Andre Dawkins’ instance could be Nolan Smith
Dawkins’ sophomore year finished Thursday when Duke exited a NCAA contest in Orange County with a 93-77 blowout detriment to Arizona in a informal semifinals. He was a purpose actor on this team, though with Smith and Kyle Singler and unequivocally presumably Kyrie Irving left subsequent season, there might be a bigger purpose for Dawkins subsequent year.
That’s a review Smith intends to have with a 19-year-old. Soon.
“Not yet, though we unequivocally will, since he has all a talent and all he needs to be a actor that we incited out to be my youth and comparison year,” Smith pronounced Thursday, moments after his college career ended. “He’s prepared to come out of his shell. It’s time.”
Dawkins is a special case, since he accelerated his preparation and entered Duke a year early to assistance with a Blue Devils’ abyss issues during ensure final year. He was fundamentally a high propagandize comparison on that inhabitant championship team, and one who had to understanding with a remarkable and comfortless genocide of his sister in a center of a season. Seth Curry’s attainment serve decreased his purpose on a justice this season.
But a parallels between Smith’s initial dual years and Dawkins’ initial dual years are strong. Smith was fundamentally an on-the-ball defender in a singular role; Dawkins has been fundamentally a spot-up shooter in a singular role. Smith averaged 5.9 and 8.4 points his initial dual years; Dawkins averaged 4.4 and 8.1 in identical personification time.
“There are similarities between his beginner and sophomore years and mine,” Dawkins acknowledged. “At a same time, he worked unequivocally tough over a summer, and that’s what I’m going to have to do. we don’t wish to be Nolan Smith, though he’s unequivocally someone we demeanour adult to.”
Duke manager Mike Krzyzewski hasn’t hesitated when asked about Dawkins’ potential, observant many of a same things about Dawkins that he pronounced about Smith dual years ago.
“His invulnerability has softened dramatically and his bid – he’s apropos some-more of a finish player,” Krzyzewski said. “He can turn a really, unequivocally good player, if he stays on that course. … He has a possibility to be an superb actor if he stays committed to that form of work ethic and practice.”
Krzyzewski pronounced that in Charlotte, after a clever opening diversion by Dawkins opposite Hampton. But Dawkins was reduction of a cause in a win over Michigan, even as Duke played 3 and 4 guards during times, and looked mislaid during times Thursday as Arizona slashed by Duke’s invulnerability to a hoop again and again and again.
So there’s work to do for Dawkins, and there will be competition. The Blue Devils move in sharpened ensure Austin Rivers subsequent season, rated by some analysts as a tip actor in a country, so there’s going to be a conflict for personification time between Dawkins, Curry and Rivers.
Smith didn’t have to understanding with that; a early depart of Gerald Henderson to a NBA and Elliot Williams’ send done him a accord starter final season, and from a initial struggle to a final game, he was Duke’s go-to scorer.
Dawkins is going to have to quarrel for that spot. After examination Smith, he should know what it’s going to take.
Source: N&O; - Duke Sports
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Andre Dawkins , who's rated number 10 on the ESPNU 100 for the high school graduating class of... Read Full Story »
