Tag Archives: Josh McRoberts

‘Where are they now?’ Duke basketball edition: DeMarcus Nelson

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The Blue Zone will be running a summer series bringing you the latest on some of Duke basketball’s former stars. This week, the Blue Zone takes a look at DeMarcus Nelson.

DeMarcus Nelson played four memorable seasons at Duke from the 2004-05 season through the

DeMarcus Nelson is playing for Red Star Belgrade in the Adriatic League.

DeMarcus Nelson is playing for Red Star Belgrade in the Adriatic League.

2007-08 season, but unlike some other Blue Devil stars, his path didn’t lead him to an extended NBA career.

Nelson’s Duke journey began just before the end of his sophomore year in high school, when he verbally committed to the Blue Devils and head coach Mike Krzyzewski. When Nelson arrived on campus as a freshman, the combo guard was immediately thrown into the rotation, playing nearly 20 minutes per game and even starting a couple. Even though he was a frequent contributor on the court, Nelson was plagued with a ruptured ligament in his right thumb all season. Nelson’s injury problems didn’t improve as a sophomore, as he suffered a hairline fracture of his ankle, limiting him to just 24 games.

As a junior, Nelson finally blossomed, starting 31 of 33 games and averaging a career bests in points, rebounds and assists. His 14.1 points per game led the way for the Blue Devils and his 5.4 rebounds was second to just Josh McRoberts. Nelson improved further his senior year, setting new career-highs in points, rebounds and assists.

Despite his strong defense and proficient shooting from distance, Nelson went undrafted following his senior season, but agreed to a contract with the Golden State Warriors the following September. In 13 games with the Warriors, Nelson averaged 4.1 points and 1.8 rebounds while playing 13.2 minutes. He was waived by Golden State in January, but then played 20 games in the NBA Development League. His strong play for the Austin Toros and Bakersfield Jam did not go unnoticed, as the Chicago Bulls plucked Nelson from the D-League in April. Though he was signed, Nelson never played a minute for the Bulls.

Failing to draw interest from NBA teams, Nelson began his international career. For the next four years Nelson played for three different teams. After playing for Avellino in the Italian League, Nelson came into his own with Cholet in France. Nelson spent two seasons with Cholet, getting better and better as time passed. His second season with Cholet, Nelson had his best year of basketball abroad, scoring 14.5 points per game while also recording greater than three rebounds and three assists. Though he struggled from beyond the arc, Nelson was dominant from 2-point range, hitting 56.3 percent of his attempts. It was Nelson’s big 2011-12 season that attracted the attention of Red Star Belgrade, his current employer.

Since making the move from France to the Adriatic League and Red Star Belgrade, Nelson’s production has slipped a bit. Despite playing the same amount of minutes, Nelson is averaging 8.8 points over 47 games thus far this season for the Red Star, down from the double-digit scoring he averaged in two seasons in France. However, Nelson has been improving in the Euro Cup games, raising his scoring, rebounding, assist and steal numbers in those 11 games.

Still just 27 years old and finding success abroad, the door has yet to close on Nelson’s NBA career. A number of players, including Nelson’s former Blue Devil teammate Shavlik Randolph, have received NBA contracts after years of playing overseas.

Report: Josh McRoberts, Dahntay Jones dealt before NBA trade deadline

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J.J. Redick isn’t the only Orlando Magic player on the move today.

Former Duke basketball players Dahntay Jones, Elton Brand and J.J. Redick spoke to Duke alums after last night's Dallas Mavericks-Orlando Magic game. Jones and Redick were both traded today. (Photo credit: Scott McCartney)

In addition to shipping Redick to the Milwaukee Bucks, forward Josh McRoberts has reportedly been traded to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for former Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick.

McRoberts was averaging 16.7 minutes per game for the Magic, but had been a healthy scratch three of the team’s last four games. Warrick, who was already traded once this season, has played in just one game since January 28. He is expected to be immediately waived by his new team.

In Charlotte, McRoberts will join former Blue Devil Gerald Henderson, who is third on the team with 13.1 points per game.

Meanwhile, Atlanta Hawks general manager and former Blue Devil Danny Ferry made a trade to acquire a fellow Duke alum, Dahntay Jones. Guard Anthony Morrow was the compensation sent to the Dallas Mavericks to complete the trade. Jones has made 15 starts for the Mavericks this season, but has been in and out of the rotation all season. He could see time for the playoff-bound Hawks as a defensive stopper to compliment sharp-shooter Kyle Korver.

Battier lone Blue Devil in NBA Finals

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Of the 16 Blue Devils in the NBA, eight made the playoffs. Of the eight in the playoffs, just Shane Battier remains.

Battier and the Miami Heat beat the Boston Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals last night, advancing to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the finals.

In the seventh game, Battier went 4-of-9 from three point range for 12 points. In the series, he averaged more than 38 minutes per game, tallying 7.1 points per contest 36-percent shooting from the field.

