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Celebrating A Hall Of Fame Career 540 North Trade Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Phone 336-831-0769 Vol. 6, No. 4 December 2014 SENIOR EDITOR John Roth ‘80 ADVERTISING Patrick Streko General Manager

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Twenty years after his jersey No. 33 was raised to the Cameron Indoor Stadium rafters, former Blue Devil star Grant Hill experienced another lofty honor in recognition of his remarkable Duke career. On Nov. 23 he was enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City. The two-time NCAA champion and All-America headlined an eight-man induction class including former national player of the year Shaquille O’Neal from LSU, Final Four MVP Darrell Griffith from Louisville and NAIA legend Zelmo Beaty of Prairie View A&M. Retired coaches Dale Brown of LSU and Gary Williams of Maryland were also inducted, along with contributors Howard Garfinkel, founder of Five-Star Basketball Camp, and Glenn Wilkes, a long-time Stetson coach who authored seven books on basketball. Hill, who played at Duke from 1991-94, helped the Blue Devils to back-to-back national titles his first two seasons and led the team to his third national championship game as a senior. His top honors included ACC player of the year and national defensive player of the year, plus All-America honors in three seasons and first-team All-ACC recognition as a junior and senior. He averaged 15 points and 6 rebounds per game across his career, during which the Blue Devils posted a 118-23 record (18-2 in the NCAA Tournament). He hit more field goals in NCAA tourney play than any other Blue Devil except Christian Laettner, and dealt more tourney assists than any Duke player besides Bobby Hurley. Beyond the numbers, Hill is considered one of the finest all-around players in Duke basketball history, exemplary in every facet of the game. He could play or guard any position, possessed a unique skill set and was the consummate winner. His highlight reel would begin with one of the more stunning dunks in NCAA championship game history his freshman year, but would also include his pass to Laettner for the winning shot against Kentucky, his work at point guard when Hurley was injured, his defense on a multitude of standout scorers and the poise with which he always carried himself on and off the court. Simply put, there haven’t been many like Grant Hill, before or since. After graduating in 1994, Hill became one of Duke’s all-time NBA greats, scoring over 17,000 points across 19 years, five of which were marred by serious injuries when he should have been in his prime. The seven-time All-Star Game selection retired in 2013 and now works in television. He and his wife Tamia have endowed a scholarship through the Duke Basketball Legacy Fund and recently announced a $1.25 million gift to support athletic facility upgrades and the Duke Annual Fund. Here is a list of National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Famers with Duke ties and their Hall of Fame classifications. (Note: Driesell was a Duke player in the 1950s who went on to an illustrious coaching career. Daly and Brown were Duke assistant coaches under Bubas in the 1960s.)

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> The Numbers Game

Duke players who have totaled both 1,000 career points and 500 career assists. Coming out of the fall semester exam break, senior co-captain Quinn Cook needed 65 assists to join the company of Johnny Dawkins, Tommy Amaker, Danny Ferry, Bobby Hurley, Jason Williams and Chris Duhon.

ACC brother combinations to total over 2,000 career points, out of the 36 brother combos that have played basketball in the league. Duke’s Plumlees (Miles, Mason and Marshall) rank seventh with 2,104 points through Dec. 3. Duke associate coach Jeff Capel and brother Jason (UNC) rank third with 3,048 combined career points.

Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductees whom Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie has defeated during her tenure with the Blue Devils, including Van Chancellor, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Sylvia Hatchell, Debbie Ryan, C. Vivian Stringer, Pat Summitt, Tara VanDerveer and the late Kay Yow.

Assists by Duke freshman point guard Tyus Jones in Duke’s Nov 30 win over Army, against 0 turnovers, marking the second time in school history that a Blue Devil posted double-figures assists without committing a turnover. The only other occasion was by Bobby Hurley, with 11 assists vs. BYU in the Maui Invitational (Dec. 1992).

Duke’s all-time victory total in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, following the Blue Devils’ 80-70 win at second-ranked Wisconsin on Dec. 3. Duke is by far the winningest team in Challenge history with a 14-2 record and .875 winning percentage. The only losses by Duke in the event came on road trips to Wisconsin (2009) and Ohio State (2011).

Three-pointers made by Duke redshirt freshman women’s basketball standout Becca Greenwell in her first seven Blue Devil games, the best such start in program history. The old standard was 10 threes by Abby Waner in her first seven games of 2005-06. Greenwell’s freshman teammate Sierra Calhoun hit 11 threes in her first seven games.

Through Dec. 3, the number of games in which Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has started at least three freshmen, including all eight this year. Coach K started at least three frosh 27 times in the 198283 campaign, with a rookie contingent that featured Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, David Henderson, Jay Bilas, Weldon Williams and Bill Jackman.

The ACC record for the most consecutive homecourt basketball victories, set by Duke across the 1997-2000 seasons. The Blue Devils own the four longest home winning streaks in ACC history, including the best active mark at 37 straight home wins entering the Dec. 15 contest against Elon.

Tyus Jones en route to 16 points, 10 assists and 0 turnovers vs. Army

JON GARDINER

422

The ACC record for most coaching wins against ACC opponents, both in the regular season and postseason tournament, held by former UNC coach Dean Smith. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski enters his 35th ACC season with 417 wins vs. conference teams. (Third place is a distant 210 by former Maryland coach Gary Williams.)

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Justise Winslow

BY JON GARDINER

Mike Krzyzewski has never had trouble signing elite talent at Duke. Almost every Coach K recruiting class contains at least one top prospect. Many contain two potential stars. Sometimes, Krzyzewski brings in multiple elite prospects. His third Duke recruiting class — the one he signed in the spring of 1982 — was a six-player class rated by several prep services as the nation’s best haul. That evaluation proved justified as Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, Jay Bilas and David Henderson provided the core of Krzyzewski’s first great team; all four started in 1986 when Duke won 37 games and the ACC title, finished No. 1 in the AP poll and reached the national title game in Dallas. Since that remarkable group, Krzyzewski has landed dozens of celebrated prospects, including the nation’s top-ranked class in 1997 (Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Will Avery), 1999 (Jason Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy), 2002 (J.J. Redick, Shelden Williams), 2005 (Josh McRoberts, Greg Paulus) … and, most recently 2014. The four-man prep Class of 2014 become the sixth Coach K recruiting class to earn the top national honors, breaking a string of No. 1 hauls by Kentucky’s John Calipari. The class started to come together when Florida guard Grayson Allen, the nation’s No. 24 consensus prospect, gave Krzyzewski an early commitment. It really took shape last fall when Chicago big man Jahlil Okafor, the nation’s No. 1 prospect, and Minnesota point guard Tyus Jones, rated No. 7 in the class, committed in a joint announcement televised by ESPN. The final piece fell into place a few days later, when Texas forward Justise Winslow, rated No. 13 overall, signed with the Blue Devils. On paper, the Class of 2014 looks very much like the Class of 1997. That four-player haul included the nation’s top-ranked big man (Elton Brand), two more top 10 frontcourt players (Shane Battier and Chris Burgess) and a top 25 point guard (Will Avery). That class produced two national players of the year (Brand in 1999 and Battier in 2001) and three NBA lottery picks. More importantly, those players anchored Duke teams that won a national title, played in two Final Fours and won four ACC regular season championships. That’s a high standard to measure any class by. In fact, it’s the only class in NCAA history to produce two consensus national players of the year. But the Class of 2014 might have more potential — not necessarily individual potential but in its group dynamic. The current quartet is a better-balanced group and, thanks to USA Basketball, it arrived at Duke with a head start. “They’re ahead … they’re just ahead,” Krzyzewski said before the first game. “So much of it has to do with what they’ve done, not just in their high school and AAU programs, but three of them have been so involved with USA Basketball. They’ve traveled different parts of the world. They’ve played with other good players. They’ve been wellcoached by the USA Basketball staff. They’ve been a part of something bigger than an AAU team or a high school team. The three of them have gotten to know Grayson before he came and they’ve developed this friendship.” There is always a danger of trying to blend a large group of talented players in with the holdovers — especially when the veterans are asked to play a supporting role to the freshmen. But Krzyzewski said that did not happen in this case. “They didn’t come in as this heralded freshman class, like it’s on us,” he said. “They embraced the upperclassmen, listened to them, became friends. The upperclassmen were really good. That’s been a real smooth process. The guys right now don’t look at each other as freshmen and sophomores and juniors and seniors. That’s a little bit unusual … but it’s unusually good.” Senior captain Quinn Cook, who has probably had to change his game the most — moving from point guard to wing guard to accommodate Jones at the point — echoed Krzyzewski’s praise for the four freshmen. “They’re good — all four of them,” he said. “They don’t have a big ego. They came in respecting the upperclassmen, wanting to learn. They’re like sponges. They’re getting better every day. They’re out there

