OOTB Carolina Basketball Discussion Thread
- Thread starter carolinablue34
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Sounds like K should recruit better.
This game never seems to be about who has the most talent on the floor or even who's playing well going into it. It's almost always either a slugfest or (much less often) one team just can't find the basket. Even during the games you can see massive shifts of momentum that come seemingly from out of nowhere. That's why ESPN highlights it every time. It's almost guaranteed to be a very hard fought and close game that often comes down to the final minute(s.)
That said, as much as it used to irritate me and make me roll my eyes, the K teams of the past that would slap the floor on defense were the ones you had to worry about. Even with the "weaker" teams, he had them fired up to play beyond their talent level. I haven't watched a lot of games this year, but I'm not seeing that level of fire with this squad. Whether that's the fault of the coach(es) or players, I have no idea. Still, I never go into these games expecting a win, much less an easy win. That's why it's hard for me to watch anymore. Too stressful.
Or develop his bench. It's crazy how much K has changed how he coaches in the last five years. He's done a reversal from how he used to do things. Other than trying to chase another championship, I can't understand why he's followed the Cal model of depending mostly on OAD talent. It's not like he wasn't winning before that.
I've said for a couple years now, K is a shell of his former self. He has taken the lazy way - assemble as much top level talent as he can and just roll the ball out. He used to be a principled man. He is no longer. That whole "leader of men" sh*t once could be believed. No longer. He doesn't prepare his teams, he doesn't make adjustments, he's essentially like a NBA coach that just manages egos now. Duke used to be known for their hallmark defensive pressure. That is not the case anymore (I don't care what the stats say, duke is suspect defensively). Duke used to be known for their senior leadership and grit. Now they sit around on pins and needles wondering if their star freshmen want to jeopardize their draft stock by coming back from injury. K and the whole duke program are phonies now. I love it.
K’s got 5 titles. I hope he never gets another but he still has 5. If roy had 5 we wouldnt entertain for a fuking second any criticism. We would proclaim him the goat and tell anyone to gft if they thought different. Hes tried being flexible and changing philosophy cause he saw, like we did, that ky seemed to be building a dynasty with oad’s. Turns out he and cal were wrong ftmp. This season tells the tale. This dook team will prob go down as one of the greatest assemblies of nba talent ever on the same college team.
Perfect post. 100% spot on assessment of how Rat and the Dook program have changed over the years.
But you will never hear any of this in major sports media. They'll just continue with the shallow, lazy undeserved hype machine.
I couldn't care less what the media says about them. The W's and L's are all that matter. No excuses.
But why not stick to the formula that got him those 5 titles? I think more than anything, UK has proven that it's foolish to depend on OADs if your goal is to win a title. Yes they won one, but you could argue that was one of Cal's most experienced teams. If their only championship with him was achieved by having some experience, then the OAD model is a failure.
I don't ever go over on the DI message board, I have no reason to - but I have to assume that they have mocked, ridiculed, savaged Luke mercilessly at least the first couple years he played. Now he's played a big part in whuppin' Duke 3 of last 4. He's Duke's daddy now. That is enjoyable to me.
Regarding our "two lottery picks" I assume you mean Coby and Nas. Coby is probably a borderline lottery pick at best at this point, but he is legit for sure. Regarding Nas - and showing up to play - he sure is still a work in progress, and frankly if we need to count on him being great and consistent to win, I think we are screwed. He's more of a complimentary part on this team, unfortunately, at this point. Important, but not a "go to guy" in crunch time.
Again - I am betting most Duke fans / DI are having a party trashing and ridiculing Nas for his results compared to Zion this year. It will be awesome if he obtains higher team results than Zion and the rest of the semesterhood at Duke this year.
Out of respect to you I spelled Duke right, and I totally understand that you are pretty objective and that you don't speak for or have to defend the fringe haters and trolls on DI.
I just enjoy that those other fans and posters have to admit that people they took pleasure in ridiculing like Luke, Nas, and company are in a better place right now than a player (Zion) and this year's Duke team which was touted most of the year as a prohibitive favorite - requiring a massive upset for them to not win the title. This even from objective people like Bilas, etc.
High school recruiting rank (according to 247) for duke and Carolina's starting 5:
duke:
Tre Jones - 14
RJ Barrett - 1
Cam Reddish - 2
Alex O'Connell - 68
Marques Bolden - 15
UNC:
Coby White - 25
Kenny Williams - 183
Cam Johnson - 224
Luke Maye - 155
Garrison Brooks - 131
lol
duke:
Tre Jones - 14
RJ Barrett - 1
Cam Reddish - 2
Alex O'Connell - 68
Marques Bolden - 15
UNC:
Coby White - 25
Kenny Williams - 183
Cam Johnson - 224
Luke Maye - 155
Garrison Brooks - 131
lol
And if you add Zion and move O'Connell to the bench it's even more staggering.
Yet K seemingly can't figure out how to play even decently well without Zion. How anyone can say he's doing a good job this year is beyond me.
