2010-11

The Greatest What-If. The defending national champions return two All-Americans, add the #1 recruit in the country — and lose him after eight games. Kyrie Irving jams his toe against Butler on December 4 and disappears for 26 games. Nolan Smith becomes the ACC Player of the Year. Seth Curry grows up overnight. Duke goes 24-2 without its superstar freshman and wins a third straight ACC Tournament championship. Irving returns for the NCAAs, scores 28 in the Sweet Sixteen, but it isn’t enough. Derrick Williams drops 32 and Arizona ends the dream 93-77. Seven future NBA players were on this roster. The team that might have gone undefeated instead became college basketball’s most tantalizing what-if.