Duke's All-Time Greatest Leaders

[DWP]

Since it appears Nate James may be joining the basketball staff, I began to ponder who Duke's greatest leaders might have been. Although I thought Shane was arguably one of the best leaders in Duke history, he and Nate may have provided the best leadership an individual Duke team has ever had. I know many of you have seen Duke play quite often through the years and Duke has had a large number of players that have been great leaders, so what do you think?

[CameronBlue]

Okay he was a schmuck but he was the leader of the Free World for like 5+ years, I mean where are you setting the bar here?

Seriously, this could be a long, long list: Hurley, Laettner and if you're looking for a locker room type of guy, Brian Davis. Then there's J-Will, C-Well, how to narrow it down? Maybe C-Well gets my vote. I can't recall all the details but it seemed as if Duke was involved in 4 or 5 OT games in C-Well's senior seaon and in each one he produced clutch last minute shots. There's a reason the old farts around here extol his virtures, he delivered every time that year, he was a leader by example. The proverbial enigma wrapped in a riddle, C-Well was not a gifted athlete. As a freshman-sophomore I feared his forays into the lane, his gangly movement with the ball. He dribbled with his back straight and his head up, not fluid nor quick with his release. Yet he kept demanding the ball and kept pushing the limits of his ability. My one call to a sports radio talk show was to complain about C-Well (JD was Bob's guest that night) early in his sophomore season and to beg the coaching staff to rein him in...and that was my last call. He ultimately proved me to be the fool. He just wouldn't be denied. Great to see him back at Duke.

[jimsumner]

Steve Vacendak

[freedevil]

Gotta be Hurley. Followed by Shane.

[Farlan]

Jim Spanarkel. Anybody else reminded of Spanarkel while watching Scheyer play?

[Tappan Zee Devil]

Steve Vacendak

Word - He was the leader of the great Bubas teams

Jim

[MikeS]

JJ's cockyness and arrogance (which is a good thing) made him the most fun leader to have, plus everyone besides Duke fans hated him more than any player I've seen.