Most likely at least 4 frosh starters? It'll be fun and there will be some serious highlights no doubt but a legit shot at a natty with a team that young? I don't know. This season could still be special and obviously I hope it is but we're just so young. Yeah I know, 2015 but jeebus we have more talent than anyone and I really thought we were gonna take a big step today. We still may. I've drank too much I guess. Drowning my sorrows. Sorry guys.
Serious question. Will we really be any better next year?
- Thread starter Deviled Egg
- Start date
It hinges on guard play. As we've seen this year, having two stud bigs is great but having two stud guards is much better. Will Tre Jones be as calm, cool, and collected as his brother and be able to effectively run the team while knowing when he needs to look to score? Will we get elite ball handling and shooting from one or both of Barrett and Reddish? I really don't know what to expect from that backcourt. I think the frontcourt of Williamson, Bolden, and Vrankovic will be solid enough and hopefully we add Montgomery.
I don’t think we are bad this year! Next year will Be s fun year, but as far being better that’s yet to be seen. I do think we will be better at the 1 and 2 spots. Tre is a better shooter than Duval, and Reddish( who I think will play the 2) is a damn good shooter also.
I would take a Battier over a 5 star freshman anytime.
They'll probably be similar in a lot of ways. They'll go through ups and downs, lose games they shouldn't, figure out how to play with each other. Well all freak out at some point and think they're terrible only to back to thinking they're the greatest team ever 2 weeks later.
More of the same is what I would guess. Seems to have been the pattern since we got on this recruiting run. 2015 is the outlier to that....the other years we had great players, no depth, patchy play, mediocre defense and pretty early exits from the NCAAT ( we did win the ACCT though last year)
For me, I dont like the trend. I'd love to take it back to players who play 3-4 years with Duke, who grew together as a team, played ferocious defense and would die for the name on the jersey....wishful thinking though.
For me, I dont like the trend. I'd love to take it back to players who play 3-4 years with Duke, who grew together as a team, played ferocious defense and would die for the name on the jersey....wishful thinking though.
you'll get the same thing. just more exciting plays next year. january will be tough once again for us. we don't start well on the road. now if tre is as good as tyus then we have a chance. i know he's a better defender but if we can get the same playmaker it would be great
Don't know if we'll be better next year or not because this season isn't over by a longshot. This is a very good team (and an exciting one) we have, and we're going to make some noise. I'm going to enjoy the ride until it ends, and it ain't ended yet, 'cause championships aren't won (or lost) in January.
OFC
OFC
It's amazing how many "I don't post often" people show up and question and/or bash this team after a L....
It really is SoCal. The sheer number of posters during and after a loss is amazing. So many fair weather fans on here. Pisses me off. This team is a legit title contender, but there are gonna be more bumps in the road. If they don’t wanna post during the good times, stay the hell away during the rough times.
Anybody that just thinks this team was going to totally dominate each opponent was crazy. We will probably lose 2 or 3 more games heading into the NCAA Tournament and have a record of around 26-6 or 25-7.
We will be one of about 6 teams favored to cut the nets down. If you can't get excited about that you need to find some new hobbies. I'm with QC, I get tired of all the complaining and finger pointing when we lose. We just have some fans that are spoiled and always know better than Coach K. Ridiculous!
We will be one of about 6 teams favored to cut the nets down. If you can't get excited about that you need to find some new hobbies. I'm with QC, I get tired of all the complaining and finger pointing when we lose. We just have some fans that are spoiled and always know better than Coach K. Ridiculous!
Did you see Trevon made that one dumb pass yesterday? Surely that means Tre Jones will suck next year.
Wasn't Battier a five star freshman?
This team can easily win it all. Bagley and Carter Jr. can carry this team if it is needed.
The backcourt will come around by tourney time.
Next year’s team will be completely different more of the ideal small ball team.
Tre Jones fits Duke’s style of point guard. Better decision maker and doesn’t turn the ball as much. Like Tyus or Trae Young type point guard. Pick and roll will be fun with him and Zion
Cam is a true SF that can shoot lights from three and is silky smooth and athletic with a 7’1 wingspan. A smaller Kevin Durant. A good defender.
