Coach K just finished addressing the media in Charlotte, North Carolina and BDN Video was there to capture all his thoughts. Check out these two videos the first one will make Duke fans feel good for he states that he will be coaching for a good while. In the second video, Coach K talks about Seth Curry. Check them out -
In this weeks addition of Monday Musings, we take a look at each player on the men's basketball team and share our thoughts on their performances during Countdown to Craziness. We are more than aware it is hard to tell much from a partial Blue-White game but having watched the Blue Devils as much as we do, there are some trends developing. We are working on BDN highlight videos, so look for those today and a photo gallery as well. As for the Cheerleader of the week, it will return in the next edition of Monday Musings.
Miles Plumlee - Miles looked like the senior leader we are all hoping for scoring 15 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in the game. Miles is a great run jump athlete and he seems to have found the groove of bringing that athleticism in a consistent manner. He is a clear starter for this seasons team and the guy Duke can turn to for toughness.
Mason Plumlee - Mason dropped in 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in an underwhelming performance but he played well down the stretch for the Blue team. I have such high hopes for Mason that I hold him to a different level of expectations. His numbers still translated to around 15 points and 9 rebounds if he had played a full game. Mason is in the rotation of the top six Duke players and a likely starter.
Seth Curry - I told everybody that would listen over the summer that Seth Curry would take a tremendous leap in his junior season and he made me look like a prophet scoring a game high 28 points with his smooth style of play and he led the team in assists with 4. We called your attention early on that we felt he would get a look at the PG spot and folks, he is the starter there which Coach K said in a clear manner with his post game comments. I will vote for Curry to be first team All ACC on Wednesday at ACC Operation Basketball, something I told other sports writer friends who paused at the notion when first mentioned. I will bet he has their vote now.
Austin Rivers - Rivers had his Cameron debut after walking out to Frank Sinatra's "My way," scoring 14 points and pulling down 5 rebounds from the wing guard spot. I was the first to get to him in the locker room and the entire herd soon followed my lead. Such is the nature of things when you are one of the most hyped players in the country. Rivers six turnovers to a single assist was a bit disturbing but fans will need to wait it out a bit to see his best. I see Rivers going down a road similar to Harrison Barnes last season where he gets better and suddenly the light goes off. Coach K warned of lofty expectations with concern to Rivers, saying comparing him to Kyrie Irving would be a mistake in that the PG spot is easier to step into. As usual, I agree with Coach.
Ryan Kelly - There was much talk abut the off season improvement of the bearded one known as Ryan Kelly, His numbers of 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks are numbers I feel he will put up on a consistent basis, Kelly simply plays withing the teams framework and I think he will be one of the top for scorers for Duke this season.
Andre Dawkins - Dawkins did not shoot the ball well and ended the game with 7 points and 1 board. Still, I know Coach K wants him to keep shooting. Dawkins is currently in the top six players rotation and there is no reason to think this will change.
Josh Hairston - Hairston put up 6 points and pulled down 5 rebounds showing that he can produce at the forward spot. It'll be interesting to watch his development this season and see if he can crack the rotation.
Quinn Cook - Cook dropped in 7 points, grabbed 2 rebounds and dished 2 assists in 17 minutes of play. I heard some say, he's better than they thought he would be. Look folks, Cook has a lot of potential and he simply needs to make a grab at the leadership reigns by getting his teammates involved. I liked Quinn Cook the first time I saw him and he does have the ability to develop into a leader with more confidence on the court. There is no shortage of confidence off the court as he admits in our recent video interview with him.
Alex Murphy - During the Blue teams rally to win, Murphy played a key role down the stretch. He took a baseline drive with authority with the game on the line, was fouled and sank both free throws. That was his only 2 points to go with a rebound, 2 key steals at crunch time and a team high and pleasantly surprising 3 blocks. Murphy is getting adjusted to the speed of the game and the physicality but he is a smart basketball player that coach K praised.
Tyler Thornton - "We've got another good guard," stated Mike Krzzyzewski when questioned about the play of Quinn Cook and he is talking about Tyler Thornton a steady performer with good on ball defensive skills. Thornton has played and can play with the ACC's best point guards for he did so all through high school. Nice depth at the guard spot for Duke this season. Thornton had 3 rebounds from the guard spoit to go with a bucket and an assist.
