Duke's Thornton transferring

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dave5164

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The first step of bringing Mr. Bolden into the Duke fold. If you look at Duke's roster on Yahoo Sports they have currently now 8 players and a couple of Walk-ons then the Five Freshman for next year still has them at 13 scholarship players. Some were saying Sean Obi might not return due to his bad knees. If they do add Bolden they would still be at 14 unless if it is true and Obi isn't returning next year or there are others transferring.

My only question to Mr. Bolden is that he didn't learn in watching last couple of weeks that Mr. Tatum is ball hog and shoots everytime he has the ball. I haven't seen Tatum once make a good pass in either All-Star game. Then if you watch Mr. Grayson Allen this year he is another that shoots 20-25 times and is another ball hog. I just can't see that Bolden hasn't figured this in his decision thinking how well Fox feeds the ball inside to his big man and also Briscoe is another good pg that would feed him the ball if he stays at Kentucky. We even saw how well Monk was playing in the McDonalds All-American Game and the assists he was dishing out. If Kentucky plays the 3-guard Line-up they all are outstanding finding the open man. I just don't see that at Duke next year. Duke was saying this year they were lacking the Point Guard and that was a problem for them this year. Next year they have Frank Jackson a Freshman and what I have seen from him in the All-star games is more of a shooter and a shooting guard than an outstanding pg like Fox.

I think most have said that Tatum, Giles, and Jefferson would start and that leaves Bolden and Jeter coming off the bench. I just don't see that Bolden and his people haven't sat down and talked about Pros vs Cons about both teams Kentucky and Duke. The first Con is in the Ball hogs in Tatum, Grayson Allen, and we know Giles will get his shots which is less for Bolden. The second con they have freshman Jackson at PG and really don't have the good point guard that would feed you the ball inside. The biggest con is Coach K continuing to tell Bolden they have that open spot which is Plumlee when we all know that Tatum,Giles, and Jefferson will be starting with him and Jeter coming off the Bench. I see at Kentucky more Pros and the biggest is that you will have 3 guards that will get you the ball inside. PG Fox and if Briscoe returns which is another outstanding passer and pg in High School that will get him the ball inside. We have potentially Lee and Hump next year with Skal gone so Bolden for sure has a spot as we all know to come and start at Center. Its just that Coach Cal isn't like Coach K and promising Bolden that open spot at Center. Coach Cal expects each recruit to come in and earn their positions not tell them in recruiting you will be my starting center and Lee and Hump would be coming off the bench. There are way more pros at Kentucky than there is at Duke next year for Bolden.
 

Cat Ballou

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Just goes to show that keeping everyone happy and handling all the egos with a OAD centric system is hard. Duke's only started to do it in earnest the last couple of years.

Unlike Cal, K isn't going to go out of his way to platoon to keep guys happy or change his offense to better showcase their skills. Imagine if Cal had kept Booker on the bench all season like K did Grayson Allen last year? For one thing, he wouldn't be tearing up the NBA because he would have been a sophomore at UK this season and a couple of million dollars poorer.

I suspect this won't be the last disgruntled transfer we see out of Duke over the next couple of years.
 
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Montana81

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It's not similar to Wiltjer because we didn't beg Wiltjer to reclassify before we recruited over him and Cal really didn't even recruit him that hard.

Wiltjer committed to UK without ever visiting.

Wiltjer also still loves Cal and UK. He was just here last week to hang out.
 

Bungalow Bill

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It's not similar to Wiltjer because we didn't beg Wiltjer to reclassify before we recruited over him and Cal really didn't even recruit him that hard.

Wiltjer committed to UK without ever visiting.

Wiltjer also still loves Cal and UK. He was just here last week to hang out.
Stop making sense. If it doesn't fit the duke narrative they're not going to understand it.
 

duke4life831

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This has nothing to do with K freeing up a spot for Bolden. This was first being mumbled about back in January. In mid January K cut back DT's minutes and had a meeting with him and told him he needs to work on his shot selection and needs to focus more on getting others involved instead of looking for his own shot. DT's dad was not happy with that at all and from then he has been telling DT that he needs to transfer. People are saying K has been doing a full court press to try and keep him the last 2 weeks. Trust me he was not being forced out. Obi can't play basketball anymore and that was where they were going to get the scholarship for Bolden
 

Cat Ballou

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Meh - I would have to agree that it doesn't make sense they pushed him out to make room for Bolden.

