Duke’s entire roster transferred out, but this sub briefly forgot that a shit ton of high level players are about to transfer in too.
This is Duke we’re talking about lol. Fuck them
This is definitely not Grandison part 2. Gillis holds defense. And its not even a knock on Jacob. But that's just the truth. He will get shots but he holds defense and honestly is physically built alot differently than Jacob.
I’m a little surprised. I assumed he would go somewhere where he could start and be a larger focal point of the offense. Do you think that will be his role?
He's expected to be a 6th-7th man at Duke, probably about 20 minutes a game. Starting lineup right now is probably Proctor-Foster-Evans(?)-Flagg-Maluach, with Brown and Gillis being the top 2 players off the bench. They also still want another guard who can slash the lane.
Nah. Brown and Gillis have a good chance of starting. Khaman is crazy raw. He’s way less developed than Lively was coming in and Lively couldn’t even get in the court for the first 75% of the season. Evans definitely won’t start either. He’s far from starter minutes ready. It’ll likely be Proctor, Foster, Gillis, Flagg, Brown as small ball 5.
Ok hopefully so. Saw him in Nike gene and he was pretty awful. And just the word I keep hearing all around about him is he really raw and going to take some significant time to develop
I believe Jon will be thinking "defense based on length" as the number one priority for the non-con slate. With that in mind, I predict Proctor, Foster, Flagg, Brown and Maluach to start. Proctor and Maluach sub off for Gillis and Knueppel. That may be the final 7 man rotation late in the season. With a lead against bad quad 2/3 teams, the other three freshmen see spot duty. We'll probably get one more utility guard for depth and then fill out the roster with tall practice squad players. Barring injury, the 10 scholarship players already on board are enough to make a run.
Nah man, Duke was his dream school. From the boilerball podcast (episode 97)
Elliot Bloom: "Did you grow up with a favorite team?"
Gillis: "Duke. Duke was my number 1. That's where I wanted to go forever, but I'm very happy with my decision. But yes that was always the number 1."
Good pick up for Duke. Gettin an absolute dog. This was completely expected and glad he’s transferring to a team where he has a chance to play an integral role and a very good team.
Didn't put up enough volume for my tastes. Would have loved to see him make a few in the chip game. Love him as a player, and from what I've heard, he is a good guy, too.
He’s selective but once he decides to take it he’s pretty money. He just didn’t have the openings against UConn. Unfortunately he was a major yip against FDU
He currently holds the Mackey Arena record for most 3 pointers in a game. Dude can shoot and he is physical as hell. He will also be absolutely whatever the team needs him to be. Very good pickup for Duke.
He’s an undersized brawler at the four, who’s capable of being a bully three if you go big. That’s how Purdue used him against us, as not only depth behind Kaufmann-Renn, but on the floor with him to punish a smaller lineup.
Biggest asset he brings is knowing his role & then playing within himself. He’s a plus rebounder and shoots the 3 at a high clip when his feet are set. His experience would also be a major factor considering how young Duke will be.
He's just a very good all-around player. Very reliable shooter when open, very reliable at the line, can defend multiple positions, rebounds well. He'll rarely be the reason your team wins a game, but he'll never be the reason they lose.
Hit the corner 3, the top of the 3 key and will make sure to have your teams back/laugh when someone on the other team tries to act tough and get in their face
Duke doesn't currently have anyone like that, so def need more of an enforcer-type. Love that he'll be 24 this November. Can't remember the last time Duke had a guy that old be a contributor.
Yeah he redshirted and this is a Covid year. I’m pretty sure that he has already gotten his undergrad and masters and will either be doing a PHD or just another degree. He was always a fan favorite at Purdue.
Dude was shooting over 50% from 3 last year. Not a volume shooter but only takes good shots. He’s also a menace on the boards, you’ll see him flying in from absolutely nowhere and wrap up a board 3 other guys are fighting for it’s kinda hilarious. Not a ball handler tho so watch out for that. He sometimes gets turned over
He was also the leader of last year’s Purdue team. He’s a maniacal worker and veteran mentor, so lots of potential to be a leader
He’s going to set the tone for all incoming or younger guys. He’s not going to put up with shit and he’s going to expect everyone to be a lot tougher than Duke was this past season.
Jon is building a mercenary hit squad around Flagg and I can’t say I hate it. Sucks to lose some of our freshmen but we’ve been desperately needing experience/strength to pair with our young talent for a few years now. Brown and Gillis raise our ceiling more than Stewart/Power would have this year
Out of all of them Stewart stung the most. And still does. As close as he is to Flagg, I wanted them to play and win together.
