#15 retired if G stays?

[houstondukie]

Obviously the answer right now is NO.

He has not won anything at Duke so far and needs to get to at least 1 Final Four (JJ and Shel only went to 1).

Yet, G has the talent to be one of the best ever at Duke. At lot will depend on how Duke does in the tourney this year and next, assuming he comes back.

Is it not a realistic possibility? How do his career numbers compare?

I wonder if this will be in Henderson's thought process when he decides on next year?

[DukeCO2009]

He needs a POY award to even be considered, and even if he gets that I think he has to win a NC to have a realistic shot. He's having a great year, no doubt, but I'm not sure that he belongs in the elite company of the guys in the rafters quite yet.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

He needs a POY award to even be considered, and even if he gets that I think he has to win a NC to have a realistic shot. He's having a great year, no doubt, but I'm not sure that he belongs in the elite company of the guys in the rafters quite yet.

If he stays and if he wins the NPOY next year, his jersey will be retired, and chances are pretty good we'd be raising multiple banners in Cameron after the season (both ACC and NCAA banners ), including one over the pep band

[DukeDevilDeb]

If he stays and if he wins the NPOY next year, his jersey will be retired, and chances are pretty good we'd be raising multiple banners in Cameron after the season (both ACC and NCAA banners ), including one over the pep band

Ozzie: How sure are you that all of these will happen? Even if G wins NPOY (which may or may not be likely), are we going to be as good as, say, last year's UNC team that was supposed to win the NC?

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Obviously the answer right now is NO.

He has not won anything at Duke so far and needs to get to at least 1 Final Four (JJ and Shel only went to 1).

Yet, G has the talent to be one of the best ever at Duke. At lot will depend on how Duke does in the tourney this year and next, assuming he comes back.

Is it not a realistic possibility? How do his career numbers compare?

I wonder if this will be in Henderson's thought process when he decides on next year?

I love Gerald Henderson as a player and look forward to continuing to see him develop while at Duke. He's a superb athlete whose future is bright with promise, but he's not yet in the stratosphere occupied by those players whose numbers are retired. I've witnessed the retirements and witnessed the play of all of them except Dick Groat. Every one one of them was stellar in a special way that was a major influence on the continuing development of Duke's basketball program.

[CDu]

He has a LOT of work to do to be considered for such an honor. I mean, let's be honest. To this point, he's had about two months of sustained stardom. Basically, he hasn't much differentiated himself from what DeMarcus Nelson accomplished in his career, and I don't think many are suggesting Nelson's jersey be retired.

For Henderson to be considered, he's going to almost certainly have to have a monster year next year (national player of the year level), and lead the team deep into the NCAA tournament this year and next year. As of right now, the guy has been a part of zero ACC championship teams, and has never seen the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.

The kid is a tremendous talent and has certainly become a star in college this year. But jersey retirement is a big deal, and Henderson's accomplishments are a long way away from such an honor. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if his number doesn't get retired - there are a lot of great Duke players who didn't get such an honor.

[houstondukie]

He has a LOT of work to do to be considered for such an honor. I mean, let's be honest. To this point, he's had about two months of sustained stardom. Basically, he hasn't much differentiated himself from what DeMarcus Nelson accomplished in his career, and I don't think many are suggesting Nelson's jersey be retired.

For Henderson to be considered, he's going to almost certainly have to have a monster year next year (national player of the year level), and lead the team deep into the NCAA tournament this year and next year. As of right now, the guy has been a part of zero ACC championship teams, and has never seen the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.

The kid is a tremendous talent and has certainly become a star in college this year. But jersey retirement is a big deal, and Henderson's accomplishments are a long way away from such an honor. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if his number doesn't get retired - there are a lot of great Duke players who didn't get such an honor.

What's scary is that Henderson is good enough to accomplish all that. The best is yet to come?

[Indoor66]

What's scary is that Henderson is good enough to accomplish all that. The best is yet to come?

I admire Gerald and think he can grow as a player, but the jerseys hanging in Cameron were worn by players who had three and four year careers of extremely high level performance. IMO, Gerald does not have that kind of resume, no matter what he does from here on out.

