While it isn't exactly easy to get a jersey retired at Duke. There's a reason why some all-time Duke greats don't have their jersey retired in Cameron Indoor, and it's something the program obviously takes very, very seriously. The reality here is that Duke is one of the best programs in college basketball, and, based on history, the best in college basketball.
That's why I was a bit surprised to hear a recent name I brought up as a potential jersey retirement candidate. Not because he wasn't a very good player at Duke, but because some of his on-court antics at times were criticized by Duke fans and certainly a lot of people around the country.
I probably gave it away, but that's none other than Grayson Allen, who's recently been named a player who should have his jersey retired because of what he did during his time as a Blue Devil.
“No Duke player in the last decade has neared Allen’s impact over a four-year span. Although the infamous guard was never named National Player of the Year or a first-team All-American, he became one of just six Blue Devils ever to earn both All-America and Academic All-America honors in 2016. He has also had a successful professional career, leading the NBA in 3-point percentage in the 2023-24 season.
“Dismissing his jersey from retirement due a few incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct is also unacceptable. In 1992, Duke star Christian Laettner stomped on the chest of Kentucky’s Aminu Timberlake in what instantly became one of the most famous contests in the history of college basketball — one which the Blue Devils went on to win en route to their second national title. Redick, the most recent player to have his jersey retired, was a prolific trash talker who famously clashed with opposing fans. Despite being two of Duke’s most hated basketball products, both of their numbers hang in the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium,” Ben Curtis wrote.
If we're going based on the player alone, Allen might be someone who deserves an opportunity to get his jersey retired. Ultimately, he has been and was a nice little player at Duke, and his time in the NBA certainly warranted somebody who can get their jersey retired. However, I'd be a bit surprised to see Duke going in this direction just because I think it would raise a couple of red flags to college basketball fans who didn't love him, and Duke typically doesn't make decisions that aren't received well.