Okay, YOUR Duke team

[Lord Ash]

Hello all,

I am not sure if folks have done this, but I haven't seen such a thread as long as I've been around DBR (a few years, to be sure, tho not as many as some.)

I, like so many basketball fans, enjoy dreaming of what my All-Duke team would look like. I am sure many of you have too!

So what I was envisioning was a thread of just our own All-Duke teams.

The "rules" will be simple. 5 starters, and you are allowed 3 backups. They would be expected to play a full game; i.e. think about what you need as a team to function, this isn't just a "who has the most talent" team, but which would be the best basketball team.

You can go back and edit your entry at any time; who knows, maybe someone will make a point I hadn't considered, and as Dukies, we are always willing to learn from others!

EDIT:

Players are listed by name, number of starts, number of bench spots, points, and how many All-Duke teams they were named to.

I am including the up-to-date All Duke points, 1 point for a bench spot and 2 points for a starting spot. I will include an alternate scoring in parentheses; 3 points for a start and 2 points for a bench spot; might balance it a tight differently and maybe better. We'll see how that works; if anyone wants to chime in on which formula to keep?

Figure that Friday should be long enough to keep this going?

STARTERS
Laettner: 18 S, 1 B, 37 points (56 points) 19 teams
G.Hill: 17 S, 2 B, 36 points (55 points) 19 teams
Hurley: 15 S, 3 B, 33 points (51 points) 18 teams
Shane: 9 S, 11 B, 30 points (48 points) 20 teams
J.Will: 11 S, 7 B, 29 points (47 points) 18 teams

BENCH
Coach Dawkins: 12 S, 4 B, 28 points (44 points) 16 teams
Elton: 8 S, 4 B, 20 points (32 points) 12 teams
JJ: 4 S, 9 B, 18 points (29 points) 13 teams

OTHER GREATS
Ferry: 2 S, 5 B, 9 points (15 points) 7 teams
Gminski: 2 S, 4 B, 8 points (14 points) 6 teams
Shelden: 2 S, 1 B, 5 points (8 points) 3 teams
Boozer: 1 S, 1 B, 3 points (5 points) 2 teams
The Alaskan Assassin: 0 S, 1 B, 1 point (2 points) 1 team
Marin: 0 S, 1 B, 1 point (2 points) 1 team
Verga: 0 S, 1 B, 1 point (2 points) 1 team
Banks: 0 S, 1 B, 1 point (2 points) 1 team

Caught up as of Wilko's post on Tuesday @ 1:53 PM.

So... I hope people respond!

[Lord Ash]

My All Duke Team

(just a note; I am only going with guys I watched.)

Starting at point guard : Bobby Hurley
Starting at shooting guard: Jason Williams
Starting at small forward: JJ Redick
Starting at power forward: Shane Battier
Starting at center: Carlos Boozer

Bench:
Christian Laettner - would play as much time as anyone else on the team; I just can't start two centers
Grant Hill - Can play almost any position and play it as well as anyone else on the team; IMHO the perfect "All Team" sub.
Trajan Langdon - An excellent guard and steady presence, but I am willing to replace him with someone else. I'll keep thinking on this.

[yancem]

My All Duke Team

And I need another guard... I'll have to think a bit about this... I think Deng would be very good, but since he played only a single year at Duke I am reluctant. Honestly I am feeling me some Trajan... but I am sure I missed someone obvious. I'll come back and edit later.

Did you not get a chance to watch Dawkins?

[dukediv2013]

This is the All Time Duke team since I began watching Duke BBall in the late 90's

1ST TEAM

PG- Jason Williams
SG- JJ Redick
SF- Shane Battier
PF- Elton Brand
C- Shelden Williams

2ND TEAM

PG- Steve Wojo
SG- Trajan Langdon
SF- Mike Dunleavy
SF- Chris Carrawell
C- Carlos Boozer

[cato]

My All Duke Team

(just a note; I am only going with guys I watched.)

Starting at point guard : Bobby Hurley
Starting at shooting guard: Jason Williams
Starting at small forward: JJ Redick
Starting at power forward: Shane Battier
Starting at center: Carlos Boozer

Bench:
Christian Laettner - would play as much time as anyone else on the team; I just can't start two centers
Grant Hill - Can play almost any position and play it as well as anyone else on the team; IMHO the perfect "All Team" sub.

And I need another guard... I'll have to think a bit about this... I think Deng would be very good, but since he played only a single year at Duke I am reluctant. Honestly I am feeling me some Trajan... but I am sure I missed someone obvious. I'll come back and edit later.

