Three reasons Duke basketball may suffer double-digit losses next season

Few Duke basketball seasons have ended with double-digit losses under Mike Krzyzewski, but there is cause for concern that 10 or more losses could befall a young group of Blue Devils next season.

Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski welcomes several new faces to Durham next fall. It is entirely possible that nary a starter for the Blue Devils in 2020-21 will have previously donned the blue and white for Coach K. Some assert that Duke’s second-ranked recruiting class (according to 247Sports) is cause for great optimism and reason to begin making space in the rafters for the next championship banner.

Others, like myself, argue that this next Duke squad might be the first since 2016 to sustain double-digit losses.

Krzyzewski-led teams have suffered 10 or more losses just seven times in the last 40 seasons (in 1994-95, Coach K lost 3 games before he was sidelined, and Pete Gaudet assumed head coaching responsibilities). Since 2000, Duke has sustained double-digit losses only twice, and the Blue Devils have averaged just 6.5 losses per year during that span.

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However, there are three reasons to suggest that the next squad in Durham may suffer significantly more defeats than in recent years. Let’s begin with the number of newcomers Coach K is bringing to Durham this fall…