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BDN checks in with Austin Rivers at the Elite 24

VENICE BEACH - Highly sought after rising senior, Austin Rivers, was recently ranked as the #1 prospect in the 2011 class by Rivals. After having a busy summer playing for USA Basketball, and bringing home the gold, the rising senior gets a chance to end his summer with a bit of fun out in Venice Beach, California. Austin took some time after the Midnight run to talk with BDN and here’s what he had to say.

We’ve got Austin Rivers here at the Elite 24 Midnight Run. First off, congratulations on being invited to the Elite 24 for your second year in a row, that’s a big accomplishment. Last year, you were out at Rucker Park; this year, you head out to the West Coast for Venice Beach.

Thanks man, appreciate it.

Now, you’ve been playing AAU for a few years now, do you find at events like this that you bond with players? And have you been hanging out with anyone particular over the summer?

Definitely. I think being with the best players in the country just hangin’ out with them you get to bond with them and create relationships with people you’d never get to meet. I’ve become best friends with Myck Kabongo, he’s one of my real good friends, Brad Beal, Quincy Miller, Quinn Cook, all of the guys out here. I’ve became friends with [private] all of them even just today, and I know most of them already but just today I met new people and I’m already friends with them. Just to be out here and bond with them and connect is cool.

So you’ve had quite a busy summer so far and you’ve been quite successful. You won the Disney Showcase. Do you have a favorite moment throughout this summer?

Yea I’d say the Disney Showcase just because how my team got to enjoy the W. Ya know I played pretty well over the summer overall but just to win is obviously the greatest feeling. We went in there with our heads high and came out winning; it was good for our team and was kind of our last hoorah, if you will. I’ve been with that team for like 9 years so just to end on a good note like that was nice.

Now another big thing you did this summer was playing on the U18 Team USA. Congratulations on bringing the gold over here! Can you talk about that experience and what it means to wear the USA across the chest?

Oh yea man I totally forgot, I didn’t even think about that when you asked me what was the greatest moment (smiles and laughs). Now that was probably the greatest moment of the summer, winning for my country. You know it’s one thing when you represent your town or your city or state of Florida, but it’s another when you represent the whole country. So just going out there with your country across your chest and for us to win the gold medal meant a lot. Getting to play with great players like Patric Young and Kyrie Irving and go out there and getting the victory was big.

I’m sure it was a great feeling. You got to play with those great players in Kyrie, Quincy, Lebryan Nash. Is playing with great players something that will come into play when you make your big decision for college?

You know of course. To win championships you got to have great players, you know there’s never really been a team that I’ve known in college basketball that has won with just one great player and everyone else is bad. They’ve always had three or four or even five great players. So that’s one thing you always have to be looking at is who you’re going to be playing with and who’s going to help you and get you better.

Yea definitely. Now recently in an interview, Kyrie Irving said that if he was so fortunate to be in a position to be a one and done, and if you were to commit to playing with him, that he would definitely consider staying to play with you. Is that something you guys talk about often?

You know we definitely have talked about it, if I was to come there he’d love to stay. But then again, you know a player like Kyrie if it’s time to go I’m sure he’s gonna go. I’m pretty sure he’s going to leave after this first year, you know I wish the best for him, I don’t wanna jinx him or anything like that. Just playing with him this summer he’s already kind of ready, he’s a hell of a player. I think Coach K will put him in a position to succeed there.

Now in my opinion you have one of the better offensive games I’ve seen for a player your age. My favorite move of yours I think is the little jab step/head fake that I saw you doing a little earlier. Would you say those are your go to moves? Or do you have any other ones you use a lot?

Really I just read the defense, and those are kind of my go to moves, the jab step. You know John Wall told me earlier (as he laughs) “I don’t wanna see none of them jab steps out here!”. Yea that’s kind of my go to move, I like to shake them with my jab and kind of get people off of their feet. But as far as in the open court I just read the defense and I try to go to the side where the players are weak and try and attack.

One thing you’ve talked about is your defense. Is there anything you try and do to get better? Perhaps taking on the best perimeter player each night?

Yea definitely, that’s what I did for USA Basketball. They stuck me on the best player, and coach actually saw me as the best defender on the team. He saw that I had the potential and said “you’re a great defender, you just gotta do it”. Just for Coach Capel, Coach Hewitt, and Coach Witherspoon to have the confidence in me to play defense really helped me and I think I’ve become a pretty good defender over the summer and I think I’m a good defender now.