I think the kid and his family were disgruntled because they were very obviously led to believe Thornton was being brought in to replace Tyus Jones and be THE PG - not just a bit part player in the Grayson Allen show. After all, he was the only PG on the roster. Kind of how they're telling Bolden he's going to replace Plumlee, which implies he'll be a starter, when we all know Jefferson, Giles, and Tatum will get the bulk of the minutes in the frontcourt.

How this does affect Bolden is they probably knew they were losing Thornton a couple of weeks ago and told Bolden a scholarship was available. I think UK was telling him to wait.

This actually puts Duke is a pretty bad position in the 2017 class. Thornton wouldn't have played a lot next year, but it would have been good to have him as a Jr PG in 2018. 2017 isn't a great PG class. UK seems to have the upper hand with Young, and Duval isn't an option because of his prep school. Duke is also targeting some elite bigs in that class, and not having an elite PG on the roster could be a problem.
 
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LineSkiCat14

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Say what you want, and I may agree totally but....Crotch Krishitski has not failed...jmuo

Sweet16 this year after another easy region. And he *may* have just ran off a 5* player. Not going to jump to conclusions, I'll give Coach K the benefit of the doubt (for now)... but Thornton's side is NOT happy with Coach K.

Know how many recruits/families of Cal's were unhappy with him? ZERO. And that's out of like 35.

Austin Rivers, Irving, and Parker, while not on a normal 1AD-type class, never got it done in the tournament.
 

NCukcat62

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Harrow's father was very ill. He was in Lexington and his head and heart were with his father.......But don't let facts get in the way.......
I was disagreeing that it isn't a comparable situation.
 
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Xdr56yhn!

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Feb 21, 2016
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People are saying K has been doing a full court press to try and keep him the last 2 weeks. Trust me he was not being forced out.

K lies bro. I'm sure "people" know the script too. I'd put more weight in the uncle's reaction.

A Bolden announcement in the next couple days would be very awkward. Sounds like it could very well be a done deal wonder if Duke would ask Bolden to wait a little bit.

Anyway, I wish their players and coaches the very worst. Fans too.
 
Dec 12, 2007
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Coach K is ruining college basketball.[winking]

I don't think that is accurate. I think they were at 13 with Thornton. Besides, all the duke posters are telling us how Obi is gonna quit basketball because of, I don't know, a bad knee or some such.
 

villefan76

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I hope Bolden sees this stuff. Might not make a difference, but it certainly could.
I wish he would just go ahead and commit to Duke. Pretty certain the kid knows exactly where he's going & has known for awhile now. Starting to get a little crazy, kinda Wigginish...
 

dave5164

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Duke is still at 13 players after Thornton's transfer so there will be another transfer before its all said and done with Bolden. There has been some of the Duke fans saying that Sean Obi might not return due to his bad knees. Sean Obi is the transfer from Rice where he avg. 12 and 10 at Rice and is 6'10 and 260.
Some of Duke Basketball sites the fans were saying they wasn't surprise of Thornton's transfer due to Coach K not being impressed after Thornton's Freshman year. Thornton knew with pg Frank Jackson coming in and Grayson Allen returning with Matt Jones and Kennard where would be the playing time. These 5 guards that Coach K had are all potential starters for any team and he would almost have to play the platoon that Coach Cal had in 2014-2015 with these 5 guards. The amount of Players that Coach K has and he usually goes with 7 or 8 players will still be hard next season to satisfy his players in playing time. I look for a couple more to transfer. He still has currently Jackson(pg) and Allen(sg) starters with Jones & Kennard off the bench. Then you have Tatum, Giles, and Jefferson in frontcourt with Jeter and Bolden(if he picks Duke) off the Bench. That is nine 4* and 5* players and he still has freshmen DeLaurier and White 4* players with Robinson, Vankovic, and Sean Obi if he doesn't quit due to his knees. That is 14 players if Sean Obi continues to play so we will see another transfer or two in the next week or Obi to quit due to his bad knees to get it to 13 players.
 

Coach325

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Robinson is a walk on who has a scholarship only if one is available. If bolden comes, obviously it won't be available. He is a preferred walk on and he knows his scholarship is contingent. So we have one more available.
 
