Hey guys,
Been a prime member for years and stopped because I needed a little break from checking the forums every 30 mins.
But with all the rumors and recruits hanging in the balance I felt this was as good as time as ever to renew. But I would like to start a thread and get some feedback on something I have honestly wondered for years. Each year I feel more and more confident in my theories but I thought I would run it by you guys since some of you I respect a ton.
- It seems like more than ever we hardly get surprised by a player returning to Duke. Allen this year kinda but not really (Had an off year to his standards/expectations and it seemed he was otw out if he had a player of the year type of year). Now I know players leave early at several schhols and Duke is getting top 20 recruits every year so I understand the argument that it is going to happen at Duke more often than most. But certain schools seem to hold onto their players always at least a year longer than anybody else thinks.
Example - UNC (Barnes, Zeller, McAdoo, Paige, Brice Johnson, you could even argue Justin Jackson). The list goes on and on. Michigan State (Miles Bridges ect..). Arizona (always seems to keep 1 player I thought was gone). and several other schools but you guys get the point.
Now only a couple things could effect this.
Reasons kids seem to leave 1st chance they get at a school
I hate to ever be negative about Duke but outside of the basketball program the school seems less like a basketball program than ever. I remember from the 80s, 90s, even early 2000s we had fanatic students showing up to games.. didn't matter who we were playing we had a student body that was just nuts, and I loved it.
Now, unless its a good game and something awesome happens you see emotion we used to see when we were up 10 in a basic game. Just my personal observation but I could be wrong.
IDK i have more to say and explain but I am curious what others think and I am sure some of you have inside knowledge about some of the things I described.
Been a prime member for years and stopped because I needed a little break from checking the forums every 30 mins.
But with all the rumors and recruits hanging in the balance I felt this was as good as time as ever to renew. But I would like to start a thread and get some feedback on something I have honestly wondered for years. Each year I feel more and more confident in my theories but I thought I would run it by you guys since some of you I respect a ton.
- It seems like more than ever we hardly get surprised by a player returning to Duke. Allen this year kinda but not really (Had an off year to his standards/expectations and it seemed he was otw out if he had a player of the year type of year). Now I know players leave early at several schhols and Duke is getting top 20 recruits every year so I understand the argument that it is going to happen at Duke more often than most. But certain schools seem to hold onto their players always at least a year longer than anybody else thinks.
Example - UNC (Barnes, Zeller, McAdoo, Paige, Brice Johnson, you could even argue Justin Jackson). The list goes on and on. Michigan State (Miles Bridges ect..). Arizona (always seems to keep 1 player I thought was gone). and several other schools but you guys get the point.
Now only a couple things could effect this.
- Coach (Coach is putting pressure on them to stay, giving them doubt in their ability to succeed at the next level, saying they would be better off to enter next year, ect..)
- College environment (Simply put they enjoy being on the campus and being apart of the daily activities)
- Brotherhood (Using Duke's term here, but sometimes you have such a brotherhood you simply don't want to leave).
- School Work (This kinda ties into College environment but at some schools they have such an easy work load/classes *cough* *unc*)
- Part 2 Coach (They believe they are getting better under their coach than if they went pro)
- Dont need the $$$ (No rush to make NBA money because it simply isnt nessisary right now)
Reasons kids seem to leave 1st chance they get at a school
- Coach (Coach takes the mentality that the moment they can get drafted they need to go. Why risk getting hurt or having a down year.. risking your chance to get drafted high)
- Coach (They simply do not like playing for that coach)
- Coach (They may like playing for the coach.. but they dont think they are getting any better)
- Playing time (I believe this is huge at Duke because K does not typically play a deep bench and these kids feel the ceiling is caving on them each and every game if they dont go out there and prove they are NBA worthy. Or they simply hate riding the pine and its more important they play than learn how to play).
- Class (School is simply too tough at this university. Its like a full time job that you hate and the 1st chance you get to leave you are taking it).
- College environment (College to a lot of young kids is about having fun.. getting away a little bit from mom and dad and doing things you will never have a chance to do again in life. The college environment simply stinks or boring).
- Need $$$ (Need it now ! Luol Deng comes to mind, I seem to remember his family needing money so he went Pro and at that time it was not common at all for a Duke player to leave early)
I hate to ever be negative about Duke but outside of the basketball program the school seems less like a basketball program than ever. I remember from the 80s, 90s, even early 2000s we had fanatic students showing up to games.. didn't matter who we were playing we had a student body that was just nuts, and I loved it.
Now, unless its a good game and something awesome happens you see emotion we used to see when we were up 10 in a basic game. Just my personal observation but I could be wrong.
IDK i have more to say and explain but I am curious what others think and I am sure some of you have inside knowledge about some of the things I described.
