Kyrie Irving, Duke: What can I say that I haven’t said this year? Jay Williams said Irving was a combination of himself and Chris Duhon and that sounds about right. So creative, so smooth in transition, with a feathery jumper. He completely took over the game and the crowd in the final three minutes, when nobody could stop him going coast to coast. He’s the total package, and when Mike Kryzewski gets him playing that hard man-to-man defense, you’re looking at a future Chris Paul in the making.

Harrison Barnes, North Carolina: As much as I don’t wish to admit it as a Duke graduate, Barnes is going to be a problem right away. He attacks the boards tenaciously (15 rebounds), handles the ball well for 6-foot-8 and has a nice jump shot with three point range – he’ll thrive in UNC’s uptempo system. I can only continue to think that Barnes should have considered playing with an elite lead guard like Kyrie Irving…

Josh Selby, Kansas: Most impressive guard in the Classic aside from Irving. Selby’s speed and explosiveness allowed him to get to the line at will. He’s going to Kansas, but as a clear one-and-done talent, I’m actually surprised he didn’t end up at Kentucky – his style and talent resemble John Wall’s far more than…

Brandon Knight, Kentucky: I didn’t hate Knight’s game, but I didn’t love it either. He was clearly an above-average passer and had several moments where he demonstrated abundant speed, but he’s more a pure point guard than an absolute game-changer. He shot 3-for-11 in the game but did have a 6-1 A/TO ratio.

I asked him after the game why he chose Kentucky and got: “Just the chance to get better. It’s a great program, with a great coach.” Does he compare himself to Wall in terms of making a name for himself very quickly? “Not really, everyone has their own path. Not really, I don’t compare myself to him.” Very safe, very steady – it’s obvious he’s going to Kentucky just, well, because it’s the thing to do when you’re ranked the top point guard in your class.

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State: I loved his game; he reminded me of Carlos Boozer the way he took up space and had a soft touch around the rim. He hit 9-for-11 from the field and blocked four shots. When he gets some work in on his body, he’s going to be near impossible to handle.

Josh Smith, UCLA: He had a soft touch, but he must lose weight. Most high-level opponents would run him right off the court if he’s playing at 300 pounds, which I suspect he is. If he gets to where he’s playing at 265, maybe even 270, I think he’d be a force like Sean May or Glen Davis.

Terrence Jones, undecided: Kind of like Barnes West. He’s picking between three Pac-10 schools, Oklahoma, Kentucky and now says he’ll visit Kansas. (Are Kansas and Kentucky on everyone’s lists?) He has handle, hits the boards, decent one-on-one game… pretty much the total package, just not quite as good as Barnes.

Tristan Thompson, Texas: Lots of solid big forwards in this game. Thompson’s a pure 4, but the lefty has some handle, rebounds and finishes well. He was 1-for-6 from the line, but almost nobody hit their free throws, to be fair.

CJ Leslie, Undecided: I think he has a world of athletic talent, plays above the rim and has some polish to his game. I hear he’s sort of eccentric, but I’d imagine there are teams out there that view him as the final piece. If I’m John Calipari, I want him to put me that much closer to being a true contender even with a super-young team. If I’m Sidney Lowe, I want to reclaim him for State because he’d be the best pure player they’d have since Julius Hodge. If I’m Roy Williams, I want to get involved – pronto.

Kendall Marshall/Reggie Bullock, North Carolina: I think I caught these guys on a bad night. Marshall was very ordinary and couldn’t finish on the rare times he got to the rim, but I heard later he had a wisdom tooth issue, so I’ll give him a pass. But I think he has a very tough time with Kyrie Irving a few times a year. I didn’t even know Bullock was there until I looked up at the scoreboard late and he had 11 points. I have no idea when those baskets happened. I just have to assume these guys are better than I saw last night, especially Bullock.

Doron Lamb, Kentucky: I watched him score 49 points in an upset loss to St. Peter’s Prep back in February, all on jump shots. Sort of strange player for Kentucky; his athleticism isn’t off the charts or anything. Mostly he’s just a shooter, though a very good one.

