DURHAM, NC - MARCH 08: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils celebrates after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels 93-81 at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 8, 2014 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Former Duke star says that this year's version might be better than this legendary team

Some high praise from this former Dukie.

This year's Duke team has a lot of expectations heaped on it. These Blue Devils are ranked No. 1 in the preseason and brought in a top-2 recruiting class. They finally have some depth —- a crucial disadvantage for them last season —- and have big men who can do some serious damage on the offensive end.

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Even with Duke's top freshman big man in Harry Giles out for some time after his third knee surgery, this team has still has one of the most athletic and skilled lineups in the country. That's what former Duke legend Jay Williams believes and he thinks this year's squad could be even better than his 2001 team that won the school its third national title.

All but one of those starters ended up in the NBA and Mike Dunleavy is still playing in the league. That team went 35-4 and 13-3 in the conference and of course won a national title. To say that this team might be better is a pretty good compliment and shouldn't help them fly under the radar if they had any intention of doing so.

[h/t The Spun]