DUKE vs UNC men's basketball this Saturday!

Seth Greenberg, ESPN, college basketball guru, analyst, maven. What do you prefer, guru, analyst, or maven? Definitely not guru.

I can tell you that. Gurus don't know what they're talking about. Gurus think they know what they're talking about.

So gurus is not a good description. Just a fire basketball coach that likes to talk ball. Alright, well let's talk some ball then. Before I get to Duke Carolina at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Saturday at 6.30, and college game day, everybody's here. What have you seen in the development of Duke over the last, really more recently over the last two or three weeks of them as a team? I think they're getting better significantly.

And look, it's really, really difficult. You think about the journey that this team has been through. You know, they start the season, preseason, and Drake-Whitehead and Derek Leibnoe are out for injury.

Tyrese Proctor doesn't get there until the fall. So there's three guys that you're probably going to be counting on, three young players, that miss maybe a good portion of the pivotal time that you get to kind of immerse yourself in identity culture and build a foundation for the season. You know, that preseason is a big part.

The summer is a big part of when you basically build the foundation for the building blocks of what you're going to be basically focused on during the season. So John had to deal with that. And then he had to deal with Jeremy Roach going down, which actually might be a blessing in disguise because from that point on, I think Tyrese Proctor has been, I've watched Tyrese Proctor grow, mature, develop more in the last two weeks than maybe he did prior to that. I think a lot had to do with, he had greater responsibility when Roach was out.

So I think right now that they're in a good place. You know, my thing on this time of the year, especially with young teams, Adam, is don't be so concerned about preparing for each and every game. Because this time of the year, you're playing three games in a week or two games in a week.

You have to have a day off. Worry about your team and then your concepts offensively, defensively, and then apply those offensive and defensive concepts to your preparation the day before the game. But if you forget about working on your team and having your team improve, then you're losing focus at the finish line. Because for Duke, North Carolina, their season doesn't start until the NCAA tournament because that's where they get judged.

Right. So I watched Duke get better. Their identity in terms of how they're playing, their spacing. You see Derek Lively developing a role as a rim runner, shot blocker, a dunker spot guy, a short roller. You see, you know, all of a sudden now, Proctor has the ball in his hands a little bit more, which enables Roach to play off the ball. You see Mitchell be more assertive in picking his spots than, you know, Filipowski. Figuring out where he wants the ball, not just settling to have him play in the perimeter, but putting him on the left side of the floor so he can draw it through his right hand. Where he wants the ball at the end of games, getting in them post up. So I think this team is coming along nicely right now.

Yeah, it's funny. About three weeks ago, maybe even a little bit more, I had it in my head that Tyrese Proctor couldn't play. Wasn't good enough to play at this level or was a year away from playing high level ball at this level.

But the last two, three weeks, the shot has come back. There's just been a little bit more bounce and maybe he's just a little bit more sure of himself because when you think, as Crash Davis said, don't think you can only hurt the ball club. And I think he's just playing more instinctively now.

I agree with him. The kid's got a high, high basketball IQ. Got a really good feel for the game. Terrific passer, sees plays early.

All the things you need to be a good player. He came in with a reputation to be a very good shooter. I went and watched him practice in the fall and I thought he could really shoot the ball.

So knowing where your shots are coming from, getting used to the speed of the game, getting used to the physicality of the American game, I think it took a little time and it should. He's good. He's young. He's a kid. We want to treat these guys as adults because of NIL and all that other stuff, but in the end, there's a process that everyone goes through. Every level you move up. There's a process that you go through.

And he went through that process and the lightbulb's starting to go on. Jeff Greenberg, ESPN is joining us here. Duke and Carolina coming up Saturday, 6.30. All right, let's talk about the Tar Heels. Set back last night. I think Pitt's pretty good, so I'm not that surprised and Pitt handled them up.

