1. Jordan Goldwire wins ACC DPOY. Goldwire has been an elite defender for the entirety of his Duke career. He has also shown improvements on this side of the ball (as well as on offense) each year he’s been at Duke and there is no doubt he will take another step forward this season. In his Senior season, he will have more playing time than ever and build a case for Defense Player of the Year that cannot be ignored.
2. Mark Williams finishes with the 2nd highest bpg average of any Duke player in the last decade. I have him projected for 1.9 bpg, slightly below Wendell Carter’s mark of 2.1 bpg which is the highest of any Duke player in the last decade. He is arguably the best shot blocker Duke has had in the last decade and with enough playing time could surpass Carter’s 2.1 average. When he is not blocking shots, he will consistently be changing shots at the rim. He will be an elite rim protector.
3. D.J Steward will have at least five games of 20 or more points. Nobody on the team has the natural ability to score like Steward. He scores effortlessly and can get hot in a hurry. There will be games where he is the leading scorer and a 30 point game is a possibility for him. Five games of 2o more would be very impressive for a Freshman but Steward is the type of scorer than can make that happen.
4. Henry Coleman spends time playing center. For the most part, expectations are that Mark Williams, Matthew Hurt, and Patrick Tape will play the center position for Duke this season. However, Coleman’s skill set makes him impossible to ignore as a small ball center option. Coleman at the five allows Duke to tap into a very fast and athletic lineup. His physical style of play and ability to master leverage and position his body to grab rebounds and defend larger players makes up for the lack of height. He presents an intriguing option for Duke at the center position.
5. Jaeym Brakefield makes a bigger impact than expected. While a highly touted prospect in his own right, Brakefield for the most part is not expected to have as much of an immediate impact as some of the other Freshmen in Duke’s class. Brakefield should not be flying under the radar. He will offer Duke an explosive, athletic option off the bench that nobody else off the bench can replicate. He has a unique skillset and will be able to carve out a role immediately.
6. Jalen Johnson will be an All-American. The question is whether or not he can earn a spot on the 1st Team. He is one of the most talented players in the country and gives great reason to believe he will be one of the best players in college basketball next season. He is going to stuff the stat sheet and between the stats and his obvious impact on the game he will be an easy choice for an All-American team.
7. Duke has three players that will land on one of the All-ACC teams. 1st team for Johnson, 2nd team for Hurt, and 3rd team for Moore. Hurt and Moore are both highly touted recruits returning for Sophomore seasons. Both have the opportunity to take the leap into stardom. This trio will lead Duke this season.