Best PG in Duke history

[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.

[devildownunder]

He played the point during the big minutes. Although Duhon was "officially" moved the the PG spot to get his confidence up a little during Jason's third and final year in Durham, Chris would inevidably regress back to a subordinate role during crunch time. Jason brought the ball up and did most of the playmaking when it counted during his junior year.

I was actually talking much more about his sophomore year but, really, Williams was always a combo guard. He was the 1 but the game had evolved to where the 1 could be played in a different way. And because of that, probably, it was easy for him to slide over to the 2 from time to time, not handle the ball as much, and contribute in a different way. For that reason, it's sort of difficult to compare him with Hurley. I do agree with the point others have made that Williams had the most raw athletic talent of the two but there are some things Hurley did better, nonetheless.

Can we start them both?

[davekay1971]

I was actually talking much more about his sophomore year but, really, Williams was always a combo guard. He was the 1 but the game had evolved to where the 1 could be played in a different way. And because of that, probably, it was easy for him to slide over to the 2 from time to time, not handle the ball as much, and contribute in a different way. For that reason, it's sort of difficult to compare him with Hurley. I do agree with the point others have made that Williams had the most raw athletic talent of the two but there are some things Hurley did better, nonetheless.

Can we start them both?

"Hurley drives the lane, draws the defense, and dishes out to Williams on the perimeter...THREE!"

It would be too unfair.

[jv001]

Slapping the floor began while Vic Bubas was the head coach.

I did not know that or just don't remember that slapping the floor began with Vic Bubas' teams. If that happened it probably was Vacendek or Billerman that started it.

[jimsumner]

Billerman did not play for Bubas.

I do not recall floor-slapping during the Bubas era. Can't say for sure that it never happened but it sure wasn't common.

I think of this as a K-era phenomena.

[jv001]

Billerman did not play for Bubas.

I do not recall floor-slapping during the Bubas era. Can't say for sure that it never happened but it sure wasn't common.

I think of this as a K-era phenomena.

Like I said my memory is not as clear as it once was "Billerman did not play for Bubas". Who was the coach during Billerman's playing days?

[Indoor66]

Like I said my memory is not as clear as it once was "Billerman did not play for Bubas". Who was the coach during Billerman's playing days?

That was the Waters-McGeachy-Foster era.

[jv001]

That was the Waters-McGeachy-Foster era.

Thanks for that info. Go Duke!

[jimsumner]

Billerman was a classmate of Bob Fleischer, Pete Kramer, and Bill Suk. They played for the last freshman team, played one varsity season for Waters, the one with McGeachy, and Foster's first.

In other words, they ended freshman ball, ended Waters' Duke-coaching career, started and ended McGeachy's Duke head-coaching career, and started Foster's Duke career. Not bad for four years.

FWIW, Fleischer is a urologist, Kramer and Suk are lawyers, and Billerman is coaching at Ravenscroft. Kramer has a daughter who plays soccer at Duke.

[jv001]

Billerman was a classmate of Bob Fleischer, Pete Kramer, and Bill Suk. They played for the last freshman team, played one varsity season for Waters, the one with McGeachy, and Foster's first.

In other words, they ended freshman ball, ended Waters' Duke-coaching career, started and ended McGeachy's Duke head-coaching career, and started Foster's Duke career. Not bad for four years.

FWIW, Fleischer is a urologist, Kramer and Suk are lawyers, and Billerman is coaching at Ravenscroft. Kramer has a daughter who plays soccer at Duke.

Jim isn't Billerman the Duke player that crashed the unc huddle during a timeout? Caused quite a stir if I remember correctly. And thanks for the information.

[mgtr]

Based on all the info I have, I say Hurley, Hurley, Hurley. Then again, I started watching Duke BB during the Hurley era, which probably colors my view. JWill was great, we were lucky to have him, but not a true point guard, as others have pointed out. I probably enjoyed JWill ball more than Hurley ball, but both were a joy to behold. It is a dirty shame that both of these guys had their careers effectively ended by tragic accidents. However, we, along with many others, will remember the greatness.

[jimsumner]

I think Jason Williams was a different kind of point guard than Hurley but I'm not convinced he wasn't a true point guard. The man averaged 6.0 assists per game for his career.

Let me throw out a name that no one has mentioned. Injuries and illnesses preclude this player from being considered among the career greats but for a season and half Tate Armstrong played at an exceptionally high level. He was a PG in the Groat, JWill category. In 1976 he averaged 24.2 ppg but he also led the team with 4.4 apg. The following year he averaged 22.7 ppg and a team-leading 4 apg before breaking his wrist in mid-season.

Foster would have loved to have moved him off the ball but he just didn't have that luxury. After Billerman graduated in 1975 and Kenny Young didn't develop, Foster just didn't have any other options. Tate carried an incredible burden in '76 and '77 and carried it well but because the team struggled, his contributions have largely been forgotten.

And Steve Vacendak was pretty good. I would take him over Amaker or Duhon.