Today was the official end of Funemployment. That’s not to say I’d like to borrow some money. I want you to give it to me. Stop laughing.
While not working, I did what pretty much everyone else in the 919 did — waited to see where Harrison Barnes, the top player in the recruiting class of 2010, would go to school. I had no idea. Coaches involved had no idea. I got no less than three calls before 1 p.m. from people in this media business, all to compare how much we didn’t know.
And so ends as fascinating a recruitment as I can recall. Of course, I haven’t paid too much attention over the years. I did, however, keep pretty close watch on John Wall’s recruitment, and folks repeatedly told me that situation was as unconventional as any they could remember.
If that’s the case, then Barnes’ has to take the cake.
Everyone knew Wall’s preferences, from schools to coaches. Save for Roy Williams’ cameo telephone appearance, the only real question was how the grown folks would make enough peace for Wall to do what he wanted — to play for John Calipari. It was interesting that Duke showed interest in a player that deviated from the school’s presumed recruiting profile, and the late appearance of Florida was an interesting wrinkle, but the ending to the saga was predictable.
Until Barnes put Roy Williams picture on the projector, I don’t know of a soul whose last name wasn’t “Barnes” that knew what Harrison would say.
A 17 year-old can keep this secret so well that no one in the country really knew where he was going to college? What’s weirder than that?
And if that’s not enough, the macro-level analysis is just as interesting.
Barnes became a huge story for two reasons — the curiosity generated when information is scarce, and Duke’s involvement. The last few months have seen Duke take great strides to promote itself as a more personable and contemporary program, one that’s easier to sell to recruits. But even in what appears to be a transition, Barnes seemed to be the recruit that most would presume Duke would get. He reads Warren Buffett for fun, and carries himself with a polish that most Ivy Leaguers wish they had. While it felt problematic to say he was “a Duke kid,” I’d be lying if I didn’t understand what people were trying to say.
Duke was the only school that would be crushed if it didn’t land Barnes. Mike Krzyzewski and Co. were the presumed leader for several months. Bill Self said he wasn’t even going to watch the announcement. Iowa State could only be hoping. UNC had Reggie Bullock, Scout.com’s No. 2 shooting guard for the class of 2010, making Barnes more luxurious than a necessary.
Duke lost him, and they lost him to the program they’re so fervently chasing for superiority in its vaunted rivalry (and, by extension, national supremacy). And while this was open to myriad interpretation, Barnes’ statement that he had a great relationship with Coach K, but a great relationship with Williams and UNC’s players will raise the volume on already-audible whispers that Duke has fallen out of favor with elite basketball talent.
After losing Delvon Roe to Michigan State (which Williams passive-aggressively refers to in his autobiography), Ol’ Roy quickly got commitments from almost all the players in the recruiting classes of 2008, 2009 and 2010. But while he has Bullock and Kendall Marshall locked in by January 2008, Barnes didn’t receive an offer until October of last year. Williams came to the party late — late enough that many wonder if Williams recruited Barnes out of spite — and he left with what his worst enemy had his eye on since the needle hit the record.
In a world where we do our damnedest to identify turning points before history is even made, those strategic facets of the story are positively delicious.
In terms of basketball, it’s not the end of the world for Duke. Those focused on such things say Kyrie Irving, a point guard committed to Duke for 2010, will be a great player. The Blue Devils have lacked an elite point since Chris Duhon graduated in 2004. Every elite point guard of the Krzyzewski era has reached an NCAA title game. In strict basketball terms, Irving was a more important recruit than Harrison Barnes.
But college sports are about branding, because branding and recruiting circularly fuel each other. The strength of a school’s brand is reflected by its recruiting, and its recruiting represents and strengthens or weakens the brand.
When the hallmark of the Duke brand — academic excellence — isn’t enough to lure a top notch prospect that told anyone who’d listen how important school is to him, then something isn’t right.
That isn’t merely fodder for Duke hatred. That’s an unavoidable point that must be addressed if Duke hopes to catch North Carolina anytime soon.
And losing on Harrison Barnes just made doing so more difficult.
24 thoughts on “Barnes Recruitment Like No Other”
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Duke is now in a pickle where, as you said, it is in transition as far as what image it projects to recruits. But more, it MUST transition because Duke’s status as an academic institution is, all-in-all, not that much higher than that of UNC’s – or many other big-time NCAA hoops schools.
With that being the new reality of the academic landscape, there must be new and better selling points for recruits. And the one that the Tar Heels can ensure is not just a selling point but a tanglible reality is ——— family. Once a Tar Heel always a Tar Heel in a lineage that goes back to Charlie Scott and Larry Miller through MJ, Worthy and crew, to Tyler H. and Ty Lawson, is much more alluring to a recruit than Duke’s supposed academic superiority.
Remember, John Thompson sold that same reality of family at Georgetown, an institution every bit as solid as Duke could ever wish to be. And it’s no coincidence that JT and Dean Smith are best of friends with many of the same outlooks on life and society.
If K and the university doesn’t drop that elitist image, they will become irrelevant the day K retires – which is coming sooner than any Dukie will care to admit.
