Duke

Ryan Kelly

• Height: 6-10
• Weight: 210
• Position: Forward
• Rivals.com ranking: 20
• Strengths: Has developed into a multi-dimensional offensive weapon, with a strong low post game and a tough-to-defend pull-up jumper. … Plays with an innate understanding of game situations. … An accomplished rebounder and underrated defenser.
• Weaknesses: Can be a bit heavy-footed at times. … Needs to add bulk to his lanky frame and develop much better lower-body strength.
• They said it: “He’s like a Eurpean power forward. He can shoot from the outside and score. He can post up and score. He can pass well. But what makes him different from everybody else, what sets him apart is that he has ball skills. He can take the ball off-the-dribble and get his own shot, which many high school players can’t do at 6-foot-10. That’s something Ryan’s worked diligently on.” – Kevin Billerman, Kelly’s coach at Ravenscroft High School in Raleigh

Mason Plumlee

• Height: 6-11
• Weight: 210
• Position: Power Forward
• Rivals.com ranking: 42
• Strengths: Tremendous ballhandler and playmaker for his size. … Has a wide array of face-up moves and a good pull-up jumper.
• Weaknesses: eeds to develop much greater toughness down low. … Still not a reliable interior defender or a go-to low block scorer.
• They said it: “I think it’s a perfect fit. I think his skill set is tailor-made for what they do at Duke with their guys. When you hear Coach K comparing him to the types of skills that Kyle Singler has, the skills that Danny Ferry had as a player there – that’s pretty heady stuff when you hear that. … I think it became very clear to Mason that ‘Oh yeah, I see myself playing out there away from the basket. I see myself shooting the 3. I see myself making passes 18-20 feet away from the basket. Everything he does so well, I think he can see himself in that role at Duke.” David Gaines, Plumlee’s high school coach at Chris School in Arden

Andre Dawkins

• Height: 6-5
• Weight: 185
• Position: Shooting Guard
• Rivals.com ranking: 34
• Strengths: Possesses a lethal long-range jumper. … Very athletic and a good decision maker. … Softspoken but still extremely confident.
• Weaknesses: Needs to show greater attention to defense. … Could use a spike in intensity at times.
• They said it: “Andre fits in because he’s a great shooter. The wings and the guards at Duke thrive in that environment. The wings have a freedom to get their shot off but also to attack the basket. Those are Andre’s two biggest strong points. He can use his shot as a weapon but he can also get to the basket very well. And he elevates well so that he can go up over people to get his shot off. … He’s a lot faster than a lot of people think and he’s very athletic as well. All that plays a part. You look in the past, they’ve had a lot of guys that can get to the basket and guys who can shoot the ball. He’ll fit right in.” Andre Dawkins Sr., Dawkins’ father

Josh Hairston

• Height: 6-8
• Weight: 210
• Position: Power Forward
• Rivals.com ranking: 14
• Strengths: Possesses an impressive combination of size and athleticism. … Can be a match-up nightmare with his offensive versatility and his fantastic turnaround jumper. … Strong basketball IQ.
• Weaknesses: Needs to add strength to survive in the ACC. … Working to become a more consistent player and a more aggressive defender.
• They said it: “Josh can be the prototypical (small forward-power forward) combination in the Duke system. He can go inside and outside. He can play with his back to the basket. But he can also face up and take guys off the dribble as well. I think Shane Battier is a good comparison. Shane was a little taller than Josh. But as far skills, Josh’s game is very similar. … He’s intelligent enough to know that he can take advantage of his skills in the post on the blocks. And if a guy’s noticeably slower than he is, he’ll pop out and take a guy off the dribble. He can do that proficiently.” – J.T. Nino, Hairston’s coach at Courtland High School in Virginia

Tyler Thornton

• Height: 6-2
• Weight: 180
• Position: Point Guard
• Rivals.com ranking: 54
• Strengths: Brings an unteachable competitive fire to the floor. … Possesses great savvy to be a playmaker on both ends of the floor. … Willing to do the little things to help his team win.
• Weaknesses: ttempting to become a more consistent scorer. … Could stand to add more range to hi shooting.
• They said it: “Immediately, from Day One when he walked in the door here, you could see he was a natural born leader. His ability to understand the details of what the coach is asking all of the guys to do is tremendous. He is a coach on the floor. The kid is so unselfish. All he wants to do is win and for that he has a knack. Whether we need him to score or shut down the other teams’ best guy or rebound or dive all over the ground for loose balls, he’s willing to give himself up and do whatever it takes to win.” Steve Turner, Thornton’s coach at Gonzaga College High School near Washington, D.C.