Young stars make Duke fun, dangerous
One-and-dones, paired with veterans, add depth to college basketball
DURHAM, N.C. – “One-and-dones are bad for the college game.”
You have probably heard this (extremely ridiculous) take somewhere from some fan, likely one who is annoyed with the current FBI scandal that threatens to fully expose the seedy underbelly of college basketball. Some people believe that if we didn’t have the one-and-done rule, we wouldn’t have agents lurking around future lottery picks, slipping them and their families cash, which could lead to schools having to vacate wins and championships down the road.
But that’s an uneducated take. The problem lies with the NCAA and its insistence on amateurism. Agents are always going to hang around talented kids, regardless of age. If uber-talented players were allowed to sign endorsement deals — the Olympic model, as it’s often referred to — they wouldn’t need to take handouts from agents.
Anyone who watched North Carolina-Duke on Saturday night, a 74-64 win for the Blue Devils in Cameron Indoor Stadium, knows the handful of freshman phenoms make the college game better in every way. If not for Gary Trent Jr. draining three-pointers and Marvin Bagley III getting what fellow freshman Trevon Duval likes to call Bagley’s “it’s-animal-time” look in his eye — which often precedes him taking over in the paint, snatching rebounds away from opponents and slamming home dunks at crucial moments — Duke would not be nearly as enjoyable
to watch. Games wouldn’t be as interesting or as competitive.
At one point Saturday, Bagley rebounded his missed shot, rebounded that missed shot, then finally grabbed the ball with two-hands and used his pogo-stick legs to spring up and throw down a thunderous dunk as the Cameron Crazies roared.
Asked if he’s in awe of Bagley or just used to his jaw-dropping athleticism at this point, Grayson Allen shook his head.
“Man, sometimes you get used to it, but I really try not to,” Allen said. “The most amazing things to me is his second, third and fourth jumps seem just as high as his first one. … His athleticism and vertical right under (the basket), even in traffic, is just incredible.”
Can you imagine if we weren’t able to get a preview of Bagley before he heads to the NBA? While I’d understand allowing kids to go right from preps to pros from a business perspective, it would bum me out as a fan. I love one-anddones — especially when they find themselves teamed up with guys who have experience.
At Duke, the other end of the spectrum is Allen, the only player left from the Blue Devils’ 2015 recruiting class. The rest, led by Jahlil Okafor, left early for the NBA — after they helped Duke win its fifth national championship.
Allen is the lone senior on Duke’s roster, and Saturday night served as a coronation for the fan favorite who has been through what he calls a “roller-coaster ride” in his four years. He shot a forgettable 5-for-14 overall and 2-for-7 from three-point rage but was clutch in the way veterans are when necessary: His corner three in front of the Duke bench with 6:51 to go put Duke up 60-58. The Blue Devils did not trail again the rest of the night. Appropriately, he scored the last points after a steal and two free throws.
Allen has been through a lot, no doubt — and much of it was his own making. But in four years, he’s also grown into a tremendous leader. In a celebratory locker room, Bagley and Duval talked about learning composure and work ethic from Allen, two lessons that will serve them well in their professional careers.
This team is exciting — and unpredictable and wacky — because it has the best of both worlds. A savvy veteran who relies on experience, and new guys who often defer to their monstrous talent and athleticism. The combination makes them more interesting, and dangerous, come March Madness.
They’re not the only team with this equation, either. Arizona features freshman physical freak Deandre Ayton and seasoned upperclassman Alonzo Trier. Texas has potential lottery pick Mohamed Bamba plus junior Dylan Osetkowski. Missouri has the newcomer everyone was excited to watch, Michael Porter Jr., who it is rumored will return for the Southeastern Conference tournament after missing the regular season with an injury. The Tigers also have Kassius Robertson, a grad transfer from Canisius College in Buffalo. And no one will forget about electrifying freshman Trae Young, the nation’s leader in scoring and assists. Young will need scoring help from junior Christian James if the Sooners are to make any noise in the tournament.
New and experienced, young and old. The combination makes college basketball better. One-and-dones add depth to college hoops, especially when they’re paired with at least one veteran. Now we’re about to enter the best part of the season, when the teams that figure out how to mesh those two groups together play deep into the month. The madness is more chaotic with rookies, and that’s a good thing.
Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.