We have now finally reached the top ten. It’s a new era in Durham. It’s the first time in 42 years that Mike Krzyzewski won’t be roaming the sidelines at Cameroon Indoor Stadium. The new guy at the helm, Jon Scheyer, has already established himself as one of the nation’s best recruiters. Now he will have to prove that he can coach, too.
Preseason College Basketball Rankings: #10 Duke Blue Devils
As usual, there is an immense amount of roster turnover for Duke. This year the only significant player they have returning is Jeremy Roach. He has had two solid years so far with the Blue Devils. But this year he will be counted on much more than the previous two. Not only will he need to play well, but with so many newcomers he will be depended upon to provide necessary veteran leadership and experience.
Also as usual Duke brings in an exceptional recruiting class. This year they have the top recruiting class in all the land. The seven-man class features four five-stars and three of the top four recruits in this year’s class. Dereck Lively II is the number one player in this class. There really isn’t a thing that he isn’t either currently good at or getting better at. He and fourth-overall recruit Kyle Filipowski will anchor the frontcourt for the Blue Devils. Number two overall recruit Dariq Whitehead is a fast, three-level scorer and a very versatile defender. Mark Mitchell is the other five-star. Three four-stars, two of which are in the top 100, fill out the class.
First-year head coach Jon Scheyer also brought in a couple of transfers. Former Holy Cross and Illinois guard Jacob Grandison is the highlight of the three-man group. The super senior will not only probably be starting, but will also be counted on to provide much-needed veteran leadership and experience just like Jeremy Roach.
Projected Lineup
C – Dereck Lively II (#1 overall recruit on 247 Sports)
C/PF – Kyle Filipowski (#4 overall recruit on 247 Sports)
SF – Dariq Whitehead (#2 overall recruit on 247 Sports)
SG – Jacob Grandison (9.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG at Illinois)
PG – Jeremy Roach (8.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG)
