Tag Archives: Jalen Johnson

Duke Basketball

Thoughts on Clemson at Duke

The Duke Blue Devils will try and build on their recent home win over Georgia Tech when Clemson (10-4) invades Cameron at high noon (12:00, ESPN 2) tomorrow.

The Blue Devils are in the midst of a major learning curve where they are now taking situations one step at a time. So, the focus should be solely on a good Clemson team and nothing more.

Duke is learning how to win. As odd as that may sound to fans, the truth of the matter is this team has yet to be consistent or show dependability.

We saw signs of the group coming together against the Yellow Jackets. While it took the majority of the game, Jalen Johnson started to co-exist with Matthew Hurt. And that is a good sign for the staff, for these are the two guys which make the Blue Devils hum.

But as close as Duke may be getting to consistency from Hurt and Johnson at the same time the backcourt has been inconsistent as well. Duke is getting some top-notch scoring from D.J. Steward, but he has not jelled completely with fellow freshman Jeremy Roach.

With Roach still learning the point guard position at the ACC level, Jordan Goldwire has stepped up admirably. But Duke flat-out needs all three of these guys to play off each other better moving forward for they are about to face some good backcourt in league play.

So, with Clemson coming into Cameron as your morning ends tomorrow, Duke is still in the progress of learning on the fly and coming together. When we start seeing those passes zipping a bit more to teammates and better movement together, you will see more wins.

All games, especially home ones are important moving forward for the Blue Devils. At this point, there are not absolute must-win games but losses are devastating to a 6-5 team that has some missing games via lost scheduling. And that hurts national perception by taking away what may have been three or four more non-conference wins.

Duke has also had a lot of inconsistency from players off the bench. We saw some good minutes from Mark Williams in his last contest, but not mentioning various players' names, the cast has had little consistent success when entering games.

The Tigers are coming in off a win over Louisville which ended a three-game skid. Before that skid, the Tigers were red hot with wins over Florida State, Alabama, Purdue on their resume. So, they are tested and have confidence after righting the ship with the recent win.

The game we will likely see is a low scoring grinder. And that means points will be at a premium. And that further means, Duke needs to get out on the break when possible and hit their shots.

Duke will also need to foul less as they did against Georgia Tech, for putting teams on the free throw stripe at an alarming rate has led to losses.

Nothing will come especially easy for this team but they are showing signs of getting "it," better. It meaning playing a little older and bigger than you are both mentally and physically. When you start thinking less and acting more good results will follow. But this requires good and consistent habits to achieve.

As for the game? Duke can win but they have to get into a good flow early and a quick start would surely help.

Duke Basketball

Jalen Johnson ACC Rookie of the Week

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke freshman Jalen Johnson has been named the ACC Freshman of the Week coming off a record-setting performance in his college debut on Saturday.

In the Blue Devils' season-opening win over Coppin State, Johnson scored 19 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, had five assists and blocked four shots in 35 minutes. The Milwaukee, Wis., native became the first Duke player in history to post a stat line of 19+ points, 19+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 4+ blocks in a game. He finished the game a perfect 8-of-8 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line, setting a Duke freshman record for the most points in a game with 100-percent shooting.

Johnson joined Wisconsin's Ethan Happ as the only power conference players in the last 10 years with 15+ points, 15+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 4+ blocks in a game. Through games played on Nov. 28, Johnson's 19 boards are the most by any freshman in a game nationally this season. His rebound total marked the third most ever by a Duke freshman, while his 15 defensive rebounds set a Blue Devil rookie record.

He became just the third Duke freshman to post a double-double in a debut game, joining Jason Williams (13 points, 10 rebounds) vs. Stanford on Nov. 11, 1999 and Marvin Bagley III (25 points, 10 rebounds) vs. Elon on Nov. 10, 2017.

Over the last six-plus seasons, Duke has had an ACC Freshman of the Week in 62 of a possible 126 weeks. Johnson becomes the 16th Blue Devil to have won the award at least once in that time.

No. 6 Duke (1-0) returns to action when it hosts No. 8 Michigan State (2-0) on Tuesday, Dec. 1 in the State Farm Champions Classic at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Duke Basketball

Core Players And A Lot Of Possibilities For 2020-21 Duke Basketball

When trying to come up with which players will be in the court in crunch time for Duke next season, I keep coming up with four players. My current feeling is that Duke will want true freshman Jalen Johnson, Jeremy Roach, and returnees Matthew Hurt and Wendell Moore Jr. on the court most of the time.

We should see a vast improvement from Hurt and Moore, both of whom will be depended upon to lead via knowing the Blue Devils system of doing things. Ideally, you want some older players in the lineup but Duke will be a pretty young team, save two key backups, if you can call them that, in Jordan Goldwire and Joey Baker.

