Category Archives: Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Duke offers Luke Kennard

timthumbWe posted a one on one video chat with Luke Kennard (Class of 2015, 6-5, 185 WG, Franklin, OH) helping you get to know the latest target on the Duke radar two days ago but here is a follow-up interview after Coach Mike Krzyzewski and assistant Jeff Capel took in three of his games during the Nike EYBL Peach Jam.   The southpaw Kennard has the nation's top programs waiting in line to court him and he's improved greatly from a season ago.

The Ohio native is a hustler on the court, playing with that little edge or perhaps I should just simply say be brings a lot of tenacity to the court with his game.  Ohio State has been on him the longest and North Carolina has offered him recently and before the ink dries in this article, he'll probably hold an offer from Duke as well.

Kennard made an unofficial visit to North Carolina during the Duke versus UNC game, but that morning he slipped over to Duke with his high school coach.  And his parents?  They grew up Kentucky fans.  To read more about this and learn much more about Kennard who is also an accomplished quarterback on the football field where he holds a offer from Louisville, join Blue Devil Nation Premium for full site access.

You're a two sport athlete, right?

Yes, I play quarterback in football. I have an offer in from Louisville.

So, which sport do you feel you will play in college? [private]

Probably basketball.

You just finished up your last game, a close loss but you have more or less blown up this weekend. have you been hearing from a lot of folks already?

Not tons yet, but I know some people have been in touch with my Dad and I will talk to him.  We played them (Arkansas Wings) before, we beat them before.

(About this time, father walked up and out his hand on my shoulder and said something none of us quite understood.)

I know Kentucky has been showing major interest.

Cal called. He wanted me to call him.

Cal called you while here?

Well, he called my Dad but said he wanted to talk to me.

Your parents grew up Kentucky fans. is that correct?

Yeah, they did, but right now we don't really have a favorite team.

You had a lot of coaches on you during the last game ,.. Calipari who you said your family heard from and Krzyzewski ... have you heard from Duke?

I have heard from Duke. Actually, they came to the last three games I have played. Coach Scheyer, who played at Duke has been texting me a lot. I think Coach K called by Dad yesterday. I went on an unofficial visit to UNC when thy played Duke and we snuck over that morning and saw Duke. We walked around the campus, me ans my high school coach and it's nice over there.

Some have said Ohio State is the leader and Greg Paulus has been at all of your games here.  Is he the lead assistant for the Buckeyes?

Yep, yeah. they've recruited me the longest. Paulus has been watching but Jeff Bowles, he's been texting me every day. I think he is at he Adidas tournament right now, but yeah, Coach Paulus has been talking to me a whole lot but there is no leader at this time. There is so much happening right now, it's hard to pick a leader at this point, but Ohio stat is definitely up there,

Carolina, Duke. Florida, Indiana, Louisville, Michigan and Michigan State ...

I have always dreamed of this kind of thing, so I am enjoying it and just have to keep getting better.

Have you been involved with USA Basketball yet? And if not, would you like to be?

I haven't yet, but I would like to try.

Vegas or Orlando?

Orlando. I will go to Chicago next week, but we'll finish up in Orlando.

Tell me a little more about your high school football career ..

We run the spread the hurry up. My freshman year i didn't start but sophomore year I started. I played baseball until the sixth grade and stopped to focus on two sports. I always played football and my high school coaches think I should continue and will be good at thar sport as well. I have fun with it.

I understand your parents grew up Kentucky fans?

They grew up in Pinksville. They didn't go to Kentucky but he grew up pulling for them. I've lived in Ohio my whole life, so my Dad has been here for a while now.

When you get around to making your final decision who will be involved in the process?

My parents and my high school coaches

Who is your high school coach?

Brian Bayless. he does a good job.

What areas of you game do you feel needs improvement?

I have been working with this guy on post moves. I think I need work there and I;ve been working on my strength too, I have gotten a lot stronger since last year.

You seem serious on the court and or you compete hard.  Once, I saw you get a little frustrated when teammates would not spread the court properly in the motion offense.

I'm very competitive. I try to talk and get teammates to the right positions so we can execute the play, so yes, I do sometime get frustrated if one is out of position but that's a rarity and you just play through it.