Cory Joseph, Undecided: Solid, tough player – unselfish and good passer, played tenacious defense. I think his gritty style would be a great fit for Villanova and I could see him doing very well there, but lure of family in Connecticut and Findlay Prep teammate Thompson going to Texas may be bigger potential lures.

Perry Jones, Baylor: Relatively ordinary game (8 points, 6 boards) for a decidedly unordinary player. I see him stepping in nicely for Ekpe Udoh well, though he won’t play at that level right away.

Roscoe Smith, UConn: Very quiet game, feeding into what I’ve come to expect from Roscoe. He’s either going to impact the game greatly, or drift a bit. I still would have enjoyed watching him play for Duke, but seeing him on the same court as Barnes makes it stark how there’s simply no comparison between the two players, though Smith would have you believe there is.

Will Barton, Memphis: Pure scorer and a terrific addition for Memphis, who lose Elliot Williams to the NBA Draft. I talked to Barton’s mom outside for a minute, and she was simply ecstatic after he slashed his way to 15 points. He’s part of a top-notch recruiting class, and I see him as a solid scorer in college.

Kyrie Irving, warming up for the second half against Oak Hill on Friday night.

Kyrie Irving’s father, Drederick, with a reminder for his son on Friday night.

Player exclusive Jordans for St. Patrick. I would kill to get my hands on a pair.

 
Lots happening here. Derrick Gordon reacts to missing a free throw that would have tied St. Pat’s with Oak Hill. Kyrie Irving looks on, about to comfort him. And Oak Hill’s Doron Lamb celebrates with Juwan Staten. Best part, IMO, is the crowd studying Gordon as if there was some answer to be found.

He was in better spirits about a half hour later when we talked to him, but Derrick Gordon took the loss hard. Freshman future star Austin Colbert in back of him.

Michael Gilchrist, Kyrie Irving and Roscoe Smith receive their Player of the Game trophies after Oak Hill’s victory. Only one of these three actually wants to be there.

Legendary coach Bob Hurley with a decidedly Krzyzewski-esque pose.

St. Anthony’s Devon Collier, who reminded us of Terrence Roberts – i.e. we liked him. Jay Canty of Oak Ridge is hunched over in front of him.

St. Anthony’s bench following their 63-46 win over Oak Ridge.

St. Patrick’s bench toward the end of their blowout win over Rice. Left to right, Michael Gilchrist, Derrick Gordon and Kyrie Irving.

Myles Davis nurses his split lip on Saturday night.

Doron Lamb on Saturday night against St. Peter’s Prep. Lamb would score 49 points, second most in Primetime Shootout History.

Doron Lamb plays some defense on Saturday night.

St. Peter’s Prep travels well.

Myles Davis overcame pressure and the spotlight as St. Peter’s Prep outlasted Oak Hill in the game of the tournament.

As it turned out, I was in for a real surprise on Saturday – as was Oak Hill, which learned two lessons: Never take anything for granted, and never draw blood from St. Peter’s Prep star guard Myles Davis.

After St. Patrick’s demolition of Rice, we figured we’d stay in Trenton for some of the nightcap between heavy favorite Oak Hill and St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City. With a long drive back up north ahead of us, and having seen Oak Hill already the previous night, we’d see how long Prep could hang in there, and then hit the road.

But a funny thing happened – St. Peter’s Prep kept hanging in there. And at halftime, they were up a point on the seventh-ranked team in America. Prep was led by Myles Davis, who we had our eye on because of the jazzified name and because he was clearly the best player on the team.

Meanwhile, Oak Hill was propelled by guard Doron Lamb, who impressed us against St. Patrick, but nothing like this. Lamb quietly but effectively stroked a variety of three-pointers and midrange shots en route to a 26-point first half.

Early in the second half, Davis caught an elbow from an Oak Hill player and went down in a heap, emerging with a split lip and blood everywhere but with no whistle.

