Duke basketball: 5 most underrated Blue Devils in program history

4. Duke basketball underrated players: Amile Jefferson, F, (2012-2017)

Let’s stick with that mid-2010s theme here with the next underrated Blue Devil, forward Amile Jefferson. Another member of the 2015 national champs, Jefferson was always a solid contributor to Duke’s starting lineup.

Throughout his time at Duke, Jefferson was never really asked to be the guy carrying the load on offense. With star freshmen constantly coming through Durham, Mike Krzyzewski often asked Jefferson to do little things like rebound, set screens, and help facilitate the offense.

That kind of glue guy doesn’t get a ton of glory, which was often the case for Jefferson. Never considered to be the best player on his own team, Jefferson was never more than the third option in any given year.

The Blue Devils had Jefferson for five years thanks to an injury during his senior year, resulting in a redshirt that granted him extra eligibility. Jefferson was one of Duke’s best players during his senior year, averaging 10.9 points per game and 8.4 rebounds a night.

There is no doubt that Jefferson doesn’t get enough credit for his value to Duke. Jefferson’s ability to do all the little things made it much easier for his higher-profile teammates to rack up their points.