Jalen Johnson is a sure bet one and done talent and Duke will allow him plenty of freedom to grow his game while in Durham. Jeremy Roach will be handed the keys to point guard duties early on as well.

So, I see these four as starters for most of the season which begs the question, who will the fifth starter be? Well, to start, Duke will have a lot of players fill that role and it will come down to how players are working in practice and matchups.

When Duke goes big, they can look to freshman Mark Williams and to a lesser degree Jaemyn Brakefield and Henry Coleman. The staff will also have incoming Columbia transfer Patrick Tape in the mix in the frontcourt. I can see all of these players getting a start and when practice resumes, we will have an idea of who is adjusting to perceived roles.

As for the freshman, Brakefield and Coleman each bring their skillset to the mix. Brakefield is a solid offensive player who can stretch the floor and Coleman is a versatile hard worker around the paint. Williams can be a basket protector and a force in the paint and has continuously improved in the past two years.

But Duke can go smaller as well and this is where I enter another freshman D.J. Steward into the mix. He is a potentially prolific scorer and talented enough to fill that fifth spot. In fact, when I took a poll of the few people I trust, he seemed to be what most considered the best bet for the fifth starting spot.

But, hold on a minute. This is where we talk about Jordan Goldwire. Talk about a hard worker that will get after you defensively. And then there is Joey Baker who is always a three-point threat and a player who can do much more than that.

This is where I tell you that while I have penciled in some perceived starters, it does not mean they will have to play ironman minutes. In fact, there are many lineup possibilities.

Duke can go small and pressure the heck out of teams with Roach, Steward, Goldwire, Moore, and a big. Or they can try and match up with the likes of bigger teams with Williams, Johnson, and Hurt with some help from Tape.

The Blue Devils have tweeners as well to insert into the mix, so at least early in the season, Duke will be able to go as deep as they did a season ago with concern to their lineups. I will go out on a limb and predict up to ten players will get a start at some point in the coming season.

While Duke will be young, they will be deep again this season. The key will be to get back on campus and get accustomed to one another as we all await positive news on the virus which has yet to clear.

Also, keep in mind this is my early take on Duke hoops in 2020-21 and it will change as we get closer to the season. But for now, this is a gauge on what we might expect.

I will be discussing other aspects and possibilities concerning Duke Basketball as we tie several articles in as an early bird preview in the coming days where we'll answer a lot of team questions. And speaking of questions, send any into our bluedevilnation@twitter feed with the hashtag #AskBDN and we will address the best of them.

Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Duke Hoops Signs Talented Class


DURHAM, N.C. – Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has announced the signing of six future Blue Devils during the NCAA's early-signing period. The class is ranked No. 2 according to ESPN, which would give Duke's signing classes a top-two ranking in each of the last seven seasons.

Jaemyn Brakefield, Henry Coleman III, Jalen Johnson, Jeremy Roach, D.J. Steward and Mark Williams will enter the Duke program for the 2020-21 season. Duke's previous top-ranked classes in the ESPN 100 came in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018, while the 2016 and 2019 classes were ranked No. 2.

Jaemyn Brakefield – 6-8 – 215 – Forward – Jackson, Miss. – Huntington Prep (W.Va.)

  • A five-star power forward
  • Ranked as the No. 23 overall player in ESPN 100's rankings for the class of 2020
  • Ranked as the No. 1 player in the state of West Virginia and the No. 5 player at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Played for Team Phenom University in the EYBL with fellow Duke signee Jalen Johnson and averaged 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists last summer with two double-doubles
  • Committed to Duke on October 4, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over Louisville, Michigan and Auburn, among others

Henry Coleman III – 6-7 – 210 – Forward – Richmond, Va. – Trinity Episcopal School

  • A four-star power forward
  • Ranked as the No. 42 player overall in ESPN 100's rankings for the class of 2020
  • Also ranked as the No. 5 player in the state of Virginia and the No. 8 at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Averaged 18.2 points and 6.4 rebounds this past summer on the Nike EYBL circuit for Team Loaded
  • Is senior class president at Trinity Episcopal School
  • Committed to Duke on September 27, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over Michigan, NC State, Virginia Tech and Ohio State, among others

Jalen Johnson – 6-8 – 215 – Forward – Glendale, Wisc. – IMG Academy (Fla.)

