|
Checking In with Kyle…
Funniest Teammate: Jon Scheyer
Favorite Pro Team: Boston Celtics
Most Exciting NBA Player: Kobe Bryant
Favorite Food: Anything My Mom Makes
Smartest Teammate: Steve Johnson
Favorite TV Sitcom: The Office
Favorite Actress: Angelina Jolie
Favorite Off-Day Activity: Hanging Out with Friends
Favorite Restaurant: Cook-Out
Favorite Video Game: Any Basketball Game
Favorite Game-Day Song to Get Pumped: Lose Yourself by Eminem
Favorite Sport to Watch Besides Hoops: Football & Track
Strongest Duke Player in the Weight Room: DeMarcus Nelson
Top Dunker on the Team: Gerald Henderson
Teammate with Best Hoops IQ: Jon Scheyer
All-Time Favorite Movie: Hoosiers
Favorite U.S. City to Visit: Las Vegas
Kyle in 3 Words: Hard-Working, Smart, Determined
Best-Dressed Teammate: DeMarcus Nelson
Best Duke Player Ever: Grant Hill
Best Athlete in Sports: Roger Federer
Favorite Band/Music Artist: 50 Cent
|
Archive for March, 2008
0
Comments
Know Your Devils — Kyle Singler
March 8, 2008
Posted by Dave Bradley under Courtside Q&A
0
Comments
3/3/08 Duke in the NBA
March 3, 2008
Posted by Dave McSwain under NBA Devils
NBA.com Duke Stats
Top Performer
If you’re looking for an explanation as to why 30+ point games have become a regular occurrence for Corey Maggette this season, look no further than the three-point line. While Maggette has long been known as one of the top perimeter players in the league at getting to the free-throw line and converting, that other line has not always been as kind. This season has provided evidence of the work that Corey put in to improve his shot, as he is averaging a career-high 40.0% from long range. His improved shooting was never more evident than Friday night, when he led the Clippers with 28 points while shooting 4-of-5 from deep. Maggette has simply been on fire from all over the court since the New Year, and his averages in the last three games (27.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists) don’t represent a hot streak so much as a snapshot of his consistent performance over the past two months.
Line of the Week
For the second week in a row, Mike Dunleavy, Jr. has recorded a stellar stat line to lead the Indiana Pacers to a victory. The victim Friday night was the Toronto Raptors, who watched helplessly as Dunleavy matched a career high with 36 points on 11-of-19 from the field (.579) and 6-of-9 from long range (.667). Mike also managed six rebounds and four assists for the game. In his last five games, Dunleavy is averaging 26.2 points per game on 50% shooting from the field, including almost three treys a game.
Mike Dunleavy, Jr. drives hard to the basket vs. the Knicks on February 6th.
Luol Deng Back up to Speed
After missing a month’s worth of games due to a strained Achilles tendon, it took Luol Deng a few games to get back into the swing of things in Chicago, particularly with multiple new teammates following the big deadline deal with Cleveland. Friday night, however, marked the return of the Luol we’ve come to expect, as he notched a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds against the Wizards.
Big Visitor to Cameron
Coach K got to play tour guide this past week, although the biggest attraction may have been the guest he was guiding around Cameron. When one of the most recognized athletes in the world wants to get an up-close look at one of the most recognized stadiums in the world, they tend to get their wish, and 7’6” NBA All-Star Yao Ming certainly got his. Coach K and the Duke staff gave Yao a personal tour of Cameron, the locker room area, and the brand-new Krzyzewski Center, where he got to watch some video highlights of teammate Shane Battier’s stellar collegiate career in the Krzyzewski Center theater. Yao enjoyed the opportunity to hear Coach K’s many stories about Shane’s time at Duke, and impressed everyone he met.
Elton Brand Update
After missing the entire NBA season to date with a ruptured Achilles tendon, Elton Brand can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Allowed to participate in light contact drills last week for the first time since the injury, Elton expects to be allowed to engage in full practices soon, with a possible return date in mid-March.
Duke Blue Planet NBA Fantasy League Update
The eminent return of Brand to the Clippers lineup also heralds the beginning of what could be a remarkable comeback in the NBA Fantasy League standings. Holding on to the third spot most of the season due to an array of injuries, the Blue Devils actually made up some ground last week thanks to the return of Luol Deng. Once Brand returns as well, the only question becomes whether there is enough time left in the season for Duke to complete the comeback.
1. Connecticut Huskies: 14,552.8
2. North Carolina Tar Heels: 14,426.6
3. Duke Blue Devils: 12,226.3
4. Arizona Wildcats: 9826.7
5. Florida Gators: 9759.0
6. Kentucky Wildcats: 8569.4
7. Kansas Jayhawks: 7730.4
2. North Carolina Tar Heels: 14,426.6
3. Duke Blue Devils: 12,226.3
4. Arizona Wildcats: 9826.7
5. Florida Gators: 9759.0
6. Kentucky Wildcats: 8569.4
7. Kansas Jayhawks: 7730.4
Scoring summary: one point for each point scored, 1.5 point for each rebound, two points for each assist, steal or block, 0.5 points for each 3-pointer made, and -1.2 points for each turnover. Field-goal percentage is included by subtracting 0.2 points for each field goal attempt and adding 0.5 points for each field goal made, which would mean you break even by shooting 40% from the field.
Quote of the Week
“If you made a list of guys who would have been an insane amount of fun to play with over the past 35 years, [Gcrant] Hill stands with Magic, Bird, Stockton, Pippen, Walton and everyone else. There hasn’t been anyone else quite like him… He brings the ball up, starts the offense, creates plays at crunch-time, you name it.”
