The Duke Basketball Report's special series on the oral history of the 2001 Duke Blue Devils Men's Basketball National Champions, Return to Glory, will be taking a short break and will not be releasing a full episode this week. The series will be back next week with a deep dive into the best stories about Coach K from the 2001 team. But, Return to Glory host and producer Jason Evans didn't want you to go away empty handed this week, so this week's shortened episode does include a funny story abo...
May 13, 2021•7 min
If it is kinda rare for Duke to be runner up on a top tier recruit, it is almost unheard of for the player to choose a tiny mid-major instead, but that is just what Patrick Baldwin Jr. did Wednesday morning, going on national TV to announce he will play for his father at Wisconsin-Milwaukee rather than playing for Coach K at Duke. We break down Baldwin's decision, what we understand about it and what we don't. Plus, the podcast crew also looks at the news that the NCAA is going to try to get nam...
May 12, 2021•30 min
Welcome to Episode 6 at our oral history of the 2001 Duke Men's Basketball National Champions. When we last left the Blue Devils, they had lost their big man, Carlos Boozer, and were counting on little used Casey Sanders and Reggie Love to man the middle. But the really bad news was Duke's next opponent, the North Carolina Tar Heels with some of the best big men in college basketball. What happened next was shocking. Duke blew the Tar Heels out, playing fast and small and showing more heart than...
May 07, 2021•29 min
We have some news to cover as we await the big news of the week on Episode 312. As we await Patrick Baldwin Jr.’s decision on where he will attend college, the crew discusses some speculation surrounding which school will be the one the heralded high school senior chooses at some point this week. We also tap into how his father’s tenure at UW-Milwaukee could influence his decision. Duke Men’s Basketball are also rumored to have set up another multi-team event for next season, and we quickly reac...
May 05, 2021•59 min
Join Shane Battier, Jay Williams, Chris Duhon, and the rest of the 2001 Duke Men's Basketball Team as they relive their journey to the national title in Return to Glory. In this episode, host Jason Evans takes you through the terrible game where Duke lost their starting center, Carlos Boozer. Hear from Carlos about what he thought when he felt his foot go "pop" and marvel at the strategic choice Coach K made when he completely changed the team's style of play and guaranteed the team that if they...
Apr 30, 2021•45 min
The DBR Podcast has a great interview lined up for Episode 311! The crew gets to sit down with outgoing Director of Athletics Dr. Kevin White and Senior Deputy Director of Athletics/Administration, Legal Affairs and Chief of Staff Nina King. It’s a great look into how Duke Athletics operates under the leadership of this dynamic duo! We ask them about several topics that fall under the purview of the athletic department, from One And Done and the transfer portal that is open for all sports to how...
Apr 28, 2021•1 hr 10 min
When we last left the 2001 Duke Blue Devils, there were 54 seconds left and they were down 10 points inside Cole Field House. What happened next is known as the Miracle Minute. Relive every second of it, straight from the mouths of the players, in episode 4 of Return to Glory, the story of the 2001 Duke National Champions. Host Jason Evans brings you along as he talks to Carlos Boozer, Jay Williams, Chris Duhon, Shane Battier and the rest of the team about the behind the scenes moments that made...
Apr 23, 2021•30 min
Sometimes on the DBR Podcast, we talk to former, current, and even future Duke players about what it's like to join the Duke program and what it's like to be a member of the Duke program. This time, we're talking to somebody who hasn't been a Duke guy himself, but who has facilitated a few Duke careers. Joe Mantegna has been the head coach at Blair Academy, a prep school in New Jersey, since 1999. He has sent a handful of players to Duke, most famously Luo Deng in 2003 and now most recently 4-st...
Apr 22, 2021•50 min
Argh! The podcast crew is stunned and saddened by the news that Henry Coleman is leaving Duke and seeking a new place for his basketball talents. We loved Henry, partially for his contributions on the court but mostly for what he represented off the court. We are going to miss Henry's thoughtful press conferences and we talk about other players similar to Henry who chose to stick it out at Duke and what those players became. After the break, we turn to an unexpected topic, European soccer/footba...
Apr 20, 2021•32 min
For a couple of weeks, the Duke Basketball Report Podcast has been speculating about potential transfers who might be coming into the program following a few announcements of departures. We got some news on that front this week in the form of Theo John and Bates Jones, but the transfer news is overshadowed by former Duke All-American and National Champion Nolan Smith's promotion from Director of Basketball Operations to Assistant Head Coach. We start with Nolan, not just because he's filling Nat...
