Marshall Plumlee shows up at the N.C. Pro Am where he plays with his brother Mason. Rick Crank Photo, may not be used without permission from photographer or BDN
DURHAM, N.C. - When Marshall Plumlee committed to Duke we were tipped off that he would not go to Las Vegas but instead would spend time with his brothers on campus thorugh August. BDN caught up with Marshall during last evenings N.C. Pro Am event where he played alongside his brother Mason. Marshall played as if he belonged on the court showing off his ability to run the hardwood and in the process scored 12 points which included a nice alley oop from Mason which ended in an emphatic dunk. Listen to Marshall as he opens up about why he chose Duke and shares details for the first time about how that went down. Stay tuned for our nightly Pro Am article [private] as well.
BDN will be checking out Alex Murphy and many others as we cover Indy and LeBron James Skills Academy this week and the Peach Jam the following week. Be sure to check out our latest offerings and ask yourself why not join BDN Premium and judge our subscriptin service for your self. Our trial offer ends in one week. BDN Photo
What a great time to be a Duke fan, huh? Kickoff to football is two months away and we can still wallow in the joy of a national championship as the summer moves on. It's getting warm this time of year and that means BDN Premium will be red hot in the coming months. We brought you the latest from Quincy Miller today and have Deuce Bello coming by evening.
But that is only the start folks! Our resident recruiting analyst Andrew Slater will be on the road this week to cover both the Adidas event in Indianapolis and the LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio. I'm pretty sure no other sites place the focus we do on true Duke prospects at these events. I will be heading to the Peach Jam the following week, so rest assured, BDN Premium is the place to be for updates, interviews and analogy being issued daily.
While Andrew takes in the measurements and skills drills at LeBron James camp in just a few hours, I will prep for more NC Pro Am coverage tomorrow all of which remains in the free section. BDN has long supported and covered the event and has proven this is the place to be in July time and time again. We hope to get our football coverage going again as well making this undoubtedly the busiest time of the year for us. Coach Cutcliffe and his staff's recruiting class is really starting to take shape and we want to share that with the nation.
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Quincy Miller drives to the basket during the NC Pro Am. BDN Premium caught up with Quincy and we got his thoughts on his Team USA experience, the recruiting process. Miller had some nice things to say about Kyrie Irving as well, but you will need premium access to read the entire interview. Join BDN Premium today as recruiting heats up along with our AAU event coverage. Photo copyright Rick Crank and BDN Photo
Basketball is a way of life for Duke prospect Quincy Miller who participated in the NC Pro Am at North Carolina Central University this past Thursday evening. Fresh off a flight from San Antonio, where he helped Team USA go undefeated, Miller made his way onto the court where he was facing a much more talented team full of North Carolina Tar Heels. Pealing out of his Team USA gear,Miller got his in just one half of play. But his team was down by 20 when he joined them and that was way too big of a deficit to overcome. Miller would later nail three, three pointers where he filled in for one half on another team. BDN talked with Miller and got his thoughts on his USA experience, the recruiting process and his plans for the near future in our latest premium access offering.
You just got back from San Antonio where you played with Team USA. What was that experience like for you?
The experience was really good for me. I played great defense and was probably one of the best defensive players on my team. It was really nice.
You mentioned that you bonded well with Kyrie Irving earlier.
Kyrieis my boy, we hit it off really well. I roomed with Kyrie Irving, Austin Rivers and [private] Patrick Young. It went real well an we developed good relationships and I think they could last for a long time.
You went up against your friend in Deuce Bello tonight. What was that like?
I mean I know what he can do and he knows what I can do, so we know each other well.
You just scored 15 or 16 points in the second half ...
Yeah, I just got back from San Antonio,so I fot here late.
You're proudly wearing Team USA gear as well.
I am proud.
You had good moves in that game ...
I wished I could have played longer becasue I think I could have helped my team win a game
I noticed you talking and manevering players on the court. I don't think I've seen you do that like you did tonight.
I was just playing with the USA team and that helped me a lot. So I know what I need to do to get to the next level and maybe the level after that. O like helping other players and making those around me better.
Where will your D-One AAU team go from here?
Indianapolis and then Vegas.
Will you be able to play again with AAU events coming up?
I will play a couple of more games here.
What's your school list looking like these days?
Wake Forest, Kentucky, Syracuse, Duke, Memphis, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Ohio State
But you're in no hurry to make a decision, still, right?
Yeah, I'm taking my time. I'm feeling out all the programs and their coaches and see where it leads.
Will you take a look at the players you will be playing with? If so, how important is something like that?
That's real important. I want to play with guys who want to win and get better. I'm trying to win a championship.
I'm just going to come in and do my thing.Do you have any favorites at this time?
Naw, not yet. Nobody is sticking out yet.
Ohio State is new to your list. Did they just come in?
Yeah. And Louisville came in recently.
Some are saying that Kentucky and Duke might be the early leaders.
No not really. I just knew players at Kentucky and players from Duke, so I was like around those two teams from players I knew.
