2024-25 Portal

[Melancer46]

It’s one thing to want more, but kingz is the 25th ranked player in the portal according to to Evan Miya and Kyle is graded as a power 5 starter according to Jonathan Givony. This is not Lucas Taylor and Jyare Davis signing here.

I think Kingz is very likely an upgrade over Bell, but I think going into last season people were expecting a lot out of Bell. Lampkin was a pretty proven guy (though significant fit concerns).

I can see both sides of this argument. I like who we've brought in so far (and I also think a presumably healthy Freeman is a big deal), but I don't blame anyone for thinking they're sort of lateral moves so far.

I'm very confident we will get a much better PG than Carlos though (and I still think Carlos was decent, just was asked to do more than he was capable of).

 

[Jasoncuse]

New interest!

Wonder what makes this kid intriguing for bigger schools? 6 and 4 at Monmouth with average shooting numbers. Started his whole freshman year, then only half the games this year. Good size and can knock down the 3 ball a bit, so as a 3rd/4th forward, probably not bad. Just seems odd with that production at a MAAC school that he’d have that interest.

 

[rrlbees]

The Dark Money behind Duke Basketball

https://www.wsj.com/sports/basketball/duke-cooper-flagg-nil-collective-ncaa-tournament-final-four-196aa6b1

 

[Scooch]

I am going to say this - I am unimpressed by the portal additions thus far, and the longer it goes that we do not have high impact guys, the more it confirms the opinion that this coaching staff is not the one. I will be patient, but the longer it goes, the worse it gets.

Kingz is a nice addition -- but he's not a go-to guy, he's not a point guard, and let's all remember that he played in a level below the ACC in the West Coast Conference -- Oregon State was not a P5 school this year.

Kyle III played 10 minutes per game for an 11 seed. Showed some signs, but can you bank on this guy being a 25-30 minute per game guy?

Two role players. But we need high impact. And thus far, our starting lineup features who?

PG -- ?????
SG - Starling (Sr.)
SF - Kingz (Sr.)
PF - Freeman (So.)
C - Kyle III (?) (Sr.)

Bench - Anthony (Fr.), White (Fr.), Fennel (Fr.), Womack (Fr.)

How is this any better than what we saw this past year?

We don’t add players in ranked order. The two we’ve added so far may be good additions. That doesn’t mean they’re the two best we’ll add.

Let’s give this a lot more time.

 

[djcon57]

We don’t add players in ranked order. The two we’ve added so far may be good additions. That doesn’t mean they’re the two best we’ll add.

Let’s give this a lot more time.

I'm happy with what we got. Freeman coming back is bigger than anyone we've added since NIL came along I'd argue

But we prob have 1-2 more weeks tops to get a high end PG.

They were gone by mid April last year and we were stuck with Leffew (who wasn't even a PG and we didn't even get) and Carlos.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The Dark Money behind Duke Basketball

https://www.wsj.com/sports/basketball/duke-cooper-flagg-nil-collective-ncaa-tournament-final-four-196aa6b1

This has been happening since before it was legal there. Everyone looked the other way on purpose then.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Cal nabs one and not the Cal you are probably thinking of -

Still prioritizing academics.

 

[tptcuse]

I'm happy with what we got. Freeman coming back is bigger than anyone we've added since NIL came along I'd argue

But we prob have 1-2 more weeks tops to get a high end PG.

They were gone by mid April last year and we were stuck with Leffew (who wasn't even a PG and we didn't even get) and Carlos.

I totally understand where the "don't panic, it's early" people are coming from. But, with the track record the last couple years...

 

[OCESIP]

The Dark Money behind Duke Basketball

https://www.wsj.com/sports/basketball/duke-cooper-flagg-nil-collective-ncaa-tournament-final-four-196aa6b1

So all it takes is a few billionaires to make a difference, and I thought my $50 a month contribution was the answer. What a fairy land college sports lives in today.

 

[Scooch]

I'm happy with what we got. Freeman coming back is bigger than anyone we've added since NIL came along I'd argue

But we prob have 1-2 more weeks tops to get a high end PG.

They were gone by mid April last year and we were stuck with Leffew (who wasn't even a PG and we didn't even get) and Carlos.

