What an exciting time of year this has been for Duke fans. Coach K has returned from London with his blokes in tow -- that's assistants Chris Collins and Steve Wojciechowski, mate -- and with Gold. And football is just two weeks away from kickoff ...
You need a map and compass to keep up with the various appearances Mike Krzyzewski has been making since he returned from the other side of the pond. Amazingly, Coach was the first one in the Duke Basketball offices the day after he got back, which is a testament to his dedication and hard work. Here at BDN, we're still trying to figure out ways of saying thanks for all that he does.
Meet the Devils goes off tomorrow at the Paschall Field House at around 6:00 PM. Paschal is the new facility in the end zone of Wallace Wade, and once you see it you will know that Duke Football is making the necessary moves to compete in the increasingly difficult ACC. This is a serious facility. Free posters, refreshments, drawings for prizes and such will take place. It's a great time to meet the football team in an "up close and personal" environment, and you'll be able to take pictures with your favorite players as well. Come on out if you can!
Staying with the pigskin, check out this in-depth question and answer feature on theACC Sports Journalweb site, where BDN Football Analyst Patrick Cacchio chats with Jim Young about the Duke program and this year's team. Jim made no bones about putting Patrick on the hot seat, and our man predicts a 5-7 season against a pretty dern tough schedule, both in and out of conference. For instance, Duke has to face Florida State and Clemson from the other division, while UNC gets Maryland and Wake Forest.
The pressure is already building for the opener against Florida International, who returns 18 starters from a season ago, when they went to the Beef O'Brady's Bowl. The Panthers dominate the Phil Steele Preview Magazine's All-Sun Belt pre-season team, with 10 players on first or second team. In last season's meeting down in Miami, the Panthers badly outgained Duke in total yardage, but the Blue Devils prevailed because they did not turn the ball over and they capitalized on FIU's only turnover to pull it out late by the score of 31-27. Undoubtedly seeking revenge, the Panthers will have their ears pinned back and be ready to rumble; in many circles FIU will be considered the favorite. It will be a heck of an early test for the Devils, and they'll need Wallace Wade to be packed and ready.
Patrick also has an interview up where he recaps the latest Duke verbal commitment, California running back Joseph Ageigbe. This is verbal number fifteen for the program, which really does seem headed in the right direction.
With all of that going on, Andrew Slater's latest interviews have been flying a bit under the radar at BDN Premium. Slater has set the gold standard when it comes to getting to know these hoops prospects. One recent post profiles The Rockwell Rifleman, Austin Grandstaff who is a young combo guard out of the Dallas area that we talked to at the Nike Peach Jam and then followed up with in Las Vegas. Then there's the Rebel with a Future, KavonLooney, a good-looking prospect from Milwaukee who has been catching the eyes of many scouts. There is also Explosive Potential-An interview with Robert Hubbs focussing on the Tennessee wing who continues his rise in the rankings, and finally the star wing out of Houston is profiled in And Justise for All-The Justise Winslow interview. As a paying subscriber you have full access to all of these articles and can talk recruiting and more on our members-only message board, where you will get all the latest scoop.
BDN will cover today's closed session football scrimmage and we'll have photos galore. Be sure to check out the previous pictures from Photo Day here and we will be adding more as time allows.
6'9" Duke Recruit Elijah Thomas of Texas, Photo by Andrew Slater
After putting in the hard work to lose a significant amount of weight, Elijah Thomas, at nearly 6'9" and 235 pounds, has seen his game and recruitment take off. With soft hands, a strong upper body, good feet, a fundamentally sound low-post game, a relatively soft touch, and a competitive streak on both ends of the court, the young, Dallas-area wide body was a force to deal with at the 16-and-under level for Nike Team Texas this summer.
Texas Big Man Elijah Thomas of Nike Team Texas, Photo by Andrew Slater
While he suffered some tendinitis earlier in the year, by the time of the Nike Peach Jam in July, he had recovered and was ready to impress. At that prestigious event, Eli turned in some dominating performances, including one where he registered 35 points, 20 rebounds, and four blocks. Duke Assistant Coach Jeff Capel, who helped develop NBA All-Star Blake Griffin at Oklahoma, was front and center to watch this young big man compete.
