One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

2004-2005 Duke Blue Devils Starting Lineup: Daniel Ewing, JJ Redick, Sean Dockery, Shavlik Randolph, Shelden Williams. Out of all of those people, who would you think would be playing the largest role on his NBA team right now? JJ Redick? Nope, he only has 2 points in his career and has been inactive most of the year. Shelden? Well, he is starting every game but he hasn't made his impact felt just yet. Daniel Ewing? Nope, he's averaging 2 points per game, mostly in garbage time for the Clippers. Sean Dockery? Nope, he's somewhere over in Europe hopefully polishing up his shot so he can make an NBA team in the years to come. That leaves Shavlik Randolph.

All five of you that read BRB know my absolute disdain for Shavlik during his years at Duke. Out of a class that included JJ Redick, a 2-time National Player of the Year, Shelden Williams, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Michael Thompson, a promising big man that transferred due to a severe lack of playing time, Sean Dockery, a guard who put up 62 in his last High School game against Dee Brown and Lee Melchionni (no career highlights to account for except for when he told AROD to shut up at the Duke/Miami game after he drained a 3 pointer), PF/C Shavlik Randolph came in as the stud of his class. Many scouts considered him a Top 5 pick in the NBA Draft coming out of high school. Believe it or not but there were actually comparisons out there between him and Larry Bird.

Shav then scored 20 points in his Duke debut and people like Dickie V were putting him on star watch. For three years, we looked and looked for him to become a star but it just never happened. Despite his shortcomings, I stayed loyal to Shav because after all, this is a collegiate program and the pressure to perform at Duke is so enormous but when he decided to abandon ship and leave his teammates behind after his Junior Year, he was no longer a Blue Devil to me.

Listen, since 1999, I've seen my share of early departures: Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, William Avery (is he dead?), Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng, Shaun Livingston and I haven't disowned any of them (well, maybe Avery because his mom openly criticized Coach K when K said young William wasn't ready for the NBA...Hey, Mrs. Avery, the last time I checked your son is playing in Russia and barely cracking the starting lineup so enough of thissssss!!!). Why? Brand had nothing left to prove, he was the National Player of the Year that year, Maggette was furious at K for only playing 5 minutes in the championship and really, who could blame him?, Williams, Dunleavy and Boozer all get passes because they won a title, Deng leaving was a product of a weak draft and Livingston, well, I didn't get to know him so I can't get down on him.

But Shavlik leaving early? First, what was he smoking thinking he would be drafted? Second, way to quit on your team right before a year they had a legitimate chance to win a title. By the way Shav, we could've used your weakside defense last season against LSU. I don't like people who quit on their team and the fact that Coach K came out and said he was 100% in agreement with his decision to leave means Coach K was fed up with Shav. So, obviously Shav's name isn't called on Draft Night and you just wonder why he would leave (unless he thought he would lose P.T because of McRoberts coming in that year). Somehow, he lands in an NBA Training Camp and makes the team! So, I sit back and say, you know what, good for him. Then, months later I read that K used to berate him during practice to the point where he would go home and cry. Then, I read an article that says his father forced him to leave Duke and enter the Draft because he had lost his job and the Randolph family needed money. All of a sudden, this villain to me became a hero. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love people who step up and try to help their family life.

Now, Shavlik is in the STARTING LINEUP for the 76ers and whenever I see him on TV, he looks great and very happy. Just the other night, he scored 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds against LeBron and the Cavs. Kudos Shav, you are a Blue Devil to me again!