Yo Duke Basketball

[NYCNole]

Caught the Duke game last night, dang they look and run like an NBA team. Barrett kid is better than Tatum as frosh, Zion is Gronk with hops & Reddish is their 3rd option(scary). K finally got real point guard who is unselfish, ACC is in trouble. Plus they have three reserve centers.

This Duke team is going to receive hype beyond Bama football.

 

[ATLNole1]

They look incredible this year. They are still young kids so they will have some games where they are off or not focused but they will be extremely hard to beat if they play up to their potential.

 

[LesClaypool]

The only college basketball storyline that matters today is 81-60...Noles over the gates!

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Zion is more than NBA ready (understatement of the year). It should be a federal crime that he's playing college ball and not for big $$ in the NBA this season.

The play in the tweet below the youtube link is something else.

 

[Nole Lou]

The only college basketball storyline that matters today is 81-60...Noles over the gates!

Exactly...nobody should have been watching the first half of that game when you could have been watching us dominate UF. Five in a row in basketball too.

 

[CC0492]

Zion is more than NBA ready (understatement of the year). It should be a federal crime that he's playing college ball and not for big $$ in the NBA this season.

The play in the tweet below the youtube link is something else.

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So which NBA teams start to tank this year in hopes of getting him in the draft? I'm looking at you, Atlanta Hawks.

 

[kooterridesagain]

Highlights look impressive but let’s not forget its Kentucky. Aka bad every November, then upset deep in every March.

 

[MagNoleA]

The Dukkies will be in our house Jan. 12. Looking for another blowout that weekend too. Hopefully, it will be like two well oiled machines colliding. I expect several deep money shots that weekend. Keep draining that cup.

 

[goldmom]

I'm considering making the Journey to Tally for that game.

 

[MagNoleA]

I'm considering making the Journey to Tally for that game.

I've got a friend of mine coming in from South Detroit.

 

[Random_John]

So what's the going rate for a player like that these days? Or is it really all about the education and he feels Duke teaches history better than FSU?

 

[ohio#1nolefan]

Zion is more than NBA ready (understatement of the year). It should be a federal crime that he's playing college ball and not for big $$ in the NBA this season.

The play in the tweet below the youtube link is something else.

A crime that a business has rules? Seems logical..

 

[ReliableOstrich]

It's called a figure of speech, bud.

But let's go ahead and pretend you thought I was serious to begin with.

 

[LesClaypool]

I just watched those Zion Williamson highlights...holy crap!

He has literally every tool there is: power, finesse, ball-handling, left hand, right hand, 3-pt touch, passing, defense, rebounding, free throws... just incredible. It's like he's done nothing other than practice basketball every minute of his life. He'll be the best player in the NBA in no time.

 

[kooterridesagain]

Whoa Les! Haha
On Zion, he’s exciting but I’ve seen a million hyped dunkers or Ripped frosh do nothing in nba.
My biggest question on him is how does he fit in the lineup in nba at that size? He’s been stongest kid on court for 5 years and that won’t change at Duke.
Reminds me of young Charles Barkley right now, but it’s not 1984, so unless he grows a few inches or slims down, where would he play in this ultra quick guard heavy nba?
It’ll be fun to watch him progress I’m just not sure his ceiling is AD, Garnett, Lebron. Zion is pretty polished for 18 so I wonder if that ceiling can get much higher. And if not what does he look like vs nba guys next few years?
Ill certainly be watching to see, who knows!

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Whoa Les! Haha
On Zion, he’s exciting but I’ve seen a million hyped dunkers or Ripped frosh do nothing in nba.
My biggest question on him is how does he fit in the lineup in nba at that size? He’s been stongest kid on court for 5 years and that won’t change at Duke.
Reminds me of young Charles Barkley right now, but it’s not 1984, so unless he grows a few inches or slims down, where would he play in this ultra quick guard heavy nba?
It’ll be fun to watch him progress I’m just not sure his ceiling is AD, Garnett, Lebron. Zion is pretty polished for 18 so I wonder if that ceiling can get much higher. And if not what does he look like vs nba guys next few years?
Ill certainly be watching to see, who knows!

Let's put it this way, up until today he's only been playing bball part-time.
Once he's able to play/study the sport and work on his body full-time, without things like practice limitations and classes, there will be another big jump in his skillset.

 

[LesClaypool]

Whoa Les! Haha
On Zion, he’s exciting but I’ve seen a million hyped dunkers or Ripped frosh do nothing in nba.
My biggest question on him is how does he fit in the lineup in nba at that size? He’s been stongest kid on court for 5 years and that won’t change at Duke.
Reminds me of young Charles Barkley right now, but it’s not 1984, so unless he grows a few inches or slims down, where would he play in this ultra quick guard heavy nba?
It’ll be fun to watch him progress I’m just not sure his ceiling is AD, Garnett, Lebron. Zion is pretty polished for 18 so I wonder if that ceiling can get much higher. And if not what does he look like vs nba guys next few years?
Ill certainly be watching to see, who knows!