You seem as enthused about playing on the defensive end as much so as the offensive end.

Yes, I try to play hard on both ends as much as I can.

Did you have a dream school growing up?

I watched Kentucky and Ohio State growing up but no dream school.

Do you try to pattern your game after any particular player?

I"ve always watched Reggie Miller play and Durrant. People tell me I look like him.

Have you always played for the King James Shooting Stars?

No. This is the first time for me.  Me, the big man and the point have been together for three or four years and then some guys from up state in Akron joined us, like VJ.

What do you think of your teammate VJ?

Well, he's just a freshman and he played for Team USA. He could be th top player in his class.

Has playing two sports had any negative effects?

We made it pretty far in the playoffs last year so we had jump right into basketball but the two haven't really had any negative effect one way or the other. I still get in the gym though, even during football season.

Would you call yourself a gym rat?

Absolutely. [/private]

Nike EYBL Peach Jam Friday Day Session – Duke Prospects Update

Justise Winslow has a monster day.  Rick Crank for BDN
Justise Winslow has a monster day. Rick Crank for BDN

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC - The Nike EYBL Peach Jam is the premiere event of summer when it comes to AAU basketball in that the games count and a champion will be crowned on Sunday.

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski is here with his assistant Jeff Capel in tow taking in some of the nations best prospects and Blue Devil Nation is here as well to let you know how the key prospects are playing.

Here is a recap of the morning and afternoon sessions from a Duke angle -

Grayson Allen continues [private]  to be played sparingly for Each One Teach One (E1T1) but a trained eye can see he's not getting the looks or ball when needed to be successful at a high level.

Allen went 3 for 3 from the field today and 2 of 2 from the free throw stripe where Coach Krzyzewski took in part of his game. Allen loves to drive the open lane for a tomahawk dunk and he's done so three times while I have watched. But the bottom line is he is not on a team where he is a good fit and established players are freezing him out.

I, for one, think Allen is going to be just fine when he arrives in Durham and I can tell you that Coach K loves him and for good reason which I will elaborate more on this coming week.

Mac Irvin was playing at the same time as Allen and this meant Capel was there for the whole game and Krzyzewski for the majority of it. In fact, he split time watching two games, strategically standing in the end zone for both courts and a new prospect name could have hit the radar ... more to come on that.

Jahlil Okafor helped lead the Mac Irwin Fire to an 88-79 win over the Texas Titans (Matt Jones former AAU team). The big Okafor tallied 26 points on 10 of 13 shooting from the field and he is one of the few players who has played better or stronger as the tournament grind wears on..

A worthy side notes is the fact that the Duke center prospect dished out 5 assists to go with his 5 rebounds.

Krzyzewski remained in the end zone for the 10:30 games as well and he did so to watch the most coveted PG in the country in Tyus Jones. Howard Pulley came into the game without a win but Jones scored 21 points and dished out 9 assists to lead his team to a 90-78 win over Travelers Basketball.

Today, everybody and their brother is all over the fact he will attend the same school as Okafor and I think this happens. I feel great about the Blue Devils position here and the fact that Krzyzewski has such a strong relationship with Jones.

The Malik Newman show continued where the sleek young prospect scored 26 points shooting the ball much better than he did last evening. But once again, his Jackson Tigers team, which is really weak, lost.

Texas Elite drew no Duke views today but Elijah Thomas went 3 of 7 ending the game with 8 points and 6 rebounds in 19 minutes of play. Thomas, who fouled out last evening was once again saddled with foul trouble where he had 4 total and his team was absolutely crushed by Team Takeover by an 82-44 score.

Not to be out done by Jahlil Okafors' fine performance, Justise Winslow had a monster game where he scored 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting. Winslow also pulled down 7 rebounds and had 6 assists for a wonderful days work.

Winslow is a well-rounded player who still lists ten schools and he said today UCLA and others were trying to enter the picture. I will have an interview up with Winslow shortly.

Houston Hoops dropped Boo Williams 78-62 where Thon Maker had 15 points and 7 rebounds for the loser. I spoke to Maker as well, so we have some interviews when I can find time to transcribe them.