Michael Gbinije - Silent G scored 3 points grabbed 1 rebound and had 1 assist as the first man off then bench. He will need to be more aggressive to earn minutes but he does a lot fo things that doesn't show up in the box scores and has potential to leap into the top ten quickly.
Marshall Plumlee - Having followed Marshall for several years on the AAU circuit, I can say that he gets bigger and better each time I see him. The third Plumlee plays with a revved up motor and enthusiasm and that over time will translate into him being a factor.
Cameron Crazies - Leading up to the game, I will give them an A-, during the game a grade of C is at hand for they were very average. Okay, it's early and some tradition needs to be learned. The Crazies went silent when the game started with disjointed cheers. Part of that is understandable, but that performance was in no way acceptable behavior if a game was at hand. I feel certain they'll improve their game just like the team will in that we are all connected here in some way,.
The event itself - It's always a feel good time and that will nevr change. There is a genuine love affair between Duke and their fans, both being faithful to each other. May the Countdown to Craziness event live forever.
Well it certainly is an exciting time of year for Duke fans with the football team riding a three game winning streak and the basketball team set to kick off practice. A lot of us in the media joke about taking vitamins this time of year in that the hours can be brutal with both basketball and football kicking it into high gear at the same time. Then, you have to add recruiting to the picture, for us, anyhow. So, yes, a test of true endurance is coming up and I can only hope I am rested enough to deal with it. Of course, there are a lot of worse things to be doing than being court-side for Countdown to Craziness or the sidelines for the Florida State game, so I'll make due.
Basketball is here!
Let's face it, Duke is a Goliath to many for the program is college basketball royalty and breaths the rare air of constant contention for championships. While most are awaiting Countdown to Craziness, the coverage begins in earnest on Wednesday, when Duke holds their annual media day. BDN will of course be on the scene to bring you information as it happens in that we are hands on with our unique and faithful coverage.
Countdown to Craziness
Man, can you believe that Countdown to Craziness is this Friday? It doesn't seem like that long ago when Nolan Smith came off the court in Greensboro, meeting Coach K in mid air for a hug after Duke won yet another ACC Championship. For those who have never been to the event, it's a religious experience for the fans with rabid Cameron Crazies rocking the house. And you see the freshman in their uniforms for the first time and simply gain our first look at this seasons team. It's off the charts from a fan perspective with skits, dunk contests and just flat out fun! It's always interesting to see what songs each player chooses to come out to as the lights are dimmed and spotlights glow. This years event will be broadcast online at ESPN3 but there is nothing like being there in person! The festivities start early on outside, so make a day of it by getting there early and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of all things Duke. For the record, many want to know which recruits will visit. The answer to that question is Matt Jones and Rasheed Sulaimon. Most all the juniors Duke is recruiting will have duties with Team USA, thus causing a conflict in scheduling. Rumors blew up that Tony Parker would be in, but as of today, that is not the case. But of course, Parker remains a player that Coach K and the Duke Family dearly want in Durham.
And then .....
Support the football team the next day as they take on Florida State, a team that was picked by everybody to win the ACC in the pre season, not to mention being ranked #5 in the country. This will be one angry group as they are coming off three straight losses including one to Wake Forest last week. The Deacs took it right at the Seminoles and that is what you have to do, be aggressive and play to win. Still, I hate facing a team that has gone as far to ban twitter among it's players yesterday, for you can bet we get their best shot. But this is a young Duke Football team with talent, so if they can match the intensity and play four full quarters of football, they will be in this game. Our football coverage will continue tomorrow after Coach Cut's press conference. A reminder, we tweet as he speaks, so tune into to our popular twitter home a little after noon and check out his comments. Folks, BDN has become the place for recruiting and team information due to the hard work of Patrick Cacchio with some assists from the rest of our staff. Patrick was in Miami to cover the big win over FIU, bringing you video interviews after the contest, And that is something not even the TV stations to claim. We are dedicated to covering Duke Football and this site is #Dukegang friendly.
Sean Renfree is the key
Sean Renfree is seeing the field better than at any time of his career in my opinion. The coaches have turned him loose allowing him to stay in when in the red zone and his confidence has soared during that time. Renfree is the key to the Blue Devils success, so if he gets protection, he will make Duke a tough out during a brutal stretch of games that remain on the schedule.
