Top five Duke players since 2010
- Thread starter shanny4055
- Start date
Like the idea and I feel depending on how you pick(top 5 vs best team) there are a number of people that will be left off. However, even with his limited play I can't see how Kyrie is not on this list. He is far and away better than Tyus(who had an awesome year and was so clutch in big games)
I think my picks would be(and I take this as best team I can put out there) Kyrie, Nolan, Ingram, Parker, and Okafor. I could easily see Rivers, Singler, Justice, and Hood on this list as well.
I think my picks would be(and I take this as best team I can put out there) Kyrie, Nolan, Ingram, Parker, and Okafor. I could easily see Rivers, Singler, Justice, and Hood on this list as well.
No way Kyrie would be on my list. Sure, he was crazy talented, but he didn't even play a dozen games. Tyus Jones won a national championship. It's not even close between the two.
Like I said it all depends on how you pick and what you value. I place no value on a title because there are so many factors that go into winning it(including some luck) when picking who the best players are. To do so would be like saying Nolan Smith was better than Redick because he won a championship.
Lists like this (and every college ranking list for that matter) are so subjective because it all depends on what angle you look at it from. College wins, college statistics, NBA career, NBA potential??? Throw in the fact that we are in the 1-and-done era, and no one is ever going to agree on a college ranking list.
Allow me to take a stab at this, since this is 2010-2016, I am weighing college career/NBA career and potential as 50%/50% since most of these guys were 1-and-done college players.....
1. Jahlil Okafor: Best player on a national championship team, most polished offensive freshman big I have ever seen. Should be a good (not great) NBA player, due to the modern NBA his game is "old-school" and is a minus defender.
2. Kyle Singler: Gave Duke everything he had for 4 years. National champion. Possibly the last "great" Duke player we could see for 4 straight years. NBA wise he is a solid 7th or 8th man on a playoff team, but probably won't ever be a starter again.
3. Justise Winslow: The best defender on a national championship team. NBA wise I think he has a higher ceiling that Jahlil, should be an annual ALL NBA defender, possibly an annual ALL star.
4. Jabari Parker: One of the most dominant freshman scorers in the modern era. Didn't play on a great Duke team. Has a high NBA ceiling, should be an annual 20 ppg scorer.
5. Tyus Jones: May take some flack for having him at 5. We all know about his freshman year at Duke. Doesn't have near the NBA potential of the 4 guys above him though (excluding Singler) and should be a solid backup PG for 10+ years.
Too early to tell for Brandon Ingram. Although he has the potential to be #1 on this list in a couple years.
Kyrie Irving would probably be #1 on this list if not for only playing 8 games, but he has had the best NBA career of any player since 2010.
Other names are Mason Plumlee, Austin Rivers, Rodney Hood, Grayson Allen.
Allow me to take a stab at this, since this is 2010-2016, I am weighing college career/NBA career and potential as 50%/50% since most of these guys were 1-and-done college players.....
1. Jahlil Okafor: Best player on a national championship team, most polished offensive freshman big I have ever seen. Should be a good (not great) NBA player, due to the modern NBA his game is "old-school" and is a minus defender.
2. Kyle Singler: Gave Duke everything he had for 4 years. National champion. Possibly the last "great" Duke player we could see for 4 straight years. NBA wise he is a solid 7th or 8th man on a playoff team, but probably won't ever be a starter again.
3. Justise Winslow: The best defender on a national championship team. NBA wise I think he has a higher ceiling that Jahlil, should be an annual ALL NBA defender, possibly an annual ALL star.
4. Jabari Parker: One of the most dominant freshman scorers in the modern era. Didn't play on a great Duke team. Has a high NBA ceiling, should be an annual 20 ppg scorer.
5. Tyus Jones: May take some flack for having him at 5. We all know about his freshman year at Duke. Doesn't have near the NBA potential of the 4 guys above him though (excluding Singler) and should be a solid backup PG for 10+ years.
