Interesting Barnes Development

[Seymore Cox]

Coach K went to watch roscoe smith play at Oak hill. Barnes and smith reportedly don't like each other too much and play the same position. Some think this is an indicator that Duke is out.

 

[Sam]

Plus they're both 3s, hmm.

Still not getting my hopes up too much but this would be the recruiting coup of the century if Capel was able to pull him in.

 

[gracefor24]

There was a guy on the Phog board that said that visit was already scheduled by K (before Barnes announcement date was decided). If that is true then there isn't really much going on there.

 

[elmocarp]

I'm all about trying to glean whatever info we can on recruits and I appreciate the post Dirty...

That said, I don't get the big deal on this one, regardless on when the visit was scheduled. Duke is gonna recruit whoever they want...they aren't gonna worry about which kids like each other. Plus (and I don't know this, it just makes sense), you'd have to think that Coach K isn't going to take both of them anyway, right?

Speaking of recruits who play the same position, I don't recall anyone around here suggesting that Cam's commitment effecting things with Barnes. Also, has anyone speculated how a Barnes commit would effect Cam? I'd assume they could both start together, replacing Willie and Crock, but is that a safe assumption? I'm curious how you guys think the Clark/Barnes scenario would play out...

Finally, just in case I was unclear, I don't want anyone thinking I am suggesting anything about Clark. He's probably my favorite kid in the whole class and wouldn't trade him for Barnes for anything. I'm just curious how each recruit would effect the other. Hope this makes sense...

 

[Sam]

From an Iowa St board, Smith is gonna be visiting Duke this weekend.

Very interesting, not sure how legit it is though coming from an ISU board and I haven't seen a Duke place talking about it.

 

[gracefor24]

You had me till you said you wouldn't trade him for Barnes!

From the Phog board Eric Bossi said that Smith has a game this weekend at Oak Hill and it's doubtful there is a visit scheduled.

 

[elmocarp]

You had me till you said you wouldn't trade him for Barnes!

I wonder about this myself...sometimes I wonder if I either just don't get it or am naive or what. But I feel like Cam is about as good a kid as you could want coming into your program and he has had a long relationship with the program. Plus, he committed earlier then he had to and I just hate the idea of him committing based on a set of circumstances that don't remain the same. I realize that's part of the process, but when you talk about things like trust, and relationships, and when you are close to parents as well as the kids, I just alway wonder how things like this are received.

Again, let me be clear...part of what I'm asking is if Clark and Barnes have games that would work together out on the floor. That's my main question. If not, then the next logical question would be how his commit may have effected things with Barnes. Then, of course, the final question would be how Cam would feel if Barnes committed. I'm just curious...

 

[Sooner79]

You had me till you said you wouldn't trade him for Barnes!

If it came down to either/or, I'd probably take Clark. The rationale being that Barnes is one and done while Clark stays at least two. Now if I knew that both would be here the same length of time........

 

[Sam]

Barnes is a Durant/Melo/Beasley type of impact one and down 3, given what else would be on the roster he could push next year's team into legit national title talk.
I could see a line up of this working.

PG TMG
SG Pledger
SF/PF Harrison Barnes
PF/SF Cameron Clark
C Tiny
Harrison and Cam are both athletic enough and with enough size that they could rebound successful and unless a team just had two outstanding (and true posts) guys at the 4-5 this would be a successful line up. Still able to play big but also create big time match up problems.

But on the flip side a line up of
PG TMG
SG/SF Harrison Barnes
SF/SG Cameron Clark
PF Fitz
C Tiny
. . . would create another awesome set of match up problems. Both Cam and Harrison are athletic enough and skilled enough (Handles/Shot) to make this work and could you just imagine OSU trying to guard that with Keiton Page and Ray Penn, one of them would have to try to cover Harrison or Cam.

Now I am really jumping the gun on this and I still believe the chances with Harrison are slim but the chance at being able to create match up problems with a couple talented athletic wing players like this has my head spinning.

 

[DenverSooner]

There was a guy on the Phog board that said that visit was already scheduled by K (before Barnes announcement date was decided). If that is true then there isn't really much going on there.

What do you mean by "there really isn't much going on there"? I wasn't sure if you meant the coach K trip didn't mean much of anything or you don't think there is a strong chance Barnes goes to Duke.

 

[MO]

Capel must know that he can play Clark and Barnes together. Otherwise, I don't think he would even remotely jeopardize the important commitment from Clark.

 

[gracefor24]

What do you mean by "there really isn't much going on there"? I wasn't sure if you meant the coach K trip didn't mean much of anything or you don't think there is a strong chance Barnes goes to Duke.

I was just saying there wasn't a connection between what K thought about Barnes announcement and going to watch Oak Hill play. If the visit was already scheduled before the date of Barnes' announcement then it wasn't a cause and effect thing at all.

Also, soonersam, if Barnes did come to OU I think you would see him in the SF/PF role ala Damion James rather than Clark in there. Barnes and Clark could play together easily.

I think OU would have lineup something like this:

PG: TMG
SG: Pledger
SF: Clark
PF: Barnes
C: Gallon

 

[Cheno]

Coach K went to watch roscoe smith play at Oak hill. Barnes and smith reportedly don't like each other too much and play the same position. Some think this is an indicator that Duke is out.

Some think? Who? Message board gossip? It means nothing. I take that back it means Coach K, just like every coach in the country, keeps recruiting until he gets commits. If you think Barnes is the only wing Coach K is recruiting your silly. He's hoping to get Barnes or Smith. He can't not recruit Smith until Barnes decides and then start recruiting Smith if Barnes goes elsewhere. It doesn't work that way. Barnes hasn't made up his mind and committed so K is still recruiting. Just like Capel is, just like Roy is and just like Self is.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Capel must know that he can play Clark and Barnes together. Otherwise, I don't think he would even remotely jeopardize the important commitment from Clark.

I think it's more of lets go after all of the top guys and see which ones we can get. That seems to be the philosphy of the great schools like UK, UNC, Duke, and UCLA.

 

[Seymore Cox]

To go along with the Duke recruitment of Roscoe Smith now, there is also rumbings of Barnes possibly taking a shots at Coach K in Slam magazine, then there's this doosie from CJ Leslie's mom:

“As of right now, we don’t know which other three schools he’s going to visit,” she said. “We’ve been so busy with the recruiting and everything that we haven’t had enough time to sit down and complete the schedule.”

Lisa said North Carolina was supposed to come for an in-home visit, but cancelled because they decided instead to focus on Harrison Barnes, the nation’s No. 2 recruit.

“Roy [Williams] must feel pretty comfortable with Barnes because Coach [Steve] Robinson called us and they were saying they didn’t want to hinder C.J.’’s recruiting by putting us on hold to see whether Harrison Barnes was going to take the scholarship,” she said.

“Coach Williams told C.J. he really wanted him, he just wishes he has one more scholarship. That was the turnaround with North Carolina.”

The 6-6 Barnes is due to announce this week and is considering North Carolina, Duke, UCLA, Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa State.

 

[Cheno]

I think it's more of lets go after all of the top guys and see which ones we can get. That seems to be the philosphy of the great schools like UK, UNC, Duke, and UCLA.

Absolutely. That's the only way to go.

 

[gracefor24]

There are quite a few people who also believe (UNC people) that if it's not UNC that it will be KU since Roy doesn't want him at Duke at all. They say that Roy talks up KU if he thinks they might go elsewhere and works really hard to steer recruits away from Duke. Even when you look at a last minute Roy visit to Wall last year right before he went to visit Duke. Roy is a HUGE thorn in K's side.

 

[Seymore Cox]

There are quite a few people who also believe (UNC people) that if it's not UNC that it will be KU since Roy doesn't want him at Duke at all. They say that Roy talks up KU if he thinks they might go elsewhere and works really hard to steer recruits away from Duke. Even when you look at a last minute Roy visit to Wall last year right before he went to visit Duke. Roy is a HUGE thorn in K's side.

Only difference is Roy never wanted Wall and hated his camp. Roy wants this kid.

 

[gracefor24]

Only difference is Roy never wanted Wall and hated his camp. Roy wants this kid.

That doesn't change my point. If you read the beginning I said that many UNC fans believe that IF Barnes doesn't choose UNC he will go to KU. Just kind of interesting take, imo.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Now there is a speculation of a waiter overhearing a conversation between Barnes and Coach K with Coach K trying to get him to change his mind.

You can't make this stuff up.