I guess I stand with Mac9192 on Vrank. No he's not a 5 or 4 star, but that doesn't mean he want develop into a player that can start and play 20 plus minutes. The talk about MP3 setting screens and talking on defense is exactly the role I see Vrank playing. He can be a space eater and be effective rebounding etc... If you compare him with Bolden from last year, I'd take Vrank. What I liked about Vrank was, he plays within himself and want hurt the team. Bolden's ceiling or should I say roof is much much higher though. The talk about Javin at the 5 just doesn't make much sense to me.
RJ Barrett
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I'm not gonna go back and forth anymore man. Some people like myself want the five-star guys who are gonna light up the NBA for years to come. Some guys like you want the "Duke guy" who is gonna be here 4 years and may even develop a nasty hook-shot while he is here.
And as I have said multiple times, we are Duke and even if we have 5 OAD's on a roster, we still will be blending them in with tenured guys, we are not UK.
Safe to say that K is gonna out with a bang and land as many OAD's as he possibly can, I love it. Our frontline next year will not start both Javin and Vrank, Javin I defnitely could see though. Most of the top 2018 guys haven't committed yet, I'm not worried at all, we will land a stud big-man and that will be that.
Ace, you haven't been a Duke fan for long if you think we can do much blending with 5 one and dones and expect the reserves to get better. How much playing time did Vrank get last year, or Delaurier for that matter? In no way am I saying get the big guy from down at the YMCA and expect him to contribute, but it's laughable for you to not think Duke can win with Vrank starting. I do agree that it's early and the staff will probably find a big, it's just that you and I disagree on the caliber of the big, but you and I don't see eye to eye on much anyway.
Given the discussion about next year’s front court and us not landing a quality big yet in recruiting, I still think there is a chance Bolden or Carter returns.
Due to the simple math that Bagley should lead our frontcourt in minutes played this year, not sure if the minutes will be ample enough for both Bolden and Carter to showcase their skills. Simply put, it’s a great problem to have.
Either way, we will still land a quality big in recruiting.
Due to the simple math that Bagley should lead our frontcourt in minutes played this year, not sure if the minutes will be ample enough for both Bolden and Carter to showcase their skills. Simply put, it’s a great problem to have.
Either way, we will still land a quality big in recruiting.
Definitely not worried now. WohooWOW! Sexy text messages this morning. The future looks bright.
I know this is more Kellen's thing (just messing with you man), but the noise on RR is Barrett is headed our way.
It’s funny how Barrett said that Calipari was the best coach ever, then he goes to uk and Calipari doesn’t even have a sales pitch to give him. Lol. It appears Barrett had quickly comes to his senses and realized who the best coach ever is.
I would love for a player to commit by creating a crystal ball account and predicting himself to the school of his choice. It'd be a classic.
I agree it's laughable to think Vrank can't play major minutes, but at this point it may also be laughable to think we're going to win with him in the starting five. He really hasn't proved anything to suggest that. Also, let's not forget that Marshall battled severe foot problems his first three years in the program. He's now collecting NBA paychecks, too.
Duke is going to recruit elite talent. That's just the way it is. Next season we potentially have Vrank, Javin and Tucker as guys who have played meaningful minutes. And like jwill, I still don't believe it's a foregone conclusion that one of Marques or Wendell doesn't return.
Actually Dukehokie is the one who, if I remember correctly, said one of those may return. I am totally fine with that.
I think you'll find no one on here that doesn't want elite talent, the disagreement between many is how many do we try to sign?
I'm of the opinion that Vrank can contribute if given minutes, and it's not like he's going to be asked be a 15/10 guy. He plays for Duke, he's athletic and very strong, and is coached by the best.
It is purely speculation to say how good he can be, but until a kid sits behind the wheel of a car, do we know if he can drive or not?
In this point in time in college basketball, any kid who averages 2.4 ppg, is a possibility to enter the draft, but I do think Wendell or Marques will be at Duke next season. If both stay/become lottery picks, then good for Duke because that probably means we're winning a title. But Marques is enjoying college more than he anticipated and Wendell's family has been saying they aren't in a rush. Ques is the more likely option as at this point, as he has to actually play himself back onto draft boards, but we'll see.
Well, Vrank has played basketball. He’s just not as good as the guys who have been in front of him. I can drive, but don’t put me on a race track.
Vrank will get opportunities this season and next. He also knew when he took a chance on Duke that every year the competition was going to be stiff....especially for a guy who didn’t come in that highly regarded. If he can help, then he will play.
