Duke Basketball Roundup

We are back with Episode 426 of the DBR Podcast, and we begin a 5-part series on each of the Duke Blue Devils that hope to hear their names called in this month’s NBA Draft. For that, we call in Friend of the Podcast and ESPN analyst Jay Bilas to begin our series with Paolo Banchero! However, before we start on the series, we discuss the news yesterday of the hiring of Rachel Baker, who will serve in a new role as General Manger of Duke Men’s Basketball. We discuss the role and how Baker will help the entire program set itself up to be a leader in the arena of NIL opportunities. It also helps the program to adapt to the times quickly as we move into a new era of college basketball. After the break, Bilas joins us to discuss Paolo Banchero. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of his game, why he’s so highly regarded as one of the top 3 prospects in the draft, and what he improved on in college to give him this opportunity to be a star at the next level. While we are fairly confident that Banchero will end up with the Houston Rockets as the 3rd pick in the draft, we do a bit of Over/Under on his draft slot to close out the show. We will be back this weekend with the second player in our NBA Draft preview series, which will be A.J. Griffin. Until then, definitely let us know your thoughts at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Of course, we come out with an episode after a 2-week break, and more news comes that we gotta jump back on and talk about! Tyrese Proctor, a 6’4” guard from Australia, decided to reclassify to the Class of 2022 and play for the Duke Blue Devils this upcoming season, and we discuss it quickly on Episode 425! Proctor’s reclassification gives him a guaranteed year in Durham, as he will be eligible to enter the 2023 NBA Draft. Donald, Jason, and Sam discuss how Proctor will fit next to returning point guard Jeremy Roach and the rest of the starting lineup. The discussion includes whether it precludes head coach Jon Scheyer from going after someone in the transfer portal to bring in that veteran experience. Either way, we now have an exciting Duke team that could contend for a national title this upcoming season. The news will likely keep coming, so stay tuned to your feeds and let us know what you think of Proctor coming to Duke early! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a bit of a long layoff for the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, owing in equal parts to the lack of Duke Basketball news and the relative inaccessibility of your hosts. Today, however, we are back, with the NBA draft removal deadline having passed. We start, then, with the news that Trevor Keels is remaining in the draft, so he will definitely not be returning to Duke and Durham in the fall for his sophomore season. AJ Green, former Northern Iowa guard who visited Duke a few weeks ago, and who was presumed as the main backup option for Jon Scheyer should Keels remain in the draft, has also decided to leave his name in the draft list. We dive into Duke's options on the wing, mostly via the transfer portal, with some focus on exactly what kind of player Scheyer is looking for. After the break, we answer a listener question about social media. Our official take is that you, dear listener, should refrain from destructively negative or otherwise outrageous behavior online, even if the subject of your ire cannot see or hear you. We also review the performances of some of Duke's 2023 recruits on the summer circuit. Stay in touch with us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we will be back again soon to recap recruiting and NBA news, as well as anything else that comes up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It came as a shock on Wednesday when it was announced that Joey Baker had entered the transfer portal and would be looking elsewhere for his final year of college basketball. Just weeks ago, Joey had confirmed to the world that he planned to finish his career as a Blue Devil. So, what made him change his mind? The DBR Podcast gang have a few theories, one of which is that Duke appears to be homing in on a big time transfer who could play big minutes on the wing next season. That transfer is sharpshooting AJ Green, the reigning Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year from Northern Iowa. He is taking a visit to Duke right now. The Podcast crew also looks at the 5 Dukies currently at the NBA combine, trying to read any tea leaves about what the NBA is thinking about each of these guys, especially Trevor Keels, who has a big decision on the NBA Draft to make in the next week or two. And the guys wrap things up with a brief conversation about Coach K's big salary that was just reported this week. If anyone is worth $12+ million as a coach, it is the GOAT! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald, Jason, and Sam dive into the mailbag for some questions to ponder about the future of Duke basketball. Up first, a question about how Jon Scheyer will be different from Coach K. The DBR Podcast gang also dive into some rival teams and answer the question, "which team in college basketball would you hate to be a fan of?" The guys also discuss which Dukie from history would you count on to get a bucket, grab a rebound, make 2 FTs, and other key aspects of winning a game. This episode of the podcast has a little bit of everything and even includes a bit of a movie review at the end as Jason Evans tells us about a film he recently saw that may be one of the best sequels in Hollywood history! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, we are drafting one-and-done teams from Duke history, and we have a special guest to help evaluate our picks. That guest is Mitch Davis, one of the winners of the DBR bracket challenge this year. Mitch won that crown by picking Kansas over Duke in the championship game, and he comes armed with great Duke Basketball and other college basketball stories that you won't want to miss. The eligible players for this draft are guys who went to Duke for one freshman season and then declared for the NBA draft. Here are the picks! Sam Zion Williamson Jahlil Okafor Jayson Tatum Gary Trent, Jr. Cam Reddish Corey Maggette Austin Rivers Jason Kyrie Irving RJ Barrett Brandon Ingram Justise Winslow Wendell Carter, Jr. Vernon Carey, Jr. Cassius Stanley Donald Marvin Bagley III Tyus Jones Paolo Banchero Luol Deng AJ Griffin Jabari Parker Trevon Duval Email us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com or post on the forums to let us know you think won the draft, and we will be back again soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, we're breaking down two new members of the Duke Basketball family: assistant coach Jai Lucas, who joins Duke from a similar role at Kentucky, and senior transfer Ryan Young, who comes to Duke from Chris Collins and Northwestern. Lucas is the big headline for us, though, as Duke has added an assistant without any Duke ties for the first time in almost 30 years. Lucas brings playing success, coaching success, and an impressive pedigree to Durham, where his father John Lucas II, Maryland and NBA legend, once upon a time played high school basketball. Lucas is taking Nolan Smith's spot on the bench, and he brings plenty of recruiting chops to the role. We are all excited to see all the things that Lucas will bring to the program, as an outsider with a great resume. Young, meanwhile, will be a backup big man for Duke, or so we think. His role on the 2023 team should primarily be spelling Dereck Lively II, not to mention his enormous role in the practice, preparing Lively for big-time college basketball. Given the extra year of eligibility for student-athletes who were in school in 2020, Young could be at Duke for two years. We'll be back soon for our Duke one-and-done draft, and of course as more offseason news trickles in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a new Dukie in town and his name is Kale Catchings. While not the impact player that some folks are eager to get out of the transfer portal, there is a lot to like about what this former Harvard player brings to Durham. The DBR Podcast crew is here to break it down and also look at some of the other names to watch out for as Coach Scheyer looks to use the transfer portal to fill out the 2022-23 Blue Devil roster. After a quick break, the podcast guys also reflect back on the career of AJ Griffin, the last of the Dukies to declare for the NBA draft, and they take another peek at the NBNA playoffs to discuss the burning question -- who has been better in the 2022 post-season, Jayson Tatum or Brandon Ingram? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils have had some more players decide to head to the NBA Draft, and we discuss it on Episode 418. But first, we discuss the announcement that Jeremy Roach will return to Duke for his junior season. We’re very excited at Roach returning to be a leader on the court and provide that veteran presence that a young team will need. We also discuss the departures of Trevor Keels and Wendell Moore to the NBA Draft. Keels’ announcement had more intrigue given the talk that he was considering a return to Durham, and that could still happen, as we explain. We also discuss some of the transfer portal rumors that are out there now that we know that Keels is entering his name in the Draft. We also get into a reader’s question about the underrated season of Vernon Carey, Jr., and Duke has its first basketball opponent in the Jon Scheyer era...and it’s Jacksonville University. We touch on those topics to end our show. Continue to send us the great emails you’ve been sending to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast gang pays tribute to the great 2021-22 Dukies who have ended their time in Durham and are now headed into the NBA Draft. First of all, the guys debate where Paolo Banchero stands in the ranks of the all-time great Duke one-and-done players and then they talk a bit about Mark Williams compared to the great defensive centers ever at Duke. The conversation then shifts to a couple guys who think may be back in Durham next year, Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels, and we look at bit at how Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities could affect Jeremy and Trevor's decisions. After the commercial break, Jason, Sam, and Donald spend a few moments chatting about the departure of Michael Savarino and then they turn their attention to Dukies in the NBA playoffs where Jayson Tatum and Brandon Ingram are making major waves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The off-season means roster construction and the DBR Podcast crew is here to chat about the latest moves that will make up the 2022-23 Duke Blue Devils. They start with this week's announcement that Joey Baker is coming back to Durham for his "super senior" 5th year in the program. Though there was a lot of speculation that Joey would not play for Duke next season, the podcast guys are very excited at what his three-point stroke and leadership bring to next year's team. And while we await NBA Draft vs. Durham decisions from several other Blue Devils, the podcast discusses a frequent question from fans -- why does UNC seem to bring guys back to school while Duke keeps on losing players to the draft? Additionally, this weekend edition of the pod dives into the announcement that Amile Jefferson will be elevated to a full assistant coach next season and they conclude with a discussion about the Duke Basketball Banquet, which means gushing over Coach K's newest addition to the family, a gorgeous silver lab puppy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, we're giddy over Duke's two most recent commitments, a pair of juniors in the 2023 class, who both declared for Duke late last week. First, we dive into Tyrese Proctor, an Australian who will play on the wing for Duke. Proctor should be an impact player from the start in Durham, given his ranking and his ability to score. Then, we talk about Mackenzie Mgbako, who could become the top pick in the 2024 draft if things go his way. Mgbako is a big, long scorer, and Jason is excited to compare him to another scoring forward who left Duke a few years ago, Jayson Tatum. We don't want to put too much on Mgbako's enormous shoulders, but we think he can handle it. After the break, we dive into the potential permutations of the 2022-2022 roster, including questions about the NBA futures of Wendell Moore, Trevor Keels, and Jeremy Roach. With point guard Caleb Foster considering reclassifying to join Duke this fall, speculation about Roach doesn't seem to lean one way or another, but we sort of hope that he will decide to return. We finish with a few words of appreciation for Mike Schrage, new Duke special assistant to the head coach. Schrage is something of a breath of fresh air for Jon Scheyer's