The beat goes on

[SWC75]

Duke just got a commit from this guy:

Meet Khaman Maluach, the 7-foot-2 NBA Draft prospect who wants to 'change the game'

Maluach's journey has taken him from South Sudan to Uganda to Senegal and, next year, potentially near the top of the NBA Draft.

theathletic.com

To go with this guy:

Cooper Flagg and the small New England town that raised basketball's brightest young star

The NBA hasn’t drafted a Maine native in 40 years. This high schooler from Newport could be the 2025 No. 1 pick.

theathletic.com

"Khaman Maluach and Duke’s generational wealth
Yesterday, we linked a story on Khaman Maluach, the 7-foot-2 South Sudanese center who might be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Yesterday brought an important update. Let’s zoom out for a full view:
 Maluach is teased as the next Victor Wembanyama because he profiles almost exactly like the Frenchman — an unnaturally tall man with unnatural guard skills. Maluach is already an elite rim protector at 17 years old. Also: He might not be done growing. Scary! In a good way.
 Maluach’s journey is engrossing. He fled war-torn South Sudan at a young age, grew up in Uganda and now attends the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal. He has already helped the South Sudanese national team qualify for the Olympics for the first time.
 And yesterday, he committed to play college basketball at Duke. His pledge adds a gigantic boost to Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer’s second No. 1 recruiting class in three offseasons since taking over for Mike Krzyzewski.
Maluach’s current top competition for that first draft pick? No. 1 recruit Cooper Flagg, the Maine wunderkind who’s also heading to Duke next year. Good luck, everyone else."

 

[5OutFred]

Also to note here is getting Maluach to pair with incoming 6'11, 5 star Center Pat Ngongba. Must be one $trong offer in Durham...

 

[Cusedad2X]

Also to note here is getting Maluach to pair with incoming 6'11, 5 star Center Pat Ngongba. Must be one $trong offer in Durham...

where's that dislike button????

 

[Fly Rodder]

Also to note here is getting Maluach to pair with incoming 6'11, 5 star Center Pat Ngongba. Must be one $trong offer in Durham...

John Scheyer really just connects well with recruits. It's not like they spend anymore on players than anyone else.

 

[Nicknack]

John Scheyer really just connects well with recruits. It's not like they spend anymore on players than anyone else.

 

[MikeSU02]

Duke just got a commit from this guy:

Meet Khaman Maluach, the 7-foot-2 NBA Draft prospect who wants to 'change the game'

Maluach's journey has taken him from South Sudan to Uganda to Senegal and, next year, potentially near the top of the NBA Draft.

theathletic.com

To go with this guy:

Cooper Flagg and the small New England town that raised basketball's brightest young star

The NBA hasn’t drafted a Maine native in 40 years. This high schooler from Newport could be the 2025 No. 1 pick.

theathletic.com

"Khaman Maluach and Duke’s generational wealth
Yesterday, we linked a story on Khaman Maluach, the 7-foot-2 South Sudanese center who might be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Yesterday brought an important update. Let’s zoom out for a full view:
 Maluach is teased as the next Victor Wembanyama because he profiles almost exactly like the Frenchman — an unnaturally tall man with unnatural guard skills. Maluach is already an elite rim protector at 17 years old. Also: He might not be done growing. Scary! In a good way.
 Maluach’s journey is engrossing. He fled war-torn South Sudan at a young age, grew up in Uganda and now attends the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal. He has already helped the South Sudanese national team qualify for the Olympics for the first time.
 And yesterday, he committed to play college basketball at Duke. His pledge adds a gigantic boost to Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer’s second No. 1 recruiting class in three offseasons since taking over for Mike Krzyzewski.
Maluach’s current top competition for that first draft pick? No. 1 recruit Cooper Flagg, the Maine wunderkind who’s also heading to Duke next year. Good luck, everyone else."

Duke has like 24 guys in the NBA right now.

Believe current year salary for them is around $300M. Believe those same players have a career total earnings of $1.2Bn.

Side note: this kid shouldn’t be compared to Wemby. Not fair to him.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Duke is expected to lose like two guys to the draft and one to graduation. They have six commits for next season. I don't see how Mark Mitchell and TJ Power stick around.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Not all of those guys are playing. He’s got 5 stars on the bench this year. Why some guys go there to sit the bench I’ll never understand. There’s money and time to be made elsewhere.

