We hope you guys enjoyed Al Featherston's column on Post-K Duke. It was spot-on to us. We would like to add a couple of points.
For those who remember the catastrophe that was Duke basketball in the early '70s, there are some key changes.
1) in 1974, Duke, like most southern schools was recently integrated - and for Duke, it was not a rapid process. That's obviously not a factor anymore.
2) Duke has long since learned how to identify, target and recruit guys who can handle the academics while generally eschewing those who can't. In the '70s, there were many who thought this was impossible and wanted to shut the program down or at least move to a less competitive conference.
3) Duke has also really refined the art of academic support. There is a long and sometimes colorful history from the '60s, the '70s and to a limited extent the '80s of guys who, unable to handle the academics, flamed out in a variety of interesting ways.  That that doesn't happen often anymore is one of the signature achievements of the K era, and one that's not really thought about very often.
These are institutional habits which will go from coach to coach.
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