No Blue Devils took advantage of the rule change last season but a quintet of them picked new numbers for this one
SAN ANTONIO – A rule change went into effect last season that was used by zero Duke players.
It’s being used by five current ones.
Last season was the first in which college basketball players could have a digit higher than five in their jersey number. For the first time in about 70 years, players would be able to wear digits higher than five — opening up available jersey numbers from 0-99, the only stipulation being that a roster couldn’t have a No. 0 and No. 00 (and obviously no other duplicates, this isn’t football).
The Blue Devils had so many returners from the 2022-23 season, though, and none of the newcomers picked a newly allowed number.
So, when five newcomers picked jersey numbers 6, 7, 8, 9 and 18 this season, it wasn’t so much ice breaking as it was ice shattering that the Blue Devils had players in new numbers for the first time in program history.
Here is a brief explainer on why each of the five Blue Devils in new numbers made their choices:
Maliq Brown (No. 6)
Brown’s choice is the only one previously covered on Devils Illustrated, all the way back in this preseason notebook.
Brown wore No. 1 for his two seasons at Syracuse and No. 5 in high school. It was just his luck that each of those numbers were the two taken by Duke’s only two returning scholarship players, Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor, respectively.
“I just added it up and went to 6,” Brown said back in October. “Just trying to have fun with it. Obviously being the first one to wear 6 is cool.”
Kon Knueppel (No. 7)
The first of three Duke freshman on this list, Knueppel had always worn No. 33.
That was the number his mom, Chari, wore No. 33 at UW-Green Bay, where she is the program’s all-time leading scorer.
Problem is, before Knueppel was born, Grant Hill won a couple of national championships at Duke wearing No. 33.
Knueppel pivoted to No. 7.
“Larry Bird wore No. 7 for the Dream Team,” Knueppel said of his inspiration. “I’ve always worn 33. … Grant Hill, so, had to go with No. 7.”
That was his third choice, since he also pondered wearing No. 2. He's referred to as "K-2" because his name is the same as his father's.
Of course, that’s the number of fellow freshman Cooper Flagg.
“I don’t think that I could have wrestled him out of that one,” Knueppel said.
Darren Harris (No. 8)
Harris is a Kobe Bryant fan, so you might have an inkling of where this is going.
The freshman wing wore No. 24 in high school — that number is retired, as it was Johnny Dawkins’ number.
But being the first Duke player to ever wear No. 8 was part of the appeal for Harris, along with the tie-in to Bryant.
“I’ve always loved No. 8, it’s a unique number,” Harris said. “I also wanted to be the first No. 8 in Duke history, I think that’s pretty special.
“Hopefully soon, when I see No. 8 Duke jerseys, I know it’s me.”
Khaman Maluach (No. 9)
This one is cut and dried and that kind of makes sense, given Maluach was the last of the freshmen to commit and last to join the team over the summer.
“I chose No. 9 because the rest of the jersey numbers were taken,” Maluach said on Friday afternoon.
Maluach’s number for the South Sudan team in the Olympics was No. 6.
Mason Gillis (No. 18)
The transfer from Purdue wore No. 0 for five seasons and there are no restrictions from wearing that one at Duke.
But Gillis swerved from it and opted for No. 18.
“All the other numbers were taken and it’s my mom’s birthday,” Gillis said of his choice.
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