[dynamite140]

I don't watch much NCAAB but was watching today's games. I looked at Duke's starting lineup and 3 of the 5 faces, i thought . The only 2 faces i recognized was Smith and Singler. The other 3 guys look like complete scrubs. Then i look at their bench and just looking at their faces, they look like people who like to study.


I know Duke recruits a certain type of player that is educated and its been well documented and they don't recruit those bad type inner city kids even if they are talented players. But from looking at their team every single year, does anyone else notice how none of their players seem to be athletic at all?Does Duke have any athletic players? All their players look like they play team ball.


Another thing i don't get is how has Duke won so many titles and always is ranked #1 or #2 every year in the tournament. I used to watch many of their games when JJ Redick and Jay Williams were playing and i noticed they have the biggest homecourt advantage ever in their building and they always get the calls from the refs.


I don't think i ever seen a college team more softer than Duke. I know Coach K is the reason for Duke being so successful but has anyone seen a team more vanilla than Duke? I'm wondering, does Duke really get the best players every year? I heard someone mentioned many of their players who are on the bench were McDonald All Americans? Many of the players on their team look like they played in those Catholic Basketball Teams in high school and not inner city ones.

[dabomguy11]

Mason Plumlee has ridiculous jumping ability and Kyrie Irving could easily be a top-3 pick in next year's draft. I think you have to look a little deeper to see if Duke's players are any good or not.

[Tk Fo Sho]

Arizona embrassed Duke tonight and I enjoyed every minute of it..

[THEGREAT30]

Yes, they get Mcdonalds all americans and 5 star players every year but they have been without good big men for sometime now

[frostno98]

Still can't believe Duke managed to even get to the Finals, let alone win it last year. They flat out can't beat good athletics team without draining a ton of three's, reminiscent of what Villanova did to them in 2009.

[The Madcap]

Whoever thinks Duke has the best players in college basketball is a square that doesn't know what the Fuk they are talking about.

Duke does have SOME of the best players in college. Nolan Smith/Singler/Irving especially. But most of their other guys are role players.

Dawkins isn't much more than a shooter.
The Plumlees are decent defenders, but can't shoot and have average low post games against athletic defenders.
Seth Curry played at LIBERTY his freshman year. He's a good player, but there's a reason he wasn't offered a D-I scholarship even though he's Dell Curry's son.
Tyler Thornton would start at most schools in D-I, but he's no star.

The McDonald's All American argument is moot because the award is a sham. The McDonald's All-American Team isn't announced till after most seniors have already signed their letters of intent. And they always select kids going to the big name programs (KU/UK/UCLA/UNC/DUKE etc) even when they aren't the best players because it's the best way to increase attention.

Anyone recognize the names Eric Boateng, Joey Beard, Crawford Palmer, Michael Thompson, Taylor King, Taymon Domzalski or Casey Sanders?

No?

There's a reason for that. They weren't great basketball players. But all of them were named McDonald's All-Americans after committing to Duke. As was Lance Thomas who played on Duke's title team last year.

Just like Neil Fingleton, Matt Wenstrom, Vasco Evtimov, and Kris Lang at UNC.

Or Kenny Gregory, Eric Chenowith, Lester Earl, Micah Downs, David Padgett, or Jeff Boschee at Kansas.

It doesn't matter how lean a recruiting class might be at one of the top programs, the McDonald's AA selection committee will still pick kids who signed with the biggest programs just because they know those college teams have large followings.

[darrell74]

In general, wherever John Calipari coaches, he has the best players.
For now, Kentucky has the best players.

Notice how Calipari's players seem to be a one and done almost all the time.

Duke players haven't amounted to much in the NBA since the 90's.
Sure, every once in a while you'll get a J.J. Reddick or a Shane Battier, but nothing like a Derrick Rose.

Do you think any of the Duke players are going on to great NBA careers?

[gregm]

What a strange second half from Duke. I never saw that coming, thought they won by double digits after that first half