roster and staff, having been away from the Duke program for about 15 years. Don't forget to stay in touch with us, and we will talk to you again soon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that the Duke season is over, we get to find out the winner of the Stats Game on Episode 414! Jason, Donald, and Sam are back together to go through the results of the Stats Game, beginning with a quick discussion on a technicality. We then get into the different categories, from points per game to number of players to lead the team in scoring to number of 10-5-5 games for Wendell Moore. Jason is the defending champion of the Stats Game...will he defend his title this year, or did Sam or Donald have enough points to take the crown? Gotta listen to find out! After the break, we discuss the incredible Coach K tribute video that the NCAA put out during the Final Four. It’s 10 minutes of just absolute incredible moments that will definitely make you tear up. It leads to the crew talking about their personal Coach K moments. If you have your own Coach K personal memories, send them to us at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The national championship was played last night, but the first topic on this edition of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast is the expected departure of Nolan Smith to become the lead assistant coach at Louisville. We are so sad to see Nolan leave, but we also understand why he is making this move. The DBR Podcast has some "inside" knowledge of what led Nolan to make this choice and there is a lot of logic behind it. Plus, the podcast gang dives into the national championship game between Kansas and UNC. And while the guys have plenty of praise for the effort it took for UNC to get here, they also have at least a little bit of pleasure in reporting on the UNC choke job that included being the first team in history to blow a 15 point halftime lead. Finally, after a break, the guys look to Duke's future with a report on the McDonald's All-Star game, featuring three future Dukies. The future so bright... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2021-2022 season is over for the Duke Blue Devils, as it ends at the Final Four with a 81-77 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels. We react to the game on Episode 412. Jason and Sam were in the building in New Orleans, while Donald endured a 15-hour flight from Qatar to get back to DC in time to watch with friends. Donald hosts as Jason and Sam, live from a coffee shop in Mobile, describes the scene at the Caesars Superdome. We get to the headlines, starting with some of the cool ones that were submitted from listeners. After that, we get into the good from the game. Duke dominated on offense inside the paint, and they had world class showings from Paolo Banchero and Trevor Keels. They also took care of the basketball with their lowest number of turnovers on the season. After the break, we get into the bad, which included free throws, the luck factor, and even some comments on foul calls that happened for both teams. We end with a special shoutout to everyone who has listened to us this season and beyond. We have TONS of content on deck for the coming days and weeks, from just properly considering Coach K’s legacy, the transition to the Scheyer Era, the recap of the Stats Game, the final episodes of Return to Glory, who’s departing Durham for the NBA Draft or the transfer portal, and the new Blue Devils who are coming into the Brotherhood. If you want to compile your thoughts on any of these topics, send them to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With less than 48 hours to go until the huge game with the Tar Heels, the Duke Basketball Report Podcast ventures into enemy territory. We invite on Al Hood from the SB Nation website Tar Heel Blog to tell us what the Carolina community is saying about playing Duke in the Final Four. Al has some surprising notions about what Carolina needs to do to compete with Duke and even gives us his somewhat surprising prediction for the game. Then, after a commercial break, DBR Podcast host Jason Evans has some insight into how the NCAA is rigging the secondary ticket markets for the Final Four, ensuring that they remain in control of the best seats for as long as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, the crew are all back together to do our official game preview for Duke's Final Four matchup against UNC in New Orleans on Saturday. Before we get into it, though, Jason and Sam have to talk a bit about their travel plans for this weekend. Duke and UNC are more similar in team makeup than our respective fanbases may care to admit, and we're here to break down all of the metrics. UNC's tournament run has featured a short rotation, much stronger defense, and better attention to detail. We have a few different ideas on how Duke can exploit UNC's limited weaknesses. After the break, we open the mailbag to share some perspectives and questions from the listeners, who have come through enormously this week and throughout the tournament with ideas. You, too, can have your questions featured on the show by emailing us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com. Look out for Jason and Sam at the Superdome on Saturday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The moment the Duke Basketball Report Podcast crew realized that Duke would be facing their hated rivals from down the road in the Final Four, the guys knew they had to talk to Jay Bilas about it. Jay watches as much ACC hoops as anyone and has a close relationship with the players and coaches on both sides. Plus, he has one of the best analytical minds around when it comes to college hoops. Listen in as Jay breaks down what Duke and UNC are doing today that they were not doing just a few weeks ago. He gives us his appraisal of the two teams and we even convince him to make a pick of which team he thinks will win the game. Jay also spends some time talking about his own time at Duke, which included a trip to the Final Four in 1986. And if you are worried that this will be the only preview of the Duke-UNC game from the DBR Podcast, think again! There will be another episode in the next 24 hours! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They did it! The Blue Devils made it to the Final Four as their offense again proved to be more than enough to foil one of the best defenses in the nation. DBR Podcast hosts Jason, Sam, and Donald got together just moments after the game ended to discus how Duke dismantled Arkansas 78-69. The podcast crew has plenty of praise for Duke's big men and for some clutch shooting from the Duke guards. And the guys also reflect on how unlikely and amazing it is that the team is doing this in Coach K's final season at the helm. And, before they sign off, the podcast crew spends some time talking about what comes next. We may not know yet who Duke will be playing, but it sure looks like it could be Duke and UNC in the Final Four, a matchup that is both exciting and terrifying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wowowowowow! The Blue Devils win a nail-biter against Texas Tech and the DBR Podcast gang jump on line to give their immediate reaction. The story of the game was Jeremy Roach's amazing drives into the lane, something that was supposed to be impossible to do against Tech... either that or the story was Paolo Banchero raining threes down on the Red Raiders and showing more offensive versatility than we have seen from him all year... or it was Mark Williams patrolling the paint and forcing Texas Tech into a poor shooting performance because they were just plain afraid to go into the lane with Mark on patrol. Actually, the story is none of those, it is Coach K's career lasting at least one more contest as he finds his team on the verge of yet another Final Four. And the podcast guys take a few moments to preview that Elite 8 game that will determine who gets to go to New Orleans, Duke or Arkansas. As they always do, the podcast guys have some key things to look out for in the next big game for the Blue Devils. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After hours of research and video study, the DBR Podcast crew is ready to give you all you need to know about Duke's Sweet 16 opponent, Texas Tech. And it all starts with their vaunted "No Middle" defense, a scheme that has allowed the Red Raiders to post the best defensive efficiency ratings in all of college basketball. Jason, Sam, and Donald tell you what Duke needs to do to succeed against it and what traps Duke could fall into they aren't careful. Then, after a break, the podcast gang looks at the rest of the bracket. They complain a bit about the refs and marvel at how Donald's picks have made him among the top 1% of all brackets on ESPN Tournament Challenge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During a thrilling opening weekend of the NCAA tournament, Duke and Michigan State delivered another classic matchup between longtime rivals Mike Krzyzewski and Tom Izzo. The DBR Podcast is back to tell you how Coach K pulled off another win over the Spartans, this time an 85-76 victory in Greenville that allows Duke to advance to a Sweet Sixteen matchup against Texas Tech on Thursday night. We continue to get a ton of great headlines from the listeners, so we have to share those and our own creative musings, many of which referenced Jeremy Roach. The point guard had another stellar game, which has become something of a trend for him late in the season. We also need to talk about huge performances from Mark Williams and Trevor Keels, particularly in light of the late injury to AJ Griffin, who sat out down the stretch as Duke held off a late MSU run. In the bad, we dig into the team's continued reliance on one-on-one matchups on offense, and Michigan State's success getting open three-point baskets, particularly in the second half as MSU retook the lead. We have Player of the Week picks for this week's contests against MSU and Fullerton. We will be back later this week for a full preview of Texas Tech, as well as in-depth reactions to the whole of the bracket. Until then, stay in touch at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we will talk to you very soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NCAA Tournament has begun, and the Duke Blue Devils got off to a good start with a victory over Cal State Fullerton. The DBR Podcast crew is here to recap that game on Episode 404! Survive and Advance is the name of the game in the Big Dance, and the Blue Devils were able to make easy work of the Titans. We review the headlines, the good, and the things that could have been better. Notable performances by Jeremy Roach and Mark Williams lead the way, along with noting the shooting struggles of Trevor Keels and AJ Griffin. After the break, we preview the 2nd round matchup for the Blue Devils, another date with Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans. Donald begins by highlighting what to expect from any Izzo-led team: physicality, hustle, hard work, and rebounding. Jason hits the advanced metrics, and Sam keys in on a few players of note. We end by discussing all that’s happened in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament, with quick notes on the newest recruit, Jared McClain, committing as the game tipped off last night! We will be back after the 2nd Round game Sunday night to recap it all. In the meantime, send questions and comments to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast gang has spent the last 24 hours pouring over brackets and advanced metrics to bring you a Duke-centric look at the NCAA field. They guys start with a deep dive into Cal State-Fullerton, Duke's first round opponent. They have a very experienced roster but not many guys who have competed with teams loaded with NBA talent like Duke. After that, the podcast spends some time analyzing the rest of the West region, including several interesting notes about the team's in Duke's path -- Davidson, Michigan St., and Texas Tech. The podcast then expands things a bit further, looking at the other regions and wrapping it all up with our Final Four and National Championship picks. This is the DUKE Basketball Report podcast so you can probably guess who we expect to win the national title. Oh, and be sure to stick around at the end to find out what disease-filled food Sam was munching on while we recorded. Don't forget that the podcast guys want to hear from you. Email them at DBRPodcast at gmail-dot-com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, we break down Duke's performance in the ACC tournament, where the Blue Devils lost in the final to Virginia Tech, and Duke's placement in the NCAA tournament, where they are the #2 seed in Gonzaga's West region. We start with the bracket. Duke begins its quest for a sixth national championship against Cal