In both AAU (with Nike Team Texas) and in high school ball with Rockwall High School in suburban Dallas, Elijah plays with combo guard and friend Austin Grandstaff. They were named co-newcomers of the year for their district of Texas. In addition to working on traditional basketball skills, Eli and Austin have worked together with trainer Tyler Relph to improve their strength and conditioning, which Eli, a friend of incoming Duke guard Matt Jones, credits for improving his stamina in games. The Texas duo will soon visit Duke.
How do you feel that you played this summer?
Well, I started off a little slow because I had growth tendinitis in my knees. So, I was playing hurt.
How is that now?
Oh, it's completely fine now. I got some help for it. I went to therapy for it. The therapy helped me to work it out and now it's fine now. Then, we played in the Peach Jam.
[private]
I heard that you played very well down there.
Yeah, I played pretty out there and I feel pretty good about how I've played lately. Sometimes I can get upset with the calls or my playing, but as long as we get the wins, I'm good.
Which schools are recruiting you right now?
Duke, Texas A & M, Kansas, Nebraska, LSU, Colorado, Texas, Rice, Arizona, UCLA, and North Texas.
That's quite a lot. Have you taken any visits yet? Do you have any visits planned?
Oklahoma and Texas A & M. That's the only ones that I can think of right now.
Do you have any planned in the future?
I think that they said that we're supposed to visit Duke, but I'm not completely sure of when we're going.
What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses at this point?
My strengths are playing down low, playing with my back to the basket, rebounding, blocking shots, and hitting my free throws. My weaknesses are my stamina and staying in the game by staying out of foul trouble. I've gotten better, but it's still something that I need to work on.
What has it been like for you playing with Austin (Grandstaff) both here with Nike Team Texas and in high school?
Oh, it's always been fun. We've always been friends for a long time. We came out on the same team in eighth grade and so it's always been our thing.
You have good chemistry together.
Oh, yes, sir.
Who do you try to model your game after? Is there a particular player?
In the NBA?
Sure.
Well, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Garnett, like the little things…maybe a little of Zach Randolph.
So, generally, you like the athletically gifted, skilled big guys
Yes, sir.
What are trying to work on most right now?
My shooting, my athleticism.
What type of shooting? Free throws? Straight facing up from the mid-range?
Yeah, straight up shooting and my turn-arounds too, but, yeah, I'm mostly working on concentrating on my jumper and my athleticism, and improving my quickness.
Who is the best player that you've faced so far?
So far . . . I don't know his name, but there's this kid that we played from a team in Waco that probably had like fifty points on us. I'm sorry I can't remember his name, but he pounded us.
Don't worry about that. What are your goals for next season, both individually and as a team?
To get better and to play as a team. Hopefully, we'll improve and get stronger. To grow.
I saw that you made all-district and were the newcomer of the year.
Yes, sir.
The first school that you mentioned before was Duke and you later mentioned that you'll be visiting them. What have they expressed to you in terms of their interest?
Well, I got a letter and they talk to Coach Wes all the time. They say that they'd like us to come out there. They came to watch us at the Peach Jam when I had like thirty-five points and like twenty-one rebounds in a big game.
So, they were really interested after they saw your performance at the Peach Jam.
Yes, sir.
What do you know about the school overall?
Well, my friend, Matthew Jones, is going to be playing there. He's told me that it's a really good school.
He's a nice kid and player.
Yes, he is.
Before, you were mentioning that you were planning on improving your conditioning. What specifically have you been working on, in terms of strength and conditioning?
Well, we work on it at our gym with our trainer all the time. We haven't been able to work as much as we'd like because of all of the travel and everything, but when the opportunity comes..
In August and September.
Yes, sir, we'll be going hard and making the most of our opportunity.
What's your current size?
I'm about 6'9" and 235.
