The case for Shelden Williams to join the staff
- Thread starter Quavarius
- Start date
I know the game is going towards small ball, but in college, you can still dominate with BIGS who can score, rebound and block shots in college.
Be nice to have now that we lost. Nate. OFC
Nothing against Sheldon, but I’d prefer to see some guys that didn’t play for K get brought in as assistants.
Shelden has had a ton of basketball related experience including as an assistant coach. That would indicate that he has learned some things that are different from what K might do that he will be able to share. in that way, he would be different from Jon and Nolan, who don’t have outside coaching experience. C-well also left the nest, but he worked with Wojo, so he is still more tied to K’s coaching philosophy than someone who has spent time outside the program.
Thanks for answering the question for Mac. But, just because they once played for K, does not mean they would not have new ideas. Virtually everyone on the staff, other than Scheyer, has played on NBA, developmental, and/or foreign teams. Moreover, to suggest that if you played for Duke, you won't have new ideas is nonsensical. As coaches part of their job is to study other teams and to incorporate what they learn from that. For example, Duke's zone defense was derived in very large part from Boeheim and Syracuse.
I dont care who it is or where they come from as long as they can convince our guys they need to box put every single time a shot goes up. Every single time. Every single time or you will not play. Even walk-ons at Duke have the ability to box out. Willingness and effort.
We promoted Nolan Smith today, which is awesome for him and us as Duke fans! Love Nolan, and he deserves it! I look for someone else to come in. I'd love to see it be Sheldon. That said, the only thing I have seen referencing it as a possibility is the article in this thread. Personally, my pick would be Battier. I've wanted him on the sideline since he retired from the league. Wishful thinking that will never happen though, haha
And very well derserving move. Nolan loves Duke. I love Nolan's passion and his will . His career as a player at Duke from struggles as a young player to a very big role on the 2010 natty team has carried over to his coaching and recruiting. OFC
One of the best guys we've ever had wear a Duke jersey. His play in the game against Baylor in the second half is probably my favorite of that entire year.
John played on the Heat summer league team where he received his eye injury and on one or two teams in Israel. If I’m not mistaken he was headed back over seas when K called him for the position and he turned right around and returned home. So every one on the bench has NBA experience and over seas experience lol.
My opinion: I would love if Williams joined the staff. Nate James had been with us since 2007. In that time, we won 2 titles (2010 and 2015) with him on staff. Also, he won one as a player in 2001. Nate JAMES has been apart of 3 of our 5 titles. Per the article, he was the first former Duke BIG as an assistant since Jay Bilas. We won two titles with Jay as an assistant coach (91 and 92). All I’m saying is, when Duke has a former BIG under K on staff, a title will be in sight. I don’t want to go back to Wojo coaching the BIGS again and I know K loves having guards as his assistant coaches, but Shelden would be the perfect hire for Mark Williams and Paolo Banchero. I would feel comfortable with Mark Williams continued development if he was coached by a former BIG/Post player. Also, other hating ass programs cant use the “WOJO is the BIGS Coach” against Duke on the recruiting trail like they did when Duke had trouble landing elite post players.
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A lot of the haters on this site criticize the assistant coaches as mindless K clones.
Couldn’t agree more. Nate coming in and taking over coaching our bigs was a major plus. I’ve been worried about what our recruiting at PF and Center was going to look like going forward. Think Sheldon could solve that issue.
I didn't mean to come across as a hater. I just meant that sometimes outside ideas are good.
People from inside can still learn about and bring in new ideas from the outside. It's not like the assistants are locked in a dark room and never can go talk to or learn from other coaches. The key is whether they are willing to learn and implement new ideas rather than be too stubborn and prideful to ever do anything different. Coach K himself has instituted more zone defense over the last decade after spending so much time with Boeheim during his Team USA years.
Shelden was a lunch pail kind of big. Good image and nice balance combined with Ks positionless basketball to attract bigs in general and those glue guys every team needs.
Yep, but stupid people will always say stupid things.
There’s really no use to argue about it. Most support it, a few don’t. And guess what? As long as K is here his assistants will be Duke guys...and it’s probably going to be the same way with his successor.
Almost everyone on this thread has been for Sheldon becoming an assistant coach. All I did was say I’d like to see someone that hasn’t played for him to come onboard. Never criticized Sheldon, or K. It turned into a couple questioning why I felt that way, and one resident homer throwing out the haters accusation.
Some of you all wonder why this board isn’t what it “used to be.”
A message board is for all kinds of opinions. Also nothing stupid or being hateful to want an outside person. I am also fully aware that K loves his former players. Most anyone that’s been a fan of Duke for a while knows this too.
Some of you all wonder why this board isn’t what it “used to be.”
A message board is for all kinds of opinions. Also nothing stupid or being hateful to want an outside person. I am also fully aware that K loves his former players. Most anyone that’s been a fan of Duke for a while knows this too.
I don’t see much problem with what Mac said, (can’t believe i just typed that, since we agree on almost nothing re: Duke hoops), but he’s simply saying, he prefers to bring someone from outside the family, which i get. Won’t happen, but i get it. Don’t think it’s that hot of a take haha
Saying former players might be a little too defferential to a coach they played for is not exactly calling them mindless yes men.
Coach K is the most successful college coach ever. He is still sharp at age 74. But as we age, we run out of new ideas. It's hard to innovate. It's fine to keep your most trusted aide by your side forever, but the second and third assistants should be encouraged to seek new opportunities every five years for their own development and for the health of the program. It's very hard for anybody to tell a Hall of Famer that he is wrong, but it's almost impossible for a former player who is forty years younger than the coach. I suggest going outside of the program with every third hire
Definitely a reasonable take by Mac. There’s far more “offensive” stuff posted on here than that.
Most people have a rationale for their opinions. We simply asked for yours. You elected not to explain, which was your right. But what is so mean about asking for your rationale, if you have one other than "that's just the way I feel?"
I have no problem with what Mac said. I am just curious as to why he said it or if there was any reason at all.
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