Duke superteam?

[skurey]

Melo won a championship Durant lost in the 1st or 2nd round. I don't see how you could put Durant's college career ahead of Melo's. Davis certainly I wouldn't argue that, much . Of course Melo played for a HOF coach and had a better team around him than Durant did but still Melo put up something like 52pts, 25r, 8a in the two FF games. That's pretty epic.

Durant had 30 and 9 in their NCAA loss.

 

[jordoo]

Durant had 30 and 9 in their NCAA loss.

Key word being LOSS where as Melo was a perfect 6-0 in NCAAT games. Don't get me wrong Durant had a great college season I'm just saying I don't know how you can say it was better than Melo's when he accomplished so much more.

 

[skurey]

Key word being LOSS where as Melo was a perfect 6-0 in NCAAT games. Don't get me wrong Durant had a great college season I'm just saying I don't know how you can say it was better than Melo's when he accomplished so much more.

It's a team game.

 

[OrangeDW]

Although you have to give him somewhat of a break, because he played for Rick Barnes, his team flamed out in the tourney big time.

Durant was/is great but Ive seen his team lose while he jacks and misses tired jumpers down the stretch enough times to make me think it's not all on his college coach.

Melo knew how to get a bucket no matter what, or get to the line when we really needed it. KD is a much skinnier guy and he's never really developed that inside game.

 

[Knicks411]

Talent wise, I think Towns was there, but not college production wise...but he had to sit on the bench half the game and split touches with everyone else.

NBA scouts werent fooled, but that was a case where Calipari's whole strategy backfired a bit. They should've rode him much more than they did.

Yeah if we're talking about how they'll do in the NBA or whatever, I think I might be the biggest Towns fan on the planet. I think he's going to be incredible. But it wasn't there in college, for whatever reason.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yeah if we're talking about how they'll do in the NBA or whatever, I think I might be the biggest Towns fan on the planet. I think he's going to be incredible. But it wasn't there in college, for whatever reason.

The reason being Cal sticking to his "thing" of playing them all to keep the pipeline flowing. LOL at that guy averaging 21 mpg in college.

 

[alphaorange]

Durant had 30 and 9 in their NCAA loss.

And Melo AVERAGED 26/12.5/4 over 2 games...both wins. You really believe Durant's line is better?

 

[alphaorange]

Yeah if we're talking about how they'll do in the NBA or whatever, I think I might be the biggest Towns fan on the planet. I think he's going to be incredible. But it wasn't there in college, for whatever reason.

It was there. He was dominant but Calipari didn't utilize him for whatever reason. It's not like he blossomed at the end of the year. He got more minutes and touches.

 

[Knicks411]

The reason being Cal sticking to his "thing" of playing them all to keep the pipeline flowing. LOL at that guy averaging 21 mpg in college.

I think that's a little of an exaggeration. The team that year was exceptionally loaded and fouls are a thing. Anthony Davis averaged 32 minutes a game at UK. Cousins was 23.5, but he also averaged 5.5 fouls per 40 minutes. (As did Towns, harder to keep a guy in the game for major minutes when he is fouling). Wall played 34.8. MKG played 31.1. Terrence Jones 30.4. I'm tired of looking guys up but you get the point.

 

[OrangeDW]

I think that's a little of an exaggeration. The team that year was exceptionally loaded and fouls are a thing. Anthony Davis averaged 32 minutes a game at UK. Cousins was 23.5, but he also averaged 5.5 fouls per 40 minutes. (As did Towns, harder to keep a guy in the game for major minutes when he is fouling). Wall played 34.8. MKG played 31.1. Terrence Jones 30.4. I'm tired of looking guys up but you get the point.

30+ mpg is fine...Towns shouldve got 30+. I think guys tend to play differently as far as fouling when they know how many minutes theyre getting.

 

[two3zone]

The biggest problem with Duke is not the 5 star recruits. It's freakin' Gayson Allen. If that dude was black, he would have been the #1 or #2 pick in the draft had he declared.

No he wouldn't have.

 

[two3zone]

Jeter didn't play much last year, I wouldn't be surprised if he sits a lot. And I don't think it'll matter.

You are probably right about the defense. They were a straight up bad defensive team last year. But they will probably be #1 or #2 offensively in the country.

I'm not picking on you as I usually agree with you, but why would it be assumed that Jeter sits and is "no good" and Howard who didn't play much is an NBA talent. I just don't get it.

 

[two3zone]

Key word being LOSS where as Melo was a perfect 6-0 in NCAAT games. Don't get me wrong Durant had a great college season I'm just saying I don't know how you can say it was better than Melo's when he accomplished so much more.

