Previewing Each Player’s Role On Duke’s Roster

Mar 29, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Quinn Cook (2) in the first half during the semifinals of the Midwest regional of the 2013 NCAA tournament against the Michigan State Spartans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Quinn Cook:  Expect Cook to be the leader of his team. I expect Cook to be like a “quarterback” for this year’s team. Cook will be a major offensive threat, and will need to be a great distributor.  The junior will be in a position to lead his team and make an impact.

Rasheed Sulaimon: Oh, how great it is to have Sulaimon on your team. Sulaimon will be our primary scoring threat, as he enters his sophomore campaign. Rasheed will be attempting to make the U19 USA team, after accepting an invite a few days back. Sulaimon will have to improve his consistency, but has great potential as an offensive threat.

Jabari Parker: Everyone should already know Parker’s role. This kid is going to be a star. He has unmatched versatility, and always will be a major threat in several aspects of his game. Expect Jabari to be our most coveted player by the end of the season.

Rodney Hood: In my opinion, Rodney Hood can be the x-factor for this squad. The Mississippi State transfer is one of the most athletic forwards in the country. I expect him to be a lock-down defender by the season. He has height, which allows him to compete inside, but he can also knock down threes. Hood will be a dangerous player.

Amile  Jefferson: Expect Jefferson to be a “energy” guy for next season. He will get more playing time, and bring out his hustle. He will be used primarily as a rebounder, but he should come along offensively this season.

Matt Jones: What  about all of these three-point threats? Jones is an absolute sharp-shooter and can make buckets in a hurry. He probably won’t get a ton of playing time, but he still should be able to make an impact nonetheless.

Josh Hairston: Everyone loves Hairston. He isn’t a major scoring threat to say the least, but he is a pesky defender. Along with Cook, expect Hairston to be a leader for this team. The senior will be a great asset for this young team to have.

Marhsall Plumlee: This is probably the final installment of the Plumlee brothers we’ll see. I expect Marshall to excel with post defense. He is also a good shot blocker and will protect the interior.

Andre Dawkins: This guy has been a question mark since he arrived at Duke. He’s a very streaky player, but is expected to be a knockdown shooter. Think of Dawkins as a wildcard. His season could go good, or it could become bad. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Alex Murphy: Talk about another guy that is tough to read. Murphy has a good ability to drive to the basket, but he has underachieved as a shooter. I expect that he will be on limited minutes, but should have a better role by next season.

Semi Ojeleye: The freshman should be future impactful player for the Blue Devils. The small forward plays the same position as Parker and Hood, so that will eat away his minutes. He just needs to be a learner and get something from Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood.