This is the first of two interviews with Kyrie Irving from last weekend's Tournament of Champions event in the Triangle area. This entire interview is in high quality audio, a new feature to BDN Premium which we will continue to refine.
Our members will also receive updates from AAU and Duke events, and there will be plenty of free updates as well. Irving was quick to joke with the media as you will hear in the following interview.
Be sure to check out our new unique links section in the menu above. It's a great time to join Blue Devil Nation [private] Premium!
Hear Ray McCallums words for yourself at BDN Premium
The Duke Men's Basketball team has broadened their search for a point guard. In fact, they have cast a wider net in the future with recruiting in general. We'll talk more about the new approach later, but for now, we'll concentrate on Ray McCallum.
With a glaring opening at the point guard spot, Duke has narrowed it down to three kids in the class of 2010. McCallum is one of those three, and he possesses pure point guard skills. He is a very good passer and loves to have the ball in his hands. The young man loves to win and had some nice things to say about Duke in an interview conducted shortly after his Team Detroit's game in Cameron.
BDN will now bring you the audio from that interview. We lead the way with opening questions but others join in as the session goes on. We want you to hear this interview as it really went down and, around here, we do not use answers to others' questions with a made up question that was never asked. [private] Audio will allow you, the fan, to hear the truth. Much more coming your way today and throughout the weekend.
Click 'play' on the icon below to hear the interview:
Rodney Hood (6-6, 185, Meridan, MS, Class of 2011) - Hood likes to play facing the basket, looking for open lanes to slip through. He has a smooth stroke
Rodney Hood - BDN Photo
from the outside and a decent handle, but needs to play with more aggression. He disappeared for several minutes at a time during three games I took in at the TOC. Hood would put together a good half, only to score a bucket or less in the half. He plays fairly good defense and can help out when teammates are beat to the rim. There were two occasions where I saw him block what looked like easy lay ins from the side or behind the opponent. He is a true wing player that will likely get better with seasoning. He scored 23 points in a game I took in at the Boo Williams Invitational earlier in the AAU season. Prep Stars has rated Hood around the 20th best player in his class at the moment. With consistency, he can prove that rating valid for he has the tools necessary to become a good college player.
Rodney Hood! Tell me about your game?
I'm a competitor, I like to win and I do what it takes to win for my team. I'm like a slasher and shooter and I like to get my teammates involved.
Did you have a dream school growing up?
It was Duke. [private] When I was little I was a Duke fan back when Shane Battier was playing, but right now I really don't have one.
Is Duke actually recruiting you?
Yes sir. I've been able to talk to Nate James.
So, you will play in Cameron this weekend?
Actually, we are suppose to play there tomorrow.
Who will you look to when you get serious about choosing a school?
My Mom and Dad. My brother! He used to beat me up on the court all the time.
Which schools are recruiting you?
Georgia Tech, Baylor, Clemson, Duke, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Alabama and a few more.
How many of those schools have offered. Pretty much all of them except for Duke.
So, would you like an offer from them?
Yes sir. It would be a good accomplishment to get an offer from Duke. I'm just playing hard trying to get better in the summer.
How would you describe your game to someone who had never seen you play?
A competitor, I always go hard and I like to win. I can shoot, I can drive or pass it off. I can do a lot of things.
Andre Dawkins All Southern Invitational Team - BDN Photo
Blue Devil Nation Premium talked with Andre Dawkins before the championship game of the Hoop Group Southern Jam Fest.
Andre, you just erupted for 23 second half point to beat DC Assault and two future teammates Josh Hairston and Tyler Thornton. What are your thoughts on that?
You know, it was just a lot of fun. That's what the AAU circuit brings, you get to play against a lot of the guys you will in college and even those you may play with in college. So you know, it was just a lot of fun to go out there and play with those guys. Of course, after the game we were all back to normal but during the game inside those lines, we are enemies at that point.
