Duke Basketball: Amile Jefferson will be Blue Devils' unsung hero

Amile Jefferson was named one of the captains of the 2016-17 Duke basketball.

With the best coach and talent in the game, Duke is the topic of almost every college basketball conversation leading up to the new season. All you hear about is Grayson Allen, Harry Giles, Jayson Tatum and some of the other freshman.

These players will be great, but we’re all forgetting about one key piece: Amile Jefferson.

Jefferson is going to be Duke’s unsung hero this year. Yes, he’ll be able to show it through his play on the court but also through his fifth-year senior leadership and voice.

While Matt Jones could be Duke’s unsung presence, Jefferson was arguably Duke’s most important player last year before he suffered a season ending foot injury.

There is no question Jones will be a big piece for Duke. He’s a great spot up shooter and gives the team a strong defensive presence. But Jefferson has got the total package and he’s going to show it this year.

In Jefferson’s first two years in Durham he was solid, nonetheless he consistently impacted the game. His junior season heroics got lost in the hype of Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow. However, he proved himself in the National Championship.

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Down the stretch, with Okafor in foul trouble, Jefferson had the challenge of guarding the ultra-versatile Frank Kaminsky. With the game close in the winding minutes, Jefferson had two huge defensive stops against the Wisconsin big man. Kaminsky had good post position, but with Jefferson’s heart and determination, the big man kept Kaminsky from making what could’ve been two easy shots against a mediocre defense.

After returning from the National Championship run, Jefferson looked great to start his senior year. He was averaging a double-double with 11.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, and the team started 8-1 with their lone loss coming against Kentucky. Unfortunately, he went down with an injury which sidelined him for the remainder of his season.

Luckily for the Blue Devils, he’s back for his fifth year after being granted a medical redshirt. With his age and experience, he now has the ability to mentor the young Giles and Marques Bolden. He’s long and has a high basketball IQ, giving him the ability to match-up with multiple positions on the court.

Not to mention, Jefferson can rebound the ball with the best of them.

Next time you’re watching Duke play, find Jefferson when a shot goes up and I guarantee you’ll see him boxing out the opponent with perfect fundamentals.

Next: In-depth preview of the AAC

He’s polished his offensive skill set since coming to Durham and he looks ready to take lead as one of the top big men in the nation. Watch out NCAA, Jefferson is ready to help Duke win it all.

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Duke Basketball: Amile Jefferson will be Blue Devils’ unsung hero

By Kyler Proffitt | Oct 8, 2016

Amile Jefferson was named one of the captains of the 2016-17 Duke basketball.

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