I definitely agree. You’ve got a big year ahead of you coming up. You’ve got to defend your state title and I know that was a special moment for you. Can you talk about how you want to repeat and what steps you try to take to accomplish that?

Yea, you know, it’s always harder to repeat something cause after you win your next year people maybe start slacking off or teams start coming at you a little harder. I think it’s going to be special if we can win this year and I think we have a great chance to. We have some new guys coming in and we still got people returning and we have some good players around me.

Are you going to be used in a similar way as last year?

Yes, but I think this year I’m going to average a lot more rebounds because we’ll miss our big man, Adam Jones, who graduated last year. I’m definitely going to have to board more and average around 7-8 rebounds a game. And I’ll probably have the ball in my hands a little bit more this year, just attacking the defense more and getting people open a bit more, so just to try and be an all round stat-sheet filler.

Going into your senior do you have any personal or team goals that you’d like to achieve?

Yea I’d say our team goals are obviously to win the state championship and I’d just say have everybody be open-minded. You know not everybody is going to be playing as much as they wanted to or doing as much as they can. But I just think as a leader of the team I kind of have to set an example, and I’d say my goal is just to try and establish a good chemistry with my team. I just hope we can come into the season with no ego’s and just come in ready to play and win.

Everybody has their own role type of thing?

Yea, yea exactly.

Now originally you had made an August date to announce. That got moved back a little bit. Is that something that you and your family talked about?

Yea, exactly, definitely. My brother rushed it two times actually, in Indiana he’s still kind of not comfortable there. It’s just my families had tough times with those schools and I just thought it’s too early, and I was already so busy with my summer, I just thought I needed to slow down and think. I’ve already set some visits. I think it’s October 1st I go up to Duke and uhh I think October 16th I go to North Carolina.

For their Late Night?

Yea, I’ve already set up dates for that, both of their Midnight things, whatever their dates are. My parents set that all up, I don’t know the exact dates. So I’ve already set up dates for Duke and North Carolina, and Kansas, Kentucky and Florida will be up next.

Will your visits be a situation where you will visit everyone of your schools, or will you perhaps pull the trigger if you feel it’s right?

Yea, you know it could be. If I have the right feeling for a school I think I would pull the trigger. It’s just a matter of where I feel comfortable and where I feel I could really succeed. Um I might wait just a little bit just to see the season you know. I wanna see how they use Kyrie. I wanna see if they let Kyrie go, I wanna see how North Carolina plays with Harrison, you know you wanna see how colleges do with their players. How Kansas does with Shelby (Josh Selby), just to see ya know. The schools I’m looking at all kind of have players at my position, so I’d like to just see how they let them go let them play, and it’ll help determine where I go.

Yea I understand that. Now one last question, if I was to take your iPod and check it out, what would you be listening to recently?

Well right now I’d probably be playing a little bit of Roscoe Dash, little bit of Lupe (Fiasco), and I’m a big Kanye dude. Oh and Jurzey. But I’m a big Lupe guy, I love listening to Lupe.

Thanks a lot Austin.

Sure man, no problem. [/private]

Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Boost Mobile Elite 24 Recap

VENICE BEACH - From the concrete jungle of New York to the sunny beaches of L.A, the Boost Mobile Elite 24 concluded the summers AAU schedule with an All-Star game in Venice Beach.  While we didn’t have Billy Hoyle and Sidney Deane running the courts, we did have the top 24 high school prospects in the nation.

The event kicked off Wednesday with a Midnight Run at the Hanger Athletic Xchange, also known as the HAX.  Starring in the game were the elite high school prospects along with some of the youngest talent the NBA has to offer.  Reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans teamed up with DeMar DeRozan, Brandon Jennings, Bobby Brown and recent #1 draft pick John Wall to take on the youngsters. While the game was full of crossovers and fadeaways, one in particular has gotten fans across the internet buzzing.  Austin Rivers, the 6’4 guard from Winter Park High School in Florida, crossed up recent #1 draft pick John Wall and took it straight to the basket for a lay in. Regardless of the big play, the pros dominated most of the games they played in.

