BB Recruiting New Mexico transfer SG Lewis Duarte has signed with Rutgers

[seansherm]

Unfair, and Overtime Elite does give academic support.

Hasn't played for overtime elite in 3 or so years, no? What's unfair?
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem picking him up, its like a lotto ticket. There's nothing wrong w him as a Dorian Jones replacement, who was as likely to still be useless next year as he was to be part of the rotation. We need bigger, more athletic guard options.

 

[NickRU714]

We already have end of the bench guard pieces on the team! We need true starter level talent. No idea if he can play but looks sketchy

Exactly.
Already on the roster for now: Davis, Mark, Powers, Wooten and Francis.

Unless Duarate is being projected ahead of everyone else (except Francis) then I would consider this a waste of limited financial resources.

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

Hasn't played for overtime elite in 3 or so years, no? What's unfair?
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem picking him up, its like a lotto ticket. There's nothing wrong w him as a Dorian Jones replacement, who was as likely to still be useless next year as he was to be part of the rotation. We need bigger, more athletic guard options.

OK, it's unfair to assume he's not interested in improving himself academically number 1, and number 2, as far as your last comment needing bigger guards - he's 6'5".

 

[RUDiddy777]

It was a general apathy over the entire class that came in

the euros are “freshmen” but they were grown adults who turned out to be damaged goods

the track record of crappy transfers goes 3 years back

I can agree with that. Definitely a let down after last years freshman. Fair play on Badalau, I just don’t know what they saw. Zrno was fine and gave us meaningful minutes and I think he’ll be serviceable elsewhere.

Anyways, Pikes is rightly on the hot seat, it’s a do or die season (even good coaches hit some bad luck and mistakes and momentum takes over and a change is needed). I’m hopeful with the right support and the urgency of knowing his job is on the line, he’ll right the ship.

 

[RUDiddy777]

Some good programs went after him.

NM State Lands Promising Young Talent Lewis Duarte - New Mexico State University Athletics

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – On Wednesday afternoon, one of the final men's basketball roster spots has been filled with an impressive mix of size, explosiveness and athleticism

nmstatesports.com

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

Some good programs went after him.

NM State Lands Promising Young Talent Lewis Duarte - New Mexico State University Athletics

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – On Wednesday afternoon, one of the final men's basketball roster spots has been filled with an impressive mix of size, explosiveness and athleticism

nmstatesports.com

Its amazing how everyone, including the mods, immediately reacted like this kid was nothing but a down the bench addition - older, taller guard with these kind of offers? - I'm guessing the staff is looking at him as a starter, and I'm guessing we are done at guard also. Time to look at 4's and 5's. I don't think the other kids we are currently looking to are good enough - time to look at GOOD, and big, Euros.

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

Are we sure he's even eligible after being ineligible at New Mexico and then not attending school?

Also, talk about Pike not caring about academics.
First Jones
Now this guy.

Back to back years of guys with prior/current eligibility issues.

Half the kids we recruit wouldn't meet Rutgers standards as just students. I don't love Pike, but he doesn't deserve to be knocked for this.

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

Sounds like a huge academic risk that couldnt even play for that ivy league school new mexico state

Yaxel Lendaborg couldn't have played for NMSU three years ago because of academics

 

[seansherm]

OK, it's unfair to assume he's not interested in improving himself academically number 1, and number 2, as far as your last comment needing bigger guards - he's 6'5".

I'm not assuming anything, just saying the kid didn't seem to want to study years ago and hasn't had to in the time since. Honestly not sure how he'll be eligible here if he wasn't his last college stop.

I know he's listed at 6'5 which was why I included that I in my part about having no problem with the pick up. However, he still doesn't look that big to me.

 

[Mholinko]

Some good programs went after him.

NM State Lands Promising Young Talent Lewis Duarte - New Mexico State University Athletics

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – On Wednesday afternoon, one of the final men's basketball roster spots has been filled with an impressive mix of size, explosiveness and athleticism

nmstatesports.com

A lot of good programs went after Baye Fall

 

[RUJMM78]

Also why are we signing another guard … unless they either know somebody is leaving OR this is simply end of bench depth for cheap

The only positive is his size as a two guard who hopefully can make 3 pointers.Its rather obvious that the futue roster right now has too many guards and not enough front court players.

 

[RUInsanityToo]

You can tell yourself that, but its not necessarily true. Plenty of successes had no support initially. I even know of one coach who was so successful raising for his program, the schools fundraising arm started bringing him in for dinners w donors for non academic reasons.

Name the coaches.

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

A lot of good programs went after Baye Fall

Just stop.You're comparing a 1 in 50 mistakenly rated kid to your non expert rating of a short video clip and an evaluation done by a professional staff.

