Busting Brackets
Fansided

Duke Basketball: Blue Devils 2019-20 season preview

By Matthew Travis

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: The Duke Blue Devils mascot performs against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: The Duke Blue Devils mascot performs against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 20: Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on during the first half of the game against Texas Tech Red Raiders during the Ameritas Insurance Classic at Madison Square Garden on December 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 20: Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on during the first half of the game against Texas Tech Red Raiders during the Ameritas Insurance Classic at Madison Square Garden on December 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Starters

Point Guard – Tre Jones, Sophomore

The starting point guard next season will be the Blue Devils top returning player, Tre Jones. Jones was great in his freshman season but undoubtedly has things he needs to improve on, most notably being his shooting.

Jones shot only 26.2% from the three-point line which for a point guard is not great. Overall Jones held a field goal percentage of 45.2% which obviously is not bad, but in order to become a more well-rounded player, Jones needs to learn how to shoot from outside the paint.

Once he learns to do this he will be nearly unstoppable seeing he is already a terrific passer and he hardly ever turns the ball over. Jones averaged 5.3 assists per game and only 1.5 turnovers. That being said, spreading the ball around and finding open teammates is clearly his strong-suit and you can expect that to be the case once again in 2019-20.

If we see Jones improve his shooting, specifically from beyond the perimeter, there is a good chance Jones is in the conversation for the ACC’s best player and even the nation’s best player.

Shooting Guard – Cassius Stanley, Freshman

Cassius Stanley is one of Duke’s incoming freshman who will get the chance to help the Blue Devils immediately. Stanley is a 6’5″ 180lb shooting guard out of Sierra Canyon School in California.

Stanley was the 32nd ranked player overall and the 6th ranked shooting guard in the Class of 2019. He is a heck of an athlete and no one in the ACC will be able to match his dunking skills with his incredible speed and bounce.

Because of his impeccable athleticism, Stanley is a quality defender with a chance to become a great defender. However, something Stanley struggles with which in recent years is pretty common for players in Durham, is his three-point shooting.

If he can learn to expand his offensive game beyond just driving to the basket, he has a really good chance at becoming a fantastic player for the Blue Devils.

Small Forward – Wendell Moore, Freshman

Next year’s starting small forward will be Wendell Moore, another freshman who went to Cox Mill High School in Charlotte, NC. Coincidentally, Moore went with Caleb Stone-Carrawell, the son of Duke assistant coach, Chris Carrawell, which likely means Carrawell is very familiar with Moore’s skills.

Moore is a 6’5″ 210lb forward who is very athletic with top-notch ball-handling skills and a strong mid-range jump shot as well. In addition to his athleticism, ball-handling skills and mid-range jump shot, Moore is also a very skilled rebounder with a high basketball IQ as well.

However, just like Stanley and Jones, Moore struggles when it comes to shooting beyond the perimeter and he could also benefit from becoming a better player in transition.

Overall Moore is a very good basketball player with an opportunity to become great as long as he improves on some of his weaknesses.

Power Forward – Matthew Hurt, Freshman

The starting power forward next season for Duke will be Matthew Hurt, a 6’9″ 215lb sharpshooter from Rochester, Minnesota. Hurt was the last big name from the Class of 2019 to announce his commitment to the Blue Devils, but he could potentially have the biggest impact for Duke.

Hurt is a heck of a three-point shooter, but he is not just limited to scoring beyond the perimeter because he can burn defenses from anywhere on the court. Whether it be driving to the rim, or pulling up for a jump shot in the defenders face, Hurt is more than capable of doing it.

Hurt is mainly known for his three-point shooting, but he is also a great passer who sees options open up before anyone else and because of that he has the ability to space the floor. The only problem when it comes to Hurt’s game is his size.

Hurt is tall, but he’s not bulky and because of it he tends to get pushed around in the paint and he can’t necessarily just out-power the defense. If he can put on a little weight and also work on his speed and agility there is a very good chance you see Hurt be the leader for Duke during the 2019-20 season.

Center – Vernon Carey jr., Freshman

Vernon Carey jr. is Duke’s highest-ranked recruit for the 2019-20 season, coming in at number six according to ESPN. Carey is a 6’10” 275lb center out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and he is going to be a big part of the Blue Devils game on both sides of the court next season.

Carey can do everything you could ask a center to do, whether it be taking on big guys down low on offense, or stopping offensive players when they enter the paint while on defense. Carey always knows where he is supposed to be and this is a large reason why he is so dominant on the boards and also on the offensive end.

There aren’t many weaknesses in Carey’s game but if I had to pick one out it would be his athleticism. He’s a center so obviously he’s not going to be as athletic as Tre Jones or Cassius Stanley, but still. Often times you will see Carey get winded while running down the court and that is something that won’t work at the college level.

If Carey can stay in tip-top athletic shape then he will be a shoo-in top-10 pick in next year’s NBA Draft, but if he doesn’t get to a point where he can keep running up and down the court, it might be a different story.

Home/Duke Blue Devils