Vols pick up commitment from James

[TheDude1]

Hey, there was a time not long ago when Duke’s big man ceiling was Sheldon Williams, Brian Zoubek or a Plumlee or three.

This is maybe the strangest post I can remember.

So Duke's big man ceiling was a bunch of guys who stayed until their senior years, including Duke's greatest defending big and all-time leader in rebounds and blocks, and four bigs who all won national titles, three of them going on the play in the NBA?



Oh, the humanity?

 

[Mac9192]

This is maybe the strangest post I can remember.

So Duke's big man ceiling was a bunch of guys who stayed until their senior years, including Duke's greatest defending big and all-time leader in rebounds and blocks, and four bigs who all won national titles, three of them going on the play in the NBA?



Oh, the humanity?

Dude, you're being very kind calling his post strange. Honestly, it's one of the dumbest posts made on a basketball message board.

 

[dukedevilz]

How dare you say that. This gif is in the running for best gif on the internet.

Love how the older gentleman stands up - looks like he's reading to take off the gloves and throw some haymakers.

 

[EssoMeng]

This is maybe the strangest post I can remember.

So Duke's big man ceiling was a bunch of guys who stayed until their senior years, including Duke's greatest defending big and all-time leader in rebounds and blocks, and four bigs who all won national titles, three of them going on the play in the NBA?



Oh, the humanity?

Yes. That is my point. That is the difference.

Calm down.

None of those bigs, as far as talent, are in the ballpark of the one and done recruits duke has been pulling lately.

 

[TheDude1]

Yes. That is my point. That is the difference.

Calm down.

Ah. I'm calm; I was just rather confused. For some reason, people point to Zoubek, the Plumbros, and even sometimes Shel as bizarre examples of BAD bigs.

 

[TheDude1]

Love how the older gentleman stands up - looks like he's reading to take off the gloves and throw some haymakers.

That, and the black guy smiling, are two of the best parts of that gif

 

[EssoMeng]

Ah. I'm calm; I was just rather confused. For some reason, people point to Zoubek, the Plumbros, and even sometimes Shel as bizarre examples of BAD bigs.

Not bad bigs. Just not on par with the one and done’s they’ve been landing the last 8 years ish. And that was duke’s ceiling for a while. That was my point. Duke wasn’t exactly known for post play for a long time.

 

[TheDude1]

Not bad bigs. Just not on par with the one and done’s they’ve been landing the last 8 years ish. And that was duke’s ceiling for a while. That was my point. Duke wasn’t exactly known for post play for a long time.

I suppose. But most people, if they really sat and thought about it, rather than simply saying "Hah! Shelden Williams didn't pan out in the NBA, and Zoubek and the Plumlees were big and white!" would likely those dudes and their results.

 

[dukedevilz]

Shelden Williams and Mason Plumlee were both 5-star recruits, NCAA All-Americans, & 1st-Round Draft Picks. If we have to "settle" for guys like that in the future I certainly won't be disappointed.

 

[EssoMeng]

I suppose. But most people, if they really sat and thought about it, rather than simply saying "Hah! Shelden Williams didn't pan out in the NBA, and Zoubek and the Plumlees were big and white!" would likely those dudes and their results.

Yeah. I just went down this road in the first place because the poster above responded like Duke's recruiting has always been the elite talent level that it is when that isn't the case. They've gone through their dips just like any other blueblood, especially in the post. While good players, the Plumlees, Zoubek's S Williams aren't in the same talent ball park as the Bagleys, Okafor's, Zion's, etc. The former had the results at duke that they had because they stayed four years. And there is nothing wrong with that. But as far as recruiting, that talent gap is WIDE.

 

[EssoMeng]

Shelden Williams and Mason Plumlee were both 5-star recruits, NCAA All-Americans, & 1st-Round Draft Picks. If we have to "settle" for guys like that in the future I certainly won't be disappointed.

Good players for sure. But I'm sure fans of rival schools, given the choice, would much rather duke land Mason Plumlee, Shelden Williams and Brian Zoubek over Zion Williams, Marvin Bagley and Jahleereallele Okafor. Those elite bigs like that - 8ish - 10 ish years ago.. weren't going to duke.

Again, the whole point of me bringing this up was in response to the dude above implying that duke has been recruiting at this elite level throughout their existence. Not the case. And that is no knock on duke.

 

[TheDude1]

Good players for sure. But I'm sure fans of rival schools, given the choice, would much rather duke land Mason Plumlee, Shelden Williams and Brian Zoubek over Zion Williams, Marvin Bagley and Jahleereallele Okafor. Those elite bigs like that - 8ish - 10 ish years ago.. weren't going to duke.

Again, the whole point of me bringing this up was in response to the dude above implying that duke has been recruiting at this elite level throughout their existence. Not the case. And that is no knock on duke.

I suppose. But keep in mind that at the same time guys like Williams the Plumlees and Zoubek were coming, so were guys like Singler and Irving and Rivers and Deng and McRoberts... and just before that, guys like Brand and Williams and Boozer and Battier and Randolph. I think the main difference was that, during those years, the obvious OADs were going right to the league.

I think the answer is somewhere in between. Duke did not have classes full of OAD talent during that time... but nobody really did, until Cal arrived at UK. Duke did have incredible talent, including a number of top 5 type guys, although usually that top talent was a bit more of the 1-3 variety, not the 4-5 variety, and some of the top big men didn't pan out as expected (Randolph, Burgess). Duke missed on a few big man targets (Patterson, Monroe) and "miss" on a few more (Livingston, Humphries) but seemed to compensate in a way that any basketball fan would love to have... i.e. several all-time players and a national title.

 

[dukedevilz]

I gotta admit, it's kind of sad how Tennessee has this HUGE signing and somehow we made this thread about Duke - again. I certainly didn't help with that. But back on topic, great pickup for Barnes & Company. Tennessee is an elite-level team and their future looks bright.