Duke Basketball 2024-2025

[StopThePumpFakesShav]

Yeah, it is this season that matters certainly. I think what the staff is trying to do is establish a safe floor at the 4/5 spot with Brown, given so many unknows with Maluach and whether Stewart will in fact take the next step as projected, assuming he stays. I would rather them focus resources elsewhere but I do think Brown is a good player in a vacuum.

 

[Grit]

But the upperclassmen you mentioned didn't leave because of lack of a perceived role. Roach and Mitchell would have played a lot.

My impression is Roach wants to be a PG, a role which he lost to a freshman replacement, and Mitchell's playing time is at risk for any tall guy who can play defense and shoot. Wasn't Mitchell already getting benched during important games this past year, like Houston, NC State, UNC (I'll ignore Ark and Arizona here)?

Roach already wasn't playing PG the last month or more of 2023. If it was an issue, he wouldn't have returned with Proctor also coming back. The truth is, none of those guys was a clear-cut point guard this last season. Not Proctor, not Foster, not Roach.

Mitchell's playing time was not at risk. He still played more minutes as a sophomore than he did as a freshman. And who is this hypothetical tall guy who can shoot and play defense? He's not on the roster.

Why can't Roach decide he wants to return to a PG role after a season where it felt like he made no progress as a playmaker (assist rate and usage both even regressed)? His professional aspirations obviously can't be as a 3 and D guy.

As for Mitchell, an NBA first round draft hopeful, his big minutes increase was from 27.1 freshman year to 28.6 sophomore year while getting benched for Ryan Young in big games. That wouldn't feel encouraging to me. And are you really arguing Cooper Flagg isn't ideally a power forward or are you just saying he won't be defended at the 3 point line?

 

[childress22]

As for Mitchell, an NBA first round draft hopeful, his big minutes increase was from 27.1 freshman year to 28.6 sophomore year while getting benched for Ryan Young in big games. That wouldn't feel encouraging to me. And are you really arguing Cooper Flagg isn't ideally a power forward or are you just saying he won't be defended at the 3 point line?

I don't know if anyone outside of the Mitchell household imagines that Mark would be a first-round pick in the NBA draft. He's a fairly average P5 forward. There are like 150 of them.

 

[childress22]

Brian Davis and Antonio Lang won multiple rings and were second-round picks, and that was back before many foreign players were getting drafted.

 

[StopThePumpFakesShav]

Sorry you didn’t say that. I was just reacting more to not being concerned by the raw numbers.

Do I think Stewart could have equaled his efficiency offensively in limited usage last season ? No I don’t. I don’t think Stewart was a very disciplined player as a freshman.

But I think Stewart’s ceiling is higher and he will probably catch up to where Brown is this year. Stewart’s rebounding numbers (esp on offense) or so insane that I want to see how it looks in say 20mpg.

1) I think Stewart would have looked much better on a bad team with a set role, especially if he'd been allowed (not forced) to play a ton of center like Brown.

2) The per minute stats show he would have at least equaled his production, if not his efficiency. Any gap in the efficiency is offset by the far better rebounding. But I'm not that impressed by a player having amazing efficiency on 13% usage anyway.

3) The relevant comparison is what we expect THIS season. I would expect Stewart's efficiency to jump a lot if we just give him consistent minutes and a defined role.

Yeah on the low usage point, of course depends on fit with rest of roster. It works better if you have a ball dominant guard you really like that's sucking up 30% of the usage. I dont think Duke has that.

 

[savedukebball]

I, too, will be livid if we run Stewart off, and I'll go one further and say I'd be pretty upset if we run Power off too. I just hate what college basketball has become and it's almost past the point of no return for me. I'm hoping the COVID seniors finally clearing out will bring some sense of normalcy, but I'm probably kidding myself with that.

 

[Dukenation12]

 

[StopThePumpFakesShav]

This is a loss.

 

[DurhamSon]

Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona is a hell of a slate. And are we getting Arkansas at home in the ACC-SEC challenge this year? We'll know by December whether we're a one seed or not

 

[CK86]

Sweet, another reason for my family to visit towards the end of the year.

 

[Grit]

As for Mitchell, an NBA first round draft hopeful, his big minutes increase was from 27.1 freshman year to 28.6 sophomore year while getting benched for Ryan Young in big games. That wouldn't feel encouraging to me. And are you really arguing Cooper Flagg isn't ideally a power forward or are you just saying he won't be defended at the 3 point line?

I don't know if anyone outside of the Mitchell household imagines that Mark would be a first-round pick in the NBA draft. He's a fairly average P5 forward. There are like 150 of them.

Are you implying Mark has more of our outside perspective than the perspective from inside the Mitchell household? He was #22 RSCI and it's been reported on this board that he came to Duke with OAD intentions.

Consider it just "NBA draft hopeful" if you need his dreams to be more realistic, not sure what that ultimately changes here.

 

[Devilsforlife]

Glad we’re loading up in the noncon. Our ACC SOS will likely be even worse with the 3 new garbage schools coming aboard.

 

[StopThePumpFakesShav]

Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona is a hell of a slate. And are we getting Arkansas at home in the ACC-SEC challenge this year? We'll know by December whether we're a one seed or not

Yeah the return matchup with Calipari/Arkansas feels like something that will happen, but nothing announced.

 

[StopThePumpFakesShav]

Glad we’re loading up in the noncon. Our ACC SOS will likely be even worse with the 3 new garbage schools coming aboard.

Yeah. And FSU, UVA, and BC have seemingly been losing one player per day and are tracking to be absolute trash. Clemson should take a big step back too. I agree we probably need to go like 3-1 in the four conf games you laid out to have any hope for a 1 seed.

At the moment I think Kansas, Houston and maybe Iowa State are tracking to be the top tier. I guess UNC could sneak in there too but I'm wary of how much attention Bacot commanded and let's see who they get to replace him.

 

[Devilsforlife]

BC’s last tournament appearance came in 2009. Longest drought in the P4, second if you also include the Big East (DePaul 2004). I wonder if they’ll make it in the next 15 years.

 

[Devilsforlife]

BC: Zero tournaments since 2009
Wake: 1 tournament since 2010 (lost in First Four)
GT: 1 tournament since 2010 (lost in first round)

These programs were all fairly successful during the 2000s, fired their coaches prematurely, and entered the abyss.

 

[physicsfactor]

Clemson should take a big step back too.

I haven’t read any announcements of their guys, but IIRC they can return everyone except Girard.

*Looks like Hall has a 5th year
Hunter has a 6th year
Fat guy little jersey Jewfro will be a senior
Clark is the only one whose status seems to be up in the air. Clark was in the Zion/RJ HS class but might get a 7th year.

A bench regular named RJ Godfrey entered the portal.

 

[StopThePumpFakesShav]

Oh yeah you’re right. Hall is supposed to be gone but he didn’t announce yet.

 

[Hammy-O]

Power in the portal. Guess that makes sense.

 

[Pantone287]

Bye Teej.

Hopefully it contributes to Stewart staying. That's really my only reaction to this at this point.