once he learns how to play more under control, he’ll be a difference maker. TJ Power’s 3 points in 19 minutes was pretty brutal for a guy a lot of people really hyped up before last season.

So far, the only player who decided to leave the program after last season that would have actually improved this roster by returning in my opinion is Jared McCain. Flip would be interesting, but I don’t think he’s the best fit next to Flagg and/or Maluach, for both basketball and other reasons.

Overall, this roster is just about the best case scenario imaginable. Scheyer really knows how to build a roster. He’s proven that to me at this point.

 

[fidel]

Jon's responsibility is to put the best possible team on the floor. If Brown and GIllis arriving meant that neither Power nor Stewart wanted to earn that spot, and they left, i have no problem with that. Jon's responsibility is to be honest with his players. If they didn't like what they heard and decided to leave, good luck to them at their new schools.

Don’t forget NIL allows the players to pursue income elsewhere that Duke may not offer.

Jon needs to build the best team he can. And yes, I miss the player development days as well.

 

[dlmzzz]

Don’t forget NIL allows the players to pursue income elsewhere that Duke may not offer.

Jon needs to build the best team he can. And yes, I miss the player development days as well.

I agree with all three points here.

I expect that NIL is commensurate with role. If your role/expectation at Duke is "you'll have a fair chance to earn playing time through how you do in practice" vs. "we think you'll be one of our best players" at a lesser school (but still in a major conference), misjudging your talent level and staying at Duke will cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars that you are not likely to make up in a future pro career.

From the early results of the players that transferred, I suspect that we not only gave honest assessments, but we also gave accurate ones. I think it is likely the transfers will have more basketball success at the schools they transferred to, and also be better compensated. That feels to me like we gave them advice that led them to make decisions that actually are in their best interest.

 

[sagegrouse]

Isn't this true?

Duke's loyalty to athletes > athletes' loyalty to Duke.

Not being grousy -- well, maybe a little. It's a different world.

 

[NYBri]

I think there is value for the players when they enter the portal from Duke. Other programs must (accurately) think that if you were recruited by and then part of the Duke Brotherhood, you have talent and potential worthy of both minutes on the court and NIL dollars.

 

[brevity]

TJ Power, 6-9 sophomore forward, Virginia

Shay Bollin, 6-3 junior forward, Illinois
Jennifer Ezeh, 6-2 grad forward, VCU
Lee Volker, 6-1 senior guard, Marquette

Four former Devils had their season debuts on Wednesday or Thursday. Click the names to see box scores.

As others have posted, TJ Power started in his Virginia debut, playing 19 minutes an scoring 3 points (1-3 FG, 1-2 3PT) and adding 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.


(Source)

---

Shay Bollin did not play in Illinois' big home win over #19 Florida State. (She also sat out the exhibition games when the Illini women took a summer trip to Italy and Greece.)

VCU won their opener over Maryland Eastern Shore; Jennifer Ezeh started and had 2 points (0-1 FG, 2-2 FT), 2 rebounds, and a block in 17 minutes.

Finally, Lee Volker got her first-ever start for Marquette and played 27 minutes, finishing with 10 points (5-11 FG, 0-4 3PT), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and a career high 4 steals. Unfortunately, the Golden Eagles lost their home opener on the road to UCF. This was the team's first game under new coach Cara Consuegra, who replaced... actually, let's just go through the whole chain reaction.

Kentucky fired Kyra Elzy, now an assistant coach at Duke.
Virginia Tech's Kenny Brooks went to Kentucky.
Marquette's Megan Duffy went to Virginia Tech.
Charlotte's Cara Consuegra went to Marquette.
Jackson State's Tomekia Reed went to Charlotte.
Alabama A&M's Margaret Richards went to Jackson State.
Arkansas Pine Bluff's Dawn Thornton went to Alabama A&M.
Erica Leak (1st time collegiate head coach) went to UA Pine Bluff.

Anyway, as fate would have it, Marquette's next game is against Illinois. Not really a reunion, as Bollin and Volker were never Duke teammates, but still potentially interesting.

 

[JasonEvans]

the Golden Eagles lost their home opener on the road to UCF.

 

[UrinalCake]

(Tough crowd here. Thanks for all the updates brevity.)

 

[mkirsh]

First of all, Sean Stewart belongs with the bigs, not the wings.

That team would really lack guys who can score for themselves. Roach is really the only guy on that list who looks like he can generate offense on his own. After him, I guess maybe Brakefield.

