Jay Bilas became the first California to be a starter on Duke teams that were actually good. He came in with Mark Alarie, both about 6-8, 215. Bilas was considered a mobile big, with some perimeter skills. But after their freshmen seasons Duke decided that Alarie was the more mobile, the more skilled and Bilas became an under-sized center.
Well, under-sized vertically. But Bilas became a fierce weight-room warrior, bulking up to over 250 pounds, the better to go up against Brad Daugherty, Chris Washburn and the like.
And he paid a price, developing knee problems that led to surgery and cost him the first six games of his senior season, 1986.