http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nba/charlotte-hornets/article157676324.html
Anyone else find Coach K's convenient and sudden outspoken dislike of the OAD rule self-serving and disingenuous?
The OAD rule has been around for over 10 years. Duke has only started doing it in earnest in the last 2-3 years. K's first lie in the article above is that they haven't really changed their recruiting that much - they've always tried to sign the best available players, and two, the implication that they have to sign OAD players to compete. Programs like Villanova and UNC have done quite well signing lower 5-stars and 4-stars that fit their system. Duke did fine doing the same with just the occasional OAD for years as well.
The truth is that K started going all in on OADs because he realized what Cal was about to pull off at Kentucky and for Kentucky - especially after the NBA started filling up with UK players. I think the dearth of stars in the NBA who were his former players also started to bother him - especially after his Olympics stint.
I also find it very interesting that so many years after the OAD rule, K is suddenly campaigning so hard against it. Make no mistake, K is very influential and is good friends with NBA Commish Adam Silver. So why is K suddenly so outspoken about the rule?
Is it a sudden deep concern for these young men? Or is it - 1) he's figured out he's not very good at gelling 4-5 superstar freshmen into a great team in one year when he doesn't have Tyus Jones at the helm, 2) he's over 70 and he's tired of the work he has to put in to keep up with Cal, or 3) he's about to retire, and when he does, he knows Cal is going to get another step up on Duke and the rest of college basketball?