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Duke Receives Numerous Preseason Honors
DURHAM, N.C. -- As the start of the 2014-15 men’s basketball season approaches, numerous media outlets recently released their preseason team rankings and individual honors and awards, with the Duke men’s basketball team well represented.
2014-15 Preseason Team Rankings:
As a team, the Blue Devils consistently rank among the top five in most publications’ preseason polls. In addition to returning two starters from last season in senior Quinn Cook and junior Amile Jefferson, Duke also welcomes the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, comprised of four McDonald’s All-Americans, Grayson Allen, Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow. The Blue Devils return nearly half of the team’s scoring from a year ago (42.1 percent), and 46.7 percent of the team’s rebounding from last season.
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Media Outlet |
Preseason Ranking |
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Slam Magazine |
No. 1 |
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CBSSports.com |
No. 2 |
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Sporting News |
No. 4 |
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Athlon |
No. 4 |
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Blue Ribbon |
No. 5 |
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Lindy’s Sports |
No. 8 |
In addition to the team rankings, Lindy’s Sports also ranked Duke’s backcourt, comprised of Cook and junior Rasheed Sulaimon, in conjunction with Jones and Allen, as the seventh best heading into the upcoming season. Duke’s frontcourt also garnered a top-10 preseason ranking, appearing at No. 8 with the publication citing the contingent of Okafor, Jefferson, sophomore Semi Ojeleye, junior Marshall Plumlee and Winslow as potential contributors in 2014-15.
2014-15 Individual Rankings:
Jahlil Okafor, C, 6-11, Fr., Chicago, Ill.
Individually, Duke boasts a slew of preseason award and honor nominees, highlighted by Okafor. The three-time gold medalist with the USA Basketball team enters his first collegiate season following a stellar high school career. Okafor’s high school honors included the 2014 Morgan Wootten National High School Player of the Year Award. Okafor also received National Player of the Year recognition by Parade and USA Today, in addition to being named MVP of the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championships.
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Media Outlet |
Preseason Honor |
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First Team All-America |
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CBSSports.com |
First Team All-America |
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First Team All-America |
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No. 1 Center |
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First Team All-America |
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ACC Newcomer of the Year |
Tyus Jones, G, 6-1, Fr., Apple Valley, Minn.
Jones joins fellow freshman Okafor in garnering preseason attention after a high school career that saw the Apple Valley, Minn., native guide Team USA to a gold medal finish at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championships. Jones, a three-time AP Minnesota Player of the Year, was also selected to the USA Today second team All-USA Boys Basketball team and was named a second team All-American by MaxPreps in 2014.
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Media Outlet |
Preseason Honor |
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USA Today |
Second Team All-America |
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CBSSports.com |
Third Team All-America |
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Sporting News |
All-Conference Team |
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Impact Freshmen |
Quinn Cook, G, 6-2, Sr., Washington, D.C.
Cook, one of two returning starters for Duke, once again received preseason recognition following a strong junior campaign. The Washington, D.C., native saw one of his most productive seasons to date in 2013-14, leading Duke in assists (153) and steals (47), while ranking tied for fourth and 10th, respectively, in the ACC in those categories. Cook enters the 2014-15 campaign just 17 points shy of becoming the 64th Duke player to eclipse the 1,000 point mark for his career.
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Media Outlet |
Preseason Honor |
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Athlon |
Third Team All-ACC |
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Lindy’s Sports |
No. 19 Point Guard |
Rasheed Sulaimon, G, 6-5, Jr., Houston, Tex.
Sulaimon enters his junior season after averaging 9.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest a year ago. Sulaimon contributed as a scorer in 2013-14, posting double-digit points in 19 of his 34 appearances, including three games with 20 or more points. Sulaimon, hailing from Houston, Tex., begins his junior season with 92 career three-point field goals.
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Media Outlet |
Preseason Honor |
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Lindy’s Sports |
No. 24 Shooting Guard |
Grayson Allen, G., 6-4, Fr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Allen, similar to freshmen teammates Okafor and Jones, opens his college career by receiving preseason honors. A product of Jacksonville, Fla., Allen displayed his athleticism earlier in the year, becoming the third Blue Devil recruit in school history to claim the PowerAde Jam Fest title. At the conclusion of the guard’s high school career, Allen was named a 2014 MaxPreps’ fifth team All-American.
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Media Outlet |
Preseason Honor |
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ESPN.com |
No. 2 Reserve in the NCAA |
The 2014-15 season begins Saturday, Oct. 25, with the sixth annual Countdown to Craziness intra-squad scrimmage scheduled for 8 p.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
#GoDuke
