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Is Duke actually any good?

Where would you put them in the preseason rankings and who all would you have above them?
 
We've all seen this before. duke dominates the off season but it doesn't carry over and they've had better teams than this one
and I wasn't worried then, not going to start worrying about it now.
 
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How many other teams have 3 lottery picks lol? Throw in 2 key returning players and 3 very solid transfers and you have yourself a top 5 team.
I guess you haven't learned the lesson that crappy coaches with lottery picks is like a toddler with a million dollars 🤣🤡
 
I guess you haven't learned the lesson that crappy coaches with lottery picks is like a toddler with a million dollars 🤣🤡

He's had 1 lottery pick, Lively who went 12th. This team is way more talented than his prior two seasons.
 
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Still waiting on who all the OP would put above them.......
 
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I don't like Duke but Flagg will be one of the more dominant players both ways in a long time. Lot more talent on the roster to easily be top 10, even if Scheyer goofs up a bit
 
We've all seen this before. duke dominates the off season but it doesn't carry over and they've had better teams than this one
and I wasn't worried then, not going to start worrying about it now.

I've heard this "Duke is always overhyped" narrative before, and I think it's off a bit.

We started KenPom off last year at #9: we finished the year at #5. Elite 8.

During the 2023 season, we started at #15 - and finished at #16. 2nd Round as a 5 seed.

In 2022, we began at #10 and finished at #6. Final Four... We've been doing about as well as we've been projected in recent years.

Also, Duke has gone further than UNC in 4 of the last 6 tournaments - and 5 of the last 7 if you count the 2020 season. And Duke has also finished ahead of UNC in the ACC standings in 4 of the past 7 seasons.
 
I've heard this "Duke is always overhyped" narrative before, and I think it's off a bit.

We started KenPom off last year at #9: we finished the year at #5. Elite 8.

During the 2023 season, we started at #15 - and finished at #16. 2nd Round as a 5 seed.

In 2022, we began at #10 and finished at #6. Final Four... We've been doing about as well as we've been projected in recent years.

Also, Duke has gone further than UNC in 4 of the last 6 tournaments - and 5 of the last 7 if you count the 2020 season. And Duke has also finished ahead of UNC in the ACC standings in 4 of the past 7 seasons.
Why do you want to go and mess up narratives by injecting facts? Just who do you think you are? 😁
 
I've heard this "Duke is always overhyped" narrative before, and I think it's off a bit.

We started KenPom off last year at #9: we finished the year at #5. Elite 8.

During the 2023 season, we started at #15 - and finished at #16. 2nd Round as a 5 seed.

In 2022, we began at #10 and finished at #6. Final Four... We've been doing about as well as we've been projected in recent years.

Also, Duke has gone further than UNC in 4 of the last 6 tournaments - and 5 of the last 7 if you count the 2020 season. And Duke has also finished ahead of UNC in the ACC standings in 4 of the past 7 seasons.

It's not off in my opinion. How many top 2 classes along with a top 5 preseason rank has duke had in the last 10 years, whether you start at 2022 or 2023?
 
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It's not off in my opinion. How many top 2 classes along with a top 5 preseason rank has duke had in the last 10 years, whether you start at 2022 or 2023?

2020: N
2021: N
2022: N
2023: N
2024: Y
2025: N

Just once in the past 6 seasons. Last year had more to do with Tyrese Proctor being regarded as an All-American candidate. He was overhyped significantly; he was the 3rd best guard on the team. It wasn't a typical juggernaut recruiting class, either. No top 10 recruits. We were 9th in the preseason KenPom rank, and 8th in BartTorvik. That was about right.

If you go back to the prior decade, yes, that was more the norm. But, we did go to 3 Regional Finals from 2015-2019.
 
2020: N
2021: N
2022: N
2023: N
2024: Y
2025: N

Just once in the past 6 seasons. Last year had more to do with Tyrese Proctor being regarded as an All-American candidate. He was overhyped significantly; he was the 3rd best guard on the team. It wasn't a typical juggernaut recruiting class, either. No top 10 recruits. We were 9th in the preseason KenPom rank, and 8th in BartTorvik. That was about right.

If you go back to the prior decade, yes, that was more the norm. But, we did go to 3 Regional Finals from 2015-2019.
Hahahahaha.

Oh no. Facts. That will piss them off.
 
How many other teams have 3 lottery picks lol? Throw in 2 key returning players and 3 very solid transfers and you have yourself a top 5 team.
Lottery picks don't usually translate to the college game as much as they should, not lately anyway.

John Calipari has more than proven that. He’s had more lottery picks than anybody, but hasn’t done squat with them since the 2017 Fox team.

