In 2009 when Andre Dawkins (6-foot-5 215 pounds) bypassed his Senior year of eligibility in High School to come and join Duke early it didn’t take long for any apprehension I had to dissolve. Once I saw that sweet stroke, that presence, that gunslinger calm, I was hooked. Andre would average 4.4 ppg in all of 38 games, coming off the bench to shoot 38 percent from behind the arc, ranking him 4th on the team.
By Bermuda Bob
Little did anyone know that everything that made him who he was would be shaken by tragedy when his sister was killed in a motor vehicle accident coming to see him play.
Andre would endeavor to persevere, but while he still had that sweet stroke, he would be also suffer through times when he couldn’t put a shot in the ocean. His playing Bio reads like a highlight film, but that’s because nobody highlights “bad” outings. It was difficult to watch when it happened … to see him shake his head in disbelief.
The 2011-2012 season saw him starting more, leading the team in three-point shooting percentage, which placed him 5th in the ACC. The amazing aspect was that he ever got the ball to shoot in the first place. Fans will recall just how disruptive Austin Rivers was. Somehow, Andre was able to average 8.4 ppg in about 22.4 mpg. He shot 40 percent from inside and 39.2 from outside the Arc.
In preparing for last season, fans like myself were taking solace in knowing that Duke was returning four seniors, then came the news that Andre had requested a redshirt so as he could work on the emotional problems he still had from his sister’s unfortunate passing.
During that time, he completed his degree in African & African-American Studies, became an avid golfer, and decided to use his last year of eligibility from the redshirthirt by enrolling in Duke’s Divinity School.
This year, he has made some other changes as well. Instead of the old No. 20, he will now sport No. 34. That jersey number was Ryan Kelly’s – Andre’s original roommate – and he’ll occupy Kelly’s locker as well.
One of the interesting aspects is that the Duke Basketball Manager is Sean Kelly, Ryan’s baby brother. He and Andre have become quite close, even golf partners. It was Kelly that observed recently to Andre that: “… you just seem like there’s a huge weight off your shoulders … You seem like you have fun again.”
For those who wonder what Andre is thinking these days, someone questioned him if he still had his sweet stroke. “People ask me if I can still shoot, and I ask them if they can still breathe. That’s kind of the same thing,” Dawkins said on the first day of practice. “I’m going to be able to shoot for a long time.”
I believe that I am joined by all Duke fans in wishing him well and in looking forward to enjoying that sweet stroke for one last season this year. His maturity will add a special dimension to this squad regardless of the role Coach K asks of him.
Rowan Shiell adds:
Andre Dawkins was a shooter his first three seasons at Duke. He has a great stroke, no doubt about that, and if one day he opens a school teaching people to shoot, I imagine it will be very popular but there is more to winning basketball games than shooting. Attention has to be paid to things like rebounding and defense. Areas where Dawkins came up short, previously.
Also having a well rounded offensive game helps. If a player is one dimensional it makes the opposing coach’s job a lot easier to stop him.
Previously if Dawkins started a game shooting badly his night was over quickly because he brought nothing else to the table. If he aspires to only be a shooter then he has to be consistent.
He once scored 26 points against Michigan State then score five against Davidson in the next game. Bermuda blames Austin River’s for not being much of a passer however in the latter part of the 2011-12 season, Dawkins went 3/20 in the last six games.
Remember Florida’s great back to back championship team of 2006? There was a shooter on that team called Lee Humphrey. Whenever the Gators offense stalled they just threw him the ball and he would bury one to reignite the offense. Made 45% of his shots during those championship seasons.
That’s the kind of player Dawkins needs t to be if he wants to be just a shooter but he does have a lot more to offer than shooting. Dawkins is as athletic as anyone. Remember his dunk against Clemson? The Observer captures it right here for those of you who want to go down memory lane. It is also baffling to see a player who can pull off this sick dunk trying to be JJ Reddick 2.0.
If Dawkins needs an example of his potential he should look no further than Seth Curry. Last season, he didn’t just gun away from the perimeter, he mixed it up by occasionally driving, which was a pleasant surprise. The evolution of Curry’s game from a stand still dribbler/shooter to a driving/shooter was an understated part of Duke’s last season. Getting to the free throw line etc. What if he hadn’t played injured!
Think of that for a minute then compare Curry to Dawkins who is bigger and more athletic.
This is Dawkins last year at Duke. He came early and is leaving late. Let’s hope he finally gets it and makes his mark at Duke.
“I had to take ownership of myself on the court and off the court of who I wanted to be as a basketball player, who I wanted to be as a person,” Dawkins told theHerald Sun. “That’s why I took the year off. But I feel like I did a good job and I’m in a good place to be 100 percent focused on basketball this year.”
Rasheed Sulaimon had a great first year as Duke’s starting two guard, last season. Many thought he was a lock for that position as long as he remained in Durham yet when Coach Krzyzewski recently named his starters he only mentioned four names, omitting a shooting guard.
Sulaimon is very important to Duke, one can only assume that a certain player is making that decision very hard for Coach K. Maybe it is either of the freshmen Matt Jones or Semi Ojeleye but I have a feeling that it might be the guy that filled in for an injured Rodney Hood on the starting team at the recent open practice. The 100% focused on basketball Andre Dawkins.
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