NEW YORK
Injuries figure to keep two former McDonald’s All-Americans — Jayson Tatum and Marques Bolden — on the Duke bench in street clothes Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, as well as fellow freshman Harry Giles, who would have been a hamburger all-star last spring had he not missed his entire senior season of high school because of injury.
Tough break for No. 1-ranked Duke, sure, but some accomplished Blue Devils enter the 8:30 p.m. Champions Classic contest against No. 7 Kansas healthy and raring to go.
“They still have good players. You’ve got McDonald’s All-Americans playing where those other guys would be playing, which goes to show you how deep they are,” said KU coach Bill Self, ready to lead his 0-1 Jayhawks onto the court against a 2-0 Duke team that boasts additional McDonald’s All-Americans in national player of the year candidate Grayson Allen, plus Chase Jeter, Luke Kennard, Matt Jones, Frank Jackson and Amile Jefferson.