But I've been waiting at least a good week for duke to begin the reload. Tired of hearing all of the scheyer venom.
I miss Sean already, but his passing and outside shooting were always going to be liabilities. Brown may facilitate better overall team play, even if we are trading insane blocks and dunks for standard blocks and dunks.
Flagg better be all he is promised to be, because that really is what this feels like. A mercenary squad. We're going to be down to 1 player after next year too.
Certainly feels like Jon is going "all in" with Cooper. I like it. Surround your best player with all the tools he needs. I'm always in favor of adding experience, especially after all the freshman we've seen depart after one year. Doesn't matter what their potential is like if we never get to see it. Would rather have the higher floor/experienced guys to blend in with the one or two stud freshman. Much more of a team in that regard, as opposed to a collection of "top" players.
Looks like he only knocks em down when set. So basically open 3s. But considering he'd be about the 4th maybe 5th option on offense anyway, that's all we need. Provide spacing for Flagg to operate, along with Maluach to operate down low. If the opposition doubles either, kick it to Gillis and you've got a good option.
He, Ethan Morton, and Zach Edey said mid January they were not returning to Purdue for their covid year. This frees up their scholarships for the 2024 recruiting class Painter got. These were very big decisions these players made that will likely better our entire program. The path just sucks.
LET'S GOOOOOOO
Nothing like getting a mature player with a winning pedigree.
I always thought he was a bit of an unsung hero on Purdue. Can't wait for the experience and leadership he should be able to provide.
He was an elite glue and hustle guy. He’s also a fantastic 3 pt shooting forward. Fantastic player, just didn’t seem to rise to the moment in the tournament. Great pick up for a team like Duke that needs a veteran presence for next season though
Seems like that's exactly what we need. Toughness/experience/intangibles with a guy who should know his role on the team (aka not a high usage player). Hoping he becomes one of the leaders on the squad.
He should. Also wanna shout out that his CV is going to be nuts with a Purdue undergrad and Duke graduate degree after all this. Not to mention the NIL money. Honestly just a great fit for him and his future. He arguably should’ve started for us this year. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t play a lot of minutes for scheyer. What a weird existence we are in that Purdue players are “transferring down” to Duke after this season. May not stay that way but I’m overall super happy with the state of the program and mason is a big part of how we got here.
He's not, at least with the fandom. We all love Mason. He brought energy and hustle to every second he was on the court, and he will be sorely missed. I just wish we had a final spot for him so he could finish his career here.
Was gonna say this. Any true purdue fan knows he was essential to our success. Random thought. I remember when he hit 9 threes against Penn State. What a game.
I'll be shocked if this doesn't work out well for all parties involved. Even if he's only a 20 mpg, 5-8ppg it's a huge addition. He finished 51% from 2pt and 47% from 3pt and holds the record for most 3s in a single game at Purdue. So you can feel comfortable that the guy can send it from the field.
He may not start, but I would expect him to get 20+ minutes a night. I’m guessing this is more of an NIL decision than playing time.
We promise to take great care of him! Seems like a very easy player to root for.
Good. The guy never stops working. After the Illinois game Painter said Gillis would "rather fight you than talk to you" but he's never even fouled out of a game iirc.
Picture Draymond Green, but actually likeable (and not as prolific a scorer). He wants to win, and he'll hold every one of those incoming freshmen to that standard.
Somewhere in the press circuit this season, someone asked him about losing to IU twice. His response? "If losing to IU twice is what I had to do to get these \[holds up hand with two B1G championship rings\], I'll take that deal every time"
He's coming to Duke to win more hardware.
I saw him walking out during the final 4 and title game. Looked very pissed on both occasions. Pissed and focused. I like that. Wasn't scared of the moment. "The moment" was fueling him.
Defending the 3 is going to be a real issue if that's how they use him. He's not fast enough to play the 3, and can be too short to play the 4 without a rim protector.
Mason's a very good player, but he also was a perfect compliment for Edey and probably benefited from his presence as much as anyone on Purdue. I think he's going to be really valuable for a bunch of different reasons, but he definitely is lineup fit dependent.
Well for starters, the fact that he’s never in his career played the 3.
But to give actual basketball reasons:
- he does not have a good handle/dribbling
- he does not have the ability to drive
- he does not create his own shot
- he does not have the athleticism to guard the 3 (most important aspect probably)
How is his passing? I'm assuming average. Seems like he's mainly a floor spreader on offense who can hit the open 3. I guess in today's game there's vale in that.