If Vrank starts for us we would be big up front but extremely inexperienced. Coach K doesn't play guys that are inexperienced unless they are very good players. I hope Vrank can come in and play in 2 to 6 minute burst but I just can't see anything greater that that for him as of yet.
They think Duke is going to get busted but they think they are squeaky clean. SMH! Amazing
There are a lot of people out there right now who think "we are clean but those other guys are going to get it."
Do you honestly believe K put the best players out there last year? He made comments about the lack of bench after we lost against SC. We disagree then if you say Vrank had opportunities last season. Not sure I can buy that thinking. Hate to say it, but I think Giles took minutes from others, because he was going pro anyway, and K needed to show NBA that he was getting better. I have nothing against Giles at all, but I can't help but think that he wasn't ready to contribute at the level we needed him to. K has mostly played maybe 2 bench guys, so someone was losing time due to a player because of this. Just my opinion, not meant as a slight to Giles.
I wish Giles nothing but the best, and if close to healthy is probably a great player, but we didn't have that guy.
I believe he put the best players (in his mind) out there ABSOLUTELY. I don't believe for one second he would play a guy just to showcase him for the NBA.
I don’t think K would deliberately hijack his own team. Not for a second.
Now, one can argue he didn’t have his best season coaching....and you wouldn’t get much argument from me. I found myself scratching my head on multiple occasions. I thought we should have deeper.
That said, other than against Miami, Marques never really offered much of substance. Harry never was fully healthy. Grayson, well, we don’t need to go there. Coach K being out. Frank battling foot problems. Playing without Jayson the first month, along with Harry and Marques. It was an incredibly dysfunctional season and nothing like I’ve ever seen before. The talent was unquestioned, but chemistry just wasn’t there.
There’s a lot of buzz. Hard not to like what we’re hearing.
Lol and MP1 was a 3 star who now collects NBA checks.
Your rationale is just off - Vrank is arguably just as, if not more, developed than Zoobs was. But hey, we have to go off of that HS rating as it's the only way. Ugh.
What makes you feel that way about Vrank? Or maybe a better question, what have you seen that no one else has? And I’m not being sarcastic. I want you to be right.
(I do disagree about the Zoobs-Vrank comparison....Zoobs was always quite skilled for his size. That was 100% injuries.)
How far from Philadelphia? Reason I'm asking is I'm going to be up in Philly next week
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What’s funny is Duke is going about their business in recruiting while this big scandal is erupting. Definitely makes me think there is nothing to see here on Dukes end anyhow, which makes me feel great.
He did have injuries, that's a fair point, but I'm personally not using that as we don't know if he would have progressed at a faster pace (and rank has spent much time in a walking boot himself at Duke). As for Vrank - he's been efficient in very limited action but has sat behind higher-rated 5 star guys. Zoobs, even healthy, sat behind a 6'8 guy playing out-of-position, then a 3 star prospect, Miles Plumlee, and then he played alongside Thomas. And to further clarify, I'm replying to the narrow minded view that a team of star-studded 5 star 1-4 positions cannot be helped by a solid, developed 3 star player. According to that theory, Duke needs a 5 star, high profile player, which IMO is, again, off-base.
Can you clarify how you feel Zoobs was highly skilled? He was slow and methodical, very similar to Vrank. A big body who was very fundamental, again, just like Antonio.
I do agree though; hope I'm right on Antonio!
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I think the rating system is for the most part accurate on these kids, but it's off sometimes. I loved the effort Zoubek displayed, and he was a huge piece to the title team. I don't think it's fair to say Vrank isn't ready. It's so different now, hard to think of Zoubek as a 5 star if he was coming out of h.s now, but maybe I'm wrong. I respected Matt Jones, he played with heart, but never developed an offensive game, and he was a 5 star.
That's it? You realize we won a ship with Zoubek as center right?? Vrank would be fine in the starting C spot next year
Dude this is incredibly embarrassing lol if I had the choice of a "Duke" player or a one and done who is an NBA star I take the Duke player everyday and twice in Sunday. Who cares what they do in the NBA? If you're a Duke fan why wouldn't you want them to tear it up here for us?
If you wanna laugh, click here:
https://kentucky.forums.rivals.com/threads/a-few-notes-slice-and-barrett.243693/
https://kentucky.forums.rivals.com/threads/a-few-notes-slice-and-barrett.243693/
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