-ESPN’s Bill Simmons
0
Comments
Uncommon Giving
March 3, 2008
Posted by Jamie Spatola under Jamie Spatola
There are many ways one can give. For the Emily K Center, it is these gifts that make their daily efforts possible. There are the always-appreciated and necessary financial gifts. There is also the support from companies like Cisco, McKinney, and RTI International that have provided their pro bono expertise. Then, there are the numerous volunteers who give of their time to teach and interact with the students at the Center on a daily basis. All of these individuals and organizations are essential to the Emily K — their generosity and efforts are exemplary and, frankly, essential. Anytime an individual sacrifices for the good of another, we can consider it an act of charitable giving. But rarely is charity so physically exhausting.
Leave it to a truly uncommon man to come up with a most uncommon way of giving. In the span of his career, Jesse Itzler has found success in an incredible range of endeavors from founding a highly successful private jet business to a career as a rapper and songwriter. Itzler is who we all are in our wildest (and happiest) dreams: someone who has just as many crazy ideas as the rest of us but who, unlike most, follows through on them.
In 2006 Itzler had one of his craziest ideas to date — to attempt to run 100 miles in 24 hours. Somewhere in a brain that is just as full of goodness and charity as it is of crazy ideas, he decided he would raise one million dollars as the “100 Mile Man” and would donate $100,000 each to ten charities. As a three-year veteran of Duke’s K Academy, Itzler came to know about the Emily Krzyzewski Center and its mission. In selecting his charities, Itzler wanted to find organizations that had a “direct and measurable impact on people.” In other words, he wanted to see results.
While working toward personal results through his rigorous training schedule leading up to the race, Itzler was reminded of the impact his uncommon efforts would have on a group of outstanding kids in Durham. The kids sent Jesse letters and emails as a source of motivation for his run. They even sent along some Emily K Center water bottles and photos with inspirational quotes related to the six Emily K pillar words of Heart, High Expectations, Hard Work, Honesty, Integrity and Respect. The motivation was mutual. Jesse’s 100-mile endeavor served as a source of inspiration for the students at the Emily K as well as a real-life source of math word problems with which the tutors could work. “How many miles an hour must Jesse run to complete 100 miles in 24 hours?”
The numerical answer is 4.1666667. The better answer is: way too many for most. But not for Itzler. An experienced marathoner, he finished the first 50 miles in ten hours and it seemed to go by without a hitch. But as the November weather in Grapevine, TX where the run was held dipped to below forty degrees, Itzler was unable to stop shivering and battled blistered feet and dehydration. By mile 97, early in the morning on the run’s second day, he even began to hallucinate. His focus had gone from a “mind over matter” to sheer determination over even his mind.
When he crossed the finish line at under 23 hours, he had just enough energy to raise his arms triumphantly in the air. It was a feat of individual strength and will that the humble Itzler claims was aided by the support of many from his training, medical, and support staff that were physically there for him during the race to the people who encouraged him from afar. “Prior to my run, I got emails and letters from the kids that served as motivation during the run,” he says. “Knowing so many people were rooting for me really helped.” The personal pride he experienced and the bonds formed with those who went through it all with him were exacerbated by the positive impact his feat (and feet) would have.
At halftime of the Duke/UNC game on February 7, 2007, Itzler presented his $100,000 check to Marleah Rogers and Mickie Krzyzewski at mid-court in Cameron Indoor Stadium. On the same trip, he was able to visit with the students at the Emily Krzyzewski Center. He spoke to them about the Dream-Do-Achieve path that he had followed in his life in becoming an artist and businessman. More specifically, he spoke of the dreaming, doing, and achieving that took place from when the 100-mile run was an idea to when he crossed the finish line. “It was a huge thrill to see the fruits of my efforts in action!” Itzler says. His uncommon impact could not have been more “direct and measurable” than the smiles on their faces.
0
Comments
Coach K wins No. 800
March 1, 2008
Posted by Dave Bradley under Center of the Universe
March 1, 2008
Coach K won his 800th career game in dramatic fashion as Duke slipped past NC State, 87-86. We rallied from 13 down with 12:39 to go and eight down with 5:01 remaining to earn the important ACC road victory. DeMarcus Nelson led the way down the stretch and Greg Paulus buried a pair of critical three-pointers in the game’s final 3:52 to lead us to the win. The Blue Devils only second-half lead proved to be the final score, and Duke has now defeated NC State in 22 of the last 25 meetings between the schools. Our team will take Sunday off before getting back to business on Monday and traveling to Virginia on Tuesday evening for Wednesday’s game.
Articles
Friday’s Top Blue Devil Performance in the NBA
Saturday’s Top Blue Devil Performance in the NBA
0
Comments
Yao Ming Visits Cameron
March 1, 2008
Posted by Dave Bradley under Center of the Universe
|
It is common for Triangle-area visitors to go out of their way to make a stop to see Cameron Indoor Stadium. Almost every day, you can find visitors snapping photos both inside and outside the storied venue. Typically these guests aren’t 7’6″ NBA All-Stars but yesterday was an exception when Rockets center Yao Ming decided he wanted to check out Cameron while in town and tour the grounds where NBA teammate Shane Battier thrived for four years.
The towering six-time NBA All-Star made his way over to campus and met up with his tour guide, Coach K. The Hall of Fame Duke coach showed Yao around Cameron, our locker room area, and the brand-new Krzyzewski Center. Along the way, Yao saw Shane’s retired jersey, checked out his three National Defensive Player of the Year trophies, and even watched some of his Duke highlights in our theater. Exceedingly gracious, interested and friendly, Yao certainly impressed our coaching staff.
Yao, Coach K and members of the Duke and Rockets staffs in the K Center
|