Actually, Pitt came back to beat them up in Pittsburgh. What are your thoughts on the Tar Heels? It was a rare down game from R.J. Davis, but what do you think about Carolina? I think they're good.

I think they're really good when they play through Armando Bacon. I don't think he got enough touches. He got to the free throw line yesterday and he did what he does, but I think that early in the season they were playing through their guards. And R.J. and Caleb, maybe their shot selection wasn't as good as it needs to be. I thought R.J. Davis was playing at an elite, elite level.

I just think he's, I call him a city guard, New York City guard. I think he does it at a high level. But the focal point's got to be Armando Bacon and then you play out for them. The focal point's got to be getting him early touches in the post.

Get him going and the game becomes easier for everyone else. But I mean, Pitt is a good team. They're an old team. They're a mature team. They're a physical team. They're a team that can get in the lane and put pressure on you. They had a great game out of Cummings and he had been struggling a little bit. They did a good job on Blake Henson, but that's the thing about this Pitt team. Jamaris Burton can beat you. Cummings can beat you. They can bring Sabandi off the bench. He can get it going. They've got a real toughness about them, a maturity about them, a resiliency about them that just teams haven't had in a while.

And to me, I think he did a great job in the portal, not requiring talent, but requiring guys that have been in the NCAA tournament, guys that are there for the right reasons to win, to compete, to play together, to do something special. And I think that's how they're playing. So yeah, I mean, look, you're going to lose games in league.

That's just the way it is. I mean, everyone loses their mind to lose a game in the league. Giving away a lead, you know, that's a tough one because you expect with that veteran backcourt.

I think Caroline is really good. I think that, again, injuries help move some guys along, which I think is good. They still have to continue to develop their bench a little bit more, but I think they're good. I think Caleb loves understanding where his shots are coming from is really important and not chasing them. But at the end of the game, knowing that he's going to take and make some tough shots, because that's who he is. But Pete Nance kind of getting a feel for what, you know, where he fits. Remember that, Brady Manning, there was a time last year that he didn't know where his shots were coming from and, you know, he didn't find his fit. I think Pete Nance is, he's not Brady Manning, but he's trying to, he's finding his niche. It'll be very interesting to see how Carolina, because I thought that Brady Manning was the difference between good Carolina and great Carolina last year. It would almost be unfair to lump that, put that on Pete Nance, because I thought Manning offensively just made every big perimeter shot.

And of course, Caleb Love went bananas at times last year, but Manning was a constant for them. Real quick about the matchup. Does Kyle Filipowski create problems, I mean, he creates problems for everybody, but because he's an inside-outside guy and Duke will play two bigs, does it create problems for Carolina? Well, when Lively's in the game, it won't because, you know, I think that, you know, he'll, he'll have a matchup where it's, you know, with Nance. I think it's, if they start, if they don't start Lively and Armando, he could get Armando in trial trouble. I mean, that, that, I'm sure that would be a concern for Hubert as he, you know, he figures out, you know, matchups. Cause if Duke starts Lively, I think, you know, Armando's fine. And then Armando will get, Armando will get into the legs of, of, uh, Lively, take away shot blocking and kind of move them to be able to hold, hold spots. But when they downsize, uh, I think that's where it could be a little bit of a problem when they, when they, Filipowski's, he's not a five, but they play him at five and they post them and they put him in isolations and he drives it from the wing. And, you know, I mean, a lot of what John's doing at the end of games is getting them on that left elbow extended, clearing out the side. Then he just drives it right.

Or he catches it on the right side, drives it, spins it, chooses a little jump hook. So that'll be interesting. I think it'll be interesting to watch two coaches. Both coaches have skin in the game. They actually understand and have felt, uh, the air being different, the emotion of deep Carolina, what it stands for.

I'm sure they both had moments, some of the moments in that rivalry. Now as coaches, all right, they can be moved to emotion. They can be emotional, but they can't let the move to emotion and be an emotional impact how they coach that game. And I think that's something that can be really interesting.

