Marques Bolden

lkc1021

All-Conference
Apr 12, 2007
6,985
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Any word on Bolden? His recruitment has gone very quiet. No one seems to know where he is leaning.
 

jrpross_rivals

Heisman
Feb 21, 2008
17,538
36,001
113
Supposedly, Marquis prefers Kentucky, his mama likes Duke, but Kansas is still in it too. That's what he told Wenyen Gabriel, who told the point guard on his HS team, who told me a couple weeks ago. So probably take that with a grain of salt :D
 

Jake1985

Senior
Apr 7, 2002
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The parents always like Duke... But when the players don't then those players usually don't come to Duke.
 

Crank_it_loud

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Sep 3, 2014
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Let him go to UK and get buried on the bench. Duke still has the talent to beat anyone next year, and the best coach leading the way. Cal just never realized you can only play 5 guys at a time, and being that he's a mediocre coach, it usually bites him in the end (at least if a violation doesn't bit him first).
 

timo0402

Heisman
Feb 24, 2009
13,868
13,709
57
Let him go to UK and get buried on the bench. Duke still has the talent to beat anyone next year, and the best coach leading the way. Cal just never realized you can only play 5 guys at a time, and being that he's a mediocre coach, it usually bites him in the end (at least if a violation doesn't bit him first).
That's a bit of a THR post. He's not a mediocre coach and his pitch to these kids is he will get you to the league ASAP no matter who's on the roster. It's not usually in the best interest of each kid to do so but that's what he sells them on.
 
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jrpross_rivals

Heisman
Feb 21, 2008
17,538
36,001
113
That's a bit of a THR post. He's not a mediocre coach and his pitch to these kids is he will get you to the league ASAP no matter who's on the roster. It's not usually in the best interest of each kid to do so but that's what he sells them on.
Well, in his defense (and yeah, I'm a uk homer) it's more that he encourages you to go when your stock is at its highest. If it's in a kid's best interest to stay, he tells them. He encouraged kids like Marquis Teague, Daniel Orton, and Dakari Johnson to stay and work on some things. But the thing is he's gotten the reputation for getting kids to the NBA so now some of the kids that come to play for him have it in their heads that they only want to olay one year and they take off.

But anyway, with Bolden and the playing time issue, I'm not sure where he'd be better off. A lot depends on who stays and goes at both our schools. Kentucky will have a lot of bigs coming in but I'm pretty sure Lee and Skal will be gone (despite Skal's thus far lackluster showing) And I think Bolden is better than any big guy they'd have other than Bam, who's really a 4.

I'm not sure what to make of your potential roster though. Are Allen & Jones expected back? If so I can only imagine K would go with a small, maybe 3 guard lineup to get Thornton, Kennard, and Jackson on the court too, leaving Tatum & Giles at the 4 & 5 and those 2 are so nasty, I can't see anyone taking much time from them. You guys would have a better idea than me about though. Oh well. Time will tell I suppose.
 
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Crank_it_loud

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Sep 3, 2014
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Not a THR post, just simple truth. Hell of a recruiter, mediocre coach. The Wisconsin game is just another example of piss-poor coaching down the stretch. As for the kids futures; he's hurting some of them (see Orton) by log-jamming teams and still telling them they'll make it in the NBA.
 

jrpross_rivals

Heisman
Feb 21, 2008
17,538
36,001
113
Not a THR post, just simple truth. Hell of a recruiter, mediocre coach. The Wisconsin game is just another example of piss-poor coaching down the stretch. As for the kids futures; he's hurting some of them (see Orton) by log-jamming teams and still telling them they'll make it in the NBA.
I think you're misreading the Orton situation. He clearly wasn't ready for the NBA but the center spot was his in his sophomore year. We had no big guys committed at the time. He just decided to leave anyway. I don't see how Cal did anything to hurt him.
 

Crank_it_loud

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I think you're misreading the Orton situation. He clearly wasn't ready for the NBA but the center spot was his in his sophomore year. We had no big guys committed at the time. He just decided to leave anyway. I don't see how Cal did anything to hurt him.
Cal hurt him by telling him he'd be ready to go after year 1, and wouldn't do anything to stop him after his first year. FWIH, he certainly didn't try very hard to convince Daniel to stay. You can deny it all you like - Cal has UK set up as a "leave after 1 year" program. Does everyone? Nope, but that is what he tells most, if not all, high-level recruits that come in.
 

jrpross_rivals

Heisman
Feb 21, 2008
17,538
36,001
113
Cal hurt him by telling him he'd be ready to go after year 1, and wouldn't do anything to stop him after his first year. FWIH, he certainly didn't try very hard to convince Daniel to stay. You can deny it all you like - Cal has UK set up as a "leave after 1 year" program. Does everyone? Nope, but that is what he tells most, if not all, high-level recruits that come in.
Completely wrong. First off, Cal didn't recruit Orton to begin with. He was a Billy Gillispie (uuuggghhh....) recruit. And he does not tell everyone to leave after a year. He just tells them he'll help them be ready as soon as possible. Perfect example: Tyler Ulis. Got some backup minutes as a freshman. Won't ever be a lottery pick, but as a sophomore, his stock is peaking and he'll probably be a 2nd rounder this year.

