Duke basketball looking to snap recent series of bad luck

The Duke basketball program is looking to snap its recent streak of bad luck on the court. 

If you are a Duke basketball fan, you aren’t used to the recent series of bad luck the Blue Devils have experienced over the last three seasons.

Recruiting success aside, the incidents on the court and throughout the world have worked negatively for the five-time National Champions, and the 2021-22 squad will be looking to bring positive memories back to Durham next spring.

The bad luck for Duke stems back to the last NCAA Tournament the Blue Devils played in:

• March 31, 2019 – Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Tre Jones fail to reach the Final Four.
• March 10, 2020 – Coronavirus pandemic cancels ACC and NCAA Tournaments, giving surging Duke no chance at postseason magic.
• November 10, 2020 – Duke University announces no spectators will be allowed at winter sports due to COVID-19 protocols.
• December 10, 2020 – Duke cancels the remainder of the non-conference schedule as opponents are fluttered with COVID-19 cases.
• February 15, 2021 – Five-star freshman forward Jalen Johnson “opts-out” of the season in midst of Duke’s worst year in recent memory.
• March 11, 2021 – Duke must pull out of ACC Tournament after two victories because of the first positive COVID-19 tests of the season.
• March 14, 2021 – Duke misses NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1994-95 season.
• June 2, 2021 – Mike Krzyzewski announces the 2021-22 season will be his last as head coach of the Blue Devils.

Duke basketball has all the tools to make 2021-22 a special season

The spotlight is always bright in Durham, but it will be at its brightest this season as the Blue Devils look to send Mike Krzyzewski out on top. And the Hall of Famer has all the tools to cut down the nets this season.

Duke will be led by five-star freshman Paolo Banchero, who could be in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, in addition to his freshmen teammates, AJ Griffin, Trevor Keels, and Jaylen Blakes.

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The Blue Devils also return sophomore center Mark Williams as well as sophomore point guard Jeremy Roach, junior wing Wendell Moore, and senior guard Joey Baker.

Krzyzewski has also been aggressive in the transfer portal over the last two seasons, bringing in Marquette forward Theo John to create an imposing force in the paint this season.

Duke can return to the top of the college basketball world this year, and the Blue Devils certainly have the players and coaching to get it done. Now, all it will take is a little good luck.