In the week leading up to Duke basketball's first game of the season Friday against Georgia State, The Blue Zone will preview all the expected contributors on this 2012-2013 squad, beginning with the freshman Monday and ending with the seniors Friday.
Rasheed Sulaimon
- Year: Freshman
- Height: 6-foot-4
- Position: Shooting guard
- Last year's key statistics: 27.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.6 APG at Strake Jesuit College Prep
Game breakdown: There's a reason why Sulaimon was ranked the No. 12 player in his recruiting class by ESPN—this guy is a natural scorer. He is fearless with the ball in his hands and can get to the rim regardless of who is defending him. Sulaimon is no stranger to contact and can score in traffic, but his agility makes him hard to contain in the lane.
He has shown in exhibition action that he can score from deep as well, knocking down two 3-pointers in the Blue Devils' first win against Western Washington. That is what makes Sulaimon so difficult to deal with if you are a defender—if you guard him too tightly he'll find a way around you, but if you respect his driving ability and give him too much space he'll shoot over you.
Although Sulaimon is very hard to defend, it isn't easy to work against him on the offensive end either. The Houston, Texas native has shown significant potential as a perimeter defender. With head coach Mike Krzyzewski's emphasis on defensive play this season, Sulaimon will without a doubt get enough work in practice to sharpen his skills on that end of the floor. He can provide Duke with something it has lacked at the shooting guard position in years past—a player who can be both a prolific scorer and a lock-down defender.
And even while his physical tools are great, what sets Sulaimon apart from your average college freshman is his energy and focus. The 18-year old's calm demeanor and poise on the floor is a significant sign of this freshman's maturity. He has the potential to play well beyond his years in his rookie season.
Role on the team: Entering the season Sulaimon will be the Blue Devils' sixth man, assuming Seth Curry is healthy enough to join the starters for Duke's season opener Friday against Georgia State. Given Sulaimon's strong performances throughout the summer and in exhibition play, however, it would not be out of the question to see him replace Curry, or even Alex Murphy in the starting lineup, depending on how they perform. As the year kicks off, it's likely you'll see Sulaimon rotating with Quinn Cook and Curry at Duke's two guard positions, but it's possible Krzyzewski plans to pair Sulaimon with backup point guard Tyler Thornton and use the two in tandem off the bench. It also would not be out of the question to see Cook, Curry and Sulaimon on the floor at the same time in a three-guard look, but the Blue Devils will probably look to move away from smaller lineups this season.
Player comparison: As far as playing ability goes, Sulaimon's capacity to get to the bucket and shoot from the perimeter is similar to the type of game Nolan Smith displayed during his time at Duke, but the more stark similarity may be in the players' demeanors. Sulaimon's calm-natured poise on the court is eerily reminiscent of Smith's—you could potentially see him becoming the same type of leader later in his career as well. Sulaimon probably wouldn't mind the comparison to a national champion and NBA first-round draft pick.
Projected statline: 9.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 10-15 games started
Check back tomorrow for previews of Alex Murphy and Marshall Plumlee.
Who we've already previewed: Amile Jefferson
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