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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!

    The Best Sophomores in Duke History

    I think folks may get a kick out of this: https://dukeroundup.podbean.com/e/51...-duke-history/

    Duke is gonna be counting on 3 stud sophomores next season. It is truly rare for us to have this much talent returning that could have been OAD. So, on the latest edition of the Duke Basketball Roundup, I went ahead and listed the 10 best sophomore seasons in Duke history. While I want you all to listen to the podcast, I will go ahead and spoil things and share my list with you.

    Honorable mention --
    Kyle Singler – 16.5ppg, 38.3% 3FG, 7.7rpg, 2nd team All-ACC
    Johnny Dawkins – all-ACC 2nd team, 19.4 ppg
    Grant Hill – 14ppg, 5.7rpg, 4.1apg, 1.2spg, career high 61.6% FGs, 2nd team All-ACC, made NCAA All-Tournament team

    #10 - JJ Redick – 15.9ppg, 39.5 3FGs, career high 95.3% FTs, 2nd team all-acc

    #9 - Matthew Hurt – 18.3ppg, 6.2 rpg, 44.4% 3FGs, 63.9% on 2FGs, 1st team all ACC, ACC Most improved player

    #8 - Christian Leattner – 16.3ppg, 9.6rpg (career high), 1.1bpg (career high), 83.6% FTs (career high), hit 6-12 3FGs. 2nd team All-ACC

    #7 - Trajan Langdon – 14.3ppg, 44.1% 3FGs, 89.7% FTs, 1st team All-ACC – 12-4 won ACC and returned Duke to prominence in the conference

    #6 - Tre Jones – 16.2ppg, 6.4 apg, 4.2rpg, 36.1% 3FGs, 1.8 spg, ACC DPOY, 1st team all ACC

    #5 – Mike Gminski – 20ppg, 10rpg, 54%FGs, 84% FTs, 1st team all-ACC and made the All tournament team. Lost to Kentucky for the national title.

    #4 - Grayson Allen – 21.6ppg, 4.6 rpg, 41.7% 3FGs, all of those would be career highs, all acc first team

    #3 - Luke Kennard – 19.5ppg, 5.1 rpg, 43.8% 3FGS (had hit 32% as a frosh), 52.5% on 2FGs, 86% FTs, 1st team All-ACC, 2nd team All-American, ACC Tourney MVP

    #2 - JWill – 21.6ppg, 6.1apg, 2.0spg, 42.7% 3FGs, NABC POY

    #1 - Elton Brand – 17.7ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.2 bpg, 1.3 spg, 62% FGs, in just 29.3 mpg. National Player of the Year
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    I think folks may get a kick out of this: https://dukeroundup.podbean.com/e/51...-duke-history/

    Duke is gonna be counting on 3 stud sophomores next season. It is truly rare for us to have this much talent returning that could have been OAD. So, on the latest edition of the Duke Basketball Roundup, I went ahead and listed the 10 best sophomore seasons in Duke history. While I want you all to listen to the podcast, I will go ahead and spoil things and share my list with you.

    Honorable mention --
    Kyle Singler – 16.5ppg, 38.3% 3FG, 7.7rpg, 2nd team All-ACC
    Johnny Dawkins – all-ACC 2nd team, 19.4 ppg
    Grant Hill – 14ppg, 5.7rpg, 4.1apg, 1.2spg, career high 61.6% FGs, 2nd team All-ACC, made NCAA All-Tournament team

    #10 - JJ Redick – 15.9ppg, 39.5 3FGs, career high 95.3% FTs, 2nd team all-acc

    #9 - Matthew Hurt – 18.3ppg, 6.2 rpg, 44.4% 3FGs, 63.9% on 2FGs, 1st team all ACC, ACC Most improved player

    #8 - Christian Leattner – 16.3ppg, 9.6rpg (career high), 1.1bpg (career high), 83.6% FTs (career high), hit 6-12 3FGs. 2nd team All-ACC

    #7 - Trajan Langdon – 14.3ppg, 44.1% 3FGs, 89.7% FTs, 1st team All-ACC – 12-4 won ACC and returned Duke to prominence in the conference

    #6 - Tre Jones – 16.2ppg, 6.4 apg, 4.2rpg, 36.1% 3FGs, 1.8 spg, ACC DPOY, 1st team all ACC

    #5 – Mike Gminski – 20ppg, 10rpg, 54%FGs, 84% FTs, 1st team all-ACC and made the All tournament team. Lost to Kentucky for the national title.

    #4 - Grayson Allen – 21.6ppg, 4.6 rpg, 41.7% 3FGs, all of those would be career highs, all acc first team

    #3 - Luke Kennard – 19.5ppg, 5.1 rpg, 43.8% 3FGS (had hit 32% as a frosh), 52.5% on 2FGs, 86% FTs, 1st team All-ACC, 2nd team All-American, ACC Tourney MVP

    #2 - JWill – 21.6ppg, 6.1apg, 2.0spg, 42.7% 3FGs, NABC POY

    #1 - Elton Brand – 17.7ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.2 bpg, 1.3 spg, 62% FGs, in just 29.3 mpg. National Player of the Year
    Scratching my head about Hurt over Dawkins -- don't get that at all. Similarly, I get why Kennard's AA status means there's good reason for him to be on the list, but he would not be on mine. The lack of at least honorable mention for Alarie as 1st team ACC in a stacked year leads to a double head scratch, and no Ferry or S Williams as at least honorable mention?

