It seemed that every time the men's basketball team played on ESPN last year, Ricky Price would unleash at least one impressive move. As he ran back up court, Dick Vitale would exclaim, "I don't understand why Ricky Price isn't one of the special players in America!"
And for good reason.
Price spent the first three years of his college career struggling to turn an abundance of raw talent into the finished product many expected. But for the senior, his troubles since last season haven't occurred on the court, or anywhere near it.
When the athletic department announced early this summer that Price had been suspended from the University, suddenly it wasn't only basketball that Price knew he had to improve. His image and integrity suffered a blow after the University suspended him for two semesters for academic reasons.
Price found himself at a crossroads.
He realized that he was running short on time to prove his basketball ability, and that his character had been thrown into question as well.
"I know that there are some things that I did wrong, as a freshman, sophomore and junior," Price said. "I took the wrong steps as far as academics are concerned and even on the basketball court."
Since then, Price has worked to rehabilitate his game and, more importantly, his image. While anticipating his return to basketball on Dec. 21, Price played with his teammates until practice officially began Oct. 15.
"I've just been going through a lot of what I call rehabilitation," Price said. "I'm getting myself geared mentally to get back in school, physically as far as rejoining the team."
Yet there's reason not to blindly accept assertions that Price has finally turned the corner.
Early in his freshman season, Price showed he could say the right things. "If my role is passing out Gatorade, then that's what I'll do for Duke," he said.
In the years since, his actions have sometimes contradicted that statement. He now feels times have changed, though, claiming he's not an attention-getter and only hopes to contribute to the team.
Over the past few months, Price's focus has shifted off the court and away from his own life. He embraced two projects within the Durham community this fall, one at Hillside High School, the other at Lakewood Elementary. At Hillside, Price teams up with public policy professor Dr. Leonard Beckum in a Distinguished Leaders program that aims to teach teenagers about peer pressure and drugs, while emphasizing graduation rates and academic success.
On Thursdays, Price spends seven hours at Lakewood, working with younger children as a tutor and mentor. The Hillside project is strictly voluntary, while his once-a-week job at Lakewood involves minimum-wage-type pay.
"Just by giving back to the community, I can see some things," Price said. "There are a lot of people who look up to me; they want to be where I am right now. As I go to the schools and see them, I realize I really am in a good position.
"I try to teach the kids to take the right steps, because now I've done that. I've changed a lot in the off-season. When I come back to the school in January, and the team in December, you'll see a different player and a different person."
Indeed, assuming the admissions office readmits Price for the spring, he'll have the opportunity to show how much he's changed on and off the court. When the suspension was first announced last June, the immediate question was whether or not Price would ponder redshirting and returning for a full season in the fall of 1998.
Price never considered that option-he knew he'd be ready to suit up in December.
"There [was] no doubt in my mind," Price said. "It's not in my hands now. Everything that I was supposed to do, I've done. When they give me the word and I'm admitted back in the school, it's just a matter of time. Come December 21st, I'm in uniform. And then I'm looking to earn my starting position back and leading this team to a winning situation."
But when Price returns, a starting position won't be handed to him on a silver platter. With small forwards such as Shane Battier and Chris Carrawell battling for time, Price will have to demonstrate improvement after a streaky junior season.
"Last year I had some flashes but I wasn't consistent, and I wasn't playing the way I can play," Price said. "And I knew that. I've been watching a lot of tapes of myself from the last few years. I've spent a lot of time on the phone with my mom and dad, and they've been really getting me geared. There are certain people like the coaches and people outside the Durham community who have really helped me mature as a person.
"I think this year is going to be one of my biggest years playing basketball, at any level, because I feel like I have improved so much this summer and in the fall. And I don't want to talk about it too much because I'd rather just show you than tell you. I want you to see it when we're out here playing against top-notch ACC competition and top-notch players."
Price feels that he's still young enough and has plenty of time to prove that he can play at the next level, whether that means in Europe or the "pros". To Price, the key is finally putting all of his talent together and being consistent on the court.
Duke is willing to give him that chance.
"We're committed to Ricky," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "If he wants to play, he should still be able to play. A lot of his training now he has to do on his own."
Many of Price's teammates have noticed the change in the California native's demeanor and mentality.
"I don't see Ricky as much as I'd like, and I know it's probably hard for him," said junior Trajan Langdon, Price's roommate last year, "but he's grown up a lot because of all this. It's only going to make him a better person."
But as Duke prepares for its home opener tonight against Davidson, Price will be on the sidelines. How long it takes him to work into the rotation won't be determined until after Price starts playing again.
Waiting is nothing new anymore, though, and Price feels time has flown by. Now, it's just a matter of holding on a little longer until he gets one more chance to prove he's the kind of player he and others think he can be.
"The team, I think that they need me because there's something missing out there," Price said. "Not that anyone's not doing their job, because they all are, but I know I can contribute.
"It's hard, they're playing their first 10 games without me, but there's going to be a day very soon that I'm back because time just flies; we're already mid-November. Soon it'll be December and Christmas, and before that, I'm back. It hurts, but I'm geared and mentally prepared for it."
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