Duke’s Jon Scheyer on adding talented freshmen in the portal era: ‘We’re going to do that every day of the week’
Duke's Jon Scheyer on adding talented freshmen in the portal era: We're going to do that every day of the week'
Scheyer: we’re going to continue recruiting talented freshmen
- Thread starter Smashcat
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For whatever reason, Duke seems to have much more success getting freshmen who were ranked as "five stars" coming out of high school to return for another year or more of college. But I hope against hope that Duke starts winning every recruiting title, starts 3 or more freshmen every season, and gets basically a new roster every year instead of getting projected draft picks to regularly return.
To be fair, only 1 year left of extra Covid eligibility remaining- however, portal still remains…
Honestly, let him have them. It's just too much of an uphill battle to make work. I'd rather go for the 20 to 50 range at this point, guys who probably have less if what the NBA wants, and keep them for a few years.
The elite freshman are broken today, IMO. They come in with far too much baggage, bad habits, and coddling in the AAU. They have to be reworked and retooled far too much to make it worth it for just one year. These aren't the same recruits as Wall and Cousins.
The elite freshman are broken today, IMO. They come in with far too much baggage, bad habits, and coddling in the AAU. They have to be reworked and retooled far too much to make it worth it for just one year. These aren't the same recruits as Wall and Cousins.
Maybe Filipowski will return and play himself into free agency.
He was a likely lottery pick before last year’s tourney, a late first round pick before this year’s tourney, maybe a second rounder after being exposed by Burns and NC State.
If he comes back he could end up undrafted.
He was a likely lottery pick before last year’s tourney, a late first round pick before this year’s tourney, maybe a second rounder after being exposed by Burns and NC State.
If he comes back he could end up undrafted.
That is a good point. I think freshman will work better once this covid year is done.
But still, not sure I want to keep going down the 1AD path, especially when we can get quality transfers , as you mention. A great coach at UK will be able to go fishing with dynamite in the transfer portal.
Not even close. They aren’t even Jamal Murray and Tyler Ulis level.
I agree and that should be used against them in recruiting the best players. I don’t care if we go after 2-3 of the Flagg tier recruits but stocking up hoping that 6-7 of these freshman pan out isn’t working.
He says he’s going to continue to recruit freshmen. Doesn’t mean he’s going to build a team 100% around them. There’s a difference.
He ain't coming back, the big flopping idiot.
But if he does, let him. This isn't football, Duke can only play 5 guys at a time. If flip comes back they're losing someone.
You can't keep lying to players these days. If a 5 star recruit is now their 4th post player on the depth chart, they will transfer.
Well he does have the #1 class coming in next year. What do you expect him to say?
Nothing will change regarding the dominance of upperclassmen after the extra Covid eligibility year ends. The reason, as you've suggested, is the transfer portal, not an extra Covid year.
Damn good post . Perfect example is Jared McCain . If he played like that here this year it would be hard to imagine him returning . With Duke I could definitely see him returning
Absolutely. I believe it would be a big mistake to not recruit freshmen to build your core of future upperclassmen. Trying to start over with a brand-new roster of transfers every year - which I think would nevertheless give you a better chance to win than a starting unit full of 5-star freshmen every year - is also a recipe for failure. But I believe the key is really good scouting and evaluation of high school players, with an eye to developing AAs and All-Conf. players as upperclassmen. I think OAD freshmen are way overvalued by most; and could actually be considered "lazy" short-sighted recruiting.
Is it the culture Calipari built at UK? I think the idea that if you stay at UK for more than 1-year then you're somehow a failure is really a thing in some of these kids' minds. Or is there instead something about the Duke experience that makes their freshmen seem more eager to return? I don't know the answer, but I know the phenomenon frustrates us all.
Kid is as good as Dilly
Edit to say probably Reed as well altho I’d rather have Reed.
What’s the odds he will leave Duke. I’d say 99% he stays.
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With 6 freshmen incoming our roster is completely out of whack. That only leaves room for about 5 spots for returnees and portal players.
Of the 6 freshmen how many will we retain to help build any continuity? Typically, they either get drafted or transfer out leaving UK with nothing to build upon.
Stop the freshmen overhaul approach. Target several elite prospects who fit the criteria for constructing the team you want. Cal is so enamored with recruiting classes he's placing that success above building a roster.
If you wanna tweak something start with roster construction or be brutally honest convincing these fringe NBA prospects to return.
2nd round exit in his first year of being an head coach and elite 8 in his 2nd year, not bad. Duke fans should be thankful to have that prick as their coach, with that said they could be in the shape we’re in, stuck with a washed up, money hungry, ego maniac, marketing coach.
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Don't know if it's been posted yet but I wanted to dump this gem here.
Tbf, you have to keep recruiting some of them. It would be nice to have one or two. Not a whole team though.
It's sad that Duke over the last handful of years took the Kentucky plan and got better at executing it overall.
Tbf Duke is getting the top 1-3 guys much more consistently and those are the guys that are most likely to have the biggest impact in one year. Plus, as others have stated, those Dukies just keep coming back.
