Ball Durham
Fansided

Ranking all 40 Duke basketball teams under Coach K

By Matt Giles

Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Duke basketball forward Elton Brand guard North Carolina big man Brendan Haywood in 1999 (Getty Images) /

1998-99 Blue Devils. 3. player. 434. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 37-2 overall. 16-0 ACC

THE TOP CONTRIBUTORS

  1. Sophomore center Elton Brand: 17.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.3 steals, 62.0 field goal percentage
  2. Senior guard Trajan Langdon: 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals; 44.1 3-point percentage
  3. Sophomore guard William Avery: 14.9 points, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals; 41.1 3-point percentage
  4. Sophomore forward Shane Battier: 9.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.2 blocks; 41.5 3-point percentage
  5. Junior forward Chris Carrawell: 9.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists
  6. Freshman forward Corey Maggette: 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds
  7. Sophomore forward Chris Burgess: 5.4 points, 3.9 rebounds
  8. Sophomore forward Nate James: 5.0 points, 2.6 rebounds

THE SEASON SYNOPSIS

Elton Brand was unstoppable. Trajan Langdon was sizzling. William Avery was sensational. Shane Battier was, on any given night, whatever Coach K asked him to be. Chris Carrawell was another versatile force. Off the bench, Corey Maggette packed quite a punch while Chris Burgess, Nate James, and others were solid enough to hang with the six top talents.

The 1998-99 Duke basketball season, up until the screeching halt in the last minute of the NCAA Championship Game against Connecticut, was like a celebration of all Mike Krzyzewski had achieved and rebuilt in the 90s. Wins by 30 or more were routine.

The average scoring margin of 24.7 points remains more than three points higher than that of any Duke team in history and more than four points higher than that of any squad without Elton Brand (as the 1997-98 group is next at 21.5).

THE REPORT CARD

  • 37 out of a possible 40 points for WIN TOTAL
  • 2.25 out of a possible 5 points for TOP 25 WINS (nine)
  • 4.75 out of a possible 5 points for WINS BY 25+ POINTS (19)
  • 10 out of a possible 20 points for POSTSEASON NETS (ACC Championship, Final Four)
  • 2 out of a possible 10 points for CONSENSUS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS (Brand)
  • 2 out of a possible 5 points for ALL-ACC FIRST TEAM SELECTIONS (Brand, Langdon)
  • 3.5 out of a possible 5 points for MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICANS (Langdon, James, Taymon Domzalski, Burgess, Brand, Battier, Maggette)
  • 10 out of a possible 10 points for HYPOTHETICAL HEAD-TO-HEAD STANDING (No. 1)
  • 6 bonus points for WINS AGAINST UNC (three)
  • TOTAL GRADE: 77.50
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