Sorry, that's all. I'm not trying to derail the thread with a uk argument on a Duke board. Point is, with Bolden's skill set he'd get playing time at uk. I have no clue where he ends up though. If he doesn't go to uk I kinda hope he goes to Kansas for the simple reason that I don't want you guys to be any more ridiculous than you'll already be :D
 

Crank_it_loud

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Sep 3, 2014
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Let me clarify my post for you - Cal tells most recruits they'll be ready to leave after one year, and he told Orton the same thing going into Freshman year (at least my plugged in UK friends have told me so - hard to prove really but they're usually spot-on). Cal did coach Orton his Freshman year, right? (Yes he did - it was a joking question).

Orton had more upside professionally than Ulis, particularly due to size (or lack thereof). I'd find a better comparison IMO. Would Bolden play at UK? Sure, he would, but I'm not sure he'd get the development he'd need as that isn't Cal's specialty. He's a recruiter/salesman first, and a coach and developer as distant 2nd and 3rd. Conference play is just starting but to have a talent like Skal struggling the way he is, well, much of that goes on the coaching (or again lack thereof).
 
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Jake1985

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Apr 7, 2002
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There's no doubt Cal has a great track record of getting players in the league as soon as possible. Whatever his message is some elite players believe while others choose other programs. As of late, K has not been shy about recruiting and managing the OAD players. IMO, Okafor was a lock to be one and done while Tyus and Justise both played their way into being one and done. No matter what, both K and Cal have a sales pitch but it's which pitch the recruit wants to hear.

Bolden has very good options. Who really knows at this point where he ends up but the staff is still reaching out to bigs in 2016.

Also, could Chase have a much more Soph season and be the 5? Could Vrank or Obi offer just enough to supplement Chase at the 5 and Giles at the 5 if there was foul trouble? Could Amile redshirt and return and be the answer? Could Javin surprise and be able to contribute as a Frosh at either the 4 or the 5? Could Duke lure in a 5th year grad? Lots to ponder
 
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Crank_it_loud

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There's no doubt Cal has a great track record of getting players in the league as soon as possible. Whatever his message is some elite players believe while others choose other programs. As of late, K has not been shy about recruiting and managing the OAD players. IMO, Okafor was a lock to be one and done while Tyus and Justise both played their way into being one and done. No matter what, both K and Cal have a sales pitch but it's which pitch the recruit wants to hear.

Bolden has very good options. Who really knows at this point where he ends up but the staff is still reaching out to bigs in 2016.

Also, could Chase have a much more Soph season and be the 5? Could Vrank or Obi offer just enough to supplement Chase at the 5 and Giles at the 5 if there was foul trouble? Could Amile redshirt and return and be the answer? Could Javin surprise and be able to contribute as a Frosh at either the 4 or the 5? Could Duke lure in a 5th year grad? Lots to ponder

I agree with almost all of this, except that Javin won't be playing the 5 unless he bulks up considerably.....I think Jeter will be out starting 5 next year, with Vrank backing him up (and Giles at the 4 and mixing in some time at the 5 as well).....
 

df64

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Feb 2, 2006
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Javin might not be big enough to play the 5, but, him being good enough to contribute keeps Duke from being small with Giles at the 5. Even without a true 5, Duke would not be small with Javin, Giles, and Tatum. Not saying that lineup would ever happen, but Javin being good enough to be a legitimate contributor makes Duke bigger next year.
 

lkc1021

All-Conference
Apr 12, 2007
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Not a THR post, just simple truth. Hell of a recruiter, mediocre coach. The Wisconsin game is just another example of piss-poor coaching down the stretch. As for the kids futures; he's hurting some of them (see Orton) by log-jamming teams and still telling them they'll make it in the NBA.

So K doesn't have any Wisconsin games on his resume? Seems like I remember some early exits in the NCAA tourney in past years and a loss to Kentucky this year.
 

Baller224

Junior
Feb 8, 2007
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Well, in his defense (and yeah, I'm a uk homer) it's more that he encourages you to go when your stock is at its highest. If it's in a kid's best interest to stay, he tells them. He encouraged kids like Marquis Teague, Daniel Orton, and Dakari Johnson to stay and work on some things. But the thing is he's gotten the reputation for getting kids to the NBA so now some of the kids that come to play for him have it in their heads that they only want to olay one year and they take off.

But anyway, with Bolden and the playing time issue, I'm not sure where he'd be better off. A lot depends on who stays and goes at both our schools. Kentucky will have a lot of bigs coming in but I'm pretty sure Lee and Skal will be gone (despite Skal's thus far lackluster showing) And I think Bolden is better than any big guy they'd have other than Bam, who's really a 4.

