Question: Now that the news broke on Patrick Tape’ decommitting from Duke, what are your thoughts on Duke’s front court as it is without any other additions?
Response: “Yea, this is how the landscape of the grad players and transfer might look due to how they can’t go through the usual recruiting process. I said it earlier, the relationships built with the coaching staff is going to be so important right now. With that said, I feel that Duke’s front court potential is being undersold to a degree. And this is with not knowing Hurt’s intentions.”
Jalen Johnson: “He is a Duke 4 in K’s system. Each one of the most recent 4’s (not including Bagley) were players that were big 3’s and each had some part of their game that needed development, so Johnson is no different, but he is being overlooked to a degree because he didn’t have a typical high school senior season. He is a for sure one and done talent and I would argue a top 5 player now. You all can read all of this player assessments and I’ve shared my evaluation before, but what I have been told is he has really worked on his body physically to prepare for Duke. I’ve heard he is 220+ and getting stronger. The knock on him is his 3 point shooting, but I think he will be OK there and make a decent percentage, and if I had to guess maybe 30-31% from 3. Where he is going to be a mismatch nightmare is his ball handling, his play making ability and his passing. All of these skills are elite, elite, elite for a guy his size. I think Duke will have to live with how he defends an ACC or a college 4, how he rebounds (although I think he will be decent) and his shooting from distance. I have followed him and liked his game for years.”
Mark Williams: “He’s a big, long kid that excels at all of the defensive things that Johnson might not be as developed in. I have talked a few NBA guys and he is on NBA teams’ radar as a possible one and done kid. Now, for me, I need to see it in college before I am willing to give my acknowledgement of that. He is going to be a true 5 at Duke and a very good shot alter. I would expect he will be a good rebounder too. What I want to see is how well he contributes offensively and how he defends in the post. One scout shared that Williams is also focusing on his strength training (I am assuming that most players are trying to focus on strength/conditioning/agility) and is adding good weight/muscle. I was told he is a good 230. I think he will be a good fit and very capable at the 5 for Duke. Just needs to be able to stay away from fouls and give something offensively.”
Jaemyn Brakefield: “He has both the potential to be very good offensively and defensively next year if he is focused which I believe he will be at Duke. The staff did a tremendous job with Carey this year and he had those same question marks about him coming out of high school. I think Jaemyn is undervalued as a player. He was very highly ranked a few years back and is for sure being watched by NBA guys. He has good size at 6-8/6-9 and from what a local guy down Mississippi told me, he is also 220+. Jaemyn has a lot of skills as he can shoot the ball and is a decent 3 point shooter too although he is inconsistent. He can handle the ball and play make for others as well as pass the ball. But what might be a surprise to some will be how good of a rebounder and defender he can be. If he is mentally locked in and Duke does their work with him, he could play the 4 and some time at the 5 in a small line up at Duke. He is a potential pro; it’s just a matter of when it all clicks for him. He could be a one and done kid and really develop as a FR in college or he could follow the path of Matthew Hurt. But I like his game and what he will bring to Duke.”
Henry Coleman: “I told you a while back that when I saw him for the first time. The first thing I thought was he was built like a grown man. He is physically put together. Strong. He really went after it on the glass on both ends and was determined as a defender in the post. He is the one player coming in that is physically ready for college ball. He is a player that one scout of VA told me is a pro down the line too. That scout saw him play against other high school big guys who were heading off to big conference and D1 programs and Henry not only held his own, but put up good number both offensively and rebounding. He is the guy that Duke can develop because he was very vocal on the court in giving directions to his teammates and his motor was non-stop. So how much time he gets will be up to the coaching staff, but he is a player that is capable of playing the 4 or 5.”
Response: “Yea, this is how the landscape of the grad players and transfer might look due to how they can’t go through the usual recruiting process. I said it earlier, the relationships built with the coaching staff is going to be so important right now. With that said, I feel that Duke’s front court potential is being undersold to a degree. And this is with not knowing Hurt’s intentions.”
Jalen Johnson: “He is a Duke 4 in K’s system. Each one of the most recent 4’s (not including Bagley) were players that were big 3’s and each had some part of their game that needed development, so Johnson is no different, but he is being overlooked to a degree because he didn’t have a typical high school senior season. He is a for sure one and done talent and I would argue a top 5 player now. You all can read all of this player assessments and I’ve shared my evaluation before, but what I have been told is he has really worked on his body physically to prepare for Duke. I’ve heard he is 220+ and getting stronger. The knock on him is his 3 point shooting, but I think he will be OK there and make a decent percentage, and if I had to guess maybe 30-31% from 3. Where he is going to be a mismatch nightmare is his ball handling, his play making ability and his passing. All of these skills are elite, elite, elite for a guy his size. I think Duke will have to live with how he defends an ACC or a college 4, how he rebounds (although I think he will be decent) and his shooting from distance. I have followed him and liked his game for years.”
Mark Williams: “He’s a big, long kid that excels at all of the defensive things that Johnson might not be as developed in. I have talked a few NBA guys and he is on NBA teams’ radar as a possible one and done kid. Now, for me, I need to see it in college before I am willing to give my acknowledgement of that. He is going to be a true 5 at Duke and a very good shot alter. I would expect he will be a good rebounder too. What I want to see is how well he contributes offensively and how he defends in the post. One scout shared that Williams is also focusing on his strength training (I am assuming that most players are trying to focus on strength/conditioning/agility) and is adding good weight/muscle. I was told he is a good 230. I think he will be a good fit and very capable at the 5 for Duke. Just needs to be able to stay away from fouls and give something offensively.”
Jaemyn Brakefield: “He has both the potential to be very good offensively and defensively next year if he is focused which I believe he will be at Duke. The staff did a tremendous job with Carey this year and he had those same question marks about him coming out of high school. I think Jaemyn is undervalued as a player. He was very highly ranked a few years back and is for sure being watched by NBA guys. He has good size at 6-8/6-9 and from what a local guy down Mississippi told me, he is also 220+. Jaemyn has a lot of skills as he can shoot the ball and is a decent 3 point shooter too although he is inconsistent. He can handle the ball and play make for others as well as pass the ball. But what might be a surprise to some will be how good of a rebounder and defender he can be. If he is mentally locked in and Duke does their work with him, he could play the 4 and some time at the 5 in a small line up at Duke. He is a potential pro; it’s just a matter of when it all clicks for him. He could be a one and done kid and really develop as a FR in college or he could follow the path of Matthew Hurt. But I like his game and what he will bring to Duke.”
Henry Coleman: “I told you a while back that when I saw him for the first time. The first thing I thought was he was built like a grown man. He is physically put together. Strong. He really went after it on the glass on both ends and was determined as a defender in the post. He is the one player coming in that is physically ready for college ball. He is a player that one scout of VA told me is a pro down the line too. That scout saw him play against other high school big guys who were heading off to big conference and D1 programs and Henry not only held his own, but put up good number both offensively and rebounding. He is the guy that Duke can develop because he was very vocal on the court in giving directions to his teammates and his motor was non-stop. So how much time he gets will be up to the coaching staff, but he is a player that is capable of playing the 4 or 5.”
