Featherston Catches Up With Former Duke Stars At K Academy

DURHAM, N.C. -- GoDuke.com's Al Featherston sat down with several former Duke stars at last weekend's K Academy. The return of so many former players offered a chance to see what they've been up to. Among those on hand at K Academy last weekend:

-- JJ Redick (2003-06): The 2006 National Player of the Year just completed his first year with the Orlando Magic. Getting off to a slow start due to a back problem that sidelined him most of the summer of 2006, Redick played a limited role for the Magic as a rookie. Now, the team is in transition with new coach Jeff Van Grundy and with free agent signee Rashard Lewis replacing former Duke star Grant Hill (gone to Phoenix as a free agent) in the lineup.

“We just had summer league ? five games in five days,” Redick said. “It went pretty well. I think my interaction with Coach Van Gundy so far has been very positive and open. We talked about what I needed to improve on to be a starter and a regular contributor.

“I'm healthy right now. The back isn't an issue. It hasn't bothered me in about a year. I think last summer, not being able to play or even do any type of workouts for four months really hurt me. I got behind the eight-ball a little bit and kind of had to play catch up the rest of the year."

How does the departure of Hill and the addition of Lewis impact your situation?

“Grant was our starting two guard [Redick's position]. I know he expressed a desire to play his natural position at three. I don't know what position we'll play Rashard at, but with Darko [Milicic] also leaving, he might see some time at the four. I gather from conversations with Coach Van Gundy that the two spot is wide open. There's definitely an opportunity for playing time.”

-- Chris Duhon (2001-04): The point guard veteran of Duke's 2001 title team and the Blue Devils' 2004 Final Four team has just completed his third year with the Chicago Bulls.

“It's been great,” he said. “When I got there, they had not made the playoffs for years. Since I've been there, we've made the playoffs three straight years.”

Duhon was disappointed that after playing a major role off the bench for the Bulls in the regular season and in the first round of the playoffs, he didn't see a lot of action in the losing series to the Cavaliers. But he hasn't been upset to hear his name come up in a number of trade rumors since the season ended.

“That's all part of the game,” he said “[Former Duke player Luol Deng] had a great year and he's been mentioned in trade rumors too. You just have to accept it.”

That doesn't mean that Duhon would welcome being traded. He wants to remain with the Bulls until they win a championship.

“I was there at the beginning and I'd like to be there at the end,” he said.

-- Shavlik Randolph (2003-05): The oft-injured Duke forward missed the last half of his second NBA season with ankle surgery, but expects to be back with the Philadelphia 76ers at training camp.

“I didn't come back and play at the end of the season,” he said. “I definitely tried to come back, but we were out of the playoff race, so the management and the coaching staff thought it best that I sit out and get ready for this upcoming season.

“I feel good. It's eight months since the surgery and about three weeks ago, I started doing individual workouts. So I feel pretty good. I'm just trying to get my timing and my conditioning and my jumping and explosion back.”

When Randolph turned pro after his junior season, a lot of critics felt he was making an ill-advised decision. Now that he's played two seasons in the NBA and is signed for a third year, does he ever feel the urge to tell his critics, “I told you so”?

“I don't feel any bitterness because it was a ridiculous decision for anyone on the outside looking in,” he said. “But I knew in my heart what I needed to do and obviously I had faith in God. People are always going to doubt you for anything you do in life, if you want to do anything great. I have no bitterness. I would never say I-told-you-so. I just let my actions speak for themselves.”

-- Alaa Abdelnaby (1987-90): The starting center on Duke's 1990 Final Four team, Abdelnaby recently began work with NBA TV and NBA Radio.

“This is my first year,” he said. “I've been doing it in Arabic for seven or eight years [covering NBA games broadcast in the Middle East] and I just got the chance to do it in English. I was going for a TV gig, but I auditioned for radio and I got that too.”

The Egyptian-born big man played 11 seasons of professional basketball after his time at Duke ? six years in the NBA and five years overseas.

