Spring Break
Duke Back On Radar
NCAA Basketball
Rajiv Leventhal
Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: Sports
Six games into the season, Duke looks like Duke again.
While that might not mean much right now, considering how early it is, the 6-0 Blue Devils are starting to feel like a classic Mike Krzyzewski team that can beat you a number of different ways.
After three straight wins to clinch the Maui Invitational last week, Duke proved that rebounding from last year might not be as hard as once thought.
Considered perhaps the nation's best basketball school year after year, Duke only earned a No.6 seed in last year's tournament and got upset by mid-major Virginia Commonwealth in the first round.
Keep in mind, this was a Duke school that has made 10 Final Fours in the past 21 years and won eight of nine ACC tournament championships, including back-to-back national titles in 1991 and 1992. So the precedent for success was there, and any season that fell short of at least a Sweet 16 appearance was considered a major disappointment for the Cameron Crazies.
But after J.J. Redick and Sheldon Williams went pro after a frustrating 2006 loss to LSU, the Blue Devils went through a season of turmoil, prompting outsiders to wonder if Coach K was losing ground on the recruiting trail.
Josh McRoberts, considered the best high school player in the country, left after just two up-and-down seasons and wasn't even drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft. Much like teammate Greg Paulus, McRoberts didn't live up to the hype, averaging just 13 points per game in his sophomore season when he was supposed to take over the team.
Krzyzewski took a few hits from the media following last season, mostly based on his recruiting. Paulus and McRoberts were both consensus top 5 high school players and were expected to make an immediate impact.
But Paulus averaged almost as many turnovers as he did assists last year in his second season as starting point guard. So Krzyzewski added three more five-star recruits in 2006, but only guard Jon Scheyer averaged double figures in points. While none of these players are likely to turn into Grant Hill, Carlos Boozer or Elton Brand, much more was expected out of them.
While that might not mean much right now, considering how early it is, the 6-0 Blue Devils are starting to feel like a classic Mike Krzyzewski team that can beat you a number of different ways.
After three straight wins to clinch the Maui Invitational last week, Duke proved that rebounding from last year might not be as hard as once thought.
Considered perhaps the nation's best basketball school year after year, Duke only earned a No.6 seed in last year's tournament and got upset by mid-major Virginia Commonwealth in the first round.
Keep in mind, this was a Duke school that has made 10 Final Fours in the past 21 years and won eight of nine ACC tournament championships, including back-to-back national titles in 1991 and 1992. So the precedent for success was there, and any season that fell short of at least a Sweet 16 appearance was considered a major disappointment for the Cameron Crazies.
But after J.J. Redick and Sheldon Williams went pro after a frustrating 2006 loss to LSU, the Blue Devils went through a season of turmoil, prompting outsiders to wonder if Coach K was losing ground on the recruiting trail.
Josh McRoberts, considered the best high school player in the country, left after just two up-and-down seasons and wasn't even drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft. Much like teammate Greg Paulus, McRoberts didn't live up to the hype, averaging just 13 points per game in his sophomore season when he was supposed to take over the team.
Krzyzewski took a few hits from the media following last season, mostly based on his recruiting. Paulus and McRoberts were both consensus top 5 high school players and were expected to make an immediate impact.
But Paulus averaged almost as many turnovers as he did assists last year in his second season as starting point guard. So Krzyzewski added three more five-star recruits in 2006, but only guard Jon Scheyer averaged double figures in points. While none of these players are likely to turn into Grant Hill, Carlos Boozer or Elton Brand, much more was expected out of them.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Ray
posted 11/29/07 @ 7:04 AM EST
Do you ever check NBA box scores? Granted, UConn has some good pros, but also some who did nothing at all. Duke can field a team with Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Corey Maggette, Shelden Williams, Grant Hill, Mike Dunleavy, Chris Duhon, and J. (Continued…)
John
posted 11/29/07 @ 12:17 PM EST
buhahaha. Something seemed really wrong about those last comments from, wait let me check...Rajiv Leventhal. Then I figured it out when I saw that Rajiv Leventhal's email was @UConn. (Continued…)
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