“How is there no foul there?” a grinning Davis asked us rhetorically after the game, with his still-bloody lip looking like he’d taken a left hook from Manny Pacquiao. “I mean, hello? I’m bleeding!”

Davis told us how frustrated he was to be confined to the bench for a few minutes, while he champed at the bit to get back in as trainers stopped him from bleeding all over the place.

When this sort of thing happens, a player can head down one of two paths – he can go out of control, emotions running wild. Or he can come back with razor-sharp focus.

Davis took the latter path. For the rest of the game, he simply couldn’t miss. Davis finished with 33 points and tied a tournament record with eight three pointers, while the crowd started to pick up that they were watching something special. Even St. Pat’s star point guard Kyrie Irving, who stuck around for the game, was hollering his support for the Prep star.

And make no mistake, an animated Davis was letting Oak Hill hear about it.

“After I hit that three-pointer to end the third quarter,” Davis told us after the game, “I just wanted to talk smack all game.”

After hitting a shot in the fourth quarter, he screamed, “Punch me again!” He was in the zone like my man Billy Hoyle – using his emotions to hone his game, putting on a show.

As good as Davis was, Oak Hill star Lamb’s talent was starting to emerge as he turned the game into an O.K. Corral-style duel. Neither player could be stopped, reminiscent of the excellent showdown I witnessed between Irving and Texas-bound St. Ben’s point guard Myck Kabongo a few weeks ago.

The other eight players on the court were simply bit players in a two-man drama – for example, personal favorite Roscoe Smith was ineffective and finished with just six points. Except for Lamb, the rest of the Oak Hill team was lulled into a classic trap game after their big win over St. Pat’s the night before.

St. Peter’s, led by Davis, took a commanding 79-72 lead with 22 seconds left, but the unstoppable Lamb proceeded to hit a trio of three-pointers in a determined effort to bring Oak Hill back. But Davis iced the game with free throws as St. Peter’s Prep held on for a wild 82-79 victory, though everyone was in agreement that Lamb probably would have tied the game had he had a few more seconds.

Lamb – who is weighing offers from five big-time programs – finished with 49 points, three shy of the Primetime Shootout record held by Mr. LeBron James in 2003. (I was at that game, one of the most memorable sporting events I’ve attended)

But the story of the night was Davis, who leaped up on the scoring table, collected his Player of the Game trophy, did some interviews and celebrated with an exuberant cheering section of his fellow students. After playing a Man’s Game, when we talked to him later on, the high school junior had sort of become a kid again, relishing in the moment.

Davis is ranked in the mid-30’s of the junior class – not too shabby, but not off the charts. He’s about 6-foot-1, which is not ideal size for a shooting guard. That said, he has offers from a good half-dozen schools, including Pittsburgh and Louisville.

On this day, he exemplified what I love about this tournament, and big-time high school ball in general. These kids are set to move on, hopefully to bigger and better things, but whatever he does in college and beyond, Myles Davis will always remember the day he beat Oak Hill. And he’ll remember getting to celebrate with his friends and teammates at the game, and the proud look on his parents’ faces.

As we continue to get older, facing new challenges and winning new battles every day, all of us have a select collection of memories from our high school years that are still nice to come back to once in a while, like we’re turning pages in a scrapbook.

And I think my favorite part of this year’s Shootout was watching Myles Davis create one of those moments for himself right before our eyes.

I felt terrible for Gordon, bound for Western Kentucky, who was put in a very difficult situation. Nationally televised Primetime Shootout game, down 1 to the preeminent high school program in the country, all eyes on you. It’s a very tough spot for a high school kid, and his nerves showed as he short-armed the first free throw and then had no chance on the second, disappointing a capacity crowd eager for overtime and leaving him crestfallen.

His teammates wouldn’t let Gordon feel he completely let them down, as they were quick to console him. But it probably wasn’t that easy for him to get to sleep tonight. Luckily, tomorrow is another day – and another game, against No. 29 Rice in Trenton.

