Duke men's basketball 2016-17 season preview

Overview: After a disappointing regular season and an early Sweet 16 exit in the NCAA tournament last year, the Blue Devils have reloaded and replenished what was a short and depleted roster, entering this season as the consensus top team in the country. Even without five-star freshman Harry Giles—currently out following knee surgery—Duke has three five-star freshmen to complement returning starters Matt Jones, Amile Jefferson and All-American Grayson Allen.

Allen enters the season as a frontrunner for National Player of the Year, but will almost certainly get fewer shots thanks to the sheer number of offensive weapons the Blue Devils boast. Tatum, who stands 6-foot-8, has wowed during the preseason with his versatile game on the wing, and Jackson should give Duke's attack a shot in the arm from either of the guard positions thanks to his athleticism and explosiveness off the dribble. Veteran sharpshooters Jones and Kennard may see their minutes decrease, but remain deadly if left unguarded and will make defenses pay for devoting too many resources to stopping Allen or Tatum.

Jefferson returns as a graduate student after missing the majority of the 2015-16 season with a foot injury. The Philadelphia native appears as fit as ever and will once again serve as the anchor for the Blue Devil defense, which looks much improved from last year and has both length and quickness at all spots. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski has spoken about sliding Jefferson around the floor based on opposing matchups, and his role will depend heavily on the progress of Duke's three big men—Giles, Bolden and Jeter.

One thing that needs to go right: Giles returns in December and is a strong presence throughout ACC play, complementing a talented group that shares the ball well, and the Blue Devils cut down the nets in Phoenix for their sixth title in program history.