Greg Paulus' former days as a star prep quarterback have been well-documented. So have the past gridiron successes of forward Kyle Singler and former captain DeMarcus Nelson.
But Duke fans may not know that at least one Blue Devil used to excel in a sport that is about as different from basketball as possible: golf.
"I was pretty good," said forward Gerald Henderson, who was a scratch golfer at his peak. "My long irons were pretty good... but my short game was just OK. My three-footers-I used to choke. It was bad."
Fortunately for Duke, Henderson chose to keep playing the sport in which his athleticism prevents any such struggles from within three feet.
His play around the rim-from thundering alley-oops to tip-ins where he seems to hover just longer than physically possible-has highlighted a two-month surge in which he has been the Blue Devils' best player.
Since Duke's loss to Michigan Dec. 6, Henderson has averaged 17.8 points per game on 53.8 percent shooting, including 43.5 percent from beyond the arc. Starting with Duke's 66-58 win at Florida State Jan. 10, in which he was the Blue Devils' sole source of offense in the first half, Henderson has scored 19.8 points per game and asserted himself as one of the top players in the ACC.
"The last month or two months, whatever it's been, he's obviously elevated his game," junior guard Jon Scheyer said. "He's a mismatch. No one can match up with him in the country."
And while Henderson's maturation into a star is just now gaining national attention, it has been coming for a long time. He struggled with what was then thought to be an asthma-related problem two years ago, averaging just 19 minutes per game. He showed flashes of breaking out last season before fracturing a bone in his wrist against North Carolina, starting a decline in his production and a corresponding season-ending slump for Duke.
Now that he's healthy, he's finally turning into the player many believed he would become.
"He's not surprised me because I thought that would come at the end of last year," head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "I've always believed that Gerald would be a very special player, there's no question about it."
Henderson's increased aggressiveness has been evident. Since he started his tear after the defeat at Michigan, Henderson has attempted double-digit field goals in every game but one.
"That's something that I've emphasized," Henderson said. "I can contribute more on offense and get myself more opportunities to score the basketball. Earlier in the season, I wasn't giving myself the best opportunities to score. I think that was a big thing."
But Henderson has not gone into games looking to take them over by himself, he said. It just ends up happening. Lately, it's been happening a lot.
"There's different times when guys get in a groove, where I'm hitting a shot or I've scored a few times in a row, but that's something that just happens in the flow of what we're doing," Henderson said.
And while Wednesday's game has obvious on-court implications, it will also feature a battle between former Episcopal Academy stars Henderson and Wayne Ellington. But the Tobacco Road rivalry hasn't divided the friends.
"I texted him after his game the other day," Henderson said. "He's starting to play really well."
To say the least, so is his former high school teammate.
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