How concerned should we be? We definitely know he has a great upside....
Thanks in advance for your thoughts gang!! OFC
Thanks in advance for your thoughts gang!! OFC
Williams to go pro???
- Thread starter hart2chesson
- Start date
It's weird. I'm really happy for the kid and us but the way he looked last night..I mean how does he come back? Would love to be wrong as we'll be small again if he goes.
Sad part is he’s more nba ready than Vernon was. Mark fits the bill for the next level, yet Vernon was more polished for the college game.
Wouldn’t surprise me to see Steward leave too.
Wouldn’t surprise me to see Steward leave too.
Who's coming in next year who would take minutes away from him?
If he is sure to get big minutes next year, I say he comes back.
If he is sure to get big minutes next year, I say he comes back.
Vernon at least had a mid-range / outside game. Williams needs to develop at least some bit of that if he wants to be drafted. Could he leave after this year and grind his way onto a roster just by the nature of being 7'? Sure. Would he be better served staying to condition, develop a shot, and maybe even work himself into the draft? Yes.
No longer have any idea about who stays or leaves but you can clearly see he is not ready yet.Even playing as well as he did last night you could see him being dislodged when bumped.Do not think he would be drafted after this year but with fifteen pounds of muscle he would be a force next year and at worst a first rounder with the possibility of being a lottery pick.This is millions of dollars more for hom
If one game makes a pro then we are in a lot of trouble for the future of CBB
I agree with Topps. Nothing surprises me any more, but I think that at minimum he stays another year. He would certainly be a huge part of next year’s team, for both his defensive skills as well as his low post presence on O.
BTW, when they review last night’s film, they’re going to see a number of opportunities where he was open and they missed it. I expect to see them being more alert to that. He’s not going to finish the season with 18 being his career high.
BTW, when they review last night’s film, they’re going to see a number of opportunities where he was open and they missed it. I expect to see them being more alert to that. He’s not going to finish the season with 18 being his career high.
Jalen's departure allowed Mark to come into his own. He will stay one more year, get bigger, dominate and become a lottery pick.
He will become a better version of Mo Bamba defensively and more efficient offensively then Jarrett Allen.
If Mark can stay out of foul trouble, rebound with purpose and relax Duke will be just fine leading up to the ACC tournament.
Please tell Mark...no 3pt shots this year.
He will become a better version of Mo Bamba defensively and more efficient offensively then Jarrett Allen.
If Mark can stay out of foul trouble, rebound with purpose and relax Duke will be just fine leading up to the ACC tournament.
Please tell Mark...no 3pt shots this year.
haha true. Important to remember that Williams hardly scored the game before and Brakefield hardly scored last night. Those two are up and down but Williams is really coming on.
Williams at the moment would probably be a late second round pick with his upside. He still needs muscle and to show more of his offensive game. The traditional big doesn’t fit anymore in the league . I say he will return work on everything this off season and be a beast next to Pablo next year.
Steward is the one I really can see leaving if he continues his scoring.
Steward is the one I really can see leaving if he continues his scoring.
My feeling is whether a young man stays or leaves is more how he feels about college than his readiness for the pros. Perhaps Williams is more committed to Duke in view of his sister's number being in the rafters than some who have no family affiliation with Duke.
I have no idea if he goes into the draft. Just a few weeks ago there were Duke fans that said he was transferring. OFC
It’s 2021, so nothing should surprise anyone. It would certainly be more of a surprise to me though if he did leave rather than comeback for another year. He’s playing great, but it’s been two or so weeks of good ball, think we have to pump the breaks a bit. Then again, i could be totally wrong and he could go.
Mark is clearly getting better, and quickly. But let's not go crazy for him dominating Syracuse who was rolling out Dolazej at the center of that zone. Mark is still raw, he is still learning defensive schemes/rotations, and he jumps on every ball fake (though his second jump is so quick sometimes it doesn't even matter.) It's 2021, you know what the NBA wants, SHOOTERS. Mark will have a role in the NBA, but that role will be as a defensive specialist and screen/dive for alley-oops type guy. Education matters to the Williams family, I believe at least one of his parents are doctors.