    I plead guilty, though, of prioritizing play that I saw (83-84 forward), and believing it was much harder to excel as a soph when there were top notch Jrs and Srs playing on teams that often had played together for multiple years.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Van Nuys, CA
    Vic Bubas Era 1960-61. Art Heyman 25.1 ppg before suspension for Larry Brown fight.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Heyman

    I appreciate the list. Will listen to the podcast.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington DC
    Whew. Top two are something else.

    I’d go JWill tops overall. He was on another level. He destroyed a few people, like tore their souls out, Gary Williams especially.

  5. #5
    I couldn’t decide between J Will and Elton. They would be 1 and 1A on my list.

  6. #6
    C Booze doesn’t even get an honorable mention? If I were picking a Duke K era all Sophomore team, it would be tough to keep him off the team (except that Elton would edge him out for a starting spot).

  7. #7
    It's hard to compare accolades across different eras, given the lack of star upperclassmen that current underclassmen are overshadowed by. To that end, sophomore Grant Hill was better than Redick, Hurt, Langdon, and Allen.

    I agree that Brand is #1, and clearly so, even over Jay Williams. That season by Brand is one of the greatest individual seasons by anyone (not just limited to sophomores) in Duke history.

  8. #8
    Great fun to reflect on all time Duke sophomore seasons.

    I present two players and their case for inclusion in a top ten list.

    Jim Spanarkle:

    Spanarkle averaged 19.2 ppg. This was prior to 3 point shots. He shot 52% from the floor and nearly 84% from the line. Toss in 3.6 assists and 5.2 rebounds as a SG along with 2.7 steals, and you have an incredible season. He managed second team All ACC with an underpowered team that yielded a less than stellar record.

    Mark Alarie:

    Alarie averaged 17.5 ppg, also prior to 3pt shots. He shot 58% from the floor, and 76% from the line. Toss in 7.2 rebounds and a first team All ACC status, and you have a top ten sophomore worthy season. keep in mind the caliber of competition in the ACC. He joined Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Lo Charles and Mark Price on that All ACC first team roster.

    Anyway, this is my attempt to counter act recency bias!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    From the Bubas era, weren't Heyman, Mullins and Verga All-ACC 1st team as sophs?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Van Nuys, CA
    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post
    From the Bubas era, weren't Heyman, Mullins and Verga All-ACC 1st team as sophs?
    I do believe they were. Verga was one of the most overlooked stars in Duke basketball ever. Sports Illustrated cover during his 3 varsity years.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Lewisville, NC
    10 sophomores better than Grant Hill?

    Yeah, I get looking at the season numbers and I respect the accomplishments of those mentioned ahead of him.

    But going 8-14 for 18 points, with 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks -- in the National Championship game! Such an all-around player and every phase of his game was clicking in the most crucial of all games.

  12. #12
    Kyle Filipowski will be the greatest sophomore in Duke history just watch.

    NPOY honors incoming, can’t wait.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Central, SC

    Wow

    Some serious recency bias in effect here.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by peteandpete View Post
    Some serious recency bias in effect here.
    Definitely some. But also, used to be freshmen rarely played and sophomores were still largely waiting behind juniors and seniors.

    So yeah, there's a degree of bias, and also a degree of generational shift to younger players getting more minutes.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Winston Salem, NC
    I would drop Hurt off the list and move JJ to honorable mention. Move Dawkins and Grant to top ten. Defense counts. Heyman takes Hurt's spot.
    Oh, who is this Leattner guy?

    GoDuke!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    Duke sophomores who were All-ACC first team from 1960 (Bubas) to 2012 (OAD era):

    Heyman
    Mullins
    Verga
    Gminski
    Alarie
    Trajan Langdon
    JWill

    Not saying they all should be on the list, but "Attention must be paid."
    Sage Grouse

    ---------------------------------------
    'When I got on the bus for my first road game at Duke, I saw that every player was carrying textbooks or laptops. I coached in the SEC for 25 years, and I had never seen that before, not even once.' - David Cutcliffe to Duke alumni in Washington, DC, June 2013

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    North of Durham
    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post
    Duke sophomores who were All-ACC first team from 1960 (Bubas) to 2012 (OAD era):

    Heyman
    Mullins
    Verga
    Gminski
    Alarie
    Trajan Langdon
    JWill

    Not saying they all should be on the list, but "Attention must be paid."
    This is a odd list - not sure what you are getting at (other than that there is some recency bias in this discussion and we are forgetting some older players, which I agree with)? You missed a few who were mentioned in multiple places below, particularly Elton Brand? If you are going to present what seems to be an attempt at a comprehensive list, make sure it is a comprehensive list.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Central, SC

    For your consideration

    Jeff Mullins: 21 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 51.4% FG, 71% FT, All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Tournament First Team

    Art Heyman: 25.2 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 46.9% FG, 65% FT, All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Tournament First Team

    Bob Verga: 21.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 53.1% FG, 65.5% FT, All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Tournament First Team

    Mike Lewis: 13.5 ppg, 11 rpg, 59.4% FG, 75% FT, All-ACC Tournament First Team

    Randy Denton: 17.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 49.9% FG, 60.8% FT, All-ACC Second Team

    Dick DeVensio: 12.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 6 apg, 47% FG, 74.5% FT, All-ACC Tournament First Team

    Gene Banks: 14.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3 apg, 49.6% FG, 62.7% FT, All-ACC Second Team

    Everyone's list would be different in these situations and the challenge is compounded by different rules over time, etc. However, we should at least define the parameters for inclusion if such a list is to be meaningful at all.

  19. #19
    10 is too small a list to be fair to a lot of players.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Wilmington
    Love to see the stats of Verga , Mullins, Heyman with the 3 point line,, especially Verga ..

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