College basketball season can’t come quickly enough, as the conversations have already begun about who will be cutting down the nets at the end of the year. Even though rosters can change at any moment in today’s landscape, there are still plenty of storylines that have caught my attention heading into the season.
One of the biggest for me is the loaded roster that Duke has assembled. Returning talent such as Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, Dame Sarr, Patrick Ngongba, and others, while adding players like Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, John Blackwell, Cameron Williams, Bryson Howard, and more, has Duke entering the season as one of the favorites to compete for a national championship. There is no question this roster is one of the most talented in the country.
No matter where you look, Duke is loaded with talent at every position. They return experienced players in key roles while also bringing in elite newcomers to create one of the deepest teams in college basketball. The guard position, however, is where I believe one of the biggest storylines will develop. Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer bring valuable experience and familiarity within the program, with Foster emerging as one of the team’s leaders. Blackwell, after transferring from Wisconsin, adds proven scoring ability and experience to an already talented backcourt.
But the player I’ll be watching most closely this season is freshman five-star guard Deron Rippey Jr.
Why?
I’m putting myself out there early, but I truly believe Rippey is the most talented guard on Duke’s roster and has the highest long-term upside. I’m eager to see if his play over the coming months begins to change the rotation. It won’t be easy to overcome the experience the veterans bring, but Rippey’s combination of talent, vision, playmaking, athleticism, leadership, and competitiveness will make it difficult to keep him off the floor.
That makes him one of the most intriguing storylines to follow this season. If Rippey quickly adapts to Coach Scheyer’s system and continues developing at the pace many expect, I believe he could begin climbing NBA Draft boards sooner rather than later. He possesses everything you want from a point guard. He’s a vocal leader, thrives off the bounce, is explosive in transition, sees the floor at a high level, consistently gets into the paint, finishes at the rim, knocks down open shots, and has the tools to set the tone defensively as well.
If—and that’s a big if considering Duke’s depth—Rippey is able to capitalize on limited opportunities early in the season, who’s to say his role won’t continue to expand? If that happens, I wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually pushes for a starting spot. And if he earns those opportunities, I expect his national stock to rise significantly.
For Duke fans, though, it’s a win-win situation regardless. Even if Rippey continues to come off the bench in a strong role, he’ll gain tremendous experience behind veteran guards before taking over in his sophomore season.
No matter how it unfolds, I believe Deron Rippey Jr. will ultimately prove to be the most talented guard on Duke’s roster. His upside, work ethic, and overall skill set are simply too impressive to ignore. Time will tell how everything plays out, and there will certainly be plenty of attention on Duke’s other young stars, but Rippey is the player I’ll be watching the closest this season. I believe he deserves far more attention than he’s currently receiving, and I can’t wait to see how his freshman campaign unfolds.