The Duke Blue Devils are everyone's No. 1 entering the season.
Let's begin with the fact that there's a Hall of Famer -- and arguably the best coach in college basketball history -- leading the way. There's also the return of Grayson Allen, the early favorite to win the Wooden Award, and the addition of the top recruiting class in the nation, led by the top two players in the country.
Duke is loaded, and Mike Krzyzewski will have a chance to claim his sixth national title in Durham at the age of 70. This group is so deep that talented wing Luke Kennard might have difficulty getting meaningful minutes on a consistent basis, despite the fact he would be a starter on basically every other team in the nation.
While the Blue Devils are the overwhelming favorites to cut down the nets in Arizona come April, Coach K should still have concerns.
Point guard play/who gets shots for others
Freshman Frank Jackson has been a big-time scorer, both in high school and in AAU ball. Much of it came out of necessity, as he played on teams in which he had to put the ball in the basket. With so many weapons on this Duke squad, the Blue Devils could really use a pure point -- or at least someone who can make life easier for their teammates. Allen is a scorer. Jackson is a scorer. Jayson Tatum is a scorer. Kennard is a scorer. Plus, Matt Jones isn't exactly a creator. It will be a transition for Jackson -- or Allen, who will also likely spend plenty of time running the team. The common denominator the past few years for teams that have won the national championship is quality point guard play, and that's the major question mark for this Duke team.
"There's only one type of team that can beat them, and that's a team that can pressure them full-court and really get after them," said one college coach. "They just don't have a guy who can break down defenses off the dribble."
Defense
The Blue Devils could be the best offensive team in the country with guys like Allen and Tatum on the wings, and no shortage of options up front. However, Duke's defense -- which was suspect a year ago -- remains questionable.
"They have a special offensive unit," one college coach said. "But they could be just average defensively."
Tatum will likely struggle on the defensive end. Jackson is a freshman who also may have difficulty with the adjustment defensively in college. Amile Jefferson and Allen are both veterans, but the communication and lack of experience could certainly factor into Duke being vulnerable to allowing plenty of points.
Harry Giles' health
It sounds insane to say that this, but I had one NBA guy who recently saw Duke work out tell me that Giles' health is overrated because of the presence of fellow frosh Marques Bolden. "I honestly don't think Giles will play all that much," he said. "They have Bolden and Jefferson. I know it sounds crazy to say, but I don't think they'd miss him that much." Remember, Giles was ranked as the No. 1 player in the country coming out of high school despite dealing with a pair of knee injuries that forced him to miss two full seasons in high school. He's also coming off a third procedure, fairly minor, that will keep him on the sidelines to begin this season. While there are certainly other options up front for Duke, having Giles on the court -- and healthy -- would make the Blue Devils deeper and even more dominant, especially on the glass.
For many teams with this much talent, especially freshmen, you'd also be concerned about these guys and their focus, which could stray away from the team to the NBA. But not with this high-character group, and not with Krzyzewski in charge.
Duke is the preseason favorite for a reason -- with or without Giles. It starts with talent, continues with a blend of youth and experience, and also includes high-level coaching and no shortage of shooters on the floor. Does that mean the Blue Devils will cut down the nets? Not necessarily, but it certainly gives them as much of a chance as anyone else.