Duke basketball: 5 questions the Blue Devils must answer in 2020-2021

2. Duke questions: Can Wendell Moore stay healthy?

Aside from Matthew Hurt, the most important player that Duke has back is Wendell Moore. The Blue Devils didn’t ask Moore to be a star right away on offense, but where Moore ended up making his mark was on the defensive end.

Moore’s length and wingspan made it very difficult for the opposing team’s perimeter players throughout the season. Duke was a much better team when Moore played, which was problematic since he missed a month with a broken hand.

The Blue Devils’ defense suffered without Moore, who had to shake off some rust upon his return from the injury. The one blessing for Duke fans was that Moore likely would have gone pro if he played the full season, meaning he wouldn’t be around for the upcoming campaign.

Moore will likely be asked to assume a bigger role on offense, which he is surely capable of, but Krzyzewski knows that he will be the team’s linchpin on defense. In order to succeed on that end, Duke needs Moore to play as often as possible.

That should happen since the broken hand was more of a freak injury than a sign that Moore can’t stay healthy. As long as Moore is on the court for a full season Duke can be expected to have a tough defense.