In a year when the Blue Devils are welcoming four scholarship freshmen, one stands out above the rest-literally.
Brian Zoubek, a 7-foot-1 center from Haddonfield, N.J., comes to Durham as the first true seven-footer to play under 27th-year head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
The freshman, who has a body built for playing basketball, is not just a stereotypical jock either. Zoubek scored a 1,400 on the SATs and maintained a 95 average at Haddonfield Memorial High School, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.
"I'm really happy to be here at Duke," Zoubek said. "It's a great opportunity for me to showcase my talent on the court and be a part of a team but also to take some great classes and expand my academic knowledge."
On the court in high school, the big man helped lead his team to a 110-10 record over his four-year career. Zoubek averaged 24.7 points and 12.3 rebounds as a senior while earning 2006 New Jersey state Player of the Year honors.
In high school games, Zoubek rarely faced players his size. On the AAU circuit, however, he competed against players of comparable size. In both situations, Zoubek usually towered above the competition in his play.
"It's going to be a lot different from high school when I was guarded by three 6-foot-6 guys," Zoubek said of playing Division I basketball. "I think I like it better now since I'll be guarded by just one guy, and even though he might be my size, I like the odds."
In making the transition to collegiate play, the freshman said he is going to focus on improving his defensive play and dribbling less around the hoop.
Zoubek has already shown Duke fans that he has good post moves and the ability to score. In the Blue-White Scrimmage Oct. 28, the center scored a game-high 27 points on 11-for-15 shooting.
"I love playing with my back to the basket, I love playing down low and in the post, that's where I'm best," Zoubek said. "Coming to Coach K's defensive strategy with the tough man-to-man will be hard. I played zone all of my high school career, so it's something I'm going to have to adjust to and work hard at."
After the Blue-White game, Krzyzewski said that Blue Devil fans should not count on that kind of performance every night but that he will try to make sure the center gets the ball in the post where he can show off his soft hands, shooting touch and toughness.
With 6-foot-10 sophomore Josh McRoberts also on the roster, Zoubek has gotten the chance to face off against another big man in practice, and the freshman said their competitiveness has been beneficial in preparing to play in the ACC.
And come game time, having McRoberts and Zoubek on the court together will create matchup nightmares for the Blue Devils' opponents.
"Zoubek is good, he's very physical, has soft touch around the basket, runs well, and he passes extremely well out of the post," junior captain DeMarcus Nelson said. "And it will be a good look for our team when Zoubek and Josh are playing together. It will create a lot of mismatches against other teams."
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