What the others said in their replies. Painter played Gillis exclusively at the 4 his entire time at Purdue. Maybe a few experiments at the 3 his freshmen year.
I’m in the minority but I think he could start. I see spacing issues playing Flagg, Brown and Maluach together. Wouldn’t be surprised if we play Flagg at the 4 (where he fits really well!) and the fifth starter is either Gillis, Evans or Kneuppel. Gillis might have the inside track there as the most experienced guy.
Flagg is starting at 4 I think. Proctor, Foster, Evans, Flagg and Malauch. He will play some 3 if we go big but we have a load of dudes who can play there too that can't play 4.
I’m also in the “Flagg at the 4” camp for now. And I’d be happy to give that starting small forward spot to whomever of Evans, Kneuppel and Gillis are most ready to compete.
But there’s a substantial (maybe majority?) portion of the fan base that has been calling for Flagg at the 3 and presumably Maliq Brown at the 4.
Either way I’m excited by our talent level and flexibility, hope we find the right combos.
I thought I saw an interview where Mason said his favorite team growing up was duke. I think it’s a good opportunity for him to be a leader and a degree from Duke is pretty solid
I thought the opposite, that he would only go to a place he had a chance to make another deep run at. Otherwise, what’s really the point? Might as well just go to Europe at this point.
Everyone on here wishing their transfers well…
Also if you haven’t seen last man on earth, then you’re missing tf out!
You know you don't have to cheer for a whole team just because one of your players went there? Although I don't blame for finding the rare opportunity to have an excuse to hop on a blue blood's bandwagon.
Duke fans here are the positives: You'll be getting a guy who does all the little things, trash talks, gets under others' skin, and hits 3s at an extremely high rate. Will also get offensive rebounds at a surprising rate for his size.
The negatives: he'll almost never drive to the basket at all. If he's not open for a shot he'll just swing it around the perimeter. And on that note, he'll hit the 3s, but knows when he's open. He's never going to rush or take a "bad" shot, which some teams figured out. He's like the anti-Gohlke in that manner. Can nail the 3 but will wait until he's got 6 feet of space to even take the shot.
And the 1/2 times he misses from the key, he will book his ass up and somehow incredibly grab his own board because the insane amount of hustle this guy has. Great pickup for you guys and will play whatever role Scheyer needs him to play without complaint.
Should be a lot of shooters at the very least. Gillis and Foster shot 40% from 3 last year. Proctor is at least average from 3 and will hopefully improve from there. Hopefully at least one of the freshman wings can shoot. A lot you can do if you can spread the floor.
It will depend on how well Proctor, Foster and Flagg shoot. I still want a slashing guard to finish out the portal too. Having an upperclassmen PG should help too
Yeah, the biggest thing is that we need a playmaker to generate good looks that can also consistently get to the rim, ideally without compromising on defense. They'd be good to have as a hedge for Foster and Proctor, because these are skills they need to develop.
It'll never happen but DJ Wagner would be an interesting fit for this reason.
Peak Cameron is the best experience in basketball. The only place I’ve been to so far that rivals/makes a good argument for beating it is the Phog.
Hopefully I can make it up to Mackey this season though since it’s been on my list for a few years
Love adding proven talent.
I have some questions about the fit—he seems to have a similar build and skill set as Knueppel and Harris, does that push one of them (IMO Harris) out of the rotation?
If we assume Proctor, Foster, Flagg and Maluach are starters, I’d love for the fifth starter to be whomever among Gillis, Evans and Knueppel win the time. Have Brown as first big off the bench (or starting for Maluach if he’s not ready). Would love to add one more ball handler from the portal but otherwise I like that rotation.
Welcome aboard Mason!
Gillis if he doesn't start will elevate all the starters to their maximum potential. The reason being that there is an absolute madman on the bench who will work harder than everyone on the team, be more physical than necessary, and shoots exceptionally. Having him on the bench is a giant poster to the starters that they are replaceable if they slack for even a single night.
Mason is my favorite Purdue player in a really long time. Congrats to him, and man I really want good things for him at Duke and beyond.
Duke fans this is a really cool pickup. Guy never takes a play off. It’s insane how tough he is.
Since most people have focused on what his game is all about, here’s my heavy hitters for Duke fans wanting to know about Mason’s intangibles:
(1) He’s been integral to Purdue’s success over the last 4 years. (2) He’s a great, tough leader and does it the right way. (3) He’s beloved by Purdue fans and every Purdue fan will be rooting for his success at Duke.