Before the inauspicious finish, the fans at Kean University were treated to wonderful theater, as the play on the court matched the college atmosphere and setting.

This was the fourth time I’ve seen brilliant St. Patrick’s lead guard Kyrie Irving live, and he was easily the most explosive I’ve seen him. Irving has been compared to Jay Williams, and I really saw that tonight with his ability to score inside and out. His creativity on the break means he can get to the rim whenever he wants, and when he’s able to fully square up from long distance he won’t even graze the rim, as evidenced by two huge threes down the stretch. His vision allowed him to feed the post effectively and set up teammates on the break.

If I have one criticism of Irving’s game on Friday, it’s that he was actually too unselfish, dishing it to Gordon, who was fatefully fouled, with plenty of time left on the final play. Even Kyrie’s father told me he would have been better off taking it himself, but it’s difficult to find fault in the way Irving played. And he did, after all, set up a teammate with the chance to shoot for the victory.

St. Pat’s forward Michael Gilchrist – No. 1 ESPNU Junior – didn’t have a very impressive first half, and though he was scoring inside on nice feeds from Irving in the second half, we didn’t realize just how impressive he was until we looked at the scoreboard and he had 24 points. He matched Irving with 28, and it became apparent that he simply makes the game look effortless enough that you don’t realize the impact he’s having.

Gilchrist got brilliant position all night and finished well after contact, even dunking over 7-foot-1 Latvian mountain-with-feet Martins Abele. Gilchrist’s jumper also was effective; though there was a slight hitch to it, it goes in. It was pointed out to me by St. Pat’s aficionado Ryan Biddulph that Gilchrist is forced to play inside to suit St. Patrick’s needs, but he has impressive slashing ability that he routinely shows in summer leagues.

Forward Chase Plummer has caught my eye in a few games, but this was easily the best he’s played, as he rose to the occasion with 15 points. Biddulph’s father, Keith, tells us that Plummer wanted to play at Princeton, where his brother is a student, but he didn’t quite have the grades, so he’ll play at Maryland-Baltimore County next year. They’re getting a solid player who seems to turn it up when the heat is on.

As for Oak Hill, which is always a treat to see live, we were most impressed by the outstanding play of forward Roscoe Smith (ESPNU No. 29 senior), who demonstrated a solid outside shot, outstanding athleticism, shot blocking ability and plenty of passion for the game. SportsAngle architect Terry Rains of TruthBegins thought he’d be a perfect player for UConn, and he’s right, but with Duke still in need of both a small forward and more athleticism next season, I can’t help but wish as an alum (in hindsight) that they hadn’t been so invested in Harrison Barnes so they could have pursued Smith more closely.

Undecided guard Doron Lamb was also solid, though unspectacular to us, and I rather liked Maryland-bound guard Pe’Shon Howard. His jump shot was decent, he’s solidly built and had great passion to win. That said, Irving made him look like he was moving in slow motion.

Back to St. Pat’s: I’ve seen Irving after games look despondent – even after wins – as he’s particularly hard on himself when he doesn’t live up to his own lofty expectations. But he was relaxed after the game, joking with friends and fans in the hallway outside. St. Patrick’s played the most decorated program in the country to a standstill; just because the final result wasn’t positive doesn’t mean it wasn’t a positive experience. And though Boyle is reportedly furious his team won’t get to play in the states, they obviously have bigger fish to fry nationally.

As for the self-maligned Gordon, we ran into him on the way to our car, complimented his overall game and told him to keep his head up, and the smile he offered in return told us he’d surely be able to do just that.

The Dunn Center at Elizabeth High School was packed to the rafters to see St. Patrick (No. 3 in the nation) face off with St. Benedict’s (No. 10). Besides the elite coaches involved – Kevin Boyle and Danny Hurley, two guys who could find themselves in the college ranks before too long – the marquee matchup was at the point, where Duke-bound Kyrie Irving of St. Pat’s faced off with St. Benedict’s junior Myck Kabongo, who is heading to Texas.

