Been saying the same thing in regards to Mark Williams. Duke will need a backup center if they want to go deep into the tournament.
2020 Recruiting
- Thread starter boaja1
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Been saying the same thing in regards to Mark Williams. Duke will need a backup center if they want to go deep into the tournament.
Yeah the problem is I don’t know who we’d pick up now that Dickerson is gone and Bediako isn’t reclassifying. I guess we just gotta hope a nice grad transfer comes in.
Feel like our only option at this point is a grad transfer. Hurt staying would help but i think we need another true center.
I’m ok with Dickenson going elsewhere . Consider it a blessing in disguise. Been quite open about this as well.
I agree. He didn’t impress me at all and i don’t think he’d be ready to contribute his first year and we need someone who can.
He would eat up a scholarship and quite frankly, i couldn’t get past the Gf thing. Puppy love to make a decision that big....doesn’t sit well with me and reminds me of Austin Nichols from a few years ago.
Agreed. I want some bangers, not a tall skinny center that is afraid of contact and wants to just shoot 3’s.
In my opinion, Coleman will be more than capable of playing backup center minutes regardless of his height. He's a strong, athletic player who will be able to defend college centers.
Roach/Goldwire
Steward/O'Connell
Baker/Moore*
Johnson/Brakefield
Williams/Coleman
Seems like we could be 2 deep at every position unless Moore leaves. And there's also still the possibility of Bediako reclassifying.
Bediako has said he’s not reclassifying. And i like Coleman a lot and i think he can play at the five for small periods but we need another true center who is 6’10” or taller in case Williams gets in foul trouble.
Exactly, Duke is playing with fire here. I'm telling you guys, if we don't land another center, it's going to come back to haunt us.
I think that’s a bit dramatic.
Just being realistic, not dramatic. When Mark Williams is out with an injury or in foul trouble, you guys will be in complete meltdown mode if we don't have a backup.
I understand there is an extremely low chance of any of these happening, but wouldn't Hurt returning or us landing Kuminga and he reclassifies to 2020 take care of a backup big-man issue?
I understand that neither Hurt or Kuminga are true centers, but are there really any dominant 5's that play college basketball anymore? Azubuike comes to mind for Kansas, and our inexperienced (weren't even supposed to be good defensively) freshman+ Javin neutralized him.
For example...I would be much more worried about having a true PG on the roster than a backup big. I'd much rather have multiple elite shooters than a backup big. And I'd also much rather have a swiss army knife wing (Jalen Johnson) than a backup big.
I understand that neither Hurt or Kuminga are true centers, but are there really any dominant 5's that play college basketball anymore? Azubuike comes to mind for Kansas, and our inexperienced (weren't even supposed to be good defensively) freshman+ Javin neutralized him.
For example...I would be much more worried about having a true PG on the roster than a backup big. I'd much rather have multiple elite shooters than a backup big. And I'd also much rather have a swiss army knife wing (Jalen Johnson) than a backup big.
Not sure I’ll be in meltdown mode over missing on Dickenson when I’ve said for months i don’t want him. I get the depth at the 5, but frankly the way the game is played and the way K adapts, i can’t imagine that would ever make me meltdown. If he gets injured he gets injured. If Tre Jones gets injured for the year, i would meltdown- would not landing RJ Hampton be the reason for it? No. Do we need depth? Sure, i get it. But Dickenson wasn’t the difference between us winning it all or not next year, so no, i won’t meltdown.
If we can get Kuminga or get Matthew Hurt back then I’m fine with not landing another center because they should be really good. But if not i just really think we need a legit back up center who can come in when Williams gets tired or hurt. Cause if not then there’s going to be time when we go really small. One player i wish we were involved with is Greg Brown. He’s not really a center but he’s a power forward who can bang and he’s got the hops to rebound with anyone. Wish we went after him.
We do definitely need another big man. Look at UK this year as an example of a very thin front court. They have other issues, but their thin frontcourt is a big issue also. Hopefully we can get a grad transfer or Bediako!
Well Bediako already said he’s staying in 2021 so i guess we’re going to need a grad transfer.
I wonder also if Jalen Johnson could play the five at times if worst came to worst and we didn’t get another big.
Exactly, all you have to do is watch a few of his games. He was just on tv a few days ago and a couple of weeks before that. I'll leave there and not say anything else. Good luck to the young man.
Forgive me for not panicking over a lost recruit. We’re Duke son, pull yo self together!
If we do not use a conventional center, we will be fine. Does anyone remember John Smith or Robert Brickey?
Remember when Boozer got hurt and we had to play Reggie Love at center?
We've been talking about recruiting John Riek for years now. I say cut the bull crap, get serious and go out and get him committed to Duke and signed. I think he will be a 4 year player for us and by the time he graduates perhaps his son will be a Duke commit. 
OFC
OFC
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Yikes! Hope that’s not true! If it is true, that might mean he’s gonna play overseas
I may be wrong, but we don't have but 1 true center on this years team and we seem to be ok!!!! Jav is not a center!!!!
OFC
I’m sure Duke has a plan. This isn’t the first recruiting cycle where they’ve missed on some targets. It happens.
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