The top high school basketball players in the country, including Duke's sole recruit for the class of 2005, will meet at Cameron Indoor Stadium tonight for the McDonald's All-America game.
Future Blue Devil Daniel Ewing will join high-profile players such as Eddy Curry and Dajaun Wagner in the annual contest that has a track record of featuring future NBA stars. Ewing, a lanky 6-foot-4 shooting guard, is known for his speed and perimeter shot, as well as a calm demeanor off the court.
"He's quick, he's a good shooter, but most importantly, he's got good floor sense," the West squad's head coach Robert Hughes said. "Basketball sense-not many kids have that. He needs to play better defense, but then I don't know many players who don't."
Playing at his future home court, Ewing will be a focus at this year's game-particularly since several of the big-name stars will be no-shows. Six-foot-11 DeSagana Diop and 7-foot-1 Tyson Chandler, both considered probable NBA lottery picks, will not be playing. Diop suffered a foot injury during a practice earlier this week, while Chandler has already declared for the NBA draft and did not make the trip.
At yesterday's scrimmage in Card Gym, the rest of the players dazzled onlookers with a flurry of reverse alley-oops, no-look passes and fancy ballhandling. But Ewing, a Houston native who will play on the West squad, will show fans a less flashy style of play than most of the competitors. Much like former McDonald's participant and current Blue Devil Chris Duhon, Ewing bases his game on fundamentals and teamwork.
"I don't play that way because my high school team doesn't play that way," Ewing said. "But I haven't compared my game to any of the [Duke] players... I just look for my own shot, and play quick."
Since arriving Monday in North Carolina, Ewing has met with his future teammates and kept a frenetic schedule, including multiple interviews and being documented by ESPN's "The Life." But at the end of the afternoon, his self-described "laid back" personality came through.
"I've played all right," he said of his week in Durham. "I just got used to my teammates here. Today was the first time I talked to the [Duke] team in a while. [Assistant coaches Chris] Collins and [Steve] Wojciechowski just told me to play real hard."
Coach Mike Krzyzewski landed Ewing last September, attracted by the soft-spoken 18-year-old's agility and by his team-oriented style of play. Krzyzewski likes to recruit athleticism over size, and Ewing fits the mold perfectly. The 180-pound shooting guard has the potential, according to recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons, of Chris Duhon. Gibbons felt that adding Ewing to a team already composed of Duhon and Jason Williams could form the strongest backcourt Duke has ever had.
Ewing is versatile, quick and a competent perimeter shooter. Versatility, which should be a trademark of a Blue Devils team that will be loaded with guards and swingmen next year, should allow him to fit smoothly into the offense.
The biggest concern may be whether Ewing has the bulk to muscle with Division I players. To say he is lean is an understatement; his physique is dwarfed by virtually every other player in the competition-even the shorter point guards. Hughes believes Ewing's slight frame is not an issue, and the confidence Ewing showed yesterday in taking the ball to the basket yesterday seemed to back his coach up.
"I don't care about size, the question is how big does he play," Hughes said. "He plays big. He's quick and he's got strong legs."
Ewing represents Duke's style of efficiency over showiness. His 17.6 points per game this season are low compared to the other All-Americans, but this reflects his ability to play as a part of a team, a trait that he credits for helping his Willowridge High School squad to a No. 2 national ranking.
"We try to get players that want to be a part of something that is bigger than themselves," Krzyzewski said. "We recruit players who respect authority and are already part of a family. The family doesn't revolve around them, and this team won't revolve around them."
Willowridge coach Ronnie Courtney stresses how much more Ewing cares about winning than personal achievements. Although that is easy to say, Willowridge's record bears it out. Helped by fellow McDonald's All-American point guard Terrance Ford, Ewing has led the school to just a single loss in the past two seasons, winning over a combined seventy games and capturing last year's state title.
And unlike most gifted players, said Hughes, Ewing has led without an out-of-control ego or a desire to dominate.
"He's a kid out of the fifties," he said. "We had kids back then who couldn't stop saying 'yes sirs' and 'yes ma'ams'. He's one of them-traditional."
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