St. Patrick, No. 1 in America until last Monday’s one-point loss to Findlay Prep, was without forward Michael Gilchrist, the No. 1 junior in the country, who missed the game with a family illness, continuing a tough run that has included knee and ankle injuries. As it turned out, that – and the fantastic play of Kabongo – was the difference in the game.

With most considering Irving the best guard in New Jersey – and one of the top two or three in the nation – it was obvious Kabongo came into the game with a chip on his shoulder. In the first half, Kabongo demonstrated an ability to penetrate and create for others, while Irving had a difficult time in the first half as his shots just weren’t falling, though he had St. Pat’s ahead by 2 at the half.

Right before the half, Irving elevated for a dunk attempt but was administered a very hard foul, leading to the first of two tenuous moments between the two teams. To the credit of Boyle, Hurley and the two schools’ administrations, the situations were effectively diffused. But it just went to show how important a statement game it was for these local and national powers.

St. Benedict’s wore down a Gilchrist-less St. Pat’s team and eventually took a nine-point lead with about six minutes left. That’s when Irving took over the way he did down the stretch against Findlay, scoring 12 points on a variety of slick moves and flawless free-throw shooting. His signature play came with St. Ben’s clinging to a three-point lead, when he blocked a shot emphatically, drove coast to coast and fed Derrick Gordon for a three-point play to tie the game.

But Kabongo was outstanding as well, with St. Pat’s unable to keep him out of the paint. Kabongo singlehandedly kept St. Ben’s afloat in a back-and-forth game, getting to the line twice in a row and then finishing off a 65-64 win with a dazzling leaning layup after driving the length of the court. It appears Texas might be getting the second coming of T.J. Ford. After leading a raucous celebration, Kabongo spoke his mind:

Now I want to know who the best guard in New Jersey is? Everybody says it’s him and I got a case for it.

As impressive as Kabongo was, it’s hard to make a case against Irving, who ended with 26 points. Irving’s personal credo is famously “Hungry and Humble,” and this translates on the court, as he follows the most spectacular of plays with little to no animation, even after the stunning game-tying block-assist combo. (Kabongo could do well to take notes on his demeanor) This characteristic reminds me of current Duke guard Nolan Smith, as they will surely form one of the coolest, most collected backcourts in the country next year.

But make no mistake, Irving will develop the fire he’s going to need to thrive in the ACC. His first game against North Carolina will draw that out of him – as could a potential rematch with St. Benedict’s in the state tournament. Watching him confidently bringing the ball down the court with his team down one late and all eyes on him, I could actually picture him excelling in that very situation next season.

I feel as if Irving carries a great deal of the burden of his team’s lofty ranking and expectations on his own shoulders. After a shot rims out on a sensational drive, you actually can see on his face how much it wears on him, and how much he expects of himself. I think for Irving, nothing is ever good enough; he’s the rare sort of player for whom nothing will ever make him content.

And that is exactly why you can tell already that he is destined for great things.

After watching Duke lose to Georgia Tech on Saturday, I felt like envisioning better times ahead, so I headed to Kean University to watch future Duke star Kyrie Irving and No. 1 nationally ranked St. Patrick vs. Westfield. It was also great to see Michael Gilchrist up and about after a scary knee injury on Tuesday. Here are my observations:

– The first time I saw Irving in person, on Tuesday against Union, he didn’t look particularly comfortable, likely a function of a recent illness, a taxing series of games in California and the need to adjust after a knee injury to superstar forward Michael Gilchrist.

Irving didn’t have that problem against Westfield, scoring 25 points in a 78-36 victory. He combined excellent handle – he has a behind-the-back dribble to his left that is particularly lethal – with a fantastic pull-up jumper. In addition, he flashed some of the lockdown defense and athleticism on the boards that make him a complete player.

