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Duke 2023-24 Preseason #1

I've heard Nembhard likely ends up at Arizona. Did he commit already?

But yes, to your point, Tubelis and Nembhard would absolutely put Arizona in the top 10. Honestly, I think a lineup of Nembhard, Boswell, Larsson, Tubelis, and Ballo could contend for the #1 spot.
I may have jumped the Nembhard to AZ I thought I saw it but maybe it's unofficial.
 
Schools that I expect will be in my preseason top 10...
Duke
UConn
Marquette
Purdue
Kentucky
Michigan State

Close...
Creighton
Kansas (they'll need to land one impact transfer, but I'm sure that will happen)

This isn't meant to be one of those 'insert the team I root for simply because they're my team' posts lol but I think Miami could be somewhere in there if Wong returns. Bottom half of the top 10 maybe, top 15 for sure. Hoping to hear something from Wong in the next week or two. He tested the NBA waters last season but didn't hire an agent so we'll see what happens.

Would return 4 of 5 starters from a final 4 team. Losing Jordan Miller is a MAJOR loss though. He did sooo much for them this season, so valuable. They've had a handful of players enter the portal but no major losses so they'll be able to add some players from the portal. Think Larranaga really wants to add a true stretch 4 to play alongside Omier and add more size to the lineup.
 
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This isn't meant to be one of those 'insert the team I root for simply because they're my team' posts lol but I think Miami could be somewhere in there if Wong returns. Bottom half of the top 10 maybe, top 15 for sure. Hoping to hear something from Wong in the next week or two. He tested the NBA waters last season but didn't hire an agent so we'll see what happens.

Would return 4 of 5 starters from a final 4 team. Losing Jordan Miller is a MAJOR loss though. He did sooo much for them this season, so valuable. They've had a handful of players enter the portal but no major losses so they'll be able to add some players from the portal. Think Larranaga really wants to add a true stretch 4 to play alongside Omier and add more size to the lineup.

Yeah, if Wong returns, I'd certainly have Miami in my top 10. My list was mostly restricted to projecting teams based on the players who are expected to return. And maybe Wong is leaning towards staying, I don't really know.

Either way, Miami certainly isn't going away.
 
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This isn't meant to be one of those 'insert the team I root for simply because they're my team' posts lol but I think Miami could be somewhere in there if Wong returns. Bottom half of the top 10 maybe, top 15 for sure. Hoping to hear something from Wong in the next week or two. He tested the NBA waters last season but didn't hire an agent so we'll see what happens.

Would return 4 of 5 starters from a final 4 team. Losing Jordan Miller is a MAJOR loss though. He did sooo much for them this season, so valuable. They've had a handful of players enter the portal but no major losses so they'll be able to add some players from the portal. Think Larranaga really wants to add a true stretch 4 to play alongside Omier and add more size to the lineup.
I'm rooting against Wong. I've had a lunch bet with my brother since last year when he proclaimed that Wong will be Caris Levert at the NBA level. I bet against that.

he also bet me a few years ago that Luka would be good until age 27 and then he would drop off big time. he's 24 so he's 3 years away from being a bench player. I think I'm gonna win that one as well.
 
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I'm rooting against Wong. I've had a lunch bet with my brother since last year when he proclaimed that Wong will be Caris Levert at the NBA level. I bet against that.

he also bet me a few years ago that Luka would be good until age 27 and then he would drop off big time. he's 24 so he's 3 years away from being a bench player. I think I'm gonna win that one as well.

From the sounds of it, you and your brother have some really interesting basketball conversations and thoughts that you should share with us more often, seriously.

That Caris Levert take is an interesting one for sure. Levert is definitely better suited for the NBA than Wong because he has more length and a better shooter. Wong's NBA prospects has been a big topic of conversation on the Miami homeboard. He's a little undersized for a 2 guard at 6'4", don't think he's capable of playing point but maybe it's possible, good athlete but not elite, and isn't a great shooter but his 3 point percentage did make a nice jump this season.

Sooo, it's hard to say really. Certainly don't see him being a star or maybe not even a starter consistently, but I could see him being a guy that can stick around for a while as a combo guard off the bench.

As someone who has watched just about every game he has played for 3 seasons, I will say that he has an NBA game, in a sense. He's stronger than he looks so he plays through contact well. He does well at initiating contact and drawing fouls. And I thought he was one of the best in the country at making contested shots this season. All those things bode well for his chances in the NBA. I feel better about his chances of playing in the league now than I did like halfway through this season.
 
And I thought he was one of the best in the country at making contested shots this season.

This. Wong is one of the best in recent memory at making contested shots. He can create his own shot - but, even if he's guarded closely by an elite defender, or doubled, he still can make contested shots like few players can.
 
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This. Wong is one of the best in recent memory at making contested shots. He can create his own shot - but, even if he's guarded closely by an elite defender, or doubled, he still can make contested shots like few players can.

Yeah man, he's an NBA shot-maker in that regard. There was one game he hit a turnaround fadeaway jumper with a hand in his face from the free-throw line and I was like holy crap lol. The Texas game was a good display of it. During the comeback in that game there was a fadeaway jumper on the baseline he knocked down late in that one. I love his midrange game in general. He does well at getting to his spots like you would see from Kawhi, Derozan, or Kobe.
 
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Not bad. Totally blanking on the 9th guy, though.

Jon Scheyer- Duke
Jeff Capel- Pittsburgh
Chris Collins- Northwestern
Bobby Hurley- Arizona State
Johnny Dawkins- UCF
Nate James- Austin Peay
Greg Paulus- Niagra
Kenny Blakeney- Howard
 
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I have a lot to learn.

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