every day, asking questions. They want to get better. “ A year ago, Duke’s offense ran through freshman Jabari Parker. At times, it looked like that rankled some of the veterans. But it’s a different story this season, even though freshman Jahlil Okafor is in line to become the focal point of the Duke offense. “If he proves he deserves those touches, I don’t think (it’s a problem),” Cook said. “I think Jahlil will be ready. He’s worked extremely hard. He doesn’t really focus on how many touches he gets. He wants to improve on defense. He doesn’t care if he has two points or 20 points — he wants to win.” So far in the early going, the 6-foot-11, 270-pound big man has shown a remarkable range of offense skills around the basket, accounting for his 60 percent shooting percentage from the floor. But he’s also proved an adept passer from the post, averaging almost two assists a game in the early going. After he passed out four assists in his debut game against Presbyterian, one former NBA writer joked, “He’s already hit more cutters than Patrick Ewing did in his career.”

Tyus Jones

BY RAASHID YASSIN/DUKE BLUE PLANET

It helps that Okafor has already developed chemistry with Jones at the point and Winslow on the wing. The 6-6, 225-pound Winslow has a mature body and a mature game. “His game is a really, really diverse,” junior co-captain Amile Jefferson said. “He’s going to be one of the unique players in the ACC this year. At his size, to handle the ball, to post, to shoot, he’s great defensively — he’s going to be one of those do-it-all guys for us. He can play a lot of different spots.” The 6-1, 190-pound Jones demonstrated his excellence in the second-half crisis against No. 19 Michigan State in the team’s third game. Soon after the Spartans cut the Duke lead to three points, Okafor went out with four fouls. Jones simply took over the game. His steal and layup,

Grayson Allen BY JON GARDINER

then his four-point play pushed the lead back to double figures and Duke was able to coast home. Krzyzewski recently compared Jones to Tommy Amaker — and if you know Coach K, you understand what a huge compliment that was “Tommy was a coach when he was eight … maybe six,” Krzyzewski said. The 6-4 Grayson Allen hasn’t made the impact of his three classmates, but he has provided Duke fans with a glimpse of his dazzling skills. His high energy, coupled with his defensive aggressiveness and his obvious physical gifts suggest that it won’t be long before he’s a major part of the rotation. For now, Krzyzewski is content to start “just” three freshmen. That’s actually a significant number for the Blue Devil coach. In his first 35 years at Duke, Coach K has started numerous freshmen. Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, Chris Duhon and Luol Deng all started on Final Four teams as freshmen. His 2000 team — one that dominated the ACC finished and No. 1 in the final AP poll — started two freshmen (Jason Williams and Carlos Boozer) with a third freshman (Mike Dunleavy) as sixth man. It was a similar situation in 2003, when freshmen J,J. Redick and Shelden Williams ended up as starters, while freshman Shav Randolph got the most minutes off the bench. But three freshmen starters? In his first 34 seasons at Duke, Krzyzewski started three freshmen in 37 games — but 27 of those came in 1982-83, when Dawkins, Alarie, Henderson and Bilas often teamed to give Coach K four freshman starters. Krzyzewski can see similarities between that freshman group and this one. “Those guys were every bit as good as these guys,” he said. “I’d take Dawkins and Alarie … Bilas? I think I’d take Okafor over Bilas.” The Class of 1982 provides an interesting perspective on the current freshman class — and a unique look at how college basketball has changed in the last 30 years.

Jahlil Okafor

BY JON GARDINER

The Dawkins/Alarie/Henderson/Bilas class — as talented as it was and as successful as it became — struggled as freshmen. They finished 11-17 and ended the season with a 43-point loss to Virginia in the ACC Tournament. However, it should be noted that Virginia’s star that night was senior center Ralph Sampson, who was en route to his third straight national player of the year award. The league also boasted such mature stars as Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins at UNC, Adrian Branch at Maryland, Sidney Lowe, Thurl Bailey and Derek Whittenburg at N.C. State. Most, if not all, of those players would be in the NBA already today. The Okafor/Winslow/Jones/Allen class won’t have to compete against such mature superstars. “That was a different time,” Krzyzewski said. “These guys have a better chance of competing now. Then they’re not playing against the Sampsons and the Jordans … those guys are already in the pros. Or they’re young — the 19-year-old Jordan. Freshmen can have much more impact now than ever before, especially if embraced by the upperclassmen and not seen as threats.” Of course, the new era cuts the other way — Duke’s four freshmen are not likely to be four-year stars either. Okafor is already being projected as the top pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. It remains to be seen how long Winslow and even Jones stay before they hear the siren song of professional basketball. But they are here now. And for this season, at least, they have a chance to be the most significant freshman class that Krzyzewski has ever recruited.

Be An

All-StAr DAD CAre Built in

RAASHID YASSIN/DUKE BLUE PLANET

Quinn Cook reigns as the King of November for the most recent vintages of Duke basketball, but that title is mere bauble compared to the crowns he covets most. His efforts have sparked the Blue Devils to early-season tournament championships two of the last three years, producing a pair of MVP awards for his personal trophy case. But last we checked, November championships weren’t being immortalized in the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium. What Cook craves is co-authorship of a banner or two that adds to the program’s legacy of March and April title acquisitions. Duke’s last Final Four banner went up in 2010 and its last ACC banner in 2011, both pre-dating Cook’s arrival. The Blue Devils’ record of 83-22 over Cook’s first three seasons is enviable, along with three NCAA bids, two second-place ACC finishes, two undefeated home seasons and a berth in the Elite Eight. But Duke’s NCAA and ACC tournament records are an identical 3-3 during this span, with Lehigh and Mercer on the ledger, so there is ample fuel in Cook’s tank to help propel the Blue Devils further in his final campaign. “I think the sense of urgency we’ve had, with the upperclassmen coming off the disappointing ending we had last year, we know that we need everybody to be together off the court and on the court,” Cook said as his team got off to an 8-0 start heading into fall semester exams. “The guys like each other, there’s no selfishness or egos on the team, guys are really all in and it’s been great. That helps on the floor.” Claiming the championship of the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic in No-

vember was a substantial first step, coming as it did with victories over Temple and Stanford in Brooklyn to culminate a season-opening gauntlet of five games in nine days in three cities, with perennial contender Michigan State sandwiched in the middle of the run. Cook’s 35 points, six assists, timely shooting and overall leadership in the two contests on Flatbush Avenue led to his selection as the CvC MVP — much as his 41 points and 19 assists early in his sophomore year were deemed MVP worthy in pacing a senior-laden Blue Devil squad to a three-game sweep at the power-packed Battle 4 Atlantis event over Thanksgiving week 2012. Duke didn’t grab a November title in Cook’s junior year, falling to No. 4 Arizona in the final of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden. But a couple days later he had perhaps his best outing of the 2013-14 season with 24 points, nine assists and a perfect 10-for-10 night at the free throw line (following a scoreless first half) in a conquest of No. 22 Michigan in the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Cook went on to finish as Duke’s third best scorer behind freshman Jabari Parker and redshirt sophomore Rodney Hood. By the end of the season he was no longer a starter, coming off the bench the last 10 games. But by the end of the semester, with Parker and Hood off to the NBA, four seniors graduating and four ballyhooed freshmen on the way, Cook’s perspective shifted decisively from past and present to the future — his immediate future as the lone scholarship senior on this year’s roster.