I respect his midrange game the most; though Irving clearly has the ability to blow past people and get to the rim, that won’t always be an option on the next level depending on who’s waiting for him under the basket. And having a solid midrange jumper, truly a lost art in the sport, will make him that much more creative and potent.

Everyone I talked to at the game had the same words to say: “Duke’s getting a good player.” After watching Irving for a second time, I’d have to say that’s an understatement.

– Gilchrist went down in a heap after a collision with a Union player on Tuesday, unable to put weight on his right knee, but an MRI showed only a strain. Three days later, the No. 1 player in the country was walking with a noticeable limp and had a brace on the knee, but did not need to use crutches.

A couple of us briefly talked to Gilchrist following the game; he said he’s going to begin rehab on Tuesday in the hopes of returning sometime in the next 1-2 weeks, depending on how much progress he makes. He admitted he was initially pretty upset when he first went down, but appeared very relieved that the injury was minor.

However, the scuttlebutt in the gym was that Gilchrist could potentially be out as much as four weeks, which would put him on track to return a little before the Primetime Shootout in Trenton on Valentine’s Day weekend. While St. Pat’s is of course eager to defend its No. 1 ranking, it would make sense to tread lightly so as not to cost him a lengthy setback.

That said, I can’t wait to watch Gilchrist get back on the court, and that could happen a lot sooner than it appeared on Tuesday.

– St. Patrick’s coach is not the only Kevin Boyle making a large impact, as his son of the same name was absolutely stellar on Saturday. From what I understand, the senior leader has had a tough season, with the passing of his grandfather less than a month ago weighing heavily on him, but he broke out of it in a big way against Westfield.

When you hear a player is a coach’s son, particularly one playing for his own father, you expect to see fundamentals, and Boyle doesn’t disappoint. He has a nice, easy shooting stroke and tremendous range, nailing four threes in a row at one point and scoring 14 points, second on the team to Irving. Boyle plays solid face-up defense and makes intelligent decisions. He plays with intensity and fits in seamlessly on a team chock full of talent.

Despite the fact that he’s just 5-foot-9, Boyle makes the most of his abilities. I think his leadership, basketball IQ, tenacity and skill set would make him an excellent contributor for a team on the next level. I definitely look forward to getting to a game if he’s playing in this area, and I’m sure many fans of St. Patrick share that sentiment.

— Gilchrist’s injury opened the door for two players to step up and open some eyes, one on each team. On St. Patrick, freshman Austin Colbert took full advantage of the extra playing time to do his best Marcus Camby impression. The 6-foot-8 (!) freshman from Virginia scored just four points, but he blocked four shots with ease, rebounded strongly and ran the floor well. He’s already one of the most touted freshmen in the country, and when he grows into his body and adds some muscle, a given as he gets older, it seems he’ll be a force to be reckoned with.

And on Westfield, Pat Sabatino took full advantage of Gilchrist’s absence to score a team-high 18 points. The 6-foot-6 senior was fierce on the boards and inside the paint, though he did misfire badly on a jump shot. If he were to play college ball, he’d have to develop that aspect of his game, as a player his size could not assert himself physically the way he can in high school, even against a team as good as St. Patrick. But he has a motor and a knack around the basket, impressing the St. Pats faithful, and could be quite solid with a bit more work.

– Even the staunchest St. Patrick enthusiasts don’t feel as if the team can run the table; in addition to several tough Jersey teams, they play – among other national powers – Oak Hill, Rice and Findlay Prep. But that’s to Boyle’s credit: In basketball, as in any other competitive venture, you only get better by facing competition better than you, or at least on your level.

St. Pats risks losing some games by virtue of a hellacious schedule, but Irving and Co. will advance in their basketball careers that much more prepared – not to mention, they’ll take with them great memories of playing against the best competition the country has to offer.

For better or for worse, the amount of access fans have has truly changed in big-time college basketball recruiting, and social media is a major reason why. In the past, high school stars were relatively shadowy figures. We rarely got to see them play, much less know very much about them before they showed up to be big little men on campus as freshmen.

