Welcome back to Duke #34 Andre Dawkins!

[DavidBenAkiva]

Andre Dawkins just confirmed on twitter (4/11/2013) that he will be returning for his 4th year of basketball and will wear #34 in honor of Ray Allen.

So that's three lights-out shooters at the SG position for Duke next year. Make it rain!

[CDu]

Andre Dawkins just confirmed on twitter (4/11/2013) that he will be returning for his 4th year of basketball and will wear #34 in honor of Ray Allen.

So that's three lights-out shooters at the SG position for Duke next year. Make it rain!

Just to be extra-cautious, but did he say he was returning for his 4th year of basketball at Duke? If so, that's great news.

ETA: nevermind, just saw the other thread. Yay for Dawkins!

[DavidBenAkiva]

His tweet was: Excited to say that I will be a part of the 2013-2014 Duke Men's Basketball Team. Thanks to everyone for the support throughout the year

[hurleyfor3]

"Twitter official" sounds a tad oxymoronic, but I guess if it's Andre himself...

[DavidBenAkiva]

He also then followed up with these two statements:

"This year was tough to be away but I feel like I have grown immensely off the court and am ready to come back and help the team win"

"I have changed my number to 34 in part of my admiration of Ray Allen and all that he's done in his career primarily shooting the basketball"

[DavidBenAkiva]

"Twitter official" sounds a tad oxymoronic, but I guess if it's Andre himself...

It was a bit tongue in cheek on my part to call it "twitter official." In this day and age, though, you do get to hear close to straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. I'll stop now.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

He also then followed up with these two statements:

"This year was tough to be away but I feel like I have grown immensely off the court and am ready to come back and help the team win"

"I have changed my number to 34 in part of my admiration of Ray Allen and all that he's done in his career primarily shooting the basketball"

He's also honoring Jim Spanarkel, Mike Dunleavy and what's that guys name? Oh, year, Ryan Kelly!

I've been clamoring to retire #34 for Jimmy for years. Nan almost went for it as a double retirement for Jim and MD, but then Mike up and left before having a NPOY year as a senior. Grrrrrrr. :cool:

[nmduke2001]

most recent tweet:

"I want to get a fresh start and be a different player than I was. In October you will see a different Andre Dawkins"

[flyingdutchdevil]

most recent tweet:

"I want to get a fresh start and be a different player than I was. In October you will see a different Andre Dawkins"

This makes me the most happy. I hope that he found what he was looking for.

[Kedsy]

I am absolutely thrilled to hear this. I hope for Andre's sake (and I guess for us fans as well) that he gets everything he wants next year.

[NSDukeFan]

This is very exciting news! I am so excited to see Andre in a Duke uniform for his senior season.

[CDu]

I can't say how happy I am for Dawkins as it sounds like he's really finding peace and resolve. I can't imagine going through all that he's gone through. So glad to have him back, and to have him excited to be back with the Duke team! Here's hoping this story has as happy an ending as possible for him!

[Troublemaker]

Thrilled to hear this!

A couple things:


Dre skipped his senior year in high school to come to Duke a year early to fulfill a desperate need for us. He WAS Duke's entire perimeter depth in 2010. No Dre, no championship
Those two clutch, momentum-changing threes he canned against Baylor. No Dre, no championship
I mention the first two bullet points because I feel like there's been an undercurrent of underappreciation for Dre this season while we've awaited news on his possible return. Not necessarily on this Duke forum, but among some Duke fans on some forums, it was almost like "Eh. He comes back, he comes back. But I also wouldn't mind if he didn't block playing time from player X, Y, and Z." I may be imagining things, but if that attitude was present at all among some Duke fans, it would be the absolute wrong one to have. Especially with the tragedy Dre's been through and his subsequent hurdles to overcome it, we should ALL have been rooting hard for him to return. To have a proper senior season and proper Senior Night, something he once sacrificed to come to Duke to help us win a national championship that wouldn't have been possible without him.

[dukelifer]

In case folks have forgotten just how good Dawkins can be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91qK7NC7rWs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT8IiQBnrh4

At his best- Dawkins is an absolute weapon.

[jv001]

Looking forward to that sweet jumper and seeing you in Duke Blue and White. God bless you young man! GoDuke!

[Newton_14]

Hell yeah!!! This is freaking awesome. I could not be happier! Glad the announcement came early!

Welcome back Andre! We look forward to watching next year's #34 bringing rain from deep! The team just got stronger. I can't wait to see the "new" Andre.

[hurleyfor3]

I get it now; he was just waiting for #34 to become available.

[BD80]

I get it now; he was just waiting for #34 to become available.

to riff on your moniker, how much fun will it be to hear the play-by-play announced: 3-4 4 3!

[Lauderdevil]

Dre is already one of the most beloved players at Duke. How much more will he be after he wins his second national championship, a full four years after winning his first?

[SoCalDukeFan]

I always Andre would be back, glad that it is at least twitter official.

He gave up his senior year in high school because Duke needed him and we probably would not have gotten to the Final Four without him. He has also dealt with a great tradedy.

Can not wait to see the new Andre and watch those 3's go down.

SoCal

[jipops]

This gives us a wealth of depth at the 1-3 positions. There may not be a backcourt better than this one next season. It may even help us with depth at the 4 sliding Murphy over to back up Jabari if Alex shows he is up to it thereby giving us an additional stretch 4.

Practices could be better than many of the games.

[ChillinDuke]

I am just utterly and absolutely thrilled to hear this. For all parties involved.

Congratulations, Andre! Can't wait to see you on the court again.

Go get 'em dude.

- Chillin

[davekay1971]

Congratulations to Andre. I hope the year he took off helped him in every way possible, and I hope his return is just as beneficial to him (and to Duke). Great to know he's coming back, and can't wait to see him back!

Is it November yet?

[Duvall]

Official release. (http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=207169169)

[Saratoga2]

Looking forward to his return at the 2 and 3 positions. I believe he will get time at both and help this very deep team be able to press and still stay fresh. No doubt he was a great 3 point shooter. He is hinting that he will be different and better in 2013/14. I look forward to seeing him back in uniform and demonstrating his growth.

[wallyman]

Totally great news. Would have been hard to imagine seeing him in some alien uniform. Not too many Duke players have had more people pulling for him and wishing him the best. Looking forward to a fabulous senior year that sets him up for an NBA career. (And K will earn his money next year. Too much talent a much better problem to have than too little, but will be interesting to see how the minutes play out).

[BlueDevilBrowns]

Looking forward to his return at the 2 and 3 positions. I believe he will get time at both and help this very deep team be able to press and still stay fresh. No doubt he was a great 3 point shooter. He is hinting that he will be different and better in 2013/14. I look forward to seeing him back in uniform and demonstrating his growth.

The more talent and offensive weapons this team has next year, the better. It just solidifies in my mind that 2014 Duke will be the most talented Blue Devil team since 2004. Also, as was displayed in the NCAAT this year and throughout the season, modern College Basketball is offensively challenged, so having several elite college shooters/scorers is never a bad thing. Putting up 80 ppg next year should be an attainable goal.

