Duke's players 10-13

Jake1985

Senior
Apr 7, 2002
29,769
955
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With so much discussion about the top 9 players who presumably will get most of the minutes this year. I thought it would nice to show appreciation to the other guys.

Obi- Have to give him kudos for enduring the ride. As reported he suffers from bad knees which has limited his ability to play. Again this year, as he did when Ok was at Duke, his greatest contribution might be what he provides day in and day out in practice. How good for him would it be if the pain in his needs subsided just enough to allow him to grab a rebound here and there in games.

Vrank- Many think he redshirts this year, but it will be interesting to see what the Duke strength & conditioning program has done with him. Vrank has all the necessary skills and basketball IQ needed. He's another player that could really prepare the other guys in practices because of his size.

Justin- A true unknown. A big guy that can shoot the ball and defend some. He's a stretch 4 type player with a definite basketball bloodline. Having him push Tatum in practice will be key.

Javin- He is the player that has the most chance to get some minutes. He's falls in the bold of Lance and Amile by stature but he has a developing offensive game and his defense is already decent enough.

Jack- A throw back player. Very good rebounder, shooter and defender. He's a tough guy that has a really good work ethic. Not sure anyone knows what to expect from him and any contribution is welcome.
 

DukeDenver

All-American
Nov 21, 2010
8,249
8,451
0
I think if K gets pissed off at the effort level of our blue chips, he'd insert Vrank, Jack and Javin in a heartbeat. These three are capable defenders and likely have great attitudes and energy.
 

BluePhil

All-Conference
Jan 28, 2008
2,481
1,116
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With so much discussion about the top 9 players who presumably will get most of the minutes this year. I thought it would nice to show appreciation to the other guys.

Obi- Have to give him kudos for enduring the ride. As reported he suffers from bad knees which has limited his ability to play. Again this year, as he did when Ok was at Duke, his greatest contribution might be what he provides day in and day out in practice. How good for him would it be if the pain in his needs subsided just enough to allow him to grab a rebound here and there in games.

Vrank- Many think he redshirts this year, but it will be interesting to see what the Duke strength & conditioning program has done with him. Vrank has all the necessary skills and basketball IQ needed. He's another player that could really prepare the other guys in practices because of his size.

Justin- A true unknown. A big guy that can shoot the ball and defend some. He's a stretch 4 type player with a definite basketball bloodline. Having him push Tatum in practice will be key.

Javin- He is the player that has the most chance to get some minutes. He's falls in the bold of Lance and Amile by stature but he has a developing offensive game and his defense is already decent enough.

Jack- A throw back player. Very good rebounder, shooter and defender. He's a tough guy that has a really good work ethic. Not sure anyone knows what to expect from him and any contribution is welcome.


Not sure where you get the skills and basketball IQ comment from on Vrank unless you have some insider info because his brief glimpses of the court were error ridden. 3 Sec violations, bad positioning, etc.

Jack reminds me of a lessor Singler at this point. Look forward to seeing his development.
 

df64

All-Conference
Feb 2, 2006
2,702
1,934
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I've seen it mentioned several times that Vrank has a high basketball IQ. IN his defense, it is pretty hard to play in synch with such little playing time. I do remember seeing one play where he made a nice cut, very smoothly received a pas and finished.

Barring injuries, this team is so much deeper. Even the "emergency" guys should be able to steal some minutes this year if necessary.

Would love to hear an update on Obi. Are his knee issues something that can resolve with time? Even if they don't, hope he stays with the team if he wants. He looked like such a great teammate.
 

dukiejay

Heisman
Mar 2, 2005
11,293
16,311
0
Vrank has very good bball IQ and comes from a long line of successful pro players within his own family.

As for Obi, I've heard the term 'chronic' thrown around a lot when talking about his knees. I think it's serious enough that it probably prevents him from ever being much of a factor at this level.