Duke Basketball: What is the Blue Devil’s identity for the 2018-19 season?

Change in Offensive Identity

Duke’s offense in the past has run through Grayson Allen and whichever new recruit was on the team. It changes based on the class at hand. That’s what has made Duke teams so successful over time. This year, however, Duke will be without their leader in Allen. Unless a returning post player steps up and shines, this means that Duke will get to build their offensive game plan from the ground up this season.

This can be an amazing thing. If you ever had to completely reconstruct an offensive system, it would be best to do it when you’re getting one of the greatest recruiting classes in college basketball history. It might not be permanent, but Duke will definitely change how they look this year on the offensive side.

If I had to compare this year’s system with another, I would say it would be most like the 2015 team. Zion can play in the post like Okafor. Barrett will have the wing threat that Winslow created. Tre Jones will fill in seamlessly with the role that his older brother Tyus had. The only thing about that is that Zion and Barrett are leaps and bounds better than Okafor and Winslow. Zion will play outside the paint just as much as he does near the basket. RJ Barrett has a mid-range and three-point game that is superior to Winslow’s.

Duke will spread the floor and try to find the mismatch. If Zion needs to bury a player in the post and use his massive frame to back them down, he will. If he needs to catch the ball at the elbow and make a move, he will. If Barrett can size a player up and use his handles to get some separation with a jumper, he will.

All of this talk doesn’t even include what Jones and Reddish will bring to the game. They will distribute the ball well and make jumpers. Duke’s system will be more about capitalizing on opportunities than it will be forcing a single game plan down the opponents’ throats. When you have such a wide variety of talents, you’re blessed with that opportunity.