Duke basketball’s top 10 role players of the last decade
The best Duke basketball role players since 2010: Jack White
Pick Analysis. 2016-20. 8. 434. Scouting Report. Forward. Jack White. player
The cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Tournament was devastating, but the disappointment was compounded as it also meant the end of the Jack White era at Duke. I do not believe you can call yourself a real Duke fan if you didn’t love Jack White. White was a tough, scrappy, and hard-working player who seemed to love doing the dirty work on the court.
White was never a reliable offensive option and struggled to find consistency as an outside shooter throughout his career. While he may have been offensively challenged, he was relentless on the defensive end. White assumed a prominent role in the 2018-2019 season playing behind Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett. He became the guy who would defend the opposing team’s best player so Williamson and Barrett could have more energy to score on offense.
White was the ultimate team-first guy. Every team needs to have a Jack White. A guy with no ego and a selfless attitude. White was never a guy who needed to score 30 points, and I don’t even think he could even if he had to. White understood his role on the team and always brought energy, hustle, and toughness. That mentality was well respected by his coaches and teammates, which is probably why he was a team captain both his junior and senior years.
White also became a solid rim protector, both as a guy who could block shots and defend post players. His defensive versatility was extremely helpful over the past two seasons. My favorite Jack White game was in Madison Square Garden against Texas Tech, where he helped slow down Jarrett Culver and made a huge block from behind on Culver late in the game.
The Duke basketball program may not have a hard time replacing White’s offensive production, but it will be hard to find someone with White’s intangibles. White has a nose for the basketball, whether that is flying in for an offensive rebound or diving on the floor for a loose ball. He was simply willing to do anything to help the team win.
White graduated in the spring of 2020 and recently signed a three-year deal with a professional team back home in Australia.