Okay, YOUR Duke team

[dukemsu]

It consistently shocks me how people on this board, the biggest Duke basketball fans, don't acknowledge, remember, realize, appreciate, etc., how good Danny Ferry was. Forget about his pro career. He was ACC player of the year twice when almost nobody went pro early, split the player of the year voting with Sean Elliot his senior year, once scored 58 points in a game and played on 3 final four teams. He was a great inside - out scorer, created matchup problems for any team he faced because there was nobody else like him and was a terrific passer. When there is discussion about the all-time best player ever to play at Duke, you hear Grant Hill, Christian Laettner, Johnny Dawkins, Art Heyman, Dick Groat, Jason Williams ... but you very rarely see Ferry mentioned in that discussion, and he should be. In my opinion, Laettner is the best college player ever at Duke - based on his talent and accomplishments. However, outside of Laettner there is a strong argument that Ferry was the best COLLEGE player ever to play at Duke. I would include all of the others above in that argument.

Amen. Ferry is the ultimate "unappreciated" Duke legend.

dukemsu

[mjones723]

Danny was a bad bad man.

[mapei]

re Danny: I may be hampered in that I simply wasn't paying as much attention when Ferry was playing. And I've seen more highlights of Dawkins, Banks, and some others from back in the day. I wasn't the Duke fan at the time that I am now, but I do remember Giminski as a player.

Maybe Danny's misfortune was to have been so quickly eclipsed by Laettner and the championships that Danny's teams could never quite win. His time in the spotlight was brief.

What's fun about this is that, inevitably, some great players are going to be left off someone's top team. That's how many great ones have passed through the Duke program.

[cspan37421]

In my opinion, Laettner is the best college player ever at Duke

Some folks would say you could leave out the "at Duke" part of that sentence.

[mr. synellinden]

I would be one of those people.

[skoob]

Duhon
Redick
Mullins
Boozer
Brand

Subs:
Maggette
Hill
Gminski

[CDu]

as I'm only 28. I only vaguely remember the 87 team. So my memory relies on the 88-to-present teams.

Starting five:
PG - Hurley (best pure point guard I've seen at Duke)
SG - Williams (I like the combo of Williams/Hurley)
SF - G Hill (just so versatile)
PF - Battier (ditto, and great shooting range to stretch defense)
C - Brand (I like his post-up game. It's really a coin-flip for me between Laettner and Brand, and they'd both play heavy minutes)

Bench:
Laettner (perfect change of pace from Brand, and I'd run that high-low combo a lot, too)
Ferry (I only saw the end of his career, but he was real good)
Redick (the perfect gunner for this team)
Boozer/Williams (I can't decide if I want Boozer's offense or Williams' defense)
Duhon (insurance point guard - great defense and good team player)

I'd go big at times with Brand or Ferry in place of a smaller player (either Hill/Battier or a guard), and small at times with Redick coming in for Hill or Battier. But there's pretty much no situation in which I feel this team would have matchup problems.

[Jfrosh]

I can only discuss the 1985 team and beyond, so I will limit my choices to that. I will also limit my starters to 4 year players. Why? Because it's my list.

Point Guard: Bobby Hurley (All time assist Leader)
Shooting Guard: Johnny Dawkins (So very smooth, made everything look effortless.
Small Forward: Grant Hill (no brainer)
Power Forward: Danny Ferry (This was a tough call)
Center: Christian Laettner (again, no brainer)

Bench:
Shane Battier
Jason Williams
Elton Brand

I went back and forth between Shane and Danny. I graduated in '89 with Danny and at that time he was THE god around campus and the NCAA. He was a point forward who could do anything on the court. Everyone was talking about him becoming the next Larry Bird (there always seems to be one, but he had a great skill set). Shane was the consumate team player, awesome defensively, developed into a great offensive player, great communicator and leader. I better go ahead and submit this before I change my mind again.

[g_olaf]

My ALL Naismith team:

Starters:
Jason Williams (POY 2002)
Johnny Dawkins (POY 1986)
Danny Ferry (6'10" playing the 3 for me) (POY 1989)
Christian Laettner (POY 1992)
Elton Brand (POY 1999)

Bench:
Shane Battier (POY 2001)
JJ Redick (POY 2006)
Lindsey Harding (POY 2007)

Coach: 3 time Naismith COY Mike K. has the edge over 2-time Naismith COY Gail G.

Interesting: We're the only school that can field a team.

[FerryFor50]

Here's mine:

1st team
PG: Jason Williams
SG: Johnny Dawkins
SF: Grant Hill
PF: Danny Ferry
C: Christian Laettner

2nd team
PG: Bobby Hurley
SG: JJ Redick
SF: Shane Battier
PF: Elton Brand
C: Mike Gminski

[should_be_working]

1. jason williams
2. JJ reddick
3. johny dawkins
4. shane battier
5. christian laettner

[Zeke]

1) Dick Groat
2) Art Heyman
3) Grant Hill
4) Christian Laettner
5)Johnny Dawkins

[Classof06]

I'm only 23 so please excuse the modern-era bias

Jason Williams (best CBB player I've ever seen - again, pardon the bias)
Johnny Dawkins
Grant Hill
Christian Laettner
Elton Brand

[Cameron]

PG: Jason Williams
SG: JJ Redick
F: Grant Hill
F: Shane Battier
F/C: Christian Laettner

That team would NEVER be touched. Bring on all comers.

[superdave]

PG: Hurley (2 natl champs, all-time asissts)
SG: Dawkins (2,500 career points, player of year)
SF: G. Hill (player of year, 2 natl champs..almost 3rd)
PF: Elton Brand (player of year, unguardable)
C: Christian Laettner (started 4 final fours)

Bench: G-man, Battier, J. Williams

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

1) Dick Groat
2) Art Heyman
3) Grant Hill
4) Christian Laettner
5)Johnny Dawkins

I concur with this list though it's a shame to leave out Jeff Mullins, Bob Verga and some others who put Duke on the national basketball map before some of those who are posting were even thought of!

[EarlJam]

PG: Bobby Hurley
SG: Johnny Dawkins
F: Grant Hill
F: Danny Ferry
C: Christian Laettner

Wow. Not an easy task to pick five. Too many awesome choices.

-EarlJam

[BlueintheFace]

If I am actually making a team and not putting together the best 5...


1) Dawkins
2) Redick
3) Hill
4) Laettner
5) I want to say Ferry, but I am going with a complete surprise pick- Carrawell. With the other 4, I want that little burst in to the lane with the guaranteed 5-7 footer. Plus I want him for his defense and leadership.

[dukebballcamper90-91]

Hurley
G. Hill
Laettner
Jason Williams
Battier

Sorry Dawkins and Brand, you don't have rings

[sagegrouse]

This is a May topic -- not one for February -- especially during a great season.

sagegrouse