I think Seth Curry will blow up this season
The biggest question for Duke Basketball is where will points come from this season. With Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler and Kyrie Irving long gone, it is up to a lot of Blue Devils to step up to the plate for the opportunity is at hand. I said in early summer that I thought Curry will make that leap this season and I still feel that way as the season approaches. Curry is a scorer and he's gone through the Duke system enough to flourish in it this season. I look for Curry to be first team All-ACC at seasons end.
Cheerleader of the week
We like to salute the team behind the team and we're speaking of Duke Cheerleaders and the Blue Devil himself. Folks have kept asking me to start Cheerleader of the Week back up, a Monday Musings tradition, so we did.
Speaking of social media ...
If you are not following Blue Devil Nation tweets, you should be! We throw out a lot of information about recruiting, the teams and more. It all started a few years back when we started tweeting from press row in Cameron and that carried into the National Championship game where we sent out real time stats and what was going on that the TV cameras were missing. Sitting directly behind Coach K gave us a lot of insight even though I did duck when they were in the team huddle for I felt like I was seeing something I shouldn't, LOL. It was a fabulous experience and I loved sharing the moments with Duke fans. We share some recruiting information on twitter as well, but must save the best of that for out members, who help make BDN happen. In fact, if you like what we do, the best way to support us is to become a member. We also have Facebook open group which is of course called Blue Devil Nation and we welcome you there as well. It is set up for your participation.
Contests are a hit!
We love when fans take part in our twitter contests which have been a hit since their inception long ago. Every week of the football season you can predict the score of the Duke Football game and that goes for all men's basketball games as well. You win a trial membership to our premium section and get your name in twitter lights if you win, so head on over and get your picks in this week.
Cha, cha, cha,cha, cha, changes ...
Okay, that probably ticked off David Bowie in that it was a bit lame. We spoke of site changes a good while back and they are still coming. Since that time, BDN has been in talks with others as well about going under their flag. We have yet to make a decision on what we'll do but I must admit it is hard altering something I've built from scratch as it continues to grow in popularity. We feel this is a unique site that has brought fans as close to the programs as one can get and we'll not alter that without a lot of thought. We have a lot of passion for Duke Athletics here and that is one thing you can rest assured will continue. Thanks to all of you for making this place what it is today by following us. We hit the road running with our original blog which became an overnight success and we continue to refine and try and make the site better. We have built tremendous relationships which we cherish greatly for many of them are true and legitimate sources as well as friends. When BDN says something, it is generally taken as gospel and we are proud that we have always dealt with the facts. We have been and will continue to be the most hands on Duke site out there, thanks to the great staff we've assembled.
Stay tuned!
By late Wednesday afternoon, the Nation will go nuts with coverage #DukeStyle.
Just yesterday, Coach Mike Krzyzewski visited 6-9 Tony Parker, one of the Blue Devils long time targets. Krzyzewski has been pro active with Parker for better than a year now and he's leaving no doubt that he is and has been a prime target, Parker has some of the best hands you'll see on a big man and he of course, eats up a lot of space in the paint. He has the opportunity to follow in the foot steps of similar past Duke alumni in Carlos Boozer, Shelden Williams and Elton Brand, all of whom are still balling in the NBA.
Today, Krzyzewski and company continue their trek when he will drop in on Brewster Academies Mitch McGary. The young budding star is another player the Blue Devils staff covets and one whom they are making sure knows their desire to see him rocking rims in Cameron Indoor Stadium. While some are saying that McGary is a Michigan lean, he said himself in the recent Jason Jordan's ESPN Blog that he didn't really know where he wanted to go yet. We tend to believe him and why not? McGary is not a kid that has been deceptive in his recruiting process to date and he is a young man with several schools making a hard play at him.
The Blue Devils will not be finished with the McGary visit. Three other key prospects are on the agenda. [private] Duke will also drop in on Nerlens Noel, the human fly swatter of a defender that is close to reclassifying. Had the Blue Devils been aware of that possibility, which maybe they were late like everyone else, you would have seen them more active. Coach Wojo visited Noel last week and Coach K will take a look at him today. Noel is the best defender I've seem come down the pike in quite a while, altering games and or should I say shots all by himself, getting into the heads of his opponent.
