By Jordan Tomiyama
Duke Basketball has been an elite college basketball program for many years. But in the past ten years they have won two championships and produced elite NBA stars. A NCAA program has to recruit the best players, but to get the best, you have to win. For Duke there is one man that you can point too for being a major reason behind their success. That man is Mike Krzyzewski.
Krzyzewski has been at Duke since 1980(!!). His list of accomplishments are staggering and nothing short of mind boggling. He has 5 national championships, 12 final fours and 25 ACC Conference titles. Coach K recruited players who would stay for a couple years but he stayed away from the one and dones. He realized that to win in today’s world of college basketball, you need those one and done guys. Coach K landed guys like Kyrie Irving, Jabari Parker, Justise Winslow and Jahlil Okafor. The last championship Duke won (2014) they were led by Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow and point guard Tyus Jones. All of them were freshman who were drafted in the NBA draft the following summer.
In the past ten years, Duke fans have seen some studs. Here are the best players to don the blue and white in the past decade.
Point Guard
Tyus Jones: Yes, yes, there was that man named Kyrie Irving that played for the Blue Devils but he didn’t play that much due to injury and didn’t get a ring. Tyus Jones played a ton, got a ring and hit a bevy of big shots. He averaged 11 points and just under six assists in 39 games with the Blue Devils. He will be most remembered for his performance against Wisconsin in the National Championship game. He hit a huge three and had 23 points
Shooting Guard:
Austin Rivers: Another one and done Dukie but he was one of the more dynamic and intriguing players for the Blue Devils during the 2011-2012 season. Doc Rivers’ son averaged 15 ppg and his biggest three points were against bitter rival North Carolina. He hit a buzzer beater, game-winner against the Tar Heels. It capped a huge second half comeback and will forever be on the highlight reels.
Small Forward:
Jabari Parker: No ring for this Chicago kid but he was a stud for Coach K’s team. He was recruited as a one and done. It was the first time people realized Coach K would get the best regardless of their future intentions. Parker averaged 19 ppg and a whopping eight boards per game. An early exit in the NCAA was a blow to Duke, but the excitement he brought to Cameron Indoor Stadium will not be forgotten.
Power Forward
Mason Plumlee: There have been a few Plumlee’s roll through the Duke program but Mason might be the most memorable. From his big dunks, blocks and, of course, the Championship in 2010. He improved every year he was at Duke. In his last year he averaged 17 ppg and just under 10 rpg. Over his four years he had 199 rejections.
Center:
Jahlil Okafor: Another big man, another ring for the Dukies. He was part of the big three with Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow. He was a force that no team could stop. Okafor saw everything from double to triple teams and anything else that opposing coaches could come up with. In 32 games, he averaged 17 ppg and 8 rpg. His footwork was a step ahead of every other big man he faced, and he allowed others to get open due to the fact that there was so much focus on the seven-footer.