Any idea what’s up with JAEMYN BRAKEFIELD and Joey Baker. JAEMYN played a little today and Baker got no run.
JAEMYN BRAKEFIELD
- Thread starter robmac6978
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Don't really know. I saw a shot of Joey on the bench and he was smiling so really no negative body language there that I could see but to be honest I didn't watch much of what was going on with the guys on the bench . I usually try to observe the bench body lsnguage because it gives good insite on possible transfers. The only player that looked uncomfortable or bewildered was
Jalen and we know he will not transfer. If it keeps happening to Brakefield and Joey then maybe something is going on.
OFCDon't really know. I saw a shot of Joey on the bench and he was smiling so really no negative body language there that I could see but to be honest I didn't watch much of what was going on with the guys on the bench . I usually try to observe the bench body lsnguage because it gives good insite on possible transfers. The only player that looked uncomfortable or bewildered was
Jalen and we know he will not transfer. If it keeps happening to Brakefield and Joey then maybe something is going on.
Ok I thought maybe something was up with Baker not playing today. Did see that JB got 16 minutes, just did not seem like that in real time. Duke fan for 30 plus years and this team excites me because of the chance of growth for next season. The idea of Moore, Steward, Roach, Coleman, Johnson, Baker and JB back has me excited. Hurt possibly
Brakefield has averaged about 12 minutes a game. Today he got 14 above his avg so I don’t think any concern, imo.
Baker is a surprise, But the bigger surprise to me with Baker is why he was getting so many minutes in the first place! In spite of the fact that he’s a junior and should be a leader on the team, his play is atrocious and his shooting is horrendous. Either he really doesn’t have much talent or he has not worked very hard to become a good shooter the past three years.
But an even bigger surprise than either of those is Jalen Johnson getting only eight minutes when he has been a starter and sometimes one of the best players on the court.
However I’m very happy with the minutes many of the others got especially Williams who seems to have a lot of potential to become a good center for Duke. Which is great news if that turns out to be the case.
Baker is a surprise, But the bigger surprise to me with Baker is why he was getting so many minutes in the first place! In spite of the fact that he’s a junior and should be a leader on the team, his play is atrocious and his shooting is horrendous. Either he really doesn’t have much talent or he has not worked very hard to become a good shooter the past three years.
But an even bigger surprise than either of those is Jalen Johnson getting only eight minutes when he has been a starter and sometimes one of the best players on the court.
However I’m very happy with the minutes many of the others got especially Williams who seems to have a lot of potential to become a good center for Duke. Which is great news if that turns out to be the case.
Unless Johnson is injured the coaches appear to be
1. Sending a message to Johnson that anyone who plays poorly loses playing time.
2. Realizing that Williams, Brakefield and Coleman are playing harder and better than Johnson in practice and even games. These guys are 4 and 5 stars so they are heralded as well.
3. Preparing for next year and playing the guys who plan on returning.
I love all 3 of these.
Moore and Williams are playing really well, and if we play these 2 with Hurt, that squeezes out Johnson. Johnson can still be valuable to us coming off the bench. But right now he is obviously struggling. I was glad to see Brakefield get good minutes today; as he seemed to be falling out of the rotation and we will need him next year with some experience.
1. Sending a message to Johnson that anyone who plays poorly loses playing time.
2. Realizing that Williams, Brakefield and Coleman are playing harder and better than Johnson in practice and even games. These guys are 4 and 5 stars so they are heralded as well.
3. Preparing for next year and playing the guys who plan on returning.
I love all 3 of these.
Moore and Williams are playing really well, and if we play these 2 with Hurt, that squeezes out Johnson. Johnson can still be valuable to us coming off the bench. But right now he is obviously struggling. I was glad to see Brakefield get good minutes today; as he seemed to be falling out of the rotation and we will need him next year with some experience.
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Yes and to simplify it IMO, our ceiling is extremely low regardless of whether Jalen is out there or not. At his best, certainly we are better, but, marginally. So I’m cool playing those other guys who (hopefully) will all be back next year. That experience will pay off, and as mentioned, they play harder.
Losing sucks. Losing and playing weak is worse. Put the guys out there who are gonna leave it on the floor for 40 minutes. No room for head cases right now. Learn and grow as a team, and let’s take the league by storm next year.
Agreed. You wanted seasoned multi year players, you’re getting it. Let them go through the fire. The experience and adversity will prove valuable.
I don't love that third one. If Jalen's play in practice and games is good enough to get minutes, then he should get minutes, period. Coach K recruited him knowing he was one and done; I don't think you now punish him by taking away minutes because he's a one and done and you decided you're going to start preparing for next season.
I suspect in reality either he's not fully healed after his injury or he simply is struggling in practices and games and Coach thinks we have a better shot at winning with other people on the floor. Did seem weird, though, when we were up 20 with 5 min left and Jalen still didn't get on the floor.