Your feet move better than I expected. How would you assess your defense at this point? You've giving an honest effort on both ends. What kind of impact do you hope to have on the defensive end of the ball?
Well, I've been trying to stay on my toes a little bit longer and really be active when I'm out there. You know, really bring it! The thing that I've got to work on is to try to stay out of foul trouble. It doesn't help us if I'm on the bench with foul trouble or anything. It's been progressing though. I've gotta stay out of a little bit of foul trouble.
Just out of curiosity, but, between your size and feet, has anyone recruited you for football?
No, not really, sir. I'm not too interested in playing football. I used to do it a little bit, but that was just to stay in shape.
What position do you prefer to play in basketball?
I guess power forward. I play power forward in the summer and center during the school year.
What would you like the audience to know about you away from the court?
I'm a big kid. I like to laugh and joke and play video games. I like to hang out.
You seem pretty happy.
Oh, yes, sir, I'm a happy kid.
Are you in a rush to decide on a college?
Oh, no, I've got to get my game to where I want it to be first, I think.
Who do you turn to for guidance whenever you make big decisions?
My mother and my coaches, both my AAU coaches and my high school coach. Those are the people that I usually turn to.
What will be some factors in your decision, whenever you do decide?
Just them developing my game and helping to make me a better player, winning, playing, getting stronger. Well, just honestly winning and playing, not worrying about anything else too much. That's about it.
Sure. What would you say is your best basketball memory so far?
Probably that game at the Peach Jam. I played great and Coach Calipari was there to see me. Duke was there. North Carolina and Georgetown were there. It was a classic game.
What's your favorite NBA or college team?
My favorite NBA team is the Knicks. My favorite college is, well . . . now that Jeremy Lin is gone. I don't know so I guess Kentucky. I kinda like them and how they play I guess.
Who else are you close with on the circuit?
Who am I friends with?
Yes.
Mickey . . . Mickey Mitchell. I guess that's about all I can think of right now.
Well, he's good.
Yes, sir.
By the way, do you prefer Elijah or Eli? I hear them calling you both.
After leading Team USA to consecutive Olympic gold medals, Coach Mike Krzyzewski, along with assistant coaches Chris Collins and Steve Wojociechowski will return home to Durham at approximately 5:30 PM today, arriving at Terminal 2.
It should be easy to write about Coach K and his career, right? Well, it isn't. The problem with writing about Coach Krzyzewski and his vast and varied accomplishments is the sheer volume of them. And this Duke beat guy has seen them all, from the day in 1980 the relative unknown was first introduced as the next coach of Duke Basketball to his righting the ship for the national program and leading our country to those consecutive gold medals.
I cannot even begin to list all the successes he has enjoyed in between, be it all the thrilling victories on the court -- he does have the most wins in the history of college basketball and four national championships -- or all that I have seen him do behind the scenes as a steward for the game of basketball, not to mention the genuine caring he has for his fellow human beings.
Frankly, my head swims when I go to beat out words trying to capture this man, for his career is still fluid, still a work in progress, and that means the train keeps a-rolling. That roll has been nothing short of amazing, and it's a ride I feel fortunate in having shared. While I didn't go to London to cover his latest golden achievement, I was there in spirit, and the tension I felt was due to my so wanting him to succeed.
Coach K is more than just the Duke coach now. He's the man who changed the culture of a USA Basketball program that, frankly, was struggling. He's the coach that got rich and famous athletes to put their substantial egos aside and come together for a greater cause, that being the red, white and blue. He's a coach that has acted as an ambassador for the game, challenging silly rules and seeking constant betterment of the game he loves.
If Mr. Naismith himself were alive today, he'd have been proud of what Coach K has given back to the game he created. Even one of the most famous coaches ever to grace the hardwood, his one time rival Dean Smith, the legendary coach of North Carolina said, "There is nobody who can connect with the players better than Coach K."
