Mar 16, 2012; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski reacts in the second half. The Mountain Hawks defeated the Blue Devils 75-70 in the second round of the 2012 NCAA men's tournament.

Duke currently has a plethora of big men, as seniors Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly will be expected to start in the frontcourt while being backed up by freshman Marshall Plumlee and Alex Murphy. I can envision Karnowski coming to Duke if he believes that he needs one more year to develop before feeling comfortable competing at the college level. If he were to redshirt, he would be eligible to play after Mason Plumlee and Kelly have graduated, putting him in a three-man rotation with Marshall Plumlee and Murphy.

Karnowski could use his redshirt year to bulk up and improve his conditioning, two key aspects of his game that scouts believe that he needs to improve. His body fat was recently measured at 16.3%, and he has been chided in the past for lacking toughness and muscle to battle for rebounds in the paint. By using his redshirt year to fill out his frame and play 25-30 minutes per game, he could easily be starting for the Blue Devils at the center position starting in 2013.

One of Karnowski’s biggest strengths is his ability to shoot, and his shooting range extends out to the three-point line. Following Kelly’s graduation, Karnowski would be able to fill his role as a big man who possesses the ability to stretch the defense, which in turn would open up more driving lanes for slashers and provide more open looks for three-point shooters. Additionally, due to his size, Karnowski also feels comfortable working from the low post, but needs to develop scoring moves going to his right (non-dominant) hand in order to further complete his game.

Karnowski would be an invaluable addition for Duke, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Gonzaga is currently viewed as the favorite to land the Polish center, but I think that landing him would really put Duke in great position to not only have a big man to anchor their defense, but also have a multi-faceted offensive weapon.

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Mar 16, 2012; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski reacts in the second half. The Mountain Hawks defeated the Blue Devils 75-70 in the second round of the 2012 NCAA men

Duke will need to find a reliable option at the small forward position for the 2012-13 season. Gbinje was expected to be a capable wing scorer with the ability to guard multiple positions. Duke fans were able to see flashes of his potential throughout the season, but Gbinje rarely found himself competing in close ballgames.

Following the commitment of Shabazz Muhammad to UCLA, Duke will really need to turn their recruiting attention to forward Amile Jefferson (Philadelphia, PA, Friends Central High School). Currently ranked as the best recruit in the state of Pennsylvania, Jefferson would be able to start right away at the 3 for the BLue Devils. He possesses the ability to help Duke’s offensive immensely because of his ability to slash to the basket. Having a slasher is a crucial component of Duke’s offense because it frees up the plethora of shooters that the Blue Devils have, such as Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins, and Ryan Kelly. In addition to Duke, Jefferson is also considering Kentucky, N.C. State, Ohio State, and Villanova.

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Mar 24, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; McDonalds High School All American guard Rasheed Sulaimon (35) poses during a photo shoot for the 35th McDonalds High School All American Game to be held at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Sulaimon knocked down three three-pointers en route to his thirteen points, capitalizing on his strength as a perimeter shooter. The game featured numerous commits from ACC schools, including game co-MVP Rodney Purvis (N.C. State) and Marcus Paige, J.P. Tokoto, and Brice Johnson (UNC). Sulaimon is expected to compete with Andre Dawkins, Seth Curry, and Tyler Thornton for playing time next season at both guard positions.

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Mar 15, 2012; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski during practice before the second round of the 2012 NCAA men

With the loss of leading-scorer Austin Rivers, Muhammad would be able to provide an immediate scoring option and elite wing defender that the Blue Devils have been missing following the departure of Kyle Singler in 2011. Standing 6’6″ and weighing 215 pounds, Muhammad thrives in the open court, where he uses his size and athleticism to attack the rim relentlessly. In the half-court set, Muhammad often relies on both his mid-range pull-up game and slashing ability that allows him to score at will, as evidence by him averaging 29.4 PPG his senior year of high school.