“Last year after the (team) banquet, just seeing those seniors leave — Andre, Todd, Tyler and Josh — that’s when it really hit me that, ‘Wow, these three years have really gone fast and now it’s my turn to lead these guys,’” Cook said. “When we first started working out in the offseason, I wanted to be the loudest and lead everybody. When the freshmen got here I wanted to be a big brother to those guys. “I can remember Mason (Plumlee) being a senior and not taking a practice off, not taking a game off, and playing like it was his last time here at Duke. He had a great sense of urgency and that’s the model I’m following. Helping everybody out, always being that positive guy on the floor and just having fun out there because you know, this is my last year and I want to enjoy it.” Following the example set by Plumlee, the NBA-bound big man who was on the receiving end of many of his passes during a run to the Elite Eight two years ago, Cook began taking a more global view of team dynamics instead of the inward concentration typical of many younger players. “Quinn has been terrific,” coach Mike Krzyzewski noted during the Blue Devils’ opening stretch of 2014-15. “He has really shown a higher level of maturity than he’s ever show, really a lot more concerned about everybody instead of him. Not that he was bad, but he shows a confidence about who he is and is able share his enthusiasm and his knowledge from being in the program for four years.” “You can tell he’s more positive this year,” added sophomore backcourt mate Matt Jones. “Knowing he’s the lone senior, he has that sense of urgency when he comes to practice, and you can see in the games that he knows every shot counts and every defensive stop matters. You can just see the intensity in his face. It’s been a great experience being able to work with him the past couple of years, but especially this year. You can see the maturation he’s gone through over the summer and into the early season.” Assuming a level of responsibility for the team’s play hasn’t meant that Cook has ignored his own game. He used his offseason strength and conditioning sessions to get in the best shape of his life, and he’s honed his shot to the point where he is the Blue Devils’ most reliable asset at both the 3-point line and the free throw line. What’s changed is that he’s not mentally or emotionally consumed with every personal make or miss to the point of being distracted from the big picture. “A lot of times in my career, I would go into the game thinking I’ve got to perform well and I have to hit this shot and I’ve got to stop this player,” he explained. “But now this year, WE is everything. I can go 0-for-30, but if I’m down there still talking to Tyus on the ball, helping Jah on ball screens, getting in there and getting loose stuff, I felt I’ve played great. It’s not all about my shot and my assists, it’s all about US. I’m more into that more. “It takes some growing up. A lot of guys in high school, you are the best player on the team and most of the time you are focused on YOUR performance. Really it’s OUR performance. That’s something I had to grow up and develop over the years and I finally figured it out and it’s been helping me.” Lending that helping hand to the four freshmen has been a significant factor in Duke’s early team development, particularly in the cases of star center Jahlil Okafor and fellow guard Tyus Jones. Practically from the moment those two revealed their college choices publicly together on national TV, the world at large assumed Cook was destined to backup Jones. Fortunately for Duke, Cook didn’t make that assumption. When asked about the situation during the offseason, the maturing Cook would often mention how the past two national champions (UConn and Louisville) often played with dual point guards. But more importantly, he focused his efforts on helping his rookie teammates acclimate to their new environment instead of creating a competitive barrier between him and them. “We knew that they could play together,” Krzyzewski said. “The only way they couldn’t play together is if they don’t have good attitudes and that’s like anybody — a husband and a wife, a father and JON GARDINER

JON GARDINER

a daughter, business partners — you have to get along and have good attitudes. If you assume a bad attitude then pretty much you are going to go in that direction. We assumed a good attitude because they are both good kids and their skill sets complement one another. Quinn, when he has his feet set, is as good a shooter as we have and he’s an enthusiastic leader. Tyus is really good when he has the ball. So you are trying to get two guys (and) their skill sets to be really good (together).” “We wanted to play together,” Cook said. “We didn’t take it easy on each other this summer. He made me better and I made him better. The competition was great. “I know it sounds cliché, but really, I played the (point) position and still play it when Tyus goes out of the game, and I just want to help him out from my perspective. He’s a great player and I just tell him what I see. And it’s not just me always coming to him. He comes to me and asks me, ‘What do you see?’ So I just want to be an outlet for him. If he was a senior, he’d do the same thing for a freshman.” Cook came to Duke with a freshman class that was even larger than this year’s. But Austin Rivers left early for the NBA, Michael Gbinije and Alex Murphy transferred and Marshall Plumlee redshirted, creating this lone senior scenario for Cook. He welcomed the captaincy and has thrived in the role, but he understands that true leadership at this level is not a solo act. “All the great teams at Duke were based on their great leaders,” he said. “I think all the national championship teams here had great leaders. Every successful team has great leaders. If you don’t have great leaders,

the team won’t go as far as it needs to go. But it’s not just me because I’m a senior. Matt has stepped up tremendously in helping me talk and helping me communicate to everybody. Amile (Jefferson) obviously has been great. Marshall, Rasheed (Sulaimon), all the upperclassmen have helped me. I’ve gotten a lot of the credit because I’m a senior, but it’s not just me.” Even though WE now supersedes ME in Cook’s vocabulary, the ME has been integral to Duke’s strong start and promising forecast. Along with the CvC MVP award, his 19 points and six assists led the Blue Devils against Michigan State, and three of his four field goals at Wisconsin came with Duke tied or behind, giving his team a lead in its most impressive performance of the early season. Through eight games played in rapid-fire succession, his assists-to-turnovers ratio was an exemplary 29-to-8, further enhancing his career standard in that category, which ranks as the best in Duke history. “This is how it is in March when you have these quick turnarounds,” Cook said while catching his breath during this season’s opening salvo. “You can’t just dwell on this one big game. Like against Michigan State, we had to turn around and go play a good Temple team. So it’s quick transitions. In March when you’ve got the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, it’s quick turnarounds and preparation is key. And our coaches do a great job of keeping us prepared.” Cook has been preparing for this March since last March, hoping a year-long exercise in leadership pays off in authorship of a new banner or two for the hallowed rafters of Cameron.

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MORE THAN TALK

JON GARDINER

Teammates trust Jefferson to back up his words with action By Jim Sumner

Glue guys. You know the type. A player who doesn’t have to have the ball in his hands a lot to help his team. A player who doesn’t have to have plays called for him in order to have a positive impact. Even the most talented teams need players like this. Think Lance Thomas or Brian Zoubek on Duke’s 2010 title team. Amile Jefferson is a glue guy for this year’s Duke team. A McDonald’s All-American, the 6-foot-9 junior is a defender, a rebounder, a leader, a mentor, a co-captain on a young team trying to bring six underclassmen up to speed. Jefferson grew up in Philadelphia. His father, Malcolm Musgrave, played basketball at Delaware State. Jefferson says he started playing basketball when he was around eight and was immediately attracted to

the sport’s camaraderie. Jefferson and Duke had a curious courtship. Jefferson made an unofficial visit to Duke for Countdown To Craziness as early as his sophomore season and he and Duke were linked for years. But by the time he was a senior at Philadelphia’s Friends Central School, Duke was looking at other prospects, while Jefferson was biding his time. Duke missed on its early post targets in the fall of 2011 and renewed its interest in Jefferson, who had not signed in the early period. He says he wasn’t ready to sign early and his family didn’t push him. Duke liked what they saw. Jefferson had become one of the nation’s most versatile players, showing the virtues that he continues to develop. Long and lanky, Jefferson could defend both the interior and the perim-

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JON GARDINER

eter, while demonstrating leadership, coachability and a high-basketball IQ. Jefferson was rewarded for his patience. Duke offered and he accepted, signing in May 2012, one of the last top players available. He joined a senior-laden team but started seven games when Ryan Kelly went down with a foot injury. Jefferson showed his potential with outings like an 11-point, 9-rebound game in a win over Maryland. He says Kelly mentored him during his injury and that he still benefits. “Ryan was amazing. He was a great leader and that was contagious.” Kelly and Mason Plumlee graduated after the 2013 season ended in the Elite Eight, leaving an interior void. The 215-pound Jefferson spent his sophomore season as Duke’s starting center, averaging almost seven rebounds per game, while shooting 64 percent from the field. There were issues with consistency. Jefferson had 10 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in a win over eventual ACC champions, 14 points and 10 rebounds in a road win against Pittsburgh. But he had only two points and three rebounds in losses at North Carolina and Wake Forest. Jefferson has a much different role this season. Duke’s precocious freshman class includes imposing center Jahlil Okafor, whose presence moved Jefferson back to power forward, his natural position. The transition from center back to forward hit a speed bump this summer when Jefferson suffered a hip injury, which he attributes to “wear and tear” from last season. Rest was the prescription. “At first, I was miserable, whiny,” he says. “But I turned into a coach when I couldn’t play. I became comfortable talking to the guys.” Jefferson recovered in time for the season. In late September he and senior Quinn Cook were named co-captains. “It showed the trust my coaches and teammates had in me. I’ve learned as much in the role as I’ve taught. That’s the coolest part.” Defense is first and foremost on Jefferson’s mind. “I’m a leader. It’s about talking, it’s about doing the things the team needs to do to win, making sure guys are in the right place. Mike Krzyzewski puts a premium on defensive communication and says Jefferson is the team’s best defensive communicator. But he adds that Jefferson has to do more than talk. “A really good defensive team talks well,” Krzyzewski says. “You’re