The second day of the event offered a training and combine session followed by a scrimmage.  Conducting the training session was current Denver Nuggets strength and conditioning coach, Steve Hess.  Now, if you’ve never met the guy, all you need to know is he is one of the most intense people you will have ever met. While most players struggled with the core exercises, one particularly stood out, 2011 point guard Myck Kabongo.  Ending the combine session was Brandon Jennings discussing his struggles to get to where he is, as well as reminding the players to keep an open mind when it comes to signing a shoe deal. While no one completely dominated the scrimmage, there were a few standout players. 2012 prospect Shabazz Muhammad did show off some of his strong inside moves.  The talented wing-forward grabbed multiple rebounds inside showing off his strength, which lead to easy put backs. The other standout was 2011 Findlay Prep point guard Myck Kabongo.  Myck displayed his advanced dribbling skills and excellent court vision often making passes you wouldn’t think possible.

The third day offered the skills and dunk competition.  2011 guard Brad Beal of Chaminade College Prep School in St. Louis, Missouri, won the skills competition over Oak Hill point guard Quinn Cook. The dunk competition featured 8 contestants including Deuce Bello, Jahii Carson, Amir Garrett, Nick Johnson, LeBryan Nash, Norman Powell, Gabe York and Stephen Maxwell.  Deuce Bello edged out local prospect Stephen Maxwell in the finals, although his most impressive dunk was in the second round when he teamed up with fellow Westchester Day player, Quincy Miller. Quincy, seated under the net, bounced the ball and Bello completed a full windmill over Miller to bring the Venice Beach crowd to their feet.

Concluding the Boost Mobile Elite 24 event was the All-Star game on Saturday.  Clear and sunny skies offered the perfect weather for an outdoor basketball game.  While the crowd on Friday was much more laid-back, Saturday’s crowd created a much better atmosphere. There was a certain buzz in the air throughout the game.  The game offered a typical All-Star feel, big dunks and little to no defense, except in the final minute.  Kyle Wiltjer, who committed to Kentucky at halftime, was the games leading scorer with 20. In the end, The Raymond Lewis East Squad beat The Marques Jackson West squad 131-128.

Stay tuned for more interviews with Duke recruiting targets which will be feature this week in BDN Premium, your inside source for on the spot coverage Duke Athletics.

Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Rivers setting up visits to Duke and UNC

Austin Rivers - BDN Photo

VENICE BEACH - According to BDN correspondent Varand Khachadauri, Austin Rivers will visit Duke and UNC in October.  There is more going on behind the scenes at the Boost Mobile Elite 24 event in California and our guy will be in the thick of things all week long.  Already, BDN has secured interviews with top prospects Rivers and Murphy and we have also chatted with a young man who may open his recruitment back up.  For reports on all the action, join BDN Premium and visit our members only message board for tidbits and stay tuned for the interviews.

USA Basketball

USA holds on to defeat Spain behind Durant

The 2010 USA Men’s World Championship Team fought through adversity,  fended off a second half attack and edged host and defending world champion Spain 86-85 on Sunday night inside the Magic Box in Madrid, Spain. Playing in a raucous stadium filled to its 10,960 capacity, the USA’s charge was led by Player of the Game Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), who posted game-highs of 25 points and 10 boards, and also had a pair of key blocks in the closing seconds.

Also in double digits were Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls), who scored 13 points, including the game’s final two points from the line; Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers) notched 12 points and nine boards; and Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets) tossed in 10 points.

“This is something I’m never going to forget … never,” said Rose.

“I got to hit them,” he recalled about what he was thinking during his game-clinching free throws. “As your legacy goes on or the way you want your legacy to finally end, this is something that some people are going to remember.”

The U.S., now 3-0 in its three exhibition games, will travel to Athens tomorrow to prepare for its final exhibition game against Greece on Aug. 25 at 7:00 p.m. local (12:00 p.m. EDT live on ESPN).

“Great crowd, two excellent teams playing their hearts out and we felt fortunate to win. We made one more play then they did and that’s how good the game was,” said USA and Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski. “We were trying to learn about our younger players so we started a different lineup.

“Before we talk about the outside (players), Lamar Odom should be our starting center. He’s finally into shape I think to play at this level. Curry has been out so we wanted to give him a chance and we already know what Rondo and Granger can do, and Love was out. The doctor wanted to keep him out because of hitting his head and because it’s back-to-back, so that was a precaution. That was our plan tonight, just to take a better look at our team.”