Matt Gorman was 6-0 too.

 

[Knicks411]

I'm not picking on you as I usually agree with you, but why would it be assumed that Jeter sits and is "no good" and Howard who didn't play much is an NBA talent. I just don't get it.

Honestly just because he could barely get on the court last year. Nothing else so I could totally be off. He wouldnt be the first guy to really improve as a soph

 

[Knicks411]

30+ mpg is fine...Towns shouldve got 30+. I think guys tend to play differently as far as fouling when they know how many minutes theyre getting.

Yeah I'm just saying it's not like Calipari constantly doesn't play his top guys a lot of minutes.
You could be right on that, but Towns also wouldn't be the first young big man who had trouble with fouls.

 

[longtimefan]

Does Duke have another player with the last name Giles? I appreciate the enthusiasm, but Harry Giles is 6-11, 230, 7-3 wingspan, and likely #1 pick in the 2017 draft. He is a lot more than the typical over hyped Duke recruit and more than likely won't look much like a middle schooler when we play him.

My concern about Giles (if I were a Duke fan) is that he is coming off his second major knee surgery.

 

[longtimefan]

Matt Gorman was 6-0 too.

Not so. Gorman played other years when SU lost its last game.

 

[Brooky03]

No he wouldn't have.

Yes, saying he'd go first or second was a bit of hyperbole, but he would have gone drastically higher than projected.

 

[jordoo]

Anyone who thinks Durant had a better college Career than Melo must be thinking of Fab. It's stupid even non SU fans would say What are you smoking, have any more?

 

[sufandu]

Anyone who thinks Durant had a better college Career than Melo must be thinking of Fab. It's stupid even non SU fans would say What are you smoking, have any more?

Are people talking about career success or talent? When someone is mentioned as a once in a generation type of player, which is how this sidebar began, I don't think they're referring to team success.

 

[jncuse]

The 3 best Kentucky teams (and they only won one title had) had players who proved to be elite big men immediately.

Demarcus Cousins and John Wall as Frosh
Anthony Davis and MKG
Karl Anthony Towns and a really deep team of soph and other frosh.

But they have had miced results with other teams, as frosh were good, but were still frosh.

Is Giles going to produce at the KAT, Davis or Cousins level? It's quite possible, but no guarantee. I see this Duke team as most comparable to that UK 2014/2015 roster who had a great class + returning talent (Poythress + Twins). And even they lost in the national semi's... to a real college team that executed properly ... Wisconsin.

 

[jncuse]

Every Duke team that has been near #1 has always benefited from Duke Call$. That will help them if they turn out to be a very good team.

 

[jncuse]

Anyone who thinks Durant had a better college Career than Melo must be thinking of Fab. It's stupid even non SU fans would say What are you smoking, have any more?

I think it's a fair question if you ask who was the better college basketball player. I would give the nod to Durant in the regular season, but Melo progressed as the season went along and given that he had a chance to shine and thrive in the pressure situations you can't say Durant was the better player.

But who had more success -- clearly Melo since he won the title.

What is amusing about Melo's frosh year, is in 2003 (before the tourney) analysts were still of the old view that Freshman could not be the best players in CBB. Carmelo Anthony received less All America votes then freaking Hollis ???? (forgot his last name) from Oklahoma.

After Melo, the narrative switched fairly quickly that freshman could dominate in the new era, and they were fairly appreciated in national rankings (if not over appreciated)

 

[longtimefan]

I think it's a fair question if you ask who was the better college basketball player. I would give the nod to Durant in the regular season, but Melo progressed as the season went along and given that he had a chance to shine and thrive in the pressure situations you can't say Durant was the better player.

But who had more success -- clearly Melo since he won the title.

What is amusing about Melo's frosh year, is in 2003 (before the tourney) analysts were still of the old view that Freshman could not dominate games. Carmelo Anthony received less All America votes then freaking Hollis ???? (forgot his last name) from Oklahoma.

After Melo, the narrative switched fairly quickly that freshman could dominate in the new era, and they were fairly appreciated in national rankings (if not over appreciated)

Re: Frosh getting little respect--The Player of the Year in the Big East in Melo's one year was Troy Bell (his 2nd award)!

 

[two3zone]

Anyone who thinks Durant had a better college Career than Melo must be thinking of Fab. It's stupid even non SU fans would say What are you smoking, have any more?

Player A: 35.9 MPG, 25.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 1.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, .473 FG%, .404 3P%
Player B: 36.4 MPG, 22.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 0.9 BPG, 2.4 APG, 1.7 SPG, .453 FG%, .337 3p%


I'd like to know what people are smoking who doesn't think this debate has legs.