Steward I could see leaving, his numbers have been good and he seems like he could get buckets in the NBA tomorrow. What's holding him back is his defense and size, he's super small for an off-guard, is weak and skinny, and still gets lost on defense on basic back-cuts/shooters popping out. He could use 1 more year.
Steward I could see leaving, his numbers have been good and he seems like he could get buckets in the NBA tomorrow. What's holding him back is his defense and size, he's super small for an off-guard, is weak and skinny, and still gets lost on defense on basic back-cuts/shooters popping out. He could use 1 more year.
Both those guys need another year for all the reasons you mentioned, as well as, just understanding the game better.
And this is coming from two posters who would almost never say that players are better off coming back, bc they can do all of those things at the next level. But, i think it’s in their best interests at long term success to spend another year growing at Duke.
The entire roster, Matt included, should return. Banchero and Griffin will provide the team with that extra push to get us to the FF/NT. It's the same ingredient Loul Deng provided. I will miss Jordan, but it will be time for DJ and Roach to secure the guards with Moore/Griffin providing assistance and backup duties.
I'm okay with Matt leaving if Joey can make some buckets. Get one more BIG, and not a grad transfer...
I'm okay with Matt leaving if Joey can make some buckets. Get one more BIG, and not a grad transfer...
One more game like last night and he will declare. Is that not what typically happens with our players?
“If Joey can make buckets” is officially the world’s biggest “if”
Let's not forget that Mark barely played against Va. because it wasn't a good matchup for him. He couldn't handle Huff, who is still in college at 23 for a reason. Mark is one of those rare guys with upside who wouldn't get drafted now, but can reasonably increase their draft stock in a significant way by staying.
I don’t think you’d me or anyone else doesn’t want him back! Haha, but i hear what you’re saying.
Standing by the courage of my convictions, Mark can definitely be gone after this year. If he keeps getting better he will be a force by the end of the ACC tournament. We have seen players go first round just based of tournament performances. Grayson barely played and then was projected first round because of the final four. Hopefully he comes back. That lineup of Roach, Steward/Moore, Griffin, Banchero, and Williams is going to make us have tears of joy next year. That means a college 4 will have to deal with Banchero on the block every night. It’s going to be beautiful to watch.
If Williams returns we will be a legit final four candidate. If he decides to go we will be a smallball team again and be good but have serious holes. I think we could survive Steward going pro, but we need Williams back to be elite. Both back would be nice. It is not a coincidence that our season turned around when Williams emerged.
He needs at least another year to develop and refine his game. There's a tremendous upside for returning.
BUT, he can develop and refine his game if he leaves too.
We all want him back. But he is really showcasing his skills, which is worrisome for next year. Last night someone was reminded of Ralph Sampson. (I said Ewing.) If we are noticing these things scouts are too, on ESPN. And he's been pretty consistent the past 8 games or so, and is improving more than anyone I can remember at Duke in a year.
I hope he comes back but just an observation over the last several games Mark's body language has bee AWESOME! 
OFC
OFCNot a good comp. Azubuike played only 11 games as a freshman. Had a decent sophomore year, but got hurt near end of year. Came back and got hurt and played only 9 games as junior. Pretty much had to stay 4 years.
Maybe not, but I'm still not seeing it. I just looked at Mark's stats and they are pretty up and down over last 8 games everyone is raving about, but still pretty average for a big guy. I'm happy for the kid, but this pro talk seems excessive.
Not to mention he isn't gonna see much zone like against Syracuse in the NBA.
CBB is already in trouble - won’t improve until rules change.
Point blank it comes down to does he want to be seen or develops in the gleague. He can still get drafted , sign a rookie contract ( Vernon Carey) and spend his time in the gleague developing or come back to Duke and develop while being seen twice a week on tv working his way into the first round.
Even when the NBA votes to go straight out of high school they won’t put a minimum years required to stay in college so the one and done isn’t going away.
Even when the NBA votes to go straight out of high school they won’t put a minimum years required to stay in college so the one and done isn’t going away.
Wonder if Mark's knees scare off pros. Supposedly had tendonitis issues. Hope not serious.
Or could that make him go earlier before it gets worse? I think he comes back, but it's definitely a possibility he tests the waters. He's not Casey Sanders having one good game. He's been pretty consistent lately.