At least that’s how it seems to me. I don’t have recruiting rankings for each year on a second monitor while I type this. Sorry for my inadequacies ☹️
At least that’s how it seems to me. I don’t have recruiting rankings for each year on a second monitor while I type this. Sorry for my inadequacies ☹️
We have two top 10 pics on our roster right now. Freshmen. You don’t like em?
The hilarious thing is he was quoted last year saying "We aren't going to recruit HS players as much as the game is getting older".
So which is it?
So which is it?
People talk about youth with out talking about talent. Not all OAD’s are equal, but the least valuable is the edge first / second rounder drafted on potential with out actually delivering value in college.
Cooper Flagg unfortunately is one of those who will likely deliver value out of the box. Edgecombe is one too. We’ve got some good guys coming in but understandably this is where UK fans get frustrated, I don’t think frustration would be as nearly high with it if we were talking Cousins, Wall, Davis, Gilchrist, Towns, Randle, etc etc. Stings a lot more if it’s a guy like Livingston
Cooper Flagg unfortunately is one of those who will likely deliver value out of the box. Edgecombe is one too. We’ve got some good guys coming in but understandably this is where UK fans get frustrated, I don’t think frustration would be as nearly high with it if we were talking Cousins, Wall, Davis, Gilchrist, Towns, Randle, etc etc. Stings a lot more if it’s a guy like Livingston
Great take. Look how the fans embraced and wanted Rob and Reed to start. If you can play, they embrace you and want you to play. But you can't be playing because you have a guarantee from the Coach due to...???
Actually think he's gotten a few very good players from the Portal. I liked Antonio Reeves a lot. Thought Nate Sestina was a nice fit to that '20 team. Grady was so-so,,,Mintz was vastly overrated IMO but many liked him.
My issue with Cal is that players become available in the Portal and he'll pass waiting for guys who we know are highly unlikely to come back or UK could get a better return if they took. It's as simple as "You look, We Look" in most of these cases. I mean if Reed Sheppard said he wanted to test things out but may return.....that's a lot different than Adou Thiero, DJ Wagner, Justin Edwards from where I stand.
Go get the best TEAM you can get and waiting meant UK passed on guys like Kel'el Ware, Dalton Knecht.......and at some point you have to do what is best for Kentucky's program.
On numerous occasions this season I felt McCain was their Reed Sheppard.
To further that previous point look at TJ Power and Sean Stewart. They were both highly ranked prospects that went there knowing they would barely play this year. Of course they barely ended up playing this year…even after Mackenzie M ended up decommitting and going to Indiana. Players going so against their own self interests is crazy to see.
Spoiler alert: it’ll happen again this year
For the fans here who think recruiting is all that matters... Maybe we should look at how teams with the top recruiting classes fared this season.
#1 Kentucky: You know the story here.
#2 Duke: No conference or tournament titles, lost in the Elite 8 after beating double digit seeded teams and a team that lost their all-american player
#3 USC: Finished 15-18 this season
#4 UConn: Favorites to repeat as National Champs. Only one freshman starts and he's the 5th leading scorer on the team.
#5 Michigan State: Finished 25-10 and 10-10 in the Big Ten. Lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
#6 Louisville: LOL
#7 Iowa State: Great season for them 29-8 and reached the sweet sixteen. Only one freshmen sees minutes for the Cyclones.
#8 Ohio State: 22-14 and 9-11 in conference record. Got their coach fired.
#9 Kansas: Disappointing season for them. Only one freshman starts for them.
#10 Oklahoma State: 12-20 and 4-14 conference record. Their coach was fired.
#1 Kentucky: You know the story here.
#2 Duke: No conference or tournament titles, lost in the Elite 8 after beating double digit seeded teams and a team that lost their all-american player
#3 USC: Finished 15-18 this season
#4 UConn: Favorites to repeat as National Champs. Only one freshman starts and he's the 5th leading scorer on the team.
#5 Michigan State: Finished 25-10 and 10-10 in the Big Ten. Lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
#6 Louisville: LOL
#7 Iowa State: Great season for them 29-8 and reached the sweet sixteen. Only one freshmen sees minutes for the Cyclones.
#8 Ohio State: 22-14 and 9-11 in conference record. Got their coach fired.
#9 Kansas: Disappointing season for them. Only one freshman starts for them.
#10 Oklahoma State: 12-20 and 4-14 conference record. Their coach was fired.
Yeah. I hate to say it but Duke will continue to be really good. Probably a drop off from K but still.
Then you look at us. 🙁
There's only one 5-star recruit still playing next week, Stephon Castle from UConn.
I think he’s intending to recruit and have most of those freshman for more than a season.
You asked if “he liked them”?
What does that mean? Does he like the recruits? Like them how?
I’ll try and answer. Sure. I “like them”.
The points being made in this thread (you skirted over them) is that “top 10 pics” or “top 20 picks” obviously mean nothing when it comes to success. You can’t build a championship team every single year of random, brand new mid tier “draft picks” man. As evidenced by our current coach.
So, again, your insinuation proves false man. What has “liking” these “top 10” guys done for us the last 5 years?
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