When Jerry Conalgelo went searching for the right coach to lead USA Basketball back to its spot atop the basketball world, he made the call to Krzyzewski. The coach responded, in his words almost jumping through the phone for the opportunity. There was never a second thought for Krzyzewski, who is a patriot in every sense of the word. Nothing, not even Duke Basketball, would keep him from serving his country. At the time, Krzyzewski was an extremely experienced and accomplished college coach, but he quickly developed relationships with all the nation's top players, and the rest is history.
My vantage from Blue Devil Nation has provided me an opportunity to see many sides of Krzyzewski over the years, and to learn many lessons. I have rarely missed a chance to talk with him when that time presented itself. I have many stories I will share one day when the time is right, but one thing the Duke head man has taught me is to not bask in the accomplishments to date, for the story has yet to be finished.
True to his word, when he is asked to reflect on his records and achievements, Coach Krzyzewski will quickly deflect the question, and for good reason. He is not a man that wants to rest on his laurels. He's a man who still has plenty of hunger and love for the game of basketball. Even now, somewhere over the Atlantic on his flight back to the Triangle, Coach is likely to have been charting out recruiting plans with his assistants, while reviewing his 2012-13 roster and preparing for fall practice.
And that's the beauty of it all to his fans, be they fans of the Blue Devils or of the U.S.A., or both. Krzyzewski is not finished.
It's been a busy off-season for Duke point guard Quinn Cook. Be it the sweltering nights at the North Carolina Pro-Am or some real road games in Eastern Europe, Cook has been playing a lot of basketball. To Blue Devils fans' delight, he is clearly improving his game, and that is what many had hoped for this summer. Only time will tell if those improvements translate into a starting position in the fall, but there certainly is reason to think he has a good shot at earning that spot. We'll talk more about Cook a bit down the road, but until then here is a video interview we did with him just before the championship game of the N.C. Pro-Am:
6'5" Duke Recruit Robert Hubbs III of Newbern, TN, Photo by Andrew Slater
"Basketball never stops" is a current marketing slogan from Nike, but it also describes the kinetic lifestyle of elite prospects like potential All-American Robert Hubbs III. It's the price a young man pays for going from a local prospect to a regional target to a national recruit. This Saturday, Robert will be playing in the Big Strick Classic on 138th street in Manhattan, after scrimmaging the night before at the courts of Dyckman Park. It's more than one thousand miles away from his hometown of Newbern, Tennessee, a small town less than a two hour drive north of Memphis. For Hubbs, a high-scoring wing with a disarming smile, this is the culmination of a four month cross-country tour that has seen him raise his profile nationally, while garnering awards and hard earned college scholarships from programs such as Duke University.
As part of the coaching staff with both Dyer County High School and M33M AAU program, Robert Hubbs II has been working very closely with his now 6'5" 190 lb. son on skill development and helping to build his core strength. They work on taking roughly two hundred and fifty jump shots per day. It has enabled Robert, always an explosive athlete, to have the confidence to take deep three-pointers and it has forced defenders not to play as far off of him as they did in the past, when they primarily feared his penchant for attacking the rim.
In April, at the Jack Jones Shootout at the Briarcrest Christian School, Coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke University saw Robert Hubbs III for the first time and, within days, the United States Men's Olympic basketball coach formally offered the rising senior an opportunity to be a Duke Blue Devil. Hubbs, a Lakers and Kobe Bryant fan, has steadily seen his rankings rise as he's performed well at such events as the Real Deal in the Rock in Arkansas, the Reebok Breakout Challenge in Philadelphia, the Best Buy Classic in Minneapolis, and, most recently, at the Fab 48 in Las Vegas.
Forming a potent one-two punch with friend and fellow Duke recruit 6'9" Austin Nichols, the M33M tandem utilized the pick-and-roll and high-low passing game effectively and consistently. Defensively, Nichols, a skilled, highly athletic forward from Colliersville, Tennessee, also provided shot-blocking with his 7'2" wingspan, while Robert Hubbs gave Coach Ernie Kuyper of M33M the coveted defensive versatility of being able to guard all three perimeter positions with his athleticism and length. Austin Nichols magnanimously said of his running mate, "Oh, he’s a great player. He can run, he can jump, he can shoot the ball. He’s a great ball-handler. He’s just a great player overall. He’s been great to play with."
