THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2013
FRIENDLY COMPETITION
PAGE 7
DOUBLE BONUS
Kansan writer and The Duke Chronicle sports editor discuss each team's future as the two go head to head in Chicago.
Former Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor drives down the court during the first half of a game against Duke at the Maui Invitational in 2011. Taylor led the team with 17 points in the Jayhawks 68-1 defeat.
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
visited with Daniel Carp, the sports editor for the Duke Chronicle, to gain some perspective before the anticipated Kansas-Duke matchup. We discussed Parker and Wiggins, frontcourt play and offense vs. defense.
HILLIX: Will Jabari Parker be the go-to guy for Duke this season or will he share that role with someone? What are his strengths?
CARP: Jabari Parker will be one of Duke's go-to guys this season, but expect him to share the spotlight with red shirt sophomore forward Rodney Hood, who will suit up for the Blue Devils for the first time this season after transferring from Mississippi State. Parker's strengths lay in his athleticism and versatility. Offensively, he can work in the post or create off the dribble to knock down open jumpers. The freshman from Chicago has also been a key component for Duke in exhibition play both on the glass and the defensive end, showcasing his ability to get up and block shots and pull down rebounds. Quite simply, this kid can do it all.
How much pressure is going to be put on Andrew Wiggins to perform early in the season?
HILLIX: A lot. Self has done a good job trying to deflect some of the pressure placed on him, but all eyes will be on Wiggins early in the season to see whether he lives up to the enormous hype. Wiggins told Self that he was nervous for the first exhibition contest (in which Wiggins scored 16), so hopefully that game calms his nerves a bit. He won't have to put up 25 points a game for Kansas to be competitive, but he will be relied up to stretch the court and create opportunities for others. Whether he lives up to the billing or not, he will still help the team in numerous ways.
With Mason Plumlee departing and so many underclassmen at the forward/center position, is post play the team's biggest weakness this season? If not, what is?
CARP: Post play has always been
the team's biggest concern heading into this season. With the departure of Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly to the NBA, the only true center on this year's Duke squad is Mason's younger brother, Marshall, who has battled injuries during his first two collegiate seasons and is still considered to be a long-term project. Sophomore Amile Jefferson will start at the center spot for Duke this season, and though he stands at just 6-foot-9, his 7-foot-2 wingspan should help him defend against larger opponents. The Blue Devils are still looking to figure out whether Hood and Parker are capable of sliding over and covering the five spot, but it looks like for now it will be a team effort down low for Duke—no one player is capable of carrying that load this year.
Kansas has a lot of holes to fill up front this year but still enters the season with one of the top frontcourts in the nation. With a new starting center in freshman Joel Embid and another newcomer in backup Tarik Black, what is the expected learning curve for this group?
HILLIX: With Jeff Withey gone, the Jayhawks lose one of the best shot blockers in the country and someone who altered a high percentage of shots taken in the paint. Embid and Black will be responsible for filling that void.
After the Jordan Brand Classic and the Nike Hoop Summit, Embid vaulted up the recruiting rankings all the way up to the No. 6 overall spot and No. 1 at the center position. That said, he just started playing basketball in high school and is still very raw. At 7-feet and 250 pounds, he is quick with his feet and has the potential to block two or three shots a game. He still has a lot to learn, especially offensively, before Bill Self names him the starter. It's unclear how long it will take, but the Jayhawks are hoping it happens fast.
Signed in late May, Black has been a valuable addition because of his experience and leadership. Expect Black to start until Embiid shows
more progress. Whether he starts or not, Black should play around 20 minutes a game.
What will Duke's identity be this season? Will there be a lot of shooting like in years past?
CARP: Duke teams will always be able to beat you from deep. With a pedigree of some of the best guard play in the country year in and year out, the Blue Devils will hurt any opponent that leaves them open on the perimeter. But this year's Duke squad should be a little less dependent on the 3-point shot because of the pace at which it plans to play this season. This is going to be one of the fastest Blue Devil squads you've seen in quite a few years, and the number of athletes they have will allow them to spread the floor, get up and down in transition and utilize full-court pressure on the defensive end. As a result, you'll probably see Duke attempt fewer shots from beyond the arc this year because of the team's emphasis on attacking the rim in transition.
young players on this roster, will that affect Bill Self's coaching philosophy at all? Defense has been the key for Kansas in the past, but are the new crop of Jayhawks up for that challenge?
With so many newcomers and
HILLIX: Self said that all the new players, on a scale of 1 to 10, have a coachability of 10. Defense has always been the calling card for Self's squads, but this year's team could change things a bit. The Jayhawks have offensive firepower in their lineup, and Self can bring in several players off the bench who are capable of putting up points in bunches. Expect this year's squad to score more points than previous Kansas teams.
Defensively, also expect this team to give up more points. While the half-court defense won't be as stingy as it has been in previous years, this team has the potential to extend pressure more than it was capable of in the past. With so many athletic players, they can press and have the ability to recover quickly if they get beat.
— Edited by Lauren Armendariz