On Wednesday, Coach K will head west to see the nations top rated prospect in Shabazz Muhammad. I have told you all along that the Blue Devils would hang in this one until the end and that has payed off. Duke has a legitimate chance of landing Muhammad at the midnight hour and this is because of the relationship that has developed between Krzyzewski and the star prospect. UCLA is right there two and I personally feel it might come down to these two schools. Still, never count out Kentucky for they have time and time again sold kids on their, pardon the pun, one year program. Muhammad is a one and done kind of player and all involved know that. UCLA once selling him that he could be "the man," in Hollywood, now has to alter that a little bit with Kyle Anderson in the fold. Most feel Muhammad would like to play with Anderson but there are a few who feel he might not. Only time will tell on this one and be patient for this one will go on until the very last minute.
The Blue Devils will drop in on Julius Randle as well, a kid that they feel can like Parker, take on the role of a paint eater. Randle is a stud bull in the paint, unafraid of any comer. During the summer circuit, he more often than not took it to older opponents as a Texas Titan where he plays with Matt Jones, another Duke prospect coming to Countdown to Craziness. It's pretty awesome that Randle and Jabari Parker are seriously considering Duke and as I have said before, I feel Duke is in good shape with Parker and for that matter Randle.
Just a reminder to members - (This message in no way applies to all, for we have some great members here) We have had some problems with people taking information from here and putting it in free forums. Firstly, there are some things sensitive enough that the staff itself doesn't want it out in public forums and if it gets there it can hinder their work. Second, you entered a binding contract when signing up agreeing that you would not cut and paste or share our information in other forums. We want to take you at your word and hope it means something when you check the box. We don't allow others premium info in our forum in that it is about ethics for us. If you are one that has been guilty of the above, if we catch you, we will take action which could be a simple ban from this site or more if necessary. It shouldn't come to down to that. We don't expect you to not share info with your brother or something, we just ask that you be considerate in understanding that we work hard to bring you news and it keeps this site alive. The more that gets out there, the less I will say. That's just the way it is for we are about the health of Duke first and the money second. But it takes money for us to hit the trail like we do, so members are vital to our efforts. We have never claimed to know it all, but we do feel we are ahead of the curve more often than not with our offerings. I mean nobody has an Andrew Slater out there and you have to admit he's good at what he does, the best in my book. And Patrick has made this the place to be for football coverage and we expect that side of the site to continue to grow as people come to realize how hands on we are with the program. We have dreams of making this site even better and these are dreams I fully expect to come true, so stick with us and you'll be glad you did. On a positive closing note - - thanks for your support in that we truly appreciate you following Team BDN. We love serving Duke fans and hope to continue to do so forever. [/private]
Good Morning Blue Devil Nation! Well, it's always a pretty good day when you're a faithful follower of the royal blue for we are lucky to be fans of such a great athletic program. This weeks Monday Musings gets back to our jump all over the place style and with that said, let the musings begin ...
Duke was not lucky to defeat Boston College
The Football Gods indeed smiled on the Blue Devils this weekend as a Boston College field goal to win the game clanked off the left up right as time ran out securing a 20-19 win. Those who didn't watch the game said Duke was lucky but I have a different take. The Blue Devils did enough to put themselves in position to win. In fact, they were clearly the best team on the field and mistakes cost them a chance to coast to victory. At some point, luck had to side with the Blue Devils who've been snake bit by their field goal kicking team. And oh what irony that it was a missed field goal that brought them redemption.
An amazing record breaking performance by Sean Renfree
It couldn't have happened to a nicer young man! A record breaking day is what I speak of where Duke junior quarterback set an all time Duke Football record with 41 completions. The 41 completions are a new school single-game record, bettering the previous mark of 40 set by Thaddeus Lewis vs. N.C. State in 2009. Renfree relaxed in this game as he saw his offensive line give him plenty of time to pick apart the Boston College secondary. Finding the red zone was just what the doctor ordered for Renfree who had been off to a bit of a shaky start this season. And let's hope that he continues to hang in the pocket and pick the Green Wave of Tulane off this coming weekend.
Speaking of the Green Wave
We often joked about how Duke flat out has bad luck when scheduling future opponents. It would take a lengthy article to discuss how when teams are first on the schedule, they finished the season like 1-11, yet the year before they hit the schedule they go to a bowl game and return their entire team. Yes, I am talking about Florida International, the next road game, but then there is Tulane. The Green Wave were a whipping boy when scheduled, but they have now morphed into a 2-1 team coming off a huge road win against Alabama-Birmingham. Tulane is the opposite of Duke right now in that they are a junior and senior dominated team while Duke has five total seniors on their two deep roster. Anyhow, this game looked like a sure win but now it looks to be a be a close game and the Blue Devils need their fans turn out and root them to their second consecutive win.