State Fullerton on Friday in Greenville, and should Duke get by Fullerton, the winner of Michigan State and Davidson awaits. We're excited and a bit relieved about Duke's path, although we plan to get into much more detail about the tournament in a future episode this week. After the break, we dive into Duke's performances from Brooklyn, including wins over Syracuse and Miami and the loss to the Hokies. We let the emails guide us here, with a particularly deep discussion about leadership and defense, both of which were lacking on Saturday. Our player of the week picks reflect the underwhelming nature of Duke's play in the ACC tournament. Stay in touch with us this week as the tournament unfolds at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we will back very soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thank goodness for the veterans! It is March and every team in the nation is living by the "survive and advance" mantra. And Duke did survive against Syracuse thanks to a huge game from sophs Mark Williams and Jeremy Roach as well as junior captain Wendell Moore, Jr. The three guys who have the most minutes playing in a Duke uniform led the way with a dominant second half both inside and out. And full credit to Syracuse for playing their butts off. This was nothing like the two easy victories Duke had earlier this season over the Orange. So, even thought Duke may not have gotten any style points for their hard-fought victory, winning is all the matters at this time of year. The DBR podcast crew (at least one of them), hopped on line to record thoughts on a game that was far too close for comfort but at least ended with the good guys on the right side of the scoreboard. Whew! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast has reached another century mark, and like we did for episodes #100, #200, and #300, the podcast welcomes former Duke player Kenny Dennard to give us his insight into the program. If you want to know what it was like when 100 former Duke players gathered together in one room to celebrate Coach K's career, Kenny has some amusing anecdotes to share from last weekend's festivities. Plus, he gives us an extensive look behind the scenes at the video series he hosted in partnership with The ACC looking back upon the legacy of Coach K's career. Every conversation we have with Kenny is full of insight and humor. You don't want to miss the latest one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report, we start by looking ahead at the ACC tournament, where Duke is the top seed and plays its first game Thursday at noon at the Barclays Center. We dive into Duke's path to the championship, which could very well include three teams who beat Duke during the regular season, setting up a potential revenge tour for the Blue Devils. After the break, we talk a little bit more about the season finale against UNC and the subsequent fêting of outgoing head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Specifically, we need to address the bench that the alumn association presented to Coach K in the postgame ceremony, which we thought was a cool gift, if one that needed a bit more explanation to the general public. We also reflect on the Cameron experience a bit more. We'll be back soon for a very special episode 400, but until then, stay in touch with us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast is here to react on Episode 398 just hours after the Duke Blue Devils suffered a 94-81 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday night. Jason and Donald record from their room at the Millennium Hotel, while Sam is the host to guide us through the game and everything else around the big day. We start with the game, and after headlines, we comment quickly on the good before shifting to what went wrong for Duke. Defensive shifts, some bad decisions, and playing tight are among the many things that stood out to us. We then shift to the whole weekend, where Donald and Jason discuss all that they saw while attending the game, from the Friday night festivities to all the hoopla on Saturday. K-Ville was Duke’s Woodstock, and Cameron was the stage. From former players to celebrities to fellow listeners who traveled from near and far to be a part of the day, Donald and Jason have a lot of stories and thoughts on the entire day. Plus, we end by passing along a nugget about a current player’s future plans. Tell us how you watched the game and took in the Coach K festivities. Hit the comments to discuss or send us an email at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is with a tear in our eye and excitement in our heart that the Duke Basketball Report Podcast looks ahead to a day of festivities celebrating the incredible career of Coach K... oh and also the regular season finale against the UNC Tarheels. The podcast crew is here to preview all of it, starting with a look at the recent play of the UNC team and then moving to the many tributes to Duke's GOAT of a coach. Among the topics covered on this latest edition of the pod -- the outstanding ESPN cover story about Coach K's life and career, the number of players headed back to Cameron, and the growing talk that Coach K deserves to (finally!) win another ACC Coach of the Year prize. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Wine of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast was in the house to watch the Blue Devils dismantle Jeff Capel's Pitt Panthers. The latest edition of the pod includes Donald's press row observations as well as all the little nuggets and lasting moments that Jason and Sam saw in the latest big road victory for Duke. The Devils have now clinched the #1 seed in the ACC tourney, but they have much bigger goals on their mind, starting with winning the ACC outright by beating UNC this weekend. After the break, the podcast returns with a bit of a trivia game that is quite revealing about which Dukies were playing well during the past month. And, before they go, the guys relay a funny story they heard from the Syracuse game. It is just the latest insight into Coach K's expert motivational tactics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils took the air out of the Carrier Dome last night in a thorough dismantling of the Syracuse Orange, and on Episode 395, we recap the incredibly fun victory. After we discuss our breakfast, we start with some of the headlines submitted by listeners as well as our summaries of the game. There’s a