[Son of Jarhead]

Great news! I am so happy for Andre, it seems he has found some peace. I can't wait to see his mega-watt smile, his swag, and his sweet jump shot back in Duke Blue & White next season.

"All Day 'Dre... drain the trey, 'Dre, all day!"

[gep]

Totally great news. Would have been hard to imagine seeing him in some alien uniform. Not too many Duke players have had more people pulling for him and wishing him the best. Looking forward to a fabulous senior year that sets him up for an NBA career. (And K will earn his money next year. Too much talent a much better problem to have than too little, but will be interesting to see how the minutes play out).

It's interesting to me... "senior" year for basketball, but in the article linked on the front page, Andre will graduate in May. So he will really be a grad student. Maybe "senior+" year. Something like me (the senior+ part) :cool:

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Best news I have heard in over a week. So happy for Dre,so happy for Duke.

[Edouble]

Practices could be better than many of the games.

Someone has to say this every year... and then we don't get to the Final Four.

[Ichabod Drain]

Maybe he grew six inches and can play center for us?

I kid, i kid.

Watching those videos someone posted I almost forgot how wet his jumpshot is. Welcome back Dre!

[gus]

Totally great news. Would have been hard to imagine seeing him in some alien uniform.

I agree -- i would have been hard to imagine that, but I would have cheered for him even if he transferred to UNC. Thrilled to have him back. I don't care how much or how little he contributes in actual games -- he deserves to have a senior season at Duke, with the full adulation of the crowd behing him. It can't be said enough -- without dre, there is no 2010 banner. But I suspect he will contribute quite a bit.

[Mike Corey]

Extremely happy for Dawkins.

He sacrificed a lot when he came to Duke early, and then was instrumental in helping to deliver a national championship all the while mired in a bereavement that only Andre could truly understand.

I hope this year has treated him well, and that he's ready to have an outstanding year as a student and athlete in Durham.

[DukeAlumBS]

As I have stated in the other thread. I think Dawkins will be our leading scorer. He brings a lot Duke this year. That film tells me a great deal. We are going to be a great scoring team this year. I am so happy with this move. He may have the ability to start. IMO.
Good Luck Andre,
Jimmy

[Kedsy]

Someone has to say this every year... and then we don't get to the Final Four.

And we all know the best teams *always* make the Final Four, right?

[CDu]

And we all know the best teams *always* make the Final Four, right?

Your statement is certainly accurate. But in many cases the issue is an overestimate of the quality of our bench players by our fanbase (not a problem exclusive to Duke fans, of course). Lots of times we are guilty of assuming more development/readiness than we should for new players (or returning players who may have played sparingly the previous year).

I will say that next year's team could be as deep as we've seen in a long time. We know that Cook, Sulaimon, Thornton, Dawkins, and Hood can contribute significantly at the major conference level. One would assume that Parker can as well. I'd say that Jefferson can at SF or PF, not sure about at C. So that puts us confidently at 7 sure-fire contributors. But we don't really know how much Hairston, Plumlee, Jones, Murphy, and Ojeleye will be able to contribute. So while it could be that this team is as deep as ever, it could also be that this team is similarly-deep as many of our previous Duke teams, with several additional players just not really ready to contribute yet.

[bbosbbos]

But in many cases the issue is an overestimate of the quality of our bench players by our fanbase (not a problem exclusive to Duke fans, of course). Lots of times we are guilty of assuming more development/readiness than we should for new players (or returning players who may have played sparingly the previous year).

Agree

[Ichabod Drain]

Your statement is certainly accurate. But in many cases the issue is an overestimate of the quality of our bench players by our fanbase (not a problem exclusive to Duke fans, of course). Lots of times we are guilty of assuming more development/readiness than we should for new players (or returning players who may have played sparingly the previous year).

I will say that next year's team could be as deep as we've seen in a long time. We know that Cook, Sulaimon, Thornton, Dawkins, and Hood can contribute significantly at the major conference level. One would assume that Parker can as well. I'd say that Jefferson can at SF or PF, not sure about at C. So that puts us confidently at 7 sure-fire contributors. But we don't really know how much Hairston, Plumlee, Jones, Murphy, and Ojeleye will be able to contribute. So while it could be that this team is as deep as ever, it could also be that this team is similarly-deep as many of our previous Duke teams, with several additional players just not really ready to contribute yet.

Depending on your definition of contribute, I think it's safe to say Josh will be a sure-fire contributor. He averaged 13 mpg this year and our front court will be much less impressive next year (barring a transfer). Like i said, it depends on what you mean by contribute but i can definitely see Josh getting 15+ mpg next year.

[CDu]

Depending on your definition of contribute, I think it's safe to say Josh will be a sure-fire contributor. He averaged 13 mpg this year and our front court will be much less impressive next year (barring a transfer). Like i said, it depends on what you mean by contribute but i can definitely see Josh getting 15+ mpg next year.

I don't consider simply getting playing time as contributing. Somebody has to be on the floor. I mean providing quality playing time, not just minutes filler.

Hairston was minutes filler last year. I don't mean to disparage him - we definitely needed minutes filler last year, especially with Kelly's injury. But I wouldn't call him a significant contributor. His time on the floor was mostly a "let's get through until we can get Mason/Kelly back on the floor." Had Kelly stayed healthy, I doubt Hairston averages more than ~8-10 mpg, and only then as minutes filler for the senior bigs.

Next year, unless he gets much better, I'd expect those 15+ mpg to again be just filler. And honestly, if we add a 5th-year guy or if Marshall and Jefferson improve substantially, I could see Hairston having a tough time getting 15+ mpg.

[jipops]

Someone has to say this every year... and then we don't get to the Final Four.

There is a parade, and it's raining.

[Kedsy]

Had Kelly stayed healthy, I doubt Hairston averages more than ~8-10 mpg, and only then as minutes filler for the senior bigs.

That's somewhat consistent with the 10 mpg that Josh averaged this season after Ryan returned from injury.

[InSpades]

I'm excited about Andre suiting up next year! Of course we all remember his silky smooth 3-point stroke. How could you not? I also remember him throwing down some dunks. He's athletic and he can finish. If he can translate that on the defensive end... the sky is the limit. I always thought he was in-line for a Nolan Smith like breakout year but for one reason or another it didn't happen. Maybe this will be the year? Regardless... I wish him the best and will enjoy watching him next year.

[wilko]

I'm hoping Andre can earn a new nickname -
Winning the title as a Frosh and Winning it as a Sr... We'd have to call him "Bookends" or maybe thats just how I'd refer to him..

[BD80]

I'm hoping Andre can earn a new nickname -
Winning the title as a Frosh and Winning it as a Sr... We'd have to call him ..

Andre the Giant

[pfrduke]

I'm hoping Andre can earn a new nickname -
Winning the title as a Frosh and Winning it as a Sr... We'd have to call him "Bookends" or maybe thats just how I'd refer to him..

Let's definitely not do that.

[Edouble]

And we all know the best teams *always* make the Final Four, right?

