It wasn’t by design, but by the time New Orleans was finished putting together its 15-member roster in the offseason, one-third of Pelicans players were Duke University products. Asked this summer if there’s a common thread between former Blue Devils now playing in the NBA, Pelicans GM Trajan Langdon – himself a Duke guard in the 1990s – immediately thought of one trait: Self-awareness.
“More than anything, (Duke pros) understand who they are as a basketball player,” Langdon said. “(It’s a mindset to) do whatever you do best, and bring that to your team so your team can be successful.