Chris Spatola has been promoted to Directory of Basketball Operations at Duke University.  That spot opened up after Mike Schrage decided to follow Johnny Dawkins to Stanford.  Spatola is also Coack K’s son-in-law that had been a graduate assistant/head team manager for the Blue Devils last season.

To fill Spatola’s spot, Coack K has hired another former Duke player.  Chris Carrawell will join the Duke coaching staff as a graduate assistant and head team manager.  Coack K says that he wants to teach Carrawell how to be a coach.

Looks like Duke is staying within the family for all of their recent hires.  Good idea if you ask me!

Nate James is the newest former Duke basketball player to be named an assistant coach at Duke University.  James will take the spot that opened up after Johnny Dawkins decided to take the head coaching job at Stanford.

James had worked with the last year with the Duke staff and is well liked in the Duke community.  He will jon Chris Collins and Steve Wojciechowski on the bench as assistant coaches.

It will be interesting to see how James does recruiting and being a 100% assistant coach for the first time.

Miles Plumlee has decided to play at Duke.  Plumlee originally signed a national letter of intent with Stanford but asked for and was granted his release after Trent Johnson left Stanford for LSU.

Plumlee is a 6′10 230 lb power forward that will need to add on some pounds to make a big difference in the ACC conference.  Plumlee averaged 15.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while leading Christ School to its second straight NCISAA State Championship as a senior.

Miles has a younger brother named Mason, a 6-11 junior forward at Christ School, that committed to Duke in February for the Class of 2009.

Former Duke basketball player Nate James says that he is very interested in the Duke Assistant Coaching job that is open after Johnny Dawkins took the head coaching job at Stanford.

James has always been involved with basketball and has helped out with camps and really enjoys the work.  Last season he served as a assitant strength and conditions coach for the Blue Devils.  He says all he can do is wait and see what happesn with the opening, but he would love to have the opportunity to be the next assistant coach.

One thing is for sure, the assitant coach that gets hired will be from the Duke family and really know how Duke basketball works and functions.  Sounds like James could be a great choice for the job.

What do you think Duke fans?  Can Nate James be the next great assitant coach at Duke?