Duke basketball 2015-16 player review: Antonio Vrankovic

Antonio Vrankovic

• Year: Freshman
• Height: 7-foot-1
• Position: Center
• This year’s stat line: 0.8 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.2 BPG
• The Blue Zone’s predicted stat line: 0.5 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.4 BPG

Season breakdown:

Despite being short on post players following Amile Jefferson’s season-ending injury in January, Vrankovic saw little action this season, with Chase Jeter and Sean Obi providing relief at the center position when Marshall Plumlee needed a breather. The Delray Beach, Fla., native made his biggest impact this season in the second game of the year, scoring four points and collecting three rebounds in Duke’s 113-75 win against Bryant on Nov. 14. 

Vrankovic also made appearances in a few other nonconference games, snagging boards against Utah State and Elon. The 7-foot-1 freshman made his lone ACC appearance against Georgia Tech in a game coached by associate head coach Jeff Capel. 

Results relative to expectations:

After committing to Duke in April 2015, it was unclear how Vrankovic fit in alongside his more highly-touted teammates. Some expected Vrankovic to be a utility player for the Blue Devils, while others considered redshirting a possibility for the raw big man. Ultimately, the freshman had trouble making it onto the court and provided minimal impact as another option for head coach Mike Krzyzewski off of Duke's bench. Vrankovic will need to make major strides on both ends of the floor if he hopes to earn a spot in the Blue Devil rotation next season.