I think that team would probably finish around .500 in a major conference, likely a little bit below it, and perhaps have an outside chance at the NCAA tourney. The wings would be a be problem on D as Mitchell is really the only good defender in that group. The bigs are almost uniformly poor offensive players. There isn't a single guy there who can be counted on to score reliably in the post.

You missed the part about Wojo being the coach - he would transform those bigs into first rounders!

 

[Billy Dat]

While he decided to opt-out of his commitment when Flip returned to school, Mac Mgbako is sort of Duke-affiliated guy playing for another school. A couple of my kids go to Indiana so I follow the team and he looks like he's ready to have a big year. If his 3 pointer really starts falling, I would not be surprised to see him play himself back into first round NBA draft consideration.

 

[DukieInBrasil]

While he decided to opt-out of his commitment when Flip returned to school, Mac Mgbako is sort of Duke-affiliated guy playing for another school. A couple of my kids go to Indiana so I follow the team and he looks like he's ready to have a big year. If his 3 pointer really starts falling, I would not be surprised to see him play himself back into first round NBA draft consideration.

nope. Shaun Livingston doesn't count for Duke either...

 

[AGDukesky]

It’s weird watching Roach in yellow

 

[JasonEvans]

While he decided to opt-out of his commitment when Flip returned to school, Mac Mgbako is sort of Duke-affiliated guy playing for another school.

I don't want to get into a long conversation about it and don't ask me for additional details, but I know someone very close to the Mgbako family and Flip's decision to stay was not why he and Duke parted ways.

 

[NYBri]

I don't want to get into a long conversation about it and don't ask me for additional details, but I know someone very close to the Mgbako family and Flip's decision to stay was not why he and Duke parted ways.

Have anymore additional details? /snark

 

[johnb]

Jon's responsibility is to put the best possible team on the floor....

Not to single out a poster, but I'd say that Jon has a bunch of responsibilities--which he is managing very well. Perhaps most importantly, he and his assistants are elite in regard to executive functioning (eg anticipating problems and then dealing with them), communication, focus, and responsibility.

Those skills allow Duke to keep up with the 2 non-negotiable expectations: winning 25+ games/year and keeping most of his players eligible until they graduate or transfer. But there are some in which he probably has a little wiggle room. He is expected to keep a lid on his assistants and a dozen young athletes so that they don't embarrass the university, but he's unlikely to get fired for a single wayward player. Other things that are crucial but would only end his career if they became patterns. For example, he is expected to play nice in the wealthy and non-wealthy alumni sandbox, both for relationships and for money. He's expected to ride the wave of NCAA changes without being perceived as overly cut throat or anti-student. He's expected to be steady and well spoken. All of the above come with Jon Scheyer; it's not like he'd disagree with any of the above...

I'm confident that he and his assistants are great communicators, which helps with recruitment and relationship maintenance. I am sure that they say to every scholarship player: "this is what you need to do for this season. This is your role. This is what will be good for the team. In addition, playing a strong role on an elite Duke team is what stands you the best chance of your becoming a role player on a pro team. Teams like certainty, and if you can be an effective 7th man on an elite Duke team, NBA scouts will look seriously at you for an NBA team."

And for the guys who eventually left, I'm sure they said, "we anticipate that your role next year will be xyz. In order for you to get a bigger role, you'd need to do abc." There might be some negotiation for stars, but Duke is in an enviable recruiting position, and I don't think they sugar coat the expectations, especially for players (like every one of our recent transfers) who could be replaced. This might leave people feeling chagrined but probably not bitter.

By the way, we will never actually know about those discussions. At most, we'll get one side of the story, but probably we'd just be guessing. For just about every single team that I can remember (going back to the early 1980's), our guys appear to have given it their all throughout the season. I don't harbor any ill will to guys who leave skin on the Cameron floor and then decide to transfer or go pro early--especially guys like Roach and Blakes, who spent 3 or 4 years and now have a more secure basketball opportunity.

 

[LasVegas]

I’d vote to keep the discussion as to “why” someone transferred out of this thread. We have discussed that ad nauseam in other threads and it’s the same points repeated over and over. I’d like to be able to head to this thread and see how player X is doing. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Indoor66]

I’d vote to keep the discussion as to “why” someone transferred out of this thread. We have discussed that ad nauseam in other threads and it’s the same points repeated over and over. I’d like to be able to head to this thread and see how player X is doing. Just my 2 cents.

I'm with you. What difference does any of it make now.