ton of good to be discussed, from Mark Williams to Paolo Banchero to AJ Griffin to all the areas that Duke excelled. We dip into what can be improved as we always do, and it centers mostly on limiting the opposing team’s ability to make a run to get back into the game. After the break, we preview Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Panthers. This is a game that Duke should win, and we explain where Duke will have the advantage over Pitt. That then leads to a discussion over the ACC and what Duke needs to do in order to secure a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, rate, and review the show, and we love hearing from listeners! Drop us a line at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DBR Podcast gang has been begging Jeremy Roach to step up in recent weeks and it seems he heeded their call. Behind a stellar effort from Duke's 6th man, the Blue Devils knocked off a very strong Virginia team Wednesday night in Charlottesville. The truly impressive thing was Duke's ability to win despite their two leading scorers (Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore) struggling to put the ball through the hoop. As they always do, the DBR Podcast breaks down the good and the bad from the contest with plenty of insight, analysis, and stats. After the break, the gang dives into the contest coming up against Syracuse. It would be easy to dismiss the Orange after Duke manhandled them in Cameron a few weeks ago, but you may be surprised to hear how well Syracuse has been playing since that beatdown. Finally, Jason and Donald share some really exciting news about how they plan to cover the biggest Duke game in many years -- the season finale against UNC, Coach K's final game in Cameron. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, Jason and Sam are back to discuss Duke's victory over Florida State, which, coupled with Notre Dame's loss to Wake Forest, put Duke alone in the ACC regular season title hunt. The Florida State game was, for us, one of Duke's best team efforts this season. Nearly all of Duke's rotation players had big days, with highlights in particular from Wendell Moore, Trevor Keels, and Joey Baker. It was a less capable FSU team than Duke normally sees, but even with that, it was good to see Duke keep the pressure on an ACC team and end up with a nearly 20 point win. Duke shared the ball well on offense and generated a lot of havoc on defense. If there is a bad from this one, it's our continued disappointment at Jeremy Roach's development. This week, Duke gets a rematch with Virginia, who handed Duke its most recent loss, and this one will be in Charlottesville. A recent loss at Virginia Tech aside, Virginia has been one of the hottest teams in the ACC over the last month, so Duke faces a tough test. We wrap with a unanimous player of the week award and a quick reaction to the NCAA tournament preliminary bracket seeding, where Duke is a #2 seed. Jason is concerned that Duke doesn't have much upside in its seeding prospects, but we will see how these last few weeks of the season play out. Stay in touch with the podcast at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we will be back this week to review the UVA game and preview another upcoming rematch, this one at Syracuse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, that was a close one! Duke survives against Wake Forest thanks to a last second (fraction of a second) tip dunk by Mark Williams. It was a super important game in the ACC standings and one with plenty to like, and plenty to dislike, in Duke's performance. The DBR Podcast gang takes a deep dive into what went right (Paolo's passing, Wendell's overall steady play, the shot selection, and ball movement) and what went wrong (Wake's 2nd half burst, some mental mistakes, and more than a few questionable calls by the refs). Plus, they look ahead to the revenge matchup with Florida State. Leonard Hamilton will be bringing a very different team to Cameron from the one that bested Duke in overtime last month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emergency podcast time! The sports media world let out a collective "ophmygoddidyouseethat!??!" today with the release of some inside details on Ian O'Connor's biography on Coach K. The headline-maker from the book is the allegation that Duke wanted to hire Tommy Amaker to be Duke's next head coach, but the Coach K squashed that and arranged for Jon Scheyer to get the job instead. Jason, Donald, and Sam break down everything we know about the book so far and what these (somewhat) scandalous allegations mean for K and Scheyer moving forward. Plus, after the break, the DBR podcast crew gives you a sneak peak at next season's schedule with word that Duke will be participating in a special tournament sponsored by Nike next Thanksgiving. And, we take a quick trip down memory lane to relive perhaps the greatest slamdunk in Duke basketball history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, we are breaking down Duke's victory at BC. Sam was in the building along with what felt like most of the Duke alumni in the Boston area, and Duke stayed well ahead of the Eagles throughout the contest. We start with the good from this game, in particular performances by Trevor Keels, Paolo Banchero, and Mark Williams. We are excited about a lot of the recent developments this week for the Blue Devils, particularly on offense. We also get into the bad, and we see a few continuing areas for development as Duke chases the ACC regular season title. Speaking of the conference race, Duke has a huge game this week again Wake Forest, so we preview that after the break. Wake Forest is also near the top of the ACC, so this matchup is a good test for Duke and a potential pitfall on the way to the crown. Player of the Week nominations are our final topic, other than wishing a very happy birthday to Coach K. We'll be back after the Wake game to review everything that happens in Cameron this week. Stay in touch with us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils left Littlejohn Coliseum with a 82-64 victory over the Clemson Tigers last night, and the DBR Podcast recaps the win on Episode 389. There were a couple standout performances, including Trevor Keels’ 2nd half. Of course, we discuss the scary moment in the first half where Clemson’s David Collins undercut Wendell Moore, Jr. on a fast break, leading to a very tense exchange between the two teams. We