Too early to tell for Brandon Ingram. Although he has the potential to be #1 on this list in a couple years.
Kyrie Irving would probably be #1 on this list if not for only playing 8 games, but he has had the best NBA career of any player since 2010.
Other names are Mason Plumlee, Austin Rivers, Rodney Hood, Grayson Allen.
I think that gets to the nature of the specifics: Are we talking the best basketball players to go through Duke, or the best players while at Duke. If it is the former, Kyrie not only makes the list, he probably tops it. But if it is the latter, he wouldn't even be on the list.
For me, I would lean heavily to focusing on their time at Duke as the main criteria.
In that case, I would go with (in no particular order) Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, Jahlil Okafor, Jabari Parker, and Tyus Jones.
By the time next year concludes, I think Grayson Allen will bump someone off that list.
In that case, I would go with (in no particular order) Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, Jahlil Okafor, Jabari Parker, and Tyus Jones.
By the time next year concludes, I think Grayson Allen will bump someone off that list.
I made my list. First I did the eyeball test. I reviewed the the rosters to get my finalists. I determined this by the eyeball test.
GUARDS:
- Jon Scheyer
- Nolan Smith
- Tyus Jones
- Grayson Allen
FOWARDS:
- Kyle Singler
- Jabari Parker
- Rodney Hood
- Justise Winslow
CENTERS:
- Mason Plumlee
- Jahlil Okafor
Of those 10 players there are 3 Consensus First Team All Americans:
- Nolan Smith
- Jabari Parker
- Jahlil Okafor
There are 2 players that are Second Team Consensus All Americans
- Jon Scheyer
- Mason Plumlee
8 of the 10 were on Championship teams
- Jon Scheyer
- Nolan Smith
- Tyus Jones
- Grayson Allen
- Kyle Singler
- Justise Winslow
- Mason Plumlee
- Jahlil Okafor
Stat-wise the players I picked were actually close (NOTE I Picked their best year since some only played one year that was my caveat for comparison).
GUARDS:
- Jon Scheyer
- First in steals (65)
- First in Assist to Turnover ratio (2.98-1)
- Second in Assists (194)
- Second in 3 pt FG% (.383)
- Nolan Smith
- First in Rebounds (166)
- Second in FG% (.458)
- Second in pts per game (20.6)
- Tyus Jones
- First in Assists (217)
- Second in FG% (.417)
- Second in Assist to Turnover Ratio (2.855-1)
- Second in Steals (59)
- Grayson Allen
- First in FG% (.466)
- First in Pts per game (21.6)
- First in 3pt FG% (.417)
- Second in Rebounds (165)
FOWARDS:
- Kyle Singler
- Second in PPG (17.7)
- Second in Rebounds (252)
- Second in Steals (41)
- Jabari Parker
- First in PPG (19.1)
- First in rebounds (306)
- First in Blocks (43)
- Second in FG % (.473)
- Rodney Hood
- First in 3 pt % (.420)
- Second in Assists (75)
- Justise Winslow
- First in FG % (.486)
- First in Assists (82)
- First in Steals (52)
- Second in 3 pt % (.418)
- Second in Blocks (34)
CENTERS:
- Mason Plumlee
- First in Rebounds (358)
- First in Assists (70)
- First in Steals (36)
- First in Blocks (54)
- Jahlil Okafor
- First in PPG (17.3)
- First in FG % (.664)
My top five players for ONE YEAR at Duke since 2010:
GUARDS:
1. Jon Scheyer - John Scheyer was a great College player. He always accepted his role at Duke no matter what it was. Jon had an extremely high basketball IQ. His total assists was just 23 lower than Jones (the highest number of assists of the bunch) but his Assist to Turnover ratio was better. Jon really took care of the ball. He also scored well. while third in scoring behind Nolan Smith and Grayson Allen, he was still a very good 18.6 PPG his senior year. This while also being an excellent defensive player that made up for his lack in speed by his savvy on the court.