Finally, Coach Krzyzewski took a look at Luke Kennard who dropped 20 point in his teams win. The youngster plays a hard nose style of basketball with that little edge of intensity. Quite simply, he likes to compete.

I will go into my thought on players a bit later, but for now, I have to prep for the evening session and then later find some rest to close out Saturdays games before taking the road trip back to Durham.

Discuss this and more on the BDN Premium message board with fellow members.

Sidebar - Coach K stood beside and chatted up Kentuckys' John Calipari.  I sat with Johnny Dawkins for one game catching up on old times and had a chance to talk to Chris Collins as well.  Also, welcomed Mike Brey to the ACC and had a nice talk with him as well.  For the record, Duke will play the Irish once on the road this season.  Stanley  Johnson had a good game today where he dropped 34 and 14. [/private]

Luke Kennard is a name to watch

kinnardNorth Augusta, SC - Keep the name Luke Kennard in mind for you will be hearing more of the 2015 SG from Franklin, Ohio in the coming days.  Kennard is a major target for the Ohio State Buckeyes and he was recently offered by North Carolina and yes, it looks as if Duke will get involved as well.  Coach Mike Kryzewski joined Tom Izzo, Roy Williams and many other coaches just moments ago for his game and Blue Devil Nation caught up to the rising star and obtained this one on one interview with Kennard last evening.  So join BDN Premium and get to know a new prospect on the radar. [private]

More to come!  Discuss this article as a member on the BDN Premium message board. [/private]

Q & A with Duke Prospect Kavon Looney

kavon-looneyThere are a select few players out there whom Duke is recruiting who are not on the Nike EYBL Circuit, and Milwaukee native Kavon Looney (Class of 2014, 6-7)  is one of those prospects.  I was finally able to see Looney live during the recent NBAPA Top 100 Camp, and all the raves I have heard about his play were deserved.  What I saw in Looney is a kid who hustled non-stop and was very active, always seeming to be around the ball.  Within the first five minutes of sitting down to view him. he blocked successive shots on one defensive possession and hustled to take care of any garbage or putbacks.  I usually like to watch five full games of any prospect before trying to break down his game, but it didn't take that many views of Looney for me to realize why Duke is so high on him.  The Blue Devils are certainly in the mix for Looney and it is clear that there is mutual admiration here per his comments, but this race is a hotly-contested one.  Looney confirmed to Blue Devil Nation that he would indeed narrow his list of schools just after the July 4th holiday, and there is little reason to think Duke will not make that cut.  There is little not to like about this young man's game, especially his desire and hustle.  With that said, premium members can read the full interview below, and I will talk more about Looney and further break down his game on the BDN Premium message boards if there are any questions.

 

How would you describe your game in your own words?

I play hard and I am versatile and I try to be tough and smart out there.

I'm hearing you are ready to cut your list to five schools.  When will that decision actually take place?

Yes, I will cut my list to five on July 5th.

Who will play important roles in your decision-making process?

My parents and [private] my AAU Coach will have influence on my decision. They've been in the process from the start and will be there until the end.

Where or when did you learn the game of hoops?

My Dad and my brother when I was about six or seven. We'd go down to the park and play and I would watch him. And then, since the third grade, I have been with the same AAU team.

Which schools have been the most active or aggressive in recruiting you to date?

I would say about five or six. Michigan, Michigan State, Florida, Duke and Tennessee and Georgetown is starting to pick it up again.

Did you have a dream school growing up?

I really didn't follow college basketball during the season a lot but I would watch the tournament, so I really didn't have a dream school growing up.

Did you have a player you liked one where you would try to  emulate their style on the court growing up?

My favorite player is Kobe and I like the Lakers, so I he got injured.

Will you be taking all five of the official visits you are allotted before making a decision?

Yes, I do plan on taking all five official visits before making a decision.

What do you think of Duke?

Duke is a great school with great tradition. They've got a legendary coach and a great brand for school and basketball, so I am showing a lot of interest in Duke.

What are your plans for the rest of summer?

I am not sure, but I am going to the LeBron James Skills Academy and I will go to Vegas.

Do you currently have a timeline for making a decision?

Yes, I want to do it before the high school season which could be around November or something like that.