Trailing since the first basket of the game, Spain took its first lead of the night, 82-80, with under two minutes to play on a Felipe Reyes layup. Durant countered to knot the score 17 seconds later and after Ricky Rubio tossed the ball away the U.S. had a shot to pull ahead again, but Odom’s 3-pointer was off the mark and Spain had the ball back.

However Reyes missed his next attempt and Odom secured the rebound. With seven seconds left on the shot clock and 32.99 seconds to play in the game, Rose nailed a driving bucket and the U.S. was back in the lead, 84-82.

Following a Spanish time out, Juan Carlos Navarro was fouled driving to the hoop. He converted on the 3-point play to give his side the lead once again with 27.82 ticks on the clock.

Rose shook off a determined defensive effort by Rubio and was fouled as he drove to the basket. Ignoring the deafening roar of the crowd, he calmly stepped to the line and swished both his attempts with 16.92 to go.

“He made two big free throws and like I told him after the game, those were really big confidence-wise for him and the rest of the team to know that we got a guy we can go to down the stretch,” said Andre Igoudala (Philadelphia 76ers).

Spain again called time, which enabled the hosts to advance the ball to half court.

“We’ve practiced a lot with the zone and we used zone on all under out of bounds which were good. Then from the timeout Jim Boeheim said let’s go orange” said Krzyzewski on what the plan was out of the final time out. “We call it orange with respect for Jim, he said he doesn’t have any buildings named after him in Syracuse so we’ll name the zone after him. I agreed with him, but it was his suggestion and the guys did a good job with it.”

After inbounding the ball, the Spaniards moved the ball around and finally Rubio found room to attempt a 3-point attempt. However, there wasn’t enoughspace as Durant partially deflected the shot. The rebound was bobbled around and Spain came up with it, but Durant was again there to block Rudy Fernandez’ 3-point attempt and the clock expired with the U.S. collecting its third victory in as many exhibition games.

“I just wanted to cover a much ground as I could and help my teammates out,” said Durant about the game’s final possession. “I saw Ricky Rubio open in the corner and I just wanted to use my length to get out there and tip the shot. I was able to get a finger on it and I had the ball and it kind of slipped out of my hand and Rubio got it back and threw it to Fernandez and I just didn’t want to jump and get a foul on a 3-point shot so I stayed down and kind of timed it pretty well and I was fortunate enough to get a block and the game was over. I just wanted to do something to help my team win.”

The USA, which opened up a 16-3 gap to start the game, held a 45-33 lead at the midway break.

Spain charged out of the locker room and in addition to hitting 6-of-7 from the line, knocked down a couple of threes and in the span of almost five minutes, to close the gap to 55-53.

The U.S. came back to life. Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) scored to start the USA on 8-1 run that was capped by consecutive baskets from Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) that left the Americas holding a 63-54 lead. After a pair of Spain baskets, the Americans closed the third quarter’s final 1:05 with a 6-0 spurt to open a double-digit, 69-58, lead with 10 minutes to play.

Plagued by fouls most of the game, the U.S. picked up three quick ones in the first 1:12 of the fourth quarter. Trying to stay out of the bonus and keep Spain off the line, the USA’s defense sagged and Spain battled its way back into the game as the hosts outscored the red, white and blue 20-11 over the opening seven minutes in the fourth and then tied the game at 80-all with  2:37 to play.

The USA had a much better shooting night against Spain than Saturday night’s contest against Lithuania, hitting 48.5 percent (33-68 FGs) from the field, while holding Spain to 41.8 percent (28-67 FGs). However, the U.S., which owned the glass 39-27, sent Spain to the line for 29 attempts and the hosts converted on 24 (.828). In contrast, the American men made 14-of-18 from the line (.778).

Spain was led by Navarro’s 20 points, Marc Gasol had 17, Reyes tossed in 16 off the bench.

“It was a tough game. On their home court. We just fought through adversity and came out with a win,” said Westbrook.

“First off it was a fun game, one of those games that was a learning experience for us, coming over here and playing one of the best teams in the world,” stated Durant.  “I think we made key plays down the stretch and we also played together as a team and stuck together through tough times. So it was a good test for us.”

The 2010 USA World Championship Team assistant coaches are Syracuse University’s Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan and Toronto Raptors head mentor Jay Triano.