Was there a little bit of friendly smack talk along the way? I saw Tyler and yourself doing a little bit of short grabbing along the way.
(smiling) [private] Yeah, yeah, you know all that stuff goes on, but it's just for fun. You know we all knew each other coming up a long time ago.
Tyler played pretty good defense on you early on where you had three points in the first half. You then erupted in the second for 23 points and got Thornton into foul trouble. Heck, you made 12 free throws in the second half alone.
I wasn't really hitting threes like I wanted to and when that's not working you have to attack the basket. He was in a little bit of foul trouble so I tried to post him up and get easy buckets or get fouled and knock down the free throws.
You have CP-3 for the championship game. They're pretty good - what are your thoughts going into that game?
They're athletic and so are we so it should be a good match up, so we just have to come out there and play our game.
You are known as the eternal, how should I put this, funny man and recruiter. Hairston said you like to goof on him a little bit out there.
Yeah, (smiling) just trying to have fun. You know we are young and just playing the game and it''s suppose to be fun.
How does it feel to be somewhat of a leader on a future team already, talking to prospects and such?
It's not something I really think about a lot, it's just something I do to have the best team I can possibly have in the 2010-11 season.
Are you still working on players like Harrison Barnes?
Oh definitely! Gotta work on Harrison.
What do you hope to work on the rest of the season?
I have been working on getting to the basket which I think has been evident in this tournament. I have to work on consistency in my shot becasue I don't want to be labeled as streaky. So, just consistency on my shot and driving the basket and getting fouls and things like that.
We're playing catch up with our weekend coverage from the Hoop Group Southern Invitational. We'll start it off with a dual interview with Josh Hairston and Tyler Thornton who are teammates for the D.C. Assault AAU team. Of course, both of these kids from the class of 2010 have already signed with the Blue Devils. The following interview took place after DCA's first two victories. They eventually lost to Boo Williams in the semi-final round. We well also have two separate interviews with the duo this week. Stay tuned in to BDN Premium for a packed week of the latest from the AAU trail.
The first two games are down as easy wins. Where do you guys go from here?
Tyler - That last game was one we needed. We've been having a rough spring trying to come back and get it together after our high school season. We've come in here with a purpose and are trying to win this thing and show people why we are the best team in the country.
Josh, do you feel like it was important for you guys to have been able to save your legs in the two wins?
Josh -Yes sir it was. Of course you want everybody to play and to get a whole lot of minutes. We knew we had put them out in the first half and just wanted to keep it going. We were able to then finish it out with a lot of our guys contributing.
Tyler, have you taken a look at the tournament field? Do you guys take a look and say like, well this Chris Paul team is going to be tough?
Tyler - We try to see who we possibly will match up with, but we take every game one at a time. You can't look past the competition or play to the level of the competition, we've got to always focus in for the next game and hopefully we'll be able to play some of those great teams from the area.
Josh, have you guys ever played Boo Williams?
[private] I played with them when I was fifteen and under, but I haven't played against them since.
Tyler, what do you think of a possible match up with them?
I think it would be a great game and hopefully we'll get a chance to match up with them.
Would you guys bump (jokingly) your future teammate around (Andre Dawkins)?
Tyler - Hmmm, of course (smiling)
You would put him in the middle of you?
Tyler - Yeah ....
Are you guys keeping up with Duke recruiting?
Tyler -Yes sir, we know they've got some targets.
Where will you guys go from here?
Tyler - We'll go down to Bob Gibbons and after that I will work out with Nolan Smith a little bit.
Where does Curtis Malone come in to play here?
Tyler - Curtis is the big man, he's up at the top of D.C. Assault. He's the boss. He makes sure we get to the tournaments like this, that our gear is right and takes care of everything.
I saw Curtis at the recent awards banquet and he seemed to be having a good time hanging out, talking with Nate Dogg and such. Y'all do know who Nate Dogg is, right?
Yeah, yeah. (smiling)
They call him Dogg ...
Yeah, I know (smiling).
