WRAL Sports Fan

Duke

Singler, now stronger and more versatile, ready for stretch run

By Jake Lloyd

Jan 27, 2009

Durham, N.C. — In Duke's media guide, Kyle Singler lists his favorite players as the late, great Pete "The Pistol" Maravich and Larry Bird.

But the flashy Maravich and "Larry Legend" are just a few of the famous players Duke's sophomore forward admires. While he watches Maravich videos on YouTube and a few DVDs he owns and occasionally sees Bird on ESPN Classic, he can watch LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Dirk Nowitzki live.

In watching these NBA legends and current stars — from the point guard Paul to the power forward Nowitzki — Singler has picked up some of their tendencies and the things that make them tick on the court.

Singler can't jump close to as high as James or Bryant, and you won't see him flinging impeccable behind-the-back passes like Maravich did, but that doesn't mean he hasn't learned from watching them.

"Every guy's different. You can take something from each," he said.

So it's no surprise, really, that Singler has become the do-it-all player for No. 1 Duke (18-1, 5-0 ACC). Entering Wednesday's showdown at No. 6 Wake Forest, Singler leads the Blue Devils in scoring (16.5 points per game), rebounding (8.1 per game), assists (2.9 per game, tied with Jon Scheyer) and steals (1.8 per game).

No Duke player has finished a season leading the team in all four categories, and Christian Laettner is the only former player to lead Duke in four meaningful statistics — points, rebounds, steals and blocks during the Devils' first national championship push in 1991.

Thus, even when Singler is having a poor shooting game, his teammates want him on the court. They know he's contributing in some other way.

"When he's in, there's an awareness of him by the other team," Nolan Smith said. "So just having a player like that who other teams have to be scared of, it makes us play better. It makes us flow.

"So Kyle, just his appearance on the court, makes a huge difference."

Singler has taken pride in becoming an all-around player, especially in doing things that haven't always been expected of a 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward. He pointed to recent college stars such as Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley as examples of players doing things outside of their natural positions.

"I mean, a lot of big guys now have guard skills, (the) ability to dribble the ball, pass the ball," Singler said. "It's just kind of how the game's evolving.

"I do take pride in kind of sharing the ball. Making a good pass for me is just (as good as) making a good shot. I get joy out of it."

A big reason for Singler's improved passing ability is that he's been able to play more on the perimeter than a year ago. Last season, with center Brian Zoubek hurt or ailing and not much help inside, Singler had to play a lot of minutes under the basket. Weighing just 220 pounds — if that — he banged against taller, stronger players.

Doing so didn't allow him to see the whole court as much and find open teammates. It also tired him out toward the end of the season, when he had his worst games as a freshman.

But with Zoubek healthy and playing the best basketball of his career, not to mention solid contributions from Lance Thomas and David McClure, Singler has been able to play outside the paint more often.

"That's who he is," Coach Mike Krzyzewski said of Singler's role this season. "He has strengths all over the court, and so his position should play all over the court. That's a position that's been good for us throughout our time here at Duke.

"The guys in that position have had good freedom, and last year he didn't have as much freedom in doing that."

Liberated from playing underneath the basket and with a year and a half of experience, Singler simply sees things better on the court. When he receives the ball on the wing and Gerald Henderson cuts into the lane, he is quick to find his teammate with a bullet pass.

The game has slowed down for Singler, who was considered an NBA prospect after last season but has undoubtedly improved his stock this year. (ESPN.com's Chad Ford has him listed as the 35th-best prospect.)

"As a freshman, the game speed's different," Singler said. "Having a little bit of experience, the game slows down a little bit, you're able to make more reads, make more plays. And for me, I see the floor a little bit better and I'm not too excited to make a play."

Playing big

As much as Singler has played on the perimeter, that hasn't stopped him from rushing toward the basket and corralling tough rebound after tough rebound.

A year ago, playing in the post, he averaged 5.8 rebounds per game. He has upped that average by more than two boards this season. He now gets two hands on loose balls that stronger players used to strip from him.

Singler said that prior to coming to Duke, as a four-year letter-winner at South Medford High School in Medford, Ore., he could get away with snaring one-handed rebounds. He never had to worry about using both hands. After a year of ACC play, he learned what he needed to do to snatch the tough boards.

"I've been working really hard on grabbing rebounds with two hands, especially at this level," Singler said. "A lot of big guys get hands on balls and tip them out of your hand. As a rebounder, that's the most frustrating thing."

After Duke's 95-72 win over Duquesne in late November, Krzyzewski took a minute in his postgame press conference to applaud Singler for a play he made. It was on the offensive end, when a handful of players from both teams went after a missed shot. Only one man came down with the ball firmly in his two hands before going up for a shot and getting fouled.

"It was a big-time play. I love that play," Krzyzewski said at the time. "You don't see a play like that. And the kid loves to play. It's such an honor to coach that kid."

Singler said that some of the rebounds he gets are simply a case of good fortune — the ball bounces off the rim to where he stands. But there's no doubt that the 20 pounds he added during the offseason — five of which he lost during the preseason — have helped him secure many rebounds.

And when you're averaging more than eight rebounds a game, you're doing a lot more than being in the right place.

"I think it's just a mindset," Singler said. "Coming into games, we know we have to rebound the ball. It's very important. And I think it's just having a year, being older. That has a lot to do with it."

After dominating Maryland on the boards, 56-38, in its 85-44 blowout win Saturday, Duke has a plus-7.5 rebounding margin. A year ago, the Devils' season-ending margin was just plus-0.1.

Ready for the stretch run

With February just days away and the pressure of March looming, Singler is confidant there will be no repeat of a year ago. His teammates and coaches feel the same way.

Singler grew fatigued at the end of the season, averaging just 6.8 points in Duke's last five games – which included three losses – on 12-for-35 shooting. He also struggled in other areas of the game. Krzyzewski admitted after the conference tournament that his ACC rookie of the year looked tired, and nothing changed in Duke's two NCAA Tournament games.

The Devils don't expect a repeat this season, considering their starting power forward is stronger, more versatile and not taking quite the beating he received as a freshman.

"I'm very confident," Singler said. "Coach has switched up the types of things that we do from last season, hoping that we keep fresh toward the end of the season."

Among the changes the coaching staff have implemented is occasionally mixing in very light practices after physical games. That was the case when the players who logged heavy minutes in Duke's win over Georgetown just shot around and stretched the following day.

And even when Singler plays big minutes, such as 37 in wins over Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech, they're not the same kind of fatigue-inducing minutes he endured last season, and they don't leave his legs tired at the end of games.

"Kyle played a lot of minutes today — 37 — but I don't think he played defense inside, unless he switched, so it's a different kind of 37 minutes," Krzyzewski said after the 69-44 win over the Hokies. "And then toward the end of the game, he's fresher than if he's guarding the five (position)."

Only time will tell how well Singler holds up as the No. 1 Devils continue conference play and then begin the postseason.

But this much is sure: With all he does for his team — combining the talents of his favorite NBA players past and present — Duke will need him more than ever as the games get tougher and the pressure mounts.

"It's what we envisioned for him when we recruited him," assistant coach Chris Collins said of the do-it-all season Singler's having, "and it's just great to see it happen."