Scout Gives UK #1 BB Class Over Duke
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
Not that it matters, but Antonio Vrankovich is the son of former NBA big man Stojko Vrankovic. However, he will still need time to develop.
We would have killed to have a top 10 class 7 or 8 years ago. I guess people like you forget how hard it is to get a top class every year.![[eyeroll]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/rolleye/rolleye0011.r191677.gif "Eye roll [eyeroll]")
No, I remember. But I'm more concerned over how the class performs and translates into wins. Plus putting pressure on these kids coming in is not good for anyone. You need great players to win (usually), and getting top-ranked class is a good goal...just not something I feel the need to get obsessed about. It's about what you do on the court, the top class ranking didn't mean much vs. WVU in 2010, Wisconsin in 2015, or the NIT year.
Duke's Antonio 'Vrank the Tank" Vrankovich's dad was a beast in the Euroleague's but he was past his prime when eastern European players could finally cross the ocean and play in America. Much like Russia's Avynias Sabonis.
If Antonio improves as much in the next year or two as he did between his junior and senior years in high school, Duke will really have a steal.
If Antonio improves as much in the next year or two as he did between his junior and senior years in high school, Duke will really have a steal.
Don't put ANY stock into him for next year. Unranked freshman. If he gets playing minutes next year it's because other Duke players ahead of him are having serious issues, either on or off the court. Having a player like that getting significant minutes isn't a good thing.
Maybe come Junior or Senior year.. But then again, Duke is going to have a similar problem Kentucky has been having with OAD: Players like Vrank are going to be slighted recruited over. These guys really have to work if they want minutes. Because next year, Duke is going to have another 4-5 recruits that are better than him... same thing the year after, and so on.
Maybe come Junior or Senior year.. But then again, Duke is going to have a similar problem Kentucky has been having with OAD: Players like Vrank are going to be slighted recruited over. These guys really have to work if they want minutes. Because next year, Duke is going to have another 4-5 recruits that are better than him... same thing the year after, and so on.
I think you're grossly overestimating Kennard's production as a freshman. He's going to need a lot more time than the others to adjust to pace of play.
How do you know? at the same height, he ranks much higher than Jon Scheyer did coming into College and Scheyer averaged double figures as a freshman and ran point for two ACC Championship and an NCAA Championship team. Nobody really knows for sure until they get out there and play.
Any way you slice it, Duke only has one recruit that's superior than UK's recruits at their position and that's SF with Ingram. Every other position UK has the better recruit. So, "not close" isn't that much of a reach IMO.
I don't know for sure. I think the kid has a great offensive skill set. However, he seems to lack athleticism, especially on the defensive end. Playing for a D2 team in rural Ohio didn't do him any favors, developmental wise, either. Because of that, I think teams will exploit him 1 - 3 as soon as he steps on the floor.
K won't keep him in if he's consistently getting beat, too many good players that deserve PT. And frankly, I think he will be firmly behind Grayson and Jones for minutes this year.
Much of it will depend how K will uses him in the mold of the team. For us last year, Booker was terrible defensively, but a great offensive weapon that spaced the floor. We had defensive players that could mask his weaknesses on the other end - until Dekker put him in a coffin. I'm not sure Duke will have that same luxury.
I go back to seeing Ohio High School players like Ed Ratleff, Jimmy Cleamons, Phil Hubbard, Herb Williams, Clark Kellogg, ( I coached an AAU team against Toledo's Jimmy Jackson), Jay Burson, Lebron James, ect....ect.... I'm telling you, Luke Kennard will be in that class as a college player. (Lebron,of course, didn't play college). He just knows the game and excels in more than just scoring. You'd watch him play and think he'd have a nice game then look at the box scores and see he scored 40+, grabbed 10-12 rebounds, and have 6-7 assists (more if his team mates could catch and finish.) 
Why do you think Cal made 6 trips to his high school to watch him play his jr year?
Why do you think Cal made 6 trips to his high school to watch him play his jr year?
Kennard led Team USA with 23 pts in their loss to the World Team at the NIKE and only played 18 minutes. Murray had 30 pts but played well over 30 minutes. Kennard was NOT OUT OF HIS LEAGUE playing against those players on the World Team.
He's far more athletic than you think. Saw a lot of one handed dunks off lobs last year!!
He's far more athletic than you think. Saw a lot of one handed dunks off lobs last year!!
I go back to seeing Ohio High School players like Ed Ratleff, Jimmy Cleamons, Phil Hubbard, Herb Williams, Clark Kellogg, ( I coached an AAU team against Toledo's Jimmy Jackson), Jay Burson, Lebron James, ect....ect.... I'm telling you, Luke Kennard will be in that class as a college player. (Lebron,of course, didn't play college). He just knows the game and excels in more than just scoring. You'd watch him play and think he'd have a nice game then look at the box scores and see he scored 40+, grabbed 10-12 rebounds, and have 6-7 assists (more if his team mates could catch and finish.)
Why do you think Cal made 6 trips to his high school to watch him play his jr year?
Haha, I think Cal made those 6 trips for the same reason K did, in effort to have a quality SG to develop for years to come. Ultimately, I will say that I think the Mathews commitment gift wrapped Luke to Duke.
And yes, he certainly held his own at the Jordan/McD games. But, those aren't exactly a good representation of college level play.
I do think he will be good in time. I just don't think he will be good right away.
Kennard is a very good player, no doubt. He wasn't out of his league but Murray is the better player right now IMO.
And 2nd cousin to famous comedy musician "Weird Al" Vrankovic.
Well, according to the rankings, he's the second best SF behind Simmons. Personally I wasn't very impressed. Then again, I've only seen him pay in one or two events. I'm very high on Matthews. I believe he's vastly underrated.
Kennard is going to have some opportunities. He is going to be a main rotation guy, since Duke only has four guards. He probably won't average double digit points, but he'll have some big scoring games.
Duke likely plays a 7-man rotation this season. I think it will look like this:
Starters
G Thornton
G Allen
G Jones
F Ingram
F Jefferson
Key Reserves
G Kennard- backcourt reserve.
F Jeter- frontcourt reserve.
Duke likely plays a 7-man rotation this season. I think it will look like this:
Starters
G Thornton
G Allen
G Jones
F Ingram
F Jefferson
Key Reserves
G Kennard- backcourt reserve.
F Jeter- frontcourt reserve.
In the case of ESPN, it means we'll have to hear a subjective slants for five months telling the world how Coach K has the #1 class, how he's adapted with the times, and how fudging great Luke Kennard and friends are. It doesn't seem like much, but listening to even six seconds of that type of narrative can be annoying.
That starting frountcourt might be the weakest in the ACC. I think Obi gets more run than some folks imagine. They need his beef.
That's great, because I also recall what some freshmen did against Ohio State in 2011, UNC in 2011, Kansas in 2012, Wichita State/Louisville/Michigan/Wisconsin in 2014, and one particular frosh who carried us into the Final Four in 2015.
I'll take top recruiting classes. There seems to be a wonderful correlation between elite recruiting classes and success - the type of success that all but slithered away from 1999-2009.
Elite Eight in 2010 and Final Four in 2015 isn't too shabby. Can't really pass judgement on the 2013 class for going to the NIT since the stud recruit that year got injured.
I believe in 2015 the top ranked class beat Wisconsin for the national championship,
.... playing in a substandard O'Dome with the stanchions too close to the base line...........(piece of shit facility)...............
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