Apr 18, 2021•55 min
In episode 3 of Return to Glory, the 2001 Duke Blue Devil national champions relive their first battle with the Maryland Terrapins. They reflect on what it was like to play in Cole Field House and talk about some of the crazy antics they saw from the rabid Maryland fans. And they talk about that epic game itself, the one that has come to be known as The Miracle Minute. Maryland was blowing Duke out, but the team never lost faith. What was it that kept them so convinced they would pull out a vict...
Apr 16, 2021•26 min
Just when you thought today's podcast content was limited to an interview with one of Duke's most prominent alumni, the Duke Basketball Report Podcast is back for a second episode to discuss the not entirely surprising announcement that Matthew Hurt is leaving Duke to pursue his NBA dreams. We spend the first segment of the podcast reminiscing on Matthew Hurt's second season in Durham, which the three of us agree was one of the most impressive sophomore campaigns that we can remember. Hurt promi...
Apr 14, 2021•26 min
In a relatively slow news week, we have the chance to sit down with one of Duke University’s greatest philanthropists and leaders. David Rubenstein, class of 1970 and former chairman of the Duke Board of Trustees, joins the DBR Podcast for a great conversation! Before we get to David, Jason has some news on the recruiting front about a 4-star point guard that the Duke Blue Devils have recently shown interest in bringing to Durham. Jaylen Blakes, who went to the same high school as former Duke gr...
Apr 14, 2021•50 min
Welcome to episode 2 of our oral history of the 2001 Duke Blue Devil national champions. Listen in as Jason Evans sits down with Shane Battier, Chris Duhon, Carlos Boozer, and all the other members of the 2001 team to hear the behind the scenes stories about what made that great season. This time, we are talking about practice including some epic battles between the big men and a very special player who never appeared in a game that season, but who made a huge difference in the performance of th...
Apr 09, 2021•29 min
He is expected to be a big part of Duke's resurgence in 2021-22. The DBR Podcast sits down for a conversation with power forward Paolo Banchero, one of the top players in the class of 2021. He tells us about what to expect from his game and also reveals the recruiting pitch that Duke made to sell him on coming to Durham. He's a thoughtful young man and clearly seems dedicated to makin next year's Blue Devils into a formidable national contender. And the recruiting talk isn't done yet. Duke is wo...
Apr 07, 2021•33 min
The college basketball season is done and the Duke Basketball Report podcast crew is here to praise the Baylor Bears for their victory over Gonzaga. The guys see plenty of stuff in the championship game that can be applied to next year's Duke team, especially the focus on guard play. Plus, we look at the news that North Carolina has hired Hubert Davis as their next head coach, which was hardly a surprise. Donald thinks it was a good decision by UNC, Sam thinks it is a sign Carolina is not modern...
Apr 06, 2021•41 min
Welcome to the Duke Shooting Guard Report. The podcast team is torn as they celebrate the commitment of 5-star high school wing Trevor Keels, but lament the departure of wing DJ Steward to the NBA Draft. Jason, Sam, and Donald look back on the highlights of DJ's time in Durham and look forward to what Keels brings to the table. We even answer the question -- would you rather have a soph DJ or a freshman Trevor? Plus, we wish Nate James luck in his new gig as head coach at Austin Peay by playing ...
Apr 03, 2021•51 min
The Duke Basketball Report Podcast releases episode 1 of Return to Glory: The Story of the 2001 Duke Blue Devils. Host Jason Evans interviewed every member of the 2001 team, leading them on a stroll down memory lane as they look back on what it took to reach the pinnacle of the sport and win a national title. In episode 1, the team reflects on the lead up to the 2000-01 season, the motivations they got from previous failures, and how they prepared to begin practice that season. You will hear fro...
Apr 02, 2021•23 min
April 1st is April Fools Day, and it’s supposed to be a day light on actual news. Well, there was a ton of news that dropped, so the DBR Podcast crew jumped on to talk about the coaching news on Episode 302. The episode was recorded about 15 minutes before DJ Steward announced he was leaving the Duke Blue Devils to enter the NBA Draft, so there will be more analysis of that news this weekend. First, we start with the news that Nate James is set to leave Duke to take over the head coaching job wi...
Apr 02, 2021•48 min
On this episode of the Duke Basketball Report Podcast, we get into the latest news and rumors about Duke's roster and coaching staff. First, we lament the news that Patrick Tape has decided to transfer, and despite his limited contribution on the court for Duke, we are rooting for him wherever he goes. We then get into the speculation that associate head coach Nate James is a finalist for the head coaching job at Austin Peay. Could Tape and/or Jordan Goldwire be on the move with him if James mov...