Hubbs will be sitting down with his mother, Lesia, and father, Robert II, soon and trimming his list of potential destinations for college, but he'd like to play in front of a passionate fan base, as he has grown accustomed to with the Dyer County HS Chippewa, and compete for a National Championship.
We spoke about the recruiting process, his rapid ascent, playing with Austin Nichols, his explosiveness, and working with his father.
For others who haven’t seen you play, how would you describe your game?
I like to attack the rim, get players involved, and make everybody, including myself, involved.
[private]
Jeff Borzello: What schools are coming after you hard right now?
A lot of SEC schools and couple of ACC schools.
Jason Hickman: What schools have offered you?
Really, all of them. Well, all of the SEC schools, except for Kentucky and LSU. Duke has offered me, Oklahoma State has offered me. A whole lot of them really. Gonzaga.
JB:Who’s coming at you hardest?
Probably Tennessee.
JH: Has Auburn moved up higher on your list since they hired Ryan Miller as their coach?
Well, you know, Auburn is a good school, but I’m still wide open right now. I’m just taking it day by day.
Which visits have you taken and what ones do you have planned?
I’ve been to Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Memphis, and Tennessee. I don’t have any officially planned yet. I don’t know yet.
Jason Hickman: When would you say was the point where you felt the attention coming towards you? Was there a turning point?
I would say in the middle of my junior year. I don’t know if there was a specific event, I just kept playing basketball with the guys and just trying to get better every day.
JB: What are you looking for in a school?
Championship contender, fast-paced, a team that you know can get up and down. I want to win some ball games.
I saw you here last year. How has it been for you playing with Austin?
It’s amazing. We’ve got great chemistry, we do a lot of pick-and-roll stuff. He’s a pick-and-roll guy.
I like the nastiness that he showed here.
Yeah, yeah. So do I. (laughs) We work well together, we just play hard every day.
Obviously, there are some schools that are looking at the both of you. Have you thought about playing together in college? Have you talked about it? What do you think the odds are?
We’ve talked about it. I mean, it’s just a different thing for me and him.
Your handle has improved to the point where you can play more than one position. You can bring some versatility to a staff or a team. Where do you view yourself as a preferred position if you have a choice?
I see myself as a two. I’d like to play a two or a three, but I prefer the two.
What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
Well, my strengths are, you know, I’m an attacker. I’m a long-range shooter.
Well, you had a lucky bounce on that forty-footer.
(laughs) Yeah, well, my dad always tells me to shoot deep because that’s the only way you’ll learn.
What are you trying to work on?
I’m trying to work on my strength. That’s about it.
Is there a guy you try to model your game after?
Um, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, one of them.
You mentioned your range, but you look more comfortable shooting the ball.
I’ve been working a lot on shooting and training my shots since last year. I really used to not jump high enough on my shot. I think that’s helped with my shot. It’s helped my confidence.
Well, you have such explosion.
Mmm hmm.
Do you do a lot of repetitions? Do you take a lot of shots?
Yeah, I always take a lot of shots. I take a lot of shots with my dad. I take about 250 shots with my dad.
Did your dad play at all?
Yeah, he did.
In college, too?
Yeah, in high school and then at an Arkansas college.
That’s good.
Yeah, yeah.
The two schools that seem to come up a lot with you are Tennessee and Duke. What’s the appeal of each? We’ll start with Tennessee.
Well, Tennessee, they go to a lot of my games, so I like it. I mean, it’s a good school. Duke is one of the best schools of all time, the best coach in Coach K.
Coach James is here.
Yeah, yeah, Coach K is..
A little busy right now.
Yeah. It’s a good school.
What would you like to see from the programs before you decide on it? What do you hope to find in the programs that you ultimately decide upon? Do you have sort of a checklist? Like factors in your decision.
