Indiana University Athletics
"I Don't Think He's Afraid of Anything, Which Is A Good Thing"
11/29/2017 11:20:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - Let somebody else play scared. Indiana's Al Durham is too busy making the right basketball play.
Yes, Duke comes to Assembly Hall Wednesday night with a No. 1 ranking and a fearsome lineup, and if you think that bothers Durham, you don't know this 6-4 freshman.
Coach Archie Miller does. He's seen him in practice and in games, and the fact Durham has a ridiculous 9-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio – no other freshman in the country is better – is understandable.
One reason – no fear.
"I don't think he's afraid of anything, which is a good thing," Miller said in an understatement.
Consider Durham has 18 assists against just two turnovers, and that he hasn't lost the ball in more than three games.
He's doing that with major minutes. He's only started one game, but averages 27.8 minutes, second on the team to Robert Johnson's 33.3.
His 18 assists are second on the team to Josh Newkirk's 20 (Newkirk has 10 turnovers).
"Al has done a nice job," Miller said. "He's played within himself. He's taken what the defense has given him. He has a high IQ just in terms of what we're trying to look for, and he's efficient with his dribble.
"He's not a guy that has to have the ball in his hands for long periods of time to make plays. He uses his shot. He plays in straight lines. He makes the simple play.
"He's done it over the course of six games, and I trust him. Our players trust him. I think as the season gets ratcheted up, as we'll see here over these next couple, he's going to be a guy that plays a big role for us. He was good at Seton Hall, and I think coming into this game he'll be ready to play.
On the road at No. 23 Seton Hall Durham had 10 points (on 4-for-6 shooting), one assist and no turnovers in 29 minutes.
"He's smart and he stays with it," Miller said. "He's very efficient."
Durham also averages 9.0 points while shooting 48.6 percent from the field, 35.7 percent from three-point range.
"The one thing about Al is he's playing the game within himself," Miller said, "and I think as experience gets under his belt, you'll start to see a guy who shoots the ball a lot better than he has here early in the season."
Durham was an all-around player out of Berkmar High School in Georgia. He averaged at least 15 points in each of his final three seasons. Beyond that, he thrived on the travel ball circuit for Southern Stampede under his father, Aljami Sr.
In other words, basketball has been a top priority for most of Durham's life.
"Al is from a basketball family," Miller said. "I think his father is a tough-minded guy who was on him. He's played at a high talent level growing up just in terms of being in the Atlanta area in high school, and then if you mix in his AAU experiences, he's played against pretty much every (top) guy in the country."
That includes three Duke freshmen from Georgia, Wendell Carter, Jordan Goldwire and Alex O'Connell.
"He grew up playing against them," Miller said.
"I think he's got an experience level. I think he's been taught the game, and he's had a lot of good coaches like his father. He's got a great family, but I think his father knows the game very well and has been hard on him growing up.
"He's a guy that's kind of a throwback. You love having a guy in practice like him. He doesn't say a whole lot. He's playing to win and he's trying like crazy to do everything he can to help the team."
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - Let somebody else play scared. Indiana's Al Durham is too busy making the right basketball play.
Yes, Duke comes to Assembly Hall Wednesday night with a No. 1 ranking and a fearsome lineup, and if you think that bothers Durham, you don't know this 6-4 freshman.
Coach Archie Miller does. He's seen him in practice and in games, and the fact Durham has a ridiculous 9-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio – no other freshman in the country is better – is understandable.
One reason – no fear.
"I don't think he's afraid of anything, which is a good thing," Miller said in an understatement.
Consider Durham has 18 assists against just two turnovers, and that he hasn't lost the ball in more than three games.
He's doing that with major minutes. He's only started one game, but averages 27.8 minutes, second on the team to Robert Johnson's 33.3.
His 18 assists are second on the team to Josh Newkirk's 20 (Newkirk has 10 turnovers).
"Al has done a nice job," Miller said. "He's played within himself. He's taken what the defense has given him. He has a high IQ just in terms of what we're trying to look for, and he's efficient with his dribble.
"He's not a guy that has to have the ball in his hands for long periods of time to make plays. He uses his shot. He plays in straight lines. He makes the simple play.
"He's done it over the course of six games, and I trust him. Our players trust him. I think as the season gets ratcheted up, as we'll see here over these next couple, he's going to be a guy that plays a big role for us. He was good at Seton Hall, and I think coming into this game he'll be ready to play.
On the road at No. 23 Seton Hall Durham had 10 points (on 4-for-6 shooting), one assist and no turnovers in 29 minutes.
"He's smart and he stays with it," Miller said. "He's very efficient."
Durham also averages 9.0 points while shooting 48.6 percent from the field, 35.7 percent from three-point range.
"The one thing about Al is he's playing the game within himself," Miller said, "and I think as experience gets under his belt, you'll start to see a guy who shoots the ball a lot better than he has here early in the season."
Durham was an all-around player out of Berkmar High School in Georgia. He averaged at least 15 points in each of his final three seasons. Beyond that, he thrived on the travel ball circuit for Southern Stampede under his father, Aljami Sr.
In other words, basketball has been a top priority for most of Durham's life.
"Al is from a basketball family," Miller said. "I think his father is a tough-minded guy who was on him. He's played at a high talent level growing up just in terms of being in the Atlanta area in high school, and then if you mix in his AAU experiences, he's played against pretty much every (top) guy in the country."
That includes three Duke freshmen from Georgia, Wendell Carter, Jordan Goldwire and Alex O'Connell.
"He grew up playing against them," Miller said.
"I think he's got an experience level. I think he's been taught the game, and he's had a lot of good coaches like his father. He's got a great family, but I think his father knows the game very well and has been hard on him growing up.
"He's a guy that's kind of a throwback. You love having a guy in practice like him. He doesn't say a whole lot. He's playing to win and he's trying like crazy to do everything he can to help the team."
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