Apr 01, 2021•50 min
The Duke Basketball Report Podcast is thrilled to announce the debut of our most ambitious project yet. Starting Friday, April 2nd, we will be presenting a complete oral history of the 2001 National Championship season featuring extensive interviews with every player on that team. You don't want to miss a single episode of this wonderful tribute to our champions. Return to Glory: The Story of the 2001 Duke Blue Devils will appear on the Duke Basketball Report Podcast throughout this summer. Lear...
Mar 30, 2021•5 min
Hard to believe it, but the podcast crew is on episode #300... and just like they did for episode #100 and #200, they bring former Blue Devil great Kenny Dennard on as a guest. Kenny gives us an update on how his life has changed during the crazy pandemic and also talks about Coach K's relationship with the Duke, giving us a story about how close K came to leaving Duke a couple decades ago. And Kenny also has a surprising opinion about how much longer Coach K will stick around as Duke coach. Aft...
Mar 29, 2021•1 hr 4 min
The Duke Basketball Report Podcast is back for a quick update on the roster situation at Duke, as freshman forward Jaemyn Brakefield announced tonight, in conjunction with the program, that he is entering the transfer portal. Our reaction is overwhelmingly supportive of Jaemyn, who offered some memorable highlights to an otherwise less memorable season for Duke Men's Basketball. We reminisce on his performance in wins against Notre Dame and Virginia, and we offer some hope for his pro future in ...
Mar 25, 2021•25 min
The Sweet 16 is set in the NCAA Tournament, and the DBR Podcast is here to recap how we got there on Episode 298! We discuss some of the teams that surprised in getting to the Sweet 16, including Loyola Chicago Ramblers, the UCLA Bruins, and the Syracuse Orange. The Midwest Region is especially open, and we reflect on some of the teams that have made it to the second weekend. The ACC, who everyone said was down this year, got 2 teams into the Sweet 16, while the highly regarded Big Ten only has ...
Mar 23, 2021•43 min
The first round of the NCAA Tournament is done and the podcast crew has many thoughts. They begin by looking at the performance of the ACC (not good) and also talk about all those fun upsets by double-digit seeds. Next, it is time to consult our brackets to see what we got right and wrong. Jason and Sam's picks are a mess, but Donald is doing pretty well. After the break, the guys spend some time talking about how awful the NCAA has been to the women participating in their tournament and they lo...
Mar 21, 2021•57 min
The podcast crew looks back on what we thought would happen this season with our annual recap of the stats game. Sam, Jason, and Donald have a good laugh as they look back on what they got right (not much) and what they got wrong (a lot lot lot). Plus, we look ahead to the NCAA tournament with our final four picks and some upsets that could make (or break) your bracket. And, seeing as the season is over, it is a good time for all of you to reach out to us. We have set up a survey to find out wha...
Mar 17, 2021•1 hr 1 min
The NCAA Tournament bracket is out, and for the first time since 1995, the Duke Blue Devils will not be a part of March Madness. The DBR Podcast crew is here to react to the news on Episode 295. Duke also passed up a bid to the National Invitational Tournament, presumably due to COVID concerns, and with not being selected as a replacement team for the NCAA Tournament, Duke’s season is over. Still, we quickly react to some of the ACC teams that made the Dance, and we comment on which teams got a ...
Mar 15, 2021•43 min
It’s an emergency Episode 294 of the DBR Podcast, but it’s not the emergency we like. The Duke Blue Devils are out of the ACC Tournament after a positive COVID-19 test was found in the program. This all but ends Duke’s hopes of making a run and earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament. We jump on to provide our instant reactions to the news, literally as the proverbial ink was still wet on the paper. There’s not a lot of words that we can say to express how we feel about this, but crushed is a good...
Mar 11, 2021•14 min
Welcome to the "Mark Williams Basketball Report." The podcast crew is delighted to talk about another Duke win and to gush over the play of Duke's freshman center. They might use a couple naughty words to describe how Mark Williams played. The guys also have plenty of praise for Duke's defense against Louisville and discuss how Coach K and his staff put in a brand new scheme to foil Louisville's outstanding PG Carlik Jones. But, there is no rest for the weary because Florida State is next on the...
Mar 11, 2021•47 min
The ACC Tournament is here, and the Duke Blue Devils opened it in a big way with a 35-point victory over the Boston College Eagles. The DBR Podcast guy react minutes after the final whistle on Episode 292! The guys mention the terrific performance by Mark Williams, and they also give a lot of praise for the guards and how they played on both ends of the floor. Everyone on the team played and even some of the walk-ons were able to contribute, which is amazing to see. We also get into some of the ...
Mar 10, 2021•42 min
