Twitter Tuesday: Duke, Ohio State, TCU, Indiana, more
Our last #TwitterTuesday of the 2017 calendar year brings us questions on Duke’s chances of reverting to a small-ball lineup, if Khavon Moore can fill the playmaking void left at Ohio State, Trendon Watford’s recruitment and whether TCU has a legitimate chance with top-30 junior Josh Green.
Let’s assume that both Wendell Carter and Marvin Bagley III are off to the NBA in the spring after their lone season in Durham. Duke has gone back to playing super big this season with three 6-foot-8 or taller bigs on the floor at the same time but, in the 2018 class, it currently has no one that can be listed as a frontcourt prospect.
The Blue Devils will welcome Javin DeLaurier and Marques Bolden back to Durham next fall but outside of the soon-to-be juniors, who else will Duke have inside? No one, of which brings us to the idea that Coach K will likely go the small-ball route, a direction that aided in winning the national championship in 2015.
If Duke does secure Zion Williamson, the idea of playing small ball could be thrown out the window. The five-star forward would slot in nicely at the power forward position, thus enabling for Cam Reddish and RJ Barrett to be used where they are most comfortable – the wing.
If Williamson declines Duke’s scholarship offer, look for the Blue Devils to go small ball. Who might be used as the small ball power forward? Reddish has the traits to be a demon of a mismatch at 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot wingspan and playmaking abilities. However, from a physicality perspective, Reddish is currently better suited and most comfortable being used as a point guard.
Barrett boasts the physicality of playing the small ball four position thanks to his stronger frame and excellent rebounding skills.
Which direction Coach K goes will be interesting but he is not afraid to change his personnel packages to put his team in the best spot for success.
Far from it. Indiana did host the five-star forward earlier in the fall for an unofficial visit as the Hoosiers, as Rob had stated, have some in-roads with Trendon Watford. His older brother, Christian, played for the Hoosiers during the prior regime under Tom Crean as he is most known for the shot that put IU basketball back onto the national stage in knocking off Kentucky during the 2011-2012 campaign.
While Indiana has already offered the 2019 forward, the Hoosiers are more focused on who is within their region. Keion Brooks and Trayce Jackson-Davis are Indiana’s top priorities from the junior class. Seeing that each is a bit similar to Watford, Indiana would rather focus more of its attention on those close to home rather than those further away.
It would be a shock if Watford does not play his college ball for an SEC program. Alabama remains the program to beat as Avery Johnson has been shutting down the state’s borders in recent years. A Kentucky offer could change things a bit with Watford but the one program that could make a hard push for his services is Florida State. Leonard Hamilton and his staff is expected to host the Alabama native in the coming weeks for an unofficial visit.
We broke the news five days ago that Khavon Moore is focusing on a group of four programs as he is slated to announce on Jan. 26. No official visits have been set just yet but Moore did say that he plans on visiting Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Alabama and Ohio State.
Ohio State assistant coach Mike Schrage has been in to see Moore numerous times in recent weeks and head coach Chris Holtmann joined him earlier this month for a viewing of the top-50 wing.
Ohio State has surpassed expectations this year but there remains a giant void at the lead guard spot. A very messy turnover percentage forced the Buckeyes to play some of its wings and forwards out of position at the lead guard spot.
Next year, Ohio State will welcome two Rivals150 guards, DJ Washington and Luther Muhammad to its backcourt, though neither is seen as a pure point guard. Each is known more for his scoring abilities rather than playmaking skills, which makes Moore an intriguing option for the Buckeyes.
Moore could be used as a jumbo playmaker and is more of a creator for others than Muhammad or Washington. Moore may not be the long-term answer for Ohio State at the point guard spot but he could be its top playmaker next season if he commits to the Buckeyes.
There still is much time to go in the recruitment of high-end four-star guard Josh Green. The 6-foot-4 junior is one of the top perimeter options from the 2019 class and the fact that he is more than just a scorer but also a playmaker, proof being his tournament-leading 7.4 assists per game, at the recently completed Chick-Fil-A Classic, just adds even more value to what Green brings to the hardwood.
TCU, a program that is on the up-tick with the hiring of Jamie Dixon two years ago, has remained in the picture with the Aussie native. The key connection here is the employment of David Patrick, one of the ace recruiters in Australia. Known as the godfather of Ben Simmons and the primary reason why the soon-to-be NBA Rookie of the Year suited up at LSU, Patrick has kept close contact with Green and his family. The Horned Frogs already have two Aussie natives on their roster and will also enroll another next fall.
TCU is not alone in the recruitment of Green. Arizona, Kansas, UCLA and a slew of others remain in contact with Green. More time is needs with the recruitment of Green and thanks to the dearth of playmaking guards in the 2019 class, his recruitment may evolve into a blueblood priority for its remaining days.
