Duke basketball: The perfect Blue Devils lineup to dominate the ACC

Duke basketball could win the ACC if Coach K goes with this starting lineup  

Love them or hate them, having a good Duke team always makes the college basketball season more interesting. The Blue Devils were a bit shaky last season and didn’t have as high an upside as the Zion Williamson-led squad that had national title ambitions, but Mike Krzyzewski has assembled another intriguing team in Durham.

Ranked 9th in the AP’s preseason poll, Duke will look to showcase why they can top rivals like Virginia and North Carolina to reign supreme in the ACC once again. Let’s take a look at what the ideal starting five for Coach K’s squad will be in 2020, starting with the point guard position.

Duke’s starting lineup: PG Jeremy Roach

Last season this spot belonged to Tre Jones, who served as the leader of the team and bolstered his three-point shooting enough to make the jump to the NBA. The loss of leadership will hurt here but Duke will be able to plug in a talented freshman at the point in Roach.

A five-star recruit out of Leesburg, VA, the Blue Devils will like the fact that Roach is a capable shooter and facilitator. Roach is a more versatile scorer than Jones was so he will give Krzyzewski plenty of options for how to draw up plays.

Duke’s starting lineup: SG D.J. Steward

The Blue Devils need to add more offensive punch to their starting five and they’ll get it here with Steward, a highly-touted freshman. Steward, a 6-3 guard from Whitney Young High School in Chicago, should add some serious shooting touch to Duke’s starting five.

There are some concerns about Steward’s size but he has been extremely productive as a prep player. Joining a lineup of this caliber should help Steward continue to stuff the stat sheet with the Blue Devils.

Duke’s starting lineup: SF Wendell Moore

The most important returning player for the Blue Devils will be Moore, arguably Duke’s best defender last season. Moore missed time with a broken hand, forcing the Blue Devils to adapt to life without him for long stretches of the season.

With Cassius Stanley off to the NBA, there will be pressure on Moore to handle some of his scoring load while filling some of Jones’ leadership void. If Moore can take the kind of production leap that Jones did as a sophomore it will be very encouraging for the Blue Devils.

Duke’s starting lineup: PF Jalen Johnson

It wouldn’t be a modern-day Duke lineup without five-star freshmen and that trend continues here with Johnson. A 6-foot-8 wing from Glendale, WI, Johnson will be a huge help for Duke thanks to his ability to knock down outside shots.

The Blue Devils have had major issues with floor spacing thanks to poor three-point shooting for a few years, but Johnson’s smooth stroke will help alleviate some of those concerns. Johnson can also be a bit of a point-forward thanks to his excellent distribution skills, giving Duke even more options on how to run the offense.

Duke’s starting lineup: C Mark Williams

The fourth freshman to enter Duke’s projected lineup is Williams, a 7-footer out of Norfolk Academy. The biggest and tallest player on Duke’s roster, Williams promises to offer immediate rim protection potential at the five.

Williams’ athleticism for his size is reminiscent of a poor man’s Williamson, a fact that Duke is hoping comes through by giving him Williamson’s no. 1 jersey. If Krzyzewski can get a decent facsimile of Williamson’s impact with Williams the Blue Devils could be a very fun team to watch this season.

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