“I loved it,” he said. “You know me, I was born somewhere else, so I was open to the idea of existence beyond the borders of the United States. I played in Greece and Turkey and France and enjoyed it very much.”

-- Sean Dockery (2003-06): The former Blue Devil point guard, a starter on the 2006 team that finished ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, played overseas in Germany last season.

“It's totally different from the States, but it's great,” Dockery said. “We won a championship down there, playing for Brose. Looks like I'll go back there next year.”

-- Nate James (1997-2001): As a fifth-year senior, the powerfully built swingman was a captain on Duke's most recent national championship team. He's played overseas every season since graduation.

“Last year I played over in Japan,” he said. “I played pretty well and enjoyed it. I liked the lifestyle there, the culture is good. I look forward to going back.”

James, the son of a career Marine, did a lot of traveling in his youth.

“Not overseas, but jumping around a lot, so I'm used to it,” he said. “I love to travel. I've been to Japan, Holland, France, Hungary, Bosnia, Philippines. Not everybody gets a chance to see the world like that and I'm doing it for a living. So I'm loving it.”

-- Ricky Price (1995-98): The California-born swingman is now working in Sports Marketing ? for World Wide Hoops ? after playing nine years of basketball overseas.

“I had a great experience,” he said. “You name it, I've been there. I played in Holland, France, Slovenia, Lebanon ... The best? Maybe the Philippines ? I loved that.”

Price played one season in the Philippines at the same time as former Duke teammates Nate James and Chris Carrawell. As they sat in the stands at the Emily Krzyzewski Center, they argued about which player had the most success there.

-- Chris Carrawell (1997-2000): The 2000 ACC Player of the Year has also played overseas since leaving Duke.

“I played in Holland this past season,” he said. “We finished second in the league, lost in the championship finals. I had a pretty good year. Next year? My agent is working on getting me the best deal possible. I'm going to the best deal ... that means the most money.

“I love to play and as long as I love playing, why not?”

-- Kenny Dennard (1978-81): The fun-loving forward was recruited by Bill Foster and was a starter on Duke's 1978 Final Four team. His senior season at Duke was Coach K's first season on campus. He played briefly in the NBA, but soon found a career in the business world.

“Steve Gray and I are business partners in an investor relations firm,” Dennard said. “We represent public companies on Wall Street. I stumbled into the business 18 years ago and I started my own company 10 years ago. Steve came in five or six years ago and has done a great job.”

Gray, who was a couple of years ahead of Dennard at Duke, is the uncle of big man Aaron Gray, who just completed his senior season at Pitt. Dennard is disappointed that the younger Gray never got to play against Duke.

“Duke and Pitt were supposed to play in Buffalo last March [in the second round of the NCAA Tournament],” Dennard said. “Steve and I flew up to see the game, but it never happened.”

-- Casey Sanders (2000-03): Duke former backup center, who started in place of injured Carlos Boozer during Duke's 2001 NCAA Championship run, has turned to his hometown of Tampa and is now working for a software firm and playing in a senior men's basketball league.

-- David Henderson (1983-86): A starter and key player on Duke's 1986 Final Four team, Henderson later joined Coach K's staff as an assistant then succeeded Mike Brey as head coach at Delaware. He's now working as a scout for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“It's a great organization and I'm really enjoying it,” he said, noting that he works for former Duke teammate Danny Ferry, a freshman on the 1986 team and now the general manager of the Cavaliers.

Henderson won't rule out a return to coaching some day, but he's not actively seeking a job.

“If the right opportunity came along, I'd have to look at it, but this is a new challenge and I really enjoy it. I'm committed to this.”

-- Dan Meagher (1982-85): The Canadian forward played eight years overseas after leaving Duke, but is now working as a senior financial analyst for Burger King.

“I'm living in Miami with my wife and five-year-old daughter, Sofia,” he said. “She's the next U.S. Open tennis champion ... well, maybe in 10 years.”

Featherston Catches Up With Former Duke Stars At K Academy

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