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Frank Jackson

Heard he cancel his visit to Carolina, the kid is a stud, best guard in class. Is he a Duke lean?
Not sure his "lean" at all, but i do know he will be visiting Duke soon. I assume we'll offer him on that visit.
 
ive read he's visiting on monday???....also visiting maryland and unc while he is in these parts?????
 
Still holding out hope for Dennis Smith...

Also read this kid wants to go on a mission before college.
 
Still holding out hope for Dennis Smith...

Also read this kid wants to go on a mission before college.
Don't hold your breath on Smith.

Remember that a mission was an option for Jabari Parker as well. Things can change your mind when you create opportunities for yourself by showing out in summer ball. Which is what Jackson is doing. He may go on the mission in the end but Duke would be a very good option should he not do so.
 
Smith is a great talent that will be a fantastic OAD college player where ever he ends up and he is a future pro.
There's no debate about that.

However, Duke did recruit DT and Smith in the 2016 class and it appeared Duke favored DT (who's now going to be Duke's PG in 2015). Duke saw DT's ability to clap down as a defender and his court vision as high priorities. With Frank (Jackson), Duke sees Frank as a physically strong lead guard who probably has the ability to be a true combo guard where he can play in the same back court as another PG. There is no secret that Duke (like most teams) thrive on two ball handlers on the court. I do believe if Frank wants Duke there would be a green light for a commitment.

It's not a for thing who will be back at Duke in 2016 and there's no guarantee that Frank will or will not take his Mormon Mission. But we all have to like where Duke's recruiting is going and the promising outlook on future rosters.
 
Don't know why so many are saying that we have cooled on Dennis Smith. Didn't he write in his blog after we won the NC that K had called him after the game that night? Does that sound like someone we have cooled on? Granted, if Derryck Thornton stays 2 years, I don't expect Smith to come to Duke, because I don't see him wanting to share the ball. But if Derryck is OAD, I think we are a real player for Smith; especially if we already have commitments from Giles and Tatum (fingers crossed). Either way, I don't believe we have cooled on Smith.

Of course, a 2016 commitment from Frank Jackson would create the same result that a 2nd year from Thornton would: Smith goes elsewhere.
 
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^ I will say it again, do not hold your breath on Smith being at Duke.
Not sure how many different ways you can say it. It's just not going to happen- DT will be here for 2 years, and Smith wants the ball in his hands. We know how well it works when we have two PGs on the floor, but that doesnt mean kids want to do that, and thats fine.
 
Not sure how many different ways you can say it. It's just not going to happen- DT will be here for 2 years, and Smith wants the ball in his hands. We know how well it works when we have two PGs on the floor, but that doesnt mean kids want to do that, and thats fine.
Read somewhere recently that Smith was a heavy NC State lean.
 
I only want Dennis Smith if we don't have a good point guard already OR if he is willing to buy into the system. Otherwise, we'd both be best served to do our own things.
 
Id say Smith is pretty proven. Saying Smith is unproven is like saying Okafor was unproven. The kid is and will be a stud in college.
 
Id say Smith is pretty proven. Saying Smith is unproven is like saying Okafor was unproven. The kid is and will be a stud in college.
That is true. He's arguably the best guard in the class, and could make a case for the best player. Kid is ELITE.
 
I'm stoked about Dukes future the next few years regardless what players are on the court. We will have some studs all the way around.
 
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Dude he's 17 haha. Give him some time to mature.

LOL, OK lemme try again: He's going to be a great scorer and his athleticism will allow him to impose his will, even as a freshman, but how will he use all that talent? Will he play in a way that makes his own stats look the best or the team's win total look the best? Tyus could've scored a ton more than he did, but he played within the system. I'm just saying, Smith will have to prove that on the court next next year. If he's giving coach K an Austin Rivers vibe, then maybe shifting the recruiting target elsewhere is OK.
 
It's been a while since I watched the Youtube videos, though the Derryck Thornton videos I saw leave you super-impressed with his extraordinary passing/distribution skills, while the Dennis Smith videos were all about his penetration and scoring, though Thornton appears to be a great penetrator as well (he penetrates, draws a crowd of defenders, then miraculously finds the open man). That difference in focus may have partly been a function of editing biases, though if Dennis Smith was making passes like Derryck Thornton does, it's hard to believe they would have left them off the highlight reels. Given that Duke appears to have lots of scorers starting next season, I can readily see why Thornton might have been the preferred recruiting target.
 
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Jackson just canceled his Maryland visit after he was blown away by his visit to Duke this w/e. Race between him and Taytum to see who commits first.

 
It's been a while since I watched the Youtube videos, though the Derryck Thornton videos I saw leave you super-impressed with his extraordinary passing/distribution skills, while the Dennis Smith videos were all about his penetration and scoring, though Thornton appears to be a great penetrator as well (he penetrates, draws a crowd of defenders, then miraculously finds the open man). That difference in focus may have partly been a function of editing biases, though if Dennis Smith was making passes like Derryck Thornton does, it's hard to believe they would have left them off the highlight reels. Given that Duke appears to have lots of scorers starting next season, I can readily see why Thornton might have been the preferred recruiting target.
Bingo. Smith and DT play the same position but are different players- hence why they could definitely play together, but I can see why DS doesn't want to.
 