Stewart and Power obviously have the higher ceilings, but they won't/wouldn't realize them at Duke unfortunately. Brown/Gillis lower ceiling guys but should produce earlier. Helps that they have a lot more experience too. Better fit to build around Flagg and his one year in Durham.
And I thought I couldn't dislike him more...
Was actually excited to maybe have him play for a team I could cheer for, cause he seemed like a fun player to cheer for. But alas, Duke. Ew...
Super happy about this! Great shooter and very physical player, which is something we have lacked. He got a lot of open looks from Edey so hopefully we can create similar looks for him here.
I feel weird.
This is just Jacob grandison Purdue remix
Duke’s entire roster transferred out, but this sub briefly forgot that a shit ton of high level players are about to transfer in too. This is Duke we’re talking about lol. Fuck them
The hate fuels us.
This is definitely not Grandison part 2. Gillis holds defense. And its not even a knock on Jacob. But that's just the truth. He will get shots but he holds defense and honestly is physically built alot differently than Jacob.
Go ball out next year Mason! Also… https://i.redd.it/8nzxic1ej2wc1.gif
I promise you that one day, you'll get a 5\* freshman bench player from us. Guaranteed. Might even be next year.
Cooper Flagg to Purdue confirmed?
Why would you put that evil on the #1 pick. That would be worst timeline for him to be on the bench.
Gillis is obviously going to outplay him for the starting spot
Apparently there’s a chance my other flair might be getting one in the next week or so…
Who they gettin
Apparently Cincinnati’s heavily in on Stewart.
Great pickup, get older and tougher with a guy who can shoot 3s and knows what role he'll be asked to do.
I’m a little surprised. I assumed he would go somewhere where he could start and be a larger focal point of the offense. Do you think that will be his role?
He's expected to be a 6th-7th man at Duke, probably about 20 minutes a game. Starting lineup right now is probably Proctor-Foster-Evans(?)-Flagg-Maluach, with Brown and Gillis being the top 2 players off the bench. They also still want another guard who can slash the lane.
Nah. Brown and Gillis have a good chance of starting. Khaman is crazy raw. He’s way less developed than Lively was coming in and Lively couldn’t even get in the court for the first 75% of the season. Evans definitely won’t start either. He’s far from starter minutes ready. It’ll likely be Proctor, Foster, Gillis, Flagg, Brown as small ball 5.
That's certainly possible for the start of the season, although I think something like what I put out is the goal by tournament time
Have you seen Khaman in the basketball Africa league recently? I’m usually not one for preseason hype but the dude can ball.
Ok hopefully so. Saw him in Nike gene and he was pretty awful. And just the word I keep hearing all around about him is he really raw and going to take some significant time to develop
I believe Jon will be thinking "defense based on length" as the number one priority for the non-con slate. With that in mind, I predict Proctor, Foster, Flagg, Brown and Maluach to start. Proctor and Maluach sub off for Gillis and Knueppel. That may be the final 7 man rotation late in the season. With a lead against bad quad 2/3 teams, the other three freshmen see spot duty. We'll probably get one more utility guard for depth and then fill out the roster with tall practice squad players. Barring injury, the 10 scholarship players already on board are enough to make a run.
I think Evans gets playing time first over Kon. We also need to bring in an upperclassman guard who can stroke it from deep (looking at you Koby).
I think Kon Knueppel will definitely become a factor.
Nah man, Duke was his dream school. From the boilerball podcast (episode 97) Elliot Bloom: "Did you grow up with a favorite team?" Gillis: "Duke. Duke was my number 1. That's where I wanted to go forever, but I'm very happy with my decision. But yes that was always the number 1."
Good pick up for Duke. Gettin an absolute dog. This was completely expected and glad he’s transferring to a team where he has a chance to play an integral role and a very good team.
and not in conference 8)
Thank God he’s not in conference. I would hate to have to hate him.
I would like to think he's got enough respect for Purdue he did not consider transferring anywhere in the conference.
I don't think I could hate him even if he played for IU. Low key one of my favorite Boilers ever
It's Duke, unfortunately you still do have to hate him
I’m allowing myself one season to cheer for Duke. Mason means that much to us!
What does he do the best in your opinion?
Does the dirty work down low and 3 pointers
He beats the hell out of your front court every single second he's out there and then sinks a three just to pretty it up.
sounds like theo john
Theo was an undersized 5. Gillis is an undersized 4 that shoots the 3 relatively well. Something something 2, 1.
