Duke's Joey Baker

[Heisenberg]

@Kyle__Boone
With Zion Williamson out due to injury, and with Duke in desperate need of reliable shooting, freshman Joey Baker is playing in his first college game tonight against Syracuse. Was expected to redshirt.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211767535


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I'm watching the game and Joey Baker is indeed is in the game.

Why do you burn a redshirt against Syracuse in Late February?  If Zion is truly "day-to-day" why have a probable four year player in Baker waste an entire year on one non-essential game?

What is Duke afraid of that makes the Syracuse game such a desperate win?  Or, do they know that Zion is really done and they need Baker for more than this game ... like the rest of the year?

Let the wild speculation begin!

[Silkk the Shaka]

Maybe the dude wants to get some run on a title team and this opportunity pushed him over the edge to burn it

[Heisenberg]

@henryskutt
9m

Coach K burns Joey Baker's redshirt at the end of February.
Is that a signal to Zion's status for the rest of the season?

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Coach K Unexpectedly Burns Joey Baker's Redshirt At Syracuse
https://thespun.com/acc/duke-blue-devils/joey-baker-duke-at-syracuse-redshirt-coach-k

@AdamRoweTDD
Marques Bolden and Jack White still not up off the bench while Coach K has brought Joey Baker (first game in college) and Antonio Vrankovic (seldom used) in the game.

K just told those guys they are useless.

[Heisenberg]

Maybe the dude wants to get some run on a title team and this opportunity pushed him over the edge to burn it

It's Duke ... every year is a year to get a run on a title team.

[Heisenberg]

Do you think Duke is afraid of falling behind MU in the rankings?

Wojo > K

[NickelDimer]

Definitely smoke here...

[Silkk the Shaka]

It's Duke ... every year is a year to get a run on a title team.

Not when you lose the firepower they will this year. Their class next year is very good, but these guys are historic

[We R Final Four]

It's Duke ... every year is a year to get a run on a title team.

Exactly—I think you answered your question.
Also, I wonder in this day and age if kids choose Duke, they may not share your belief of a "probable four year player."
I don't think the kid burned it 'for' Cuse. It is more likely that his talents maybe needed in March so need to get his head right.

[SaveOD238]

Almost identical timing and identical opponent as the Junior Cadougan redshirt burning game

[Heisenberg]

Exactly—I think you answered your question.
Also, I wonder in this day and age if kids choose Duke, they may not share your belief of a "probable four year player."
I don't think the kid burned it 'for' Cuse. It is more likely that his talents maybe needed in March so need to get his head right.

As Ellenson noted above, with Zion, they are #1, historic, and the favorite to win it all. So, why do you burn a red-shirt in late February for such a powerhouse team?

Unless Zion is not returning.

[YoungMUFan4]

Almost identical timing and identical opponent as the Junior Cadougan redshirt burning game

Not quite..Junior was late Jan (23rd) and Mbakwe made his debut on 2/15.

[brewcity77]

If they think he can help with threes, I can see bringing him in with or without Zion. They are a terrible three point shooting team. And it's Duke, they'll be able to replace him when he graduates a year sooner.

[Heisenberg]

Not quite..Junior was late Jan (23rd) and Mbakwe made his debut on 2/15.

If I'm remembering correctly, these were guys returning from injury, not healthy players that the coaches/player elected to redshirt.

How about this ... If MU is looking special this year, should Gregg Elliott burn his redshirt at Nova on Wednesday?

[We R Final Four]

Unless Zion is not returning.

+1

[Dr. Blackheart]

[rocket surgeon]

   "Why do you burn a redshirt against Syracuse in Late February?  If Zion is truly "day-to-day" why have a probable four year player in Baker waste an entire year on one non-essential game?

you realize this is DUKE.  four years?  coach k might be trying to get a few minutes outta him before he declares for the draft

[Johnny B]

I think its crazy that a top 35 recruit would redshirt

[wadesworld]

Bingo.

[barfolomew]

Agreed.
The Superbar needs to hold a professional conference in Sao Paolo.
I will be moderating a panel symposium entitled "Overcoming Midwestern Bias in Recommendation Threads".
Q&A will follow with samba lessons / networking mixer on Ubatuba beach.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

I think its crazy that a top 35 recruit would redshirt

You must not be familiar with Brian Butch.

[texaswarrior74]

I think its crazy that a top 35 recruit would redshirt

He's still supposed to be in high school as well. K had him reclass and redshirt. K has done this before and then recruits over the guy. Look at Bolden...5 star Burger boy and has been sitting on the bench and getting little playing time for three years. This isn't new- if you follow duke it's a pattern.

K plays a very short rotation and doesn't develop his bench. The duke fan sites have been very vocal about his move to a OAD approach that, with one exception, has led to early exits from the tournament. In reality, when you look at his recruiting classes while Capel was his lead recruiter, no one has done less with more than K and duke.

Two years ago the starters were averaging about 36 mins a game while having 8 burger boys on the team, three of which hardly ever left the bench. Then the mantra became "they have no depth"....with three 5 stars on the bench!

If you really want to look at something interesting, look at their schedules over the years. Outside of the ACC/B1G challenge they almost never play TRUE out of conference road games on an opponent's campus.  They always play on a neutral court- though with their huge NYC alumni base MSG is hardly a neutral venue. Their last true non conference road game was in 2008! They also have only played 7 ACC/B1G challenge games on the road in the 20 year history of the event. At 35% it's the lowest of any team in the event.

https://www.12up.com/posts/6083114-incredible-stat-shows-duke-hasn-t-independently-scheduled-any-true-road-games-in-years

[Lennys Tap]

You must not be familiar with Brian Butch.

Yeah, he was #4 or #5 wasn't he?