Any team that has a bench that is better than most other conference teams will make the Final Four. These squads are few and far between... Kentucky '96, Florida 2000...

Every year, peeps on this board put overblown, unfair expectations on bench commodities. Unfortunately, you are only allowed to point out these cliches without being attacked if you are a poster of note on this board. Otherwise, you get some smart comment, like the one that you wrote, in reply.

[davekay1971]

Any team that has a bench that is better than most other conference teams will make the Final Four. These squads are few and far between... Kentucky '96, Florida 2000...

Every year, peeps on this board put overblown, unfair expectations on bench commodities. Unfortunately, you are only allowed to point out these cliches without being attacked if you are a poster of note on this board. Otherwise, you get some smart comment, like the one that you wrote, in reply.

Kedsy's reply was about what your original post warranted. I mean, what was the point of your original post? That, during the preseason, we get over-excited about the talent level on the team? That not making the Final Four means pre-season excitement was unwarranted? I honestly couldn't figure out what your point was, other than to make a snarky comment about not reaching the Final Four...as if not making the Final Four in some way defines whether or not the team, or season, was as good as pre-season promise/hype/excitement led us to hope it would be.

Avoiding the redundant, and tiresome, argument about how much significance we, as fans, should put on making the Final Four in doing the post-mortem on a team's season (I think it's a poor measure, others think it's the only reason to play the season), I think it should be pretty obvious that pre-season excitement is neither proven to be justified, nor unjustified, by whether or not a team makes the Final Four.

Your comment that a team with a bench better than most other conference teams WILL make the Final Four is patently wrong, and proven false by any quick review of tournament history. I mean, Gonzaga's bench, year in and year out, is probably stronger than most of the WCC, and they have NEVER made the Final Four. The two teams you cited play in a conference that is routine lousy once you get past (no coincidence) Kentucky and Florida. Heck, Florida's bench THIS season was probably better than most of the SEC...and I didn't see them in Atlanta. On the whole, there probably aren't many teams that are so good and so deep that their benches are better than the other teams in their conference (you made that point and you're right), but there are two teams right there, this season, that may qualify, and neither made the Final Four.

In any case, what's the problem with preseason excitement? And how are people wrong about being excited about the depth of next year's Duke team? We've seen both of our point guards compete at high level in the ACC. We've seen two of our shooting guards (Rasheed and Dre) do the same. We've haven't seen much of Rodney yet, but reasonably smart basketball people around Duke say he's pretty impressive. We've seen Alex's potential. We've seen Amile and Josh play and they're both good players...Amile with the potential to be a great one. We haven't seen much out of Marshall yet, and we're all hoping to see more, but the kid's two older brothers both improved late in their Duke careers. And then there are the freshmen...one of whom is considered either the first or second best prospect in the nation, the others are highly rated recruits with strong skill sets.

Does that mean Duke will make the Final Four? Of course not. Kyrie's Broken Foot should be made into a giant bronze statue and set outside of Cameron Indoor Stadium as a reminder to all Duke fans, for all time, of how easily a team's fortunes can change. We can put Ryan's Broken Foot and Seth's Gimpy Leg on pedastals on either side of Kyrie's Broken Foot. The Carolina fans can build their own momento to Kenny Smith and the 1984 team that could very well have replaced Indiana's 1976 squad as the last one to go undefeated. Point being, things happen that keep good teams out of the Final Four. Injuries, player's not developing like you'd hope, a bad shooting night, a bad matchup, Trey Burke going insane for five minutes (Bill Self asked me to mention that one), etc... There's even the possibility that your potential Final Four team gets put in the bracket against the best team in the nation which goes on to play an absolutely inspired half of basketball that blows you out of the water. But none of that means that the preseason excitement was unwarranted.

Still, to each his own. If your preference is to temper your own excitement until the team has either made, or not made, the Final Four, that's cool. My preference is to get excited about the team, hope the kids do develop their talents well, hope the team meshes well, hope we hang another banner, and then be realistic when we don't. Because, as great as Duke has been under K's tenure, we still fail to hang a championship banner a shockingly pathetic 88% of the time. Heck, we fail to make the Final Four nearly 70% of the time. That's a whole lot of failure to get past.

I see a lot of remarks these days that some people feel there is an intolerance among some of the longstanding posters around here for critical comments. I don't want to speak for other posters, but for me it's an irritation with pointless negativity. Your original post was nothing more than a trite negative comment. And, while there's truth that many of us get a little carried away in our preseason hopes, and that Duke, like every other team in the country, misses the final four more often than we make it, again, what's the point? If you've got a point to make to contribute to the conversation, do a little better than a pessimistic one-liner. CDu, for example, made a great post about our tendency to overblow expectations.

[jipops]

Kedsy's reply was about what your original post warranted. I mean, what was the point of your original post? That, during the preseason, we get over-excited about the talent level on the team? That not making the Final Four means pre-season excitement was unwarranted? I honestly couldn't figure out what your point was, other than to make a snarky comment about not reaching the Final Four...as if not making the Final Four in some way defines whether or not the team, or season, was as good as pre-season promise/hype/excitement led us to hope it would be.

Avoiding the redundant, and tiresome, argument about how much significance we, as fans, should put on making the Final Four in doing the post-mortem on a team's season (I think it's a poor measure, others think it's the only reason to play the season), I think it should be pretty obvious that pre-season excitement is neither proven to be justified, nor unjustified, by whether or not a team makes the Final Four.

Your comment that a team with a bench better than most other conference teams WILL make the Final Four is patently wrong, and proven false by any quick review of tournament history. I mean, Gonzaga's bench, year in and year out, is probably stronger than most of the WCC, and they have NEVER made the Final Four. The two teams you cited play in a conference that is routine lousy once you get past (no coincidence) Kentucky and Florida. Heck, Florida's bench THIS season was probably better than most of the SEC...and I didn't see them in Atlanta. On the whole, there probably aren't many teams that are so good and so deep that their benches are better than the other teams in their conference (you made that point and you're right), but there are two teams right there, this season, that may qualify, and neither made the Final Four.

In any case, what's the problem with preseason excitement? And how are people wrong about being excited about the depth of next year's Duke team? We've seen both of our point guards compete at high level in the ACC. We've seen two of our shooting guards (Rasheed and Dre) do the same. We've haven't seen much of Rodney yet, but reasonably smart basketball people around Duke say he's pretty impressive. We've seen Alex's potential. We've seen Amile and Josh play and they're both good players...Amile with the potential to be a great one. We haven't seen much out of Marshall yet, and we're all hoping to see more, but the kid's two older brothers both improved late in their Duke careers. And then there are the freshmen...one of whom is considered either the first or second best prospect in the nation, the others are highly rated recruits with strong skill sets.