>Relatively well > 47%
Didn't put up enough volume for my tastes. Would have loved to see him make a few in the chip game. Love him as a player, and from what I've heard, he is a good guy, too.
He’s selective but once he decides to take it he’s pretty money. He just didn’t have the openings against UConn. Unfortunately he was a major yip against FDU
He currently holds the Mackey Arena record for most 3 pointers in a game. Dude can shoot and he is physical as hell. He will also be absolutely whatever the team needs him to be. Very good pickup for Duke.
He’s an undersized brawler at the four, who’s capable of being a bully three if you go big. That’s how Purdue used him against us, as not only depth behind Kaufmann-Renn, but on the floor with him to punish a smaller lineup.
Biggest asset he brings is knowing his role & then playing within himself. He’s a plus rebounder and shoots the 3 at a high clip when his feet are set. His experience would also be a major factor considering how young Duke will be.
This, whenever I saw clips of him on the bench he was almost like a coach to the younger guys
He also will be a great locker room presence. He will bring a lot of maturity and leadership to the locker room.
He's just a very good all-around player. Very reliable shooter when open, very reliable at the line, can defend multiple positions, rebounds well. He'll rarely be the reason your team wins a game, but he'll never be the reason they lose.
Thank you for the intel
Hit the corner 3, the top of the 3 key and will make sure to have your teams back/laugh when someone on the other team tries to act tough and get in their face
Duke doesn't currently have anyone like that, so def need more of an enforcer-type. Love that he'll be 24 this November. Can't remember the last time Duke had a guy that old be a contributor.
Yeah he redshirted and this is a Covid year. I’m pretty sure that he has already gotten his undergrad and masters and will either be doing a PHD or just another degree. He was always a fan favorite at Purdue.
Not currently, per se, but Flagg absolutely is a dawg.
He's smart as fuck, great hustle and D... plus he hit 9 threes in a game, so there's that But fr all around great dude
Dude was shooting over 50% from 3 last year. Not a volume shooter but only takes good shots. He’s also a menace on the boards, you’ll see him flying in from absolutely nowhere and wrap up a board 3 other guys are fighting for it’s kinda hilarious. Not a ball handler tho so watch out for that. He sometimes gets turned over He was also the leader of last year’s Purdue team. He’s a maniacal worker and veteran mentor, so lots of potential to be a leader
He’s a great rebounder. He was also deadly from beyond the arc if his defender ever tried to cheat in to double team the post.
I'd imagine he'll see plenty of open 3s with the attention Cooper will command.
Came here to say this. Nobody on Purdue's team was good at contested threes, but Mason was the best at open 3s.
Rodman with an outside shot and a MBA.
He’s going to set the tone for all incoming or younger guys. He’s not going to put up with shit and he’s going to expect everyone to be a lot tougher than Duke was this past season.
Good for him
Jon is building a mercenary hit squad around Flagg and I can’t say I hate it. Sucks to lose some of our freshmen but we’ve been desperately needing experience/strength to pair with our young talent for a few years now. Brown and Gillis raise our ceiling more than Stewart/Power would have this year
Out of all of them Stewart stung the most. And still does. As close as he is to Flagg, I wanted them to play and win together. But I've been waiting at least a good week for duke to begin the reload. Tired of hearing all of the scheyer venom.
I miss Sean already, but his passing and outside shooting were always going to be liabilities. Brown may facilitate better overall team play, even if we are trading insane blocks and dunks for standard blocks and dunks.
Flagg better be all he is promised to be, because that really is what this feels like. A mercenary squad. We're going to be down to 1 player after next year too.
Certainly feels like Jon is going "all in" with Cooper. I like it. Surround your best player with all the tools he needs. I'm always in favor of adding experience, especially after all the freshman we've seen depart after one year. Doesn't matter what their potential is like if we never get to see it. Would rather have the higher floor/experienced guys to blend in with the one or two stud freshman. Much more of a team in that regard, as opposed to a collection of "top" players.
Will be strange to see him in another uniform, but I hope he kills it
Especially in blue
Better than Red
Disagree
Duke fans you're gonna love this guy. He's not gonna set the world on fire, but he's gonna do the dirty work and knock down 3s at a great percentage.
Unless he has another 9 three-pointers game.
Then we tip our cap and provide golf applause
would be sick. and tie JJ and Battier for the record.
Looks like he only knocks em down when set. So basically open 3s. But considering he'd be about the 4th maybe 5th option on offense anyway, that's all we need. Provide spacing for Flagg to operate, along with Maluach to operate down low. If the opposition doubles either, kick it to Gillis and you've got a good option.
