Pat getting the respect he deserves should've made the team last year I don't think there were two better centers in the ACC than Pat last year.

A few days ago, I shared the story of how seeing another kid wearing a Duke bomber jacket at my elementary school in Italy back in 1996 helped turn me into a lifelong Blue Devils fan.

Well, here's the part I didn't mention in my original post;)

Many years later (precisely 5 years ago) I happened to walk into a second-hand clothing store and found the exact same jacket completely by chance.

I couldn't believe it. Of course, I had to buy it!

And here it is, nearly 30 years after that first encounter.

Still one of my favorite pieces of clothing, and definitely the one with the most sentimental value.

FORZA DUKE🇮🇹🔵😈

I’m planning on going to my first game in Cameron, is there a section I should get tickets avoid due to an obstructed view. Let me know what section you recommend

Ciao everyone!

I'm an Italian Duke basketball fan, currently living in Poland, and I thought I'd share how my love for the Blue Devils began. It's a bit of an unusual story.

Back in 1996, when I was still in elementary school in Italy, I remember seeing an older kid wearing a blue bomber jacket with "DUKE" written in big white letters across the front and the Blue Devil logo on one of the sleeves.

For some reason, that jacket really caught my attention.

I was already a huge basketball fan at the time. I supported the Charlotte Hornets, collected Upper Deck NBA cards imported from the US, watched NBA Action on Saturday afternoons, and regularly bought an Italian basketball magazine called "American Super Basket" which also covered college basketball.

So Duke wasn't a completely unfamiliar name to me. I already knew about Coach K and his achievements. But seeing that jacket at school somehow made the connection feel more personal.

And that's how it all started. Thirty years later, I'm still supporting the Blue Devils from the other side of the Atlantic.

College basketball wasn't exactly mainstream in Italy back then, and following it was nothing like it is today. But those memories have stayed with me all these years.

Anyway, I'm happy to finally join this community and look forward to talking Duke basketball with you all!

FORZA DUKE! 🇮🇹🔵😈

I’ve seen enough, JBB is winning NPOY. Nice to see Wilkins first off the bench

Late to the party but i just got around to watching a replay of the full game. Its only one game but im a little worried about our lack of pop in the half court. They dominated Belmont physically but i dont see anybody that I would trust breaking down the defense consistently in the half court. I know Foster/Scharnowski were out and Williams is working back to 100%, but I dont see any of those guys as a major playmaker either.

By no means is the sky falling. Duke will overwhelm most teams, but agains other elite teams I have a feeling they struggle to score.

TENN might be the ultimate test for this matchup wise. They always have the size and they just grind out games in the half court.

Very interested to see how that game goes

Defensively tho Duke is going to be a PROBLEM

Thoughts?

Paul went up against players on average 10 years old than he is.

I’ve seen a few nice looking schedules on this subreddit but they seem to be images, not nice, printable PDF files. Does someone or some site have a nice, printable PDF to share or point to?

Man, Rippey Jr looks great. I can’t believe we have the depth we do. Rippey Jr was the MVP tonight, he thoroughly impressed me.

He is fast af and strong on the drive. Can pass well, athletic off ball defender. Disrupts the passing lanes well. Can jump out of the gym and he hit a game winning 3 pointer to win the scrimmage.

I know it’s just a scrimmage against teammates, but Rippey Jr looked so impressive to me. Wouldn’t be surprised if he’s starting by mid year.

No word on the cause, but obviously the Duke family, especially K's family, has lost a good one when Spatola passed "unexpectedly" this week.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/50009840/chris-spatola-espn-college-basketball-analyst-dies-age-47

Hello, it’s been a bucket list even if mine to go to UNC game at Cameron and this may be the last time I’ll get to do it for sure. I just wanna know when’s the best time to get a ticket for it as in what’s usually the cheapest. Ik overall there not gonna be cheap lol. Just wondering when’s the best time. Thanks.

I watched the Texas-Ohio State game last night, and my ears perked up when the head ref was introduced as Kole Knueppel. Sure enough, the guy turns out to be Kon's uncle. (It makes sense; it was a Big 10 referee crew.)

Apparently, Kon's dad and uncles used to compete in 3-on-3 basketball together as the "Flying Knueppel Brothers", in lieu of what Wikipedia calls "the more humorous name" -- "Free the Knueppel."

As Dukies, are we even putting him under pressure or it is just the media chasing headlines?

ESPN and a few others are claiming he is under pressure to win a Natty now.

I honestly don't understand why there is any reason to panic with coach. Did he have number 1 picks, sure. Did we crumble last game, sure. But is that what a coach is judged on now?

Scheyer, a first-time coach, who had to fill probably the biggest shoes ever in college ball came in and passed every expectation we had of him. Of course, the inexperience crept in eventually on the runs but is any one of US mad at the job he has done?

I think we really have to ignore these immediate expectations that other programs and other so-called "experts" have of him. We have a system, and it is working. As hurt as we were, the fact that he got us to that point should be the highlight. We all expected to have some down years, even in recruiting. He has beat each of those expectations.

He was my classmate and i tutored members of his team. So perhaps maybe my blind bias emanates from that, but i am thoroughly happy with him, he just has stuff to learn too. We should, i hope, never get into this habit of changing a coach every other year like other teams. Even Cutliffe showed this in football.

Anyway, would love to hear your opinions. Always happy to hear others' opinions.

Kinda bummed. Went to a cardshow today in Billings MT to sell this...sons 7th bday on the 12th. But nobody wants Kon's college cards