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

I'm not assuming anything, just saying the kid didn't seem to want to study years ago and hasn't had to in the time since. Honestly not sure how he'll be eligible here if he wasn't his last college stop.

I know he's listed at 6'5 which was why I included that I in my part about having no problem with the pick up. However, he still doesn't look that big to me.

You say you're not assuming anything and then you go on to assume he hasn't done anything to improve himself academically simply because he hasn't had to in the last couple of years, and he kinda does look 6'5".

 

[seansherm]

You say you're not assuming anything and then you go on to assume he hasn't done anything to improve himself academically simply because he hasn't had to in the last couple of years, and he kinda does look 6'5".

Maturity alone could help him, but I've seen nothing that says he's been taking classes, ect.
I hope he is 6'5, looked more 6'3ish to me, but relatively strong for a skinny guy.

 

[bac2therac]

Some good programs went after him.

NM State Lands Promising Young Talent Lewis Duarte - New Mexico State University Athletics

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – On Wednesday afternoon, one of the final men's basketball roster spots has been filled with an impressive mix of size, explosiveness and athleticism

nmstatesports.com

4 years ago and yet he went to lowly New Mexico State and he never played

 

[bac2therac]

Its amazing how everyone, including the mods, immediately reacted like this kid was nothing but a down the bench addition - older, taller guard with these kind of offers? - I'm guessing the staff is looking at him as a starter, and I'm guessing we are done at guard also. Time to look at 4's and 5's. I don't think the other kids we are currently looking to are good enough - time to look at GOOD, and big, Euros.

22 graduation..are you paying attention

 

[bac2therac]

Just stop.You're comparing a 1 in 50 mistakenly rated kid to your non expert rating of a short video clip and an evaluation done by a professional staff.

You are making Duarte a 1 in 250 find

 

[RUDiddy777]

Its amazing how everyone, including the mods, immediately reacted like this kid was nothing but a down the bench addition - older, taller guard with these kind of offers? - I'm guessing the staff is looking at him as a starter, and I'm guessing we are done at guard also. Time to look at 4's and 5's. I don't think the other kids we are currently looking to are good enough - time to look at GOOD, and big, Euros.

Still need depth and a Zrno replacement. Seems like the academic stuff was the issue. Not sure why anyone is whining.

 

[RUDiddy777]

4 years ago and yet he went to lowly New Mexico State and he never played

Seems like academics were a bigger issue than basketball. And you know better.

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

Maturity alone could help him, but I've seen nothing that says he's been taking classes, ect.
I hope he is 6'5, looked more 6'3ish to me, but relatively strong for a skinny guy.

“Someone we’ve never seen play from a league we don’t know much about”……that is the problem right there……had we seen tape of him at NM State and then more tape at the college level if he had maybe transferred to another program, people would have a much different level of comfort with him. Instead we have a guy who has played as much college basketball as me (that would be none) and add on to it played in a league we don’t know much about, as you said. None of that screams let’s be excited about this addition, raises far more questions as opposed to celebrations.

You actually think the staff hasn't seen this kid play live and is making their decision based on a 1 minute video. For God's sake, they saw him play in high school. They recruited him.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

I think this is the RU dilemma and there are stupid fans blaming Pike (or Schiano), for not recruiting at Michigan, Ohio State, USC revenue levels as if we have that type of revenue

This is essentially and has been PRO sports for decades.... before NIL, money flowed underground to AAU programs and HS coaches, parents uncles etc....and RU outside of a couple of instances (Mike Rosario) & initial Mike Rice era, did not engage in the necessary channels to get the Myles Mack, Kareem Jack, Eli Carter etc onto campus

As far as this player, the Dominican league maybe pays 100K a year, if they play year round, which my guess is they dont. Maybe 6 months a year, so Duarte at best was picking up 60K to 100K MAX.

If he was around 60k to a very unlikely 100K in a Dominican Pro League and he landed here with others like Wake Forest, Seton Hall interested, maybe at the most he landed in the US markets at around a low end 300K to 500K as a D1 Wing or SG off the bench....those are estimated numbers where Zrno and Badalau would have been in 2026.

It is a low cost risk, that teams like the KC Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins have to take in MLB, to buy low or at discounted prices......in no world does anyone think the Pirates or any team in the bottom quarter revenue, competes every year with the Dodgers, Yankees etc.

The Michigan, USC, Ohio States are the Dodgers and Yankees....for RU revenue stream, with no increase in revenue from a stale and poorly marketed football program, there's no additional revenue stream to help financially. Raising money is one thing, but you have to sell a product and hoops is 80 to 90% full with paying season tickets in the 100s and 200s.

