William Avery being added to the staff
- Thread starter LetsGoDuke83
- Start date
Wow. I didn’t see that one coming. But congrats to him. He left Duke after his sophomore year with a fair amount of bitterness between his family and Coach K, but returned to get his degree this year. Certainly came full circle.
We win the title in 2000 if Avery comes back IMO. Wasn’t this the first early departure that had K surprised?
I am pretty sure I read where Avery and Coach K patched things up and K was happy Avery came back to get his degree.
Here's a question I'd like answered--does Scheyer pass his coaching decisions past K, or at least "let him know" in advance? Just wondering how engaged K still is with the program.
Here's a question I'd like answered--does Scheyer pass his coaching decisions past K, or at least "let him know" in advance? Just wondering how engaged K still is with the program.
I'd like Scheyer to not ask K. Last year was fine, but he needs to find his way.
In my opinion, Scheyer has been doing that already. Not sure if K would have hired someone outside Duke like Jai Lucas.
I think K has moved on. Not as I am over it in a bad way, but K strikes me as one who commits 110% in the moment but when it is over it is over. I think if (when) Scheyer talks to K, it is to pick his brain as someone who is very intelligent about the game and not a “what is best for Duke” sort of way.
I have high hopes for Scheyer vs a lot of other situations where a legendary coach is replaced because I think K has more or less disassociated himself with the program. Not Duke, but the program. I would not be surprised if K does not ever attend another Duke game in his life or stops attending the banquet when there are no more players at Duke who played with him as coach.
That is not to say coach K is not watching every second of every Duke game and cussing like a sailor. But I would be shocked if K ever initiated a phone call after a game with Jon…
I have high hopes for Scheyer vs a lot of other situations where a legendary coach is replaced because I think K has more or less disassociated himself with the program. Not Duke, but the program. I would not be surprised if K does not ever attend another Duke game in his life or stops attending the banquet when there are no more players at Duke who played with him as coach.
That is not to say coach K is not watching every second of every Duke game and cussing like a sailor. But I would be shocked if K ever initiated a phone call after a game with Jon…
I feel as though K is still very much involved behind the scenes. Have to think he and Jon have a great relationship and why wouldn't Jon try to pick the brain of the 🐐?
I understand but Jon has had a decade with Coach K. It will be interesting to see how he handles the minutes as not everyone will play. We are deeper this year than last year, at least on paper.
Jay Williams would've never grew with Avery here.
Corey seemed ready for the NBA. Avery did not, think one more year would have done wonders for him.
Corey had a long and solid nba career. Imagine if both had stayed for 2000. Sheesh.
I like it, but I don't like it. Mike D and Jay would've never developed.
Once that Chicago newspaper said Maggette would be the #1 pick he was gone. Avery was the guy we needed back. It was a dark time for Duke basketball, but we were able to recover and win in 2001.
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Possibly. Or they would have gotten that much better by playing against those two every single day. They both would have still gotten plenty of minutes, especially JW.
Did Dunleavy commit to Duke before Magette left? I can’t remember, but I’m wondering if he would have came had Magette stayed.
Seems Mike was recruited hard by the holes as well.
A sophmore Maggette would have been amazing. You never know. If Maggette was 2 and done and Dunleavy doesn't come we may not win in 2001. That 2000 team reminds me of last year's team. Thrown into the fire but came back. Hopefully the same result
That's just it. I don't see Mike D getting 10 minutes with Chris, Corey and Shane.
Jason was ready when he first stepped on campus. Already as good, if not better, than Avery. OFC
Would he and Avery battled for the ball? Who would Coach K side with?
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The one that bothers me is the spring/summer of 04. Deng and a freshmen Livingston would have made the 05 team special.
There's no doubt those 2 were needed.
There's no doubt those 2 were needed.
Give me a junior Avery. They were both really good players though. That would be a great backcourt. Deng as a sophmore would have been unstoppable.
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Disagree strongly here. Avery was really underrated and a really good shooter. As a Junior he could have been a first team AA. Jason took a few lumps his freshman year. Not to say he didn’t have a really solid year, but no way was he better at that time.
I'm still mad Avery didn't take that last shot.
Avery is my favorite Duke PG, he was so smooth.
Avery is my favorite Duke PG, he was so smooth.
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Trajan was my favorite player growing up but the ball should have been in Avery’s hands no question.
Langdon was a great shooter. And a poor dribbler. Whenever he had to dribble more than once it got dicey. I liked Langon too my screen name was Langdon and some numbers in the AOL days.
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Funny story. I was getting wasted with a professor at Duke at James Joyce in 99/00 and he talked about how Avery would sleep through class and act like he had special treatment. Said that he left early because he was given an ultimatum and would not have had the grades to be eligible. Can't say how true that was. But that dude hated students who fell asleep.
I heard similar stories. It happens to many of our players. Growth and Maturity always come in due time. I'm glad he's back.
I thought Avery left so that he could support his mother.
I can’t remember if she was sick or just in need.
I may be mistaken….
I can’t remember if she was sick or just in need.
I may be mistaken….
If memory serves me correct his mother wanted him to stay at Duke.
He was a bit overzealous. The team went to the FF. Brand was gone. Corey was gone. Trajan was gone. Chris was transferring. A new set of recruits were coming. He believed his stock could go no higher. He made a 50/50 call.
Right he was also a lottery pick so from that standpoint hard to fault him totally. Thing is the next years draft was weaker and he would have been the best PG in the country hands down.
Duke recruited Jason Williams with the expectation that he would play shooting guard in 2000, with Avery as the point. But both would have the ball in their hands. Think Dawkins/Amaker. Of course, if Magette and Avery had both come back, then JWill might well have come off the bench as a super sixth-man.
And, yes, Avery was an indifferent student in his first go-around at Duke. Which makes act 2 all the more inspiring.
And, yes, Avery was an indifferent student in his first go-around at Duke. Which makes act 2 all the more inspiring.
Exactly, JW was thrown into the fire right away. His first two games (going off pure memory here) he struggled mightily but it probably helped him in the long run.
I do agree with you in terms of Dunleavy though. He could have been limited if Corey came back.
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