Dunleavy belongs in NBA

With Mike Dunleavy's announced decision to stay in the NBA Draft, CNNSI.com chatted with Sports Illustrated college basketball writer Seth Davis about the impact Dunleavy might make in the NBA and what he leaves behind at Duke.

CNNSI.com: Dunleavy had hinted all along that he'd finalize a decision after he saw what teams would be in position to take him. Does this mean he's now OK with going to Golden State, which mock drafts project as the early frontrunner?

Seth Davis: I would think so. But I don't think there's any guarantee that Golden State is going to take him. Also, there never are any guarantees on draft night on what trades happen, etc. It's a pretty scattershot process. I'm not denying that he took that into account, but I do doubt that he based his decision mostly on that. It's got to be pretty far down on the list, because you just can't predict what will happen. I think the bottom line is where he is projected to go, much more than who is going to take him.

CNNSI.com: How much did it help that his father, Mike Dunleavy Sr., a longtime NBA player and coach, is well plugged into the league?

Davis: It didn't help Duke. Unlike with Jason Williams, whose mom was extremely insistent that he come back [to Duke last year], Mike Sr. was equally insistent that Mike at least take a look at the NBA seriously, not dismiss it out of hand. I believe this is Mike's decision; I don't believe Dad pushed him out. But clearly Dad didn't have a foot on his neck saying, "You must go back to Duke."

CNNSI.com: Is he ready to contribute at the next level, which he probably will be expected to do as a top-five pick?

Davis: I think he is as ready as any rookie. I think Jason Williams is an unusual case, where you have somebody not only ready to play in the NBA right away, but also ready to dominate. I don't think Dunleavy is ready to dominate, but I think he is going to be a very solid player. People say he is too thin, not strong enough. First of all, he will get stronger. Second of all, for somebody at his position and the way he plays, he is never going to be thought of as a power player.

CNNSI.com: What about Dunleavy's skills so attracted NBA scouts to him?

Davis: Versatility. That's what he brings to the table. I don't know that he necessarily is great at any one thing right now, but he's pretty good at a lot of things. And he's bigger than people think -- he's a legit 6-9, 6-10 and he's still growing into his body. I think he wants to be a point guard, and I think that's what he is working toward. And I think he is good enough to do it.

CNNSI.com: Could he have gained anything from staying at Duke?

Davis: From a draft standpoint, no. He had nowhere to go but down. Certainly he would have been a better player a year from now, there's no doubt about that. He never really had to be the go-to guy, that's the experience he would have gotten. That's what Shane Battier got his senior year. Of course, after his junior season Battier wasn't projected as a top-five pick; if he had been, he may have come out.

CNNSI.com: How surprised do you think Mike Krzyzewski is by all these developments?

Davis: At this point, I doubt that he's surprised. When the season was over, I certainly think he expected Dunleavy to come back. Frankly, I think there's too much pressure on kids at Duke to resolve this during the season. Dunleavy, I think, said, "I'm definitely coming back," much earlier than he should have had to say that. He should have said, "I'm going to make a decision after the season," and leave it at that. I think it puts too much pressure on everybody for them to have to do that.

CNNSI.com: How prepared is Duke to weather Dunleavy's departure?

Davis: They have a great freshman class coming in, and also keep in mind that the year after they lost Elton Brand, William Avery and Corey Maggette, they entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 1-ranked team in the country. So the Blue Devils still are going to be very good. I would say that they will be favored to win the ACC, but they won't be preseason top five, which they would have been if Dunleavy had stayed.

Sports Illustrated staff writer Seth Davis covers the college basketball beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.

 

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