ACC Expansion
The Atlantic Coast conference made a strong move to bring in Pittsburgh and Syracuse and I for one applaud them. Yes, I know that I have stated on more than once occasion that I hated the original expansion. Yes, I am a traditionalist at heart as well. But if you had to add a couple of teams, I am okay with the additions. The ACC was pro active and chose two teams they wanted in a time of impending change. Trust me, that's a lot better than our chances of seeing what is left after every other conference is done. Basketball was strengthened which added more balance in that ACC Commissioner John Swofford's first move was all about football. I am not alone in hating that move and it never turned out like planned with a huge ACC Football Championship game between the incoming studs. However, this latest move will solidify the commissioners legacy and you can bet that a 16 team league will happen.
BDN Twitter and Facebook Pages
We've set the pace with changes for a long time here and since our inception you have seen our ideas, style and concept copied by others which is flattering. We get what Duke fans want and so ideas come with ease around here. Blue Devil Nation was the first site or entity to ever tweet live from press row in Cameron Indoor Stadium and we have a lot of fun that time of the year. We have more competition these days but as they say, there is nothing like the original. I am very in touch with the program and what is happening and I think that shines through and is the difference maker. We have a great following on Twitter and I hope you join us. Just yesterday, Sunday worship and such was interrupted by the announcement of ACC expansion and BDN tweeted the happenings of the call in media event for our followers and share a lot of information obtained from our many sources. We tweeted from the 2010 national championship game and have done so from major AAU events as well. And there is no place better for breaking news, tips and teases, so go to the side of the page and follow us, we have a lot of fun. We have a Facebook page as well, a group called Blue Devil Nation which we are just now starting to grow, so check that out to.
Back to expansion -- a chance to get it right this time
The current conference alignment has never been popular amongst most ACC fans. I mean, Duke not playing long time rival North Carolina State yearly in football is a crime. The original idea was to separate then football powers Florida State and Miami so that they would meet in the championship. The thing fact is that never happened. Let's hope there is more respect given to geography this time and that whomever thought Maryland was the Blue Devils rival rethinks the situation a bit. A few great basketball games does not make the Terps the Dukies chief rival behind North Carolina.
Hurley, Hurley, Hurley, Hurley
Some of you have no idea how hated Bobby Hurley was when he ran the point guard position at Duke. I will never forget a particular game at Chapel Hill where I had never to this day seen such seething hatred from part of their fan base. He was cursed at, spit at and was called everything from dare I say this, "faggot," to you name it. I suppose it was difficult for them in that he led Duke to their first national title the year before and there was a new guy in town named Mike Krzyzewski in his early pre legend years. Again, I have never seen that kind of hatred since from their fan base since. Everywhere Hurely went fans would chant his last name over and over and Bobby seemed to thrive on it. Why did I bring all this up? Because I will finally get to that Bobby Hurley interview this week so stay tuned for that.
In closing this week it is important to remember that we are all Blue Devil fans and on the same team. Far too often, silly site wars divide fans and that simply has to stop. There is no such thing as good Duke fans and bad Duke fans for all Duke fans are supportive of the programs. It is time to heal wounds from the past an move forward together on a united front. You can always depend on Blue Devil Nation to bring you the most Duke-centric experience possible.
Blessed with a reported thirty-six inch vertical, a 6'11," 247 lb. frame, and the mind of a high school salutatorian, Miles Plumlee is a rare specimen. On a relatively young squad, Miles, a twenty-three year-old third generation college basketball player, has started more games, forty-one, than any current Duke player. The team will need him to provide leadership, experience, and low-post production to a more featured frontcourt.
