Duke Basketball: Naming 5 Potential Blue Devils as Postseason All Americans

No Duke player was named to the Associated Press' preseason All-America first team, but this does not reflect the true award winners.

After last season, Nolan Smith made it onto the first team without a preseason selection.

Maybe Austin Rivers would have been a first-team selection if the selection committee were not worried about choosing another undeserved freshman (as they did North Carolina's Harrison Barnes last year) and Jeremy Lamb didn't exist.

The preseason first team consists of Jared Sullinger, Terrence Jones, Harrison Barnes, Lamb and Jordan Taylor.

It will not be easy to replace any of these guys but beating the odds is one of the things that make sports so great.

Here are the Duke players with the highest chance of stealing a slot at season's end.

Miles Plumlee, Chances: Extremely Slim

Miles has been named the co-captain for the season with Ryan Kelly. He will be a starter, at least, to begin the season.

Coach K is not afraid to pull a starter if they are underperforming, for another player who has shown he deserves to start.

If Duke's strength will be in the frontcourt and the oldest Plumlee lives to his potential, he will have a few mentions for postseason honors but All American status is a stretch right now.

Rebounding, blocked shots and low post scoring will be his calling card. Not sure if he can produce on the level of an All American candidate, as a senior who has not shown any consistency at this point.

Ryan Kelly, Chances: Fair

Ryan Kelly may be the next leading scorer for Duke, as he has the potential. He can shoot the three, can utilize his 6'11" frame in the post or hit the mid-range jumper.

If Duke has a good season, the leading scorer may have the best chance of replacing any of the preseason All Americans.

Can Kelly be better than Sullinger, Jones or Barnes? Probably not Sullinger, but Barnes had a slow start to his freshman season and Jones's production waned at the end of the season.

It is highly unlikely that these two super sophomores will emulate their freshmen meltdowns again, so Kelly will just have to concentrate on being the best he can be.

Heavy contributions on the boards and scoring consistency will improve his chances greatly.

Throughout Duke's five exhibition games so far, Kelly has shown that he will be pivotal this season.

Mason Plumlee, Chances: Fair

If it wasn't for one or two abysmal games last season, Mason Plumlee would have been named as one of the top rebounders in the country.

Hopefully he will be more consistent this season. He only took five shots a game last season, but if he can find the confidence to demand the ball and take more shots and make them at a high rate, he will be at least a third team All American.

He made 59 percent of his field goals last season, but these were mostly opportunities created for him that normally resulted in a dunk.

If the middle Plumlee (younger brother Marshall is a freshman) can create his own scoring options, his chances of a postseason All America first-team selection will be vastly improved.

Austin Rivers, Chances: Moderately Slim

The Herald Sun thinks that stars are pretty slim in college basketball now that Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker are in the NBA.

However Austin Rivers is a made for college basketball stardom. His father is a former NBA player and currently the coach of the Boston Celtics.  

Media types dream of interviewing players like Rivers. He is charismatic and engaging to interviewers and he plays for Duke.

Obviously all that would not mean anything if he could not flat out play. River's game is so exciting that it's good for highlight reels.

Based on the exhibition games played to date, Rivers looks like the type of player that would really get it after a year's maturation. Though that could happen in a lone season.

If this is the case, he will claim his spot on the postseason All American team with ease.

Seth Curry, Chances: Average

With every passing day, Seth Curry has placed his stamp as the unequivocal leader of Duke next season.

He has shown this in the overseas exhibition games and against the Blue White Scrimmage, but not the Bellarmine game on Saturday where the junior had 18 points.

Curry was able to score 18 point despite Duke only making 2-of-14 from three-point range. Last season he was mostly a three-point threat so it is good to see that he can score from other areas.

If Curry can get anywhere near the production of his brother for Davidson, he will definitely be a lock for a postseason All American team, if not the first.

Jordan Taylor may have been the only senior in the preseason first team, but he has the most competition on the list. Texas has a freshman point guard in the form of Myck Kabongo and so does Kentucky, with Marquis Teague. Washington has Tony Wroten Jr.

North Carolina's Kendal Marshall will be a huge hurdle for anyone that wants to replace Jordan in the first team. Maybe two point guards may even make it in to the final team.

If Curry continues to display leadership and scoring ability throughout the season, he has the best chance of any current Duke players to make an All American first team selection.