There’s no hype. Watch the highlights. He has the most complete game of any player I’ve ever seen at this stage of their career by a million miles.

 

[Gonolz]

I've got a friend of mine coming in from South Detroit.

Don't stop believin' ... that we can beat Duke!

 

[goldmom]

Don't stop believin' ... that we can beat Duke!

My Man!!!

 

[cfbfan23]

There’s no hype. Watch the highlights. He has the most complete game of any player I’ve ever seen at this stage of their career by a million miles.

 

[LesClaypool]

He wasn’t that far along as a frosh at Texas...and frankly he still can’t do everything I just saw Zion do in that Kentucky game.

With that said, he’s (KD) the name that came to my mind too as the otherwise freakiest development at this stage.

 

[seminoledq]

I'm considering making the Journey to Tally for that game.

We are too.

 

[FSUATT]

They look incredible this year. They are still young kids so they will have some games where they are off or not focused but they will be extremely hard to beat if they play up to their potential.

I just watched those Zion Williamson highlights...holy crap!

He has literally every tool there is: power, finesse, ball-handling, left hand, right hand, 3-pt touch, passing, defense, rebounding, free throws... just incredible. It's like he's done nothing other than practice basketball every minute of his life. He'll be the best player in the NBA in no time.

Last year, Duke signed 3 of the top 5 players in the country, and Zion was considered the third best of the group. That is insane. Duke will be tough to beat.

Does anyone know much about Montverde Academy down near Orlando? I have not followed recruiting that much in basketball, but noticed that they have an incredible amount of talented players down there. I see we have a kid from there committed for next year. How do they do it?

 

[cfbfan23]

He wasn’t that far along as a frosh at Texas...and frankly he still can’t do everything I just saw Zion do in that Kentucky game.

I disagree. That being said, I would very much like the Hawks to tank the season and win the lottery. Sign me up for some Zion.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Does anyone know much about Montverde Academy down near Orlando? I have not followed recruiting that much in basketball, but noticed that they have an incredible amount of talented players down there. I see we have a kid from there committed for next year. How do they do it?

Would assume they scout and recruit players (many international), grant them scholarships.

If you take a look at their "notable alumni" section, it's heavily slanted toward foreign players (our own Solomon Alabi, Australian wunderkind (and Kendall Jenner's) Ben Simmons)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montverde_Academy#Notable_alumni

More power to them.

http://www.maxpreps.com/news/DpK9z7...asketball-programs-of-the-last-five-years.htm

This blog post is 3 years old but lists top HS bball programs, with Montverde #1. Nearly every school on the list is private.

One good thing about this is most the kids are likely actually given a decent education and not just passed b/c they can score the ball. Might benefit HS football to do the same. Wonder if this is part of the reason so many elite bball players are currently upstanding, bold, self-empowered men whereas football players are... well often times not.

 

[Ohio1nole]

There’s someone named LeBron who was pretty good at age 18 as well.

Zion is more physically gifted. But Lebron was on another level at that age and younger as well

 

[FSUATT]

Would assume they scout and recruit players (many international), grant them scholarships.

If you take a look at their "notable alumni" section, it's heavily slanted toward foreign players (our own Solomon Alabi, Australian wunderkind (and Kendall Jenner's) Ben Simmons)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montverde_Academy#Notable_alumni

More power to them.

http://www.maxpreps.com/news/DpK9z7...asketball-programs-of-the-last-five-years.htm

This blog post is 3 years old but lists top HS bball programs, with Montverde #1. Nearly every school on the list is private.

One good thing about this is most the kids are likely actually given a decent education and not just passed b/c they can score the ball. Might benefit HS football to do the same. Wonder if this is part of the reason so many elite bball players are currently upstanding, bold, self-empowered men whereas football players are... well often times not.

I just looked at their web site. It looks more like a university campus than a high school. I can see why it is so attractive to these kids.

 

[MagNoleA]

My Man!!!

There's no erasin' this dude!
He's up and down the boulevard; on the prowl....
Rumor has it he's coming to Tallahassee soon!
Believe it or not, one of his favorite eateries is Applebees!

 

[cfbfan23]

Zion is more physically gifted. But Lebron was on another level at that age and younger as well

Agreed.

 

[OrlandNole]

Would assume they scout and recruit players (many international), grant them scholarships.

If you take a look at their "notable alumni" section, it's heavily slanted toward foreign players (our own Solomon Alabi, Australian wunderkind (and Kendall Jenner's) Ben Simmons)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montverde_Academy#Notable_alumni

More power to them.

http://www.maxpreps.com/news/DpK9z7...asketball-programs-of-the-last-five-years.htm

This blog post is 3 years old but lists top HS bball programs, with Montverde #1. Nearly every school on the list is private.

One good thing about this is most the kids are likely actually given a decent education and not just passed b/c they can score the ball. Might benefit HS football to do the same. Wonder if this is part of the reason so many elite bball players are currently upstanding, bold, self-empowered men whereas football players are... well often times not.

Montverde is the IMG of basketball. They do have a "regular" day school. My friend's kids go there.