2. Grayson Allen - This was hard for me because Nolan was my favorite Duke player of the years this was subject. Grayson, however, just wins me over with the completeness of his game. He is a superior scorer to Nolan IMO and did more with a less complete team.
FORWARDS:
1. Jabari Parker - He was asked to be everything at Duke that year along with another nominee of mine - Rodney Hood. It is hard to deny his pure basketball skill. He just made the game look so easy at times. I lovd his game and hated to see that season end early. We just really lacked the supporting pieces IMO.
2. Justise Winslow. This is another kid, like Allen that makes my list because of his do everything game. Kyle Singler also had this game, but IMO Winslow is just flat out better. Hate to say that because Singler is another kid I really love and would head my list of favorites over both Parker and Winslow. But watching Justithere was more than one moment where my breath was taken away and I felt I was watching the best player on the floor. High praise when Okafor and Jones were on that team.
CENTER:
1. Jahlil Okafor - I love what Mason became in his Senior Year, and their numbers were close. BUT - Jahlil is hands down the best player we have had playing the 5 in this period. Mason is the only one that was close.
Kyrie is the most fascinating in regards to this list for me. Yes, he only played a handful of games, but can you blame him for the injury?? Sounds dumb to say, but I would say no. When he did play, he was the best player on the floor AT ALL TIMES, and he was sharing the floor with Nolan and Kyle. I remember the ACC/Big10 game against MSU (#1 versus #2) and 18 year old Kyrie took over the last 6 minutes of the game. Not 21 year old Nolan or Kyle.
His toe injury will always be one of those "what if's" that I (and probably all of you) will never be able to get over. We would have been the clear favorite to win it all.
Also, he is already a 3 time NBA all star and All star game MVP. Should be a 8-12 time all star when all is said and done, also should be competing for NBA titles for a long time given his current roster.
He didn't have the Duke career that we all expected, but I'll take him one on one over any of these guys.
His toe injury will always be one of those "what if's" that I (and probably all of you) will never be able to get over. We would have been the clear favorite to win it all.
Also, he is already a 3 time NBA all star and All star game MVP. Should be a 8-12 time all star when all is said and done, also should be competing for NBA titles for a long time given his current roster.
He didn't have the Duke career that we all expected, but I'll take him one on one over any of these guys.
I think it is a very, very safe bet at a college site, on the subject of Duke players, nothing about the NBA comes into play whatsoever. The rest is subjective, but that strikes me as a completely nonnegotiable rule. Now, if we're talking about the NBA already, asking about the best players Duke has produced, that's a different matter.
I don't understand the time parameters of this. "Since" 2010? Does that mean after 2010, so beginning w/ 2011, or does it include 2010?
Including 2010, disregarding positions, I'd be fine with the 5 listed in the article. I wouldn't consider including Austin. I would strongly consider Jabari. My reasons for considering or not considering them have absolutely nothing to do w/ the reasons in the article. Their draft status? Meh. It's a product of their play; their play is what I consider. First round loss? It wasn't Jabari's best game, but I don't hold either of them responsible for those losses.
If we're including 2010, Scheyer and Nolan deserve strong consideration. Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee also deserve consideration. I think you'd have to work harder to justify the person you left off to include Kyrie more than you'd have to justify leaving Kyrie off. He'd certainly be an Honorable Mention for me, but the sample size is just too small.
WOW, its amazing that we have so many GREAT players to choose from in that short time span (2010-2015). All credit to the DUKE coaches. They have done an awesome job with recruitment and development. BTW I tried to pick just 5 and I cant do it. Silly me, I feel like I'm doing so many an injustice if I leave them out.
