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

Returning forwards take the next steps

As of right now, it seems extremely likely that Duke will start a quartet of freshmen in Tre Jones, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Zion Williamson. However, the fifth starter seems to still be in the air. The clear missing piece in the rotation is a true center who can simply rebound and protect the rim effectively and consistently. Because of this, the favorite to land this final starting gig is former elite recruit Marques Bolden.

A role player in each of the last two years, the junior Bolden has not shown a ton of potential to this point but this could be his year. Bolden checks all of the boxes for this starting spot but he definitely struggled during the preseason trip to Canada for the Blue Devils. Due to this, it seems as though he might have some competition for this starting job in the forms of Javin DeLaurier and Jack White.

DeLaurier, a 6-foot-10 junior, will likely be the best overall rebounder on the roster this season and he is a superb finisher around the basket. With plenty of athleticism and size, DeLaurier plays to his strengths offensively and is at his best when finishing above the rim. He averaged 3.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game last season on 71.0% shooting inside the arc.

White, on the other hand, is a 6-foot-7 junior forward. He does not bring nearly the same size as Bolden or DeLaurier but was extremely impressive as a high-energy big on the Canada trip. With continued development and increased confidence, he could end up starting in a small-ball lineup for Coach K. White is a high-energy forward and a strong shooter both from distance and at the free throw line.