Already a national champion, having grabbed three rebounds in nine minutes against Butler in the 2010 Championship game, the eldest of four Plumlee progeny brings the hunger of a man anxious for one last good meal. The psychology major has tried to take advantage of the opportunities presented to him this summer. Initially, the one-time engineering student with an entrepreneurial zeal worked in New York for Jesse Itzler, a serial entrepreneur who created Marquis Jet. The Winona Lake, Indiana native followed that experience up by participating in the college portion of the LeBron James Skills Academy, as one of the twenty invited players, including his talented and gracious brother, Mason. Most recently, the former high school track star enjoyed a thirteen day around the world trip with his Duke University teammates as part of Duke's Friendship Games, playing in Dubai and three Chinese cities, Kunshan, Shanghai, and Beijing.
In the three games competing against the Chinese junior national team, Miles Plumlee, who is the team's second-leading returning scorer, rebounder, and shot-blocker, averaged nearly eleven rebounds and eleven points, while providing a vital role as a low-post scorer and offensive rebounder (corralling eight offensive rebounds in the final game against China's large front court).
After Coach Trent Johnson left Stanford for Louisiana State, Miles Plumlee opted to open up his recruitment at Christ School in Arden, NC and ultimately decided to enter Duke University. At the time, he had a reputation for being more of a face-up four and had contributed to consecutive State Championships for the Greenies. Last summer, Miles transformed his physique and game by adding nearly twenty pounds of muscle. Near the end of the 2011 season, Coach Krzyzewski reinserted the eldest Plumlee into the starting lineup, where the Ft. Wayne-born big man immediately stepped up his game in the ACC Tournament, highlighted by his play against Maryland (10 points, 9 rebounds) and using his length against North Carolina's finesse frontline (helping to hold Henson and Zeller to a combined 9 for 26 in the ACC Title game). Based upon his recent play, it appears as though he has continued to become more acclimated to the transition from a floating big to the team's biggest physical presence, while seeking to maintain the athleticism that once allowed him to perform a 6'9" high jump.
This year, with both brothers Marshall and Mason on the Duke's campus, Miles Plumlee would like to take more of a leadership role in his final season of college basketball and go out with a second National Title. Miles spoke with BDN about a variety of topics, including stepping out of his comfort zone and into an increased leadership role, his relationships with both the coaching staff and his brothers, his team-centric focus, and an entrepreneurial future.
Maybe we can start with both leadership and your role on this team.
You know that’s the biggest thing I’ve been thinking about in this off-season. I’ve been focusing on it and, you know, I had an experience where I was doing an internship with one of the coaches’ friends.
I'm definitely going to get to that in just a moment...
Yeah, well, it kind of goes hand-in-hand.
Okay, great.
The biggest reason I wanted to go there is because I know [Jesse Itzler]’s a great leader in what he does and I learned a lot from him. I picked his brain and I got a lot of great advice. He started his own company a few times now, so he’s been successful and that was one area where I think it’s going to help me, but also coming back and being an older brother my life, you know, trying to apply that to the team. Just trying to bring that brotherhood to the whole team.
[private]
I wanted to get to the issue of you and brothers, too.
(laughs)
What are the expectations from your perspective and the coaching staff? What have they asked you to work on?
Well, I don’t have any personal accolades in mind, but all of my coaches know how high my ceiling is and I know how high it is. So, I’m just trying to reach a level that I’m really happy with, but more importantly, I’m concerned about the team competing for national championships.
Yes, absolutely. I mean you’ve already accomplished that once.
Yeah, but now to do that and be a leader on the team would be another thing. That’s the biggest goal on my mind.
Is being a captain something you aspire to? Have the coaches talked about you being captain or part of a committee, so to speak?
Yeah, I know, they said they’re going to wait and see how everything goes in China. They want to see how people’s roles surface, but, you know, I’ve been through more than anyone else on the team.
Right.
I’ve played with a lot of great leaders, like Jon Scheyer, a lot of great seniors growing up.
Who was the best leader you’ve played with? Is Scheyer the best?
He and Lance did a great job that year. There’s a reason why we won it. What was the initial question?
It had to do with leadership and whether you aspire to be a captain.
Oh, yes, they’re not going to make a decision until after China, but I’m already trying to assert myself and get out of my comfort zone because I’m not the most vocal guy.
Neither am I, but I try to push myself too.
Yeah, well, I’m trying to talk more on defense and also off the court. Yeah, you know, defensively, I can talk to people on the court, but I’m really trying to become a leader off the court. It’s not something I’m really comfortable with, but it’s something that I’m trying to grow into. I want to get that role.
