<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">[IMGR]http://www.nba.com/media/bulls/duhon_060330.jpg[/IMGR]Chris Duhon is among a select few in this world who make a living as a professional basketball player, yet at this point in his life he is perhaps better known as a former starter for Duke University. And why wouldn?t he be, what with four very memorable and successful seasons playing under a legendary college coach in the sleepy little town of Durham, North Carolina? Early during his freshman year, Duhon replaced an injured teammate in Duke?s starting lineup, and the Blue Devils went on to win the 2001 NCAA National Championship. The feisty freshman from the Louisiana bayou was also tagged the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year that season. After his sophomore year, Duhon?s stellar reputation continued to grow throughout college basketball for stifling defense, exceptional court vision, and impressive versatility. He quickly became a team leader during his junior season, guiding a very young Duke squad to the NCAA Sweet 16. He and the Blue Devils then made yet another Final Four appearance his senior year, where he averaged 10 points and 6 assists per game. All in all, Duke posted a remarkable 123-21 record during his four-year tenure. So in late June of 2004, with his name still in the NBA Draft hopper, Bulls GM John Paxson opted to select Duhon with the 38th overall pick. An intimidating tribute, especially for someone just a hair over the six-foot range, Duhon, at the time, was considered a long shot to ever wear a Bulls uniform. ?I just stayed focused,? Duhon recalls about his first Bulls training camp. ?I tried to not put any added pressure on myself. I didn?t try to be anybody else but me. I just went out and played hard and tried to learn from my coaches and my new teammates each day.? What the Bulls quickly learned was that Duhon is a smart, fiery competitor who refuses to be denied. He picked up Chicago?s system quickly, gave his all at every practice and was deserving of a final roster spot. A charming story, really, if it were to end right then and there?but it doesn?t. Duhon was hungry for more. As the Bulls sputtered to a 0-9 record to start the 2004-05 season, Coach Scott Skiles decided to mix things up and put the first-year guard into Chicago?s starting lineup. The somewhat wide-eyed rookie responded just as impressively as he did as a Duke freshman. With Duhon in the starting lineup, the Bulls went 47-26 the rest of the way, which was good enough for Chicago to earn a berth in the NBA playoffs for the first time in seven years. So, if the story were to end now, you would call it alluring?but not so fast. Now established as an astute floor general and a better than solid defender, Duhon has convinced most that he?s not a fluke but a valuable asset that any team would love to count as its own. As a second-round draft pick, Duhon?s first contract was not guaranteed, nor was it long-term. Thus, over this past summer, he was a restricted free agent and drew plenty of interest from other teams. </div> <div align="center"> Source</div>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SP23:</div><div class="quote_post">Good article. When he was a junior he would of been a lotto if he came out, but he stayed.</div> how did he go from a lotto to almost not making an NBA team? Duhon sounds like a real class act as a player and a person.
Actually I'm not sure if it was lotto or first round. But, it's probably wrong because I've just heard it somewhere. I thought I saw it, but it's probably wrong, my bad. I'll try to check anyway. Because he didn't put up great numbers, so that's why I doubt it.
