The Package Deal Culture...

[dbav]

I've seen a lot on how Duke has embraced the "One and Done" culture, but I actually wanted to contend that Duke has embraced the "Package Deal" culture.

I think that having 3 OADs this past year was more a matter of good coaching and good kids than anything else. I remember the recruiting guys on here believing Justise would be here for 2 years and Tyus would be here for at least 3. Yet, the staff put these kids in a situation that maximized their talents and led to success. Every great coach finds a way to make the system fit the personnel.

I believe a bit part of that was that the kids wanted to play together and had a singular mindset from the beginning. This is not to say that all other recruiting classes are more a collection of individuals than a cohesive whole, but it says something to know they want to play together and want to be in a place that allows them to succeed together. It seems to me that K and the staff have really pushed this idea and it may be a reason for the recent success. The Tyus/Jah/Justise package was terrific, there is a potential for a Tatum/Giles package as well and I think a large part of why that works is that the staff would rather take the talent and make it work than take a piece and fit it into a particular mold.

Part of the reason why I mention this is that we could be looking at teams with an abundance of SGs and wings in the near future. The coaches embrace the desire to play together and find a way to get the best combinations on the court. I think that is what separated Duke from other programs with great classes this past season. Rather than platooning or forcing a system, the ability to adapt is the key.

I may just be making that all up. I don't have any inside info, but it seems that when players are discussing a package deal, Duke seems to always be on the radar because of their ability to adapt to those players. Obviously the talent level doesn't hurt either, but we have seen coaches do less with more.

Food for thought though. I would rather see the perspective be that Duke embraces the package deal culture. Thoughts?

 

[DukeDenver]

I think we are attracting top talent with regularity for several reasons:

-like you have said, K is not stuck on one system, rather tries and get to know his players first
-Duke has shed some of the myth that we don't put guys in the NBA
-when kids come and visit they are blown away by the campus, facilities and truly get along with the students and other athletes
-most of all, I think (not sure) there have been way more top level athletes that also happen to be great students with high character since 2000. Don't ask me why this is, but I feel like the talent pool of kids that can actually handle Duke's rigors has gotten deeper in the second half of K's career.

 

[denniden]

Coaching team USA has helped as well. All the guys who are talking about Duke and package deals are all part of the team USA program. These kids have forged friendships playing together for their country during the summers.

BTW, Where are all those folks who thought K coaching team USA would hurt Duke?

 

[QC Dukie]

Coaching team USA has helped as well. All the guys who are talking about Duke and package deals are all part of the team USA program. These kids have forged friendships playing together for their country during the summers.

BTW, Where are all those folks who thought K coaching team USA would hurt Duke?

They are all over at THR and RR complaining that it's an unfair recruiting advantage now.

OFC

 

[timo0402]

Coaching team USA has helped as well. All the guys who are talking about Duke and package deals are all part of the team USA program. These kids have forged friendships playing together for their country during the summers.

BTW, Where are all those folks who thought K coaching team USA would hurt Duke?

They're buried under all of the crow they've had to eat.

On this topic, i agree and think it comes down to a few things that really separate Duke right now: (in no particular order)

• the USA connection from two standpoints
• 1. these kids as Denn said all play USA together, i think that is huge, b/c its cool again.
• 2. Coach K's status with the NBA players he's coached in USA basketball- LBJ, Durant, Kobe, Rose, Kyrie, etc. all love him, instant hit.
• They saw tyus, jah and justise do it just this year- they stay together they win on the biggest stage of CBB and go pro. you always heard from kids throughout the years about being a package deal but it never came to fruition until tyus and jah really made it happen from 8th grade on.
  
• Winning and Adaptability with each win- from year to year and game to game, no one adapts more and better than Duke. From freedom to offense to changing defenses, these kids can trust in K and the proof has been in the pudding.

Critics from rival schools will point to anything they want and make excuses of why Duke is winning, but the reality is, Duke IS WINNING and because of that, the top kids are going to want to be a part of that. It's a business decision for these top kids. What is best for them to get to where they want to be? Who's going to prepare you the best? Who's going to get you more exposure than anyone else? Who's going to win year after year at the rate we have for the last 30 years? Unless you're just blindly a hater the answer is Duke. It's great to be Duke right now.