I didn't mean punishing JJ, just making an effort to play the other guys who might deserve more minutes. And prepping for next year while still playing for this year.
Are you referring to JJ Redick or Jalen Johnson. I only know one JJ that played for Duke and it's JJ Redick. Johnson is no JJ Redick by any means and who knows he may someday have a name of his own to identify with .No big deal though you are a great poster. OFC
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Jalen Johnson is playing soft and lost on the court. I don’t think he’s let the college game come to him or it’s simply to fast and physical and he hasn’t adapted to it. Any time your on the floor and you commit two turn overs and dribble into double teams your not seeing the entire court.
I don’t think Jalen has ever been challenged much in high school or AAU. I simply think K is trying to show him he will need to play more confident and physical at this level.
I’m as lost on Baker as ever on everything except the leadership role. He played very little last year and hardly any the year before so I never thought he’s be a leader just a great teammate. His entire message from K is probably just to play his game and be under control.
I don’t think Jalen has ever been challenged much in high school or AAU. I simply think K is trying to show him he will need to play more confident and physical at this level.
I’m as lost on Baker as ever on everything except the leadership role. He played very little last year and hardly any the year before so I never thought he’s be a leader just a great teammate. His entire message from K is probably just to play his game and be under control.
I think you are right but also I think Jalen does not want to be playing college basketball anywhere. I think if he had it to do over again he would be overseas playing. We could really use his talents though. Maybe that light will come on an he plays well the rest of the season. OFC
What makes you say that? When he got hurt, the smart money was that he would not play at Duke again. Instead he came back. He clearly is playing soft. At one point he missed a layup and you could see K signalling that he was supposed to dunk. Hopefully, he finally gets it but, unless you have inside scoop, i choose to believe that he is all-in.
Sometimes what’s best for his stock is to appear to be team first. I thought he might have turned the corner After he came back from the injury. But then he regressed right back to being a soft player who didn’t seem to put his body on the line. Him yelling at his teammates at the end of the miami Game, not a good look. So maybe he’s “in”, but hardly “all-in”. Granted, this is simply an observation, but also reading tea leaves, i don’t think I’m the only one that is coming to the same conclusion.
i admit that I was so disgusted that I did not watch the end of the Miami game so I missed his behavior then. Thanks for your explanation. Makes sense
He listened and his next opportunity he tried and was introduced to Manny Bates
thats a big assertion...he had opportunities before the season started....he just has to adjust, basketball isnt coming as easy as it has in the past...people arent just watching him imo
He really didn’t have many options. After his high school situation then there was no definite on the gleague or fiba ball and college was gonna play so it was his best option.
Team still has no identity. You play Joey Baker in a close game against notre dame down the stretch knowing we’re struggling getting stops. Then in a blowout victory he doesn’t play. That tells me they still haven’t figured out what to do with this team. The approach was all wrong from the beginning and it set everyone back except Hurt because he got the greenlight out the gate
He ain’t sabotage it. He just couldn’t adjust to what he had this year. He tried to fit a square peg in a round hole. He didn’t have the players to play 5 out
Jalen just looks like a typical freshman. Ups and downs. His missing a lot of senior year and missing time this year has affected him. He wasn't really ready to be an impact freshman for a variety of reasons. We've seen glimpses.
I liked Brakefield's activity against NC State. Five rebounds in 14 minutes is impressive. Interested to see if he is out of Coach K's doghouse moving forward.
the rotation is quite confusing as you mention. Against our bitter rivals we saw players in the first half that hadn't played for several games, played sparingly or at all,..what was behind that decision? Then we see Williams playing well only to disappear the next game from the rotation. A starting 5 that has had more variations than starburst flavors...one of which this last game only worked when Hurt was into the line up as a result of what NCst put on the floor..he wasn't meant to start, and then helps us get a big lead. All of this to say, the inconsistency of the time/line up in each game isn't helping any continuity imo...so its hard to place the blame solely on the shoulders of the players when each game lineup and playing time is unpredictable
The media relations guy for Duke said Hurt was always in the starting lineup, it was just submitted incorrectly.
Yes it's been a little unpredictable, but we have been losing a lot. I wouldn't be happy if he just kept the same rotations all the time while we keep losing. He has to try some different guys. Also, different games require different guys. K talked about it being a physical game. That doesn't really fit with what Joey brings. But this isn't totally new. Just last year JRob became a key player in the last few weeks of the season after barely playing at all.
Yes it's been a little unpredictable, but we have been losing a lot. I wouldn't be happy if he just kept the same rotations all the time while we keep losing. He has to try some different guys. Also, different games require different guys. K talked about it being a physical game. That doesn't really fit with what Joey brings. But this isn't totally new. Just last year JRob became a key player in the last few weeks of the season after barely playing at all.
Even Helen Keller could see the potential Jalen has. As K has said countless times over the decades, everyone runs their own race.
But has she heard what he’s been saying...