Does that mean Duke will make the Final Four? Of course not. Kyrie's Broken Foot should be made into a giant bronze statue and set outside of Cameron Indoor Stadium as a reminder to all Duke fans, for all time, of how easily a team's fortunes can change. We can put Ryan's Broken Foot and Seth's Gimpy Leg on pedastals on either side of Kyrie's Broken Foot. The Carolina fans can build their own momento to Kenny Smith and the 1984 team that could very well have replaced Indiana's 1976 squad as the last one to go undefeated. Point being, things happen that keep good teams out of the Final Four. Injuries, player's not developing like you'd hope, a bad shooting night, a bad matchup, Trey Burke going insane for five minutes (Bill Self asked me to mention that one), etc... There's even the possibility that your potential Final Four team gets put in the bracket against the best team in the nation which goes on to play an absolutely inspired half of basketball that blows you out of the water. But none of that means that the preseason excitement was unwarranted.

Still, to each his own. If your preference is to temper your own excitement until the team has either made, or not made, the Final Four, that's cool. My preference is to get excited about the team, hope the kids do develop their talents well, hope the team meshes well, hope we hang another banner, and then be realistic when we don't. Because, as great as Duke has been under K's tenure, we still fail to hang a championship banner a shockingly pathetic 88% of the time. Heck, we fail to make the Final Four nearly 70% of the time. That's a whole lot of failure to get past.

I see a lot of remarks these days that some people feel there is an intolerance among some of the longstanding posters around here for critical comments. I don't want to speak for other posters, but for me it's an irritation with pointless negativity. Your original post was nothing more than a trite negative comment. And, while there's truth that many of us get a little carried away in our preseason hopes, and that Duke, like every other team in the country, misses the final four more often than we make it, again, what's the point? If you've got a point to make to contribute to the conversation, do a little better than a pessimistic one-liner. CDu, for example, made a great post about our tendency to overblow expectations.

Wow this went off on a huge tangent. I made the comment that practices should be better than many games. Imagine Sheed and Cook going up against Thornton and Dawkins. With EDouble's comment this somehow morphed into a Final Four topic, not really sure why.

Do we need to somehow distinguish between excitement and expectations? I'm excited that we have plenty of very good and experienced players in our backcourt. No idea what that will ultimately mean a year from now, but the journey could be fun.

[roywhite]

Wow this went off on a huge tangent. I made the comment that practices should be better than many games. Imagine Sheed and Cook going up against Thornton and Dawkins. With EDouble's comment this somehow morphed into a Final Four topic, not really sure why.

Do we need to somehow distinguish between excitement and expectations? I'm excited that we have plenty of very good and experienced players in our backcourt. No idea what that will ultimately mean a year from now, but the journey could be fun.

Yeah, and think about Matt Jones --- here's a McD A-A coming in who is 6'4" to 6'5", one of the best 3-point shooters in his class, and appears to be a pretty good athlete capable of picking up Duke defense. And he starts off behind the four you mentioned -- pretty impressive.

Then go to the wing players -- Rodney Hood, Alex Murphy, Jabari (more likely to play the "4" but has wing skills, too), and a facinating prospect in Semi.

We don't know how this will sort out, and perhaps K decides not to give major minutes to more than 7 or 8 guys, but this is really quite a collection of talent. Can't wait to see the 2013-14 team in action.

[Chris Randolph]

Glad things have worked out for the young man. Regardless of how well he performs in 2013-14, this is a big win for him just fighting through the adversity to play again. Congrats Andre Dawkins. Wish you well

[Edouble]

I see a lot of remarks these days that some people feel there is an intolerance among some of the longstanding posters around here for critical comments.

Hmmm... if it quacks like a duck...

[Li_Duke]

I'm not sure if anyone has seen this article, but if you're an Andre fan, it is definitely worth reading.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=207767362

[OldPhiKap]

I'm not sure if anyone has seen this article, but if you're an Andre fan, it is definitely worth reading.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=207767362

Great article, we are lucky to have Andre in the Duke family. I hope the best for him.

[Kedsy]

I'm not sure if anyone has seen this article, but if you're an Andre fan, it is definitely worth reading.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=207767362

Heavy stuff. From a basketball standpoint, Andre will be a real wild card for Duke this season. In the past, he was so inconsistent, but when he was "on," he could win games almost by himself. Opposing teams had to game-plan to stop him. If he can be consistently "on" this season, on a team with so many other weapons that no opponent will be able to focus on Andre, he could be a devastating weapon.

[sagegrouse]

I'm not sure if anyone has seen this article, but if you're an Andre fan, it is definitely worth reading.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=207767362

Not a lot of basketball detail, but here are the money quotes:


Dawkins’ summer began with commencement exercises this month — a new experience since he left high school a year ahead of schedule to enroll at Duke. Next year he will be classified as a graduate student and will take classes in Duke Divinity School. He considers that choice of study one reflection of the manner in which Lacey’s tragedy impacted him.

Ryan Kelly's brother is a Duke student?


He maintained the close relationship he had developed with his former roommate Ryan Kelly and forged a new bond with Ryan’s younger brother Sean, one of the managers.

Heart warming, this:


“Also, trying a different sport and really being bad at it made me want to get back out on the basketball court.”

The soft-spoken guard added that last line with a grinning reference to the fact that he took up the sport of golf during his basketball sabbatical.

sagegrouse

[-bdbd]

How could you NOT be rooting for this kid? Purely for HIS sake, I sure hope this is a terrific year for him.


Not a lot of basketball detail, but here are the money quotes:

Dawkins’ summer began with commencement exercises this month — a new experience since he left high school a year ahead of schedule to enroll at Duke. Next year he will be classified as a graduate student and will take classes in Duke Divinity School. He considers that choice of study one reflection of the manner in which Lacey’s tragedy impacted him.


Ryan Kelly's brother is a Duke student?

He maintained the close relationship he had developed with his former roommate Ryan Kelly and forged a new bond with Ryan’s younger brother Sean, one of the managers.


Heart warming, this:

“Also, trying a different sport and really being bad at it made me want to get back out on the basketball court.”

The soft-spoken guard added that last line with a grinning reference to the fact that he took up the sport of golf during his basketball sabbatical.


sagegrouse

[flyingdutchdevil]

Not a lot of basketball detail, but here are the money quotes:



Ryan Kelly's brother is a Duke student?



Heart warming, this:



sagegrouse

I had to do a double-take when I saw Dawkin's at the WaDuke driving range. It was pretty funny - I kept on starring at him and he kept on smiling, knowing that we were all wondering why he was on the golf course.

[Kfanarmy]

Thrilled to hear this!

A couple things:


Dre skipped his senior year in high school to come to Duke a year early to fulfill a desperate need for us. He WAS Duke's entire perimeter depth in 2010. No Dre, no championship
Those two clutch, momentum-changing threes he canned against Baylor. No Dre, no championship
I mention the first two bullet points because I feel like there's been an undercurrent of underappreciation for Dre this season while we've awaited news on his possible return. Not necessarily on this Duke forum, but among some Duke fans on some forums, it was almost like "Eh. He comes back, he comes back. But I also wouldn't mind if he didn't block playing time from player X, Y, and Z." I may be imagining things, but if that attitude was present at all among some Duke fans, it would be the absolute wrong one to have. Especially with the tragedy Dre's been through and his subsequent hurdles to overcome it, we should ALL have been rooting hard for him to return. To have a proper senior season and proper Senior Night, something he once sacrificed to come to Duke to help us win a national championship that wouldn't have been possible without him.


