It was another terrific year for Blue Devils in the NBA. Here are a few of the highlights:
• Mike Dunleavy, Jr. had a breakout season with the Indiana Pacers that saw him set a new career high in scoring of 36 points and then match it four different times during the course of the season, including once in back-to-back games! The Oregon native averaged 19.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.5 APG and 1.0 SPG (one of only 10 players to average at least 19 points, 5 boards, 3.5 assists and 1 steal per game).
• Carlos Boozer made his second NBA All-Star Team in the ultra-competitive Western Conference and earned All-NBA honors, then once again lead his Jazz team to the playoffs and into the second round. The Duke All-American ranked 18th in the NBA in scoring (21.1 PPG) and eighth in rebounding (10.4 RPG), and was one of only four players in the league to average at least 21 and 10 on a nightly basis.
• Shane Battier became one of the faces of an historic NBA winning streak, as the Houston Rockets rode team defense and selfless play (both Shane’s specialties) to an unbelievable 22-game winning streak, the second longest in NBA history.
• Elton Brand was forced to sit out most of the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, but came back as strong as ever to average 17.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.9 blocks in his eight games back from injury.
• Corey Maggette stepped in as the go-to guy for the Clippers while Elton sat out with his injury and had a career year, averaging 22.1 points (11th in the NBA), 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
• Grant Hill finally recovered fully from his ankle problems to play almost the entire season for the Phoenix Suns, drawing rave reviews from coaches, teammates, and fans and showing everyone that he still has a lot of great basketball left in him. The seven-time NBA All-Star became the third straight Blue Devil to win the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award (Shane Battier finished second behind Grant).
Those are just a few of the bright spots for the Blue Devils this past NBA season, and with a busy off-season ahead of us, expect to see more headlines in the future.
Boozer Looks Ahead to Olympics
After once again leading the Utah Jazz deep in the Western Conference playoffs this season, Carlos Boozer is on the short list of players vying to make the 12-man U.S. Olympic Basketball Team. Having already won an NCAA Championship with Mike Krzyzewski in 2001, Carlos hopes he and Coach K can work together to bring home another championship this summer… the Olympic Gold Medal.
Blue Devils Could Be On the Move
Several of Duke’s NBA players could be putting on a different uniform next season. Elton Brand and Corey Maggette each have the option of opting out of the final year of their contracts with the L.A. Clippers to explore the opportunities as unrestricted free agents. Brand’s current deal would pay him over $16 million next year, making him one of the highest paid players in the NBA, but the two-time All-Star could have other attractive options as well. Maggette has been a bargain player for the Clippers for several years now, and is expected to opt out to seek a contract more in line with his terrific production on the court.
Two other teammates could also be changing cities over the summer. Chris Duhon is an unrestricted free agent and will likely be looking for a new NBA squad with a less crowded backcourt than the Chicago Bulls. Having proven himself over and over again as a terrific leader, floor general, and defender in the NBA, there should be no shortage of options. Luol Deng is a restricted free agent this summer but is less likely to change teams, given that he is widely considered one of the Bulls’ biggest building blocks for the future. However, since Chicago hit the jackpot last week by winning the draft lottery, there is a lot of speculation about what the No. 1 pick could mean for the current players on the team.
Grant Hill also has a player option for next season with the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are in the process of hiring a new head coach following Mike D’Antoni’s move to New York.