Dude, you're bringing Laettner and Grant Freakin Hill off the bench? You realize that Grant Hill singlehandedly willed his team to within one missed 3 pointer of winning the championship right?

Also, Jason Williams, JJ Redick and all the other guards are battling with Dawkins for time at shooting guard (and probably losing).

[nicktonyg22]

Point Guard: Bobby Hurley
Shooting Guard: Johnny Dawkins
Small Forward: Grant Hill
Power Forward: Shane Battier
Center: Christian Laettner

Bench:
Jason Williams
JJ Redick
Elton Brand


There are so many guys that I wish I could put on this team, but i guess you gotta make cuts somewhere...I think this team would not only beat just about anyone, but is not just a "best talent" team, but could really function.

[Lord Ash]

A few things;

First off no, Dawkins was before my time. So I don't include him, even tho I am well sure he would be on the team if I had seen him.

Also, I am trying to keep it to only 8 players, since realistically that is all that we would play

I am bringing Hill off the bench only because he can sub for any spot from 1-4. I like that versatility. Trust me, I appreciated Grant; I sat right under the title banners in that game against Arkansas in a SEASON where he single handedly brought Duke to where it got. (I still hate the "Big Dog," and after Scotty Thurman it feels like Grant brought us to within one MADE three for a title!) Trust me, I know he is great, on my team coming off the bench isn't a putdown. I expect most players to play equal minutes.

What can I say about JJ, I miss him a lot. He poured it in more than any player I've personally seen at Duke.

Nick, so this is yours?

Point Guard: Bobby Hurley
Shooting Guard: Johnny Dawkins
Small Forward: Grant Hill
Power Forward: Shane Battier
Center: Christian Laettner

Bench:
Jason Williams
JJ Redick
Elton Brand

Hard to find fault, of course You have some long, good defenders, especially at SF and PF. I like your guards off the bench; talk about some scoring power Elton had the softest hands I've ever seen at Duke!

DukeDiv, what if I asked you to cut two players? Who would go?

[Kilby]

PG Johnny Dawkins - As clutch a scorer as Duke has ever had and one of the best defenders. He played PG his Freshman yr.
SG - Jason Williams
SF - Grant Hill
PF - Christian Laettner - Also clutch and will to win
C - Elton Brand

Bench - Shane Battier, Hurley and Carlos Boozer
I can't believe I left them off - Giminski, Gene Banks,
Current player most likely to break the list - Gerald Henderson

[ikiru36]

Similarly, only going with players I personally watched, first hand (and assuming their level of play as of their final year at Duke)...

1 Hurley
1/2 Dawkins
1/2/3 G. Hill
3/4/5 Laettner
4/5 Brand

Bench
1/2 J. Williams
2/3/4 S. Battier
3/4/5 D. Ferry

I could think about it more, but this was my first instinct anyways...
others who almost made it-Gene Banks, JJ Redick, Carlos Boozer, Sheldon Williams

[y'all be sleeping on Ferry who pretty much had the best overall year stat-wise of anyone in this period (along with Laettner and Dawkins). OK, he's 6'10" and during his senior year averaged 22.6 pts., 7.4 rbds., 4.7 asts., and 1.6 steals while shooting 52% from the floor and 42.5% from 3. oh yeah, and he had that 58 pt. game at Miami! pre-Duke's tv contract, i never got to see that one!]

[phaedrus]

This is way too hard. Makes me wish I went to Carolina so I could struggle to think of 5 decent players to start - "umm, MJ... Haywood... Forte?"

Here goes.

Hurley
Redick
Hill
Laettner
Brand

With NPOYs Dawkins, JWill, and Battier on the bench.

[Lord Ash]

With NPOYs Dawkins, JWill, and Battier on the bench.

Hee hee! I love Duke.

[Lord Ash]

Okay, the count so far, with starts counting for 2 points, and bench spots counting for 1 (very scientific, I know.) As of 9:15 on Monday and Phaedrus' post. If anyone edits something, pls let me know so I can keep up to date?

I will include an alternate scoring in parentheses; 3 points for a start and 2 points for a bench spot; might balance it a tight differently and maybe better. We'll see how that works; if anyone wants to chime in on which formula to keep?

Figure that Friday should be long enough to keep this going?


