Envisioning Duke basketball's most lethal 2022-23 lineup

Duke should have a sufficient arsenal to leave many teams in the dust.

Author:
Matt Giles
Aug 24, 2022 7:21 AM EDT

In this story:

Picture a Duke basketball lineup consisting only of players who can run and gun, collectively blitzing opponents on both ends of the floor with their vision, versatility, and vroom-vroom mentality. And imagine if first-year head coach Jon Scheyer didn't have to sacrifice much in the height department to construct such a quintet.

Well, five 2022-23 Blue Devils, in particular, would seem to check all those lethal-lineup boxes together (listed heights and weights in parentheses):

Jeremy Roach (6-2, 172)
Tyrese Proctor (6-5, 178)
Dariq Whitehead (6-6, 190)
Mark Mitchell (6-8, 215)
Dereck Lively II (7-1, 215)

None were anything less than a five-star prep.

If nothing else, the above talents should constitute Scheyer's most athletic option, enough so to overwhelm many opponents. On that note, it's no surprise that, except for the possible exception of first-year big man Kyle Filipowski, those are the five on Duke's roster who ought to attract the most attention from NBA scouts.

Sure, this proposed deadliest lineup is short on experience, for junior floor general Jeremy Roach would be operating alongside four freshmen.

No worries. The benefits of above-average speed at every position — yet still enjoying a 7-footer in the center-on-wheels Dereck Lively II — should outweigh concerns stemming from their youth and, in a few cases, relatively slim physiques.

Besides, with seven scholarship freshmen in Durham this go-round, pretty much any primetime lineup must include at least a couple of them.

In addition to quickness, Roach, Proctor, Whitehead, Mitchell, and Lively would grade high in ball-handling as a unit. Judging by highlights from summer scrimmages and their prep careers, all five move comfortably with the rock in their hands during transition opportunities.

Add to that these guys' momentum-changing electricity when finishing fast breaks, especially Whitehead, Mitchell, and Lively, with Roach and Proctor each acting as a delivery-man extraordinaire.

Plus, as alluded to earlier, all five are comfortable shooting beyond the arc, which could routinely stretch the floor on offense.

Perhaps best of all, these five are arguably Scheyer's most intimidating defenders, as several boast extreme wingspans for their size. Furthermore, they're among the most aggressive rebounders for their positions.

Even so, Scheyer and his assistants will probably opt for a more experienced starting lineup early on, perhaps plugging in one or two grad transfers alongside Roach and a few freshmen.

However, as the season progresses and the freshmen get their feet wet in ACC action, it'd be no surprise to see Roach, Proctor, Whitehead, Mitchell, and Lively form the go-to pedal-to-metal lineup during critical junctures of games.

As veteran Duke basketball fans can attest, pedal-to-metal Blue Devils are the most fun to watch and, although prone to turnovers galore, excel more times than not.

Fortunately for Scheyer and his gang, thanks to their supreme recruiting efforts, they have the necessary high-octane pieces to comprise such a fearsome fivesome.

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