communicating all the time. Amile is a great communicator. But he has to do what he’s saying other people to do. In other words, be a defender and a communicator.” Duke wasn’t very good defensively last season and Jefferson says he takes that personally. “The way we’re playing this season? It reminds me of old Duke teams, when (opposing) teams couldn’t even run their offense, had to make it up as they go. Guys need to hear my voice so they know they can jump in lanes, make switches.” Cook is Duke’s only scholarship senior. He says Jefferson has earned the respect of his teammates. “Our defense is about trust. We all trust Amile. We know he’s going to put us in the right place.” Jefferson loves lock-down defense but he knows he needs to help Duke on the offensive side of the equation. He’s worked on his midrange jump shot but he’s never attempted a 3-pointer at Duke and it’s not likely he’s ever going to be a Ryan Kelly-level stretch four. But there are other ways to score and a lot of Jefferson’s opportunities will come by effectively playing off Okafor. The freshman big man is going to command double-teams and Jefferson says he needs to take advantage of that. “Playing at the five, I was called to do different things. Playing the four, I can make plays now. It helps me a lot to hit the glass because guys are worried about Jah, so I’m able to get position and grab rebounds. Playing with him, I’m going to get open shots. Pretty much every shot I get is going to be open or one-on-one. He’s a good passer and I’m learning how to slash to the basket when he’s double-teamed. Playing off of Jah makes it a lot easier.” Jefferson is a history major and a two-time Academic All-ACC selection. He’s thinking NBA, doesn’t have a post-basketball plan mapped out, but says a Duke degree should “set me up for life.” But that’s down the line. First there are games and championships to be won. Krzyzewski likes what he’s seen in the early going. “He’s rebounding with two hands. He’s being strong. He’s learning how to play with Jah … Lots of times your guy isn’t looking at you, they’re looking at Okafor and then the shot goes up. He can get some boards for us. He’s a great leader and the team listens to him.” A glue guy.

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JON GARDINER

On a Mike Krzyzewski-coached basketball team, one of the first things you learn is that the points column in the box score is not nearly as important as you once thought it was. Most college basketball players are judged by that column, the one that shows how many points you scored in a game. It goes right along with your scoring average, your season high, how many points you tallied in the last game. Points — they are usually the first things you hear about a basketball player and how most people judge players. But in the Krzyzewski world of basketball, how many points you score may be the number that is the least important in his evaluation of your overall performance. It’s the total body of work in a game that makes you part of a championship team. How many screens did you set? How many times did you force a player to make an errant pass by getting in the passing lanes? How many times did your off-the-ball defense cause the opponent problems in their offense? How many times did you dive on the floor for a loose ball or not give up on a rebound? How many times did your pass lead to the assist that set up another player for a score? How many times did you high-five or acknowledge the play of a teammate on the floor?

These are all the little things that lead to the most important number of all — your team’s wins and losses. Obviously scoring is very important. The team with the most points wins the game. But as a Duke basketball player, you learn how you arrive at that point total is more important than just putting the ball through the hoop. A team player all his life, Blue Devil sophomore guard Matt Jones is learning just how important all those numbers are now in the realm of college basketball. Last year could be called a disappointing year for Jones, but it was actually a great learning experience. Jones played in 32 games with four starts, which came in consecutive games in the middle of the January against Virginia, N.C. State, Miami and Florida State. He averaged 1.8 points and 0.8 rebounds, with his top scoring game coming against Alabama early in the year when he had 13 points to go along with three rebounds. In ACC play, his best games were a six-point effort against Miami and a couple of five- and four-point outings against Miami, N.C. State and Virginia. Not exactly the lights out scoring fans were expecting from the Mc-

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Donald’s All-American. “I spent most of last year trying to find my place on this team,” explained Jones. Following the end of the spring semester, Jones headed back home to DeSoto, Texas. “For the first part of the summer I went home and hung out with my family and friends to clear my head,” he said. “I just took some time to remember what got me into basketball and getting back to the basics, regaining my confidence, which put me at peace with myself.” “Coming from high school, the season is much longer and every game in college is a must-win game, so it was definitely a transition for me,” he added. Jones came back to Durham for the second half of the summer re-energized and ready to work on his game with his old and new teammates. It was time well spent by Jones and the Blue Devils. “This summer was great for us,” explained the 6-foot-5 guard. “We spent a lot of time on and off the court getting to know the freshmen and learned a great deal about each other, which has made us a much better team.” In his play early this year, you can see just how valuable Jones is to this team At the Barclays Center in November, Jones did what he does best — make some baskets, play tough defense and help his team to another victory, this time over Stanford for the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic championship. He’s not your flashy kind of player, he just gets the job done. In the game against the Cardinal he came off the bench with a couple of the freshmen struggling and finished a pair of big-time drives, hit two three-pointers for a total of 10 points and proved to be a menace in the passing lanes with a steal while causing an array of mis-directed passes. Later against Furman he nailed back-to-back threes, one from the right side of the court and one from the left side, while causing havoc on the defensive end of the court. His jumper is a thing of beauty, but Jones also looks great diving on the floor for a loose ball or taking a charge in the lane. “He brings toughness to the team both offensively and defensively,” explained senior captain Quinn Cook. “He is a very hard working player and you have to respect his jumper. He brings that toughness every day to practice, just staying in your face on defense, hustling for every ball, not letting you go the spot you want to go to on the floor. You know that when Matt is on the floor, if the ball gets loose he’s going to somehow end up with it.” Teamwork and playing tough on defense are family traits for Jones. His sister Jordan was the co-defensive player of the year last year in the SEC and set the Texas A&M single season assist record with 261. He grew up having to face that tough matchup every day of his life. “When I use to play in the backyard, my sister beat me all the time, so her beating me gave me the hunger to want to get better at basketball,” explained Jones. Matt’s sister is a junior at Texas A&M, where she averaged 3.1 points and 2.3 assists last season. Jordan and Matt are just the third brother-sister combo to be named to the McDonald’s All-American team. She won

the girls skills competition at the Powerade Jam Fest, a prelude to the 2012 McDonald’s All-American Game. Coming out of high school she was the 14th-rated overall prospect and third-ranked guard. The Blue Devils’ Jones has a pretty good basketball pedigree himself. In high school at DeSoto he helped to lead the team to a 131-18 career record and played in the McDonald’s and Jordan Brand Classic all-star games. His senior year he averaged 17.5 points per game and was considered one of the top long-range shooters in the country, coming in second in the Powerade Jam Fest three-point contest. “His confidence has picked up a great deal since last year,” said senior Rasheed Sulaimon. “You could feel it in the summer workouts. He has picked up his game and become the guy you love to play with and hate to play against.” “He has matured and worked his butt off this summer,” said assistant coach Jon Scheyer. “He came into this season with a chip on his shoulder from not getting to play a lot last year and has used that to motivate him and make him a better player.” Jones gives the Blue Devils the depth to make them a team that can really wear down teams on the perimeter. With starters Quinn Cook and Tyus Jones pressuring on the ball, Krzyzewski can then call on Jones and Sulaimon to come off the bench and keep up that pressure for the entire game. This type of relentless pressure on the ball is only possible when you have the players and the depth to work together as a team, and Duke has that with its perimeter rotation. “Matt’s play on the court is very contagious, he makes big plays all the time,” said Sulaimon. “He is an energy giver. When he comes in the game, everyone steps up their game to play as hard as Matt is going to play.” Even though he only averaged playing 7.3 minutes last year, Jones learned a lot about the college game that has carried through to this season. “You always need to look composed and mature on the court,” said JON GARDINER Jones, who is averaging more than 17 minutes per game playing time this year and is second on the team in made three pointers. “I learned last year from watching the older players in practice and in games at how composed they looked and acted even in stressful situations.” He also learned that in order to be a champion you have to play like one every day. “Practice is really important and I’ve learned that practice is what makes you a better game player,” he explained. “It’s especially important with all the wing players we have with Quinn (Cook) and Rasheed (Sulaimon) and Grayson (Allen). We have learned in practice how to work together.” With so many “one-and-dones” in the college basketball spotlight, it is becoming rare to see the growth a young man makes between his freshman and sophomore seasons. But Jones looks to be one of those players who will show us this season what that growth is all about. “My maturity is really helping me this year,” he explained following practice one day, when he was the last man off the court after working extra time on his jump shot. “Last year was a real growing up process for me and it gave me a step in the right direction.”

