They’re big, they’re athletic and they can shoot the rock, too. Meet the Class of 2013.
The Duke freshmen bring an impressive combination of size and shooting ability to the floor, and can make an immediate impact with their versatility. Andre Dawkins is a pure shooter who thrives from behind the arc, while forwards Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee are skillful big men who have the ability to shoot from the post or the perimeter.
Dawkins, a shooting guard from Chesapeake, Va., was a late arrival who decided in August to complete his remaining high school courses and commit to Duke as a member of the Class of 2013. Dawkins had intended to join the Duke roster the following year.
His late decision to forgo his last year of high school eligibility adds depth to a thin Blue Devil backcourt.
“Whenever he came into our program he was going to be a really good player,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He didn’t have the benefit of summer school like Mason and Ryan, so I’m really proud of his adjustment…. Andre was really thrown into it, but he’s such a good student and he’s such a good kid socially that he didn’t have to make those adjustments.”
Dawkins was one of the highest-rated high school shooting guards in the country, and will complement junior Nolan Smith and senior Jon Scheyer in the backcourt.
“I’ve always loved Duke—Coach K, Cameron, the tradition,” Dawkins said. “The guards are allowed to play freely so it just felt like the perfect place for me to be.”
Dawkins’s strengths lie in his vertical leap and fluid shot, and Krzyzewski expects him to thrive in Duke’s style of play. With a plethora of big men able to set screens around the perimeter, Dawkins should have many opportunities as the first substitute in the backcourt to come off those screens and flaunt his scoring abilities.
Two of the big bodies setting screens for Dawkins are fellow freshmen Kelly and Plumlee, but those two have the versatility to score down low and from the outside.
There are many parallels to be made between Kelly and Plumlee. They both committed early to Duke and were touted as top students as well as top forwards in the country. Although Plumlee is actually from Warsaw, Ind., he played high school basketball in Asheville, N.C., and Kelly is a Raleigh native.
They are both listed at 6-foot-10, yet they have the unique ability to play the perimeter as well as the post. Both were McDonald’s All-Americans, and Kelly won the three-point contest against the top high school players in the country.
“Actually during the preseason we had [Kelly] playing exclusively on the perimeter in all the drills,” Krzyzewski said. “We felt that it would help his foot movement…. He’s actually progressed well and now we use him both places. He can shoot and he can score.”
Kelly showcased his many talents during the Blue Devils’ exhibition game against Pfeiffer, scoring 18 points in front of his family, high school coach and several former teammates.
“I’m someone that’s going to work hard,” Kelly said. “I have some versatility for a guy my size and can shoot the ball pretty well. I’m going to do whatever Coach asks of me.”
Although Plumlee was introduced to the Cameron Crazies as older brother Miles’s “mini-me,” don’t let DUI fool you. Mason Plumlee is long, powerful and can shoot from the perimeter just after slamming down an intimidating dunk.
Krzyzewski is considering the younger Plumlee a starter, and alongside the 6-foot-10 Kelly and 6-foot-8 Kyle Singler, Duke has an unusually tall arsenal of forwards with shooting range. After a slow start in the exhibition game, Plumlee showcased his talents, finishing with a double-double. He scored 18 points and had 12 rebounds.
“That certainly adds another dimension… that versatility,” said Kelly. “There’s not many teams that have players who are 6-foot-9, 6-foot-10 and 6-foot-11 who can [score in so many different ways]. It’s something we are going to take advantage of, along with our size in general.”
It seems that the three freshman recruits will be instrumental in making Duke’s style of play successful this year. Kelly and Plumlee will use their athleticism and size to score from the perimeter as well as the post. Dawkins will use the size around him to showcase his explosive ability to score points with his stroke.
It’s the Class of 2013 at its best.