Duke men's basketball 2016-17 player review: Javin DeLaurier

<p>Javin DeLaurier showed flashes of his elite athleticism this year, but they were few and far between, as he played in just 12 games.</p>

Javin DeLaurier showed flashes of his elite athleticism this year, but they were few and far between, as he played in just 12 games.

Javin DeLaurier 

Season breakdown: Despite coming to Durham as the No. 44 prospect in the ESPN 100, DeLaurier was lost in the shadows of frontcourt players like Jayson Tatum and Harry Giles. The freshman appeared in just 12 games all season and cracked double-figure minutes just three times. DeLaurier's most pivotal appearance came in a Jan. 14 contest against Louisville, but the freshman failed to record a point or rebound in his seven minutes and appeared in just one of the next 17 games. 

After playing sparsely as a freshman, DeLaurier faces an interesting offseason that could define his Duke career. The biggest knock on the forward coming into college was his struggles shooting from the perimeter and without an improvement in that area, DeLaurier will be hard-pressed to see the floor. He still has the athleticism and versatility to play on the wing, but with the freshman hardly given the opportunity by the coaching staff to get acclimated to the college game this season, DeLaurier will have to make major strides this summer in order to become a contributor for the Blue Devils. 

Results relative to expectations: Entering the year, DeLaurier was not expected to play a major role for a deep Duke team. Despite the Blue Devils' depth being tested by injuries across the board, DeLaurier was rarely called off the bench and spent much of the season as a spectator. In his limited minutes, DeLaurier showed flashes of the athleticism and physical skills many programs coveted from the Shipman, Va., native.  

Although the sample size is too small to judge DeLaurier's play, it is a bit disappointing that Duke did not let the freshman see the court more. DeLaurier will have a chance to change that next season, as the departure of graduate student Amile Jefferson will leave an open rotation spot for a post player. 

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