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A SECOND LOOK

at the

NEW-LOOK ACC By Barry Jacobs

Take two. Followers of ACC men’s basketball surely recall the fanfare when the league, in its latest growth paroxysm, officially expanded to 15 member schools. Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse joined the ACC in July 2013 in what proved a killing blow to the Big East as a viable all-sport conference. (Notre Dame didn’t join entirely, remaining independent in football and ice hockey.) Further whetting appetites, Louisville, with a rich athletic budget and modest academic stature, was tabbed to replace Maryland, the Terps having crawled to the Big Ten. The Cardinals became official members of the ACC this past July. These inaugural moments were accompanied by paeans to the future, particularly for basketball. “I think it’s fair to say,” ACC commissioner John Swofford noted with all due modesty in 2013, “that this is the strongest collection of basketball programs that has ever been assembled in one conference.”

That assessment was seconded by Mike Krzyzewski. “We’re going to be the best conference in the history of the game,” the Duke coach declared. The prospects looked so grand, observers mistakenly concluded the additions were for the sake of improving the league’s basketball prospects. In fact the conference’s motivation was primarily — and habitually — pecuniary. “Within our footprint the ACC will now have the most television households and the highest population of any conference footprint from a national standpoint,” Swofford proudly explained. Football is the primary driver in any contemporary TV formulation, and enlarged markets translate to increased revenues. “I don’t think you make a decision on expansion or not expansion based on this current model, the one we’re living in. I think you’ve got to look down the line and see if this makes sense 10 years, 15 years, 20 years from now,” Duke athletics director Kevin White, an adjunct

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JON GARDINER

professor of business administration, said recently. “If this thing morphs into the subscription model 10 years from now when you do the next contract, you have a chance to go from having the fourth-best rights deal to maybe the best.” Assessments by Krzyzewski and others were focused on being the best in another competitive arena, however. Adding Syracuse and Notre Dame to North Carolina and Duke gave the ACC four of the nine programs with the most wins in major-college basketball, along with three of the five active Hall of Fame coaches — Krzyzewski, UNC alum Roy Williams and Orange alum Jim Boeheim. Bringing Louisville aboard added a fourth Hall of Famer, Rick Pitino, and the game’s 11th most-successful basketball program. (SMU’s Larry Brown is the Hall of Fame coaching outlier, and he played and assisted at North Carolina.) But programs may not be as formidable as they appear in the rearview mirror. Certainly the ACC wasn’t as formidable as everyone wanted to believe. Not last season, anyway, when for the fourth straight time it failed to have a team reach the Final Four. That matched the ACC’s longest absence ever. Such details did not deter Swofford when he faced the conference media in late October at Operation Basketball. Instead the commissioner offered an impressive and extensive litany of statistics that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the ACC has arrived as the pinnacle league in college basketball. Well, maybe. The proof, as golfers say, is in the putting. Or something like that. Certainly the ACC appears poised to make a splash. Four of its teams — Duke, UNC, Louisville and Virginia — were ranked among the nation’s top nine in the Associated Press preseason poll. (Notre Dame and Duke were ranked in the top seven among the women.) Three of the AP’s five preseason All-Americans hail from the ACC: leading vote-getter Marcus Paige of North Carolina, Duke’s Jahlil Okafor and Louisville’s Montrezl Harrell. Duke has gotten more 2014-15 attention than any other ACC school, partly because of Okafor, partly due to the four acclaimed freshmen rounding out a roster with nine McDonald’s All-Americans, and in part simply because it’s Duke. Which means enjoying the advantage of having Krzyzewski, closing in on 1,000 wins, directing from the bench. North Carolina, shadowed by academic scandal, is every bit as deep

as Duke. In Paige the Tar Heels have a clutch, upperclass leader who handles the ball and makes shots. Big man Kennedy Meeks lost 50 pounds and gained the mobility to capitalize on his considerable skills. Throw in a trio of freshman All-Americans, led by Justin Jackson, an AAU teammate of Devil wunderkind Justice Winslow, and the Tar Heels have the makings of a Final Four contender. So does Louisville, which secured one of its three NCAA titles in 2013. Much as UNC’s Williams seeks to dictate tempo with an irrepressible offensive pace, UL’s Pitino forces opponents out of their comfort zone with fullcourt defensive pressure. The anchor inside is Harrell, supported by solid 3-point shooting and adept guard play from senior Chris Jones and sophomore Terry Rozier, who between them had a ratio of 2.4 assists to turnovers last year. Many observers believe Virginia, which won its second ACC title in 2014 (the other came in 1976), has hit a programmatic stride that can keep it among the league’s elite. Tony Bennett’s deliberate Cavaliers return an impressive core led by guards Malcolm Brogdon and London Perrantes and forwards Justin Anderson and Anthony Gill. But whether UVa can sustain last season’s advance may depend on its ability to prosper without outside-inside mainstays Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell. Syracuse and Boeheim, the only coach within hailing distance of Krzyzewski in wins, consistently compete in the game’s upper echelon. Applying an iconic zone and plenty of talent, this year should be no exception. Still, it’s doubtful the Orange will recoup the prowess of 2014, when they started with 25 straight victories. Notre Dame, an NCAA habitué, fell flat in its ACC debut, posting the worst record of coach Mike Brey’s tenure. Thanks to the return of senior leader Jerian Grant, out last year due to academic shortcomings, the Fighting Irish look to be resurgent in Brey’s 15th season. Jim Larranaga’s Miami club has nine newcomers, and figures to be one of the ACC’s surprise teams. Pitt is perpetually discounted, yet perpetually powerful. In Tallahassee, where football so thoroughly rules the roost even the police seem cowed, Leonard Hamilton has regrouped behind junior guard Aaron Thomas and a trio of 7-footers. N.C. State has a chance to join the NCAA mix for a fourth straight season. Sounds impressive enough. But then, raves for the new ACC should have taught us that sounding impressive and being impressive are two different things.

QUINN COOK Team co-captain and lone scholarship senior on the roster Ranks first at Duke with 2.62-to-1 assists-toturnovers ratio Has started 60 of his 104 career games Early this season became Duke's 64th 1,000-point scorer

All-ACC third team selection in 2013 Battle 4 Atlantis tournament MVP in 2013 High school star at Oak Hill Academy (1 season) and DeMatha (3 seasons) Career game: 27 points vs. Clemson, 2013; 14 assists vs. Wake Forest, 2013

6-2 â&#x20AC;˘ Sr Washington, DC

2013-14

11.6 PTS 4.4 ASST

SEAN KELLY Joined the team as a walkon in July 2014 Served as a team manager his first three years at Duke High school baseball player at Ravenscroft Brother of former Blue Devil Ryan Kelly of the Los Angeles Lakers

6-3 â&#x20AC;˘ Sr Raleigh, NC

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AMILE JEFFERSON

Team co-captain and returning starter from 2014 Member of the All-ACC Academic team his first two years Known as effective communicator on the defensive end of the floor Finished second on Duke team and fourth in the ACC in offensive rebounds last year Led Duke in rebounding 11 times, with 8 double-figure board games Gatorade state player of the year for Pennsylvania as junior and senior in high school Career game: 17 points vs. Kansas, 2014; 15 rebounds vs. Virginia, 2014

6-9 â&#x20AC;˘ Jr Philadelphia, PA

2013-14

6.5 PTS 6.9 REB

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MARSHALL PLUMLEE Came off the bench in 30 games last year after dealing with foot injuries his first two seasons Blocked 17 shots and was third on team in offensive rebounds despite limited minutes Provided critical spark in first half of Syracuse home game with 4 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks High-energy player who has transformed his body by adding 40 pounds Younger brother of former Blue Devils Miles and Mason, both now in the NBA Gatorade state player of the year for North Carolina as a high school senior Career game: 7 points, 7 rebounds vs. Florida State, 2014

