Props to Carolina from a Duke alum - that was a fantastic win last night (and worth staying up till 12:30am to see the end - sucks to be across the Pond sometimes though). Maye and Berry are really likeable players that even a die-hard Dukie can enjoy watching - when they're playing outside of the ACC anyways...
On the rest of the recent posts since I visited last - it's truly amazing to see the level of hate for Krzyzewski on a site where the consensus opinion is that Patriots/Belichick-haters are just jealous morons that refuse to acknowledge genius. To me they're the two greatest coaches I've ever witnessed and they operate in sports where the Head Coach has far more influence on the success of a program than virtually any other (obviously NCAAF is at least as much as NCAAB and NFL but beyond those 3 I think no other sport comes close). Of course I would have wanted Duke to go further in the Tournament, but they're achievements in Brooklyn so far exceeded expectations that I was happy overall with what they were able to achieve and overcome this season. In many ways a season spent overcoming adversity and ultimately succumbing is more compelling than what the season looked like it was going to be last Summer (a 1991 UNLV/2015 UK attempt at history).
For next year I think we've got as good a chance as anyone. Jefferson and Jones have graduated, Tatum's going pro and Jeter is transferring (he's said it's to be closer to home which is understandable given the frustration he must have felt as he started the year looking like he was going to expand his role significantly only to suffer a herniated disc and miss the rest of the year but if the haters want to say it's because his coach refused to put him out there when he couldn't practice who am I to argue).
The maybes for the draft are Giles, Allen, Kennard, Bolden and Jackson. each guy's situation is different:
Giles should be able to get some intel onto where he would be drafted if he goes this year - it's probably going to be just outside the lottery and so the amount of money he'll lose relative to what he thought he was going to be able to command (high lottery) is at least $10 million over 2 years
http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/06/21/why-second-round-nba-draft-picks-might-get-paid-more-than-first-rounders-this-year/. If he feels that he can get back to those expectations with a successful 2nd year he should take out an insurance contract against injury and stay. If it's too much of a risk that even without injury his stock continues to fall then maybe he should go. I think it's 50/50.
Allen's stock has slipped from ~24th - 28th (most estimates last year) to early- to mid-2nd round now, but the way the NBA CBA works he wouldn't make too much less and could either stand to make more if he plays in the 2R.
http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/06/21/why-second-round-nba-draft-picks-might-get-paid-more-than-first-rounders-this-year/ What should matter to him is a) can he have the season next year that he dreamed of having this year if he comes back and b) is he still learning/improving his game? He needs to make sure he does everything possible to maximise his chances of making a team and finding a productive role and whether that means staying 1 more year or leaving now could go either way.
Bolden would be drafted 100% on potential and so I don't see him going earlier than early 2nd. It's too bad that he hurt himself before the season started and never found a role, but unless Duke signs Mo Bamba he's likely to get plenty of PT next year, especially with Jeter and Jefferson gone. If Giles goes too it'll be a no-brainer as Wendell Carter and Bolden would share the duties up front with Vrankovic coming in to spell them, but even with Giles it seems there will be enough PT to go around.
Frank Jackson made a splash both early and late as an explosive combo-guard. His skills at point still need work but it's possible that he has attracted enough attention that he could command a slot at the end of the 1st round. I'd put his odds of declaring at about 30% and of actually leaving at about 20%.
Finally, Luke Kennard looked to be in a good position to go until his miracle season seemed to come off the rails in the 2 games of the NCAAT. Still, I doubt 2 games alters the opinion of NBA scouts overly much so I would expect him to at least declare and test the waters and let the opinions of scouts guide his decision. Having Kennard and Allen in the backcourt again alongside Jackson, Gary Trent Jr, and likely a true star PG in Trevon Duval would put the Devils back in the Top 5 to start the year.
But in the meantime, the floor still belongs to UNC. They beat UK for me (and won me £100, tyvm!) so my once every 20 years or so of rooting for them (last and only other game I remember pulling for them was vs the Fab 5 in '93) so has ended in success as far as I'm concerned. They upheld the reputation of the ACC (on the floor anyways) in a year when the ACC had been humiliated but I wouldn't be sad to see them fall to the Ducks or, better yet, the Zags in the Finals. But congratulations for your 20th Final Four Tarheels fans - it may be a while before you get there again.