Junior forward Kyle Singler announced on Monday that he will return to Duke for his senior season, giving the Blue Devils a major boost in their attempt to repeat as NCAA champions.
Singler, the 2010 Final Four Most Outstanding Player, has averaged 15.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists during his first three seasons as a Blue Devil.
“I love being here at Duke and am excited about next year,” said Singler. “I had two great options in front of me, but I did not want to miss out on all of the great things to come in a senior season.”
Singler will return to a team that loses seniors Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek. Yet the Blue Devils feature a strong core that includes junior Nolan Smith, sophomore Miles Plumlee and freshman Mason Plumlee. Seth Curry, the younger brother of NBA rookie Stephen Curry, becomes eligible after sitting out a transfer year.
And Duke brings in a strong recruiting class headlined by Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick point guard Kyrie Irving, the Co-MVP of Saturday night’s Jordan Brand Classic at Madison Square Garden.
Singler, a two-time AP honorable mention All-America, averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steals per game as a junior while leading Duke to a 35-5 record and the school’s fourth NCAA Championship.
He had 17 games with 20 or more points this past season while posting seven double-doubles. Singler, a first team All-ACC selection, became one of 18 players in school history to score over 700 points in a single season, finishing with 707 points in 2010.
“I am looking forward to coaching Kyle in his senior year and seeing him develop more as a player and as a leader,” said head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Entering his final season, Singler ranks 18th on Duke’s career scoring list with 1,767 points. His 1,767 points rank as the third most by a junior in school history. He is also 11th on the career three-point field goals chart with 205, 18th with 762 rebounds and 15th with 95 blocked shots. Singler has scored in double-figures 95 times with 32 games with 20 or more points scored. He also has 20 career double-doubles to his credit.
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