No doubt he was a contributor to the championship in 2010! I'll always believe there were some chemistry issues in 2011, especially as AR took up a lot of the limelight, that had a direct impact on Andre's performance. It will be interesting to see how it works out this year.

[DukeAlumBS]

My friends this one am following closely. I agree I felt he should have come off big after Nolan finished. I also have seen the forum on who will start on our team this year. Andre will make it impossible for K not to start him. You have seen the videos on this man. I have to. I get an extreme PTSD reading his history. I also do not think a man should be judged, but given a chance. K worked with this man for a reason.
Again, Andre will start this year. I would love an argument on this one so I can push it back to you! Nice day my friends Jimmy

[DukieInBrasil]

My friends this one am following closely. I agree I felt he should have come off big after Nolan finished. I also have seen the forum on who will start on our team this year. Andre will make it impossible for K not to start him. You have seen the videos on this man. I have to. I get an extreme PTSD reading his history. I also do not think a man should be judged, but given a chance. K worked with this man for a reason.
Again, Andre will start this year. I would love an argument on this one so I can push it back to you! Nice day my friends Jimmy

The grammar makes it a bit difficult to follow this comment, but i have wondered why so many fans on this site seem to have completely forgotten Andre and that he may very well end up starting for this team. There are so many variables that we just don't know the answer to, but has the season away from the team helped Dre withe one thing that really seemed like was keeping him realizing his potential?: consistent effort. I have to think that it has. The two basketball skills that Dre needed to improve were A) his defense and B) his handle driving the ball. Dre knows the defense, but perhaps a lack of consistent effort kept him from being a plus defender. Dre has plenty of athleticism, so consistent effort ought to get him plenty of opportunities aside from the the 3pt shot, where he is deadly.
If so, one would have to think that he could either be the starter over Sulaimon, who could pull a Scheyer and be the first off the bench a year after starting as a Fr., or could start alongside Sulaimon and Duke would play rather small (Cook, RS, AD, Hood and Parker would seem to be a plausible starting 5 in this case).
There's just so much we don't know about this year's team (i'm positively giddy over the potential), but it seems like Andre Dawkins has kinda become an afterthought when he very well could be a starter and a star on this team.
Two of the guys who are getting so much of the attention, and maybe rightfully so, Hood and Parker, have never played a game for Duke. Parker is a Fr. with a lot of hype, and i certainly hope he lives up to it, but it is very likely that it will take him a little while to figure it all out. Hood had a very good Fr. year on a mediocre team in a mediocre conference (SEC), and appears to have all the tools to be a star (as well as his teammates talking him up), so his experience will probably allow him to play up to his potential off the bat.
Even though we've seen Andre play for 3 years, it's hard to say if he's ever been able to play without a heavy emotional/psychological burden on him. I hope he has been able to more completely deal with his sister's passing and i'm excited to see him play this year. If anything i think Andre should be getting more attention!

[Indoor66]

The grammar makes it a bit difficult to follow this comment, but i have wondered why so many fans on this site seem to have completely forgotten Andre and that he may very well end up starting for this team. There are so many variables that we just don't know the answer to, but has the season away from the team helped Dre withe one thing that really seemed like was keeping him realizing his potential?: consistent effort. I have to think that it has. The two basketball skills that Dre needed to improve were A) his defense and B) his handle driving the ball. Dre knows the defense, but perhaps a lack of consistent effort kept him from being a plus defender. Dre has plenty of athleticism, so consistent effort ought to get him plenty of opportunities aside from the the 3pt shot, where he is deadly.
If so, one would have to think that he could either be the starter over Sulaimon, who could pull a Scheyer and be the first off the bench a year after starting as a Fr., or could start alongside Sulaimon and Duke would play rather small (Cook, RS, AD, Hood and Parker would seem to be a plausible starting 5 in this case).
There's just so much we don't know about this year's team (i'm positively giddy over the potential), but it seems like Andre Dawkins has kinda become an afterthought when he very well could be a starter and a star on this team.
Two of the guys who are getting so much of the attention, and maybe rightfully so, Hood and Parker, have never played a game for Duke. Parker is a Fr. with a lot of hype, and i certainly hope he lives up to it, but it is very likely that it will take him a little while to figure it all out. Hood had a very good Fr. year on a mediocre team in a mediocre conference (SEC), and appears to have all the tools to be a star (as well as his teammates talking him up), so his experience will probably allow him to play up to his potential off the bat.
Even though we've seen Andre play for 3 years, it's hard to say if he's ever been able to play without a heavy emotional/psychological burden on him. I hope he has been able to more completely deal with his sister's passing and i'm excited to see him play this year. If anything i think Andre should be getting more attention!

Your time in Brasil must have caused you to forget that the new, unseen guy is ALWAYS better than the known (or somewhat known) guy already on the team.

[vick]

The grammar makes it a bit difficult to follow this comment, but i have wondered why so many fans on this site seem to have completely forgotten Andre and that he may very well end up starting for this team. There are so many variables that we just don't know the answer to, but has the season away from the team helped Dre withe one thing that really seemed like was keeping him realizing his potential?: consistent effort. I have to think that it has. The two basketball skills that Dre needed to improve were A) his defense and B) his handle driving the ball. Dre knows the defense, but perhaps a lack of consistent effort kept him from being a plus defender. Dre has plenty of athleticism, so consistent effort ought to get him plenty of opportunities aside from the the 3pt shot, where he is deadly.
If so, one would have to think that he could either be the starter over Sulaimon, who could pull a Scheyer and be the first off the bench a year after starting as a Fr., or could start alongside Sulaimon and Duke would play rather small (Cook, RS, AD, Hood and Parker would seem to be a plausible starting 5 in this case).
There's just so much we don't know about this year's team (i'm positively giddy over the potential), but it seems like Andre Dawkins has kinda become an afterthought when he very well could be a starter and a star on this team.

Maybe. I'm a big fan of Dawkins as a person, and really hope he has a good year for his sake as much as for Duke's, but I'd be moderately surprised if he started over Sulaimon. Sulaimon was I think by pretty much any reasonable standard a more effective player (http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/compare?andre-dawkins=2011-2012&p1=andre-dawkins&p2=rasheed-sulaimon) as a freshman than Dawkins was as a junior, and while I hope time away from the game helped Andre sorting out his life, I'd say the smart money is on a bigger freshman to sophomore jump than Dawkins's improvement. I could be wrong, but I think expecting him to be at Sulaimon's level is probably a little too exuberant, though like everyone else I'm very happy he's back and will provide a credible perimeter scoring threat from the bench that last year's team was lacking.

[sagegrouse]

The grammar makes it a bit difficult to follow this comment, but i have wondered why so many fans on this site seem to have completely forgotten Andre and that he may very well end up starting for this team. There are so many variables that we just don't know the answer to, but has the season away from the team helped Dre withe one thing that really seemed like was keeping him realizing his potential?: consistent effort. I have to think that it has. The two basketball skills that Dre needed to improve were A) his defense and B) his handle driving the ball. Dre knows the defense, but perhaps a lack of consistent effort kept him from being a plus defender. Dre has plenty of athleticism, so consistent effort ought to get him plenty of opportunities aside from the the 3pt shot, where he is deadly.
If so, one would have to think that he could either be the starter over Sulaimon, who could pull a Scheyer and be the first off the bench a year after starting as a Fr., or could start alongside Sulaimon and Duke would play rather small (Cook, RS, AD, Hood and Parker would seem to be a plausible starting 5 in this case).
There's just so much we don't know about this year's team (i'm positively giddy over the potential), but it seems like Andre Dawkins has kinda become an afterthought when he very well could be a starter and a star on this team.
Two of the guys who are getting so much of the attention, and maybe rightfully so, Hood and Parker, have never played a game for Duke. Parker is a Fr. with a lot of hype, and i certainly hope he lives up to it, but it is very likely that it will take him a little while to figure it all out. Hood had a very good Fr. year on a mediocre team in a mediocre conference (SEC), and appears to have all the tools to be a star (as well as his teammates talking him up), so his experience will probably allow him to play up to his potential off the bat.
Even though we've seen Andre play for 3 years, it's hard to say if he's ever been able to play without a heavy emotional/psychological burden on him. I hope he has been able to more completely deal with his sister's passing and i'm excited to see him play this year. If anything i think Andre should be getting more attention!

I have not "forgotten" Andre. He had an "up-and-down" season two years ago, and quite frankly, disappeared on both offense and defense the last half of the season. Then, he decided to sit out a year and did not play basketball, so far as I know, at any time. That sit-out has to have an effect on his game. Coach K wants you playing hoops every day, in season and out. So, we have a player with a disappointing season, who hasn't been seen on the court for 17 months (and counting).

I am pulling really strongly for Andre -- I am just not counting on him.

sagegrouse

[hudlow]

Looking forward to Andre having a monster season. He asked for time to get it together and we gave it to him....Starting or coming off the bench, he's a Dukie, I'm sure he knows that he'll be used for the greatest benefit of the team.

[JNort]

Im not as confident as some on here but Andre is one of my favorite players and I think he will get plenty of playing time. We should all know for sure (some are still delusional I think) that he is def ahead of Matt Jones on the depth chart and I think easily ahead of Semi too. If I had to guess Andre will be the first guard off the bench this next year. I just hope he has better handles than when we last saw.

[mattman91]

Im not as confident as some on here but Andre is one of my favorite players and I think he will get plenty of playing time. We should all know for sure (some are still delusional I think) that he is def ahead of Matt Jones on the depth chart and I think easily ahead of Semi too. If I had to guess Andre will be the first guard off the bench this next year. I just hope he has better handles than when we last saw.

I agree. I think Thornton may be the only player ahead of him because of his ability to play the point.

[Kedsy]

I have not "forgotten" Andre. He had an "up-and-down" season two years ago, and quite frankly, disappeared on both offense and defense the last half of the season. Then, he decided to sit out a year and did not play basketball, so far as I know, at any time. That sit-out has to have an effect on his game. Coach K wants you playing hoops every day, in season and out. So, we have a player with a disappointing season, who hasn't been seen on the court for 17 months (and counting).

I am pulling really strongly for Andre -- I am just not counting on him.

sagegrouse

According to a recent article, he didn't touch a basketball for the first semester, but worked out by himself almost every day in the 2nd semester. In other words, he hasn't played "with whistles" for 17 months, but he's been on the court plenty.

As far as Andre starting, I doubt it (and I have been a huge Andre proponent over the years). Rasheed's just too good a defensive player to come off the bench (especially when we already have Tyler to be a defensive spark off the bench). I suppose it's possible for Rasheed to play PG and Andre to start at SG, but I expect Quinn will perform well enough to keep Rasheed from playing out of position for more than a few minutes, so I don't expect to see a Rasheed/Andre backcourt that often. It's also possible for us to go small, with Jabari, Rodney, Andre, Rasheed, Quinn, but to me that lineup seems more like a mid-game offensive surge lineup, rather than a starting or predominant lineup.

I do expect Andre to see good minutes off the bench, however. As I said earlier in this thread, if Andre can bring his "A" game on a consistent basis, on a team with so many other weapons (so opposing defenses will not be able to focus on Andre), he could be a devastating offensive weapon for us, and I'll be excited to see that.

[gep]

My thoughts... I really hope that Andre found himself, and I really believe that Coach K had a lot to do with it. So when Andre said he's coming back, he has the full support from Coach K... and Coach K will use Andre to best help the team win, and I think Andre understands that... and definitely "buys in". GO ANDRE!!!!

[Dev11]

I agree. I think Thornton may be the only player ahead of him because of his ability to play the point.

I think we end up with two regular bench guards, Tyler being the primary defensive sub and Andre the primary offensive sub. Matt probably only gets spot minutes and if Semi plays, it's at a bigger position where we have less quality depth.

[rsvman]

I'm drinking the Kool-Aid.

I think Dawkins is going to be really, really good and surprise a lot of people.

[DukeAlumBS]

I'm drinking the Kool-Aid.

I think Dawkins is going to be really, really good and surprise a lot of people.
Thank you I agree. He will start for DUKE IMO. Shooting about 60-70 percent from the 3 LOL. He will shine on defense. That is what will start him.
Again, have admired this guy after what he went through, the competition at Duke then. And he shined.
He will make this a tough decision for coach K, but an easy one at that. He will start for Duke. Nice day my friends, Jimmy

[Troublemaker]

I think Andre's going to come off the bench for most of Duke's 40 games this season. Of those 40 games, he'll probably be hot from three-point land somewhere between 5 and 8 times. And in those 5 to 8 games, Duke will be greater than 50/50 favorites no matter which team we play -- Kentucky, Kansas, Syracuse, whomever. Opponents will be scared to death anytime Dawkins goes off. He will swing games this season for Duke, and some of them might be very important ones, maybe an ACC Championship, maybe a Final Four game. 5 to 8 times this season, he will terrify the opponent.

[CDu]

We're in a very nice spot here. Dawkins certainly has the potential to be a difference maker with his scoring ability. But we aren't in a position where we NEED to have him be an impact scorer. We have enough weapons that he is, in some ways, a wonderful luxury item.

That's not intended to belittle Dawkins' value. Just that we are going to be very good with or without him on the wings. If he's ready to be an impact player, it will make us that much stronger. But our season won't be broken if he is still an inconsistent player.

It's probably a best-case scenario for him as well. He won't be burdened with expectations or pressure. Hopefully that results in an amazing senior season for him.

[subzero02]

Hood had a very good Fr. year on a mediocre team in a mediocre conference (SEC), and appears to have all the tools to be a star (as well as his teammates talking him up), so his experience will probably allow him to play up to his potential off the bat.
Even though we've seen Andre play for 3 years, it's hard to say if he's ever been able to play without a heavy emotional/psychological burden on him. I hope he has been able to more completely deal with his sister's passing and i'm excited to see him play this year. If anything i think Andre should be getting more attention!

