Ouch: Analyst snubs three Duke basketball freshmen
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On3 national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw revealed his ranking of the top 10 freshmen in the ACC on Monday, specifying projected "impact" next season as his primary measuring stick. While the list contains four Duke basketball rookies, including the two on top, three heralded Blue Devils were either absent or surprisingly low.
Five-star center Dereck Lively II, who finished No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite and is all but a lock to start at the five-spot under first-year head coach Jon Scheyer, somehow ranks only No. 9 in Shaw's eyes.
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Then there's the matter of four-star point guard Tyrese Proctor and four-star shooting guard Jaden Schutt. They don't even appear in Shaw's seven-deep "Other freshmen to watch" category.
With that in mind, consider Proctor's composite ranking (No. 27) is higher than all but one of the non-Blue Devils in Shaw's top 10 below, and Schutt's (No. 68) is higher than all but three:
- Duke small forward Dariq Whitehead (No. 2 composite ranking)
- Duke power forward Kyle Filipowski (No. 4)
- Notre Dame shooting guard JJ Starling (No. 21)
- Syracuse combo guard Judah Mintz (No. 50)
- Clemson point guard Josh Beadle (No. 175)
- Duke combo forward Mark Mitchell (No. 22)
- Louisville small forward Kamari Lands (No. 65)
- Florida State power forward Baba Miller (not ranked)
- Duke center Dereck Lively II (No. 1)
- Wake Forest power forward Bobi Klintman (No. 175)
In Shaw's defense, only so many first-year talents can shine on a single team, even at Duke.
As for Lively, Shaw isn't the only one concerned about the 18-year-old's relatively thin frame, possibly leading to "growing pains" while battling the likes of UNC senior Armando Bacot and others holding an advantage of several years in the age department.
On the other hand, Lively has the athleticism and tools to potentially cause headaches on both ends of the floor, especially in transition.
And with only two returning scholarship players and no proven-star transfers, Scheyer must rely on his sensational cast of rookies early and often, perhaps to an unprecedented degree in Durham.
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Therefore, one would think that if Duke doesn't end up boasting a handful of the conference's top 10 impact freshmen, the Blue Devils are in for a long season.
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