Oregon’s Dan Lanning was inspired by Coach K for this idea.
Oregon Ducks football coach Dan Lanning had a plan heading into Saturday’s game against the Michigan Wolverines.
As the undefeated Ducks prepared to face off against the defending national champions earlier in the week, Lanning told his players about something he wanted to do when they played in Ann Arbor at Michigan Stadium.
In a “Ducks vs. Them” recap video of the victory, fans saw Lanning call a timeout in the fourth quarter so that he could remind them about this idea.
This is an absolutely incredible clip, I’ve watched it 20 times. You could tell in the stadium something was different when they brought everyone up for the huddle.
In that video, Lanning is seen telling his players that he told them about “this moment” on Monday. Then, it cut directly to some behind-the-scene footage of a team meeting a few days prior.
During this session, Lanning showed a video of legendary former Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski discussing road victories and what it feels like to watch home fans silenced and leaving early.
Krzyzewski discussed how he would call timeouts to have his players just look into the stands and watch them go home because those are the moments that the student athletes will always remember. Here is more from Lanning:
“I already told you in the beginning of the week. I’m going to remind you at some point in this game. I’m going to tell you to look up at the stands at some point in this game. And you’re going to start to see them empty out. We’ve made the decision before we even stepped on the field.”
When the recap flashed back to the actual game, you could see players wondering where the Michigan fans went. It clearly inspired the roster and everyone seemed excited
This was such a cool idea perfectly executed by the Oregon coach, who currently leads a team ranked No. 1 in the nation.
With both George and Russell Westbrook no longer on the roster and no splashy replacements, the Clippers may not be very good this year. Bad seasons happen, of course, but there is another reason why that is especially notable.
From previous trades, the Thunder are owed whichever pick is a better one between the Rockets and the Clippers. It has only become more probable that Houston outperforms L.A. this season.
If the Clippers miss the postseason in a competitive Western Conference and their pick is in the lottery, the ping pong balls could bounce in any number of ways.
The worst case scenario for the Clippers is that the pick lands at No. 1 overall and they would have traded the rights away to Oklahoma City.
This comes after the organization already traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and various other tremendously valuable draft capital to the Thunder to land George, who is no longer on the roster.
If that total also now includes the next No. 1 pick, which is likely going to become Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft, it would be unprecedentedly unfortunate for this franchise.
That would add a wildly impactful player to a Thunder team that is already projected to win the Western Conference this season, and is only young and getting better.
He’s the player to watch on the Irish this season.
Although Notre Dame was rebuilding a season ago, [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] was a clear bright spot. He led the Irish in averages for scoring (17.5), assists (4.3) and steals (1.9). Basically, he was the men’s equivalent of [autotag]Hannah Hidalgo[/autotag] and [autotag]Olivia Miles[/autotag] put together.
All of that was enough for him to be named ACC Rookie of the Year as well as Third Team All-ACC. Now entering his sophomore season, a select media panel expects to produce highly once again.
Burton has been named to the Preseason All-ACC First Team, receiving 41 votes. He joins a group that includes Cooper Flagg of Duke, Hunter Sallis of Wake Forest, Nijel Pack of Miami and RJ Davis of North Carolina, the unanimous selection for Preseason ACC Player of the Year.
The same panel has picked the Irish to finish 10th out of 18 teams in the expanded ACC. It’s an indicator that the Irish still have some work to do to get back near the top of the conference. It should be a fun season though.
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Caleb Foster, currently ranked No. 44 on ESPN’s Top 100 for the 2025 NBA Draft, made an immediate impact in his freshman season at Duke. Foster’s role as sixth man fit him perfectly, stepping in as the primary ballhandler when Tyrese Proctor was off …
Caleb Foster, currently ranked No. 44 on ESPN’s Top 100 for the 2025 NBA Draft, made an immediate impact in his freshman season at Duke. Foster’s role as sixth man fit him perfectly, stepping in as the primary ballhandler when Tyrese Proctor was off the court. He maintained a solid 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio and shot 40.6 percent from deep. His season was cut short by an ankle fracture, but he started 15 games, helping Duke to a 13-2 record in those contests.
Despite missing the postseason, the 6-foot-5 guard’s efficiency and shooting made him a crucial part of the team.
During the 2024 ACC Tip-Off, Foster spoke with HoopsHype, reflecting on his offseason improvements, praising the incoming freshman class, and discussing season expectations and more.
Tyrese Proctor, currently ranked No. 28 on ESPN’s Top 100 and No. 30 on HoopsHype’s latest Aggregate Mock Draft, has rapidly established himself as one of the best lead guards in college basketball. The Australia native is known for his playmaking, …
Tyrese Proctor, currently ranked No. 28 on ESPN’s Top 100 and No. 30 on HoopsHype’s latest Aggregate Mock Draft, has rapidly established himself as one of the best lead guards in college basketball. The Australia native is known for his playmaking, defense, and leadership on the court.
Proctor’s sophomore campaign saw him named a team captain, only the fourth sophomore to achieve this in Duke’s history. His 2.95 assist-to-turnover ratio ranked 25th nationally, showcasing his ability to control the game while minimizing mistakes. He averaged 10.5 points per game and led his team in assists, asserting his role as the lead guard for the Blue Devils, who at times ran a three-guard lineup last year.
Recently, Proctor spoke with with HoopsHype to reflect on his basketball journey, his time in Australia’s NBA Global Academy, his thoughts on the modern game, his college basketball experience and more.
Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer announced their collegiate decision and they will play men’s college basketball at Duke.
Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer announced their collegiate decision and they will play men’s college basketball at Duke.
This is a major win for Duke men’s head basketball coach Jon Scheyer, who officially landed a commitment from one of the top recruits in the nation for the second year in a row. Cameron Boozer is currently the No. 2 player in the class of 2025 and his brother, Cayden, is No. 21 in the class.
It is not exactly shocking that the twin brothers will attend the same school as their father, Carlos Boozer, who won an NCAA title at the university in 2001. But it is majorly impactful for Scheyer.
Plus, t was reportedly not a lock that these incredible basketball players would go to Duke. So for the program to land them both over Miami and Florida was a major win in an era post coach Mike Krzyzewski.
This news comes one year after the coach also received a commitment from Cooper Flagg, who is the No. 1 player in the class of 2024.
We project that Flagg will also hear his name called as the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, though, so his stay in the NCAA will likely not be long.
Flagg is an elite prospect and joins Wembanyama as one of the best we have evaluated in recent years. But he is just one player who will only be on Duke campus for a few months.
The Boozer twins will headline a Duke recruiting class as two top-tier NCAA prospects. Even though Cameron is almost certainly a one-and-done prospect like Flagg, perhaps Cayden decides to stay an extra year in college. It isn’t an impossible thought!
Plus, it should inspire more highly-touted recruits to play alongside them.
That means Scheyer may have just landed more than two seasons of college basketball in one fell swoop, which is impressive work from the third-year coach.
Former Duke star Jahlil Okafor was a UNC basketball fan at one point.
The UNC-Duke rivalry runs deep and players carry that into their life post-athletics. But before the athletes decide on their school, they had allegiances to their favorite teams.
And sometimes, those players were a fan of a rival.
The latest case of this comes with former Duke star Jahlil Okafor, who played one season with the Blue Devils helping them win a national championship. It’s the last title Duke has won as the class featuring Okafor, Tyus Jones, Justise Winslow, and Grayson Allen delivered a title in 2015.
Okafor was a five-star recruit out of Chicago who picked the Blue Devils in June of 2014. He had 18 total offers and visited Duke, Kansas, Arizona, Kentucky and Baylor. While UNC did offer, the recruitment never progressed to where they were a serious contender. But Okafor did consider the Tar Heels at one point.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes. I loved Carolina, actually,” Okafor said to former UNC forward Theo Pinson on the ‘Run Your Race’ podcast. “Honestly, when I first found out about the rivalry, when I was watching documentaries as a shorty, Carolina was the side that I felt like I was a part of. Young and dumb. Young and dumb.”
Pinson went on to say something that he’s said before, that he grew up a Duke fan. So it happens.
Okafor dominated while at Duke and went on to be the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA draft, going to Philadelphia.
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This wasn’t supposed to happen. We’re not supposed to be here. Cooper Flagg is not supposed to be signed to New Balance today.
Yet, here we are.
This morning, New Balance released a promotional video featuring Flagg. It showed him shooting hoops in a driveway until a paper boy throws a newspaper in the driveway with a headline announcing Flagg’s decision.
New Balance labeled Flagg’s choice as “The Intelligent Choice,” seemingly taking a shot at the competitors around them. This was the brand’s announcement that they’d signed the newly minted Duke basketball star to a shoe deal.
