Need for ‘Sheed

Will the real Rasheed Sulaimon please stand up?

During his freshman campaign, the 6-foot-4 guard was nothing short of explosive, starting 33 of 36 games for the Blue Devils and averaging 11.6 points per contest. A relentless slasher and tenacious on-ball defender, Sulaimon established himself as a major threat on both ends of the floor. After going overseas and winning a gold medal for the United States at the FIBA U19 World Championships, Sulaimon appeared poised for a breakout campaign as a sophomore and was expected to be the third piece of a deadly Duke perimeter trio with forwards Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood.

But when he arrived back to Durham, something wasn't clicking. Sulaimon was held out of Duke's starting lineup on opening day and struggled to find a rhythm. His minutes began to evaporate until Sulaimon did not even set foot on the court in the Blue Devils' Dec. 3 victory against Michigan.

In fleeting moments, Sulaimon looked like the version of himself that earned ACC All-Freshman honors in 2012-13. He came off the bench and torched eventual conference champion Virginia to the tune of 21 points—including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 18.8 seconds to go. With Parker and Hood struggling in Duke's first NCAA tournament game against Mercer, Sulaimon poured in 20 points and nearly singlehandedly led the Blue Devils to a comeback victory against the upset-minded Bears.

As Duke gets set to kick off its 2014-15 campaign, the biggest question mark on a team highlighted by four stud freshmen could be an upperclassmen who has played a convincing game of Jekyll and Hyde for his first two collegiate seasons.

Heading into his junior season, Sulaimon did not shy away from what held him back a year ago—his fitness.

“[Last year] I didn’t take care of my body like I should have," he said. "This year I’m a year older and I know that was a point of emphasis for me, so it was one of my weaknesses. I can now say that I think—I’m pretty sure that—I’m in amazing shape right now.”

If Sulaimon's recommitment to conditioning pays off, his roller-coaster sophomore season could drift into distant memory. But even as a freshman, Sulaimon was one of Duke's streakiest players—he had a knack for going scoreless in one half and piling on double figures in the next.

"He’s really talented, and he’s had some really good moments, I think he just needs to string it together," assistant coach Jon Scheyer said. "Consistency is the key for him and he knows that, and he’ll have opportunities of course. That’s the biggest thing, consistently working hard in practice and preparing for games and doing it on the floor."

With a talented crop of freshmen expected to play major roles for Duke this season and the maturation of shooting guard Matt Jones, Sulaimon will likely not be a part of the team's starting lineup to begin the campaign. Rather, the Houston native will be the Blue Devils' most explosive option off the bench.

Playing sixth man could actually maximize Sulaimon's potential, giving him the chance to score in bunches and take advantage of tired legs. In the 17 games Sulaimon started during the 2013-14 campaign, he averaged 8.9 points. He averaged 10.9 points in his 17 games coming off the bench.

“Rasheed is in a real good place. At times, as you’re growing as a young player, you try to see yourself in only one role and you don’t see yourself in the most productive role," head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "Right now, he sees himself in what would be his most productive role. He’s our best on-ball defender. At [6-foot-4], he’s an outstanding athlete. That’s what he does the best.”

A more mature, levelheaded Sulaimon could be a major weapon for the Blue Devils, whether in the starting lineup or as the team's sixth man. The junior said the only role that is important to him is that of a leader on a team with just one senior.

"It’s going to be my third year now, and I think to help the younger guys come along quicker, I have to be the guy to put the hand on their shoulder when they’re done, or pick them up," Sulaimon said. "Whatever this team needs from me."