If Hurt sticks around, that is a bigger get than any grad transfer. He will break out next year, and be a focal point of the offense. I think he, Moore, and Johnson are starter names you can write in pen, and they will drive the bus.
Impact on 2020-21 Roster
- Thread starter AlanInNJ
- Start date
There are a couple of things I was hoping Duke could get off its back with a good tournament run this year, which was entirely possible. One of those was a strong run as something other than a 1 seed. Duke almost certainly wasn't getting a 1 seed this year, even with an ACC Tournament championship. They would have had to make a run as a 2 or 3 seed, and I wanted to see that. Believe it or not, Duke has not made a Final Four as anything other than a 1 seed in 26 years, when Grant Hill's senior team made the final as a 2 seed. That is pretty crazy to think about.
I was also hoping to see Duke get the Elite 8 bugaboo away. That round has been a roadblock lately. It used to be the Sweet Sixteen: if you look at Duke's 10 tournament losses between the 2001 championship game and 2012, 6 of the 10 were in the S16. But of Duke's most recent 6 losses, half of them have been in the Elite Eight. Duke was one game away from three more Final Fours in the last six tournaments.
I was also hoping to see Duke get the Elite 8 bugaboo away. That round has been a roadblock lately. It used to be the Sweet Sixteen: if you look at Duke's 10 tournament losses between the 2001 championship game and 2012, 6 of the 10 were in the S16. But of Duke's most recent 6 losses, half of them have been in the Elite Eight. Duke was one game away from three more Final Fours in the last six tournaments.
Strong source in "The Athletic." Find the news comforting and hope Matt stays put.
OFC
This is all gonna be really weird. There is not gonna be an NBA combine. From everything I have read, the NBA is determined to finish this season, way too much $$$ at stake. They may wait until July, and then play the playoffs without fans up through September. (China is playing games again with no fans) They have already said the draft won't take place until after the season, the draft could be in October and then the season starts next Christmas.
Long story short, I think this helps Duke's case in Matthew Hurt (and a longshot of Stanley) returning, there are just too many unknowns for Hurt not to come back IMO.
Long story short, I think this helps Duke's case in Matthew Hurt (and a longshot of Stanley) returning, there are just too many unknowns for Hurt not to come back IMO.
Looking like this will be the roster for next season
1. Roach/goldwire
2. Moore/DJ
3. Johnson/ baker
4. Hurt/brakefield
5. Williams/ Coleman
1. Roach/goldwire
2. Moore/DJ
3. Johnson/ baker
4. Hurt/brakefield
5. Williams/ Coleman
That solid right there. We can do a lot with that lineup. Definitely should be a good rebounding group.
I love the combo of playing Johnson at the 3 and Hurt at the 4. They should compliment each other very nicely...what Johnson struggles at (shooting) is what Hurt does best. What Hurt struggles at (passing, ball handling, defense) Johnson will excel at.
On offense Hurt can space the floor and allow Johnson to attack the rim. On defense, Johnson will cover the stronger wing and Hurt will get the weak link.
If Hurt can just get stronger, we can play him some at the 5 too and our offense will be impossible to defend.
exactly w/ the E8 perspective....2013 game against Louisville just got away after the leg break incident, but 2018 and 2019 we were basically 1 key defensive stop away and both breakdowns led to a 3 pt being made by the other team.....uggghhhhh
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Moore's shot is fine imo...shot 80% from the FT line this year...that usually translates to a decent 3pt shooter, he just needs to take the 3 more..think he only shot 10 or 15 3s this year.
And on top of that, if RJ makes just one free throw, the game against Mich St. is tied. That was a tough one.
What are the Tar Possums lookin like next year? They seem to think Brooks and Bacot return, which admittedly gives them a hell of a front court. Although, I'm sure the 2 freshman aren't going to like that. I would guess their guard play is the biggest question mark as to who steps in.
1. Love/Francis
2. Harris/davis
3. Leaky/puff
4. Brooks/Kessler
5. Bacot/sharpe
Seniors... platek, huff and manley...idk I would expect some transfers but that's there 13 scholarship players.
2. Harris/davis
3. Leaky/puff
4. Brooks/Kessler
5. Bacot/sharpe
Seniors... platek, huff and manley...idk I would expect some transfers but that's there 13 scholarship players.