First, an education. I’d really like a good fan base school. I’d like passionate fans at every game. I’d like to see fans in the stands.
You’d like to see it packed?
I’d like to see passionate fans and stuff.
I was reading about how your fans at your high school, Dyer County, are really passionate and hyped. Is that true? I heard they travel around with you.
Oh, yeah, man, I got fans that travel around wherever we go, whether it’s high school or AAU. They go everywhere. I’m fortunate.
Who are some people that you will turn to for guidance, whenever you do make a decision? I assume your father. Who else?
My mom and my dad, really. Nobody really else.
That’s probably best.
Yeah.
You talked a little bit about it before, but what do you sort of think about all of this attention since you’ve exploded onto the scene? It’s so much more than last year. It’s got to be a lot to take in.
I really don’t think about it. I just try to go out there and play hard every day, be the best player I can, and move forward.
How do you account for the improvement? Is it a matter of things coming together or maturity?
I don’t know. I really don’t know, man.
When did Duke start recruiting you?
They started recruiting me at the end of April, I think. After the Real Deal. I don’t know exactly.
How did it happen? Did Coach K see you?
Well, you know, we won the tournament and I played real well.
Can you give a scouting report on Austin (Nichols)?
He’s just like a good big man, you know. He’s a pick-and-roll guy. He defends the rim and scores the baskets.
What are you working on most right now? A lot of shooting? What’s going on in terms of your workouts?
I’d say outside of getting ready for high school basketball, I’m just working on speed and getting stronger.
Do you do a lot of running?
Yeah.
Who’s been the toughest opponent for you so far?
The toughest opponent I’ve ever faced is probably Jabari Parker, I would say, at the USA tryouts. Yeah, I would have to say Jabari Parker.
How would you assess your defense at this point? I think you’ve improved that since last year. You’ve always had the athleticism, but you seem more committed this year than last year.
I really feel comfortable guarding everybody from the 1 through 3, or even the 1 through 4 if I have to. I’ve just tried to work on my body so I could work against a smaller guard, then build it up so I can play against a bigger one too.
Defensive versatility.
Mmm Hmm.
What about your handle?
That’s one thing I try to work on a lot. It’s something that I’ve always got to concentrate on. You’ve gotta be able to dribble the ball anywhere. When I go with my dad to the gym or whatever, I work out.
That’s what I told somebody else that the kid’s handle has improved so much from last year, that now he feel comfortable being able to dribble anywhere around the court.
Yeah.
A kid in the stands wanted me to ask you what your vertical is? He heard that it was forty-eight inches.
(laughs) I really don’t know. I mean they measured it at the Reebok camp, but really didn’t tell me. (laughs)
I'm not sure about that forty-eight inches, but, it’s gotta be huge, though.
Yeah, yeah. (laughs)
Where do you think you got that explosiveness from? Genetics? Your father's work?
I guess both my dad and the weight room. I just work a lot on explosiveness. We do a lot of drills to make me jump higher.
What’s your favorite NBA team? Are you a Grizzlies fan? You were wearing that Miami Heat shirt.
No, I’m a Lakers man. I’m a big Kobe guy.
What would you like the audience to know about you away from the court?
I’m a very quiet guy, you know. I don’t go out...I stay at home and I play video games.
Yeah, sure. What’s your favorite basketball memory?
I really don’t know.
What’s your current size?
6’5 ½,” 190.
What would you like to be in terms of your body by the time you’re ready for college?
6’6” to 6'7" 210.
You mentioned before about speed, but in terms of strength and conditioning, what are you working on most? Maybe tell people about your regimen.
Well, in terms of strength, I go to the weight room..a lot. I do a lot of types of drills and stuff. Fast-paced, you know, getting stronger.
What’s your timeline in terms of making a decision?
I thought about November, but it’s really in God’s hands. We’ll let Him work it out.
What an exciting time of year this has been for Duke fans. Coach K has returned from London with his blokes in tow -- that's assistants Chris Collins and Steve Wojciechowski, mate -- and with Gold. And football is just two weeks away from kickoff ...
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