Headlines: Duke Basketball Making Moves and ACC Hoops

Brian:  College basketball's hottest transfer prospect - Liberty guard Seth Curry - chose to transfer to Duke. Of course, this was announced moment's after North Carolina's win over Oklahoma that sent UNC to the Final Four.  (Way to try to upstage the Heels ... you stay classy, Krzyzewski).  So Jeff, how does this - at all - shift the balance of power in the ACC?  Given that some of Duke's and North Carolina's McDonald's All-Americans will likely jump early to the pros, does the addition of Seth Curry and his 20.2 points per game shift the balance of power in the ACC from North Carolina to Duke when Curry returns to the Duke lineup for the 2010-2011 season?

Jeff: How can you possibly knock Coach K here?  College coaches are constantly recruiting and he can't help the timing of Curry's decision.  I will be the first to criticize Coach K for working the officials anytime he gets any less than 78% of the calls, but I will not utter one bad word about him in this instance.

How does this shift the balance of power in two years?  It probably doesn't.  Duke is full of talent year after year and Curry put up great numbers at Liberty which may not translate to ACC play.  Duke should be happy with their acquisition as I'm sure they are since they used a scholarship on him but there is probably a reason he ended up at Liberty and not a major college power in the first place.

Brian: Ahh, I think you hit the nail on the head Jeff.  Was Seth Curry scooped up by Duke because they regret not giving Stephen Curry a chance to play major college basketball?  Remains to be seen, and as you said, we won't know the impact of this move for at least two years.

Not only did Duke sign Seth Curry, but they are also heavily pursuing Raleigh, NC's John Wall. Wall is a presumed "one year and done" recruit, which is a stark change of direction for Coach K who has reportedly sworn off these types of recruits in favor of kids who will stay for their four years.  Coach K this desperate to change up his recruiting philosophy to regain ACC supremacy over the Heels?  However, even though Wall has Duke in his final list, it sounds like he may sign at Kentucky after Calipari jumped Memphis for UK.