RJ at 6’7 can shot lights out and is the best player in the class. He can score at will.
Williamson will be a terror in transition and in the paint.
Bench will be better next year.
The backcourt will come around by tourney time.
Next year’s team will be completely different more of the ideal small ball team.
Tre Jones fits Duke’s style of point guard. Better decision maker and doesn’t turn the ball as much. Like Tyus or Trae Young type point guard. Pick and roll will be fun with him and Zion
Cam is a true SF that can shoot lights from three and is silky smooth and athletic with a 7’1 wingspan. A smaller Kevin Durant. A good defender.
RJ at 6’7 can shot lights out and is the best player in the class. He can score at will.
Williamson will be a terror in transition and in the paint.
Bench will be better next year.
I don't think K believes that part of not having experience next year is due to guys like Jeter transferring due to lack of playing time this year. There's short- and long-term value to playing guys that aren't as good as the starters, but it's clear from his quotes that K doesn't see things that way.
If our recruiting was falling off AND guys were transferring, it would be more concerning. At this point we just have to accept mega-talented starters who play 35+ mins per game.
If our recruiting was falling off AND guys were transferring, it would be more concerning. At this point we just have to accept mega-talented starters who play 35+ mins per game.
To answer the question directly, who the hell knows? THE person who might be able to...K, can’t. So why worry about it. Sit back, pop some popcorn and watch how incredibly interesting college BB is these days. Teams that opt for high end younger talent trying frantically to coach up “kids” to make them successful for a tournament run. Teams that opt for more mature experienced rotations and those that blend the two. Yesterday’s game while disappointing was exactly what I’m talking about...give it time and place...mid season young guys being thrown in the lions den of a relentless “once in a decade” mature, physical very well coach defense. You know what they survived it and gave themselves a chance to win. Now, in comparison of styles. Who would you rather be at this point in the year a team that may not get much better and won due to some youthful mistakes or the team that has a chance to cover a lot more ground in development and chemistry. I know who’d I rather be...and I’ll be sitting with popcorn watching regardless of outcome.
I would be surprised if we are better next year. No one is going to be anywhere close to as good as Bagley, who in my opinion is the best freshman the ACC has ever seen. We have the best frontline in the country and are perfectly rounded 1-5. Next year we have 3-4 starters who need the ball in their hands, who overlap at several positions, and we have a big question mark at center. Not to mention, no seniors (who actually play). Where is the leadership going to come from? It will have to come from an underclassman, which is a little scary.
There is a reason we still have the best odds in Vegas to win the championship this year, despite losing yesterday. This team is insanely talented and has a massive ceiling. Next year, we really don't know.
There is a reason we still have the best odds in Vegas to win the championship this year, despite losing yesterday. This team is insanely talented and has a massive ceiling. Next year, we really don't know.
Good chance we'll be much better at the 1-2-3 positions next year, close to a push at the 4 (Bagley vs. Zion), and not as good at the 5 (Carter vs. Bolden / Javin / EJ Montgomery). I also think our bench will be better next year, especially if either Duval or Trent return, and/or we get a grad transfer like Reid Travis at Stanford.
Agree with you that this year's team still has great upside, which is unlike a lot of Duke teams that seem to peak around December. Our Kenpom D is at 58 and improving each game. I think we need at least one of Trent-Duval-Grayson to be a strong 3rd scoring option and to cut down on TOs. Still, I'm bullish, which as you guys know, isn't typical.
I think our KenPom D was in the 50s at the beginning of March in 2015, which is the season I am constantly comparing this one to.Good chance we'll be much better at the 1-2-3 positions next year, close to a push at the 4 (Bagley vs. Zion), and not as good at the 5 (Carter vs. Bolden / Javin / EJ Montgomery). I also think our bench will be better next year, especially if either Duval or Trent return, and/or we get a grad transfer like Reid Travis at Stanford.