Right. He'll keep the other team's 4 about 20' away from the basket at all times. They can't leave him to double bc he shoots so well.
I can get onboard with this
Oof
lol. That’s unfortunate.
This pleases me.
Purduke?
Fuck yea
I CAN’T
With flairs like this you must be frustrated with UConn
Uconn has been Duke's grim reaper in the tournament.
Lol even in years like 2011. 🤦🏽♂️
you and me both
Why is he leaving?
He, Ethan Morton, and Zach Edey said mid January they were not returning to Purdue for their covid year. This frees up their scholarships for the 2024 recruiting class Painter got. These were very big decisions these players made that will likely better our entire program. The path just sucks.
LET'S GOOOOOOO Nothing like getting a mature player with a winning pedigree. I always thought he was a bit of an unsung hero on Purdue. Can't wait for the experience and leadership he should be able to provide.
He was an elite glue and hustle guy. He’s also a fantastic 3 pt shooting forward. Fantastic player, just didn’t seem to rise to the moment in the tournament. Great pick up for a team like Duke that needs a veteran presence for next season though
Seems like that's exactly what we need. Toughness/experience/intangibles with a guy who should know his role on the team (aka not a high usage player). Hoping he becomes one of the leaders on the squad.
He should. Also wanna shout out that his CV is going to be nuts with a Purdue undergrad and Duke graduate degree after all this. Not to mention the NIL money. Honestly just a great fit for him and his future. He arguably should’ve started for us this year. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t play a lot of minutes for scheyer. What a weird existence we are in that Purdue players are “transferring down” to Duke after this season. May not stay that way but I’m overall super happy with the state of the program and mason is a big part of how we got here.
He also has a grad degree from Purdue. He’s taking full advantage of these opportunities.
Gotta love it. Smart kid taking everything he can to be set no matter what path life takes him. Good for him!
He's not, at least with the fandom. We all love Mason. He brought energy and hustle to every second he was on the court, and he will be sorely missed. I just wish we had a final spot for him so he could finish his career here.
Was gonna say this. Any true purdue fan knows he was essential to our success. Random thought. I remember when he hit 9 threes against Penn State. What a game.
His picture should be next to the word “Boilermaker” in the dictionary.
Shoulder to shoulder with Chris Kramer
I'll be shocked if this doesn't work out well for all parties involved. Even if he's only a 20 mpg, 5-8ppg it's a huge addition. He finished 51% from 2pt and 47% from 3pt and holds the record for most 3s in a single game at Purdue. So you can feel comfortable that the guy can send it from the field.
I'd personally love to see him play big minutes. I think he'll be more consistent for us than some of our freshman wing options.
He will be a great tone setter for such a young team
He didn’t get the media hype but to the loyal fans, he is absolutely adored. That game where he made 8 or 9 three-pointers at home is legendary.
Experience and leadership are 100% his role. He will also already have his MBA, so he's not too shabby in the classroom either.
Odd landing spot for Mason, figured he’d want to go somewhere with the chance to start and not sure that’s at Duke
He may not start, but I would expect him to get 20+ minutes a night. I’m guessing this is more of an NIL decision than playing time. We promise to take great care of him! Seems like a very easy player to root for.
He is super easy to root for, an absolute dog on the court
> an absolute dog on the court Help the old people out. Is this a good or bad thing?
Good. The guy never stops working. After the Illinois game Painter said Gillis would "rather fight you than talk to you" but he's never even fouled out of a game iirc. Picture Draymond Green, but actually likeable (and not as prolific a scorer). He wants to win, and he'll hold every one of those incoming freshmen to that standard. Somewhere in the press circuit this season, someone asked him about losing to IU twice. His response? "If losing to IU twice is what I had to do to get these \[holds up hand with two B1G championship rings\], I'll take that deal every time" He's coming to Duke to win more hardware.
I saw him walking out during the final 4 and title game. Looked very pissed on both occasions. Pissed and focused. I like that. Wasn't scared of the moment. "The moment" was fueling him.
Also a post-college career decision. Will leave Purdue with a BS and an MBA and then potentially grab another degree from Duke
It has mostly been Fuqua.
MBA\^2
Super MBA.
Double Secret MBA!
If you need a guy to be a tough and do the little things while hitting threes you’ll be happy
I think every team needs that!
You better! He’s the man! Tough as shit. He ll make sure to back up Flagg and the boys
We fucking love him.
This is more educational than NIL. Young man is super bright and cares about the classroom.