discuss the good and the bad from the game, particularly from Jason Evans, who was at the game and had some nice views of how the Blue Devils played. After the break, Duke travels to take on Boston College Saturday evening. Sam Klein will be in the house, and he gives a thorough breakdown of what to expect from the Eagles. Finally, there were a lot of Blue Devils that changed cities at the NBA trade deadline on Thursday. Donald talks about Marvin Bagley III heading to the Detroit Pistons, Sam gives his take on Vernon Carey, Jr. to the Washington Wizards, and there’s a lot of discussion from all 3 on Seth Curry moving to the Brooklyn Nets along with Rodney Hood and Semi Ojeleye going to the Los Angeles Clippers. We’ll be back later this weekend to recap the Boston College game, but until then, continue to send your wonderful thoughts to the team at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ugh, last night was frustrating for the Duke Blue Devils. After a 69-68 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers, the DBR Podcast crew has to discuss what went wrong for Duke on Episode 388. UVA came out fired up, and they were hungrier according to Coach Mike Krzyzewski. We discuss how UVA deserved to win and what they did to give Duke frustrations on offense. On defense, the effort wasn’t there as UVA hammered them in the paint. Duke couldn’t break through the wall on offense as they continued to try and take the lead, and we’ll once again talk about execution at the end of the game as Duke had yet another lead inside 1 minute turn into a defeat. After the break, we do a familiar preview, as Duke next takes on the Clemson Tigers. Duke last played Clemson on January 25th in a rare close win for the Devils, so we talk about what Duke has to do in order to bring a win home from Littlejohn Coliseum. Continue to send us questions, comments, or headlines to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, that was fun! The Blue Devils laid an absolute beatdown on UNC Saturday night. The final margin of 20 points didn't come close to reflecting Duke's dominance in this game. The DBR Podcast crew has a fun time dissecting every aspect of the win, from AJ Griffin's dominating offense to Wendell Moore's impressive defense. Plus, we talk a bit about the inspiration the team seemed to get from the way Carolina treated Coach K on his final visit to Chapel Hill. But, there is no rest for the Duke team. They are back in action on Monday against Virginia and Jason, Sam, and Donald are here with a preview of what to expect from the Cavaliers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is Go to H**l Carolina week here on the DBR podcast and we bring on a special guest to help with a deep dive into the 2021-22 Tarheels. Joining us is Brendan Marks, the guy who follows the ACC (and Duke and UNC in particular) for The Athletic. Brendan has seen pretty much every game these two teams have played this year and really knows what works and what doesn't for each of them. He gives us all the dirt on how Hubert Davis' UNC club is different from Roy Williams' brand of Tarheels basketball. Plus, we spend some time getting his view on this year's Duke team. Here's a hint -- he really loves AJ Griffin's game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils put on an incredible defensive performance Monday night against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, winning 57-43 in South Bend. On Episode 385 of the DBR Podcast, Donald returns along with Jason and Sam to discuss the victory! After headlines, we get into the good, and there was a ton of good on the defensive end. We highlight the team’s performance on the glass as well as just forcing Notre Dame into having a terrible shooting night. We salute the return of Trevor Keels and talk about how great Mark Williams was in the paint. After the break, we comment on the bad, which mostly existed on the offensive end for Duke. Though, Sam points out something on the defensive end that could use some tweaking. Finally, the entire crew laments the missed shots and is appreciative that there is a few days to work on that in the gym before the big game against UNC on Saturday. Speaking of UNC, the crew will be back later this week to preview the big game in Chapel Hill, and will hopefully have a special guest to help them out with it! Until then, keep sending the emails to DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DBR Podcast, Jason and Sam are back without Donald, who is still on his USA Soccer travels, to review Duke's win at Louisville on Saturday. We start with AJ Griffin, who continued his hot streak from beyond the arc. His emergence this month has been the biggest revelation for Duke as they look to regain ground in the regular season race. We also need to talk about Mark Williams and Jeremy Roach, who had some outstanding highlights down the stretch for Duke. Finally, we have to thank Louisville, who, despite a tough week in the athletic department, gave Coach K a few delightful retirement gifts, most notably an appearance by former Louisville head coach Denny Crum. After the break, we preview Notre Dame, who has surprised ACC fans by being tied with Duke in the conference standings at the end of January. Other than one key freshman, the Irish bring an experienced team with a short bench, and they're a great shooting team. It's a short turnaround, with just over 48 hours between road games, so hopefully, Duke will get some rest between matches. We also hope that Duke isn't looking too far ahead to the first UNC game this upcoming Saturday. Stay in touch with the podcast at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we will be back after this week to get you ready for that Carolina game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clemson came to town this week and, full credit to the Tigers, they gave Duke all the Blue Devils could handle. The DBR Podcast gang sits down to dissect what went wrong (rebounding and shot selection) and what went right (Roach, Baker, and good outside shooting) to allow Duke to escape from Cameron with a win over a middle-tier ACC opponent. Plus, the guys look ahead to what will be a very strange game this weekend against Louisville. The Cardinals are in the midst of a coaching change and no one know how that might impact the way Louisville plays against Duke. Finally, some recruiting news, a number of future Blue Devils were honored by being named McDonald's