Duke Basketball: 5 keys for a successful 2018-19 season

OMAHA, NE - MARCH 25: The Duke Blue Devils cheerleaders carry their schools flags on to the court prior to the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional against the Kansas Jayhawks at CenturyLink Center on March 25, 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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DURHAM, NC – JANUARY 27: Cameron Crazies and fans of the Duke Blue Devils pose. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

Tre Jones takes over as a leader

Even though he might not be the most highly-rated recruit joining the Blue Devils this season, point guard Tre Jones might be the most important newcomer. Quite simply, there is so much talent on this roster that it will be difficult for the team to develop consistency on the offensive end. Just about everyone can create for themselves and this could lead down a dangerous road of constant isolation possessions.

This is why Jones will be so important to the team’s success this year. A true point who is excellent as a distributor, Jones will be the leader of the offense this season. He will be the one responsible for “spreading the wealth”, so to speak, and this could prove to be a challenging role for the freshman. Regardless, though, Jones showed tremendous poise throughout his high school career and he should be prepared to take on this pressure-filled role.

In terms of goals for this season, Duke fans everywhere must be hoping that Tre can follow in the footsteps of his brother Tyus, who helped guide the team to the 2015 National Championship. There are, though, extremely different players in terms of style. While Tyus was an elite scorer, Tre is a stronger playmaker and a superb perimeter defender.

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