Welcome Aboard: A Quick Look at Duke's Fabulous Freshmen

It has been four full months since the Duke Blue Devils finished as the NCAA Champions. 

Like previous Duke teams that won titles, this team had a great combination of talent, intelligence, and experience. 

As the sun set on the NCAA Tourament, so did the careers of Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek — all three had solid careers and will be missed, but they have been replaced.

Duke is a perennial powerhouse and is almost always in the nation's Top 10. 

Their run at the top is due to their Hall of Fame coach, intense hustle and team work — but most importantly — their recruiting.

The 2010-2011 season is going to be special. 

The Duke Blue Devils are the reigning champs and very well could be suiting a better team. 

This season they are bringing in several key additions that are once again making them the team to beat in Division 1 basketball.

Kyrie Irving  

All of Coach Mike Krzyzewski's championship teams have been anchored by superior guard play. 

Bobby Hurley and Jay Williams are two of the best ACC point guards in history, and their tenures at Duke were incredible. 

It is possible that Irving is the next in the long line of great point guards to call Duke home.

Irving is this year's premier point guard. 

He is a true one guard that can pass, shoot and drive. He is already being touted as Duke's next Jay Williams. 

Duke's squad will be scary if he plays anything close to that level in his freshman year.

Unfortunately, with excellence in today's game comes problems. 

Irving very well may be the ACC's freshman of the year next season, but he already has dollar signs in his eyes. 

It is expected that he will go pro after one season.

Potential : Irving not only has the potential to be the ACC's best freshman, but could play into ACC First-Team honors.

Down Side : Being compared to John Wall is impressive, unless you are referring to his early NCAA exit.

Hype, talent and fame is not a down side — unless he isn't what we are all hoping for.

Josh Hairston

Last season one of the most important players was Brian Zoubek. 

"Big Z" wasn't your typical scoring threat, but he was an absolute beast off of the glass. 

Out walked Zoubek — in walks Hairston. 

While Hairston is not a 7-footer, he will be a welcome substitute for the Mason/Miles Plumlee family tree. 

Hairston is the picture perfect Duke big guy. 

He is a solid team player that is not afraid to pull boards, play defense and hustle. 

Potential : It is said that Hairston is very good without the ball in the open court.  

Next season Duke is going to be playing a run-and-gun offense, an exciting brand of ball that plays into Hairston's strengths.

Expect Hairston to be a decent role player or a Mason/Miles Plumlee change of pace. 

Down Side : The step up in competition from high school to college is one that players can have trouble with. 

Hairston is an average athlete that may have trouble with the speed of the new game.

His biggest knock is his hands and ball control.

Tyler Thornton

If you were to compare Thornton to a previous Blue Devil it could be Duke assistant coach Steve Wojciechowski. 

Thornton is a constant defensive threat that will be a fixture at Duke for years to come as he fits the Duke mold, and is an aggressive spark plug at all times.

Potential : Unlike Irving, Thornton has time to grow and learn the college game.  Thornton is a coach on the floor and could be a very special player in the future.

Down Side : Do you remember how it felt as a kid to have all of those toys on Christmas morning? 

Thornton is the non-flashy toy without bells and whistles that is going to be pushed to the back of the closet. 

There is simply no playing time for him on this team. 

Thornton will be very important on the practice court but may not be a regular until his junior year.

Duke is going to be one of the deepest teams in the nation next year. 

They didn't rebuild after their title — they reloaded.  

Adding one of the best point guards in the nation in a hole left by a senior is rare. Irving could step into the hole left by Jon Scheyer and lead this team all season long.

It may be a scary thought for the rest of the ACC, but this Duke team "on paper" is better than last year's. 

They are deeper, more talented and more athletic. 

The 2009-2010 season was very special, but this team is capable of earning "Coach K" his second repeat and the first coach to do so since the late John Wooden.