UNC will be much improved. They'll have some experience but very reliant on youth again. With better talent next year, I expect UNC to make a good push in the NIT next season. Could be a banner year for them.
Assuming both Brooks and Bacot return, I think they’re a potential top 10 team nationally. A lot will depend on how good Caleb Love can be right off the bat. If he’s really good then they can be really good. If his learning curve takes a while longer they might struggle at times.
You have to love the logjam Roy is creating at these positions in order to keep kids longer. I wonder how Kessler and Sharpe will like playing limited minutes and the full press Roy will invoke to keep them another year.
Completely baffled as to why Kessler chose UNC, especially if Brooks/Bacot return. He's definitely not starting if they come back. Sounds like his intention is to be a OAD player, good luck playing for Roy and having that happen, especially if your not starting.
There would be many more minutes at the 5 available at Duke. Oh well, I love our team next year, and would prefer a sophomore Hurt over a freshman Kessler anyway. I really like Mark Williams too, think he could be as impactful as Kessler would have been anyway, and will provide more help on what we need most : rebounds and blocks.
There would be many more minutes at the 5 available at Duke. Oh well, I love our team next year, and would prefer a sophomore Hurt over a freshman Kessler anyway. I really like Mark Williams too, think he could be as impactful as Kessler would have been anyway, and will provide more help on what we need most : rebounds and blocks.
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Between Sharpe, Brooks, Bacot and Kessler, that’s a lot of mouths to feed and a lot of minutes being taken up in the post alone. You’d think Roy will keep two of those four on the court at all times but that’s a lot of clog in the lane. Brooks has shown the ability to step out and knock down mid range jumpers. Kessler supposedly can do the same. So if they can, Bacot and Sharpe can play with them in complementary fashion. At worst they should be an insanely good rebounding team.
Remember when Roy occasionally played John Henson at the 2 and one of the Wear twins at the 3? That was a magical season. Would love to see more of that.
One thing UNC does well every year is rebound. I'll give Roy credit when credit is due, he prepares his teams to rebound every season. They have a talented frontcourt and I truly don't understand how he pulled off getting Bacot, Kessler, Brooks, and Sharpe. How he manages the minutes, I'm not sure. Both Kessler and Sharpe are top 15 players coming out of HS. They should be OAD, but I fully expect Roy to try and squeeze two years out of them and 3 out of Bacot.
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Funny thing is he says he never practice rebounding drills or anything.
He's full of shit. You don't rebound that well unless you prepare your teams for that style of play. However, If you're able to get away with mauling opponents, you can grab rebounds at a high rate.
For sure. Don't know how serious his injury was but he could have helped this year and although he did not play much this year he's another big. The cheaters with all that's coming back should be really good next year. And even though it's pretty much a done deal cole anthony hasn't declared yet or I just missed it. We all know hof coach roy williams has a way of getting his players to hang around to learn that complicated cheater u system. OFC
Man, that is a ton of big bodies, and a lot of mouth to keep fed with basically two spots. They won't take a back seat to anyone on the boards though. You will probably see some lineups where they go giant with three of those guys on the floor, and maybe play some zone with them.
Manley will be a non-factor. He’s better off going someplace he can maybe play. Injuries have ravaged him. He’s probably not a high level D1 player anymore.
No real talk. He said they don’t do drills. It’s just in their system that the 3 man crashes the board hard. They always have at least 3 hitting the boards hard every time a shot goes up.
Remember when henson did that hulk down when he blocked one of a Duke players shot when cheaters were down by 30 in 2010? What a dip stick. OFC
Yep, and now he's in the NBA averaging 5 PPG. Roy sure can develop talent.
Easy. Nanner Puddi
Easy. Nanner pudding. OFC
Henson's lasted eight years in the NBA. That's more than either Kyle Singler or Nolan Smith. That's worthy of some respect, at least from where I sit, which is on my couch binge-watching The Expanse.
I think this has more to do with Henson spending 3 years at UNC than anything.
Henson has made himself quite the living at the next level. Plus, when he was at UNC, despite it only being eight years ago, things were a lot different in college basketball than they are now.