He will have to improve his three-point shooting ability in order to become a more complete player at the next level, specifically by improving his footwork and speeding up his release. Additionally, as a left-hand dominant player, Muhammad needs to establish consistent one-on-one moves going to the right in the half-court set. Muhammad is able to compensate for these weaknesses with his intense competitive nature and pure will to win, which has led him to be compared to Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. I envision Muhammad filling a role much like Grant Hill and Shane Battier did during their days at Duke, providing a reliable scoring option at the small forward position while also having the ability to guard multiple positions well.

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Mar 16, 2012; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Mason Plumlee (5) scores in the second half. The Mountain Hawks defeated the Blue Devils 75-70 in the second round of the 2012 NCAA men

Plumlee has the opportunity to finish his Duke career as one of the premier rebounders in Duke history. Currently sitting at 726 career rebounds, he needs just 274 more rebounds to become the 8th Blue Devil in program history to record 1,000 rebounds. Plumlee also just needs 231 points to become the 61st Blue Devil to score 1,000 career points. Plumlee will anchor the frontcourt next year along with fellow senior starter Ryan Kelly. In addition to Plumlee and Kelly, the Blue Devils will also return two more starters from last year’s team, Seth Curry and Tyler Thornton. Duke will also benefit from having redshirt freshmen Alex Murphy and Mason’s younger brother Marshall to bolster their bench. Incoming freshmen Rasheed Sulaimon will also be expected to compete for playing time with Andre Dawkins at the combo-guard spot, an will need to provide a scoring punch due to the departure of Austin Rivers.

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Mar, 25, 2012; Oklahoma City OK, USA; Miami Heat small forward Shane Battier (31) during pregame warm ups against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena Mandatory Credit: Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Battier was drafted with the 6th overall pick by the Vancouver Grizzlies, where he played for five seasons before leaving to play for the Houston Rockets. Following a four-and-a-half year stint in Houston, Battier finished last season with the Grizzlies before departing in free agency to become a member of the Miami Heat. Battier gives the Heat another elite wing defender in addition to providing a three-point marksman and a veteran locker-room presence. Through 55 games in the lock-out shortened season, Battier has averaged 4.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.2 APG in 23 minutes per game. The Heat are currently the #2 seed in the East, two games behind the conference-leading Chicago Bulls, and have already clinched a playoff berth. Stay tuned for updates on Battier’s quest for his first NBA Championship.

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Feb, 8, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Austin Rivers (0) shoots a last second shot over North Carolina Tar Heels forward Tyler Zeller (44) to win the game. The Blue Devils defeated the Tar Heels 85-84 at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

3. Duke rallies from 20 down to beat NC State 78 – 73

Down by 20 with eleven and a half minutes left at Cameron Indoor to in-state rival North Carolina State, Duke staged a furious comeback behind Seth Curry’s 26 points to win 78-73. Duke was down 16 points at halftime, the largest halftime deficit overcome under Coach K’s tenure as head coach.

2. Duke wins the Maui Invitational by beating #14 Kansas

A day after beating then #15 Michigan, an unlikely hero stepped up for the Blue Devils to beat the eventual runner-ups. Sophomore guard Tyler Thornton, known better for his defense than his scoring ability, hit an off-balance three-pointer with twenty seconds left to let the Blue Devils hold on to a 68-61 win for its fifth Maui Invitational title. Ryan Kelly chipped in 17 points to win MVP honors for the tournament.

1. Austin Rivers hits the game-winning 3 pointer to beat UNC at the Dean Dome

Austin Rivers did what no other Duke freshman has ever done: scored 29 points at the Dean Dome, including the game-winning three pointer as time expired, to propel the Blue Devils to an 85-84 victory over the Tar Heels. Following a defensive switch placing Tyler Zeller on Rivers, Rivers took a few dribbles, sized up his defender, and released a high-arching shot over the outstretched fingers of Zeller that hit nothing but nylon to give the Blue Devils an unlikely come-back victory over the Tar Heels.