Hurley: 4 S, 1 B, 9 points (14 points)
Laettner: 4 S, 1 B, 9 points (14 points)
G.Hill: 4 S, 1 B, 9 points (14 points)
Elton: 4 S, 1 B, 9 points (14 points)
J.Will: 3 S, 3 B, 9 points (15 points)
Shane: 3 S, 3 B, 9 points (15 points)
JJ: 3 S, 1 B, 7 points (11 points)
Coach Dawkins: 3 S, 1 B, 7 points (11 points)
Boozer: 1 S, 1 B, 3 points (5 points)
Shelden: 1 S, 0 B, 2 points (3 points)
The Alaskan Assassin: 0 S, 1 B, 1 point (2 points)
Ferry: 0 S, 1 B, 1 point (2 points)

DukeDiv, I didn't count any of your bench so far; if you would be so kind to cut it down to 5 I will!

[captmojo]

Dawkins
Redick
Laetner
Battier
Hill

bench:
Marin
Verga
Gminski

With no particular reference to position, many are interchangeable anyway.

[captmojo]

Who really should argue these picks? They're all great line ups.

[houstondukie]

Starters:

PG: Bobby Hurley
SG: Jason Williams
SF: Grant Hill
PF: Elton Brand
C: Christian Laettner

Bench:
SG: JJ Redick
PF: Shane Battier
C: Shelden Williams

[ArkieDukie]

As with several other people, my list will include players I watched after getting hooked on Duke b-ball.

Starters:
Bobby Hurley PG (NCAA career assist leader and the most amazing court vision ever)
Jason Williams SG (can run the team, but IMO plays even better when he doesn't have to)
Christian Laettner PF (has ice water in his veins!)
Grant Hill SF (Mr. Versatility - and he could dunk from the free throw line!)
Elton Brand C (great skills)

Bench:
JJ Redick (Duke/ACC career scoring record - heart of a champion)
Danny Ferry (originally had him starting in place of Brand, but ultimately decided that his skills are too similar to Laettner's. YMMV)
Shane Battier (the glue guy - plays well and makes everyone else better)

I had to leave off some of my all-time favorite Duke players: Wojo, Duhon, and T Hill, for example. I was also sorely tempted to include Patrick Davidson as one of the bench players just for the sheer intimidation factor!

[cspan37421]

It's hard b/c AFAIK Johnny Dawkins didn't shoot any 3-pointers in college. He was amazing but I only saw him for one year and don't remember his range. I do remember Jason Williams, JJ Redick, and Wm. Avery for range.

I'm going to first limit the field to those who got their degrees in 4 yrs (or less, JWill!). If some of these were there 4 yrs and didn't get a degree, forgive and inform me.

Starters:
G: Bobby Hurley
G: Jason Williams
F: Grant Hill
F: Shane Battier
F/C: Christian Laettner

Bench:
Guard: Johnny Dawkins
Forward: Danny Ferry
Center: Marty Nessley (just kidding! Mike Gminski)

I can't speak for the G-man, he was before my time, but I put him in b/c I don't think our 2 best centers of late (Brand, Boozer) graduated. And how to pick between those two anyway? Shelden did and I hope he does well, but he seemed inconsistent, and rarely great. I know he's got some impressive accumulated stats but in the clutch he and our frontcourt got manhandled on the boards by LSU. Hadn't seen such an unexpected imbalance on blocks and rebounds since Louisville '86.

But among the others, you'll notice they all can handle the rock. Any of the big guys could be counted on to bring the ball upcourt if they had to, and I remember each of them having to, at times. Pretty much they all performed well in the clutch. You can say that Ferry didn't bring us to a NC game after his freshman year but there wasn't really NBA-level talent in the backcourt on his So, Jr., Sr. teams. You usually need that for a NC. And as someone else pointed out, his numbers were too good to ignore. He just didn't have the level of supporting cast that others did.

[Zeke]

How can you have a Duke All Star team and not mention - at least once Dick Groat and Art Heyman. They were hands down better than most (not all) of the players mentioned so far. Come on Ole' grads - speak up.

[Bluedog]

Starters:

PG: Bobby Hurley
SG: Johnny Dawkins
SF: Grant Hill
PF: Shane Battier
C: Christian Laettner

Bench:
Jason Williams
JJ Redick
Mike Gminski

[cspan37421]

oh yeah, and he had that 58 pt. game at Miami! pre-Duke's tv contract, i never got to see that one!]

I don't know that Duke didn't have a TV contract. Just maybe not an "all games" or whatever. It is available somewhere - b/c Duke had a VHS tape of it for sale in the bookstore (or Gothic bookshop, I forget) shortly afterwards.