About The Duke Basketball Project

Last season was so much fun.  As a (self-proclaimed) basketball historian and lifelong Duke fan, I have always wanted to write about Duke Basketball.  Coach Scheyer’s first season seemed like a great time to experiment with some ideas - here’s what I wrote last year to get started.  My intention was to continue writing throughout the offseason but instead, I decided to take some time to plan and really consider what I want The Duke Basketball Project to be about.  

I’ll start with where I don’t want The Duke Basketball Project to go.  The coach in me would love to break down game tape, X’s & O’s, scouting reports, and player evaluations for Duke and their opponents throughout the season.  However, the coach in me also knows that to do so while not being at practice every day or in coaches meetings, is to do so without knowledge or understanding of the full picture.  That’s not to discredit anyone who writes those type of breakdowns, it’s just not something I care to attempt when not in the locker room.  

For many of the same reasons, I won’t write much on individual players.  I love pulling for Duke, and though basketball at all levels keeps moving closer to everyone just being a professional, I always keep in perspective these are young men (many still teenagers), so being critical from the outside in any way is not something I care to participate in.         

With that said, I do plan to continue having content on the current season.  I’ll revise Quotes & Notes, essentially eliminating most of my commentary on recent games (again, I’m not in the locker room), while including the best quotes from Coach Scheyer and the team.  I’ll also keep a running track of various team statistics I find relevant throughout the season.    

The idea for The Duke Basketball Project was built around re-watching old Duke games from Mike Krzyzewski’s career, so I want to focus on that going forward, with a new format that will be a little more concise. Tony Soprano once said “remember when” is the lowest form of conversation, and Coach K often talked about not having a rear view mirror - the most important game is the next one on the schedule. Watching old Duke games and researching college basketball history isn’t about living in the past or wanting to go back in time. But I’ve learned over the last several years that our memories are both valuable and fragile I’ve spent (almost) my whole life being a Duke fan and hopefully I’ve kept that in the proper spot on my list of priorities.  But, out of the hundreds of Duke games I’ve seen over the years, I don’t want to only remember those five national title games. There have been too many classic games, games that have personal meaning, and great individual performances to just let them fade away.  I want to capture those games in writing as best I can, save them as part of The Duke Basketball Project, and get back to the next game on the schedule.    

My favorite article from last season was Becoming a Duke Fan because it was personal.  There is something therapeutic in writing down memories about things you love.  In between re-watches, I’ll continue with some personal lists and essays on various Duke topics.  I’m not a big fan of debates in the form of Mount Rushmores or GOATs - there have been too many great sports figures from different eras, with varying teammates, rules, circumstances, etc.  What I do like is that everyone can have their own opinion and say “here’s what I love about this player, team, coach, etc.”  I want to write about my favorite things throughout Coach K’s time at Duke.      

In a dream world, I would have been 6’5” with the ability to actually run and jump (I’d keep my real-life jump shot though), and would have played four years for Coach K before returning to join his coaching staff.  In a slightly more realistic dream world, I’d be the curator of a Duke Basketball Museum, carefully selecting the “artifacts” I care about most.  The Duke Basketball Project is the written version of the museum in my head: my personal history with Duke Basketball, covering Coach K’s career from 1980-2022, capturing my favorite games and topics, while tracking the current Duke season as well - three more days!

Thanks for reading, Go Duke!