[Lord Ash]

I tend to agree with Indoor. I am a bit uneasy with the ease with which people thrown out "Oh I think this guys jersey could get retired!" comments. If you look at the names up in those rafters, they are some players who were often stars from Day 1, guys who dominated game after game, year after year, who dominated the LEAGUE and won championships. In order for Gerald to get into that company, IMHO, he would need to win NPOY awards and National Titles, as well as stay for four years. Odds are this won't happen.

[Grey Devil]

IMHO, Singler has a better shot at jersey retirement than Henderson, if he stays the full four years and accomplishes all the honors necessary (NPOY, NCAA championship, etc). We should be talking about him, not Henderson (even though G is a transcendent talent).

[mr. synellinden]

Right now I think Singler has a much better chance of getting his jersey retired after four years. I think his career is tracking similarly to Ferry's, and I see him as having a better chance of making first team AA and winning NPOY in his senior year than G.

[dukestheheat]

I love Gerald Henderson as a player and look forward to continuing to see him develop while at Duke. He's a superb athlete whose future is bright with promise, but he's not yet in the stratosphere occupied by those players whose numbers are retired. I've witnessed the retirements and witnessed the play of all of them except Dick Groat. Every one one of them was stellar in a special way that was a major influence on the continuing development of Duke's basketball program.

I'm a huge fan of G and recognize him as the best athlete on Duke and one of the best athletes in the ACC this year; that said, G strikes me as a world-class athlete who is still finding his way as a college basketball player. It's almost like he's a high jumper or track star still working to develop an overall basketball game. He's one of our top three defenders and is a fearless shot blocker; he runs the court like a gazelle and I'd tremble having to guard him or having him guard me. He certainly has developed a fade-away, slasher-like jumper this year to complement his mid-range game. It's kind of like he's a type of basketball Rip Van Winkel and he woke up this mid-year!

He should return to Duke next year, along with Singler. I think, and I bet he thinks, that his best days at Duke are well ahead of him. I have really enjoyed watching his improvement this year and he's the best player on Duke imo.

dth.

[throatybeard]

My hypothesis is that this thread is the current incarnation of the following annual thread:

12a) [Best Duke men’s senior this year, no matter how underqualified] should have his jersey retired. (No he shouldn’t; yes he should!).

No one's quite so far off the reservation as to suggest Paulus, so we're now mining the junior class for someone to plug into this well-worn script.

It is far, far, far too early to have any sort of retirement discussion about either Henderson or Singler. Heck, we haven't even retired Shavlik's jersey yet.

[sivartrenrag]

He's the player I consider to be my favorite as of now, but I don't think he'll get his jersey retired. I'd love to see him have a monster year next year and get it retired, but I don't expect it to happen. I love the guy, though.

[Grey Devil]

It is far, far, far too early to have any sort of retirement discussion about either Henderson or Singler. Heck, we haven't even retired Shavlik's jersey yet.

I agree that it's way too early for this kind of conversation. My earlier post about Singler was just to say that if anyone on the current team had a chance for it, it would be Singler.

[Cameron]

If Gerald were to come back and win a NPOTY award next season, and if he then goes on to graduate from Duke University, there is no doubt that his jersey would be retired. Outside of Elton Brand, who has never graduated from Duke, name a Blue Devil who has been NPOTY without his number later hanging in Cameron?

If those things happen, no matter whether Duke cuts down the nets or not, Gerald will be a part of Cameron rafter lore forever.

[RelativeWays]

CWell had a great senior year but didn't get his jersey retired, I'd be pretty happy if G can follow with the sort of year Chris had in 2000.

[devil in chapel hill]

G = no (still love him)
Singler = yes

[CameronCrazy'11]

Either he needs to win NPOY or be a serious NPOY contender, 1st team all-American and lead us to a title. Other than that, I don't see it.

[sweetchiba51]

No way...win a national championship and we can talk about it, until then i dont think he deserves to be up in the rafters with the likes of Battier, Williams, Leatner, Hurley, Hill...whew I really miss those guys..