“It’s the most wonderful time, of the year” proclaimed singer and Christmas music extraordinaire Andy Williams in 1963. I know you only hear that song on the radio during one season (yes Christmas is an unofficial season), but I’ve had it looping through my head all day as I wrap myself around the notion that college basketball will be played for 24-straight hours on Tuesday!
Cinderella slipped up and her evil stepmother took her shoe to a fourth national championship last April, and now the evil step-blue devil heads into the new season as the favorite to repeat. I’m not going to ask myself can Duke repeat, any team can come out and win the championship in todays one-and-done themed collegiate game, but will Duke repeat? I’m saying yes.
Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane. Nolan Smith and Jon Scheyer, Ty Lawson, Danny Green and Wayne Ellington, Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins; if you haven’t caught my drift I’m saying loaded backcourts win national championships. Sure Scheyer’s gone, but Duke has four guards who would start on any team in the country, literally, any team in the country.
Nolan Smith broke out in his Junior season, being named to the All-ACC second team as well as the All-Final Four team after averaging 16 points and 5 assists in his weekend stay in Indianapolis. Smith most definitely benefited from Scheyers leadership and shooting ability, but down the stretch Smith proved his maturity as a player and is back to repeat and try to earn himself a lottery pick in 2011’s NBA Draft.
Speaking of lottery picks, Duke has something heading into the new season that they haven’t had in almost a decade, and that’s a top-5 guard recruit in Kyrie Irving. Irving is ranked third in ESPNU’s Rankings for the incoming freshman class (top-ranked point guard), and was named first team Parade Magazine All-America, USA Today All-USA first team, and Slam Magazine All America. The New Jersey product is most renowned for his ball handling skills and great passing, but he’ll remind Duke fans of another NJ native in Jason Williams with his explosiveness, athleticism, and scoring prowess.
As if Smith and Irving aren’t enough, the Blue Devils return Andre Dawkins and will add a little Curry to the mix with Stephen Curry’s baby bro Seth. Dawkins was Duke’s leading scorer off of the bench last season, can handle the ball, and is probably the teams best pure shooter outside of preseason Player of the Year Finalist Kyle Singler. And then there’s Seth Curry. The nations best programs will never forget the mistake they all made by not offering Stephen Curry the scholarship (and probably house and cars) he deserved, and after seeing Seth dominate the Big South to the tune of 20 points per game as a freshman (!) at Liberty, Mike Krzyzewski knew it would be smart to extend a scholarship to the combo guard.
Aside from having four very capable guards, the Blue Devils return both Miles and Mason Plumlee, sophomore big man Ryan Kelly, freshman Josh Hairston (ESPNU’s number seven ranked power forward recruit), and the previously mentioned Singler. Singler can only improve on his late-lottery bound draft stock for next June as he's a National Player of the Year and first team All-America candidate heading into the season. Singler was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player, ACC Tournament MVP, as well as first team All-ACC just a season ago and has really become one of if not the most well-rounded player in America. Kyrie Irving may have Jason Williams hype heading into the season, but Singler has played the role of a Mike Dunleavy/Shane Battier hybrid the way he shoots, scores inside, plays defense, grabs rebounds, and leads by example.
Duke will be hurt down-low with the losses of Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas, but I expect both Plumlee brothers to really come into their own this year. Mason is very quick and very athletic, while Miles is a work horse who seems to get stronger looking by the month. They’ll miss Scheyer’s leadership as well, but with the combination of talent and experience in the backcourt, the absence of Scheyer will be overcome much easier than that of the 7’1 Zoubek.
I know that Duke usually isn’t the popular pick with their lack of NBA talent and their reputation for being a bunch of slow Caucasian guards who can only shoot, but these aren’t your older cousins Blue Devils. Coach K finally has the guards he needs to really utilize his press defense as well as his perimeter-based offense. And if you don’t like Duke this year then who do you like?
Michigan State will be in the top-tier this season as they return Kailin Lucas, Draymond Green and Delvon Roe (not to mention Tom Izzo). I like Kansas State even if Jacob Pullen lost his backcourt mate Denis Clemente, but neither of those two teams have the talent that Duke has. Maybe if Robbie Hummel didn’t tear his ACL again Purdue would be a real threat. North Carolina will never make it past the sweet 16 with a backcourt of Larry Drew and Dexter Strickland (although they do have an absolutely disgusting freshman class). Kentucky will always have to be watched when they have top recruiting class after top recruiting class coming in. And don’t forget about Syracuse, they may have lost their two best players from last season, but Jim Boheim brought in top-notch talent and Kris Joseph is as capable as anyone to fill Wesley Johnson’s shoes. Other teams that I think will be in the hunt come March are Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and Washington, with Florida, Memphis, Villanova and Butler making serious runs and dominating their respective conferences.
Regardless of who wins this season I’m just so excited to get 300-plus basketball teams back in action. From Hawaii to Hartford, and Murray State (watch out for real) to St. Johns (probably not yet), it doesn’t matter whose playing, all that matters is that it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
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