Battier was one of four members of the 2001 national championship winning squad to make the playoffs with Carlos Boozer of the Bulls, Chris Duhon of the Magic and Dahntay Jones of the Pacers all in the field. J.J. Redick, Elton Brand, Luol Deng and Josh McRoberts all also made the playoffs with the Magic, 76ers, Bulls and Lakers, respectively.

The NBA Finals begin Tuesday at 9 p.m. in Oklahoma City.

VOTE NOW: The Chronicle All-Decade Team

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Over the last two weeks, we’ve had our say at The Chronicle naming Duke’s All-Decade Teams. We started with an overall men’s basketball team and went everywhere from naming the  Top Villans, Top Individual Seasons, All-NBA Team, All-Disappointment Team, Duke Stories of the Decade (Part I, Part II), Top Clutch Performances, All-Shooters Team, All-Defensive Team, to the Best and Worst Hires of the Decade.

Now it’s your turn. Help us name The Chronicle’s All-Decade Team for Duke Men’s Basketball. On the poll below, select five names (or even add your own, if that suits your style). And if you see something ridiculous in the results, feel free to let everyone know with the comments.

Part V: The All-Disappointment Team

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This is the fifth in a series of Duke’s All-Decade teams, as named by various Chronicle writers, past and present. At the end of the series, you will be able to vote for your own All-Decade team, and your votes will determine The Sports Blog’s final choice. Stay tuned over the next two weeks for more All-Decade choices.

Dear friends, I’m back! You all must have been very nice boys and girls this year because this Christmas, you’re getting the gift of a Shiner column—which has a utility ranking somewhere between that of a lump of coal and a used Tamagotchi pet, I know, but roll with me here. I’m a little rusty (I’ve been covering a completely different sort of sport these days), however, now that I live in Washington, I’d like to think of this return as comparable to Michael Jordan’s second—that is, one that never should have happened yet I, as the returnee, still think is a great idea. So without further ado, Duke’s biggest busts of the last decade. It’s admittedly not so much a team as it is a list that will annoy many an online commentator and Coach K, if he ever reads it. But if the holiday season isn’t a time where we can gather around in the glow our own snark, then I don’t know when is.

No. 5: The Transfers and Decommits.

Let’s all take a moment of silence for: Mike Thompson (2002), Shaun Livingtson (2004), Eric Boateng (2005), Jamal Boykin (2005) , Taylor King (2007), Elliot Williams (2008) and Olek Czyz (2008)—the players who either decommitted or transferred from Duke this decade. Dates in parentheses are high school class years.

No. 4: The 2005-2006 Blue Devils.

So I acknowledge from the outset that this one’s a curve ball. It would be all-too-easy to pick the 2006-2007 Duke squad for this list (though if you feel like you must read at least tangentially about that team, skip ahead to No. 1). But disappointment—at least in my book—implies initial expectations, and if that’s your metric, then the J.J. and Shelden-led Blue Devils are on the list. In 2005-2006, Duke played 22 regular season games as the No. 1 team in the country, won an ACC Tournament title and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs. Oh yeah, and J.J. Redick was National Player of the Year. All of these things were wonderful. But when said NPOY goes 3-for-18 from the field (and 3-for-9 from behind the arc) for 11 points in a Sweet 16 upset loss to LSU, it’s a little disappointing. Two NBA lottery picks that year and seven McDonald’s All-Americans—usually a formula from which you’d like to expect a bit of a deeper run in the Tourney. I’m not saying, I’m just saying.

No. 3: Shavlik Randolph.

A highly-touted Blue Devils big man with an unremarkable college career (that only happened once! See: No. 1). Came to Duke as the No. 7 power forward in all the land, left it as the guy who eventually told the first openly-gay NBA player, “As long as you don’t bring your gayness on me, I’m fine.” I refuse, on principle, to waste another word justifying this decision.

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Pocius To Bypass Extra Season Of Eligibility

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Marty Pocius, a redshirt junior who has battled injuries in his four years at Duke, will bypass his fifth season of eligibility, the program announced in a release Sunday.

Pocius received a medical redshirt last season after fighting a foot injury. A product of Lithuania, Pocius has shown flashes of athleticism on offense, but has only averaged 6.7 minutes per game in his career because of defensive lapses. He’s averaged 1.4 points per game in that time and has come off the bench in all but one game.

Pocius will be honored on senior night Tuesday along with Greg Paulus and Dave McClure. Reserve point guard Jordan Davidson, who came in with Paulus’ class, will redshirt this season. The senior class that will be honored Tuesday is much different than the one that came in. McClure redshirted a season, but Paulus and Pocius are the only two remaining players from a five-player class that included Eric Boateng, Jamal Boykin and Josh McRoberts. Boateng transferred to Arizona State after his freshman year, Boykin transferred to California in the middle of his sophomore season and McRoberts left for the NBA Draft after his second season.