Duke basketball doesn’t have a traditional point guard like Bobby Hurley, Dick Groat, Jay Williams, or Tyus Jones, but the team is still finding success with its unique approach.
This season, Duke (19-2, 11-0 ACC) is on track to achieve the best assist rate in 73 years. The Blue Devils are assisting on 60.9% of their baskets, which is close to the program’s best mark of 66.1% set in the 1951-52 season with Groat leading the way.
For context, the 1991-92 season with Hurley had a 58.9% assist rate, and the 2000-01 national championship team, with Williams at point guard, finished with a 57.6% assist rate.
So, how are the Blue Devils making this work without a classic point guard? Coach Jon Scheyer attributes it to “modern basketball” and multiple ball handlers. He’s praised his players for their unselfishness, often passing up good shots for better ones.
Freshman Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward, has become a key playmaker for Duke, averaging 4.2 assists per game and leading the team with 89 assists. Scheyer has said, “Cooper really is a point guard in a lot of ways for us.”
But Flagg isn’t the only one contributing. Duke has five other players with at least 20 total assists, including Sion James, Kon Knueppel, and Tyrese Proctor, who are all averaging multiple assists per game. Scheyer highlights how having players with a great feel for the game, who can pass, handle the ball, and shoot, makes Duke a more dynamic team.
In short, Duke might not have a traditional point guard, but it has plenty of playmakers, and that’s working well for them this season.