What areas of your game need work?
Stronger and faster, you know me, I just want to work on everything.
You played for another team just now and nailed in three, three pointers and had a dunk.
Yeah. I have been working on it. I was able to play one haldfor them, but we're leaving now.
Yeah, I chatted with Deuce and Brian Clifton earlier. Take care and good luck.
We continue our coverage from this past weekends NBAPA Top 100 Camp by getting to know west coast prospect Norman Powell.
Norman, you're one of the top prospects in the country here at the NBAPA Camp. Can you talk about the experience thus far?
The experience here so far? I really like it, you learn the little stuff which helps you get to the next level because the competition is as good as you are. So you try and learn the little things which make you better. I'm getting a lot out of the skills development. Every time there is a chance I can get in the gym, I'm in there. Working with a coach or trainer or whoever, I am in the gym two or three times a day.
Suppose somebody had never seen you play. How would you describe your game in your own words?
I'm a fast break guy, athletic, contribute, create, score, drive and kick, aggressive, loves to go to the basket.
Let's talk about the recruiting process for a moment. What schools are seeking your services at this time?
Right now? Arizona State, Arizona, UCLA, USC, UTEP, Washington State, Kansas and Oregon.
That's a lot of west coast schools. Would you ever consider going east?
Yes, yeah.
Are you interested in any ACC schools?
I'm actually interested to see if Duke is interested in me. I'm trying to work very hard and get them interested. So maybe they would offer me sometime soon.
Have you talked to anyone from Duke?
Not yet. The communication goes through my AAU and high school coach.
When will you get serious about your collegiate decision?
After July. I don't plan to make a decision until after my senior season. I'll wait and see what develops.
Do you watch or pattern your game after and players be it NBA or college?
Kobe, LeBron, Jennings, Wall, the main players. I just want to develop my skills.
Growing up it was USC. My uncle is a big USC fan as is my family.
Really my uncle got me in the gym working out. I wasn't that good growing up but I kept working and have a feel for the game. He worked on getting me trainers and getting me into AAU. That's what I consider my love for the game.
Do you have what you consider to be a go-to move?
Tim Hardaway step back, three in the face.
Five seconds left in the game, your team down two, the ball in your hands. What are you going to do?
Top of the key. It goes in no matter what, I practice and hit that shot all the time.
A little background ...
I grew up in San Diego, Cali. I love competition going at people. I don't ever back down, bigger, smaller, bring it, caring, open to learn. It's school first and basketball second. I am in a study group and my mom works wi.h me.
Thanks for your time and good luck.
Thanks
Coming - Marcus Paige, Perry Ellis, Rodney Purvis [/private]
Many of the prospects on hand this weekend were trying to impress the Duke Football staff to earn an offer - Rick Crank, BDN Photo
There were a few surprised faces on the kids and prospects who attended this past Saturday's Duke Football Camp. It would be easy to think the scorching heat and humidity was the culprit, and yes sweat indeed played a role. The sweat came from the crop of talent going through the various stations of drills being conducted by the football staff. In short, the coaches worked their butts off and you could see the surprise in the faces of some of the prospects as the day wore on.
Coach Cutcliffe is always quick to tell you that he is looking for kids who can run and that was evident as he peered out from his golf cart, concentrating on a drill which not only tested speed but the cutting ability and reaction time. As the day progressed, Cutcliffe would go from station to station while his competent staff barked out signals and suggestions.
If a prospect was caught walking to a station or back to the line after a drill they were quickly met with the sound of a coach telling them that their actions wouldn't cut it at Duke. This in turn brought out the best in some of the kids while others learned quickly that Duke Football practices and conditioning is no joke.
The camp will continue this weekend and each year that Cutcliffe has been at Duke, the numbers of attendees swell. Duke Football is being taken seriously in Durham and if you attend the camp as a participant or parent looking on, this is evident.
The Blue Devil Nation will be checking in with some of the prospects and their thoughts on the camp this week. Among the prospects holding offers who attended this past weekend's session were Desmond Floyd [Union HS 6-4, DE], Cameron Clear [Memorial Central 6-6 TE], Marc Mustoe [Avada West HS, CO 6-6 OL], Kyler Kerbyson [Knoxville Catholic 6-4.5 DL], and Michael Cooper [Woodlands HS, TX 6-5 DE/TE].
Other offers have been tendered as well and you can learn of those on our premium message board which is for BDN Premium members. Stay tuned for more on Duke Football Recruiting.
Elton Brand returns to Duke - BDN Photo, Rick Crank
DURHAM - BDN caught up to Elton Brand during the Coach K Academy and got his thoughts on his return to Duke and his future with the Philadelphia Sixers [76'ers]. We had a one on one interview save a few questions from folks who interrupted the conversation mid stream. We'll be talking more with Brand in the coming months, so look for an extended interview down the road. Please forgive the background noise in the audio tape and we'll be returning to print with the interviews in the future. Next up - One on one with Chris Collins
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