Shavlike Randolph in NBA draft

[jungleman90]

Now I am a Duke fan and i expected either Redick or Williams to go. But Randolph? Gimme a break! Somebody gave him alot of bad advice, cause he probably wont get drafted. Any other Duke fans who think Shav was a huge bust and this is a very stupid decision? please no Duke bashing. Dammit i spelled his name wrong.

[ThePatient]

I was with you until you said no Duke bashing. He'll get drafted, based soley on the "Duke" label. And that'll be as far as he gets.

You can't mention Duke without mentioning Maryland. John Gilchrist hired an agent and is entering the draft too.

Duke sucks.

[simplephotographinthesun]

wtf is randolph thinking?

[lunch998]

I was with you until you said no Duke bashing. He'll get drafted, based soley on the "Duke" label. And that'll be as far as he gets.

You can't mention Duke without mentioning Maryland. John Gilchrist hired an agent and is entering the draft too.

Duke sucks.

Yea now all we have to do is survive one more season of Nik Caner-Medly, and then we can have a good team again.

[jungleman90]

[QUOTE=ThePatient]I was with you until you said no Duke bashing. He'll get drafted, based soley on the "Duke" label. And that'll be as far as he gets.

You can't mention Duke without mentioning Maryland. John Gilchrist hired an agent and is entering the draft too.

Duke sucks.[/QUOTE
I just didnt want this to turn into a Duke bashing thread because I know alot of people dont like Duke. Randolph is probably just entering to get evaluated at all those pre draft workout things, and then pull his name out. He's probably the biggest bust Duke has ever had, considering all the hype out of high school and Duke won the biggest recruiting war in North Carolina to get him.

[Illmatic]

I don't know why he's wasting his time...why would an NBA team draft him?

[jungleman90]

Potential probably. When he isnt in foul trouble he shows flashes of talent, but he can never put it together. I dont know what it is with that guy. I highly doubt he will get drafted. Well atleast this means more playing time for Josh McRoberts assuming he stays in the draft

[humbucking fool]

He was the #1 prospect in America a few years back...I thought Dick Vitale was going to spooge on air when the Dookies got him. Now, 8 points and 6 boards on a good night? I'd expect to see him back at school next year.

[jungleman90]

Yeah I read somewhere that the biggest in state recruiting war ever in North Carolina was Duke, North Carolina and NC State all trying to get Shavlik.He hasnt exactly lived up to the title of "the second coming of Larry Bird" like people said he was out of high school. sigh.....oh well.

[Hababi]

I'm surprised he'd declare this year...maybe this is just a ploy to get Duke to commit to giving him more playing time...

He's still a heck of a talented player, and will likely turn into a good pro.

[Endless Obsession]

It doesnt matter because i still think that Duke will be the best team next year.

JJ Redick
Greg Paulus
Josh McRoberts
Sean Dockery
Sheldon Williams

Those are just the people who i can think of off the top of my head but they are all very good.

[3074326]

I wouldn't count Paulus and McRoberts yet, since they haven't proven to be good college players yet. Sure, they look good, but so did Shavlik Randolph.

Redick, Dockery, and Williams are great. Lee Melchioni will also turn out to be a good player, and DeMarcus Nelson has shown some potential.

Next year's lineup still has a bit to prove. Duke is my favorite team, so I hope it turns out well.

Randolph is an idiot if he does plan to be drafted. He'll get drafted, but probably not that high. He's a good player, but he's very inconsistant, and has much more potential to live up to. He should stay at Duke another year and try to have a break out season.

[Illmatic]

He's still a heck of a talented player, and will likely turn into a good pro.

So someone who is inconsistent and a dud in college will turn out to be a good pro?

WTF?

Sure, they look good, but so did Shavlik Randolph.

And so did Marvin Williams and Carmelo Anthony. For every dud there's a guy who can make a big impact on a team.

[3074326]

Yes, but Paulus and McRoberts haven't played a single game for Duke. Those two players don't make Duke a better team until they've proven that they can contribute.