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Strong, quick perimeter player who can finish drives and knock down 3-pointers Has started 50 of his 70 games his first two seasons Hit buzzer 3-pointer to send Syracuse game into overtime Hit corner 3-pointer in closing seconds to secure win over Virginia Member of the All-ACC Freshman team in 2013 Won the Powerade Jam Fest 3-point shootout at the McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AllAmerican Game as a prep senior Career game: 27 points vs. Boston College, 2013

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Played in 32 games as a freshman and earned four consecutive starts in January ACC games His 3-point shooting, defense and rebounding helped Duke defeat Alabama in Madison Square Garden Spent offseason working on his ballhandling and shooting to complement his defensive prowess His sister Jordan plays for Texas A&M; the pair became the third brother-sister combination to earn McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AllAmerican recognition Career game: 13 points vs. Alabama, 2014

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SEMI OJELEYE Exceptional athlete who has won teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Iron Devil Belt from his strength and conditioning test results both last year and this year Came off the bench in 17 games as a freshman, with Duke winning all 17 Poised to earn more playing time after his offseason development Led his high school team to four state championship game appearances and set the Kansas career scoring record with 2,763 points Named Parade Magazine national player of the year Career game: 10 points, 5 rebounds vs. UNC Asheville, 2014

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SEAN OBI Transfer from Rice who is sitting out this season and will retain three years of eligibility Fifth transfer to Duke in Coach K’s 35 years (Roshown McLeod, Dahntay Jones, Seth Curry, Rodney Hood) Led Rice in scoring and rebounding while starting every game except Senior Day Member of Conference USA All-Freshman team Born in Nigeria, moved to United States prior to his sophomore year of high school Career game (at Rice): 25 points, 19 rebounds vs. South Alabama

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NICK PAGLIUCA Walkon guard who is a valuable contributor in practice sessions Played in 3 games for 5 minutes last year, scoring a point against Elon while grabbing a rebound vs. Boston College and N.C. State Averaged 20.3 points per game as a senior at Milton Academy, helping team to a 20-5 record Father Steve (Duke ’77) is co-owner of the Boston Celtics, while brother Joe (Duke ’07) is a former Blue Devil walkon

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GRAYSON ALLEN

Led his high school team to one state title, two state semifinal berths and a 90-10 record Won three high school dunk contests, including the Powerade Jam Fest at the McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AllAmerican Game and the Beach Ball Classic Played in the Jordan Brand Classic Athleticism and shooting stroke should be assets this season

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Gatorade three-time state player of the year for Minnesota Won the Powerade Jam Fest skills competition at the McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AllAmerican Game Led his school to a 120-27 record, with a state title in 2013 Won three gold medals with USA Basketball, including the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship, where he played with Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow and Jabari Parker Rated the No. 5 player in the 2014 class by the Recruiting Services Consensus Index

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JAHLIL OKAFOR

Preseason National Player of the Year (AP) Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year Received the Morgan Wootten Award as national high school player of the year at the McDonald’s All-American week Also named national player of the year by Parade Magazine and USA Today Named MVP of the 2014 McDonald’s All-American Game Chosen Mr. Basketball of Illinois as a prep senior Won three gold medals with USA Basketball, including the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship, where he was MVP, and the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship Rated the No. 1 player in the 2014 class by the Recruiting Services Consensus Index

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JUSTISE WINSLOW Gatorade two-time state player of the year for Texas Averaged a doubledouble for his 125-game prep career, with 23.9 points and 12.8 rebounds Won gold medals with USA Basketball the past three summers, including the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship, where he played with Jahlil Okafor and Rasheed Sulaimon Two siblings are also college athletes, brother Josh in football at Dartmouth and sister Bianca in basketball at Houston Rated the No. 12 player in the 2014 class by the Recruiting Services Consensus Index

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Rebecca Greenwell finally able to show her skills after a year of rehabbing a high school knee injury By Leslie Gaber

Rebecca Greenwell’s performance in the Blue Devils’ Nov. 16 season opener at Alabama was a long time in the making. After sitting out the entire 2013-14 campaign rehabbing a knee injury sustained in high school, the 6-foot-1 guard from Owensboro, Ky., finally got her chance to contribute on the court, and she did just that. Joining true rookie Sierra Calhoun as the first freshman duo to appear in a season-opening starting lineup during head coach Joanne P. McCallie’s tenure, Greenwell impressed from the opening tip. She totaled 17 points and 10 rebounds against the Crimson Tide to earn her first double-double. The season opener was made even sweeter by the presence of numerous family members and friends, who traveled to Tuscaloosa to cheer on Greenwell in her first official game. “They might be even more excited than I am, especially my mom,” Greenwell says. “My little sisters are definitely my No. 1 fans. They came out to the Alabama game and they also watch all my games online at home. They all get together in the living room and cheer me on. They’re definitely my No. 1 support group.” The year leading up to last month’s opener required a lot of hard work and patience on Greenwell’s part, however. She spent a significant amount of time in the training room rehabbing her injury and slowly working her way back to running and shooting. Greenwell was able to start participating in workouts last spring, but still had to watch from the sidelines on game days. When Duke’s guard group was bitten by the injury bug down the stretch, many wondered what could have been were Greenwell healthy enough to step in. Greenwell saw her redshirt year as an opportunity to learn from her teammates, particularly 2014 graduate Tricia Liston, the pro-

PHOTOS BY JON GARDINER

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gram’s all-time leader in career three-point field goals made and a firstround selection in the WNBA draft. “I really tried to watch Tricia last year,” Greenwell says. “With her graduating, I had some big shoes to fill. I’m not specifically taking her spot or anything but I’ve tried to mirror my game off of hers a little bit. I think that’s showed some.” “She definitely had to watch and learn, learn more about technique and learn more about balance and patience and play-making,” McCallie says of her young shooting guard. “I think she’s just absorbed things like a sponge, really tried to see what people could do out there, and now it’s her turn. It’s her turn to grow her game every day and to take on everything. She’s got a big appetite for that, and that serves her very well as a player.” Fans got their first glimpse of Greenwell’s potential at the program’s annual Blue-White scrimmage in late October, where the redshirt freshman buried six three-pointers and led all scorers with 18 points. She continued her dazzling display of long-range shooting during Duke’s two exhibition contests, all the while cherishing her first few chances to play in Cameron Indoor Stadium. “Being out there and getting my name introduced in Cameron, it’s an awesome feeling,” she says. “Cameron is an awesome gym with a lot of rich tradition. It’s an honor to play here.” Greenwell went on a scoring tear during her first month of play, reaching double figures in each of Duke’s first six contests. She topped the 20-point mark twice in November and has found herself in elite company on the Blue Devils’ all-time freshman single season charts. In particular, her 92 points through the first six games ranked as the fourth most by a Duke rookie, putting her behind the likes of only Chris Moreland, Alana Beard and Katie Meier. Though pleased with what she’s been able to accomplish so far in her young career, Greenwell attributes her success to the play of her teammates. She cites the Blue Devils’ balanced scoring attack as a critical component to the team’s fast start. “We’re such a versatile group,” she says. “That makes us a big threat to other teams because any game we could have a different high scorer — you never know who’s going to step up because we’re all so talented and versatile. That’s definitely going to give us an edge against other teams with our length and our size and skills.” While joining senior Ka’lia Johnson, transfer Mercedes Riggs and freshmen Sierra Calhoun and Azurá Stevens to form a dynamic guard group, Greenwell has also been one of the team’s leaders on the boards. She posted double-digit rebounding in three of Duke’s first six games, a trend she hopes to continue moving forward. McCallie agrees, noting the all-around skills required to elevate a player from good to special. “Becca is unique in her own right,” McCallie said. “She’s been through so much in high school and so much last year with not being able to play. But she has stayed the course, been very focused, has an incredible work ethic and is one of the most competitive people I know. She wants to play, she wants to compete and she’s not afraid of anything. She’s willing to try anything to be better.” Greenwell remains focused on continuing her development as the Blue Devils deal with a tough stretch of games in December and January. As a Kentucky native, the Dec. 21 home contest against the Wildcats was circled on her calendar, and she looked forward to having friends and family in attendance at Cameron that day. Through it all, though, Greenwell says she is grateful for the opportunity to return to the court and to have the support of all those around her as she embarks on the beginning of what looks to be a special career. “The anticipation building up to finally being able to play at the college level has been great,” she says. “Just to be out there finally is an awesome feeling. Our team overall has gotten off to a great start. Individually, my confidence level is rising and that’s helping me to play the way I have been playing. I couldn’t do it without the help of my teammates. They’re constantly looking for me, and we play really well together so I think that’s helped us all out.”