What is the most important factor that have influence on your pending decision?

I would say communication and trust. The coach who I have the best relationship with is probably where I will end up going. [/private]

 

2015 Prospect Tyler Dorsey Hears From Duke

Tyler Dorsey

One of the better prospects on the west coast is 6-3 shooting guard Tyler Dorsey out of Bellflower, California.  He's rated in many of the services top ten players in the class of 2015 and the top guard by many in his class.  In fact one of my AAU circuit friends and a well respected talent evaluator from the west coast, Dinos Tragonis, said the Dorsey would be a good fit with Duke and the way they use their lead guards in a chat we had.  Dorseys Dad was a multi sport athlete, so there is some lineage at work here.  "He's a confident player and aggressive on both ends of the court.  I see him as a college two guard and an NBA point," said Tragonis.  Dorsey was often seen this past weekend with the ball in his hands, meaning he was running the point as often as he was what many refer to as the shooting or two guard spot.  It was clear to me that he was still getting accustomed to the point but he certainly is what I would term a hybrid guard and hybrids have become all the rage in the college game of late with their ability to cause match up problems for the opposing team.  If you have followed the Blue Devils over the years, you realize that Coach Mike Krzyzewski does not always play traditional positions but more match ups., so I can see Tragonis point.  It was about a decade ago now that I broke a Tragonis Belmont Shores product to Duke named DeMarcus Nelson who was the epitome of a hybrid guard.  What I am saying is that Tragonis knows what kind of players the Blue Devils are looking for in that he's had a long relationship with the staff.  "Dorsey can be as good a distributor as a scorer if he has good players around him," said Tragonis and it was shortly after that when I noticed Dorseys knowledge of the game as he tried to direct teammates with a constant chatter to the right position on the court.  And like many good players, you could see the frustration on his face when guys were not spacing properly or when they would not carry through on the court to loosen up the passing lanes.  Anyhow, Dorsey is a young man to keep and eye on and now that he is on the radar, check out the latest on him in our interview below where he speaks of Duke contact and more.

 

Now that the contact period is open for contact with collegiate coaches again, have you heard from Duke?

They [private]  texted me early this morning. I as going to call them back during the break. They just wanted to see how I was doing at the camp saying they had heard good things and to call them when I got a chance. I forgot it was the 15th and woke up and found all these text messages on my phone. It's going to start picking up. I will be more pro active seeking better relationships with the coaches.

Who was the first school to offer you?

Louisville was the first school to offer but no new teams in the fray.

When will you trim your list in a serious fashion?

Right now, I'm open to any team in the country and just starting to weigh my options.

Do you have an early idea on when you may ultimately make a decision of what school you will attend?

Maybe during my junior season or at the end of the summer.

Do any schools currently stand out in the process?

Arizona is standing out and USC and UCLA are the home schools and I am just trying to figure out if I want to stay at home. UConn, Louisville and Gonzaga stand out as well.

What are some of the most important factors for you when it comes to choosing a school?

It just depends on how the coach wants to play me and how he can get me to the next level mainly.

When you make your decision, who will be involved or council you on the process?

It will be a family decision with my parents.

Any visits coming up?

I have two visits to Arizona and Arizona State coming up maybe a week after the NBA camp, but no set dates yet.

Did you like the fact that Duke contacted you?

It's kind of a big deal but the name of the school doesn't mean as much to me as a relationship with the coach and getting to that next level while looking at who they're bringing in.

Despite the Blue Devils contact, it is clear that there is work to be done if they continue to show keen interest. We should know in the coming month or so when Coach Krzyzewski can get out and get a view whether Duke is to become a serious player for the young prospects services. [/private]

Grayson Allen talks Duke, workouts and his future with BDN

1Grayson Allen has helped lead his Southern Stampede AAU team to seven straight wins where they'll advance to the EYBL Finals know as the Peach Jam this July in Augusta, South Carolina.  Most recently, Allen attended the NBAPA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Virginia where he competed against some of the nation's top collegiate prospects.  Blue Devil Nation caught up to the future Dukie and he shared how the recruiting process went down in detail.  He also gave us his thoughts on his most recent camp experience and how it helps him moving forward, not to mention his rooming with another key Duke target Kavon Looney and what the staff has him working on.  What I learned about Allen was that he's athletic.  Standing around 6-3, he competed in an impromptu dunk contest and took off from the free throw line to flush one down.  He has a good and improving handle is unselfish despite his ability to score.  Anyhow, check out our latest interview from the NBA Top 100 Camp and join BDN Premium to read all of our past articles and the many to come.