We need revenue from football success to fix the revenue stream, so we can get more sponsors and items. To discuss any P2 program as if football revenue means nothing to a basketball program is silly.

Duarte fits a role of inexpensive flier.....the fans claiming Pike purposely picks players like this is stupidity, but I get it......there are delusional fans that show up thinking the Pirates are 1 day going to win a World Series or even make the playoffs....it COULD happen, but honestly, blaming this on Pike as if this is his 1st choice is dumb.

And thinking that firing a coach and paying a 16M buyout suddenly means a new staff comes in with the same budget constraints and starts landing 4 4* HS kids and Top 100 kids from the portal with a 9M NIL budget, is dumb as well.

I think Duarte has some tape that shows he was more likely to contribute more than Badalau and Zrno on the defensive side and could match the scoring output of Zrno in 18 MPG.

Maybe we bring in another option to compliment Duarte in 22 to 26 MPG, but 8PPG in the Dominican League is probably better than saying someone in the American East averaging 19PPG, wouldn't probably also score 8 to 10 in the Dominican League.

Lets revisit the entire snapshot by the end of the month. I wouldn't be surprised if a 2026 HS recruit is added to the equation....

 

[RUBigFrank]

Thanks for the sanity - the board tends to be extremely neurotic!

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

You are making Duarte a 1 in 250 find

No I'm not, and very few here think I am. He's a good player who had significant offers and got lost because of academics. Why would anyone think this kid would go from having offers from Illinois and South Carolina three years ago to being a bench player at Rutgers. That's just f%$king stupid.

 

[NickRU714]

Since you two seem to be the experts and everyone else is reactionary and dumb -

Which is it?
Duarte is a low cost flier or a likely starter?

Its amazing how everyone, including the mods, immediately reacted like this kid was nothing but a down the bench addition - older, taller guard with these kind of offers? - I'm guessing the staff is looking at him as a starter, and I'm guessing we are done at guard also. Time to look at 4's and 5's. I don't think the other kids we are currently looking to are good enough - time to look at GOOD, and big, Euros.

I think this is the RU dilemma and there are stupid fans blaming Pike (or Schiano), for not recruiting at Michigan, Ohio State, USC revenue levels as if we have that type of revenue

This is essentially and has been PRO sports for decades.... before NIL, money flowed underground to AAU programs and HS coaches, parents uncles etc....and RU outside of a couple of instances (Mike Rosario) & initial Mike Rice era, did not engage in the necessary channels to get the Myles Mack, Kareem Jack, Eli Carter etc onto campus

As far as this player, the Dominican league maybe pays 100K a year, if they play year round, which my guess is they dont. Maybe 6 months a year, so Duarte at best was picking up 60K to 100K MAX.

If he was around 60k to a very unlikely 100K in a Dominican Pro League and he landed here with others like Wake Forest, Seton Hall interested, maybe at the most he landed in the US markets at around a low end 300K to 500K as a D1 Wing or SG off the bench....those are estimated numbers where Zrno and Badalau would have been in 2026.

It is a low cost risk, that teams like the KC Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins have to take in MLB, to buy low or at discounted prices......in no world does anyone think the Pirates or any team in the bottom quarter revenue, competes every year with the Dodgers, Yankees etc.

The Michigan, USC, Ohio States are the Dodgers and Yankees....for RU revenue stream, with no increase in revenue from a stale and poorly marketed football program, there's no additional revenue stream to help financially. Raising money is one thing, but you have to sell a product and hoops is 80 to 90% full with paying season tickets in the 100s and 200s.

We need revenue from football success to fix the revenue stream, so we can get more sponsors and items. To discuss any P2 program as if football revenue means nothing to a basketball program is silly.

Duarte fits a role of inexpensive flier.....the fans claiming Pike purposely picks players like this is stupidity, but I get it......there are delusional fans that show up thinking the Pirates are 1 day going to win a World Series or even make the playoffs....it COULD happen, but honestly, blaming this on Pike as if this is his 1st choice is dumb.

And thinking that firing a coach and paying a 16M buyout suddenly means a new staff comes in with the same budget constraints and starts landing 4 4* HS kids and Top 100 kids from the portal with a 9M NIL budget, is dumb as well.

I think Duarte has some tape that shows he was more likely to contribute more than Badalau and Zrno on the defensive side and could match the scoring output of Zrno in 18 MPG.

Maybe we bring in another option to compliment Duarte in 22 to 26 MPG, but 8PPG in the Dominican League is probably better than saying someone in the American East averaging 19PPG, wouldn't probably also score 8 to 10 in the Dominican League.