1. Kyle Singler
2. Nolan smith
3. Mason plumlee
4. Jabari Parker
5. Grayson Allen
Not hard at all. Only frosh that makes it is Jabari . We were a legit bubble team without him. Should have been ACCPoY. He pretty much was forced to play center despite being a SF. His rebounding numbers were astounding ( compare to his duke peers in this span.)
I'm assuming this starts with title team.
2. Nolan smith
3. Mason plumlee
4. Jabari Parker
5. Grayson Allen
Not hard at all. Only frosh that makes it is Jabari . We were a legit bubble team without him. Should have been ACCPoY. He pretty much was forced to play center despite being a SF. His rebounding numbers were astounding ( compare to his duke peers in this span.)
I'm assuming this starts with title team.
What I meant was...since most of our top players since 2010 are 1-and-done, it is near impossible to compare them. How do you compare Jabari to Mason Plumlee, Kyrie to Nolan???? You just can't.
So wait...you have Grayson on there, but Tyus, Jahlil, and Justise not on there???? Did you not watch the 2015 season??? Scratching my head.
Is a national championship ring a requirement for your squad??????????
I won't make a list because those already made would have everyone I would put on there as well.
I will say I feel a little sympathetic towards Kyrie simply because he was so marvelous when he played AND he has been a great ambassador for Duke since his departure. Forget NBA, because like Dat, I don't know that you can count it. I just know how often KI speaks of his time at Duke, comes back to campus between finishing his degree and just hanging around the program and how well he translates to recruits. I think his contributions have been invaluable, which to me, may make a case for his inclusion on this list. For sentimental reasons of course.
I surprised I haven't seen Ryan Kelly mentioned. I think I'd consider him over Justise and Rodney.
I will say I feel a little sympathetic towards Kyrie simply because he was so marvelous when he played AND he has been a great ambassador for Duke since his departure. Forget NBA, because like Dat, I don't know that you can count it. I just know how often KI speaks of his time at Duke, comes back to campus between finishing his degree and just hanging around the program and how well he translates to recruits. I think his contributions have been invaluable, which to me, may make a case for his inclusion on this list. For sentimental reasons of course.
I surprised I haven't seen Ryan Kelly mentioned. I think I'd consider him over Justise and Rodney.
Grayson was a massive reason for our fifth or did you not watch the 2015 season. THEN, he, unlike the others, gave us a second season in which he lead the team in scoring and assist, despite being a SG. He also pulled a serious amount of rebounds despite again being just a SG. He with BI, flat out carried us this and we always lost when. They weren't superman, we didn't win.
Tyus jah and Justise had a NC team to make life easier for them, it's easy to look good in those circumstances. Grayson had to make his living this year without that. Oh...
And he's coming back for a third despite the money. He's #5
First off, without diminishing what Grayson did in the title game (a huge reason we were able to win) the rest of the season before that he had not done much of anything- not that he was asked too. So Jwill, has a point there.
The bold part above doesn't really make a lot of sense to me, but maybe i'm reading it wrong- Jah, Tyus and Justise were the core group that came in and dominated as freshmen. They all individually and collectively did some incredibly special things last year, all of which we would not have gotten to the final 4 or won it without them. So they absolutely get some recognition.
I"m surprised I haven't seen Quinn, the captain, get much love here. He was an AA last year, and the unquestioned leader- what he did giving up his starting PG spot, to move to the 2, and have the type of year he did, was awesome.
I dont want to make a list b/c it's impossible- Kyle, Nolan, Jon, Kyrie, Jabari, Seth, Rodney, Mase, Ryan, Quinn, All 4 freshmen last yer and BI, all had so many awesome moments, hard to select.
No but it said best team and I think that's the best 5 we've had. I thought justice was better than Jabari overall so that's why he got the nod with Grayson and Kyle because they're the toughest two players we've had in a while
I'm not saying they don't get honored. But this is only picking 5, so somebody gets left off. They were outstanding and I love them.
