Wendell Moore: Duke One-and-Dones Miss Us as Much as We Miss Them

Former teammates ready to be drafted this week

Duke is known for embracing the one-and-done model to building a team, and the Blue Devils will have a pair of them—Vernon Carey and Cassius Stanley—in this year’s NBA Draft. Wendell Moore, a member of the same freshman class as Carey and Stanley, considered a jump to the NBA as well but chose to return for another season.

“Just the experience,” Moore said of the benefits of a second year at Duke. “The college experience is definitely second to none. For me, I’m fortunate. Incoming freshmen at all the schools (this year) aren’t getting the full college experience.”

The pandemic has players taking the majority of their classes remotely and attempting to isolate in a “bubble” to stay healthy for the games, many of which will be played in an empty Cameron Indoor Stadium. Still, Moore is excited about the season.

“The college season is a great thing to be a part of,” he said, “being part of a team. We care about each other and have the ultimate goal of winning.”

While players on the team may be jealous of Carey, Stanley and Tre Jones, who are on the verge of playing for pay, Moore believes those three former Blue Devils are also a bit jealous that the college season is about to start without them.

“I think it’s more difficult for them to see college basketball starting up,” he said. “I know how much fun they had, because I know how much fun I had. Those three guys, I wish nothing but the best. I talk to them every day. Actually, I talked to Cassius last night to make sure everything’s going good for him. I hope nothing but the best for the guys. I hope they go one, two and three in the draft if that’s possible. I know they miss us as much as we miss them.”