“Becca is unique in her own right. She’s been through so much in high school and so much last year with not being able to play. But she has stayed the course, been very focused, has an incredible work ethic and is one of the most competitive people I know.” Joanne P. McCallie 67

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THE LONG WAY BACK For

AMBER HENSON By Bradley Amersbach Injuries are an unfortunate part of sports. The strain and demands of high-level competition can break down an athlete’s body. Duke senior forward Amber Henson is all too familiar with this reality of collegiate athletics. Standing 6-foot-4, Henson is accustomed to the aches and pains that come along with being a taller individual, so when she started to experience knee discomfort late in her high school career, she chalked it up to her stature. When the pain in her right knee persisted, however, Henson knew it was more than just the tendinitis she typically played through. Having already committed to Duke, Henson decided to reach out to the team’s medical staff for an expert’s opinion. The results of the examination suggested a scope of the knee could alleviate Henson’s pain, but not long after the procedure, the aching returned. After Henson’s high school career ended and she arrived on Duke’s campus, the knee pain continued to persist and additional tests followed. The results of the tests suggested a more complex procedure was needed to rectify the issues that Henson was experiencing, which required the cartilage under her kneecap to be replaced. “It was a pretty intense procedure,” Henson recalled. “They told me it was going to be six to nine months for recovery. It ended up being over a year. I kept having other procedures after that. It was a pretty frustrating road, but we have a great medical staff (at Duke). They gave me hope. They let me keep the faith that I would be able to play again.” In all, Henson went through six separate surgeries to correct her knee ailment, playing in just eight games during her freshman season and missing her entire sophomore season. Henson’s time on the sideline in her first two years at Duke left her feeling frustrated and unsure of her future in the sport. “There were times I was smiling on my face, but in the back of my mind, I thought, ‘I might never play basketball again,’” Henson reflected. “That can mess with you, when your whole life you’ve worked to

play here and do this.” To get through the difficult time, Henson surrounded herself with a support group that could help her cope with the frustration and anger that accompanied her multiple surgeries. “I had great teammates,” Henson said. “I can’t say enough about how my senior class helped me through it. If it wasn’t for them pushing me, laughing with me and motivating me, I don’t think I would still be playing basketball. I owe a lot to them.” Though Henson credits her teammates for helping her through a challenging time in her career, she also recognizes the commitment of Duke’s coaching staff. Rather than isolate Henson because she was unable to contribute to the team on the court, the coaching staff maintained its support for her and emphasized their excitement in having Henson return to full strength. “It’s all about the team first, obviously,” Henson said. “There are 12 other girls out here who want to play really bad. My injury is obviously not their first concern, but at the same time, Coach (Al) Brown and Coach (Joanne P. McCallie) were always saying how excited they were to have me back.” Rather than give up on the injury-plagued forward, the Duke coaching staff was confident she would rebound from the adversity she faced and become a contributing member of Duke’s team. “Her teammates are special,” McCallie said. “We have a great team, with real character people and people that understand and want so much for Amber. The same is true for the staff. We’ve all felt the pain of what she’s gone through. I’ve never known anybody to have six surgeries before, in any part of life. Our heart goes out to her.” Although the support of both her teammates and coaches helped the mental side of the rehabilitation process, there were times that Henson needed other outlets that filled the void left by not playing basketball. Fortunately for Henson, she didn’t need to look far to find other interests.

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“Coming to a school like Duke, there are so many other things you can do to fill the time, to make yourself a well-rounded person,” Henson said. “I think that’s something I struggled with at first, but as I realized I couldn’t spend as much time on basketball as I wanted to, I reached out to other areas of campus, and that made me well rounded. It’s also about the team. If the team is doing well, you find something you can add. The seasons I wasn’t playing, I was a voice in the locker room and kept the spirits light.” After two years of rehabilitation, Henson finally found herself back on the court, taking the floor for 27 of Duke’s 35 games during the 2013-14 season, including five starts. Being away from the game for so long, the year of competition allowed Henson to acclimate herself to the speed of the college game. “Last year was a ‘learn how to play basketball again’ type of year for me, because I hadn’t played for two years,” she said. “It was a huge adjustment last year, even just being back on the court. I think last year, confidence in my body was a big issue. There were some things that I knew I was supposed to do, but I was iffy. Mentally, even still, there are some things that I know I’m supposed to do, and I know I have to do it, but my legs just don’t go. It’s still shaky, but it’s gotten so much better. It’s a great feeling and I’m thankful for my coaches in fostering that in me.” This season, Henson has made an immediate impact for the Blue Devils, contributing on both ends of the floor in the early stages of the 2014-15 campaign. With Henson’s performances this season providing just a glimpse of what she can accomplish on the hardwood when healthy, McCallie is excited to think about how her game can contribute to the team. “Amber has game,” McCallie said. “She has confidence in her game. She is a beautiful shooter from high post, short corners and three-point shots. She has wonderful post moves around the basket. Every now and again, when she gets that attitude, her competitive fire is most impressive. It’s something that is very valuable to our team. It catches on to others, because she loves to compete and go after things. I think that’s a very special trait that she has.” With the Blue Devils heading into the heart of their season, both McCallie and Duke fans can look forward to watching the contagious nature of Henson’s competitive spirit as her own confidence continues to grow.

PHOTOS BY JON GARDINER

BLUE DEVILS

here are 18 former Duke basketball players dotting the rosters of NBA teams this season, matching Kentucky for the most players from any university. The group is led by the elder statesman Elton Brand, who is in his 16th year in the league. Brand started out in 1999 as the No. 1 draft pick by the Chicago Bulls and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year his first season. Brand has gone on to play over 1,000 games for the Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks. The two-time NBA All-Star is currently a member of the Atlanta Hawks. At the other end of the spectrum the Blue Devils have three rookies on NBA opening day rosters: Jabari Parker with the Milwaukee Bucks, Rodney Hood with the Utah Jazz and Andre Dawkins at the Miami Heat. Two teams in the NBA have multiple Blue Devils on their rosters with the Miami Heat having three – Dawkins, Josh McRoberts and Luol Deng. The Los Angeles

Lakers have Carlos Boozer, now in is 13th season, and Ryan Kelly. Another former No. 1 pick, Kyrie Irving, is in his fourth season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and may be under the most scrutiny as he is joined by LeBron James. Irving was the NBA Rookie of the PLAYER Elton Brand Mike Dunleavy Carlos Boozer Luol Deng Shavlik Randolph J.J. Redick Josh McRoberts Gerald Henderson Lance Thomas Kyrie Irving Kyle Singler Austin Rivers Miles Plumlee Mason Plumlee Ryan Kelly Jabari Parker Rodney Hood Andre Dawkins

IN THE

NBA

Year in 2012 and MVP of the 2014 NBA All-Star Game. In the coaching ranks, former Blue Devil coach and player Quin Snyder is now the head coach of the Utah Jazz and is joined on the bench by assistant coach Tony Lang. Here are the NBA coaches and administrators who played at Duke: Quin Snyder Utah Jazz – Head Coach Antonio Lang Utah Jazz – Assistant Coach Chip Engelland San Antonio Spurs – Assistant Coach Danny Ferry Atlanta Hawks – General Manager Billy King Brooklyn Nets – General Manager

TEAM LAST YEAR AT DUKE Atlanta Hawks 1999 Chicago Bulls 2002 Los Angeles Lakers 2002 Miami Heat 2004 Phoenix Suns 2005 Los Angeles Clippers 2006 Miami Heat 2007 Charlotte Hornets 2009 Oklahoma City Thunder 2010 Cleveland Cavaliers 2011 Detroit Pistons 2011 New Orleans Pelicans 2012 Phoenix Suns 2012 Brooklyn Nets 2013 Los Angeles Lakers 2013 Milwaukee Bucks 2014 Utah Jazz 2014 Miami Heat 2014

* NBA regular season games played entering 2014-15 season

NBA GAMES* 1005 839 790 677 125 459 350 311 106 181 164 130 94 70 59 – – – 73

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OFFICE (336) 664-0003 FAX (336) 664-0908 MOBILE (336) 362-4772

Go Devils! for all your emergency supply and training needs

Southeastern EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT Since 1978

KING BROTHERS

800-334-6656 WWW.SEEQUIP.COM Wake Forest, NC

Tel. (919) 682-3489 Fax (919) 688-1292

ELECTRIC CO. INC.