Agree with you that this year's team still has great upside, which is unlike a lot of Duke teams that seem to peak around December. Our Kenpom D is at 58 and improving each game. I think we need at least one of Trent-Duval-Grayson to be a strong 3rd scoring option and to cut down on TOs. Still, I'm bullish, which as you guys know, isn't typical.
But its almost impossible to predict every year how all these stud freshmen will react to not being the best player on the floor at all times. Duval is still struggling to figure it out. Carter and Trent have only just recently started feeling out their role. It took Wade, Lebron and Bosh close to 100 games to get comfortable. And Coach K has about one-third of that amount of time to make it all work. Not an easy job. It is MUCH easier to take less talented players and give them each a role. So that's a credit to Coach K (and Calipari to some extent).
Actually and to be fair to next years team we'll have to wait until it ends also but I hope next season we will finish 40 and 0 and this season finish 37 and 3.
I just wanna get better at team ball. I’ll be happy with any result if we are passing the rock and getting a hand up on every shot. Hero ball is fun in short stretches, but its not sustainable.
I didn't realize this years team was bad, wasn't yesterdays loss only the third loss?
there is a lot to be said for this post...Agree 100%. This year is a long way from over. These guys will get better.
Right! You would think we have a losing record reading some of these posts.
With all the talk of next season does this mean that yesterday's game was season ending for Duke? Seems kind of sudden. Just asking.
Let's take a look
Duval/Jones:
- Duval much more athletic and wants to play in transition. Slasher and goes to the hoop.
- Jones better feel for the game in the half set. Uses his pull up jumper off the dribble around the elbow.
- neither is a great 3pt shooter. Jones assertive md himself more defensively.
Grayson/RJ:
- Grayson so much experience and tough. Has a good 3pt shot (maybe down this year). A willing passer and rebounder
- RJ is longer and moves better laterally. A scorer but not the 3pt shooter of Grayson.
Trevt/Cam:
- Trent 3pt shooter that is very physically strong. Willing to mix it up defensively and has taken on the best wing player on the opposing team
- Cam is much longer and moves better but is no at physically strong. Cam isn't the 3pt shooter that Trent is but is a much better ball handler.
Bagley/Zion:
- both are studs. Not sure how to look at it bc obviously Bags is 6 inches taller but Zion is 30lbs+ heavier.
- Bags is pretty refined in the paint and Zion uses brute force.
Carter/Bolden:
Carter hands down in all areas.
For next year to be better, the bigs will have to at least be good. To me for this to happen, Jav and Bolden would need to take major jumps but if Duke also landed EJ and Reid.
To me the team will not be to this year's level just based on tht bigs and the bench being the same
Duval/Jones:
- Duval much more athletic and wants to play in transition. Slasher and goes to the hoop.
- Jones better feel for the game in the half set. Uses his pull up jumper off the dribble around the elbow.
- neither is a great 3pt shooter. Jones assertive md himself more defensively.
Grayson/RJ:
- Grayson so much experience and tough. Has a good 3pt shot (maybe down this year). A willing passer and rebounder
- RJ is longer and moves better laterally. A scorer but not the 3pt shooter of Grayson.
Trevt/Cam:
- Trent 3pt shooter that is very physically strong. Willing to mix it up defensively and has taken on the best wing player on the opposing team
- Cam is much longer and moves better but is no at physically strong. Cam isn't the 3pt shooter that Trent is but is a much better ball handler.
Bagley/Zion:
- both are studs. Not sure how to look at it bc obviously Bags is 6 inches taller but Zion is 30lbs+ heavier.
- Bags is pretty refined in the paint and Zion uses brute force.
Carter/Bolden:
Carter hands down in all areas.
For next year to be better, the bigs will have to at least be good. To me for this to happen, Jav and Bolden would need to take major jumps but if Duke also landed EJ and Reid.
To me the team will not be to this year's level just based on tht bigs and the bench being the same
RJ is not a lights out shooter. Where are you getting your scouting report from. He is a OK shooter at best. Cam isn’t a lights out shooter either. He’s a good shooter. How exactly will the bench be better
I remember a lot of people saying this last year. I hope Duke wins the championship this year and then we'll worry about next year lord willing. OFC
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