What do you feel like you have learned or will take with you moving forward from this camp? 

That it's tough competition. Every time down the court you can't just make a play and shoot it yourself. You definitely have to get your teammates involved and there are really good post men down low so you have to feed them. But mostly, you learn how to be professional on and off the court and you focus on how to carry yourself.

Wow!  You rolled that right out and seem quite humble as well.

Yes sir. My parents instill in me to stay focused and humble.

Your tweets seem to reflect that you have a religious up bringing.

I was born and raised in a Christian home, so pretty much everything I see is what God has blessed me with. So I just perform on the platform given to me by him to show others Christ.

So when did Duke actually offer you and what was your reaction at the time to that?

Last summer, about April and then they saw me play in July. Coach Nate James came to my high school two or three times and watched me play and I stayed in contact with him after that. They called and set up an in home visit and I felt like we hit it off then.

How soon did you know after the offer you wanted to go to Duke?

When they scheduled the home visit I had a feeling that [private] the offer was going to come. So when it did come I had already thought about it a lot. Coach K, Coach Wojo and Coach Capel being in the house and the fact I had already thought about it a lot and after sitting and talking with them it was an easy decision. I just had a feeling Duke was where I wanted to go and after thinking and praying on it, I made the call.

Have you heard from the staff of late?

Yeah. I text Coach Wojo and Coach Scheyer.

So Jon Scheyer is getting involved already?

Yeah, yeah.

Are you happy to see a former Duke shooter on the staff now?

Oh yeah. It's gonna be cool. He's still a young guy and he was obviously a great player at Duke, so I feel like I can learn a lot from him.

Once in the fold, the staff will tell their future players what to work on. Can you share any of that with us?

They want me to work and try to be a lock down defender and guard multiple positions including the one, two and possibly the three because I will really have to do that at the next level while keeping an aggressive mind-set.

Let's talk about the impromptu dunk contest you guys had in between drills. You took off from the free throw line and flushed a dunk down. Can you talk a little bit about that?

It feels really good. (grinning) All I can say is that it was God-given because my parents weren't big athletes or anything. My Dad played a little football and basketball.

Is it me or do you have some big feet?

[Laughs] Yes.

I didn't know if it was just my vision or the yellow sneakers you were wearing.

Big feet and hands. I wear a size 16 shoe.

Wow! Does that mean you're still growing?

Yeah, that's what the doctors tell me. I have had some problems with my left knee. That's the knee I jump off and the doctor said it's (I tried to transcribe what it was called but never quite got the translation), so he thinks I could be 6-6 but I could be full-grown, I don't know for sure.

Will you be attending any skills academies?  What are your plans for the rest of the summer?

I'm going to the Kevin Durrant one for sure.  I will be going to the Peach Jam and the Super Showcase and then I am not sure what my team will be doing. We have a free week, but it's a live period for the college coaches so we'll do something.

The following are some additional comments when another site entered the interview -

On what he's currently working on ...

Right now, I continue to work on my ball handling and consistency on my shot. I had a little bit of an off weekend, so I need to work on consistency there. As a ninth grader I had that kind of chicken wing shot.

On playing with some NBA types ...

You might watch some of these players on T.V. and think I can take them, I can take them but being out here with them is a reality check. They are way, way, way ahead of us and we have a lot of work to do.

On his impending workouts ...

When I get a little bit of free time this summer I already have trainer and a workout program to start on and lift some weight to prepare for the next level and college.

On rooming with Kavon Looney ...

I've been in his ear a little bit concerning Duke, we talked about it some.

You said yesterday, you were trying to be low key.

Yeah, he's a great player who can stretch out the defense.

Thanks for your time.

Yes sir.  Thank you.

Talk about this interview on the BDN Premium message board where I give my analogy on his game. [/private]