2016 Recruit Watch

[Joneslab]

Got to see a little of the McDonald's game last night. My observations should be taken with a major grain of salt, not only because I didn't see the entire game but also because it's hard to get a read on much from these all-star showcases. Diallo tore up the all-star circuit last year and couldn't see the court in college. You never know.

Fox struggled shooting the ball, but there were movements in the game where you could see what a pure point guard he is. Think his early poor shooting got him out of the rhythm a little. On most nights he's going to outplay Lonzo Ball.

Bam put up good numbers and is just a man physically, but the best pure big in the game might have been Bolden. Looks like he can contribute right away. First thing you notice about him is his athleticism. Not a plodder at all and can get up and down. I'd heard a lot of Dakari comparisons, but that doesn't fit him. Way more athletic. Great hands. There will be a learning curve but he looks like he can fit in on a very good team and be a post anchor. Would love to have him.

Monk was Monk and is going to be great. I also thought Killeya-Jones looked like he belonged. Not sure he'll play an awful lot next year as Wenyen Gabriel is a similar player and I think he gets a lot of minutes, but he looks like a guy who has the tools to be a really interesting player down the road.

Josh Jackson was the best player in the game. Yikes. Unless he's some kind of nutjob or something he looks like he's going to make whoever he picks an immediate contender.

[BBNalldayeveryday]

I wouldn't mind Jarrett Allen. He's got the potential to be a good rim protector.

[GOCAT15]

Sacha just tweeted this picture out and has since said his phone is locking up because of so many responding. I love seeing them get this rivalry going this early, they better be ready to bring it when they have to travel to the YUM center.

[Joneslab]

The incoming freshmen aren't big fans of the University of Louisville, it appears.

[Joneslab]

That's a good, yet strange, point, because they're most definitely academic equals. But, you're right. Duke's athletic programs don't seem to hold players to the same standard as Vandy.

My wife was college roomates one year with a girl from New Mexico. This girl's good friend was former Duke big man Taymon Domzalski. (I know, really random connection.)

Domzalski was like the valedictorian of his high school or something. She told me once that most of the fringe players at Duke were extremely good students. Even some of the guys who played. But the top guys generally would be just marginal.

I'm not sure how they pull it off, but I'd say they have a baseline for most athletes. The baseline is probably some kind of combination of grades, test scores, and experience-based stuff, and these basketball players--many of whom have traveled all over the United States and the world playing--probably get in that way.

[Pobilly]

Everyone is all over the place on this one just like Noel and Jones. Will be interesting to see what happens.

[George]

I don't know their qualifications but I don't remember ever a Duke recruit being turned down for academics. But there have been a few for Vandy over the years.

That's a good, yet strange, point, because they're most definitely academic equals. But, you're right. Duke's athletic programs don't seem to hold players to the same standard as Vandy.

[KevinHall]

I can't imagine that Duke would work but Vandy wouldn't. They're peer institutions on the academic level.

I don't know their qualifications but I don't remember ever a Duke recruit being turned down for academics. But there have been a few for Vandy over the years.

[George]

If Bolden wanted to follow Capel to Vandy his grades would have to be up their standards. I have no idea what kind of student he is. If you remember Ron Mercer was going to follow a friend (can't remember his name now) of his to Vandy but couldn't qualify to get into school. So Vandy may not work for Bolden.

I can't imagine that Duke would work but Vandy wouldn't. They're peer institutions on the academic level.

[KevinHall]

If Bolden wanted to follow Capel to Vandy his grades would have to be up their standards. I have no idea what kind of student he is. If you remember Ron Mercer was going to follow a friend (can't remember his name now) of his to Vandy but couldn't qualify to get into school. So Vandy may not work for Bolden.

[Joneslab]

If Bolden is that high on Capel, is there any chance he follows him to his new school?

He put TCU on his list because of Jamie Dixon, but it seems like he wants to make a decision here in the next couple of weeks. When asked if he was going to wait until mid-April yesterday he said, "That's really late."

To add a new school this late in the game would probably mean a visit, and more time, so it's hard to imagine that he'd do that.

But you never know with 18-year-old kids.

[Matt Dillon]

If Bolden is that high on Capel, is there any chance he follows him to his new school?

[Joneslab]

Evan Daniels on Bolden: "As of today, I don't think he knows where he's going."

Could be some indecision regarding Capel possibly leaving Duke.

[GOCAT15]

Ben Roberts just asked duke signee Jayson Tatum about Bolden and Tatum said " I don't think anybody has an edge right now"

[George]

I'm as leery of "He's a bust" comments as I am "He's awesome!" sort of posts, but I've always thought Cal may have felt like the roster was going to be so depleted he knew he'd need a big body, so he went after Wynyard. When it was apparent that Wynyard wouldn't get here until December and that Humphries would be available, he brought in Humphries.

If he had to do it again he'd probably not bring them both on, but I genuinely think he was concerned about size--especially girth--for practice purposes. I don't think Cal wants to get stuck in a situation like 2011 again, where we basically didn't have enough to run a practice.

I think it goes beyond "bust" with Wynyard. I'm not even convinced that Cal expects him to ever set foot on the court. Tough to call the kid a bust when he may not have been brought in to play. I'm going off of something Matt Jones implied one day on the radio, too. Not just me grasping for straws.