Duke basketball champ offers up some 2020 fighting words

A Duke basketball product in the NBA refuses to surrender to the year 2020.

Evidently, Justise Winslow is fed up with the pervasive woe-is-us attitude that continues to envelop society this calendar year. No wonder. After all, the pity-fueled jokes about “2020” across social media have become tiresome and counterproductive. So the former Duke basketball one-and-done took it upon himself on Saturday to demand a more promising outlook.

To the applause of many, Winslow, now 24 and with the Memphis Grizzlies alongside fellow 2015 Duke national champs Tyus Jones and Grayson Allen, used Twitter to spread a message of perseverance. The first part of his brief, yet powerful tweet likened our current situation to a heavyweight bout and reminded us 2020’s entire story isn’t written just yet:

“Let’s change the narrative. 2020 been [expletive]. But we got a 1/3 of the year left. 4 more rounds in this 12 round fight to whoop 2020 [expletive].”

Below that, Winslow ended his inspirational note in a comical, yet sincere way by relating this to the climactic moment from the legendary fight scene in the 1995 classic Friday. He’s asking us to picture 2020’s first eight months as Deebo’s sleeper hold, to see the unconscious Craig as us in the present, and to view the words from Craig’s dad as what we need to hear right now:

“‘GET UP CRAIG, C’MON SON, GET UP CRAIG’…LET’S KEEP FIGHTING.”

Duke basketball treasure Justise Winslow is a proven fighter

As Duke basketball fans should remember, without Winslow’s persistent fight in late-March 2015 against Utah and Gonzaga in his hometown of Houston — to the tune of 37 points and 15 rebounds between those two South Regional battles — his Blue Devils might not have advanced to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

And without the 6-foot-6, 225-pound chiseled forward’s continued efforts a week later against Michigan State (19 points, nine boards) and then in the title bout against Wisconsin (11 points, nine boards, three blocks), the 2015 history books might not have aptly reflected Winslow’s fight and that Duke squad’s championship qualities.

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Sure, one reason for this article is just to provide another excuse to relive Duke basketball memories…and to rewatch Friday. However, though easier said than done, Winslow’s advice seems to be worth heeding.

Yes, it’s time to stand back up and throw a brick at the face of Deebo (2020) — then a trashcan, then a punch, then a kick, and then the knockout right cross.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more news and views regarding all things Duke basketball.