All four of the USA’s pre-World Championship friendlies are part of the new Global Community Cup, which will include all USA Basketball exhibition games played outside of formal international competitions.  Along with the games, the Global Community Cup features a social responsibility element that will highlight USA Basketball’s commitment to giving back to communities in the U.S. and abroad.

The official 12-man USA roster that will compete in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, which will be played Aug. 28-Sept. 12 in Turkey, must be submitted to FIBA at the technical meeting that normally is held the day prior to the start of the competition.

For photo's and additional coverage visit USABasketball.com

Duke Basketball

Breaking down the off season for Duke Basketball players

Several of the 2010-11 Duke Blue Devils participated in summer basketball events including the N.C. Pro Am and BDN breaks them down after multiple live views.  There is no doubt that this coming season will be more than just a little entertaining as Duke will almost certainly be tabbed number one in the nation in the pre season basketball polls.  While we realize you can tell but so much from summer basketball, after years of following the off season exploits of our players I have an idea of what to look for.  BDN had representatives at all the N.C Pro Am games and off season camps, so our take is from in person accounts.  Be sure to bookmark BDN for year round coverage of the Duke Beat and follow us on twitter and facebook for future updates.

Mason Plumlee flexes after a rebound at the N.C. Pro Am - Photo pixbyric and BDN

Mason Plumlee -Mason spent time in Chicago as a camp counselor in two events this summer.  The first event allowed Plumlee to train with Tim Grover of Attack Athletes, who is infamous for tutoring Michael Jordan.  Recently, Plumlee attended the Adidas Nations event where he was able to watch his brother Marshall who is Duke's most recent commitment.  Mason also participated in the N.C. Pro Am where BDN took in all of his games.  Plumlee showed off his athletic abilities and when talking with his teammates, they loved playing with him in that he often hit the open man with passes most big men cannot make.  Plumlee is physically more mature and he's stretching his outside shot to the three point stripe, but he will be counted on more in the middle for Duke this season.  Plumlee seems to be in great condition and had to play the whole game more often than not at the Pro Am.  Players use the tournament to work on certain things and while Plumlee will have his back to the basket more often than not this season, he chose to work on his face up game.  In short, he worked on the things he doesn't have a chance to as much in the system.  A key for Mason this season will be his defensive footwork and positioning on post defense and you have to love the fact that he has a little nastiness in his game.

Collins instructs Miles in practice - Mark Watson BDN Photo

Miles Plumlee- Like Mason, Miles attended Adidas Nations as a camp counselor.  This is an honor for they normally select the top college players for this role.  Plumlee showed of a one handed push hook and worked on his outside shot during the Pro Am more-so than his post game.  Still, Plumlee was depended upon for rebounding and there were several plays where he brought the crowd to their feet with his athleticism.  Plumlee had a nice perimeter shot in high school and he is trying to get that back on a more consistent basis.  He is most effective from twelve feet in and he doesn't have but maybe two pounds of body fat on his physique.  Like Mason, Miles will benefit by Duke pushing the ball in an up temp style this coming season and pressure is sure to come the brothers Plumlee's way for they will be depended upon to anchor the middle all season long.  The one thing which stood out to me in the Pro Am was the fact he never gave up despite having to play major minutes for a middle of the pack team.  The key for Miles will be to bring consistent intensity and for him to realize he can do things few other players can.

Dre heads up the court - pixbyric/BDN PhotoAndre Dawkins- It's almost as if you can count on Andre Dawkins to erupt every five games or so and he had one of those performances where he tossed in 36 points during the Pro Am.  A shooter keeps shooting and that fits Andre perfectly.  He still is dependent on the three ball to score more-so than moves to the basket and he has worked on his handle during the off season.  Ball handling is vital for Andre to have the ability to take players off the dribble which will loosen up the outside for him.  Dawkins role for the Blue Devils will again, a shooter but he has improved his footwork defensively and is capable of back side help.  He is also a good finisher when in the open court and a solid free throw shooter but his passing skills need more development.  He will be the recipient of a lot of kick out passes when Duke's deep backcourt drives to the lane.