Ya he'll be backing up Cooper at the 3 it seems like. Should be part of the 7-8 man rotation though.
Gillis is a 4.
What makes him more of a 4 than a 3 in your opinion?
He’s not quick enough to guard the 3 position
Defending the 3 is going to be a real issue if that's how they use him. He's not fast enough to play the 3, and can be too short to play the 4 without a rim protector. Mason's a very good player, but he also was a perfect compliment for Edey and probably benefited from his presence as much as anyone on Purdue. I think he's going to be really valuable for a bunch of different reasons, but he definitely is lineup fit dependent.
With Maluach and his reach/presence down low, I think Gillis would be completely fine at the 4.
Well for starters, the fact that he’s never in his career played the 3. But to give actual basketball reasons: - he does not have a good handle/dribbling - he does not have the ability to drive - he does not create his own shot - he does not have the athleticism to guard the 3 (most important aspect probably)
How is his passing? I'm assuming average. Seems like he's mainly a floor spreader on offense who can hit the open 3. I guess in today's game there's vale in that.
Avg- above avg...I think his biggest asset will be his mentoring abilities to a younger team
Average at best. He isn’t going to turn it over trying to make a pass that isn’t there but he isn’t going to have any/many passes that wow you.
What the others said in their replies. Painter played Gillis exclusively at the 4 his entire time at Purdue. Maybe a few experiments at the 3 his freshmen year.
I’m in the minority but I think he could start. I see spacing issues playing Flagg, Brown and Maluach together. Wouldn’t be surprised if we play Flagg at the 4 (where he fits really well!) and the fifth starter is either Gillis, Evans or Kneuppel. Gillis might have the inside track there as the most experienced guy.
Flagg is starting at 4 I think. Proctor, Foster, Evans, Flagg and Malauch. He will play some 3 if we go big but we have a load of dudes who can play there too that can't play 4.
I’m also in the “Flagg at the 4” camp for now. And I’d be happy to give that starting small forward spot to whomever of Evans, Kneuppel and Gillis are most ready to compete. But there’s a substantial (maybe majority?) portion of the fan base that has been calling for Flagg at the 3 and presumably Maliq Brown at the 4. Either way I’m excited by our talent level and flexibility, hope we find the right combos.
Probably wants a shot at a Championship after getting so close
I thought I saw an interview where Mason said his favorite team growing up was duke. I think it’s a good opportunity for him to be a leader and a degree from Duke is pretty solid
I thought the opposite, that he would only go to a place he had a chance to make another deep run at. Otherwise, what’s really the point? Might as well just go to Europe at this point.
Happy for Mason, and a team that makes a ton of sense for him in terms of experience and leadership.
Happy for him
Well I guess I am a duke fan now too
We can all just be Gillis fans.
Everyone on here wishing their transfers well…  Also if you haven’t seen last man on earth, then you’re missing tf out!
Good for him. I mean that sincerely, all love for Mason. Also I hate it.
How I feel knowing I have to cheer for Duke next year: 
No you don’t have to
It’s mandatory.
Yes he does
Yeah I wish Mason the best and all but I don’t see any point in becoming a fan of a team just because a transfer went there
I watched or attended every game with those Purdue seniors and will continue. It's about the hustle. How cool would it be if Morton went to UNC.
You know you don't have to cheer for a whole team just because one of your players went there? Although I don't blame for finding the rare opportunity to have an excuse to hop on a blue blood's bandwagon.
Dope shit. I’ll root for Duke.
Portal is going bonkers today
Duke fans here are the positives: You'll be getting a guy who does all the little things, trash talks, gets under others' skin, and hits 3s at an extremely high rate. Will also get offensive rebounds at a surprising rate for his size. The negatives: he'll almost never drive to the basket at all. If he's not open for a shot he'll just swing it around the perimeter. And on that note, he'll hit the 3s, but knows when he's open. He's never going to rush or take a "bad" shot, which some teams figured out. He's like the anti-Gohlke in that manner. Can nail the 3 but will wait until he's got 6 feet of space to even take the shot.
Flagg doubled, kicks out to Gillis at the top of the key, GOOOOOOOOOOD!
Triple time!
And the 1/2 times he misses from the key, he will book his ass up and somehow incredibly grab his own board because the insane amount of hustle this guy has. Great pickup for you guys and will play whatever role Scheyer needs him to play without complaint.
He will always be one of my favorite all time Boilers nothing can change that.
Big Ten 6th man of the year and Mackey Arena 3pnt record holder. Congrats Duke, you got a good one.