Have you ever seen his dog?
Tyler (Still laughing) Naw, not yet. (Josh laughing int he background)
Wait until you see it. It's a Mastiff ... I don't think I want to see it. He obviously doesn't want any friends. Maybe it's that nice looking new wife he has. (joking)
Tyler - Yeah, I think that might be it.
When is the last time you guys talked with anybody from Duke?
Tyler - Actually, it was last week. He called me from California where he was doing promotions for his book.
Josh - I talked to Coach Wojo last week and had a good conversation. I hadn't talked to any of them for a while so we just caught up on some things.
What do you guys have to say to the Blue Devil Nation?
Tyler - Me personally, I'm looking forward to going down there and trying to get a national championship. That's out main purpose and our main goal is to work hard and with the team and get a national championship.
Josh - Same for me. I can't wait to get down there and we are going to try to do everything we can to win the national championship. [/private]
BDN deals in facts, not rumors. Everybody wants to know the latest on John Wall and what is going on in his camp. I talked with Brian Clifton last evening and he broke down the process of the hottest recruiting battle in the nation. If you are not a member of BDN Premium, then you're simply missing the best Duke subscription service available.
Will John Wall trim his list? [private] Maybe not according to Clifton. At this point all the teams may be in there until the end.
Baylor - That's where Clifton preferred John Wall to go. The reasoning was that he could be with his brother, but Clifton admitted that it would raise some eyebrows and that Wall is not seriously considering them.
"I will go where John Wall goes," said Clifton. No matter where John Wall goes, Clifton will be there with him. This has already been discussed with Wall's Mom, who gave her blessing.
How will Wall's choice affect his D-One program? Clifton said he had a good staff and could run it from afar, but he also mentioned that it would be nice to stay in the area and that he preferred that. Still, he would go wherever he needs to go for the benefit of Wall.
"The process is flawed," said Clifton. He mentioned that coaches could only meet with John one time officially and that all they could do now was send e-mails and such. He feels a prospect needs more time to evaluate what a coach is really like, meaning he might realize more from extended contacts bettering relationships.
"He's what's important and it is important that he feels that," said Clifton. This means he wants to support Wall's decision.
Making a wise choice - Clifton wants to make sure that Wall examines all angles of the possibilities at hand.
How important is proximity to home for Wall? It's not at the top of the list. Wall knows he will have Clifton no matter where he goes.
Kentucky - Wall loves Calipari and has talked to him the most, but there is a question as to whether it's the best situation for John.
Florida - Glowing reviews for Florida where Clifton knows Donovan personally and his brother played for Larry Shyatt.
Miami - "They have some good players down there," said Clifton. He admitted there were worse places to spend a year than South Beach.
Duke - "They've got some good players," said Clifton, who then rattled off the names on the roster. Also mentioned was Ryan Kelly who is a D-One product. Wall and Kelly were a one-two punch last season.
Will Wall visit Duke again? "Maybe, we'll see," said Clifton, who then went on to say that John feels like he has enough information to make a decision. They have gathered a lot of information and continue to go over it.
Tough question - Would Wall have already committed had you not been involved as a mentor? "John is an emotional guy. He would have probably committed twice already."
Tough question two - Would Wall have already committed to Kentucky if it were not for taking a long look at the process? "Probably."
Another fact about Wall - He likes to please the people around him.
When will a decision be made - "Who knows," said Clifton.
SAT Scores - "We feel real good about the test he took this past Saturday," said a confident Clifton.
There is more which I will discuss on the message board after this weekend's tournament coverage. To read too much into these statements would be unwise, but this is the very latest information out there on Wall from a person very, very close to him. [/private]
BDN deals in facts, not rumors. Everybody wants to know the latest on John Wall and what is going on in his camp. I talked with Brian Clifton last evening and he broke down the process of the hottest recruiting battle in the nation. If you are not a member of BDN Premium, then you're simply missing the best Duke subscription service available.
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