From the cover of Sports Illustrated to the mouth of ESPN's Dick Vitale, the hype about the 1997-98 edition of the Duke Blue Devils is running rampant.
Everyone seems to think this year's team has the talent not only to go to the Final Four, but bring home the title. The only problem is that a whole season must be played and a host of issues must be resolved before the Blue Devils can focus on cutting down the nets in San Antonio this March.
Last year, coach Mike Krzyzewski guided Duke to a 12-4 Atlantic Coast Conference record and the regular-season ACC title. Using an undersized lineup and some unorthodox coaching strategies, Krzyzewski won with an overachieving team only to have the illusion shattered by Providence in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Friars did in that game what bigger teams should have done to the Blue Devils all season-exploit their lack of height and pound them on the boards.
But it appears, the weakness is now a thing of the past with the addition of Duke's prized recruiting class. Elton Brand, as was expected, has proven his worth as a physical presence under the boards, but he has also demonstrated a refined and fluid offensive game that has surprised most.
"In some ways he's a man playing with boys," said sophomore Nate James about the one Blue Devils who may be stronger than James himself.
Chris Burgess received an early tag of "overrated" from some analysts upon showing up for the first time on the Cameron floor, but he has since shown that his quickness, agility and soft hands, combined with his 6-foot-10 frame, can make him an immediate impact player.
Shane Battier has proven thus far to be more of a swing player, leaving the post position frequently to handle the ball on the perimeter, but he has still managed to leave his mark as one of the Blue Devils' top rebounders.
"He's one of those Grant Hill type of guys, a coach's dream," James said. "He's one of those people you might see on a Wheaties box someday."
With the gaps in the middle filled by the new faces, the real strength of this team comes from a veteran core that now has the luxury of
As the 1996-97 season wore on, Duke wore down. Point guard Steve Wojciechowski, the team's emotional leader, was a virtual ironman for the Blue Devils, averaging more than 31 minutes per game and even more down the stretch. The wear and tear showed, however, as the ferocious defensive intensity that had sparked Duke during its seven-game ACC winning streak faded with each game.
Problem solved: William Avery provides relief for Wojciechowski, last year's ACC leader in steals and the conference's third-rated assist man. Avery also provides a stark contrast to the more traditional Wojciechowski, as the freshman prefers to drive and dish off.
Junior shooting guard Trajan Langdon, a first-team All-ACC pick last season, will also feel the trickle-down effect of Duke's depth. Langdon finished off the year second in the ACC in three-point percentage (.441 on 86-of-195) but saw his numbers plummet during the last six games, in which he dipped to shooting 26 percent from beyond the arc.
Langdon's slide was largely attributable to fatigue as well, not only from shouldering a large part of Duke's offensive load but also from repeatedly being called upon to guard the opposing team's top offensive player.
Now that same defensive role can be filled by a whole host of Blue Devils. Last year, sophomores Chris Carrawell, Mike Chappell and Nate James earned their minutes largely by playing bigger than their 6-foot-6 (6-foot-8 for Chappell) frames and fighting battles under the boards. This year they will be free for deployment anywhere on the floor that Krzyzewski needs them.
In some lineups, Chappell even becomes the point guard on the floor. But the primary strength off all three players, however, is each one's ability to play the kind of intense, end-to-end defense that the Blue Devils plan to employ all year and use as a spark for their offense.
"We're going to try to do some things that we haven't done here before defensively to make it a more up-tempo game," Krzyzewski said. "There will be a little bit of experimenting on our part early on. Some of the things we try may not work, with lineups and subbing and things like that. Hopefully by the time we get into the ACC in January we ll have our system rolling."
It's a system that not only makes the Blue Devils more formidable, but more exciting as well.
"I think it's just an enjoyable style to play and it's enjoyable to watch," Wojciechowski said. "I think with the athletes and basketball players we have, that's the game that's going to most suit us. We really look forward to playing it."
The one player who could benefit the most from Duke's increased depth is senior Roshown McLeod. Last year, McLeod was forced to serve as the Blue Devils' man in the middle. Once Greg Newton was permanently introduced to the end of the bench in February, McLeod became Duke's primary rebounder and post option.
The only problem: McLeod loves to play the wing. He buried 27 threes in 1996-97 and is a true triple-threat from the perimeter. The Blue Devils' starting lineup of Wojciechowski, Langdon, Brand, Battier and McLeod leaves the flexible forward free to roam the court and utilize the full range of his skills.
The odd man out could be junior Taymon Domzalski, but the 6-foot-10 center showed tremendous improvement in the offseason and might emerge as Duke's only true post threat beyond Brand if he gets the minutes he needs to improve his game.
With all the pieces in place and the entire season laid out in front of him, Krzyzewski has the palette on which to paint his masterpiece. The new dean of ACC coaches has been reinvigorated by his team, and he is armed with the experience necessary to guide this team, as he did his previous seven Final Four teams, to peak when it counts the most.
Still, the challenge is daunting considering that the one thing missing from this Blue Devil squad is the experience of a great NCAA Tournament run. Duke's last link to the Final Four graduated with the Class of 1997, so the 1998 version of the Blue Devils can't follow a pre-paved road to destiny-they're going to have to blaze their own. Somehow, it appears to be this team is up to the task.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.