Former Blue Devil Chris Duhon is back in his hometown of Slidell, LA this week re-connecting with friends, and continuing the dedicated work of his Stand Tall Foundation.  After his first-ever golf tournament and VIP dinner over the weekend, his annual hoops camp kicks off today.

Chris told the Times-Picayune, “This is where it started for me.  People who helped me get to where I am.  As much as I can do, I just want the kids to have the same opportunity as I have.  That’s my main focus.”

Since graduating from Duke, Chris has been a major player in the community and earned national recognition for his efforts.  His Hurricane Relief Fund raised over $450,000 and secured over 3,000 boxes of clothes and supplies to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina, his Operation 21 has refurbished 21 basketball courts in Louisiana, and he has hosted numerous camps (with scholarships and below-market enrollment fees) for young people in Slidell and Durham.

Joining Chris in Slidell this week is close friend and former Duke teammate Jason Williams.  The pair won the NCAA title as teammates back in 2001, when freshman Chris handed the ball to Jason at the buzzer so his sophomore teammate could be the one to heave the ball skyward.  Jason says the pair has remained close.  “Chris has always been there for me,” Williams said at the golf outing.  “When I was at Duke [recovering from the motorcycle accident] he was wheeling me around in the wheelchair.  It’s funny when I first came to Duke, Coach K said we’re going to be family and be brothers for life.  You hear somebody say that, but you don’t think about it.  Chris is all about giving back.”

Former Blue Devil Josh McRoberts recently agreed to a new two-year deal to remain with the Indianapolis Pacers.  Josh will be one of three Blue Devils drafted since 2002 on the Pacers next year, joining starter Mike Dunleavy and recently-signed Dahntay Jones.

Last year, in a reserve role with the Pacers, McRoberts averaged 2.4 PPG and 2.2 RPG.  His best game came late in the year when he scored 12 points and grabbed 11 boards in a win over Toronto on April 8th.

The Indiana native is excited to remain at home with the Pacers.  Shortly before signing, he stated, “I hope I get more of an opportunity and I think I’ll earn more of a chance.  I feel like I’ve got a wide range of things I can do.  I think I’ve gotten a lot stronger.  I’ve really improved my shot and right now it’s just trying to put it all together in the environment with the team and to play with these guys out here.  Hopefully, I can be with the Pacers forever.  I’d love to play here the rest of my life.”

Long-time sports columnist Rick Reilly, who claims to have seen every major sporting event at least twice over the years while working for Sports Illustrated and ESPN, recently published his list of the 10 Best Sporting Events to See Live.  Among his top four, on earth, was watching the Blue Devils take on the Tar Heels in Cameron Indoor.

Reilly described Duke/UNC in Cameron like this: “Fans pulling the hair of Tar Heels players as they inbound the ball; students camping out for months in K-Ville for tix; the hilarious chants from the Crazies, who once yelled at Grant Hill’s parents, ‘One more kid!’; public school vs. private; an electricity that makes the Final Four and its corporate crowd seem like a three-day seminar on bunions.”

From the Masters to Wimbledon to Red Sox/Yankees, Reilly’s list places UNC at Duke alongside some great company from the world of sports.  However, I would think these spirited individuals feel like Reilly is three spots too low with his ranking of the rivalry game at No. 4.

Here is Reilly’s complete list:

1. Masters

2. Kentucky Derby

3. Wimbledon

4. UNC at Duke

5. Tour de France

6. America’s Cup

7. Yankees at Red Sox

8. Ryder Cup

9. Iditarod

10. Home Run Derby

With the annual Major League Baseball home run derby airing on ESPN, five Blue Devils had a derby of their own on Nintendo Wii.  Jon Scheyer, widely proven as the team’s video game champ, took swings along with Kyle Singler, Miles Plumlee, Mason Plumlee and Casey Peters.