I get it. But I’m not going to criticize our portal haul until it’s all over.

 

[Scooch]

I totally understand where the "don't panic, it's early" people are coming from. But, with the track record the last couple years...

I suspect people will be a lot less Pollyanna-ish this year once portal season is over. We know we still have some massive holes in this roster. They’ll either get filled adequately or they won’t.

 

[djcon57]

I get it. But I’m not going to criticize our portal haul until it’s all over.

You said “let’s give this more time”. I’m suggesting the time line is smaller than some people on here think. Not that we have to criticize, but it’s ok to be aware

 

[Chip]

Are we done? No. This post was extremely premature. We will add more players. A PG and another big.

He was just trying to balance his usually cheery outlook with something negative.

 

[kingtidge]

We had a zoom call with George.

Would seem some UNC faithful are a little worried about us... hopefully a good sign.

 

[sufan59]

Would seem some UNC faithful are a little worried about us... hopefully a good sign.

This recruitment will sting if we lose it at this point. Folks at the Boneyard were pretty split if they preferred George or Demary. It would be actually pretty funny if we got George now. Because we both would have starting PGs from Georgia schools in the portal and guards from Australia.

 

[Sherman20]

I am going to say this - I am unimpressed by the portal additions thus far, and the longer it goes that we do not have high impact guys, the more it confirms the opinion that this coaching staff is not the one. I will be patient, but the longer it goes, the worse it gets.

Kingz is a nice addition -- but he's not a go-to guy, he's not a point guard, and let's all remember that he played in a level below the ACC in the West Coast Conference -- Oregon State was not a P5 school this year.

Kyle III played 10 minutes per game for an 11 seed. Showed some signs, but can you bank on this guy being a 25-30 minute per game guy?

Two role players. But we need high impact. And thus far, our starting lineup features who?

PG -- ?????
SG - Starling (Sr.)
SF - Kingz (Sr.)
PF - Freeman (So.)
C - Kyle III (?) (Sr.)

Bench - Anthony (Fr.), White (Fr.), Fennel (Fr.), Womack (Fr.)

How is this any better than what we saw this past year?

They have to get a high level PG and a starting caliber center. You have to give the staff time to make this happen. They’re working behind the scenes. And as others on here have said, it sounds like we got close with Dedan Thomas.

 

[Sherman20]

The Dark Money behind Duke Basketball

https://www.wsj.com/sports/basketball/duke-cooper-flagg-nil-collective-ncaa-tournament-final-four-196aa6b1

What’s thiss article say? It’s behind the WSJ paywall.

 

[kingtidge]

 

[rrlbees]

What’s thiss article say? It’s behind the WSJ paywall.

Darn. When I posted it, it was free. They’ve since put it behind the pay wall.

It talks about Duke NIL and how secretive it is.

 

[orangefog]

Darn. When I posted it, it was free. They’ve since put it behind the pay wall.

It talks about Duke NIL and how secretive it is.

More "brotherhood" crap?

 

[Irt4su]

let's sign Pippen's kid and then for every portal kid we want we give them NIL money plus Melo and Scottie's personal cell and free private coaching lessons from them both.

And hookers and blow if that sweetens the deal too

 

[SUFan44]

They have to get a high level PG and a starting caliber center. You have to give the staff time to make this happen. They’re working behind the scenes. And as others on here have said, it sounds like we got close with Dedan Thomas.

I understand - but after 2+ years, I don't have a great sense that this staff CAN get it done. Regardless of how much money they have.

Time will tell. Just saying that for all the fawning over the two portal guys, our team isn't massively better than this past year -- when we had our worst year in modern history.

 

[Scotch]

I understand - but after 2+ years, I don't have a great sense that this staff CAN get it done. Regardless of how much money they have.

Time will tell. Just saying that for all the fawning over the two portal guys, our team isn't massively better than this past year -- when we had our worst year in modern history.

Who’s fawning? I’ve seen folks excited about aspects of both but nobody is talking like these two guarantee a final four. Let’s wait to see the full roster before freaking out.

 

[Melancer46]

 

[cusefan88]

Another Canadian PG.