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In 1989, the McDonald’s Game featured future stars like Kenny Anderson, George Lynch, Allen Houston and Shaquille O’ Neal.
None of them had the success in college that Duke-bound Bobby Hurley would have. He played in three Final Fours and won twice. He also set the NCAA record for assists that still stands.
In this game we remember one very distinct thing: whenever they put Hurley and his future Duke teammate Billy McCaffrey in, the East would surge. Take them out and it flagged.
It would prove to be a long-term pattern, at least for Hurley. When he arrived at Duke, Coach K made a big deal out of ceremoniously handing him the ball and telling him he would be the point guard - something that irritated teammate Christian Laettner, who had been told that you had to earn your spot at Duke. He didn’t like it being given to Hurley.
He got used to it.
Hurley turned out to be one of the best point guards in college history and arguably the best.
McCaffrey stuck around two year before transferring to Vanderbilt where he had a solid but not spectacular career.