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Justise Winslow with heartfelt thank you to Duke on Instagram

By Will Osgood

Mar 29, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Justise Winslow (12) celebrates after making a three-point basket against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second half in the finals of the south regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 29, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Justise Winslow (12) celebrates after making a three-point basket against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second half in the finals of the south regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Duke Freshman forward Justise Winslow announced his plans to depart for the NBA on Tuesday and followed with a note of gratitude on Instagram. 

It used to mean something quite different for a college basketball player to say they were “a [Insert school and team name] for life”. Today it only requires that a player have spent one season at said school.

Those facts don’t make a player’s–such as Justise Winslow–time at said school playing basketball for said program any less important, any less fun or any less gratifying for him.

It only means that Justise Winslow’s time at Duke was different than say Grant Hill’s or Christian Laettner’s. His one season at Duke–which he announced earlier Tuesday would be his only one before he enters the 2015 NBA draft–will be remembered by Blue Devils fans and Coach K for producing a remarkable National Championship run, one which seemed rather improbable at the onset of the NCAA Tournament.

The more prominent one-and-done school, Kentucky, seemed like an all too certain bet to cut down the nets in Indianapolis on April 6.

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Winslow, and fellow freshmen Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Grayson Allen, played hugely important roles in winning Mike Krzyzewski’s fifth NCAA title.

Coach K immediately released a statement, which he said he was proud of Winslow and loved “him and his family”. Winslow will likely be a top-1o pick in this year’s draft.

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