Mississippi State was a very good team that started off the season well only to become mired in chemistry issues and mediocre play. While the SEC was sub par as a conference, it was loaded with some stud freshmen... Anthony Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, Bradley Beal, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, BJ Young, Teague and Hood were all freshmen that year. I think Hood is going to be a dominant force this year and wouldn't be surprised if he made an all-american team.

[jimrowe0]

I think Andre's going to come off the bench for most of Duke's 40 games this season. Of those 40 games, he'll probably be hot from three-point land somewhere between 5 and 8 times. And in those 5 to 8 games, Duke will be greater than 50/50 favorites no matter which team we play -- Kentucky, Kansas, Syracuse, whomever. Opponents will be scared to death anytime Dawkins goes off. He will swing games this season for Duke, and some of them might be very important ones, maybe an ACC Championship, maybe a Final Four game. 5 to 8 times this season, he will terrify the opponent.

This is the mostly likely scenario, although I think he affects more than 8 games. He should have a more polished mid range game which will help to increase his scoring. If his handle has greatly improved, then the sky is the limit for Dawkins.

[Kedsy]

This is the mostly likely scenario, although I think he affects more than 8 games. He should have a more polished mid range game which will help to increase his scoring. If his handle has greatly improved, then the sky is the limit for Dawkins.

Whether or not he has increased his skills, I don't think Andre needs a mid-range game or improved handle to affect games. He's going to make between 40% and 50% of his three-point shots. With opposing defenses having to focus on Jabari and Rodney and Quinn and Rasheed (and possibly others), meaning the opponent's best defender will rarely be checking Andre, it should be relatively easy for Andre to get open for plenty of threes. So, in my opinion only three things have to happen for Andre to affect games: (1) he has to earn enough minutes to get a good number of shots; (2) he has to exert effort to get open; (3) his teammates have to give him the ball in good shooting position.

Those things might happen every game, or they might not. Obviously Andre's defense will have to warrant him getting the minutes. If he provides additional offensive skills besides three-point shooting (which is certainly possible), it would be a welcome bonus, but it won't be the difference between him affecting games and not.

[flyingdutchdevil]

We're in a very nice spot here. Dawkins certainly has the potential to be a difference maker with his scoring ability. But we aren't in a position where we NEED to have him be an impact scorer. We have enough weapons that he is, in some ways, a wonderful luxury item.

That's not intended to belittle Dawkins' value. Just that we are going to be very good with or without him on the wings. If he's ready to be an impact player, it will make us that much stronger. But our season won't be broken if he is still an inconsistent player.

It's probably a best-case scenario for him as well. He won't be burdened with expectations or pressure. Hopefully that results in an amazing senior season for him.

Damn, CDu. Can you please write posts where I can disagree with you? I think you're spot on here.

My two cents: Dawkins will be at his most effective when he is WITH the starting line-up. IMO, our line-up is good, but not great with the 3pt shot. Quinn shot a really good 39% last year, but he was a yo-yo throughout the year (hot in the beginning, slowed down in the beginning of ACC play, got hot again late in the season, missed 12 of his last 13 3pt shots). Rasheed is extremely solid at 37% and was predominantly used as a 3pt specialist and defensive stopper at the U19 games. Hood is also solid at the 3pt line at 36%, but I've heard mixed things about his shot (I may be mistaken here). Jabari is obviously a DIA (do-it-all) player, but 3pt shots aren't his specialty. It'll help that he's a spread 4. But with Parker, Hood, Rasheed, and to a lesser extent Quinn, we have 3-4 players who can break down defenses and take the ball to the hole. With a pure shooter like Dawkins, double teams aren't going to be frequent.

In the worst case scenario, Dawkins will add a skill that is perfect for this team. If he really has improved on his driving, defense, and passing, that is just the cherry on top of the gravy on top of the...I ran out of metaphors.

[DukieInBrasil]

Damn, CDu. Can you please write posts where I can disagree with you? I think you're spot on here.

My two cents: Dawkins will be at his most effective when he is WITH the starting line-up. IMO, our line-up is good, but not great with the 3pt shot. Quinn shot a really good 39% last year, but he was a yo-yo throughout the year (hot in the beginning, slowed down in the beginning of ACC play, got hot again late in the season, missed 12 of his last 13 3pt shots). Rasheed is extremely solid at 37% and was predominantly used as a 3pt specialist and defensive stopper at the U19 games. Hood is also solid at the 3pt line at 36%, but I've heard mixed things about his shot (I may be mistaken here). Jabari is obviously a DIA (do-it-all) player, but 3pt shots aren't his specialty. It'll help that he's a spread 4. But with Parker, Hood, Rasheed, and to a lesser extent Quinn, we have 3-4 players who can break down defenses and take the ball to the hole. With a pure shooter like Dawkins, double teams aren't going to be frequent.

In the worst case scenario, Dawkins will add a skill that is perfect for this team. If he really has improved on his driving, defense, and passing, that is just the cherry on top of the gravy on top of the...I ran out of metaphors.

...turducken? Quinn is the chicken, Rasheed is the duck and Hood is the turkey? So adding Andre to that really is like gravy in that there ought to be so much 3pt shooting and to-the-rim dynamism in those three players that Andre gives a delicious layer of 3pt sauce to the meal (which is the game of basketball in this metaphor).

[Jim3k]

... there ought to be so much 3pt shooting and to-the-rim dynamism in those three players that Andre gives a delicious layer of 3pt sauce to the meal (which is the game of basketball in this metaphor).

Dawkins on occasion has shown he's perfectly capable of going to the rim, too. This guy's a lot more versatile than the majority wants to acknowledge. In the past, K used him above the arc and there were many here that thought that's all he did. He's also a better defender than he's usually given credit for. JimRowe0 knows what's what.

[Newton_14]

We're in a very nice spot here. Dawkins certainly has the potential to be a difference maker with his scoring ability. But we aren't in a position where we NEED to have him be an impact scorer. We have enough weapons that he is, in some ways, a wonderful luxury item.

That's not intended to belittle Dawkins' value. Just that we are going to be very good with or without him on the wings. If he's ready to be an impact player, it will make us that much stronger. But our season won't be broken if he is still an inconsistent player.

It's probably a best-case scenario for him as well. He won't be burdened with expectations or pressure. Hopefully that results in an amazing senior season for him.

This times a 1000.


This is the mostly likely scenario, although I think he affects more than 8 games. He should have a more polished mid range game which will help to increase his scoring. If his handle has greatly improved, then the sky is the limit for Dawkins.

This


Whether or not he has increased his skills, I don't think Andre needs a mid-range game or improved handle to affect games. He's going to make between 40% and 50% of his three-point shots. With opposing defenses having to focus on Jabari and Rodney and Quinn and Rasheed (and possibly others), meaning the opponent's best defender will rarely be checking Andre, it should be relatively easy for Andre to get open for plenty of threes. So, in my opinion only three things have to happen for Andre to affect games: (1) he has to earn enough minutes to get a good number of shots; (2) he has to exert effort to get open; (3) his teammates have to give him the ball in good shooting position.

