With Duke's offseason in full swing, the Blue Zone is here to break down film from the new additions to both the men’s and women’s teams. On the men’s side, we’ve already looked at Kon Knueppel, Patrick Ngongba II, Isaiah Evans, Khaman Maluach, Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown. Next up is incoming transfer and electric sharpshooter Mason Gillis:
Head coach Jon Scheyer learned firsthand last season the importance of experience in March. So, after falling in the Elite Eight, Scheyer went out and recruited Purdue’s Mason Gillis straight off his appearance in the National Championship Game.
The graduate forward did not start for the Boilermakers in his final season in West Lafayette, Ind., but played an absolutely crucial role as the team’s sixth man. Gillis routinely came off the bench to immediately change the flow of the game offensively, as his 3-point shooting helped space the floor around two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey.
Gillis may very well play a similar role this season for the Blue Devils, as Scheyer will look to capitalize on the transfer’s 40.7% career 3-point rate (46.8% last season) to stretch opponents on the perimeter. The 6-foot-6 forward is also a willing rebounder and passer — averaging 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game last season — but his main attraction comes from his sweet stroke outside. Watch as he hits nine threes against Penn State in the 2022-23 season.
Watching the clip above, it’s easy to see why Gillis thrived in Purdue’s screen-heavy, inside-out offense. Any time the defense tried to shade a step inside on the post, or was a second behind a screen, Gillis pulled the trigger. Aspects of this mindset should carry over to Duke’s system, which figures to have strong spacing regardless of the lineup on the court.
Defenders cannot overcommit to Gillis outside, though, as he is capable of finding his big men inside for easy buckets. Watch these two plays below where the New Castle, Ind., native finds a center over the top of the defense for a score.
Blue Devil fans may remember Jacob Grandison, another Big Ten 3-point shooting forward who came to Durham as a graduate transfer and compares favorably to Gillis. However, the key difference between the two is Gillis’ experience on the game’s biggest stages. Watch here as he cooks defenses from three in the Final Four, Big Ten Tournament and more.
If there is one knock on Gillis, it's that he's relatively unproven as a defender. Since he had Edey in the paint to dissuade any would-be driver from attacking the hoop, and he rarely worried about opponents dribbling past him towards an easy basket. Gillis still has to show Scheyer that his defense can match his offensive production.
However, Gillis’ leadership and experience cannot be understated for a team projected to rely heavily on contributions from freshmen. While he will not be the flashiest or most talked about player on next year’s roster, Gillis’ consistency and influence in the locker room will be key to Duke’s success.
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Dom Fenoglio is a Trinity junior and a sports managing editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.