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FWIW, Frank Jackson's dad congratulated his son on Facebook for receiving a scholarship offer from Duke... he didn't do the same thing for any other school. I would be shocked if he didn't commit to Duke soon.
 
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IMO, Jackson is going to end up better than Smith. I think he's going to have a Kyrie-like rise in the ranking. Not that he is Kyrie or will be as good, just that he is similarly ranked where Kyrie was his junior year and I think Frank could end up the #1 guard in the class and top 5 overall. Kyrie was also viewed for a long while as below guys like Knight and Selby similar to how Jackson has been viewed compared to Smith. I remember a lot of us Duke fans thought Knight was the prize recruit of the class and the elite PG that we all wanted, but of course Kyrie surpassed him their senior year.

I don't think he's too far behind Smith in terms of power, speed, and athleticism. He has great handles and can really shoot the basketball with a quick release on his jumper. Plus, he could definitely be a combo guard and play either the 1 or the 2.
 
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Dennis Smith is clearly the best guard in that class IMO, but he needs to be the man on whatever team he chooses. Duke isn't really gonna offer that guarantee.
 
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Smith has to be the lone man where he goes. He will consume the ball, create his own shot and score points. He's that talented. His PG skills are good too where he can create for others. But I do think he is a first option scoring guy.

Jackson on the other hand has those qualities too but IMO he's will create for others first and score his points no doubt but I don't see him as the mentality of a scoring first option type guy.

A back court of DT and Frank would be incredible. Not just what they add offensively but what they can do defensively that sets them a part from other dynamic back courts. DT is 6-2 180 now and frank as a HS Jr is 6-3 185. It's scary to think what they can do then add in Matt, Luke, Grayson and Tatum.
 
Here's NBCSports recap of his showing at the NBPA Top 100 camp

2. Frank Jackson is pushing his way into elite status

During the April live evaluation period some college coaches firmly believed that Utah native Frank Jackson could be the best guard in the 2016 class after his performances in the adidas Gauntlet. After another strong showing at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, the 6-foot-2 Jackson looks like he might be a serious candidate as the best guard in the 2016 class. With very good athleticism and an ability to score all over the floor, Jackson is a threat to score from many different areas of the court. He also has enough vision and passing ability to be a big and athletic point guard who can make plays above the rim and touch the paint frequently.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/06/22/seven-observations-from-nbpa-top-100-camp/
 
Smith has to be the lone man where he goes. He will consume the ball, create his own shot and score points. He's that talented. His PG skills are good too where he can create for others. But I do think he is a first option scoring guy.

Jackson on the other hand has those qualities too but IMO he's will create for others first and score his points no doubt but I don't see him as the mentality of a scoring first option type guy.

A back court of DT and Frank would be incredible. Not just what they add offensively but what they can do defensively that sets them a part from other dynamic back courts. DT is 6-2 180 now and frank as a HS Jr is 6-3 185. It's scary to think what they can do then add in Matt, Luke, Grayson and Tatum.

I get a huge Rodney Purvis vibe from Smith. Hopefully he doesn't flame out under pressure the same way.
 
And here's Scouts quick evaluation

Jackson was aggressive off the dribble and consistently drove the ball against defenders. At his size, Jackson is quick and strong, which allows him to take bumps when he attacks. He’s also a promising athlete that’s capable of highlight reel dunks or adjusting finishes at the basket. Jackson’s driving ability is also effective because of his shooting. Jackson is a major threat to make shots from mid-range out to three, both off the catch and off the bounce.

While his mentality at camp was to score, Jackson has all the tools of an elite point guard. He has a strong handle, good vision and is capable of facilitating and making plays for others. With the way the position has transitioned in the NBA, it’s easy to see how Jackson fits the mold of the new generation lead guard.

http://www.scout.com/college/basketball/recruiting/story/1557300-nbpa-top-100-storylines
 
Jackson really looks awesome. He looks physical. He can jump out of the gym for a 6'2 kid. He had decent handle (not Thornton quality, but good), and he can shoot.

He and Thornton could be fantastic in the backcourt together.

One really great thing, imo, that K did last year was prove to the basketball world that two PG types can coexist on the court at the same time (Tyus/Quinn).
 
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Dennis Smith looks like the real deal. Derrick Rose/John Wall type talent. It's a shame we won't be seeing him in Cameron.
 
We may never see Smith in a Duke jersey, but there is a good chance we may never regret not seeing him in a Duke jersey. He is elite talent, yes. But Duke will be fine with Derrick Thornton and Frank Jackson. And Tatum, Allen, Kennard, and Matt Jones at guard.
 
Minus Tatum. He wouldn't be a guard. But still. ....
True, the "but still" is, and correct me if I am misreading you here, Tatum has some guard skills. Justice Winslow handled the ball a lot in Duke's offense and Tatum has a better handle that Winslow. If that is what you were referring to, I am right there with ya.
 
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