 

[phil77]

Not all of those guys are playing. He’s got 5 stars on the bench this year. Why some guys go there to sit the bench I’ll never understand. There’s money and time to be made elsewhere.

Bench player at Duke may pay better than starter at other places

 

[Cusefan0307]

Bench player at Duke may pay better than starter at other places

Sure, but if your goal is to maximize your earnings long term that doesn’t help you.

 

[Brooky03]

Yeah but I heard we’re in the running for a dark horse 6’7”, 175lb dude who has never played center before, but we feel like he has promise down low.

Eat your heart out, Dook.

 

[phil77]

Sure, but if your goal is to maximize your earnings long term that doesn’t help you.

Make X amount of dollars at Duke for a year or 2 and transfer making less money and getting playing time when you are more mature might be an approach kids are taking. Sort of like Alabama football.

 

[sufan59]

Pretty much everyone, but Duke right now.

 

[pearl31]

Also to note here is getting Maluach to pair with incoming 6'11, 5 star Center Pat Ngongba. Must be one $trong offer in Durham...

yeah it's not surprising that dook continues to stockpile ridic talent but really makes you wonder about the sources of their seemingly limitle$$ NIL bank

 

[sufan59]

Yeah but I heard we’re in the running for a dark horse 6’7, 175lb dude who has never played center before, but we feel like he has promise down low.

Eat your heart out, Dook.

Hey, I heard nutrisystem and weight watchers are interested in doing NIL deals if we get this guy.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Need a spending cap

 

[Cuse181]

Sure, but if your goal is to maximize your earnings long term that doesn’t help you.

If you're not good enough to ever get off the bench at Duke, then you're probably not good enough to play pro ball so make the money that you can now. Meanwhile, if you are just waiting behind cooper flagg, it makes sense to pocket $1M without much risk.

 

[Niastri]

Duke has like 24 guys in the NBA right now.

Believe current year salary for them is around $300M. Believe those same players have a career total earnings of $1.2Bn.

Side note: this kid shouldn’t be compared to Wemby. Not fair to him.

If you gave me five of the top20 eighteen year olds every year to coach, it's highly likely I would have a similar record.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Honestly, I'd be more concerned if it was Coach K still on the bench. Scheyer is a great recruiter obviously, but haven't been overly impressed with his coaching. JMHO

 

[MamesJungro]

This guy is 100% going to Duke because he is being mentored by Luol Deng, who, by all accounts, is a terrific human.

While I'm sure that NIL matters for a lot of guys, players like Flagg and Maluach are poised to make hundreds of millions very soon and I'm sure are looking more at coaching and exposure/brand-building

 

[Cusefan0307]

If you gave me five of the top20 eighteen year olds every year to coach, it's highly likely I would have a similar record.

They’ve seen diminishing returns recruiting this way. For the talent the bring in their record should be better. They’ve had at least 8 losses 5 out of the last 7 seasons and will lthis year too. Calipari got better results recruiting this way at UK. They were legitimately dominant when he first got there.

 

[sufan59]

They’ve seen diminishing returns recruiting this way. For the talent the bring in their record should be better. They’ve had at least 8 losses 5 out of the last 7 seasons and will lthis year too. Calipari got better results recruiting this way at UK. They were legitimately dominant when he first got there.

It all depends on the year and the talent at the top of the class. With the COVID eligibility extensions winding down after this season or next (not really sure, but we have to be getting to the end of the extended eligibility era soon), major success with the best freshmen will become more probable than it is now.

 

[Owens guy]

I guess in a way it's good that Duke is still getting the top recruits for the ACC.

If NC and Duke fell down to non-top 25 programs the ACC would really be in trouble with NET ratings, TV deals, public perceptions etc.

But I still hate Duke.

 

[tbonezone]

one memory of duke recruiting goes back to the late '90's . before all the transfer rules. you signed and you either played or you sat and waited . we were after 2 forwards. same size same exact game basically. chris carrewell or mike chappell. duke was already loaded. so PT was at a premium. well they signed carrewell. so i'm thinking hey great we'll get chappell. wrong ! he also signs with duke and sits the bench 2 years before transferring to mich st. . dude would have been a 4 year starter here. that my friends is what you're up against every year competing with duke. rich get richer.

 

[SWC75]

Duke has like 24 guys in the NBA right now.

Believe current year salary for them is around $300M. Believe those same players have a career total earnings of $1.2Bn.

Side note: this kid shouldn’t be compared to Wemby. Not fair to him.

Not fair to whom?