Those things might happen every game, or they might not. Obviously Andre's defense will have to warrant him getting the minutes. If he provides additional offensive skills besides three-point shooting (which is certainly possible), it would be a welcome bonus, but it won't be the difference between him affecting games and not.

This


Dawkins on occasion has shown he's perfectly capable of going to the rim, too. This guy's a lot more versatile than the majority wants to acknowledge. In the past, K used him above the arc and there were many here that thought that's all he did. He's also a better defender than he's usually given credit for. JimRowe0 knows what's what.

And finally this.

A clear headed and clear minded Andre, with improved skills, renewed dedication, no pressure, and on a team that really should have great chemistry is a great recipe for success for both Andre and for the team. Pick your poison. Do you want to help on the penetrators going to the rack and dare leave Andre with even a foot of open space at the 3 point line, or do you stick to him like glue and make the one on one defender stop the penetration by himself? You are likely dead either way. Smart coaches like K will prevent the 3 and risk the 2, but other coaches can't bring themselves to give up point blank shots. So they help on the penetration and die by Andre's 3's.

A wonderful scenario for Duke. I am pulling hard for Andre and not because he might help Duke win more. I want the kid to banish the demons and find success on the court for his benefit. He more than deserves good things to happen for him.

[OldPhiKap]

I would love to see Dre go out with a National Championship. Hard to think of another kid that I have pulled harder for in many many years.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Dawkins on occasion has shown he's perfectly capable of going to the rim, too. This guy's a lot more versatile than the majority wants to acknowledge. In the past, K used him above the arc and there were many here that thought that's all he did. He's also a better defender than he's usually given credit for. JimRowe0 knows what's what.

I have to disagree with you on this one. Dawkins has insane athleticism. Not quite Corey Maggette or Gerald Henderson, but one notch down. However, we haven't seen him use this athleticism in his first three years of school. Furthermore, Dawkins had a weak handle. On top of that, he didn't have the confidence to drive, most likely because he had a weak handle. As a result, I rarely remember him driving to the hoop. He may be more capable than we think, but a) he never used it, b) if it was in his arsenal, do you think Coach K wouldn't unleash it?, and c) Dawkins rarely dribbled the ball. All these factors lead me to believe that Dawkins was as limited as we think.

This year, I really hope - and believe - that this has changed. I'm not going to suggest that Dawkins has the handle of Kobe Bryant, but I do think we'll see him take it to the rack. But with our current line-up, Dawkins have a lot of open looks. Defenses will collapse on some combination of Hood, Parker, and Sulaimon.

[NSDukeFan]

I have to disagree with you on this one. Dawkins has insane athleticism. Not quite Corey Maggette or Gerald Henderson, but one notch down. However, we haven't seen him use this athleticism in his first three years of school. Furthermore, Dawkins had a weak handle. On top of that, he didn't have the confidence to drive, most likely because he had a weak handle. As a result, I rarely remember him driving to the hoop. He may be more capable than we think, but a) he never used it, b) if it was in his arsenal, do you think Coach K wouldn't unleash it?, and c) Dawkins rarely dribbled the ball. All these factors lead me to believe that Dawkins was as limited as we think.

This year, I really hope - and believe - that this has changed. I'm not going to suggest that Dawkins has the handle of Kobe Bryant, but I do think we'll see him take it to the rack. But with our current line-up, Dawkins have a lot of open looks. Defenses will collapse on some combination of Hood, Parker, and Sulaimon.

Pretty sure I have seen Andre use his athleticism at an important point before.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUxOQ2zB0Rw&feature=player_detailpage&list=PLBXs6r30Az_MVBgtQKRYnwRJu2iQrNMII
I agree with most that: 1) Andre is a fabulous shooter with the nicest stroke this side of JJ and if he does nothing else will be great to help spacing and will likely win some games by just being a great shooter unafraid to take and make big shots.
2) if he can come back after a year off with some perspective, he may be able to provide a bit more of a mid-range and drive game and may be able to use all his skills to maximum effect if his defensive concentration improves a bit.
3) if 2) happens look out
4) he certainly has a chance to start some games this year, though I also find it hard to imagine Rasheed not in the starting line-up. I could envision a small line-up with Andre starting over presumed center favorite, Amile, at some point(s).

Having a guy returning (albeit after a year off, for better or worse), who has averaged over 8ppg for 2 years at Duke, started over 20 games in his career and shot over 40% from 3 for his career and he is not a favorite to start at least partly explains my giddy excitement for the coming basketball season.

[noworries]

Of all the times I've watched this play, I never realized til now just how open Scheyer was...but I'm glad he took it to the hole

[wk2109]

Of all the times I've watched this play, I never realized til now just how open Scheyer was...but I'm glad he took it to the hole

I recently rewatched this game. Prior to the dunk, Nolan had gotten into foul trouble, giving Andre a chance to get extended playing time in the first half. Andre took advantage of the opportunity by knocking down a few jumpers and was clearly feeling very confident. If you recall, this is the game where Kyle went flying into Dick Vitale and Dan Schulman. Most people probably don't remember that on that play, Kyle was chasing down an offensive rebound off an Andre jumper -- a catch-and-shoot jumper he took coming off a curl with absolutely no hesitation that hit nothing but backboard. As he released the shot, the Raycom play-by-play guy commented on quickly and confidently Andre shot the ball.

This is my long-winded way of explaining that Andre likely saw Jon but was probably feeling so confident that he went straight to the bucket. I'm also glad he took it to the hole. I also hope he can play with the same confidence that he had in this game.

[OldPhiKap]

My other takeaway from that video: I want Nolan on my bench if I am a coach. Wonder if that is in his future.

[NSDukeFan]

My other takeaway from that video: I want Nolan on my bench if I am a coach. Wonder if that is in his future.

Hopefully distant future after a successful playing career.

[Jim3k]

I have to disagree with you on this one. Dawkins has insane athleticism. Not quite Corey Maggette or Gerald Henderson, but one notch down. However, we haven't seen him use this athleticism in his first three years of school. Furthermore, Dawkins had a weak handle. On top of that, he didn't have the confidence to drive, most likely because he had a weak handle. As a result, I rarely remember him driving to the hoop. He may be more capable than we think, but a) he never used it, b) if it was in his arsenal, do you think Coach K wouldn't unleash it?, and c) Dawkins rarely dribbled the ball. All these factors lead me to believe that Dawkins was as limited as we think.

...

"Limited?" Hah! If you don't understand what a coach is doing, your eyes will deceive you. IMO, they have deceived you with regard to how Coach uses players like Andre with special skills. Don't think for a minute that they don't have other skills. Players do what they are told or they don't play. Andre was doing what he was told to do because that was the chosen offense and the game plan. Because you didn't hear the instruction or know the game plan or understand Andre's options are not reasons to denigrate his capabilities. It is a rare K player who has the freedom to free-lance as you seem to suggest Dawkins should.