Commercial and Residential

1701 Camden Avenue Durham, NC 27704

KBECO

CDI

Capital Drywall, Inc. Ed Guarnieri 4908 Alpinis Dr., Suite 106 Raleigh, NC 27616 ed@capital-drywall.com

President

(919) 790-8009 FAX (919) 790-0085 Cellular (919) 427-6964

B.B. LEE ELECTRIC CO. 8014 Bill Poole Road • Rougemont, NC 27572 Phone: 919-732-5095 • Cell Phone: 919-632-0918

BILL BAPTIST/NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES

Duke’s One-And-Dones Corey Maggette (retired) Year at Duke: 1999 (Final Four) Drafted: #13 pick Career: 14 years, 6 teams, 827 games, scoring average of 16 ppg Luol Deng Year at Duke: 2004 (Final Four) Drafted: #7 pick Career: Now in 11th season, averaging 14 ppg for Miami Heat, career average of 16 ppg Kyrie Irving Year at Duke: 2011 Drafted: #1 pick Career: Now in 4th season, all with Cleveland, averaging 20.7 for his career, 2-time All-Star Austin Rivers Year at Duke: 2012 Drafted: #10 pick Career: Now in 3rd year, all with New Orleans, averaging 6.9 ppg for his career Jabari Parker (below) Year at Duke: 2014 Drafted: #2 pick Career: Now in 1st year with Milwaukee, averaging 12.5 ppg and 5.7 rebounds BENNY SIEU/USA TODAY SPORTS

Ninth-year NBA guard J.J. Redick from Duke is enjoying one of his best pro seasons to date as a starter and key performer for the Los Angeles Clippers. Through the first 20 games, the Clippers owned a 15-5 record and Redick was averaging 14.1 points per game. In games in which he reached or topped the 14-point mark, his team was 10-1. Redick, Duke’s all-time scoring leader whose jersey No. 4 is retired, had the NBA’s second longest active streak of consecutive games hitting at least one three-pointer entering December. And he had back-to-back contests of 20 or more points as the Clippers reeled off eight straight victories. But his best game of the young season came on a special night for him in early November when his wife brought their infant son Knox to the Staples Center to see him play for the first time. Redick canned 11 of his 13 shots and finished with a season-best 30 points in a victory over Portland.

1301

975 Pinebrook Knolls Drive Winston-Salem, NC 27105

2435 Semora Rd. Roxboro, NC 27574

Suite 100 27703

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS 1968-2013

P.O. Box 641 Roxboro, NC 27573

MMY LAWRENCE TO

TECH ELECTRIC CORPORATION Commercial • Industrial • Institutional

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS, INC. SITE & SPORTS LIGHTING - RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL TOMMY LAWRENCE, PRESIDENT Email: tleci@esinc.net

Phone: (336) 599-4771 Fax: (336) 599-7114

• MVE/CHART & TAYLOR WHARTON • COMPRESSED GASES REGULATORS & ACCESSORIES SCIENTIFIC REFRIGERATORS/FREEZERS • A COMPLETE RANGE OF COMPRESSED • SAFETY PRODUCTS GASES: MEDICAL, SPECIALTY, BULK

For more information call : C: (919) 812-4777 or O: (919) 544-3772 ext. 306 Contact John Potter at john.potter@airgas.com

FREE ESTIMATE FOR TERMITE COVERAGE & CONSULT FOR MOISTURE CONTROL

Clegg’s Termite & Pest Control, LLC. has been in business for over 40 years catering to the residential and business communities for the entire state of NC.

We have taken exterminating to the NEXT LEVEL

Termite & Pest Control Storm Damage Repairs Moisture Control Measures Insulation Provider Commercial & Residential Fumigations Wildlife Exclusion, Mosquito Control, Bed Bug Services, K9 Inspection Dogs

2401 Reichard St, Durham , NC 27705 76

We have 2 K-9 dogs Rambo is working the East and Smoke works the western portion of NC

We are able to do Heat Treatments for Bed Bugs. Also offer chemical alternative

TOLL FREE

1-800-763-0378

1002 Morrisville Parkway P.O. Box 780, Morrisville, NC 27560 p (919) 783-6600 • f (919) 783-6955 www.t-electric.com Full Service Electrical & Data Contractor Serving The Triangle Area Since 1983 HISTORIC MASONRY RESTORATION SPECIAL COATINGS GROUT INJECTION SEALANTS

CONCRETE REPAIR WATER PROOFING EPOXY FLOORING SINGLE PLY ROOFING

CONSTRUCTION, INC. Dave Wilkerson Vice President dave@protechconstruction.net www.protechconstruction.net

7429 ACC Blvd. Suite 109 Raleigh, NC 27617 office 919 848-9035 mobile 919 427-0609

Best Wishes From O’Doyle Brothers Demolition Services

Compliance

Quiz

The Duke Compliance Office is responsible for education and enforcement of NCAA rules. NCAA rules are vast and complex, and we hope you read the information below as an introduction to a few of the issues that could arise as you root for the Blue Devils. If you have any questions about NCAA rules, please contact the Compliance Office at 919-613-6214. We truly appreciate your continued support of Duke University and Duke Athletics. Always remember to ask before you act. Question: Which of the following is PERMISSIBLE for Betty Booster to do? (A) Attend her co-worker’s son’s high school athletics contest. (B) Send letters to prospects in her hometown and tell them how amazing Duke and the coaching staff are. (C) Bring her new neighbor’s high school-aged daughter to an Iron Duke’s event, because she knows the volleyball coaches will be in attendance. (D) Anonymously pick up the tab for a prospect’s meal after seeing him the day after he committed to Duke. Answer: A. It is permissible for boosters to attend a prospect’s athletics contests on their own initiative, but they may not have any recruiting contact with, or provide any benefits to, a prospect.

INSIDE BASKETBALL With DUKE’S COACH K

Duke Compliance 919-613-6214

Sundays at 12 noon on ABC-11 WTVD Wednesdays at 10:00 pm on MASN Saturdays at 9:30 am on FOX Sports South Weekly at GoDuke.com

2014 FOOTBALL BANQUET C E L E B R AT I N G

T H E

2 0 1 4

S E N I O R S

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015 6:30PM Washington Duke Inn, Presidents Ballroom Tickets are available on www.goduke.com/tickets Banquet space is limited. Priority will be given to past banquet attendees. Remaining seats will be ﬁlled based on Iron Dukes priority and availability. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, January 14 or until the event is sold out.

For the most devoted contributors to Duke Athletics, the Iron Dukes recognizes those Blue Devil fans contributing to the Iron Dukes Annual Fund at our premier levels. A commitment to the Iron Dukes Champions Club or Cameron-Wade Society paves the way for our student-athletes to become champions on the field and in the classroom. CHAMPIONS CLUB ($100,000) FULL SCHOLARSHIP ($63,654) for one student-athlete TUITION ($45,800) for one student-athlete

While times and technology may change, Duke Athletics’ mission endures — to provide the best athletic and academic experience for our student-athletes. Thank you to all of our 2014–15 Champions Club and Cameron-Wade members. CHAMPIONS CLUB Mr. & Mrs. Jack O. Bovender Jr.

Mr. Robert K. Steel

Mr. J. Michael Goodson

SCHOLARSHIP Mr. & Mrs. William W. Baxter

Mr. & Mrs. James Goetzz

Mr. & Mrs. Doug Bernstein

Mr. & Mrs. Douglas J. Kahn

Dr. & Mrs. H. Keith Brodie

Mr. & Mrs. N. Shepard Moyle

Mr. Louis DeJoy &

Mr. & Mrs. James Schiff

The Honorable Aldona Wos Mr. & Mrs. John A. Forlines III

Dr. Blair Sheppard & Dr. Martha Putallaz Mr. Donald J. Thimsen & Dr. Ann Pflugrath

TUITION Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Brandaleone

Mr. Matthew Hulsizer and Ms. Jennifer Just

Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Eads III

Mr. & Mrs. William Laverack Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. T. Ritson Ferguson III

Mr. Aubrey K. McClendon

Mr. Steven S. Foster

Morton Family Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Staley M. Gentry

Mrs. Susan Sabiston

Mr. Leonard S. Graham Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. A. Morris Williams Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Gregg S. Hymowitz

Valeant Pharmaceuticals