Just a few games into the regular season, Duke’s former stars have been met with various levels of success. Although the season is only a few games old, we take a look at how the former Blue Devils have performed thus far:
Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks: Through six games in the NBA, it is clear that the Blue Devils' leading scorer from a year ago will need time to adjust to the game at a higher level. Parker has struggled thus far, only averaging 11.3 points per game on 40 percent shooting from the field. However, the rookie’s struggle to put up massive numbers has not overshadowed the impact he has made for a mediocre Bucks team.
The Chicago native has shown his ability to be a strong rebounder within the pro ranks, averaging 6.5 per game this season. Parker is also coming off his best game of the season Friday night, in which he had a career-high 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Although the second pick in the 2014 NBA draft came in with sky-high expectations—including comparisons to superstars Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony—it remains to be seen how Parker’s game translates on the next level.
Rodney Hood, Utah Jazz: The 23rd overall pick of last year’s draft is off to a rough start in the NBA. Drafted for depth behind Gordon Hayward at the small forward position, Hood has struggled to find consistent playing time and has struggled from the field when he has played. Through the rookie’s first five games, he has averaged only 4.0 points per game on woeful 25.8 percent shooting from the field. To make matters worse, Hood left Friday’s matchup with the Mavericks with plantar fasciitis in his right foot and is now listed as day-to-day. Only projected to average about 15 to 20 minutes per game before the season started, the uncertainty surrounding Hood’s performance and injury has put his rotation spot in peril.
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers: With the return of superstar LeBron James to Cleveland and the arrival of All-Star Kevin Love from Minnesota, Irving was provided with easily the best set of teammates he has had in his young career. But, the transition has been anything but smooth in the early season. Although Irving has averaged 20.0 points per game and shot well from the field, he has neglected the main responsibility at the point guard position—distributing the basketball. The first overall pick of the 2011 draft has averaged a meager 4.2 assists per game and has spent too much time dribbling. As expected, Irving's play and the Cavaliers' slow start have drawn the ire of James. The dynamic between the point guard and the two-time NBA champion is one of the most intriguing storylines to watch during the course of the season.
Luol Deng, Miami Heat: The defending Eastern Conference champion’s solution to the departure of the aforementioned James has performed well early in the season given the difficult transition. The 10-year veteran has averaged 13.0 points per game along with 3.2 rebounds per game alongside superstars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh for the surprising Heat, who sit at 3-2. Deng has been lauded early in the season for his defensive prowess and ability to coexist with Wade and Bosh. Although Deng may forever be compared to his predecessor, James, during his tenure in Miami, it is clear that the former Duke star still has the talent to serve a big role for a team on the NBA level.
Lance Thomas, Oklahoma City Thunder: The forward has been the main beneficiary of a slew of early injuries to several Oklahoma City players, most notably superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. As a result, the Thunder have limped to a 1-5 start. Thomas, a four-year veteran, has performed admirably in the absence of Durant and Westbrook, averaging 8.2 points per game on 41.3 percent shooting. After averaging only 13.2 minutes per game throughout his first two seasons in the NBA, Thomas has averaged 26.5 minutes per contest as a starting forward for the Thunder.
Carlos Boozer, Los Angeles Lakers : The veteran has only been one of many areas of concern for this year’s winless Lakers. After averaging 16.6 points per game and making two All-Star games in his career, Boozer has severely underperformed thus far, with an average of only 10.4 points per game. However, Boozer’s performance has been most underwhelming on the defensive end of the court, where his struggles have caught the eye of coach Byron Scott. With a declining offensive game and his travails on defense, the former Duke star’s performance in Los Angeles has been disappointing, and it appears that Boozer will struggle to recreate the consistency that served him so well in Chicago for many years.
Ryan Kelly, Los Angeles Lakers: Perhaps the one sliver of hope for the struggling Lakers is the return of Ryan Kelly from a hamstring injury. After playing a large role off the bench a year ago, Kelly’s ability to spread the floor and hit shots from the perimeter will certainly boost the hapless Lakers. With highly-touted rookie Julius Randle already out for the year with injury, the former All-ACC performer Kelly is in line for added playing time this season. The second-year big man is just now getting healthy and will have plenty of opportunities to show Scott and his teammates how he has improved since last season.
Miles Plumlee, Phoenix Suns: After a slow start to the season, the 6-foot-11 big man broke out Friday with 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting and 16 rebounds in Phoenix's loss to Sacramento. In his four previous games, Plumlee combined for just 14 points, so it will be interesting to see how the third-year player performs on the heels of his strongest performance of the young season.
J.J. Redick, Los Angeles Clippers: Like Plumlee, Redick also got off to a rocky start this season, shooting less than 30 percent from beyond the arc in his first five games. But the 6-foot-4 sniper caught fire last night against Portland, scoring 30 points on 11-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 6-of-8 from the free throw line. Redick's ability to knock down open looks will likely play a huge role in determining how far the Clippers make it this year, with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin likely to continue earning the attention of defenses as the season goes on.
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