Duke basketball champ botches his all-time Blue Devil lineup
By Matt Giles
The other guard in Williams’ all-time Duke basketball five: KYRIE IRVING
If the idea was for Jason Williams to put another extreme scoring threat in his proposed backcourt, then he could’ve run the point and plugged in picture-perfect sharpshooter JJ Redick (2002-06) at the two-spot. Even if the idea was to have a fellow speedy scorer by his side, then lightfooted combo guard Johnny Dawkins (1982-86) would’ve done the trick.
Seeing that Redick and Dawkins still sit No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on the program’s all-time scoring list with a combined 5,325 points for their college careers, choosing one or the other would have been the only sensible choice if seeking another score-first — but team-first all the same — guard.
Or Williams could have gone the route of a pass-first floor general in Bobby Hurley (1989-93), a two-time national champ who still owns the NCAA record with 1,076 career assists.
Instead, Williams went with former one-and-done roadrunner Kyrie Irving (2010-11). Here’s what admitted Boston Celtics fan Matt Keohan said about the Irving pick after Williams had revealed his entire five:
“That’s a great team until Kyrie poisons the chemistry.”
Williams then quickly defended his choice:
“No, no, not going to happen. We’re not talking about the Boston Celtics Kyrie. We’re not talking about Cleveland. We’re talking about college Kyrie. We’re good…I mean, talent-wise, you taking Kyrie or you taking Bobby Hurley?”
What college Kyrie? The dude sat out more than 70 percent of Duke’s games with a friggin’ toe injury, taking the court only 11 times — zilch in ACC play.
In response to Williams’ question regarding Irving vs. Hurley, the other podcaster in the conversation, Arthur Kade, provided what is the right answer:
“I think Hurley was one of the greatest PG leaders in college basketball history…I think Hurley is just that throwback pure point guard, and you guys would work really well together, although there would be size issues.”
Yet Hurley was only two inches shorter than Irving. Furthermore, Williams placed at the three-spot a 6-foot-8 uber-athlete — the obvious choice — who would more than compensate for any height deficiencies on the perimeter…