[jungleman90]

Ive heard some say that Paulus and McRoberts remind them of Hurley and Laettner. But 3074326 is right. That comparison doesnt mean anything unless we get two more championship banners up in Camren.
Duke has the best team this year by a longshot. Alot of people are talking about UConn, but this is finally gonna be the year that Duke beats Uconn

[Illmatic]

Texas could make some noise, too. With Deron, Paul, Felton, and Jack gone, Daniel Gibson is now the best PG in the country. and P.J. Tucker and LaMarcus Alridge have the potential to be a great frontcourt duo.

Villanova too. I don't think they lost any important player from this year's team.

[jungleman90]

Yeah ive heard good things about Texas. But they are extremely young arent they? But it is hard to argue with Duke being the top team next year. They only lose one important player from last years team (Daniel Ewing) and not to mention they bring in the top ranked recruiting class. And 4 seniors starting? Theyre gonna be extremely tough to beat.

[simplephotographinthesun]

Ive heard some say that Paulus and McRoberts remind them of Hurley and Laettner. But 3074326 is right. That comparison doesnt mean anything unless we get two more championship banners up in Camren.
Duke has the best team this year by a longshot. Alot of people are talking about UConn, but this is finally gonna be the year that Duke beats Uconn

if charlie villanueva decides to enter the draft then duke will probably be ranked #1 in the preseason

[jungleman90]

He has entered the draft, so has Andrew Bynum, this 7 foot 300 pound monster who signed with UConn who I saw at the mcdonalds game. He was real good.

[looozer]

Shav is awful. He is too weak to be effective inside, and too slow to be effective outside. I wonder what happened. I don't think Duke was that great this year, and I don't see why they would be ranked #1 next year. They have a shot at the national title , naturally, but I don't see them being *the* dominant force in college ball next year. Shav should not go pro. JJ Redick might as well, Shelden Williams too, but they have hopes ahead of them in college ball.

[Illmatic]

Shav is awful. He is too weak to be effective inside, and too slow to be effective outside. I wonder what happened. I don't think Duke was that great this year, and I don't see why they would be ranked #1 next year. They have a shot at the national title , naturally, but I don't see them being *the* dominant force in college ball next year. Shav should not go pro. JJ Redick might as well, Shelden Williams too, but they have hopes ahead of them in college ball.

The only important player who left Duke this year was Daniel Ewing, and they're getting two top recruits.

[jungleman90]

Shav is awful. He is too weak to be effective inside, and too slow to be effective outside. I wonder what happened. I don't think Duke was that great this year, and I don't see why they would be ranked #1 next year. They have a shot at the national title , naturally, but I don't see them being *the* dominant force in college ball next year. Shav should not go pro. JJ Redick might as well, Shelden Williams too, but they have hopes ahead of them in college ball.
They win the ACC Championship, and its considered a down year? Williams and Redick both said they arent going pro. If not Duke number one, who then? They have two players who will probably end up being 1st team all americans in Redick and Williams, the top two recruits coming in (Paulus and McRoberts), and alot of role players (Melchioni, Dockery, Randolph assumng he pulls his name out of the draft, Marty Pocius, Eric Boateng, Jamal Boykin, Demarcus Nelson,). Have i forgotten to mention their coach? Whats his name again?

[Hababi]

So someone who is inconsistent and a dud in college will turn out to be a good pro?


Mark Eaton had a subpar college career but was a good center with the Jazz...Chris Duhon was a college disappointment but has turned into a very good pro PG. There's other ones too, those are just the first two that came to mind

[DepthsOfDreams555]

Cant say i like Duke at all and Randolph is garbage u have to be kidding me....
GARBAGE

[3074326]

Randolph isn't garbage, he's just not NBA material. Yet.

He's hit some great shots for Duke, and he's had some great games. He's just too inconsistant and he doesn't have enough trust in his shot to be an NBA player yet.

[Illmatic]

Mark Eaton had a subpar college career but was a good center with the Jazz...Chris Duhon was a college disappointment but has turned into a very good pro PG. There's other ones too, those are just the first two that came to mind

Eaton was a pretty one-dimensional player in the pros.

Duhon "very good"? Let's not get too hasty here.

[Hababi]

Eaton was a pretty one-dimensional player in the pros.

Duhon "very good"? Let's not get too hasty here.


Eaton was one dimensional, sure, but so is Carmelo Anthony. So is Ben Wallace. Wallace, too, wasn't too impressive in college.