Lets revisit the entire snapshot by the end of the month. I wouldn't be surprised if a 2026 HS recruit is added to the equation....

 

[RexMantlepiece]

No I'm not, and very few here think I am. He's a good player who had significant offers and got lost because of academics. Why would anyone think this kid would go from having offers from Illinois and South Carolina three years ago to being a bench player at Rutgers. That's just f%$king stupid.

@Bob Chaewsky_rivals please keep me honest I think are actually coach and and are around competitive aau circles correct? So you actually know basketball unlike those who on here who peaked in grammar school rec with 4 pt a game averages.

 

[bac2therac]

No I'm not, and very few here think I am. He's a good player who had significant offers and got lost because of academics. Why would anyone think this kid would go from having offers from Illinois and South Carolina three years ago to being a bench player at Rutgers. That's just f%$king stupid.

Academic issues but it took 4 years to find his way back to college..ok

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

Since you two seem to be the experts and everyone else is reactionary and dumb -

Which is it?
Duarte is a low cost flier or a likely starter?

Likely starter. And I'm not saying everyone is dumb at all, but their is a lot of over reaction. It is kind of expected though. When the staff has been a failure at most things in recent years you kinda don't trust any of their decision making.

 

[EddieWilsonLives]

Seems like academics were a bigger issue than basketball. And you know better.

academics are no longer a thing in major conferences

as long as you're not assaulting anybody you are eligible

kids don't sit or don't make teams because of academics

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Sounds like a huge academic risk that couldnt even play for that ivy league school new mexico state

I doubt it’s a risk considering that was 4 years ago. Clearly Pike must know he’s eligible. If not, wholly crap. I’m not remotely confident this kid can contribute, but we have no context whatsoever of the price tag to assess the pick up. If he’s practically free this is brilliant. If we’re paying more than the frosh rate not so much. But then, based on the current juncture Pike must know he needs to add at least 2-3 guys at the frosh rate max, yes? We’re not buying more than a cap of 4 productive portal players unless there are more departures in which case we have more spots. At the end of the day, most of the better frosh are already signed so this pick up seems pretty solid to me with the very limited context we have.

 

[NickRU714]

academics are no longer a thing in major conferences

as long as you're not assaulting anybody you are eligible

kids don't sit or don't make teams because of academics

Dorian Jones - Men's Basketball - Rutgers University Athletics

Dorian Jones (22) Guard - Dorian Jones joined the Scarlet Knights in August of 2025 as an incoming freshman. Jones, the top-ranked high school player from th...

scarletknights.com

 

[bac2therac]

I doubt it’s a risk considering that was 4 years ago. Clearly Pike must know he’s eligible. If not, wholly crap. I’m not remotely confident this kid can contribute, but we have no context whatsoever of the price tag to assess the pick up. If he’s practically free this is brilliant. If we’re paying more than the frosh rate not so much. But then, based on the current juncture Pike must know he needs to add at least 2-3 guys at the frosh rate max, yes? We’re not buying more than a cap of 4 productive portal players unless there are more departures in which case we have more spots. At the end of the day, most of the better frosh are already signed so this pick up seems pretty solid to me with the very limited context we have.

Um dorien jones

 

[seansherm]

You actually think the staff hasn't seen this kid play live and is making their decision based on a 1 minute video. For God's sake, they saw him play in high school. They recruited him.

Of course they have their evaluation and that's why they are taking him. We have one of the few staffs in America still together from when he was in high school, luckily I guess. Hope he finds success here, as I said, lottery ticket, nothing wrong w him as Jones replacement on roster, probably an upgrade.

 

[Mholinko]

Likely starter. And I'm not saying everyone is dumb at all, but their is a lot of over reaction. It is kind of expected though. When the staff has been a failure at most things in recent years you kinda don't trust any of their decision making.

Appreciate your input and would never insult you like you did

What’s your take on keeping Ware who couldn’t see the court

 

[RAC93]

Likely starter. And I'm not saying everyone is dumb at all, but their is a lot of over reaction. It is kind of expected though. When the staff has been a failure at most things in recent years you kinda don't trust any of their decision making.

Wow, that is some glass half full thinking right there. So we have this $9-10Mil NIL budget (we should still have a lot remaining at the moment) and you already have this guy as a starter? With the bulk of our budget remaining there is no chance we’ll bring in a player with college experience who is more proven to be one of our starting five? I get your criticisms that we don’t know much about him and negative overreactions, but doesn’t the same thing apply that you don’t know much about him either and you have him as a starter? I am assuming that the current roster building plan is to bring in someone more established (at least I hope) who has proven experience at the college level to start and Duarte will have some sort of role off the bench. I would like to think GM Rob Sullivan is still searching for pieces to comprise our starting five, some may be here now but some are not here yet.

