"This is the first year since [2001 graduate Shane] Battier that we're going to have an established star," head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We've got two of them."
The Blue Devils are led this season by preseason All-America first-teamers J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams. The two superstars are complemented by fellow seniors Sean Dockery and Lee Melchionni. All four are team captains, the first time in team history there have been four.
Although Duke had solid senior leadership from Daniel Ewing last year and Chris Duhon two years ago, neither was a bona fide star, like Redick and Williams, entering his senior season nor had the responsibility of guiding a team that will be disappointed with anything but a National Championship.
The four captains are joined by the team's two non-scholarship seniors, Ross Perkins and Patrick Johnson. The sextet of seniors will provide much-needed leadership to a team that has five freshmen.
"We haven't had seniors like this for a long time," Krzyzewski said. "I am relying more on them and actually trying to teach them to teach [the younger players]. I believe you learn things better when you teach them."
And the captains are welcoming the opportunity to help the younger players grow.
"I think it is exciting because as a senior you get to pass on your knowledge and wisdom to those younger guys so they can continue the tradition that we have here at Duke," Melchionni said.
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