Exhibition season is now set and the first game will feature a Duke legend returning to Cameron as Johnny Dawkins brings his UCF Knights here on October 31st.
Dawkins was the first great star of the Krzyzewski era. He was (and is) painfully thin but was one of the quickest and most athletic guards Duke has ever had. Like the rest of the class of ‘86, he helped to lay the groundwork for what was to come later.
Dawkins is remembered for a lot, but the two greatest plays we saw him do, or that we remember, was the backwards dunk against two Navy defenders in the NCAA tournament and taking on Notre Dame’s David Rivers, who wanted to hit a jumper to put Duke away.
Dawkins snuffed him, outside, one on one. It was an amazing play.
We thought Coach K’s tradition of playing the D-II champions was great, but it’s a new era, and if exhibitions can bring great Blue Devils back home, we’re here for it.
