No Coach K. No Jalen Johnson. Still, Duke just wants to play basketball.
Already missing one of its most talented players, No. 21 Duke is now short another key to the team as the Blue Devils work to navigate a pandemic-altered season.
Freshman forward Jalen Johnson is sidelined with a foot injury, but he’s around the basketball team and able to have his voice heard at practice.
That’s not the case for Mike Krzyzewski, who is quarantining due to contact last week with a family member who has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Hall of Fame coach watches practice via Zoom, but it’s not like having him in the gym as the Blue Devils prepare to play Boston College Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
So the players are taking it upon themselves to create the passion that Krzyzewski regularly infuses.
“Our energy has been there,” Duke freshman guard DJ Steward said in a Tuesday phone interview with The News & Observer. “We’ve been bringing the energy that he’s not able to bring. He talks to us after practice and before practice, just telling us to go out there and play hard and do what we do. Just play Duke basketball.”
Duke basketball amid the coronavirus pandemic
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Duke (3-2, 1-0 ACC) hasn’t had a chance to play many games this season.
The Blue Devils canceled their last three nonconference games in December, two of which had already been postponed due to their opponents’ COVID-19 issues, and saw ACC games with Pitt and Florida State postponed last week for the same reason.
Duke’s most-recent game was Dec. 16, a 75-65 win at Notre Dame. Prior to that, Duke last played on Dec. 8, losing 83-68 at home to Illinois.
So if the Blue Devils are able to take the court against Boston College Wednesday night, they will have played one game in the previous 28 days.
“Really there is no template for this,” Krzyzewski said during a Zoom call with the media on Monday. “I’m glad that so many teams have been able to get in games. I feel bad for our guys, especially the last two. It’s nobody’s fault. I don’t blame Pitt or Florida State. We have no control over it. But we do have control over how we react to it. We’re just trying to react in a very positive way.”
The game with Pitt was called off 28 hours prior to tip. The Blue Devils had already traveled to Tallahassee, Florida, last Friday and held their final team meeting that night in preparation for facing the Seminoles Saturday when Florida State announced three positive COVID-19 tests in their program.
Duke was prepared and ready to play and then ... no game.
“That stings every time,” Duke sophomore forward Wendell Moore said in a Zoom meeting with reporters last Thursday. “It really never gets any easier. All we can do is move forward to the games that we will have.”
No games means more practice time for the Blue Devils
The Blue Devils did play one of their better games in beating Notre Dame, particularly on offense. They’ve used the time without games to build on that performance while also shoring up their defense.
“We are very excited to go out there and play,” Steward said. “We haven’t played for a while. I feel like our preparation for the last couple of games with Florida State and Pitt, it was great. Even this game coming up tomorrow. I feel like we’ve been preparing well for these teams. Locking in on defense. Getting our offense tight. Getting the ball movement tight. We are playing together really well. We are playing fast. It’s going to be exciting to get out there.”
On Dec. 15, Duke announced Johnson would be out indefinitely with a foot injury. He began wearing a protective boot and the initial plan was to reexamine the foot in 2-3 weeks before he could be cleared to return.
In Duke’s first four games, the preseason all-ACC selection played 23.8 minutes per game, averaging 11.5 points and 8.3 rebounds.
Now, he’s on the sideline helping keep the team’s energy up in practice, just as Krzyzewski’s voice has gone missing.
“Jalen, he’s been there for us,” Steward said. “The whole time cheering us on in practice. His energy is there. So whenever he comes back, we’re going to be excited to have him and it’s going to be fun. But right now we’re just playing together and having a good time.”
Boston College at Duke
When: 8:30 p.m., Wednesday
Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham
Watch: ACC Network
This story was originally published January 5, 2021 at 2:44 PM with the headline "No Coach K. No Jalen Johnson. Still, Duke just wants to play basketball.."