How many Duke players start for UK?

[born2reign]

Okafor doesn't play a lick of defense, and is basically limited to the paint offensively (where he's phenomenal). Towns is much more versatile on the offensive end, and well defensively it's not close. He's heads and shoulders above Okafor on that side of the ball.

 

Okafor gets you over 9 boards a game right now- that has to be considered in his defensive prowess, IMO. KAT is a better shot blocker and individual defender, but I think Okafor is the better rebounder and is quicker laterally with the potential to be a superior team defender on weak side help rotations to Towns at the next level.

 

Okafor's post game is superior to anything Towns bring offensively and is the best post game in college in a very long time, IMO. I look at it this way- WCS is the best post defender in college basketball, IMO. I think he could handle KAT everywhere. I think he will need help with Okafor.

[Wireman]

Okafor also plays 31 minutes per game while Towns plays 20.5. Huge difference from a stats perspective.

[UKMustangFan]

Okafor gets you over 9 boards a game right now- that has to be considered in his defensive prowess, IMO. KAT is a better shot blocker and individual defender, but I think Okafor is the better rebounder and is quicker laterally with the potential to be a superior team defender on weak side help rotations to Towns at the next level.

 

Okafor's post game is superior to anything Towns bring offensively and is the best post game in college in a very long time, IMO. I look at it this way- WCS is the best post defender in college basketball, IMO. I think he could handle KAT everywhere. I think he will need help with Okafor.

 

Towns gets you just as many rebounds a game right now. He's much better defensively in every aspect, and is quicker. Go read any scout's take on any mock draft and what's one major concern about Okafor? His stuggle with lateral movement.

[JokersWild24]

Poythress over Winslow? Hell nah........ If Poythress over Winslow is something the masses agree with then my reasoning behind Cook over the Twins and Booker is looking pretty solid now.

 

Right now and in a college game, yes, a healthy Junior who has been in the system a few years in Poythress over a Freshman in Winslow if we're talking UK. As a long term prospect, no.

 

No way I trade either of the Harrisons for Cook. Not really sure I'd pull the trigger on a straight up trade Ulis for Cook if we're talking what UK needs. I obviously think you can do more things with Cook because of his ability, but if Andrew Harrison is struggling, Ulis is a consumate point guard who does well in the role of just orchestrating and feeding all the talent around him. If I'm a school who can just take one of them and that's going to be my best player, no question, it's Cook.

[JokersWild24]

Towns gets you just as many rebounds a game right now. He's much better defensively in every aspect, and is quicker. Go read any scout's take on any mock draft and what's one major concern about Okafor? His stuggle with lateral movement.

 

And in UK's lineup Cauley-Stein, Lee, or Towns himself could make up for that with their length and lateral movement defensively while Okafor camped inside and gobbled up rebounds, put-backs, and could be fed touches that he's shown the ability to make the most of whether that's scoring (when he doesn't travel), passing, or whatever.

 

No way I'm not starting Okafor unless you want to argue that the team should be purely run and gun and you can put 5 better guys in a system that's designed so that a kid like him really doesn't fit into it.

 

No way I don't start Okafor on any team in America though.

 

Okafor goes 6'11, 270. Towns is 7'0, 250. Those 20 pounds of mass and the aggressiveness that Cal has begged Towns to play with inside at times this season is a substantial difference, at least in my eyes. Towns just isn't the post scorer that Okafor is.

[JokersWild24]

Okafor gets you over 9 boards a game right now- that has to be considered in his defensive prowess, IMO. KAT is a better shot blocker and individual defender, but I think Okafor is the better rebounder and is quicker laterally with the potential to be a superior team defender on weak side help rotations to Towns at the next level.

 

Okafor's post game is superior to anything Towns bring offensively and is the best post game in college in a very long time, IMO. I look at it this way- WCS is the best post defender in college basketball, IMO. I think he could handle KAT everywhere. I think he will need help with Okafor.

@born2reign, cannot agree more, because you knocked it out of the park.

 

I wish we had a '100' emoji so I could add it to this reply to salute you.

[JokersWild24]

I can be talked into Towns over Okafor, but you would have to be really convincing. I admit that I think Okafor could be David Robinson good while I think KAT is closer to Al Jefferson if both fulfill their potential at the next level.

 

I see Okafor as more of a Jefferson (who I think is really underrated) type. Solid post game, size, finesse, soft touch, nimble feet.

 

I think Towns is more of a Robinson type. Maybe an inch or two taller, somewhere between 20-35 pounds lighter at his optimal playing weight (compared to Jefferson and Okafor... Robinson was only 235 lbs.), gets more assists, steals and the things you'd expect from that.

[JokersWild24]

Poythress over Winslow? Hell nah........ If Poythress over Winslow is something the masses agree with then my reasoning behind Cook over the Twins and Booker is looking pretty solid now.

 

You've done it now. Don't you know that I'm never wrong?

 

:clap:

[JokersWild24]

All seriousness, there's probably a strong case for Winslow over Poythress, Lyles, and a number of other guys who may be in the lineup. I'd just like to see him be more aggressive and consistent. You can definitely give the same consistency argument for Poythress though.

[dallaslaredo]

The question is, how many UK players would start for Duke? None. Wouldn't be able to get in. zing.

[futurecoach]

I thought only two UK players would start at Duke under Coach K. However if the Duke players joined this squad here at UK, I think only one Duke player for sure starts and that is not Okafor. I think Tyus Jones would definitely start and Cook possibly. With how Towns is playing now, I think Coach Cal would start both Towns and WCS over Okafor.

[TheDeuce]

The best players, in order, IMO, are:

Okafor

WCS

KAT

Booker

Jones

Lyles

Winslow

Aaron Harrison

Quinn Cook

Tyler Ulis

Andrew Harrison

Dakari Johnson

Marcus Lee

 

No way WCS is #2 on that list.

[75center]

No way WCS is #2 on that list.

 

Everyone defines best player for themselves. His lack of offense has to be measured against the fact that no one else on the list can bring to a defense what he can. Plenty of offensive marvels out there but few players who can shut down any position on the other side of the ball.

[TheDeuce]

Everyone defines best player for themselves. His lack of offense has to be measured against the fact that no one else on the list can bring to a defense what he can. Plenty of offensive marvels out there but few players who can shut down any position on the other side of the ball.

 

Nobody else on that list is as one dimensional as WCS is. Yes, he is a great defender. If they aren't throwing him lobs, he is a non factor offensively.

[bugatti]

I think WCS is the most overrated college basketball player in the country, but that is for another thread in itself. That doesn't mean I think he sucks, just that he is not a top player of the year type talent. He allows for UK to be versatile on the perimeter, but he has a lot of holes in his game.