Dec 12, 2007
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Just read on their board that there is another rumor that they are pursuing a PG transfer (not immediately eligible). Odd.
 

BBUK_anon

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Sweet16 this year after another easy region. And he *may* have just ran off a 5* player. Not going to jump to conclusions, I'll give Coach K the benefit of the doubt (for now)... but Thornton's side is NOT happy with Coach K.

Know how many recruits/families of Cal's were unhappy with him? ZERO. And that's out of like 35.

Austin Rivers, Irving, and Parker, while not on a normal 1AD-type class, never got it done in the tournament.

Totally agree but he still won one...Call him what you want but he won one...(I know his path was paved...)
 

Crank_it_loud

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Many of you are forgetting that Justin Robinson is going back to walk-on status, as planned from last year....
 

Crank_it_loud

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Duke is still at 13 players after Thornton's transfer so there will be another transfer before its all said and done with Bolden. There has been some of the Duke fans saying that Sean Obi might not return due to his bad knees. Sean Obi is the transfer from Rice where he avg. 12 and 10 at Rice and is 6'10 and 260.
Some of Duke Basketball sites the fans were saying they wasn't surprise of Thornton's transfer due to Coach K not being impressed after Thornton's Freshman year. Thornton knew with pg Frank Jackson coming in and Grayson Allen returning with Matt Jones and Kennard where would be the playing time. These 5 guards that Coach K had are all potential starters for any team and he would almost have to play the platoon that Coach Cal had in 2014-2015 with these 5 guards. The amount of Players that Coach K has and he usually goes with 7 or 8 players will still be hard next season to satisfy his players in playing time. I look for a couple more to transfer. He still has currently Jackson(pg) and Allen(sg) starters with Jones & Kennard off the bench. Then you have Tatum, Giles, and Jefferson in frontcourt with Jeter and Bolden(if he picks Duke) off the Bench. That is nine 4* and 5* players and he still has freshmen DeLaurier and White 4* players with Robinson, Vankovic, and Sean Obi if he doesn't quit due to his knees. That is 14 players if Sean Obi continues to play so we will see another transfer or two in the next week or Obi to quit due to his bad knees to get it to 13 players.

You are so misinformed it's painful.

Obi is 6'9 and his knees are bad. Also Robinson has always been planned to go back to walk on this year. Smh
 

Montana81

Heisman
Aug 12, 2004
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Yep. Thornton had his chance at UK. He was our #1 pg option for 2016 originally.

Cal seemingly backed off and started focusing on other prospects right around the time we started to see articles pop up about coach K taking advantage of his position with Team USA and using it to get extra face time with recruits.
 

UK90

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Dec 30, 2007
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Well, I don't want to sound like a pro-duke guy, but I must say: That uncle sounds like a paranoid chip-on-his-shoulder fool in those posts (does he really think coaches needed to stop and pay friendly tribute to every friggin uncle of one of their players?), and it makes me wonder if Derrick might've had the wrong sort of influences in his ear when making this decision.
 
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Dec 12, 2007
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I'm sure you are right that it was the plan, but the way you worded it is hilarious. Yeah, kids always "plan" on giving up a scholarship voluntarily. Not saying there is anything wrong with them doing it, but let's not make it seem like this was Robinson's preferred result.
 

bluedog79

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I really hate Bolden picking Duke. I really do. The best big men go to Kentucky. It bothers me to no end. Jarret Allen please pick UK. Kentucky fans will appreciate your commitment more than you know.
 

zoid1

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Many of you are forgetting that Justin Robinson is going back to walk-on status, as planned from last year....

You hate UK and Cal all you do is spew bad stuff about us on the Duke board so why come over here and act civil? If you dont like UK and Cal stay away from us.

Nobody is that stupid as we can read between the lines about this DT situation. I don't really care but if Cal did the exact same thing the national media would try to crucify him.
 

Crank_it_loud

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I'm sure you are right that it was the plan, but the way you worded it is hilarious. Yeah, kids always "plan" on giving up a scholarship voluntarily. Not saying there is anything wrong with them doing it, but let's not make it seem like this was Robinson's preferred result.
Justin planned on attending Duke as a walk on given the lack of talent initially and the filthy family money. Anything else is gravy.
 
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