Kyle Singler: Singled Out, Proving Doubters Wrong, Fulfilling Expectations

The ACC Player of the Year hype is gone, All-American status is almost out of reach, and any chances of winning National Player of the Year have disappeared. To any other top player in the country, this would definitely be a dismal year.

Not for Duke's Kyle Singler.  

The early season expectations may have been high, but the blame for his inconsistency is the positional change he has had to undergo this year.

Once a forward looking to post up down low, he is now a guard looking to get open for three-point attempts on the perimeter.

Singler has also had problems shooting the ball this season because of a nagging wrist injury that he sustained early on in the year, but he has persevered and has shown no signs for concern in recent games.

Actually, Singler has been flying under the radar since his outburst against then-No. 21 Georgia Tech on Feb. 4.

In that contest, the junior from Medford, Oregon was dialed in from long-range (8-of-10 from behind the arc), after making just nine three-pointers in his previous seven ACC games, was proficient from the charity-stripe (4-of-5 free throws), and set a career-high in points scored (30).

Singler also made some crucial plays down the stretch when the Blue Devils knocked off Boston College on the road on Feb. 6. Duke barely escaped with a win against a very determined Eagles team.

In the Blue Devils last two road games, Singler has led the way for Coach K's team, scoring 19 points in a win on the road against rival North Carolina and then leading No. 6 Duke to a comeback win at Miami by scoring a game-high 22 points.

In both of those contests, Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith (who combine with Singler as the top scoring trio in the country) came out struggling to find their range and, as a result, Duke struggled with UNC and was down early against Miami.

However, Singler came out firing in each of the opening halves, keeping the Blue Devils in both games by shooting a combined 8-of-12 from three-point territory. Scheyer and Smith got most of the credit for their strong second-half surges but, without Singler keeping them in the game, Duke may have come out with a loss.

That's what kind of player Singler has grown into during his three years at Duke.

He is willing to play the entire game without a break, grab rebounds, make hustle plays, and hit big baskets without receiving any credit on the national level.

Though most of the top players in the country thrive to have attention and the spotlight, the opposite is true for Singler.

He likes to prove the doubters wrong, rise up to the challenge when no one thinks he will, and have the ball in his hands for the last shot of the game.

It's true—no one in the nation works harder and more efficiently for his team than Singler does for Duke.

He definitely deserves some credit for his outstanding, yet underrated, play on the year and will look to continue his hot-streak as the season gradually winds down to a close.

Kyle Singler may not win many awards (if any) this season, but there is not one player in the country with a better work ethic. He is a tough player in every sense of the word, and will continue to improve until March Madness begins.