Reloaded Duke will dominate ACC

What goes around comes around in college basketball.

A year ago, head coach Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils got burned when freshman Luol Deng and prep phenom Shaun Livingston decided to bolt Durham. Duke competed admirably without Deng or Livingston, but the depth void they created caught up to the Blue Devils in the Sweet Sixteen. Meanwhile, North Carolina head coach Roy Williams got his star freshman, Marvin Williams, to go to school, and secured third years from Rashad McCants, Raymond Felton and Sean May. The Tar Heels stormed to their fourth NCAA title just three years removed from the worst season in school history.

This year, however, it’s the Carolina faithful who are on eggshells. They’ve already lost McCants, and all sources seem to indicate that they’ll lose Felton later this week. Marvin Williams is projected to be a high lottery pick, and May’s draft stock will never be higher than it is right now.

Meanwhile, the Blue Devils lose Daniel Ewing, but add one of the nation’s best recruiting classes to make up for him. Top recruit Josh McRoberts has repeatedly proclaimed he will don Duke blue next season, and signs point to Shelden Williams’ return for a senior season. If both happen, Duke will have one of its deepest and most experienced teams in recent memory.

In other words, Tar Heel faithful had better enjoy that national championship, because they’re about to see Duke go through the ACC like a bulldozer through whipped cream.

Last season, a shaky point guard situation and a lack of post depth prevented the Blue Devils from advancing past the Sweet 16. This season, Duke brings in three post players—McRoberts, Eric Boateng and Jamal Boykin—to provide relief for the overtaxed Williams and Shavlik Randolph. Not only does Duke get players who can help right away in the post, but the minutes Williams and Randolph aren’t playing will keep them fresh and maximize their time on the court.

Duke’s point guard questions will be answered by Paulus, who gives Coach K more backcourt options than a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Book. For offense, Krzyzewski could go with Paulus, who has shown an innate ability to pick apart defenses, sharpshooter J.J. Redick and slasher extraordinaire DeMarcus Nelson, for example. Alternatively, he could tap Sean Dockery, Nelson and Paulus for a lockdown defensive squad. And I haven’t even mentioned incoming recruit Martynas Pocius, a player good enough to earn a recommendation from Jerry West.

Unfortunately for the rest of the conference, however, Duke’s wealth comes at a time of paucity for the ACC. The aforementioned Tar Heels may have to defend their National Championship without their top seven players from last season. Wake Forest, once a top-10 team, loses guards Chris Paul and Taron Downey, leaving the team with just two scholarship guards next season. Georgia Tech will lose four of its starters to graduation, and the fifth, point guard Jarrett Jack, could be NBA-bound. Maryland has developed its young talent, but the Terrapins lose point guard John Gilchrist, leaving them with no point guard on their roster next season. Boston College looked impressive last season, but they just don’t have the talent to hang with a Duke team whose second string could be competitive in the ACC.