  • A five-star small forward
  • Ranked as the No. 4 overall player in ESPN 100's rankings for the class of 2020
  • Ranked No. 1 in the state of Florida and No. 1 at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Led Nicolet HS in Glendale, Wisc., to a state championship last season before transferring to IMG Academy for his senior campaign
  • Played for Team Phenom University in the EYBL with fellow Duke signee Jaemyn Brakefield and averaged 17.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists last summer with five double-doubles
  • Committed to Duke on July 4, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over Arizona, Kentucky and Wisconsin, among others

Jeremy Roach – 6-2 – 180 – Guard – Leesburg, Va. – Paul VI HS

  • A five-star point guard
  • Ranked as the No. 15 player overall in ESPN 100's ranking for the class of 2020
  • Also ranked second in the state of Virginia and ranked third overall at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Missed his junior season of high school (ACL)
  • Played for Team Takeover in the Nike EYBL and averaged 6.6 points and 3.1 assists in the summer of 2018
  • Has won a pair of gold medals with USA Basketball – at the 2017 FIBA Americas U-16 and the 2018 FIBA U-17 World Cup
  • Was the starting point guard for the U-17 team and averaged 6.4 points and 2.7 assists
  • The first five-star player in the class of 2020 to announce his commitment, committing to Duke on May 8, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over Kentucky, North Carolina and Villanova, among others

D.J. Steward – 6-3 – 175 – Guard – Chicago, Ill. – Whitney Young HS

  • A five-star combo guard
  • Ranked as the No. 26 player overall in ESPN 100's ranking for the class of 2020
  • Also ranked second in the state of Illinois and ranked seventh overall at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Averaged 24.1 points and shot 41 percent from three-point range in the summer of 2019 for Team MeanStreets on the Nike EYBL circuit
  • Attended the same high school as former Blue Devil Jahlil Okafor
  • Committed to Duke on September 18, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over North Carolina, Louisville, Indiana and Texas, among others

Mark Williams – 7-0 – 230 – Center – Norfolk, Va. – IMG Academy (Fla.)

  • A four-star center
  • Ranked as the No. 30 overall player in ESPN 100's rankings for the class of 202
  • Ranked No. 4 in the state of Florida and as the No. 5 center in the ESPN 100
  • Played three years at Norfolk Academy before transferring to IMG Academy for his senior season
  • On the Nike EYBL circuit, played for Team Boo Williams and averaged 14.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, while shooting 64 percent from the field
  • Improved his numbers to 23.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 76 percent shooting at the Peach Jam
  • His older sister, Elizabeth, played for Duke from 2011-15 and now plays for the WNBA's Atlanta Dream
  • Committed to Duke on November 2, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over UCLA and Michigan, among others.
Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Duke Basketball Recruiting Update Posted

Who will the next Duke commitment be? More on the recruiting front in our latest in-depth update.

We love doing recruiting updates at Blue Devil Nation but only after we have good information.  Our latest offering is 2304 words of what is going on with 2020 class and how things should play out.  After the exciting commitment from DJ Steward, Duke now has three players for 2020, but the staff is far from finished.

Who will be the next player to commit?  Where does Duke stand with key prospects?  When are they visiting and who else is in play for their services?  I try to answer those questions to clear the picture on the Blue Devils hoops future.

Be sure to take advantage of our one-year special, which is 60 bucks for the year in the link above.  I have been covering Duke since Coach K stepped on campus and that allows Blue Devil Nation to offer a unique perspective on the program which is set to get things underway for the upcoming season.

Note - new members need to also register for the message board and will then receive approval.

Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Busy September for Duke Has Walker Kessler on Campus

If you haven't noticed already, Septemeber is a big recruiting month for Duke Basketball.  Last weekend, the Blue Devils entertained Virginia power forward Henry Coleman.

This weekend, Duke will host top-rated big man and long-time target Walker Kessler.  The 6-10 prospect plays for Woodburn Academy in Fairburn, Georgia.

The Blue Devils have had the Kessler family on campus before but this time they hope to close the deal on a much-needed body.

Duke is expected to lose almost all of their frontcourt players after this coming season and there is a need for multiple prospects who can anchor the baseline.

The Blue Devils have already secured the services of Jalen Johnson and Jeremy Roach, but the desire is to land commitments from several more players.

Duke will entertain Virginia big man Mark Williams in November.  He's the brother of former Duke standout Elizabeth Williams.  The fast-rising big man will be playing alongside Jalen Johnson after transferring to IMG Academy.

The Blue Devils are in the process of setting up a visit with Chicago scorer DJ Steward.  Duke is all in on Steward who has been getting several offers since early summer.

Duke has also entered the Ziaire Williams race to stay which we mentioned a few weeks back to Blue Devil Nation members.  That said, join Blue Devil Nation Premium during our 60 bucks for one year special and get straight talk on where we think Duke stands with the aforementioned recruits.

While the players listed head the list, there are some other possibilities which could come into play.  But make no mistake, Duke wants every prospect on this shortlist of players they want to become a part of the brotherhood.