Undefeated on the road in ACC play for the season. Incredible.
Anybody know the last time that happened?
Anybody know the last time that happened?
I think UVA did it last year, but that was the only other time it has occurred ever, in an 18 game ACC schedule format. I believe Roy and the Heels last went undefeated on the road in ACC around 2007 or 2008. 8-0
Even if you add Zion (ranked 4th?), and kept hermie, dook's 6 average is ~ 17.
Then add Nas (3rd?) to our starting 5, and those 6 would average ~ 120.
Just to pile on to this good post.... Zion, Barrett, and Reddish were each #1 at their position nationally. Tre Jones was #3 at his position. They've found ways to lose games with three #1's and a 3 in their lineup at the same time (Zags game).
Baker who can barely get off the bench was a #33 overall rank, #7 at his position. Bolden also #1 at his position. Does anyone see a trend, a theme forming here? Delaurier was #11 at his position, #39 overall; AOC #14 at his position, #68 overall.
So there - we've listed 9 guys on Duke's roster who were top 15 at their postion, all 9 were top 75 national ranked recruits. Most were top 10 at their position, top 40 overall.
No other team is anywhere close to collecting this amount of talent (maybe UK?) - and have so little in terms of team results to show for it. Pathetic.
If Duke fans want to transition to cheering for their recruits in the NBA after the semesterhoods serve their 5 month sentence in Derm, fine. Man would that suck as a version of being a "college basketball fan," though
It's going to be interesting to see what K does once the OAD rule goes away. Will he switch back to doing it the way he did before? Does he still recruit OAD type players and hope they stay more than a year? Some combination? Or maybe he thinks he's too old to switch up and just retires.
I'm hoping the sun touches his skin and you know the rest.
Shows what good experience and coaching can do.
It sucks that Zion went down, because now this douchenozzle, K, can pontificate about how difficult he and his squad have it without the second coming of a fatter MJ out there on the court. Seriously, go fvck yourself, K. If Zion never enrolled at Duke, they'd still have had the #1 recruiting class and them playing like ass like they are now would make them a laughingstock. Zion being there and now being gone shouldn't change that.
ESPNU is showing lots of UNC/dook reruns
2011 cameroon game is on now
Kendall, Barnes, Bullock, Zeller, Henson
2011 cameroon game is on now
Kendall, Barnes, Bullock, Zeller, Henson
White and Little. Show up and play meant Duke has 3 top 5 picks that are based on potential not production, meanwhile White and Little produce. Barrett and Williamson are legit, Reddish hasn't performed like a top 5 pick at all. Tre Jones is a good college point guard that will get drafted in the first round because of who he has played with. Again, he is a good defender, decent facilitator when throwing lobs to Zion but beyond that he will be a lifelong role player in the NBA at best unless he learns how to shoot. Duke isn't as talented as ESPN makes them out to be, especially without Zion.
So K isn't very good at developing players? Thx Joey
Nassir Little has not been a consistently stellar performer at all. He's not a liability or anything, but he hasn't been anywhere near the asset of Coby White.
Your coach has aggressively chosen to make his program nothing but a turnstile for OAD kids. They all play a few months and leave. Then, he acts as if that's a struggle for his own program to overcome. If I were a fan- and I'm so thankful I'm not- I'd be more pissed that the self-serving coach is more interested in his celebrity status than actually developing players, which is what really made him the celebrity.
I don't look forward to only enjoying a player for a few months, let alone 4 and 5 players. I accept it when the Heels land one now and then, but it's not common. Year in and year out, it's just a blur of people who have no interest in playing for the school and enjoying their college experience. They're just there for the stage.
Yup. It's been great to have Little, but I'm glad we didn't put all of our eggs in his basket. Having solid experience in the lineup if Little wasn't producing is just good coaching.
I don't understand how he gets a pass on this in the media (mostly ESPN). Even without Zion, he has the top two recruits in the country. The fact he even tries the woe is me routine is disgusting, but it's even worse that people buy it.
K made his bed, now he has to sleep in it.
good article on Kenny... https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2019/03/07/kenny-williams-vcu-unc-tar-heels-duke
I'd love to see him get another championship. He's probably my favorite player on this team.
My oldest nephew got to sit w him for a few minutes during a baseball game last year. It’s his favorite player too.
That is so cool. An experience I'm sure he'll remember forever.My oldest nephew got to sit w him for a few minutes during a baseball game last year. It’s his favorite player too.
Especially since he was hurt in 2017. Let's get that ring for Kenny and Cam!
You know it. My brother said he was as good of a guy as you would expect.
Also like to edit that that picture was actually May 2017 right after the Championship. (Man time gets away from me).
I'm really f-ing fired up for March Madness. I'm getting 2017-ish kinda vibes with this team. Each individual has improved over the course of the year and they play so well together.
If we play defense, I think we're right in it come April.
If we play defense, I think we're right in it come April.
I just turned my head sideways and kept on browsing.
WTH caused that thread to get locked up on radar about that clown Lebron thinking he’s the goat?