We need you back on the radio in the 919 Bo. This has been a long two weeks. We had JJ Reddick rap career launching, Sammy Sosa picking up where MJ left off, and D Wade you saw what he did to Varejo last night. Then to top it off Roy comes late to the party and steals teh girl K had been buying drinks for all night.
If funemployment is over where will you be landing?
Javaman, great analogy.
K got her all warmed up, and Roy gave her a “ride home.”
Nice write-up Bomani! Barnes is one smoove cat. I have to admit i have known who Harrison “The No. 1 player in the class” Barnes is for a while now, but only today did i REALLY realize who this kid “is”. Truly a transcending type person, without mentioning anything basketball…as i still have not watched a second of his highlights (but i will soon enough, i suppose).
Hey i’m a Heels fan/grad and i feel pretty damn good about calling this kid a Heel for the rest of his life. Peace.
And get your ass back on the airwaves, Bo.
Gotta say, the hallmark of the Duke brand is not at all academics, not in a basketball sense. You’re saying that because HB was that kind of kid- a kid who placed academics first, he would be down with Duke? Duke hasn’t been that way since before my old buddy was an assistant. (…) ’99…HB is wise. He’s smart. He was also the top-ranked kid in his class. He also wanted an undergraduate degree in business.
That to agree with you, ultimately. sorry. K will recruit anyone who would help him win. But, this guy was #1, and didn’t even have us on his radar.
btw, shouldnt Joe Ovius be busing tables at a frat house around here? INSANE!!!! feel you, man.
Great blog. Although I think at the end you were a bit hasty in surmising the academic situation in Chapel Hill. While both programs are fairly similar I will concede that Duke is probably a little more prestigious (at least in state, out of state is a different question). However, for a kid who “reads Warren Buffet” it should be pretty obvious that while Duke is the overall better academic institution they do not compare to Kenan-Flagler. I really feel that did the most for landing Barnes of all the things know one is really mentioning.
all of the above. you have got to get back on the radio
I read this week in the SI special edition, 100th Anniversary of UNC Basketball, that Barnes attended the preseason alumni game at the Dean Dome. It was then that I knew it was over.
To those who think an intelligent, articulate kid would be better served going to Dook, I attended both. The only difference is Dook costs more, and it’s in Durham. To get sense of the difference, ask Dookies where they go for fun. Roy will own “k” like Dean did.
Have missed hearing you on the air in the 919. Traveled alot with you on the speaker…can’t believe the various media honchos would let you slip away Didn’t always agree with your observations…but, I enjoyed the quality of thought you put into them. Keep your ” tape ” out…
Duke basketball is too white. Too upper middle class entitlement white. Duke conflates being upper middle class white with being a “good kid,” a “smart Kid.” If I were a 17 y/o black kid, a good kid from lower socio-economic level, I’d resent that sort of thinly veiled racist elitism.
Who comes to mind when kids think of Duke basketball? Bobby Hurley, Christian Laetner, Wojo, Reddick, Paulus, Shav, McRoberts. Shane Battier may as well be white as he’s completely representative of upper middle class white suburban mores.
The irony is that the whole elitist thing is what’s turning kids off to Duke basketball. Kids see UNC and see a powerhouse basketball program that doesn’t tell them they can only be “good kids” if they represent some idealized standard. And, if they are smart and intellectually driven like Harrison Barnes, UNC offers superior academics without all the elitist smugness of a pseudo Ivy.
You can’t be serious. It’s one thing to speculate on why he chose UNC and the myriad of reasons possible but it’s simply foolish to think that UNC is even close to Duke academically. Please. UNC has never been and never will be a top 10 undergraduate education. UNC is not even the best state school in the ACC. See your neighbors in Virginia for that honor. The kid chose UNC because it is an NBA factory like UCONN and other large state institutions that place an emphasis on athletics over academics. Duke has to struggle to contend with those types of programs just like Stanford, Northwestern, Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt to name a few.
The same people that label Duke elitist are the same ones that label Harvard, Yale, Stanford etc…elitist. Seems like some people use derogatory words when they are jealous of the academic abilities of others. Typical.
Great points Bomani. BTW, you’re a heck of a good writer (a big step up from many current columnists).
Keep it up Bo! Your stuff is nice. Duke is done! Too many white boys and I am white i’ll say it!
Yes, I hope this change is bringing SOMEBODY a necessary $demographic$. Goodmon/Capitol seems generally good, but… currently looks like the carolina clearchannel by effectively squashing engaging local sports flair on-air/online. No hate on those that made it through, but the LOCAL variety is gone. I’m a native NC’er in one of the most interesting college sports markets in the U.S., and they want to give me more national heads that can be heard any number of ways, at a variety of times?? There must be something in the no.s the rest of us can’t see. That said… Aren’t market surveys antiquated/scued now anyway??
And this from Capitols front-n-center mission,”…creativity & commitment to the community brick by brick…”. That is the only thing giving me hope that Jim plans to revamp/redistribute. If not, may drive time day-part data (lunch included) eventually force his hand.
It’s not that I agreed with you all the time (as someone nicely states above), but… I’ve been a techie immersed in all kinds of media for most of my life and seen the Triangle through much growth. The Lunch Break occasionally hit on something quite different/special that represented the unique demo – where old school and new school trains often clash – better than any other outlet. You know this. I’m sure you’ve heard similar comments many times, but I needed to vent after finally giving up on the new format. I’m going back to podcasts and web content until local media can catch up again. It’s a shame when leaders can’t see through the followers. Here’s to you staying true… and to another on-air presence in North Cackalacky soon.
Oh yeah… Go Heels!
“JM” with the typical elitist view.
You clearly aren’t either a Duke or UNC alum or you wouldn’t be parroting such nonsense. Did you know, JM, that UNC is more selective of its out of state applicants than Duke is of their applicant pool i.e. it’s more difficult to get into UNC as a non-resident than to get into Duke?
I’m an alum of both Duke and Chapel Hill. Ironically, my experience was that Chapel Hill’s intellectual environment was as rigorous as Duke’s without all the elitest nonsense.
Don’t be so smug (or dumb) as to conflate “private” with superior. The best State institutions — UNC, Michigan, UVA, Berkeley, UCLA — are every bit at good as the best private institutions.
But if you want to believe otherwise, it simply proves my point of misplaced elitism.
aptly phrased, bobdobbs.
also another flaw in JM’s argument above:
“…institutions that place an emphasis on athletics over academics. Duke has to struggle to contend with those types of programs just like Stanford…”
Stanford isn’t exactly “struggling” with athletics considering they’ve won the Sears Cup each year other than the inaugural one…which, incidentally was won by Carolina.
Furthermore it stands to reason if Carolina had a smaller student body similar to that of the private schools referenced above, there’s a good chance you would likely see very similar overall admissions data.
“You clearly aren’t either a Duke or UNC alum or you wouldn’t be parroting such nonsense. Did you know, JM, that UNC is more selective of its out of state applicants than Duke is of their applicant pool i.e. it’s more difficult to get into UNC as a non-resident than to get into Duke?”
OK, let’s get one thing straight… “Percent admitted” is not really an indicator of selectivity… Trust me, every idiot in my high school (not in NC) with above a 1200 on the SAT and a vague interest in basketball applied to UNC. I don’t think the applicant pools really overlap as much as you’d like to think..
“However, for a kid who “reads Warren Buffet” it should be pretty obvious that while Duke is the overall better academic institution they do not compare to Kenan-Flagler.”
Be honest with yourself, the top firms are not recruiting at UNC like they are at Duke, “business school” or not. Last year when the sh&t hit the fan, top firms recruiting for internships were narrowing their lists. Morgan Stanley only recruited on campus only at Harvard, Yale, Wharton, and Duke. I realize this has tons to do with perception / legacy issues, but it’s really self-fulfilling. Maybe 20 years ago Duke wasn’t at that level, but the perception of being a top 10 institution has drawn top students and professors to the school. Maybe Duke doesn’t have an accounting major, but you can learn that stuff in a month on the job. Point is, if you want to get a job at a top firm in “business,” you go to Duke, hands down.
That being said, I don’t think you’ll Mr. Barnes making corporate finance deals anytime soon. If I had a chance to be a pro ball player, I would’ve wanted to go where MJ went, too.
Hey Bobdobbs, you aren’t analyzing this comparison very intelligently. You said, “UNC is more selective of its out of state applicants than Duke is of their applicant pool i.e. it’s more difficult to get into UNC as a non-resident than to get into Duke?” Well, that’s just a completely silly argument you’re trying to make. Are you aware that at UNC the percentage of students from the state of North Carolina must be at least 82%? Yes, 82%!!!! That leaves only 18% of the student body from outside the state of North Carolina. So you think that the 18% that UNC admits from outside the state is something that should be compared to 100% of Duke’s student body? How utterly preposterous. Your argument is nonsensical and completely irrelevant. It is dramatically more difficult to get accepted to Duke University than to UNC. It’s not even comparable. It’s like comparing Yale to UVa.
I’m very proud of my school and the fact they have a great deal of students from North Carolina.
Let’s cut right through this dook bull. Dook prides itself (and always have) on having an inordinant amount of “people from the north.” This melodious group think they are “bad medicine” when addressing their basketball team. They’re not bad. They just look bad, sound bad and mostly stink badly.
Harrison Barnes committed to North Carolina for many reasons. I suspect the principle reason was, he simply wants to be a winner.
uhh… need a spatula for the egg on your face? maybe the reason barnes went to UNC is that he was guaranteed to start there. coming into this year, it seemed pretty reasonable that singler would be coming back for his senior season, so if barnes came to duke he would have been a reserve his freshman year (and although he would have been our most skilled player, he or singler would have had to play out of position and nolan, curry, and dre dawkins are all vying for time at one position). and let’s be honest, with the way this kid is already building his brand, his freshman year is the only one he’ll be wearing a college uniform. all the stuff about business school and elite universities is pointless… i’ll tear down our 2010 national championship banner if barnes graduates before leaving for the nba.
great article. *smile*