2020 Walker Kessler

[caldwellzag]

This from Dan McDonald at Rivals a couple days ago:



Distance keeps coming up as the biggest drawback for us. Based on everything I've read, I still feel like there's reason for optimism with Powell and a great visit would give us a chance to surprise some people with him. Feels like many of our visits have gone really well when the right type of player/person is here.

Distance will be hard to overcome, but this one has really caught fire this spring/summer. The family really likes GU.

[Bogozags]

Maybe the possible issue of Williams accepting money from Nike to go to a Nike school might have an adverse effect on Duke as they could possibly be penalized if that is indeed factual. At the very least they could forfeit every game in which he played...again, that is IF they can prove he accepted money to go to Duke...

[willandi]

Maybe the possible issue of Williams accepting money from Nike to go to a Nike school might have an adverse effect on Duke as they could possibly be penalized if that is indeed factual. At the very least they could forfeit every game in which he played...again, that is IF they can prove he accepted money to go to Duke...

If HE admitted to accepting the money, would that count as proof to the NCAA, or would they just have to penalize Pacific again?

[sittingon50]

I understand the distance thing, but let's say he's one & done & then gets drafted by Sacramento.

In all likely hood he's gonna' wind up away from home anyway, both college & the NBA. Come to a place that has good academics, a stable, established staff that produces lottery picks, a city that treats you as the only game in town & a culture that gives you friends for life; not just the guys you played with, but guys that wore the uniform.

Just a thought.

[TheOtherGreatOne]

Maybe the possible issue of Williams accepting money from Nike to go to a Nike school might have an adverse effect on Duke as they could possibly be penalized if that is indeed factual. At the very least they could forfeit every game in which he played...again, that is IF they can prove he accepted money to go to Duke...

The NCAA will never do anything to Duke, no matter what. As far as the money deal that means nothing. They had Miller on tape over thy Ayton deal, and top players keep heading to Arizona. That money thing means nothing to these top players.

[TheOtherGreatOne]

Maybe the possible issue of Williams accepting money from Nike to go to a Nike school might have an adverse effect on Duke as they could possibly be penalized if that is indeed factual. At the very least they could forfeit every game in which he played...again, that is IF they can prove he accepted money to go to Duke...

Do you actually believe that the NCAA will ever do anything to Duke ? If you do I have some oceanfront property that I will sell you in Tombstone, Arizona.

[FloridaZagFan]

Do you actually believe that the NCAA will ever do anything to Duke ? If you do I have some oceanfront property that I will sell you in Tombstone, Arizona.

If Duke ever got caught paying players this is what the NCAA sanctions would look like.

1. Nothing
2. Nothing
3. Nothing
4. Nothing
5. Take 2 scholarships away from University of Portland men's basketball because they wear Nike too!

1.

[LongIslandZagFan]

If Duke ever got caught paying players this is what the NCAA sanctions would look like.

1. Nothing
2. Nothing
3. Nothing
4. Nothing
5. Take 2 scholarships away from University of Portland men's basketball because they wear Nike too!

1.

All the above.

[jazzdelmar]

Distance will be hard to overcome, but this one has really caught fire this spring/summer. The family really likes GU.

C’mon, Caldy. Summer’s over.

[webspinnre]

C’mon, Caldy. Summer’s over.

Dude, do you really need to spend this much time being confrontational with one of the few people that actually has sources inside the program? Chill out.

[ZagRecruitWatch]

Dude, do you really need to spend this much time being confrontational with one of the few people that actually has sources inside the program? Chill out.

He's just having some light fun lol. Jazz keeps your expectations low so you don't get hurt.

[ZagRecruitWatch]

https://balldurham.com/2019/08/16/signs-duke-basketball-walker-kessler/6/

WARNING!!! This is a Duke article which can a be known to cause vomiting or repeated thoughts of "what a piece of #### program".

That being said if you make it through the whole article the unintentional silver lining that he writes about is that Gonzaga is the best fit for him. He mentions that Gonzaga has never landed a 5 star recruit which is incorrect (Ballo and Collins). A correct statement might have been that Gonzaga has never landed a consensus 5 star recruit but that should change with the addition of Suggs. I think the only good points he brings up in this article is the distance problem that Gonzaga has and the available minutes at center at Duke. He fails to bring up that even though Duke brings in five star centers, they often stay longer or go completely undrafted due to that duke does not run its offense through its centers (excluding Okafor who has had a terrible NBA career). Walker said “With Duke, they always change their style of play depending on the players they have,” Kessler explained to Rivals’ Dan McDonald. “I trust that they would find a way to make it work.” I wouldn't..... Personal prediction, If Kessler ends up picking Duke he will be a defensive Center and a rebound hustler. He will never get the chance to be a key scorer and though he might get drafted, Duke will fail to prepare him for the next level like most of their other centers. Duke runs its offense through great shooters and long athletic slashing Power Forwards. Based on the commits that they already have in Jeremy Roach and Jalen Johnson I see no evidence in a change of strategy from Koach. While stealing him away from Duke will be a uphill battle I will again argue that Duke is quite possibly, nay, the worst school he could go to on his short list in terms of play style. Dukes ideal center is a 300 pound ape and Walkers talents are wasted there.

[zagssuperfan]

https://balldurham.com/2019/08/16/si...ker-kessler/6/
WARNING!!! This is a Duke article which can a be known to cause vomiting or repeated thoughts of "what a piece of #### program".

That being said if you make it through the whole article the unintentional silver lining that he writes about is that Gonzaga is the best fit for him. He mentions that Gonzaga has never landed a 5 star recruit which is incorrect (Ballo and Collins). A correct statement might have been that Gonzaga has never landed a consensus 5 star recruit but that should change with the addition of Suggs. I think the only good points he brings up in this article is the distance problem that Gonzaga has and the available minutes at center at Duke. He fails to bring up that even though Duke brings in five star centers, they often stay longer or go completely undrafted due to that duke does not run its offense through its centers (excluding Okafor who has had a terrible NBA career). Walker said “With Duke, they always change their style of play depending on the players they have,” Kessler explained to Rivals’ Dan McDonald. “I trust that they would find a way to make it work.” I wouldn't..... Personal prediction, If Kessler ends up picking Duke he will be a defensive Center and a rebound hustler. He will never get the chance to be a key scorer and though he might get drafted, Duke will fail to prepare him for the next level like most of their other centers. Duke runs its offense through great shooters and long athletic slashing Power Forwards. Based on the commits that they already have in Jeremy Roach and Jalen Johnson I see no evidence in a change of strategy from Koach. While stealing him away from Duke will be a uphill battle I will again argue that Duke is quite possibly, nay, the worst school he could go to on his short list in terms of play style. Dukes ideal center is a 300 pound ape and Walkers talents are wasted there.

If only someone could/would convey that to him.

[ZagRecruitWatch]

If only someone could/would convey that to him.

I am sure that this is the point Gonzaga is hitting the hardest when they talk with him.

[JPtheBeasta]

I am sure that this is the point Gonzaga is hitting the hardest when they talk with him.

I mentioned that this would be my recruiting pitch in the past, as well. If you want to be a Plumlee, go to Duke. There was Laettner and Okafor, with not much else in-between or after.