Just out of curiosity, as you were saying it, I was thinking about being the oldest brother. I’m the oldest brother as well and by nature, you almost have to a leader among your younger siblings. Do you think that will help and have you found that to be the case?
Definitely, I think it’s a huge advantage in my position. I don’t think I’ve been the best big brother in the world, but I think there’s some things I’ve done right, and if I can learn from them..
God knows, I haven’t been.
(
laughs) Yeah, you know, I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but all of them are experience that maybe an older brother has to have.
They can, sort of, learn from your own mistakes.
Yeah, yeah. Then, they can make their own. (laughs)
How do you think you’ve developed, both physically and from a skills perspective over the past few years? Physically, you’ve gotten a lot bigger.
Yeah, you know, I’m still continuing to push my body.
Always a work in progress.
I’m trying to get stronger and that, but I got really pretty athletic when I got to college and you know, I was more of a face-up player, but I’ve tried to adapt my game and become more of a back-to-the-basket player since coming to college.
Yeah, I wanted to touch on that as well.
Yeah, so you know, that’s probably been my biggest focus and the other stuff’s there and we’ve got such great guards coming to Duke each year. Yeah, maybe down the road I’ll use that more at the next level, but right now I want to make the biggest impact I can for our team and so that’s inside, giving us a low-post game.
In terms of mentoring, it sort of goes hand in hand with leadership, but how do you feel you’ve done as a mentor to your brothers and some of your future teammates this year?
I think it’s something I’m going to have to make a conscious effort to do. We have so many young guys and I need to mentor them and show them the ropes. We need them to win. They don’t even realize it yet. I mean, I was in that position as a freshman too, I didn’t know where I was at. We’ve got to bring them on board real fast and mentoring will be a big part of that.
You know him better than anybody, what dimension do you think Marshall can bring to program? Maybe give a scouting report on him to the fans that may not have seen him play.
Yeah, he's surprised me. He’s really grown into his body. I think the number one thing if you’re scouting him is his motor. He never gives up, he goes full blast all the time he’s out on the court.
He’s a really nice kid, too.
Oh, yeah, he’s really nice, but he’ll take it to you on the court.
Yeah, he’s very serious and competitive on the court though.
Oh, yeah, definitely.
He said he’s very good at video games too.
Yeah, he is. Me and him always go at it.
In terms of a scouting report...
Yeah, a scouting report..he’s going to be going at you every minute of the game. He’s going to be busting his ass 100%. Yeah, I think that’s his biggest attribute right now is just running the court.
How do you think he differs from you and Mason at the same point in your lives?
You know, his whole life he always wanted to be a big guy for some reason, and it just so happened that he kept growing. You know, a lot of guys want to be big buys, but you can’t control that. So, I think he’s grown up wanting to be in the post doing the dirty work. He has fun just running the court and getting the ball. A lot of big guys don’t want to do that, they get spoiled, lazy, and they don’t want to do all of that work if they’re not going to get the ball every single time. That’s huge for a team. That changes the game.
Yeah, it does. I was just curious about that. What are you trying to work on this summer primarily on the court?
The same thing, but you know, just taking that post game to another level and getting more comfortable. I really thought that I made huge strides towards the end of last year, just having confidence when you get the ball in the post, and wanting the ball, and in the end, that makes a huge difference in the game when it comes down to the wire. You’ve got to want it.
Is it a "no hesitation" kind of thing for you?
Yeah, exactly. I really think that’s been my biggest setback is really getting out of your own head. You catch it and you immediately react.
I remember going to one of your practices a few years ago and Coach Krzyzewski was talking about how you were very hard on yourself, but that was a few years ago.
Definitely, that’s been my biggest problem. In practice, I play great for three years. Well, my freshman year was kind of tough, but for the last few years I played great in practice, and now the thing is to try to translate it to the games.
And it can happen, it’s just a matter of time and concentration.
Yeah, absolutely it can happen.
Can you touch on being an engineering student and how that differentiates your game? I remember you used to be an engineering student.
(laughs) Oh, no, that was way too much.
I was an Economics major there.
Yeah, my first semester there was the hardest of my life.
What’s your major now?
Psychology. You know, I think it’s something that's applicable to anything I do in life, but, you know, it’s way more flexible for basketball.
Way more merciful too. They’re tough in terms of grades too.
Oh, yeah, it’s just tough.
