Duke Blue Devils: Short Ode to Amile Jefferson

The Duke Blue Devils may not have won the National Title with their super team, but things could have been a lot worse without Amile Jefferson.

The Duke Blue Devils season is over and even now CoachMike Krzyzewskiis busily putting together another killer recruiting class to try and do it all again next year. He is even going through a bit of a purge asChase Jeteris about totransfer from the programafter realizing he won’t start for the team next year.

Jeter’s departure underlines something not well understood about this Duke season. Everyone remembers this as the year ofJayson Tatum, the trips, or unanimous ACC 1^stteamerLuke Kennard. Yet this year would have looked much different for Duke withoutAmile Jefferson. Yes, if I had to pick an MVP for this Duke team it would be the fifth year senior that does not have the glitz or numbers of his counterparts.

Think about what this team would have been without Jefferson. Duke’s rebounding and interior defense would depend on the recovering freshmanHarry Gilesand the now overlooked Jeter. That would not have held the line against the Heels or the Cardinals. It would have restricted some of things Tatum could do as he would find more foul trouble on defense.

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These things were lessened because Giles could come off the bench. Jeter barely played. Tatum exploded as an offensive weapon. All because the steady captain Jefferson was there to interdict the paint. Jefferson, who would have missed this season if he had not received a medical redshirt for the last one. Jefferson, who was part of the new lineup that finally got Duke’s season turned around.

Next: Tatum Declares for NBA Draft

Jefferson is not listed in either round ofNBADraft.net’smock draft and perhaps that is fitting. He seems destined to occupy one of the chairs where John Scheyer andNolan Smithnow sit, assuming Coach K is around long enough to take him on. He may not be the NBA player thatGrayson Allen, Kennard, Giles, and Tatum are projected to be, but on this team he was the reason the rest of them looked so good.

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