This deal is quite a surprise, considering Flagg’s history. It seemed like he was a shoo-in (pun intended) to sign with Nike, considering two things. He was a mainstay in Nike’s EYBL youth circuit over the last few years. Plus, he plays for Duke — a Nike school. That’s what makes this choice so surprising.
That last part begs the question: How does this work? A New Balance athlete playing at a Nike school? Will he be able to wear New Balance shoes?
The answer is a bit complicated. Let’s get into it.
Wait, so will Cooper be wearing New Balance during games?
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Long story short, the answer is no. He won’t be wearing New Balance during his games at Duke this year.
He won’t have it on during practice or when participating in media availability, either. During those moments, he’ll wear Nike just like his teammates.
Duke has a contract with Nike that extends until 2027. The two sides have worked together since 1992. Student-athletes must wear Nike while officially representing Duke University as part of that contract. So whenever Flagg — or any other athlete at Duke — plays for or represents Duke, they’ll have to wear Nike. Or, at the very least, not wear one of Nike’s competing brands.
So when can Flagg wear New Balance?
Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
He can wear New Balance at any other time so long as it’s not an official public appearance on behalf of Duke.
For example, if Flagg participates in an event that Duke doesn’t have anything to do with, he’d be able to wear New Balance to the event. He can also post and promote New Balance through his social media channels.
It’s certainly not ideal for any sponsor, considering that Flagg’s best and most notable moments will come on the court while wearing Nike and repping Duke, but it’s not the worst situation in the world, either.
Why would New Balance sign him if he can’t always wear it?
The pros outweigh the cons here. At least, in New Balance’s view, anyway.
Sure, Flagg won’t be able to wear New Balance on the court for a year. But that’s just a year.
This move here is simply New Balance getting ahead of the curve here and snatching up a player who might be one of the best in the NBA for years to come.
It’s a smart move.
Is there any precedence for this?
Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Flau’Jae Johnson has a similar arrangement with LSU and Puma.
However, LSU is a Nike school. It’s reportedly paid $1 million annually along with $5 million in product each year in exchange for being the school’s sole sportswear provider, according to the Wall Street Journal.
With that deal in place, Johnson has been unable to wear Puma during LSU games, practices, and other events. However, she’s still managed to wear and promote Puma on her social media pages and at public events.
It’s a delicate balance, sure. But it’s definitely possible. As he goes through this season with Duke, Flagg will have to figure that balance out for himself.
But, in the long run, New Balance just signed one of the best basketball prospects we’ve seen in a long time. That’s a big win for the brand and a big win for Flagg, too.
In spite of our better judgment, we often find ourselves reading the vitriol known as internet comments. They tend to be bad enough that we question whether there’s any good left in humanity. Once in a while though, we get a comment that’s wildly entertaining.
Pete Sampson, Notre Dame’s beat reporter for The Athletic, was looking through the comments for a story he did about [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag]. What he found was someone recalling a firsthand encounter with Leonard during his days at Duke, and it occurred in the most humiliating way possible. Sampson decided to share the comment on social media:
Sometimes the comments section can be a dark place. Or sometimes you get a Duke student recounting a pickup hoops game with Riley Leonard … without knowing who Leonard was. Whoops.https://t.co/dsKuQFdM6lpic.twitter.com/G276GLPLcF
This is a reminder that athletes who compete at a high level often are able to excel at multiple sports, not only the one they focus on. Heck, there are multiple examples throughout history of athletes turning professional in more than one sport.
Leonard probably won’t be switching to basketball, but we now have an idea of how he would do. At least we know how we would do against random pickup players.
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Notre Dame has had a trend for most of this decade of bringing in transfer upperclassmen to be the quarterback for the upcoming season. That will happen again in 2024 with former Duke quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag]. All indications are that he will have a fine season for the Irish, and we just got one more of those.
Leonard is one of 63 quarterbacks who has been named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List. This award is given to the best upperclassmen quarterback in college football. Leonard getting the hardware would make it the third such instance for an Irish quarterback, joining [autotag]Tony Rice[/autotag] in 1989 and [autotag]Brady Quinn[/autotag] in 2006.
Leonard also has been named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is given to college football’s best player and has been won by Irish players seven times. Simply put, he will be counted on heavily in 2024, so we’ll see how well he deals with that pressure.
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