The reason I was asking was because I was wondering if you saw the court differently by having somewhat of an engineering background.
Oh, yeah, you know I always thought I see angles differently. I don’t think a lot of basketball players realize what they’re seeing. I think it gives me a better sense of what I’m seeing...helps to visualize.
Would you describe your summer job as more of a finance job? How would you categorize it?
Yeah, well, it’s sort of hard to explain, it was really more of a company that Jesse Itzler founded, more of like a marketing thing. He founded Marquis Jets and now it’s like more of a marketing agency and a brand incubator. We came up with a few of our own products.
Would you like to get into that post-basketball? Perhaps be an entrepreneur?
Yeah, you know, that’s what it really opened my eyes to. An amazing opportunity would be to play in the NBA and not just squander it.
I'm glad you have your eyes wide open. There are so many sad stories, unfortunately.
Yeah, I know there are. Yeah, I want to make things happen. There are a lot of guys from Duke that have done great things like here or in China and you know, really have an entrepreneurial mindset just like him, and you know, it was a great experience.
What is your emotional reaction to finally get the opportunity to play with all of your brothers and be at the same school together? Excited? Happy?
So excited! I really think this is going to be the funnest year by far. You know, I’ve always had a blast, but you know, me and Marshall, we grew up hanging out together like non-stop and I was so much older than him, but, now, you know, we’re competing on the same level and it’s an adjustment.
Do the three of you ever just walk into the Y or something like that? Did the three of you walk in and people just go “Holy cow?"
(laughs) Yeah, I mean, we did, but we didn’t used to be this tall. Yeah, the last time I was at a place like that was back home and I was only like 5’9” or 5’10” as freshman. But I think it’s going to be a blast. It’s going to be a great senior year.
And what’s Mason’s take on all of this?
Oh, yeah, he’s been great. We both just love Marshall to death. It’s just fun to have all three of us together again.
Can you talk about the addition of the freshman class and Coach Capel? Those are the two big post-season additions to the program.
Yeah, I mean, everybody in the freshman class seems to have a great attitude. They’re really skilled, they’re really athletic. I think they all really have a great attitude, they all really want to get better. Coach Capel is just a great addition because he knows so much, he’s coached great players, and I love his positive attitude. He’s really good at pumping everybody up.
He can also relate to players. He’s still young and yet he’s got that head coaching experience, which is a great combo to add the staff.
Yeah, everybody’s pretty young and it’s a lot of fun. It’s a great group to be around.
What’s your relationship like with both Coach K and Coach Wojo?
First of all, I’ve got to say it’s like family. I mean, they’ve been there for me in more than just basketball. That’s just one small part of the whole thing. You..you come to Duke and I had no idea what it was all about. You become part of this family. They’ve become like fathers to me. There’s a bond. I come to them for advice on everything. I know..I know I’m going to stay in touch with them for the rest of my life. It’s something that’s really special to me.
I don’t think a lot of recruits necessarily realize that, to paraphrase Coach Holtz, it’s not a four year thing, it’s a forty year thing.
No, you know, I don’t think a lot of them realize it. You don’t realize what you’re signing up for. If they did realize it, I think even a lot more would jump on it, but I know that I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
How comfortable do you feel you are with your back-to-the-basket game and how far out do you feel your range is at this point? Because you still have that face-up game that you were talking about before.
I’ve always felt that I’m really versatile and now it’s not just a matter of how to use it, but when and where to use it, what opportunities you have and reading the defense. So, becoming a lot smarter and putting it all together. It’s something I’ve really worked on in the last year.
And in terms of your back-to-the-basket game?
Yeah, I’m realizing how much you can control the game with your back to the basket. Seeing, you know, guys like Tim Duncan and those kind of guys..taking your time, seeing the floor.
Is that what you worked on at the LeBron James Academy?
Yeah, you know, it was great playing against some of the best players and some of the best bigs. I was just trying to see where I stack up.
How did you do and what was the toughest guy for you to defend?
Dude, you know, everybody’s tough. Everybody’s good. I feel like I did as well as anyone. It was a great experience and I’m looking forward to where it takes my game.
What are your expectations or goals for the team this year? A National Title?
A National Title all the way, that’s all I’ve got to say. We’ve always got talent. I just feel like we’ve just got to bring it together and develop that chemistry along the way.
Thank you very much, Miles.
No problem.
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