I'm not sure what to make of your potential roster though. Are Allen & Jones expected back? If so I can only imagine K would go with a small, maybe 3 guard lineup to get Thornton, Kennard, and Jackson on the court too, leaving Tatum & Giles at the 4 & 5 and those 2 are so nasty, I can't see anyone taking much time from them. You guys would have a better idea than me about though. Oh well. Time will tell I suppose.

Jones will definitely be back, Allen will most likely be back.
 

Crank_it_loud

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Sep 3, 2014
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So K doesn't have any Wisconsin games on his resume? Seems like I remember some early exits in the NCAA tourney in past years and a loss to Kentucky this year.

With that level of talent and depth, K would have wiped the floor with Wisconsin. Let's not mix team talent up to fit your argument....

How many NCAA infractions does K have, particularly removing wins and titles?
 

Baller224

Junior
Feb 8, 2007
438
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Agreed, Jones is 4 year guy, but I bet Allen is gone this year.

It wouldn't surprise me either way with Allen, projected in the 20-30 range right now. It'll never happen, but if he stayed all 4 years I believe his jersey would be hanging in Cameron when it was all said and done.
 
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lkc1021

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Apr 12, 2007
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With that level of talent and depth, K would have wiped the floor with Wisconsin. Let's not mix team talent up to fit your argument....

How many NCAA infractions does K have, particularly removing wins and titles?
From the NCAA record book K and Cal have the same number of NCAA violations.
 

pharm727

All-Conference
Dec 6, 2007
15,221
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For the guy who keeps saying that Coach Cal is not a very good X and O coach. He is the second fastest coach to win 200 games at a university in NCAA history!
 

jrpross_rivals

Heisman
Feb 21, 2008
17,538
36,001
113
With that level of talent and depth, K would have wiped the floor with Wisconsin. Let's not mix team talent up to fit your argument....
I would say the '99 loss to Uconn was close to the equivalent of our loss last year. They were 37-1 and heavily favored. Hamilton was a great player for Uconn (like F(lop)rank Kamisky for Wisconsin), but with Brand, Maggette, Avery, Battier, & a senior Langdon there's no way they should have lost. Not as deep as Kentucky last year but every bit as talented at the top.

Not trying to start a fight but the point is the best team doesn't always win. Doesn't take away from coach K that he lost that one. And it doesn't make Cal a bad coach that he lost either.
 

Crank_it_loud

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I would say the '99 loss to Uconn was close to the equivalent of our loss last year. They were 37-1 and heavily favored. Hamilton was a great player for Uconn (like F(lop)rank Kamisky for Wisconsin), but with Brand, Maggette, Avery, Battier, & a senior Langdon there's no way they should have lost. Not as deep as Kentucky last year but every bit as talented at the top.

Not trying to start a fight but the point is the best team doesn't always win. Doesn't take away from coach K that he lost that one. And it doesn't make Cal a bad coach that he lost either.

I understand you're not trying to start a fight, and that you'll stand by Cal, but again he's not that good of an in-game coach. He makes up for it through recruiting and the soft SEC. I still wouldn't compare a 99 Duke team that dealt with the ACC to a team with arguably more talent and the soft SEC.....I'm done here. I've helped take it away from Bolden for too long already. Apologies fellas.
 

QC Dukie

All-American
Apr 16, 2014
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I'll say it again. You are correct that the best team doesn't always win the ship. However, the best team DID win it all last year.

OFC
 
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pisgah101

Heisman
Dec 26, 2005
15,242
12,783
113
Nooe, just going on things I've heard. He could crash in ACC play, but if he stays the same or gets better, I bet he's gone.

Haha don't say stuff like that!! He may leave but I just see him as a 4 year player.. May be wrong hope I'm not! Lol
 

Jake1985

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Bolden was a beast over the weekend and the things that were stated about him were:
- he had a motor and Workmans work ethic (ran the floor)
- great on the glass on both ends
- scored in a variety of ways
- altered and blocked shots
- earned MVP by his performance

The recruiting info was all the same. Kentucky, Kansas and Duke. In no order (but said in order I feel for a reason)
 

dukiejay

Heisman
Mar 2, 2005
11,293
16,311
0
Long ways to go yet with Grayson. If I had to say right now, I'd say he's back next season.

Everything I read/hear from "people in the know" lead me to think Bolden is very unlikely. But hopefully they're wrong.
 

timo0402

Heisman
Feb 24, 2009
13,868
13,709
57
Long ways to go yet with Grayson. If I had to say right now, I'd say he's back next season.

Everything I read/hear from "people in the know" lead me to think Bolden is very unlikely. But hopefully they're wrong.
Doesn't make much sense but it's 17-18 year old kids making the calls. Bummer!
 

dukehokie

All-American
Jun 27, 2005
19,624
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Haha don't say stuff like that!! He may leave but I just see him as a 4 year player.. May be wrong hope I'm not! Lol

For now, most think he's here next season. May be looking at the Jason Williams graduation program. 3 and out. With a degree.