Godfathers of Duke

[BigWayne]

Presumably a biomedical engineer, although graduate work at the Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem would have been my second guess.

Yes, biomedical. At that time we had biomedical, civil, electrical, and mechanical as engineering majors.

Weldon struggled and was ineligible at least one semester. It's pretty tough to be a scholarship athlete and major in engineering.

[BigWayne]

I am reminded about the recruiting class that got away and I think it might have been the one just before the Godfathers. K pursued and came in second for the services of Chris Mullins, Bill Wennington, Uwe Blab and Jim Miller. I think those guys were Class of 1985.

Yes, recruiting class of 1981. After having gotten only Doug McNeely in his first recruiting class, K was short on bodies and had to get a set of replacement players after the big 4 misses.

44 Todd Anderson F 6-9 230 Fr. Golden Valley, Minn. (Armstrong)
33 Jay Bryan F 6-8 200 Fr. Lakewood, CO (Bear Creek)
45 Dan Meagher F 6-7 215 Fr. St. Catherines, Ontario (Denis Morris)
25 Greg Wendt G/F 6-6 200 Fr. Livonia, Mich.

[BD80]

... John "Spider" Salley. GT Yellow Jacket and Detroit Piston (most notably, though he did win titles with Chicago and LA).

I would suggest that it was more notable that he was a key player in the Pistons back-to-back championships in '89 and '90.

[nmduke2001]

I would suggest that it was more notable that he was a key player in the Pistons back-to-back championships in '89 and '90.

That's what I meant, but I put the () in the wrong spot.

[Olympic Fan]

Great article. Sporked.

Interesting perspective to see how it was one of the last in-tact four-year.#1 recruiting classes that will ever been seen.

Hate to be picky, but technically, the Class of 1982 was not an "intact four-year class."

Bill Jackman bailed after one season.

You guys are right that the Class of 1982 came after K's spectacular failure in 1981 -- we remember that he missed Chris Mullins, Bill Wennington, Uwe Blab and Jimmy Miller, but perhaps the most bitter loss was forward Rodney Willliams, who reneged on a private commitment, and went to Florida. It's just that unlike the other guys we missed that year who became stellar players, Williams flopped. I know there were some other very public misses that year (Todd Berkenpass, who became a good player at Iowa). K recruited, but was never really in it for Michael Jordan from Wilmington.

That put a lot of pressure on a young, unproven Coach K as he started working the class of 1982. His first get -- early -- was Weldon Williams, a kid Bobby Knight wanted at Indiana. Then he got Jackman, billed as the next Larry Bird, from Nebraska. Just before Christmas, K landed Jay Bilas from California.

At that point, people were raving about his recruiting class. Yet, in hindsight, it wasn't that good at that point -- Jackman would flop, Williams would be a marginal player and Bilas would become a good, but not great post player.

But the early hype took some of the heat off K. He was able to focus on rounding out his class. The interesting battle was with Digger Phelps at Notre Dame. K beat Digger for Mark Alarie out of Arizona, then they two coaches battled for two talented guards -- Jo Jo Buchanan and Johnny Dawkins. It was reported that one school would get one of them and the other school one of them. I know they K would have taken both, but he preferred Dawkins. In the end, Digger won the battle for Buchanan (a college flop) and K won Dawkins. The final piece was supposed to be Durham's Curtis Hunter, but when he picked UNC, K "settled" for David Henderson (who became a MUCH better college player).

That class was not only the foundation for K's dynasty, they also the highest scoring class in NCAA history.

I should also note that the Class of 1982 is probably the strongest class in ACC history. Not only did K kick-start his program, but Bobby Cremins kick-started his with Mark Price and John Salley; Lefty landed the great Len Bias and UNC landed Brad Daugherty, the future No. 1 pick in the draft (plus a fine college guard in Steve Hale).

The highest rated ACC recruit that year was Hunter, who had an undistinguished career at UNC.

[Dukeford]

Does anybody remember the recruiting class of 82's first NCAA tournament game? In 1984.
It was on a Sunday IIRC, against Washington, and I remember being very frustrated at the end of that game.
Seems like Duke was the better team, but struggled the whole game. ultimately losing by 2 points.
Anyway, I seem to remember they still had a chance at the end of the game, but the last play was controversial. Like maybe Dawkins was fouled on a lob attempt, but no whistle?
Anybody else been around long enough to remember this?

[BigWayne]

Does anybody remember the recruiting class of 82's first NCAA tournament game? In 1984.
It was on a Sunday IIRC, against Washington, and I remember being very frustrated at the end of that game.
Seems like Duke was the better team, but struggled the whole game. ultimately losing by 2 points.
Anyway, I seem to remember they still had a chance at the end of the game, but the last play was controversial. Like maybe Dawkins was fouled on a lob attempt, but no whistle?
Anybody else been around long enough to remember this?

The name Detlef Schrempf comes to mind.

[The Gordog]

Duke and MD. Johnny made Duke a power. Bias, Dawkins and Salley at MD might have won a championship and possibly made MD a great PROGRAM. John Sally also said that Len Bias would have been the best player ever. He said that Bias could do anything Jordan could do but do it at 6'-9". Bias was a bit before my time, but it seems that you always hear things like this about him.



John "Spider" Salley. GT Yellow Jacket and Detroit Piston (most notably, though he did win titles with Chicago and LA).

