Duke is synonymous with point guards. Particularly under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils have churned out some of the nation's best floor generals year in and year out.
Duke's latest addition to the point guard fraternity, Greg Paulus, is certainly banking on his chance of success. The 6-foot-1 playmaker is already drawing comparisons to Bobby Hurley, Krzyzewski's point guard on the 1991 and 1992 national championship teams--both are agile, deft passers and fearless defenders and penetrators.
Of course, the expectations presented by being compared with one of the college game's all-time greats is two-faced. If Paulus thrives, his name will go alongside those of the other standout Duke point guards; however, the pressure of living up to those expectations is, perhaps, unfair.
However, there is little reason to doubt Paulus' potential to be great, for Krzyzewski's point guards have been prolific: Tommy Amaker, Quin Snyder, Bobby Hurley, Chris Collins, Jeff Capel, Steve Wojciechowski, William Avery, Jason Williams and current players Chris Duhon and Sean Dockery. Among that group are five current Division I coaches, four Sports Illustrated cover boys,three first-team All-Americans, two national defensive players of the year, and one national player of the year.
The domino effect has been self-sustaining, as the talents of each successive Blue Devil have been passed down from their predecessors. Such will be the case for Paulus, too, when he arrives in 2005 under the tutelage of would-be senior Dockery.
For example, Avery, Duke's point guard during the 1999 national runner-up campaign, told USA Today March 17, 1999, that his success as a point guard at Duke could be traced to two main factors, one being the type of play Krzyzewski employs.
"For any type of player, this is a great system. I think I just flourish in the system. We play motion and have a lot of freedom. We play up-tempo all the time, get the rebound and run, and we use pressure defense."
The other is indicative of why so many of Krzyzewski's floor leaders are now on the sidelines coaching.
"It was important to learn from him, to watch the situations he was put into and to watch his leadership skills on and off the court," Avery said. "I think he was one of the best leaders I've ever been around. I think I needed that, and that has a lot to do with the player I am now."
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