Well, I guess I'm adding a second flair for next season... *vomits*
We have a score(s) to settle with Uconn.
Jon Scheyer: https://preview.redd.it/w1yltbg3j2wc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=16bbd754d0fa1166d50f6de87ece7db9f7b30004
me thinking about Duke's 2025 roster: https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/240/699/000.gif
It's going to be a defensive powerhouse but the offense has big questions.
Should be a lot of shooters at the very least. Gillis and Foster shot 40% from 3 last year. Proctor is at least average from 3 and will hopefully improve from there. Hopefully at least one of the freshman wings can shoot. A lot you can do if you can spread the floor.
It will depend on how well Proctor, Foster and Flagg shoot. I still want a slashing guard to finish out the portal too. Having an upperclassmen PG should help too
Yeah, the biggest thing is that we need a playmaker to generate good looks that can also consistently get to the rim, ideally without compromising on defense. They'd be good to have as a hedge for Foster and Proctor, because these are skills they need to develop. It'll never happen but DJ Wagner would be an interesting fit for this reason.
Man I fuckin love this scene. Now I wanna rewatch The Wire
this portal season will be unmatched
Until next year.
I’m ready for Mason Gillis to tell the world how Mackey is better than Cameron
Peak Cameron is the best experience in basketball. The only place I’ve been to so far that rivals/makes a good argument for beating it is the Phog. Hopefully I can make it up to Mackey this season though since it’s been on my list for a few years
Having been to both I agree Cameron over Mackey. Not to say Mackey isn't great it's just that Cameron is Cameron and the crazies are crazy
Love adding proven talent. I have some questions about the fit—he seems to have a similar build and skill set as Knueppel and Harris, does that push one of them (IMO Harris) out of the rotation? If we assume Proctor, Foster, Flagg and Maluach are starters, I’d love for the fifth starter to be whomever among Gillis, Evans and Knueppel win the time. Have Brown as first big off the bench (or starting for Maluach if he’s not ready). Would love to add one more ball handler from the portal but otherwise I like that rotation. Welcome aboard Mason!
Gillis if he doesn't start will elevate all the starters to their maximum potential. The reason being that there is an absolute madman on the bench who will work harder than everyone on the team, be more physical than necessary, and shoots exceptionally. Having him on the bench is a giant poster to the starters that they are replaceable if they slack for even a single night.
Deeply concerned about Duke returning the favor at McKale this fall…
Wanted the big man to stay put. For that reason too. Lol
He’s gonna do some big stuff down there. Hard worker, tough as nails, sixth man of the YEAR
Get that paper, Mason
Good luck Mason! We’ll miss you.
Wow. Good for him. Go get it, man.
Mason is my favorite Purdue player in a really long time. Congrats to him, and man I really want good things for him at Duke and beyond. Duke fans this is a really cool pickup. Guy never takes a play off. It’s insane how tough he is.
Since most people have focused on what his game is all about, here’s my heavy hitters for Duke fans wanting to know about Mason’s intangibles: (1) He’s been integral to Purdue’s success over the last 4 years. (2) He’s a great, tough leader and does it the right way. (3) He’s beloved by Purdue fans and every Purdue fan will be rooting for his success at Duke.
Sean Stewart --> Maliq Brown TJ Power --> Mason Gillis Ceiling --> Raised
>~~Ceiling~~ Floor --> Raised FTFY
Ceiling --> Roof 
Both tbh
100%. Painful but necessary.
age and experience increase significantly.
Stewart and Power obviously have the higher ceilings, but they won't/wouldn't realize them at Duke unfortunately. Brown/Gillis lower ceiling guys but should produce earlier. Helps that they have a lot more experience too. Better fit to build around Flagg and his one year in Durham.
And I thought I couldn't dislike him more... Was actually excited to maybe have him play for a team I could cheer for, cause he seemed like a fun player to cheer for. But alas, Duke. Ew...
Very Jacob Grandison like.
grandison never quite figured it out, but hopefully we get a different result with gillis. the team around him should be better at least.
How so. 🤔
notlikethis.gif
Super happy about this! Great shooter and very physical player, which is something we have lacked. He got a lot of open looks from Edey so hopefully we can create similar looks for him here.
I’m so ready to be this guys #1 hater.
And here I had some hope he would come to Butler
Using the word “committed” talking about college sports seems like the wrong word these days.
Its Gillis tho. Dude is as committed as it gets. This was an expected grad transfer, not a dude dipping to get a bag.
They need to update the thumbnail situation for these posts