Ask Olek Czyz about the rigors of a Blue Devil practice, and he doesn't say much, understandably humbled by the steep learning curve for a first-year player.
It's not that he's not talkative-just YouTube the video "Meet the Devils" for proof-but on the court, the Polish native is still adjusting to his new role at Duke.
And that means more work and less talk.
So while Czyz has begun to create a name for himself off the court-that's Czyz, rhymes with fizz-it may take a little longer before he establishes himself on it.
"It's been good so far," Czyz said. "We go out there and the coaches are all over me, so it's going well. But it's not easy."
The transition to the college game seems to be harder for Czyz than it is for his fellow freshmen, both of whom have spent more time playing organized basketball. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski said Czyz is still learning the game. The freshman noted that practice in itself has been difficult now that he has to match up against so many athletes at the same time.
Czyz, a four-star recruit, is also presented with the extra challenge of playing a new position. The coaching staff believes that at 6-foot-7, the high school power forward is more suited as a small forward on the Blue Devils.
Kyle Schellin, Czyz's high school coach, figured that the Reno High School graduate's major obstacle would be understanding his role within Krzyzewski's system, and Schellin's statement has proven almost prophetic given the position switch. Czyz's toughness and scoring touch around the basket were his greatest strengths in high school and a bulk of his offense comes from dunks, which will be harder to come by if he is playing on the wings.
But Czyz's assignment will be to spread the floor, and that means expanding his shooting range, making him a 2008 version of former Blue Devil and transfer Taylor King in more ways than one.
"Whenever I get in, I want to help out: shoot 3's, play defense, be an energy guy off the bench," Czyz said.
Czyz has proven to be capable of providing hustle. Krzyzewski commended his athleticism and toughness, and Schellin praised his willingness to make the little plays, such as taking charges and diving for loose balls.
Although he saw limited action in Duke's Blue-White scrimmage and first exhibition game-just 18 minutes total-Czyz doesn't regret selecting Duke over a school where he might have had a larger role.
He is patiently waiting for his number to be called so he can make his contribution to the storied Blue Devil legacy.
"I just want my team to succeed, and I want to bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the team because that's something that gets everyone going," he said. "That's how we're going to be successful and get 'W's."
And while he waits for that opportunity, you might just find him in front of a camera.
He'll do whatever it takes to make his name at Duke-and given his propensity for off-the-court chatter, you might know how to pronounce it, too.
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