 

[timo0402]

They are all over at THR and RR complaining that it's an unfair recruiting advantage now.

OFC

I took that as where are all the Duke fans that complained. But yes the THRs and RR's have been complaining for a while. And for them, their tears are thirst quenchers.

 

[denniden]

I took that as where are all the Duke fans that complained. But yes the THRs and RR's have been complaining for a while. And for them, their tears are thirst quenchers.

Correct timo, I was talking about the Duke fans who complained. I know who many of them are and I can tell you that I have not seen one of them eat any sort of crow over it.

As for other fans complaining about it, that is envy. If their coach was the USA coach, they would be as happy as us Duke are about it. I don't blame their envy at all.

 

[aah555]

I've seen a lot on how Duke has embraced the "One and Done" culture, but I actually wanted to contend that Duke has embraced the "Package Deal" culture.

I think that having 3 OADs this past year was more a matter of good coaching and good kids than anything else. I remember the recruiting guys on here believing Justise would be here for 2 years and Tyus would be here for at least 3. Yet, the staff put these kids in a situation that maximized their talents and led to success. Every great coach finds a way to make the system fit the personnel.

I believe a bit part of that was that the kids wanted to play together and had a singular mindset from the beginning. This is not to say that all other recruiting classes are more a collection of individuals than a cohesive whole, but it says something to know they want to play together and want to be in a place that allows them to succeed together. It seems to me that K and the staff have really pushed this idea and it may be a reason for the recent success. The Tyus/Jah/Justise package was terrific, there is a potential for a Tatum/Giles package as well and I think a large part of why that works is that the staff would rather take the talent and make it work than take a piece and fit it into a particular mold.

Part of the reason why I mention this is that we could be looking at teams with an abundance of SGs and wings in the near future. The coaches embrace the desire to play together and find a way to get the best combinations on the court. I think that is what separated Duke from other programs with great classes this past season. Rather than platooning or forcing a system, the ability to adapt is the key.

I may just be making that all up. I don't have any inside info, but it seems that when players are discussing a package deal, Duke seems to always be on the radar because of their ability to adapt to those players. Obviously the talent level doesn't hurt either, but we have seen coaches do less with more.

Food for thought though. I would rather see the perspective be that Duke embraces the package deal culture. Thoughts?

Eh -- I think it's particular to the guys involved in the "package deals" -- and we're just taking advantage of the fact that some of these guys want to play together. To the extent we're seeing more package deals these days, I think it has more to do with (i) smart phones and social media have made it far easier for top players to remain in touch outside of the summer AAU circuit / summer camps; and (ii) the increased involvement of top players in USA basketball has helped build stronger bonds between top players than have historically existed. Package deals have long predated Duke -- and I don't think really evidence any notable change in our approach to recruiting.

 

[dbav]

Coaching team USA has helped as well. All the guys who are talking about Duke and package deals are all part of the team USA program. These kids have forged friendships playing together for their country during the summers.

BTW, Where are all those folks who thought K coaching team USA would hurt Duke?

So I should probably retitle the thread to the "Team USA" culture. Fair enough.

 

[Dattier]

This was the first year we ever had more than one true* OAD player at once. (*Rodney doesn't really count from 2014.) I suppose a lot of us would have wrinkled our noses at that knowledge ahead of time if we didn't know it would result in a national championship. As is, even those who still think the 1990 standard of everyone-must-graduate-before-we-hang-the-banner should apply seemed pretty cool with it.

There is no question we have to go after the best talent, and those guys don't stay long anymore. Bringing in 2 or 3 of those guys who don't have any prior cohesion is difficult and doesn't help create a foundation from one year to the next. Cal has done it successfully, but he's sort of like Brett Favre in a way in that you know he's great, but you also hold your breath through his risky moves. K has always been more precise and cautious in that regard, and while others like to highlight years like 2012 where UK rides a perfect storm to the title and we go home vs Lehigh, it's pretty stupid to argue w/ K's results.

Like the OP said, and others added, the national program has created more opportunities for cohesion among recruits and possible package deals, and for K to be so prominent there puts him in a great position to get those package deals. If they have the talent we need and not the inexperience (together) that has traditionally made us pause, it's a much more reliable and safe recruiting style/option.