Duke Basketball: What might the 2019-20 campaign hold?

Overall outlook for 2019-20

If you don’t think that Duke will be one of the top national title contenders for next season, I’m not sure what to tell you. Duke is always a preseason favorite to cut down the final nets in the NCAA Tournament and they will be once again in 2019-20. Even though their roster is not officially set for next season and it is impossible to say what the rotation will actually look like, it is a safe bet to assume that the Blue Devils will be rated in the preseason top-10 and as one of the ACC favorites. Coach K has a tremendous reputation as a recruiter and there is no reason to believe that the program will be taking a massive step back this offseason.

With that said, though, I think it is important to note that Duke will look a lot different next season. During this past season, the Blue Devils relied heavily on their athleticism to win games. They were superb on the defensive end of the floor and often were just too athletic and strong for their opposition. And while this often worked out in Duke’s favor, their lack of consistent shooting really held them back in terms of complete domination of the college level.

Looking ahead to next season, Duke will not be on the same level athletically but could be more skilled overall. With Ellis/Carey joining the team, White/O’Connell returning, and Matthew Hurt still potentially in the future plans, the Blue Devils should have plenty of above-average shooters at most positions on the floor. This will allow the team to be more-perimeter oriented and therefore open up more room for drives or post-ups.

To summarize, Duke will be very good next season but don’t expect the team to look anything like the 2018-19 version. Coach K will likely change his coaching philosophy a bit to fit his new roster and the product might look quite different. Regardless, the talent will be there and so will the results. Remember, this is Duke that we’re talking about.