 

[seansherm]

I think this is the RU dilemma and there are stupid fans blaming Pike (or Schiano), for not recruiting at Michigan, Ohio State, USC revenue levels as if we have that type of revenue

This is essentially and has been PRO sports for decades.... before NIL, money flowed underground to AAU programs and HS coaches, parents uncles etc....and RU outside of a couple of instances (Mike Rosario) & initial Mike Rice era, did not engage in the necessary channels to get the Myles Mack, Kareem Jack, Eli Carter etc onto campus

As far as this player, the Dominican league maybe pays 100K a year, if they play year round, which my guess is they dont. Maybe 6 months a year, so Duarte at best was picking up 60K to 100K MAX.

If he was around 60k to a very unlikely 100K in a Dominican Pro League and he landed here with others like Wake Forest, Seton Hall interested, maybe at the most he landed in the US markets at around a low end 300K to 500K as a D1 Wing or SG off the bench....those are estimated numbers where Zrno and Badalau would have been in 2026.

It is a low cost risk, that teams like the KC Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins have to take in MLB, to buy low or at discounted prices......in no world does anyone think the Pirates or any team in the bottom quarter revenue, competes every year with the Dodgers, Yankees etc.

The Michigan, USC, Ohio States are the Dodgers and Yankees....for RU revenue stream, with no increase in revenue from a stale and poorly marketed football program, there's no additional revenue stream to help financially. Raising money is one thing, but you have to sell a product and hoops is 80 to 90% full with paying season tickets in the 100s and 200s.

We need revenue from football success to fix the revenue stream, so we can get more sponsors and items. To discuss any P2 program as if football revenue means nothing to a basketball program is silly.

Duarte fits a role of inexpensive flier.....the fans claiming Pike purposely picks players like this is stupidity, but I get it......there are delusional fans that show up thinking the Pirates are 1 day going to win a World Series or even make the playoffs....it COULD happen, but honestly, blaming this on Pike as if this is his 1st choice is dumb.

And thinking that firing a coach and paying a 16M buyout suddenly means a new staff comes in with the same budget constraints and starts landing 4 4* HS kids and Top 100 kids from the portal with a 9M NIL budget, is dumb as well.

I think Duarte has some tape that shows he was more likely to contribute more than Badalau and Zrno on the defensive side and could match the scoring output of Zrno in 18 MPG.

Maybe we bring in another option to compliment Duarte in 22 to 26 MPG, but 8PPG in the Dominican League is probably better than saying someone in the American East averaging 19PPG, wouldn't probably also score 8 to 10 in the Dominican League.

Lets revisit the entire snapshot by the end of the month. I wouldn't be surprised if a 2026 HS recruit is added to the equation....

I have no problem with bringing this kid in, but if he got $500K, its ridiculous

 

[RAC93]

I have no problem with bringing this kid in, but if he got $500K, its ridiculous

That would be some high level grifting skills right there if he got that much. Hopefully he’s low six figures since it seems like everyone gets at least that much. Pike may be becoming in an easy mark for overseas guys making substantially less money, and then upgrading to our program who is in dire straits with a coach who is in desperation mode on a hot seat. There is substantially more money to be made here at the D1 level for some of these “pro players from pro leagues”, I don’t blame them, but hope that Pike and the program are not becoming an easy mark. We had Zrno and Badalau, hopefully this guy proves he belongs in the Big 10.

 

[scarletrat99]

Pike certainly doesn't get or deserve the benefit of the doubt here.

All this reinforces that when Pike is fired at end of 26, we should hire a coach that is not paid in top 25 and use the budget for players.

Pike is paid as a top 25 coach for what exactly?

 

[Jerseylegends]

Lol Normally in a situation like this, I would think the coaches aren't bringing this guy in for nothing. This and game film against inferior competition is what had me thinking Denis Badalou was going to be good. So I'll just wait and see .

 

[RUDiddy777]

That would be some high level grifting skills right there if he got that much. Hopefully he’s low six figures since it seems like everyone gets at least that much. Pike may be becoming in an easy mark for overseas guys making substantially less money, and then upgrading to our program who is in dire straits with a coach who is in desperation mode on a hot seat. There is substantially more money to be made here at the D1 level for some of these “pro players from pro leagues”, I don’t blame them, but hope that Pike and the program are not becoming an easy mark. We had Zrno and Badalau, hopefully this guy proves he belongs in the Big 10.

Agreed - but he has a GM to figure out the money stuff now. It was insane that he didn’t have one until this year.