Saw them both play in Cameron (T'86) and I agree. Bias was more feared than anyone. He was the main man on a very good team, whereas MJ was one of many stars at his "school". Could be MJ less feared just because they had more weapons so it was spread around. I can still see Bias catching the ball on the sideline right in front of me and thinking to myself that is the biggest and strongest guy I have ever seen with real guard skills.

[Olympic Fan]

Saw them both play in Cameron (T'86) and I agree. Bias was more feared than anyone. He was the main man on a very good team, whereas MJ was one of many stars at his "school". Could be MJ less feared just because they had more weapons so it was spread around. I can still see Bias catching the ball on the sideline right in front of me and thinking to myself that is the biggest and strongest guy I have ever seen with real guard skills.

Bias was bigger than Jordan, but I don't know if he was better -- even in college.

They were close -- for his career Bias averaged 16.4 ppg, 5.7 rpb., 1.2 apg. ... he shot 53.6 percent from the field; Jordan averaged 17.7, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and shot 54.0 percent from the floor. Both played before the 3-point shot, except for the 1983 experiment -- Bias hit 3 of 11 that year ... Jordan his 34 of 76. Of course, Bias was a freshman that season, Jordan a soph.

I don't think anyone would question that Jordan was a far superior defensive player.

Jordan was also a more honored player -- a unanimous first-team All-American as a soph and junior (he didn't play as a senior). Bias was a second-team All-American as a junior and a consensus (but not unanimous) All-American as a senior. Jordan was the concensus national player of the year as a junior (and beat Ralph Sampson for one award as a soph). Bias never won a recognized NPOY award.

Bias was great as a senior, averaging 23.2 (more than Jordan's best year) ... but he did it on a team that was 6-8 in the ACC and 19-14 overall.

Bias was great, but Jordan was the (slightly) better college player.

Of course, neither of them was anywhere close to as good (in college) as David Thompson.

[Bob Green]

Anyway, I seem to remember they still had a chance at the end of the game, but the last play was controversial. Like maybe Dawkins was fouled on a lob attempt, but no whistle?
Anybody else been around long enough to remember this?

Prior to the last play, Coach K wanted additional time put back on the clock but the Ref stated he wasn't going to argue over a second. Coach K responded, "Who the hell are you." Or words to that effect. Time wasn't put back on the clock and Duke didn't score.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Prior to the last play, Coach K wanted additional time put back on the clock but the Ref stated he wasn't going to argue over a second. Coach K responded, "Who the hell are you." Or words to that effect. Time wasn't put back on the clock and Duke didn't score.

In 1984, the ref could have rightfully responded back with the same question. (Perhaps for the last time, at least in the tourney.)

[jv001]

Bias was bigger than Jordan, but I don't know if he was better -- even in college.

They were close -- for his career Bias averaged 16.4 ppg, 5.7 rpb., 1.2 apg. ... he shot 53.6 percent from the field; Jordan averaged 17.7, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and shot 54.0 percent from the floor. Both played before the 3-point shot, except for the 1983 experiment -- Bias hit 3 of 11 that year ... Jordan his 34 of 76. Of course, Bias was a freshman that season, Jordan a soph.

I don't think anyone would question that Jordan was a far superior defensive player.

Jordan was also a more honored player -- a unanimous first-team All-American as a soph and junior (he didn't play as a senior). Bias was a second-team All-American as a junior and a consensus (but not unanimous) All-American as a senior. Jordan was the concensus national player of the year as a junior (and beat Ralph Sampson for one award as a soph). Bias never won a recognized NPOY award.

Bias was great as a senior, averaging 23.2 (more than Jordan's best year) ... but he did it on a team that was 6-8 in the ACC and 19-14 overall.

Bias was great, but Jordan was the (slightly) better college player.

Of course, neither of them was anywhere close to as good (in college) as David Thompson.

True and I don't think anyone was close. The closest being Christian Laettner. GoDuke!

[Rich]

The name Detlef Schrempf comes to mind.

I was at the game in Cameron the following season when we got our revenge. In addition to the German native Schrempf, Washington had a 7 footer named Christian Welp, also from Germany. At one point I recall the Crazies yelling "Air Woop," which I seemed to recall was meant to be "Air Ball" in German, but my memory is clearly fuzzy.

[Turk]

You guys are right that the Class of 1982 came after K's spectacular failure in 1981 -- we remember that he missed Chris Mullins, Bill Wennington, Uwe Blab and Jimmy Miller, but perhaps the most bitter loss was forward Rodney Willliams, who reneged on a private commitment, and went to Florida. It's just that unlike the other guys we missed that year who became stellar players, Williams flopped. I know there were some other very public misses that year (Todd Berkenpass, who became a good player at Iowa). K recruited, but was never really in it for Michael Jordan from Wilmington.

This is the first time I heard about any "private commitment" with Rodney Williams. The story I remember about Williams is that he was our #1 guy but there was some sort of pushback from the admissions office about his academics. For whatever reason, he wasn't feeling the love and stayed in Florida. It was absolutely the most bitter loss; the consensus was that Mullin was never really serious about leaving NYC and the other two were decent big centers that weren't going to make anyone forget Bill Walton. People were expecting Rodney Williams to become what Johnny Dawkins turned out to be.

Of course, the rumor about the admissions office could well have been self-delusional self-congratulatory self-defense: "Player X didn't come here because he couldn't get an admissions waiver."

I have absolutely no recollection of Jimmy Miller at all. Google to the rescue! Looks like did OK with his UVa education...

http://www.themillerfinancialgroup.c...eet-jim-miller