As for Duhon, 6 points and 5 assists per game is quite solid for a rookie PG. He'll be a 10 year starter in the league.

[Hababi]

Randolph isn't garbage, he's just not NBA material. Yet.

He's hit some great shots for Duke, and he's had some great games. He's just too inconsistant and he doesn't have enough trust in his shot to be an NBA player yet.


He has every intent of returning to college--he's just doing this to get pro work outs (read an interview with his father).

He reminds me of Lamar Odom, really...Sort of cerebral approach to the game, solid but not outstanding athleticism, streaky shot.

[jungleman90]

Mark Eaton had a subpar college career but was a good center with the Jazz...Chris Duhon was a college disappointment but has turned into a very good pro PG. There's other ones too, those are just the first two that came to mind
I wouldnt call chris duhon a disappointment. He was a solid point guard for 4 years. He went to two final fours and won a national title. Him and Jason Williams were one of the best backcourt duos college basketball had ever seen.

[jungleman90]

[QUOTE=DepthsOfDreams555]Cant say i like Duke at all and Randolph is garbage u have to be kidding me....
GARBAGE[/QUOTE
Nobody was asking if you like Duke. Randolph is not garbage at all. He has skill. Its just his injuries never really let him get to full strength. And his foul trouble. Did any of you guys watch the final four in 2004 against Uconn? He had like 13 points and 7 rebounds, but only got to play 14 minutes because of fouls.

[Illmatic]

Eaton was one dimensional, sure, but so is Carmelo Anthony. So is Ben Wallace. Wallace, too, wasn't too impressive in college.

As for Duhon, 6 points and 5 assists per game is quite solid for a rookie PG. He'll be a 10 year starter in the league.

Wallace also wasn't any good his first few years in the league.

[Endless Obsession]

Daniel Gibson is now the best PG in the country.

Marcus Williams is pretty good too.

Even though im a huge Duke fan, they just dont produce that many quality NBA players. That goes to UNC and 'Zona.

[Illmatic]

Marcus Williams is pretty good too.

Gibson is better.

I don't see how this is debatable.

[3074326]

Even though im a huge Duke fan, they just dont produce that many quality NBA players. That goes to UNC and 'Zona.

I think Coach K has something to do with that. ;)

[Endless Obsession]

Gibson is better.

I know, but Marcus Williams is pretty good though. Probobly 2nd best.

[Illmatic]

Even though im a huge Duke fan, they just dont produce that many quality NBA players. That goes to UNC and 'Zona.

Coach K and the University itself want good guys who are also good students.

That's why the Duke/UNLV games of the early 90's were so hyped. It was basically "All that is wrong with college basketball" (UNLV) vs. "All that is right with college basketball" (Duke).

[jungleman90]

People say Duke players dont turn out to be good NBA players, but thats not true. Dunleavy, Boozer, Battier, Duhon, and Deng have all had good careers so far and theyre all young guys who are getting better. Magette and Brand are elite level players. Its unfortunate what happened to Jay Williams and Bobby Hurley. Christian Laettner has had a solid career, just not as good as people say he should have been. And Grant Hill in his prime and healthy was one of the top 5 players in the league. Maybe not as many great players as UNC or Arizona or whoever, but still great players none the less.

[jungleman90]

Coach K and the University itself want good guys who are also good students.

That's why the Duke/UNLV games of the early 90's were so hyped. It was basically "All that is wrong with college basketball" (UNLV) vs. "All that is right with college basketball" (Duke).
Thats interesting, ive never heard anyone put it that way. Good point

[looozer]

I thought Duhon was a good point guard in college, and it will be difficult to match that success in the pros (though he is on the right track at the moment).

Anyway, don't count recruits. They are the X-factor in this. Everyone knows that, barring some sort of serious injury, Duke will have an excellent shooting guard in Redick and power forward/center in Shelden Williams. Dockery is sort of an X-factor as well, because they will be a lot more successful if they have a strong point guard. Dockery seems to fill such a role well and seems to be somewhat valuable to the team.

However, some of the players that people are mentioning are not that great. Melchionni is only effective because the floor is spread. I cannot argue with the numbers for his shooting; I'd love to have a guy who would gun it from the outside like he does. However, if you have Redick, Ewing, and Dockery outside and Shelden Williams in the paint, Lee Melchionni is going to be the last guy who you want to guard. Unless Duke gets some more serious outside shooting threats to stretch other teams' defenses, I don't see Melchionni having as big of a year as he did. His shot is uglier than Shawn Marion's.

Anyway, I see Duke as being a strong team next year, but stating that they are the number one team by default is jumping the gun a little bit. Duke is always a strong team, but I just see it as being too early to call anything right now. The summer hasn't even started yet.

[nitzguy]

Mark Eaton was 7'4, so he will be good no matter what. i think Shav just wants to get paid. Weather its in Europe or nba, as dickey V once said, " he scored a 1500 on his SAT, he took it 3 times and got 500 each time..oh yea baby", duhon was a good PG in college i thought, a bit underrated in my opinion

[Hababi]

Wallace also wasn't any good his first few years in the league.


Sure, he didn't really blossom till he got to Detroit. It took Dirk a season or two to come into his own as a player, Jermaine O'Neal took 3 years. Same with Darko Milicic; if Larry Brown finally lightens up next year, Darko will establish himself as a quality NBA player-it just took two seasons of development.

[Illmatic]

Mark Eaton was 7'4, so he will be good no matter what. i think Shav just wants to get paid. Weather its in Europe or nba, as dickey V once said, " he scored a 1500 on his SAT, he took it 3 times and got 500 each time..oh yea baby", duhon was a good PG in college i thought, a bit underrated in my opinion

There is some degree of skill involved. Priest Lauderdale was 7'4 and drafted in 1996. Out of the league. Ruben Boumjte Boumjte is 7'1 and DeSagana Diop is 7'2 and they may as well be out of the league.

Also, Non Sequitur, quit it with the Darko Milicic hype, okay? There are few things in life that I am sure of, and one of them is that Darko Millicic will not be a great NBA player.

[Hababi]

Also, Non Sequitur, quit it with the Darko Milicic hype, okay? There are few things in life that I am sure of, and one of them is that Darko Millicic will not be a great NBA player.


I'll make this prediction sure to draw your ire ;):

In 5 years, Darko Milicic will be considered a better NBA player than Sebastion Telfair. Trust me. Everyone who has seen him in practices concedes that he's one of the most gifted big men in the league in terms of offense. All he needs is playing time.

[Illmatic]

Trust me, there's a big difference between the raw materials and the final product. Practice skills do not necessarily translate into success on the NBA level.

Guys like Jerome Moiso, Darius Miles, Marcus Fizer, DeSagana Diop, and Rodney White, among others, have blown coaches and scouts away in practices and workouts and look where that's got them.

Also, Telfair is already a better NBA player than Milicic with less NBA experience, with a worse coaching staff, and a worse team (in other words, he's been on his own). And he also has yet to fully tap his potential.

[Hababi]

Guys like Jerome Moiso, Darius Miles, Marcus Fizer, DeSagana Diop, and Rodney White, among others, have blown coaches and scouts away in practices and workouts and look where that's got them.


Miles can't shoot...He has great leaping ability, can dunk really well, but can't shoot...Diop is a really big guy and a decent athlete but has never shown a whole lot in terms of basketball skill. White is for real, I think. Give him a little more time, and remember it took Jermaine O'Neal 4 years to come into his own.

Now, I think there's some better comparisons, because the people you're talking about recieved hype for their physical attributes more than their skill. How about Nikoloz Tskitishvili? Showed a heck of a lot of potential, hasn't realized it.

The difference is, the one time Darko was actually given playing time, he showed that he's for real-16 points and a few blocks. Tskitishvili never has shown himself to be a real talent in an NBA game. Simply put, Darko was never given the chance in an NBA game his rookie season. All his minutes were garbage minutes.

And, Telfair has more NBA experience than Darko. Toward the end of the season, Telfair was given the reigns of the offense and let loose. His total minutes this season was far more than Darko's over two seasons. If Darko had been on a different team, IE the Hawks, he'd have averaged 15 and 8 last season. But when the Wallace's, McDyess and Elden Campbell are all ahead of you on the draft chart and your coach absolutely despises you, there's not much you can do.