At Duke, 4 Men and the Babies

Freshmen in Tow, Seniors Try to Gain Elusive NCAA Title

Shelden Williams opened the doors of his off-campus apartment this summer to three freshmen still weeks away from officially joining him on Duke's basketball team. Josh McRoberts, Greg Paulus and Martynas Pocius played video games, slept on couches or air mattresses and absorbed nuggets of advice from Williams, who in many ways needed the youngsters as much as they needed the senior.

Williams was once part of a similarly touted class many believed would capture at least one national title. Two other current seniors, J.J. Redick and Sean Dockery, talked to each other about winning four titles during their visit to campus four years ago.

This season, still searching for their first national championship, the four senior captains -- Williams, Redick, Dockery and Lee Melchionni -- have embraced six freshmen, hoping the combination will result in the school's first title since 2001. With two senior all-American candidates, Redick and Williams, and the addition of three McDonald's All-Americans, Duke is the overwhelming choice as the nation's top-ranked team.

"We've got four grandpas, and we've got some young guys," Redick said. "We can't play down to the level of the freshmen right now. As they adjust to the college game, I think they will come up to our level."

Because of the unorthodox roster configuration, Coach Mike Krzyzewski has never had a team so experienced and so young at once. Only one player who is neither a freshman nor a senior, sophomore DeMarcus Nelson, is expected to log significant minutes.

The disparity was apparent at a recent clinic for hundreds of various coaches, during which Krzyzewski introduced his team by class, resulting in a total of 12 freshmen and seniors sandwiching only a few sophomores and juniors. The goal: Play at the speed of the best, namely Redick and Williams, without leaving behind the freshmen.

"As you are compensating, how close do you get?" Krzyzewski said. "To me, it is incredibly interesting. If we are there by March, that is when the train leaves."

During practice's first week, Krzyzewski found himself instructing the newcomers on basics more than helping seniors refine their games. The freshmen wanted to please but wound up thinking more than reacting during live action.

Nevertheless, the benefits of the class are significant. Paulus, for example, made open-court passes so deft during last month's intrasquad scrimmage that Krzyzewski said the 19-year-old saw openings no Blue Devil point guard has seen in years.

And big man McRoberts, whose one recent dunk was so resounding Redick still raves about it, could be the ACC's best freshman and an NBA first-round pick whenever he chooses to turn pro.

What's more, the 22-year-old Williams said in some ways he feels 18 again, and Redick added that he is fueled by the zeal of the youngsters, however raw the freshmen energy appears.

"If there is a day when we're really tired," Redick said, "or there is a game where me or Shelden played a lot of minutes, their energy, their youth, their spirit can really carry us at times."