So, Duke men’s basketball, 2024-’25 version.
What do we know, what do we suspect?
First, Isaiah Evans’ defense isn’t ahead of his offense. And it’s a 7’5” wingspan for Evans. Dog ate my homework. Spell check. Or maybe I just messed up. Mea culpa..
Back to the overview. I’m not sure the numbers tell us much but there are some interesting data points.
Duke has 12 recruited players. Hopefully, that could help insulate Duke against short-term injuries. But 12 is a lot of players and somebody--actually several somebodies-is going to be sitting on the bench.
Duke famously won the 2015 national title with eight recruited players, after beginning the season with 10; Semi Ojeleye transferred at mid-season and Rasheed Sulaimon was dismissed from the team.
It probably helped that seven of those eight players eventually played in the NBA. Talent matters.
The 1999 Duke team only had nine recruited players; I’m not counting Matt Christensen, a healthy redshirt after returning from a two-year LDS mission. That team won 37 games.
I trust Jon Scheyer to have vetted his roster sufficiently to ensure that there will be no chemistry issues.
Knock on wood.
It’s also a very big team on the perimeter. Every one of those 12 recruited players is at least 6-5.
Scheyer is 6-5 and quarterbacked Duke to the 2010 NCAA title. But most of Duke’s best teams have had point guards of more modest height, from Steve Vacendak in 1966 to Tommy Amaker in 1986 to Bobby Hurley and William Avery and Jason Williams and Chris Duhon and Tyus Jones and Tre Jones.
Scheyer clearly doesn’t want his team to get punked or knocked back or whatever. And there may be an advantage to being 6-5 and being able to see over defenders. But historically it doesn’t seem to have been a requirement.
Proctor may be a great point guard next season. Let’s hope so. But being 6-5 won’t be the main reason.
Scheyer didn’t prioritize height so much inside. Sure Duke has 7-2 Khaman Maluach. But as recently as 2017-’18 Duke had Marvin Bagley, Wendell Carter, Marques Bolden, Javin DeLaurier and Antonio Vrankovic, five recruited players 6-10 or taller.
Next year’s team will have two recruited players 6-10 or taller, Maluach and fellow freshman Patrick Ngongba.
How will this all play out?
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