Heck, last years team was loaded, 2 lottery picks off the bench and he managed to lose 10 games and get upset by Oakland.

To me, today's college basketball requires you to have veteran teams, young guys wilt under the bright lights, but if you get a Zion, AD, or Mello type guy (generational), anything is possible. Is Flagg that good?

I've always wondered just how invested these young NBA bound players are in the college game when they know they don't have to do anything but stay healthy. If I was in Flagg's shoes, I'm not sure I'm going to go diving after too many loose balls.

Duke will be fun to watch this year, but I have no clue how good they'll be.
 
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Lottery picks don't usually translate to the college game as much as they should, not lately anyway.

John Calipari has more than proven that. He’s had more lottery picks than anybody, but hasn’t done squat with them since the 2017 Fox team.

Heck, last years team was loaded, 2 lottery picks off the bench and he managed to lose 10 games and get upset by Oakland.

To me, today's college basketball requires you to have veteran teams, young guys wilt under the bright lights, but if you get a Zion, AD, or Mello type guy (generational), anything is possible. Is Flagg that good?

I've always wondered just how invested these young NBA bound players are in the college game when they know they don't have to do anything but stay healthy. If I was in Flagg's shoes, I'm not sure I'm going to go diving after too many loose balls.

Duke will be fun to watch this year, but I have no clue how good they'll be.

In the past 9 tournaments, we've been to 5 Regional Finals. The only other team in the country that can say that is Gonzaga.

3 super talented freshmen, yes. But, we also have 2 key players back from last year in Proctor and Foster. Brown was an All-ACC defender at Syracuse, Gillis was Big Ten 6th Man of the Year at Purdue, and Sion James averaged 14 ppg at Tulane. That's 5 very experienced and productive players to go alongside the freshmen. Hard to ask for a better 8-man rotation than that.

I'm not saying Duke is going to win it all - it's hard enough to make it to a Final Four. But, I do believe this is a legit first-tier title contender.
 
I mean, this was a dumb thread when it was first posted.

But it is looking supremely stupid now.

Tonight, when beating Arizona State (the current 71 on Kenpom, although who knows what that means this early) by about 60 points, when Duke had all five starters off the floor, the five SUBS were…

The ACC defensive player of the year (junior)
The Big Ten sixth man of the year (grad student)
The American Athletic Conference leader in minutes per game (grad student)
The two time NC Mr Basketball/Mcdonalds All American State Champion (freshman)
The Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year and State Champion (freshman)

Four of those players scored a total of 38 points, including shooting 8 of 16 from three.

That’s the *bench.*

As Corey Alexander said, Duke is the most talented team in the country. In a single game elimination sport, that obviously doesn’t mean a title… but yes, Duke is “any good”.
 
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I mean, this was a dumb thread when it was first posted.

But it is looking supremely stupid now.

Tonight, when beating Arizona State (the current 71 on Kenpom, although who knows what that means this early) by about 60 points, when Duke had all five starters off the floor, the five SUBS were…

The ACC defensive player of the year (junior)
The Big Ten sixth man of the year (grad student)
The American Athletic Conference leader in minutes per game (grad student)
The two time NC Mr Basketball/Mcdonalds All American State Champion (freshman)
The Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year and State Champion (freshman)

Four of those players scored a total of 38 points, including shooting 8 of 16 from three.

That’s the *bench.*

As Corey Alexander said, Duke is the most talented team in the country. In a single game elimination sport, that obviously doesn’t mean a title… but yes, Duke is “any good”.

Yup. Doesn't guarantee anything, but this Duke team is supremely talented. We're good enough to win 6 in March.
 
Wonder if the Duke fans who said they're losing interest in CBB have a sudden renewed interest? 😁
 
Explain, and I may provide an answer.
I just want to know how to judge you. If you're under 20, I will give you a pass. Because we have all been young and dumb and criticized people for petty shit. But if you're old enough to legally get drunk, you should have grown out of being petty like that. It's not that serious.
 
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Wonder if the Duke fans who said they're losing interest in CBB have a sudden renewed interest? 😁
I definitely don't have as much interest in college basketball as I used to. I used to be able to watch any game on TV. But it's a disease, I can't not watch Duke. My renewed interest came in coach K's last year. Which was depressing. Now I am intrigued by the future with Scheyer, to see if he can carry the torch. But it still isn't like it used to be for me.
 
I definitely don't have as much interest in college basketball as I used to. I used to be able to watch any game on TV. But it's a disease, I can't not watch Duke. My renewed interest came in coach K's last year. Which was depressing. Now I am intrigued by the future with Scheyer, to see if he can carry the torch. But it still isn't like it used to be for me.
Unfortunately, it may never be the same with NIL. Things will change, we will just have to sit back and see. :rolleyes:
 
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