All-Americans this week. We break down which men and women got the honor and what it means for their futures at Duke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke Blue Devils had a great day on the basketball court yesterday in a 20-point thrashing of the Syracuse Orange. Episode 382 of the DBR Podcast is here to recap the excitement we felt from that match, but not before we discuss some of our favorite Girl Scout cookies! Sam, Jason, and Donald first read through some of the great headlines we received from listeners before getting into their own, along with the good and bad they saw yesterday. They were huge fans of Duke’s defense as well as their success in moving the ball around on offense to generate points. After the break, we preview once again for the Clemson Tigers, who come to Cameron on Tuesday night. Since the preview for the once postponed but now rescheduled road game, Clemson has fallen off a bit. Still, we give you the big picture and the details on what we can expect from the Tigers. We also touch on the exam that Duke students took in an effort to form the line in Krzyzewskiville for Coach K’s final game in Cameron. Over 170 tents aimed for a chance to be one of the students to begin tenting this week! Though we do not go through the test, we do talk about how cool it is for there to be incredible student interest in tenting this year. We end by giving out Player of the Week awards to two players who definitely were worthy recipients with their play. Continue to send us questions, headlines, or comment on what you hear from the pod! Send us an email at DBR Podcast at Gmail dot com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is no way to sugar coat it, Florida State worked hard and played gutsy basketball. They deserved that victory over Duke. But, there are plenty of important lessons for Duke to take from this game. The DBR Podcast gang breaks it all down, from the good (including a strong outing from Jeremy Roach and the Paolo takeover in the final 5 minutes) to the bad (offensive rebounds, turnovers, and those 15 minutes where Duke forgot Paolo was on the floor). Podcast co-hosts Jason Evans and Donald Wine also look ahead to the matchup this weekend with the Syracuse Orange, dissecting how you attack the Syracuse zone. They even make a prediction about a largely forgotten Blue Devil who may step forward into a big role against Boehiem's boys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DBR Podcast co-host Jason Evans was in a high school gym this weekend and, to his great surprise, he saw Duke legend Nate James there as well. Listen in as Jason catches up with Nate about his rebuilding plans for Austin Peay and as he reflects on how he found out about Coach K's impending retirement. But, before the interview with Nate, the podcast gang has their preview of this week's matchup with Florida State. The Seminoles will present new challenges to Duke as perhaps the biggest and deepest team the Blue Devils will face all year. So far, Florida State has been a little disappointing, but they clearly have the talent to pull off the upset, especially on their home floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, Duke is back in the win column with a victory at home against NC State, behind huge nights for Mark Williams and Paolo Banchero. We also discuss Cam Reddish's recently trade to the Knicks, and the latest with Kyrie Irving. In the State game, we have to discuss Mark Williams, who nearly had a triple double with blocks for Duke in just 27 minutes. He terrorized the Wolfpack down low, and Duke was able to hold NC State's shooting to just over 40% from the field in a 15-point victory that never really got close once Duke built its initial lead in the first half. Our "good" includes Williams and the perimeter defense for Duke, as well as Banchero continuing his magical freshman season and Trevor Keels getting his first extended assignment in the point guard role. We also praise Jeremy Roach's performance off the bench. In the bad, we talk about how Duke allowed NC State to somewhat stay in the game with its offensive rebounding. We think that Duke has another gear that they didn't show on Saturday, so maybe it is coming soon. After the break, we get into recent Duke in the NBA news, starting with Cam Reddish's recent trade from Atlanta to New York, where he is now reunited with former Duke teammate RJ Barrett. We speculate about how this will benefit both of their careers. We also talk about the latest silliness around Kyrie Irving as the Nets are trying to get all of their stars on the court together. We wrap up this episode with our Player of the Week award. It was a weird week to pick a team MVP, but we had some concensus. Stay in touch with us at dbrpodcast at gmail.com, and we'll be back again before the FSU game to preview Leonard Hamilton's squad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a game where Coach K temporarily ceded power to Jon Scheyer, a game where AJ Griffin was elevated into the starting lineup for the first time, the story may have been Duke remembering who they are at halftime. After an uncomfortably close first half, the Devils buried the Demon Deacons in the second half. The DBR podcast crew has all the analysis of what went wrong early on and what went right after the break. Podcast co-host Jason Evans got to participate in the post-game media scrum and we hear from Duke players and Coach Jon Scheyer about what they saw during the game. Plus, always looking ahead, the DBR podcast guys give us a preview of what comes up this weekend, when Duke takes on the NC State Wolfpack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blue Devils still don't look like themselves following the Covid break. On Saturday night they could not get out of their own way, turning the ball over 17 times on the way to a last minute loss to the upstart Miami Hurricanes. We hope you all got to listen to the previous episode where the DBR podcast crew previewed what to expect from Miami because many of their biggest fears came true on Saturday. Miami played tougher than expected on D and hit some wild shots on their way to victory. Donald, Jason, and Sam break it all down on the latest edition of the DBR Podcast. And after they recap the Miami game, the podcast gang turn their crystal ball prognosticating abilities toward Duke's next contest, against Wake Forest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices