DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) – Unlike years past when the bulk of the roster turned over, the Duke men’s basketball team will have some familiar faces back this season.
One player in particular is rising senior point guard Jeremy Roach, who ultimately decided to return to Durham after temporarily entering his name in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The former five-star recruit was a spark off the bench in year one, before taking on an even bigger role during his sophomore season, delivering clutch shot after clutch shot for the Blue Devils on the way to the Final Four.
Roach inherited the responsibility of leading a young Duke squad last season, becoming the lone team captain. With championship expectations in mind, this year will be a challenging one to tackle, but he says they certainly saved the best for last for his senior campaign.
“Everybody’s older now, so they don’t really need that structure anymore,” Roach said. “They kind of know what to do. They know what to expect in the ACC, they know what to expect in the non-conference and they know what to expect every day going forward, and I think this probably gives us the best chance to get to that promised land where we want to get to.”
With four starters returning and a highly touted incoming recruiting class, the Blue Devils will have a strong mixture of talent and experience, and Roach believes this is going to pay dividends for the team in reaching its main goal – winning a national title.
“I feel like this is probably one of the most complete teams that I’ve been on since I’ve been at Duke,” he said.