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Mar 15, 2012; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Miles Plumlee (21) shoots during practice before the second round of the 2012 NCAA men

Duke has already secured a letter-of-intent from Rasheed Sulaimon (Houston, TX, Strake Jesuit College Prep), who is currently ranked as the third-best shooting guard in the class of 2016. Standing at 6’3″ and weighing 175 pounds, Sulaimon will be competing with senior guards Andre Dawkins and Seth Curry for playing time at both guard spots, and will be expected to provide some much-needed scoring punch following the departure of Rivers. Duke is still in the mix for the #1 player in the country, Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas, NV, Bishop Gorman High School), who could serve as a Grant Hill-like player for the Blue Devils, a long, athletic perimeter player who would start right away and impact the game on both the offensive and defensive sides of the floor. Duke is also recruiting to big men, Amile Jefferson (Philadelphia, PA, Friends Central High School), and Tony Parker (Lithonia, GA, Miller Grove High School). Jefferson and Parker, who are 6’7″ and 6’9″ respectively, would be able to fill the void that Miles Plumlee left, as rim-protectors that would also be expected rebound and finish plays.

According to ESPN, last year Duke had the #2 recruiting class behind Kentucky, signing five ESPNU 100 players. Though the Blue Devils have only secured one commitment so far, the addition of Muhammad, Jefferson and Parker would easily propel the incoming Blue Devil class into the top-10 nationally, and could establish the foundation for an elite Duke team for years to come.

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Mar 16, 2012; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Austin Rivers (0) dribbles as Lehigh Mountain Hawks guard C.J. McCollum (3) defends in the second half. The Mountain Hawks defeated the Blue Devils 75-70 in the second round of the 2012 NCAA men

Rivers is currently projected as a top-20 pick in the upcoming draft, and has expressed his desire to play for his father, Doc Rivers, who is currently the coach of the Boston Celtics. Rivers’ game translates well to the NBA, as a combo guard who can create offense for himself as well as his teammates with his quickness and ball-handling. However, Rivers still will need to improve certain aspects of his game in order to make a lasting impact in the NBA. If he were to play the 1 or 2 guard, he will need to bulk up in order to guard NBA guards, as at his listed 6’4″, 200 pound frame he will often find himself defending guards measuring in at 6’6″, 220. Additionally, one of Rivers’ biggest strengths is his ability to shoot, yet he shot a low 42.2% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc. If Rivers were to shoot at least 48% from the field and over 40% from three-point range, he could easily average over 20 points per game and be one of the game’s best scoring threats for years to come.

Rivers is just one of four Blue Devils under Coach K’s tenure to go one-and-done, joining Corey Maggette (1999), Loul Deng (2004),  and Kyrie Irving, who went first overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers in last year’s draft. Rivers comes from a family of athletes, as his father played in the NBA from 1983-1996 and currently coaches the Celtics, his older brother, Jeremiah, played collegiately at Georgetown and Indiana and is currently playing for KK Mega Vizura in Serbia, and his older sister Callie played volleyball for Florida and is currently playing professionally in Puerto Rico.

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Mar 16, 2012; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski reacts in the second half. The Mountain Hawks defeated the Blue Devils 75-70 in the second round of the 2012 NCAA men

He has served as an assistant on numerous gold-medal winning teams, such as winning two gold medals at the 1984 and 1992 Olympics, as well as the 1979 Pan American Games and 1992 Tournament of Americas. In 2005, he was appointed as coach of the United States Olympic Team, winning gold while coaching the 2008 “Redeem Team” in Beijing. In addition to winning gold in the 2008 Summer Olympics, Coach K also coached the Olympic team to first-place finishes at the FIBA Americas Championships in 2007 and at the 2010 FIBA World Championships.

The United States was able to clinch a berth in the 2012 Summer Olympics thank to their first-place finish in the World Championship in Turkey. Joining Coach K on the Olympic Staff will be assistant coaches Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Mike D’Antoni, and Nate McMillan. In addition to some of the superstars from 2008 who will be on the team, such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Kobe Bryant, the 2012 squad will also benefit from new additions to the team such as Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, and Blake Griffin.

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