Best PG in Duke history

[em0526]

I don't know of this has been submitted already, but check out this highlight video of the best PG in Duke history.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5y...y-hurley_sport

[davekay1971]

I don't know of this has been submitted already, but check out this highlight video of the best PG in Duke history.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5y...y-hurley_sport

This brings a question to mind - Duke has had many excellent point guards, but is Hurley unquestionably the best, or can arguments be made for others who have run the rock? Jay Will (though more often a SG once Duhon arrived)? Tommy Amaker? Will Avery (alas, we hardly knew ye)?

Before I get slaughtered, I want to clarify that IMHO Hurley is the best to run the point for the Best Blue, and one of the all time great college PGs nationwide.

[allenmurray]

Of all the point guards Duke has had only one has led the team to back-to-back national championships.

[hurleyfor3]

I will accept arguments in favor of Dick Groat... that's about it.

[Jarhead]

I will accept arguments in favor of Dick Groat... that's about it.

Thanks for mentioning Dick Groat. I was there. I watched him from those same seats that the crazies stand on today. He was phenomenal in every respect on the court. He was a true point guard who could shoot, and control tempo, and defend, and lead. His game changed the way we play basketball. He was the first, that I saw, to take a jump shot. Until he came along all outside shots were set shots, impossible to do off the dribble. IIRC, the next person to use the jump shot was a year or more after Groat. Maybe Bill Brill can shed some light on this.

The fact remains that Groat was Duke's greatest PG, but I'd have to agree that Bobby Hurley was just as good. Hurley's advantage would be the 2 national championships that his team won. There is a reason that Groat was the first to have his number in the rafters. He set the standard.

[gus]

This brings a question to mind - Duke has had many excellent point guards, but is Hurley unquestionably the best, or can arguments be made for others who have run the rock? Jay Will (though more often a SG once Duhon arrived)? Tommy Amaker? Will Avery (alas, we hardly knew ye)?

I've never seen Groat play, and Amaker only in highlights. But I don't see how anyone who's seen Hurley in his prime can argue that there is better point guard.

[jv001]

Bobby Hurley was not only the best PG at Duke. He may have been the best in college basketball. True point guard skills, shooting, passing and playing great defense. He's # 1 and Tommy Amaker probably a distant # 2. I thought that Dick Groat played shooting guard. Before my time. I bet Jim knows. He knows everything about Duke University.

[Black Mambo]

I'm as a big a Hurley fan as any (I remeber being in 7th grade and buying my "Hurley...thanks for the memories" t-shirt while on campus as a summer program). But was he really better than say Mark Price, or Chris Corchiani? If he swapped roles with either of those two, would they then be possibly the greatest college PG of all time?

[hurleyfor3]

I'm as a big a Hurley fan as any (I remeber being in 7th grade and buying my "Hurley...thanks for the memories" t-shirt while on campus as a summer program). But was he really better than say Mark Price, or Chris Corchiani? If he swapped roles with either of those two, would they then be possibly the greatest college PG of all time?

Better than Corch and about as good as Price. Price was a better shooter: Hurley largely hit shots because he was left open. I would put Hurley below one of his contemporaries: Kenny Anderson. Anderson would probably have the assist record (playing at Tech) had he stayed four years. But I think he is the only point guard about whom you can say this!

Hurley wasn't by any means perfect. But to buy into Hurley is to love him for his imperfections.

[brevity]

I would put Hurley below one of his contemporaries: Kenny Anderson. Anderson would probably have the assist record (playing at Tech) had he stayed four years.

Sure, if Brian Oliver and Dennis Scott had enough eligibility to stay with him those 4 years. Otherwise, no. Amazing numbers overall, but not the assist record.

[RelativeWays]

I came of age as a Duke fan with Hurley at the point, no question who my pick is.

[Son of Mojo]

Much as I liked Duhon, Williams, and Amaker (who I only got to see some of), Bobby was the best at Duke I've ever seen and I still say the best PURE point guard ever. People I know bring up Anderson, Price, Corchiani, and...ugh Ford just in ACC talk though all made names nationally. All were extremely good but in terms of running the offense, distributing the ball, creating the fast break, playing defense, and hitting the shots when called upon (not shooting first like you could say for Anderson and Price instead of passing second) who can you say is better based upon that criteria?

[dukemomLA]

Hurley, Hurley, Hurley. No question. I LOVE most of the other guys, but Bobby Hurley as a TRUE POINT GUARD matches up with most PGs of any era and of any conference.

If I made a list of the top 20 college point guards of all time, Hurley would be on that list.

[terrih]

Yeah, didn't take me anytime at all to come to the conclusion that it was Hurley. Oh the memories of watching him play!

[g_olaf]

He's # 1 and Tommy Amaker probably a distant # 2.

I give Amaker #1. Reason? Turnovers. Bobby used to drive me crazy with his turnovers, (averaged 3.8 turnovers a game throughout his career). As a freshman it was ~4.4 a game). Amaker, especially his sophomore and junior season did such a great job of protecting the ball (sophomore season 2.1 TO/game, in 86' he had 2.4 TO/game). Not as many assists as Bobby, but had a higher assist/TO ratio.

Bottom line, when you have fantastic scorers like Dawkins in 86, or Laettner and Hill, you don't need to get fancy with the rock. Just get them the ball and get out of the way.

[BobbyFan]

I give Amaker #1. Reason? Turnovers. Bobby used to drive me crazy with his turnovers, (averaged 3.8 turnovers a game throughout his career). As a freshman it was ~4.4 a game). Amaker, especially his sophomore and junior season did such a great job of protecting the ball (sophomore season 2.1 TO/game, in 86' he had 2.4 TO/game). Not as many assists as Bobby, but had a higher assist/TO ratio.

Bottom line, when you have fantastic scorers like Dawkins in 86, or Laettner and Hill, you don't need to get fancy with the rock. Just get them the ball and get out of the way.

If you feel that Hurley didn't need to get fancy and just had to get "fantastic scorers" like Laettner and Hill the ball and get out of the way, then I have no idea what you were watching.

[g_olaf]

If you feel that Hurley didn't need to get fancy and just had to get "fantastic scorers" like Laettner and Hill the ball and get out of the way, then I have no idea what you were watching.

Look, I'm not dumping on Hurley at all. He hit clutch shots, he could thread a needle with the basketball, and he played fantastic defense. I'm just saying that because of his high turnover rate, he made me feel anxious... especially when he would fly down into the lane and whip a pass over his shoulder to someone.

[BobbyFan]

Look, I'm not dumping on Hurley at all. He hit clutch shots, he could thread a needle with the basketball, and he played fantastic defense. I'm just saying that because of his high turnover rate, he made me feel anxious... especially when he would fly down into the lane and whip a pass over his shoulder to someone.

And because of that anxiousness, you would take Amaker over him? Sorry, I still don't understand this.

[TriGuy]

I would tend to agree with Hurley as the best PG.

But to throw out another name for "Who's Number Two", I haven't seen Steve Vacendak's name mentioned. One of the smoothest ball handlers I remember seeing and (as far as I know) the only player ever to make ACC POY while NOT making 1st team All-ACC (not sure how that happened, obviously the voting rules were different in 1966).

Just my $0.02 worth.

[Edouble]

I give Amaker #1.

So is your all-time Duke team Amaker, Ewing, Price, Horvath, and Bilas?