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JJ Redick says New Orleans Blue Devils plan to attend Champions Classic

By Kevin Connelly

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 20: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils attempts a dunk 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: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils attempts a dunk 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) /
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In the latest episode of Duke Blue Planet, J.J. Redick said that the Bayou Blue Devils are planning to attend the Duke Basketball opening night game in the State Farm Champions Classic.

If Duke fans weren’t already excited for the 2019-20 season to open in the State Farm Champions Classic against the Kansas Jayhawks, this will surely get then even more excited.

The ‘Bayou Blue Devils’, J.J. Redick, Brandon Ingram, Frank Jackson, Jahlil Okafor, and Zion Williamson, are all planning on attending the game on November 5.

Redick revealed the tentative plans on the latest episode of Duke Blue Planet that is available on all social media outlets.

The New Orleans Pelicans have a game the night before, November 4, in Brooklyn against former Blue Devil Kyrie Irving and the Nets, and are off until November 8 when the team hosts the Toronto Raptors back in Louisiana.

“We are already making plans to come to the game on the 5th,” Redick said with a huge grin on his face, “so if the schedule works, I think the five of us will be at the game.”

Redick is the eldest statesmen of the group, playing at Duke from 2002-06, the only member to be in Durham for more than one season. The 35-year old has his No. 4 hanging in the rafters at Cameron Indoor Stadium in addition to being the consensus National Player of the Year in 2006.

Jahlil Okafor is the only National Champion of the group, leading the 2014-15 Blue Devils to its fifth title in his only season in Durham.

Okafor was the No. 3 overall pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2015 NBA Draft and also spent time with the Brooklyn Nets before finding a home with the Pelicans.

Brandon Ingram was the No. 2 overall pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2016 NBA Draft after leading the Blue Devils to a Sweet 16 appearance and the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2015-16.

Ingram landed in New Orleans through the blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers this offseason.

Frank Jackson was a Second Round pick of the Charlotte Hornets in the 2017 NBA Draft but was sent to New Orleans in a draft day trade.

Trending. Duke basketball: Ranking the five Bayou Blue Devils. light

Jackson won an ACC Tournament Championship in his lone season at Duke as the only team to win four games in four days to win the title.

Zion Williamson won about every single individual award possible in his only season as a Blue Devil which ended in the Spartanburg, South Carolina native being the consensus National Player of the Year.

Williamson also won an ACC Tournament Championship and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft of the Pelicans.

In the episode, Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said that he will play, and possibly start, all five former Blue Devils if Duke Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski attends a Pelicans game this season.

The Bayou Blue Devils and the rest of the New Orleans Pelicans will open its season on October 22 against the Toronto Raptors in Canada.

If the plans stay as scheduled it will be awesome to see the five player court-side as the Duke Blue Devils get its season underway at Madison Square Garden against the Kansas Jayhawks on November 5 at 7:00pm EST.

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