Photo Courtesy of USA Basketball

Seth Curry- Silky smooth best defines Curry's game from my vantage.  He moves in a very paced way which makes it look like an altered speed or slow on the surface.  Or maybe I should say he weaves through defenders picking and choosing his spots?  Anyhow, Curry is a scorer and his three point shot is solid as is his mid range game.  He is a capable ball handler and he lulls his man to sleep as a defender allowing him to get in the passing lanes for steals.  While not physically intimidating, he is a player you have to be aware of when he is on the court.  Curry will not get as many shots as he did with Liberty with a talented Duke team and with that said, he could improve upon his passing skills in the open court.  Everybody sees that his offense is solid, but major minutes will depend upon how well he does when playing off ball.  The same can be said for the aforementioned Dawkins.  Curry is capable of knocking down double digits this season for Duke and his game will thrive in the running style Duke will employ.

 
 
Kelly improved in the off season - Photo-pixbyric/BDN

Ryan Kelly -No player gained more off season hype than did Ryan Kelly who at 6-11 is now Dukes tallest player.  What a difference a year can make with a young mans physical maturity and what you've heard about his weight gain is spot on accurate.  The additional strength is helping Kelly where he often got pushed off the blocks in his freshman campaign.  Kelly was named the winner of the Spirit Award given out by Rodney Rodgers.  Kelly is not a big rah-rah guy and I was told the award went to him for his consummate team play and the fact his teammates loved playing with him.  A more confident Kelly showed signs of a baby hook and he has a nice inside-out game going now and that will earn him significant minutes.  No player appears to have worked harder than Kelly in the off season and he is certainly Duke's most improved player, or is he?

 
BDN caufghtNolan funning about with the media during his sophomore season - BDN Photo

Nolan Smith-While Kelly has improved, Nolan Smith seems to have found a whole other level for his game.  Smith trained with the U.S. Select Team and that experience seems to have helped.  Smith seems to be wanting a leadership role for Duke and he could not be stopped during his games at the N.C. Pro Am.  He erupted for 43 points one evening and was essentially a human highlight reel when he was on the court.  He left a lot of empty sneakers when slashing through defenders as if they were standing still and his shot was good.  Really good.  This led to him being named the events most outstanding player despite the fact he missed the last three games. Smith epitomizes how a player can improve each year in the Duke system to achieve their goals and remember where you heard it if Kyle Singler is the choice for Player of the Year, then Smith should be listed as 1-A.   Quite simply, Smith is an All American in 2010-11.

 
High stepping Kyrie Irving - BDN/Rick Crank Photo

Kyrie Irving- It's as if we got a sneak peek at Kyrie during the Pro Am where he created quite the buzz with his effortless moves which dazzled the audience.  It was no surprise to me for I have seen him do some amazing things on the AAU trail where I witnessed at least 20 games he played in.  Go down the checklist ... ball handling, shooting, penetrating, playing the passing lanes, finishing and KI draws a straight A report card.  What he can get better at is defense and once K works on that a bit more there will be no stopping him from achieving his goals.  No if's ands or but's about the fact that a backcourt of Smith and Irving will be the nations best and Irving brings mad skills to the table.  He will make everybody on a talented team better with his ability to break people down off the dribble and he should dish for a lot of dunks to his teammates.  Irving didn't play down the stretch in the Pro Am and that is probably all by design but his 30 plus point efforts had Duke fans grinning and opposing fans looking forward to hearing his name be called one day by the NBA commish in New York.

 
Hairston flushes a dunk - Rick Crank/BDN Photo

Josh Hairston -During the opening night of the Pro Am, Hairston struggled against veterans Josh Powell and Courtney Fells but that is the kind of learning experience these games provide.  Some guys would have crawled in the corner but Hairston turned it around and averaged 14-15 ppg the rest of the way.  Hairston loves the drop step and the turn around fade away jumper.  He is not a real physical banger type but he is a well rounded front court player who could be depended upon in his first season with certain match ups Duke will face.  Hairston showed steady improvement during the N.C. Pro Am event and he adds depth to the roster.

 
 
Freshman Tyler Thornton is flying under the radar - Rick Crank BDN Photo

Tyler Thornton -It seems Thorntons play surprised everybody during the Pro Am, but not me.  I have known all along that Thornton is underrated and he plays completely within his own skill set making him a steady player who will not hurt his team with turnovers or forced shots.  The knock on Thornton was his outside shot but he improved upon that and showed it hitting three consecutive three pointers to open the event.  Thornton is a confident player who is a nice addition to the team.

 
BDN was in the middle of the celebration when Mark Watson shot Kyle cutting down the nets at the ACC Tournament

Kyle Singler -He was held out of the N.C. Pro Am and who could blame Duke in that he was the Final Four MVP and the odds on favorite to win national player of the year going into next season.  Singler attended several camps including the LeBron James skills academies and most recently practiced with the US Select Team coached by Krzyzewski.

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

BDN Premium Free-view – In depth with prospect Quinn Cook

BDN Recruiting Analyst Andre Slater goes 1 on 1 with Quinn Cook in B our latest premium offering. Join BDN Premium for full site access and get inside the world of recruiting. Photo Rick Crank for Blue Devil Nation

This interview was originally posted on BDN Premium on 7-31.  This is a free-view of that interview that was conducted by fellow BDN recruiting analyst Andrew Slater. We hope you will compare this piece to others offerings and then try our subscription section for yourself. 

As the point guard for DeMatha, Quinn Cook led the Washington area Catholic school to a City Title and a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Championship, earning the Washington Post All-Met Player of the Year award as a junior. In July, Quinn helped lead the United States to a gold medal, including dishing out a team-high eleven assists in the Championship game against Poland, at the FIBA Under-17 World Basketball Championship in Hamburg, Germany. Before leaving for Germany, Cook made the decision to spend his senior year in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia at national power Oak Hill Academy, whose long list of alumni includes Duke guards Nolan Smith and William Avery.  After playing in front of Duke coach Nate James at the recent Adidas Super 64 tournament in Las Vegas, Quinn spoke with Blue Devil Nation about his decision to transfer from DeMatha to Oak Hill, changing others' perceptions of him through his play with the USA Under-17 team, and Duke's interest in him, among various topics.

What was the experience like being part of a gold medal winning team in Germany?

It was a great experience. I got to play with a lot of great people in my class. Players like Marquis Teague and players like that so it was just a wonderful experience competing and playing for the national team and being able to win the world championship. It's a blessing, but it was a lot of hard work. We didn't want to be outworked.

What did you do with that gold medal after you received it?

I gave it to my mom. So, I guess she's going to put it in her room.

Obviously, your father was very important to you, what do you think he would of thought of you winning the gold medal and did you think about what his reaction would have been after you guys won the gold medal?

Without him, I wouldn't be here. He was the one who put the basketball in my hands. I just try to honor him and his name and his character not only when I'm on the court, but in the time when I'm away from the court. I want people to see him when they see me out here or in the community.

Who are some guys on the team that you became close with over the time spent with the team?

I tried to get close with [private] really everybody on the team and just, you know, establish relationships.

Were there one or two guys that you were particularly close with?

Oh, yeah, Marquis Teague and Tony Wroten. We definitely were real close on the team. We definitely became real close. We hung out and stuff.

I know you're a big Kobe guy. What did you think of the whole LeBron announcement and decision?

Well, I respect his decision. I can't knock him for wanting to win a ring. You know he's in Miami where he's now with D. Wade and that's a pretty big and bold move, but he still can't beat Kobe. He can't. Not yet, at least.

You're moving on to Oak Hill. What went into that decision? Are you excited about it?

I'm very excited about it. I get to play with some great players. It was just, um..

Too many distractions?

Yeah, that's a good way of putting it. There were just too many distractions and things going on. My mom is a single mom, man. You know I don't really have that strong male figure in my life and, you know, Coach Jones was that. I'm blessed for that, but there was, well, you know, a lot of drama going on. Plus, on the basketball court, I don't feel like I like I have anything left to prove in the DC leagues.

Yeah, you're the first junior to win the player of the year in more than four decades. Now you're going to be playing a really national schedule for Oak Hill and more games as well.

Yeah, definitely, the schedule is going to be a challenge, but it'll make me better in the long-run. I also think that Oak Hill will get me ready, both on and off of the court, playing away from home and my mom and everybody else will help become more of a man. Just becoming a man and being by myself.

I do think it will help with your adjustment for college. Not just at Oak Hill, but a lot of guys that have gone up to the New England boarding schools and have gotten away from the distractions have come out better prepared for college life and basketball. When do you head to Oak Hill?

I have no clue. (laughs)

Well, what are your goals for this season? A National Championship? McDonald's All-American?

Undefeated. I'd love to go undefeated. For me, personally, in order would be to be the national champion, to be a McDonald's All-American, Jordan Brand All-American, and then to make the Nike Hoops Summit.

What's it like to have Sidiki (Johnson) join DC Assault before you guys play together at Oak Hill?

I think it's been great to have him join us so that we can establish some chemistry before we play at Oak Hill together. We're both coming in as seniors and so we don't have a lot of time to work on that, but this will help.  We played together at the Pangos (All-American Camp), but this is another level.

Has he been talking to you about joining him at Arizona?

Not too much really. He's been cool about it. He obviously wants me to go there, but he's not pushing anything.

Are you going to take all five of your visits?

Yeah, I don't know which five schools I'm going to visit yet, but I do know that I'd like to take all five of my visits.

At this point, what are your schools?

I've got ten schools right now: Villanova, Duke, Wake Forest, NC State, Arizona, UCLA, West Virginia, Rutgers, St. John’s and Georgetown.

Okay, do you have a timeframe for when you'd like to decide by or cut down on your list?

I want to decide by the fall, but I don't want to rush just too quickly into anything because, you know, it's a big decision. It's probably the biggest decision I'm going to make at this point in my life.

I understand. Do you think you opened up a lot of eyes by how you played over in Germany? The fact that you were more of a distributor than a scorer, as you have been asked to be for both DeMatha and your DC Assault team. Wrongly or rightly, some seemed to think that you're more of a gunner, but then you led the USA team in assists.

Yeah, definitely. Well, I mean, I hope so because I've always been a pass-first point guard, but, with both of those teams, they've asked me to score more for us to win and so, you know, I have, but, believe me, I love to pass the ball and get others involved. I'll do whatever my coach feels he needs me to do to win. I'm just trying to be helpful. Whatever my coach or my team needs me to do, I'll do. No doubt. So, yeah, I hope it made people realize there's more to my game than just scoring or whatever people thought before.

Yeah, I remember somebody you know told me that was how you felt about eighteen months ago and you were able to be more of a distributor when you were younger at DeMatha. At this point, what do you think will be the most important factor in your decision for college?

My relationship with the coaches is definitely number one at this point. I just want to feel comfortable with them and have them feel comfortable with me. After that, everything else can take care of itself.

You've played against probably every other top player in your class, at some point or another. Who are some other guys that you really walked away respecting or were really good challenges for you?

Johnny O' Bryant. The guy works his tail off and gave max effort. Johnny, yeah.

What about other point guards? Anyone stand out?

Oh, oh, oh. Marquis Teague is probably the toughest offensive point guard to check and Tony Wroten is tough too, with his size and everything.

For a player your age, I always think that you have a high basketball IQ. You try to make up for what others may have in height and quickness with your mind for basketball. Have you thought about getting into coaching after your playing career is over?

Hopefully, after the NBA, yep. I want to make the NBA and play as long as I can, but, after that, yeah.

Now, I know that you were a North Carolina fan growing up, but now Duke is recruiting you. You obviously know and are friends with a lot of the guys in the Duke program now, though.

Yeah, but I cheered for Duke. I mean even growing up, even though I was a North Carolina fan, I always respected Duke and what they accomplished and Coach K.  Now, I mean they have a lot of guys that I know and am close friends with too. I like Duke a lot.

So, you weren't one of those guys that felt they had to hate Duke because you liked North Carolina. Who, on the coaching staff, have you spoken with most?

Well, both Coach James and Coach K. Those are the two that I've spoken to most. I spoke with Coach K probably the most.

I saw Coach James watching you today. What have they said to you?

Yeah, I saw him too. They're very interested in me because, well, you know, um, they're highly interested in me and we'll go from there.

What do you feel that can immediately bring to a program?

Toughness. Definitely toughness. I'm not the fastest or biggest or strongest guy, but I'll out tough my defender and beat him with heart. My heart and toughness is as big as anyone's.

What's one thing that fans don't know about Nolan Smith?

That he and Mike Beasley are like my Godbrothers and mentors. He's helped me with my situation with my father as much as anyone. I'll always be grateful to him for that.

Yeah, I saw Nolan last night at the Wynn.  He's obviously helping the USA team, but I'm glad that he was so helpful to you. Thanks for your time, Quinn.

No problem. No problem.