1st, yes they were wonderful and great for us, but they were on a loaded team filled with guys who made their life easier on the court. Jah and Justise had guys like tyus and Quinn dishing the rock. It was a team filled with players who could greatly elevate their play. If one had an off game? Another was waiting to shine like the sun.
This year? Who was our PG, turnover Thornton? That is what Grayson had to rely on. Brandon was bout the only form of relief Grayson had. Despite that he still put up 22 ppg despite the weight of the team on him and BI.
So do I take the one season of one of the 3 or the two of Grayson? No he didn't play as much year one but was still a major contributor to a title. But far more was expected of him this year two than those guys year 1.
I gotta pick 5, he's last one in.
Glad we've had the talent thatt it's something we can debate!
1st, yes they were wonderful and great for us, but they were on a loaded team filled with guys who made their life easier on the court. Jah and Justise had guys like tyus and Quinn dishing the rock. It was a team filled with players who could greatly elevate their play. If one had an off game? Another was waiting to shine like the sun.
This year? Who was our PG, turnover Thornton? That is what Grayson had to rely on. Brandon was bout the only form of relief Grayson had. Despite that he still put up 22 ppg despite the weight of the team on him and BI.
So do I take the one season of one of the 3 or the two of Grayson? No he didn't play as much year one but was still a major contributor to a title. But far more was expected of him this year two than those guys year 1.
I gotta pick 5, he's last one in.
Glad we've had the talent thatt it's something we can debate!
Agree with the Kyrie part 100%. He was the recruit that put us back on the map.
Before him, we were still recruiting at a high level, but not an elite level. Hence why our "dark days" we're 07-09.
We were not consistently landing guys in the top 10 before him.
It would have been nice if some of these OAD's had stayed a couple of years. I really love the guys that became seniors.. They are all special to me. Don't get me wrong . I understand those that leave early. That's the game now. So with that said he are my top 5. The thread did not say best five. Mason, Miles, Marshall, Lance, Ryan, Jon, Nolan, Kyle, Brian, Amile, Quinn, Tyler, Josh, Seth, Andre and any senior I have missed including the walk ons. Yes it's more than 5 but thanks for sticking it out to be seniors. OFC
5 Least favorite non-Duke players since 2010....
-Derrick Williams
-Joe Harris
-Bonzi Colson
-Harrison Barnes
-Kendall Marshall
-Derrick Williams
-Joe Harris
-Bonzi Colson
-Harrison Barnes
-Kendall Marshall
Haha, that is an interesting topic that could get painful!
I agree big time with Williams and Colson for one specific reason - they aren't that good. They absolutely blew up against Duke (Colson on a few occasions), but we have a sample size of years to show that they aren't the players they seem to be against Duke. If you are that good, be that good, not just when you see those four letters.
Barnes is good too because it would be hard to argue at this point that he did not intentionally mislead Duke (and didn't have the decency to tell Coach man-to-man of his decision). But it all worked out. I think he finished his UNC career 2-3 against Duke with zero ACC Championships and zero National Championships. And since that infamous Skype moment, Duke has hung two banners.
They absolutely were great that is not in question. What do people think I'm saying they weren't? They absolutely elevated that team and were great, regardless of who was on the team.
But in the past 6 years, who's been better for Duke on the court? Grayson in his two years, or the other three in just one year? All of them are tremendous absolutely. But of the four, only one has had to carry the lions load by themselves
All opinion of course.
Stole this from LetsGoDuke301:
Ain't no way brice's hulk down is as intimidating as p.j's was. And after the hulk down came the stare down .OFC
Thinking about it closely, the one person I'd consider putting at number 5 over Grayson, would actually be Jon. Boy howdy was he something special his senior year.
If Johnson played for Duke (gag), the UNC faithful would have HATED him and his antics. We would have heard about it constantly. But obviously, since he did it in baby blue, all is well.
Maybe it's just because I'd be viewing this as favorite players 2010, but Singler is on top of that list for me. Dude was an absolute warrior.