As the calendar shifts to November, it is becoming apparent that basketball season is on the horizon. That means that it is time for our player previews of every member of Duke men's basketball. Read the previous preview: Mike Buckmire.
Michael Savarino
Year: Sophomore
Height: 6-foot
Position: Guard
Last year’s statline: N/A
Game breakdown: Michael Savarino plays like a traditional guard, but the strength of his game is shooting the three. He never entered a game last season, so there aren’t any collegiate stats to break down, but he found a way to put together solid stat lines in his days at Durham Academy.
The grandson of head coach Mike Krzyzewski understands how to be an effective spot shooter, although it is unlikely he will find himself with uncontested three-point shots in the ACC. Savarino would likely fit better in more of a shooting guard role in college, where he can use his knowledge of the game to get himself open for quality looks at the basket.
Role on the team: Unfortunately for Savarino, if all goes according to plan this season, he will never step foot on the court. That being said, the Duke men’s basketball program is full of ways that players can impact the game without logging any minutes.
In Savarino’s freshman year, he understood his role and served as a hype man on a team that often needed a jumpstart, especially early in games. That might not sound like the most appealing role, but it takes a fully committed roster to win a championship and having a player like Savarino on the bench is an undervalued asset.
NBA comparison: Quinn Cook
With the season he had last year, former Blue Devil Quinn Cook is the best comparison for Savarino. He is never going to have anywhere near the college stats of Cook, but the role Cook plays on the Los Angeles Lakers is exactly what Savarino does for Duke.
They both bring serious value to the team with who they are as teammates and even though there are tons of players more talented than each of them, they bring energy to the sideline. That fire may go unnoticed to the casual observer but people really watching the game will see how each of them can help their team just by being there.
Projected stats: 0 PPG, 0 MPG, 0 RPG
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Jake Piazza is a Trinity senior and was sports editor of The Chronicle's 117th volume.