But now? We’ve seen them play on YouTube, though it’s tough to draw conclusions since we likely only see the best the kid has, set to lousy hip-hop. We’ve read fervently on Twitter as they post important facts about their lives, like what cereal they prefer, when they’re studying for biology tests, and what songs they think are most noteworthy. We watch them make off-color jokes on a live stream and egg them on with a comment board. As always, progress is a double-edged sword. On the upside, it is empowering to be able to know ever more about the 16-year-old saviors of our favorite college basketball teams.

But on the downside, while the Lunatic Fringe formerly had to wait until the kid was out on the floor to let them know what they think of their mother and sister, they now have nearly direct access from adolescence. The meteoric rise of Twitter has given everyone with a computer and a fair amount of vitriol the ability to directly address young players who choose to use the 140-character juggernaut. With Facebook, they have room to be even more explicit. In the past, rabid – literally – fans had to resort to team message boards to spout their unhealthy disapproval of, well, everything. Unless recruits had a morbid fascination that I think only applies to the fans themselves, they didn’t subject themselves to reading it. But now you have situations such as that of Mr. Kyrie Irving, a top-flight point guard from New Jersey by way of St. Patrick’s in Elizabeth, who alienated tons of dozens of fans for the sole reason that he didn’t want to matriculate at their schools. Irving committed to Duke University on Thursday and is regarded as potentially the school’s best point guard prospect ever, very high praise indeed.  Never mind that Irving was limited to just one school and went with the one where he felt most comfortable. Picking a situation that didn’t correspond with the best interests of certain passionate Kentucky and Indiana fans made for a very distasteful backlash.

Irving runs a Twitter account which was followed by around 3,000 people, with likely most of them supporters of the schools which were recruiting him. I think he enjoyed the attention that he was getting – what high school kid wouldn’t? – and he almost certainly benefited in the selection process from hearing the selling points from fans of the schools he considered. He was also able to communicate with potential future teammates. But he saw the ugly side when he removed Indiana from his short list – leading him to respond… twice – and then when he “spurned” Kentucky to pick Duke. At both times, he was subjected to being called names that would make anyone’s mother blush. And they were able to send them directly to Irving with no filters to speak of. Irving, for his own part, used Twitter to help make his day in the sun a little brighter. From all accounts, he was likely certain he would attend Duke after his official visit several weeks ago. But he indicated that he would use Twitter to announce his choice, drumming up copious followers. He used the site to detail his subsequent official visits and demonstrate what appears to be a fantastic work ethic. He eventually chose to announce his destination with a news conference on ESPNU, which is fine – his hard work dictated that as a reward. Reports surfaced from time to time that called him a lock for Duke – correctly – and Irving actually took back his ability to make the announcement on his own by denouncing on Twitter that he had committed to Duke. Semantics dictate that Kyrie is technically accurate true, as he officially didn’t commit until his ESPNU presser.

So that’s the advantage. Twitter afforded the young man the ability to attract attention that he normally would not have been able to garner, and let him control his own announcement. In the past, a couple dozen hardcore aficionados would have heard of him. Now? At least 3,000, and then however many more watched his commitment conference. And make no mistake, every time he said something on his site, people overanalyzed it to death. The disadvantage is the unfettered access that allowed fans to voice their displeasure directly to him in quite colorful terms, even leading him at times to attempt to provide a lesson in morals to them. To Irving’s credit, he did not seem that adversely affected by the interaction. Now I can’t determine whether the positives of having the forum to self-promote outweighs the perils of letting idiots have a crack at you. But there’s no looking back. The days of word of mouth, and seeing a recruit for the first time when he steps on campus, are over. And though the enhanced access we experience is all in the name of progress, one has to think that just maybe, we were better off in a simpler time when we didn’t have the power to practically reach out and touch a recruit. Was it perhaps more satisfying learning about a player once he actually gets to campus? It just might turn out to be true that knowing everything isn’t the best thing.