You could have a little experience in it. This is going to be John's first time, but you know, most, most rivalry games, you're moved to emotion. And at some point you're going to get emotional, but then you've got to get back to coaching the game.

You've got to get back to laser focus on what, why, how we're doing what we're doing. I think that's going to be interesting to watch. All right. Let me ask you one question about my favorite team to watch in the triangle. Love the pack.

Love the pack. I love that team. I love that back court. I was on that back court back in when I watched him play against Kansas. Um, and DJ Burns is a different player now than he was then. Uh, the big guy up front, but between Joyner and Smith, they have as good a back court as you're going to find anywhere. Well, you got to include Marcel in that too.

Yeah, absolutely. I love him too. I, I, I went and watched NC state practice in the fall and Kevin asked me to speak to their team. And, uh, I basically told those guys, you, you can be as good as anyone in this league, as long as you make a defensive end. And, uh, you know, look at that back court, uh, Marcel shooting 40 from the three and Jordan totally committed defensively and has a toughness about him and a maturity about him. And to Quavion, like those guys can impact the game on both sides. And that's what's happening this year. And they pick each other up.

You know, it's a quite good, might be struggling a little bit like he did after his injury. And, you know, all of a sudden to our cup picks him up and, you know, Casey, more cells just going to defend the, be a bulldog and be tough. But, and then I grabbed those three kids separately. I said, like, you guys understand this is your team.

You, whatever you want to, you have a blank canvas, whatever you're going to paint on that canvas, it's going to coach is going to live with you guys. And I've been so impressed. 92% of households that start the year with Peloton are still active a year later. 92% because of a bike? Not just bikes. We also make treadmills and rowers. Oh, let me guess for elite athletes only, right?

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See additional terms at one Peloton dot com slash home dash trial. So impressed with how they've come together and the trust that they have in each other. It's been really fun to watch and I'm really happy for Kevin.

Kevin Keats is one of my favorite guys. He's a terrific coach. He's a better person. He cares so much. He's a great communicator.

He has an identity of how he wants him to play. You can see they're playing for him. You see the joy that those guys are having playing.

I'm so, so, so happy for him and for those kids. I am too. They're fun. They're fun to watch.

And I appreciate that Kevin Keats is bringing the sport coat back to college coaching. I don't want to see guys wearing sweats anymore. I'm tired of that. I agree with you.

I agree with you. I mean, personally, I mean, I know it's comfortable, but it looks like you're coaching a pickup game. Like, you know, a summer league game in the East gym at UNLV for summer league. You know, it's great.

But, you know, our game minutes, the NBA on the court and obviously on the sidelines. And, you know, it's a lot more comfortable. And that sounds great. You know, football coaches wear uniforms and football coaches wear, you know, sideline gear. And that's great. I just think there's there's a professionalism to it. Doesn't mean anything.

I think you do what you're comfortable in. But, you know, he looks at himself as a fashion plate. He's very, very sharp. I mean, he looks at himself as, you know, the guy with the pharaoh. Come on. I mean, I mean, he looks at himself as, you know, like, you know, GQ Keats.

I mean, so I mean, I mean, you know, we're kind of pushing the envelope a little bit. He's got the proudest sneakers on sometimes. I mean, I mean, you know, the guy's unbelievable, but he can really coach. And he's an easy guy to root for.

Yeah, I agree. I like him. I actually hung with him once watching our kids play a soccer game against each other.

He is. He is a good dad and his team is playing great. And I thank you. You're a good dad, too. I'm I know one of your kids. So I and I don't know any of your grandkids yet, but I know you're busy. So I appreciate your time.

Seth Greenberg, you know, the snarky daughter. Yes. Yes, I do. I absolutely do. I know where she gets it, too. So I thank you very much.

And she's the best man as you are. I'll talk to you soon. All right, brother. Appreciate it. Additional terms at one peloton dot com slash home best trial.