Duke walk-on Stanley Borden, last player in college to have played for Coach K, transfers to UTSA
The 7-foot Borden was a walk-on for the Blue Devils, joining the team in 2021 — the last of the Hall of Fame coach's career. He stayed for four years and despite not getting on the court much at all, he had fond memories of his time under Coach K.
'Everything that everyone has heard or said in terms of aura and energy is all there,' Borden said Thursday in a phone interview from Istanbul, where his family lives. 'He jokes a lot and cusses a lot and you never knew if he was joking or being serious. Learning from the best as an 18- or 19-year-old at the end of his career was something I'll never forget.'
Borden had one year of eligibility left after he didn't play his junior year because of injuries to his elbow in the preseason and a finger that needed to be re-attached after a weight room accident. He wanted to find a school that he could play at in his final season of college basketball so he entered the portal.
'I was talking to a bunch of schools late in the process and many of them were starting their summer workouts right now,' said Borden, who had a few dozen schools interested in him. 'There's opportunity to compete for time and also develop. They want to help you get better and make you a better player.'
He played in three games for the Blue Devils this past season, grabbing a rebound and blocking a shot. He's still looking for his first points in college, having played in five games total during his career at Duke. Still, he learned a lot in his time at the school where he earned a degree in computer science and played with some of the best players in the country at practice every day.
'Being around Dereck Lively II, Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flag as well as other great college players made me immensely better,' Borden said.
Despite not playing, Borden was a glue guy on the team and fan favorite. He made a name for himself as a sophomore when he wowed the Cameron Crazies during their midnight madness-type event. He walked onto the stage in sunglasses and a trench coat which he opened to reveal a saxophone. Borden borrowed the instrument, which he learned to play when he was younger, from the marching band. He put on a show much to the delight of the crowd and his teammates. The performance went viral.
Borden said he didn't know if UTSA had any kind of opening event to start basketball season, but he'd be happy to come up with another musical number if the school did.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
2 minutes ago
- New York Times
Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi to start for Crystal Palace in Conference League
Oliver Glasner says Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze will start for Crystal Palace in their Conference League play-off match with Fredrikstad on Thursday. The Palace manager confirmed the pair would play in the first leg of the game at Selhurst Park despite continued transfer interest from Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, with two weeks remaining before the transfer window closes. Advertisement Eze and Guehi trained as expected on Wednesday, having played in Palace's 0-0 draw with Chelsea in their opening Premier League match of the season on Sunday. 'Many of you were surprised that he and Marc started against Chelsea,' Glasner said at a news conference on Wednesday. 'You may be surprised they will start again tomorrow because of all the rumours but they are committed here. 'They will play a crucial part for as long as they are here they are committed to the team. If they leave, they want to leave as the guys who gave 100 per cent to Crystal Palace. Glasner also addressed speculation around Guehi, who walked off quickly after applauding the Palace supporters but appeared to not acknowledge the Austrian speaking to him on the pitch at full-time at Stamford Bridge. 'There has been so much nonsense written,' Glasner said. 'I have not met many colleagues more ambitious than me but Marc is one of them, and he was upset on Sunday. 'He was emotional after this game, exhausted. He was disappointed the goal was disallowed, that we did not win. It was written in a negative way, I see it as the opposite. 'Marc was upset that he didn't win the game and I loved this. It's the best sign that he could show of how ambitious we are. We can react the same way every time. I never want it to be that we are satisfied with getting a draw. 'This shows the development and progress of Crystal Palace in the last few years, that we are not happy with just a draw at Chelsea. 'It is not a big issue. We are not saying 'Thank you for arriving today'. Things can always happen until the window is closed, but we are always focused on what we have to do. We take it game by game, showing the best performance we can.' It is not a surprise that Guehi and Eze are due to play against Fredrikstad — they have shown commitment to Palace and will continue to be picked until such a time as a deal is imminent. Guehi is Palace's captain and an integral part of their side, with little cover at centre-back leaving them with only centre-midfielder Jefferson Lerma or Nathaniel Clyne to play in the position if required. Unless Liverpool, or another team, meet Palace's demands, there is no reason for him to be left out of the team to their detriment. Advertisement Eze is in a similar boat. He may be pulled from the starting XI if Tottenham match Palace's asking price, but as yet that has not happened. If Glasner had any concerns over either of them, then they would not be involved, but it appears to be the opposite — he has stated several times recently how impressed he has been with their professionalism. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool fans get Marc Guehi insight from unlikely source - 'Hang on a minute'
Former Everton boss Sean Dyche has hinted that Crystal Palace may have backtracked on a gentleman's agreement to let Marc Guehi depart following Liverpool's interest. The Reds initiated discussions with Palace last week regarding a potential move for Guehi, who has just 12 months remaining on his Selhurst Park deal. Nevertheless, no fee has been agreed for the center-back, with a significant gap reportedly existing between Liverpool's valuation and Palace's demands. Rumors intensified over the weekend when reports emerged that Guehi had blanked Palace manager Oliver Glasner on the pitch after the team's scoreless Premier League stalemate with Chelsea. Dyche, who has previously managed Watford and Burnley, suspects there may be tensions between Palace and Guehi. READ MORE: Alexander Isak finally breaks silence on Newcastle fallout as Liverpool transfer hangs in the balance READ MORE: Alexander Isak could use little-known FIFA rule to force Newcastle transfer exit "When you make a lot of signings, you do the agreement for their contract, but we'll sort out a gentleman's agreement where we say we'll honor the player with an agreement off the record," he said. "Now you never know whether that's been said there. "With Guehi, and I imagine this is what's happened, probably a year ago, they said, 'Look, we get it, you're going to stick with us.' "And last summer, he stuck with it. "Again at Christmas, he stuck with it. "They might have said, 'By next summer, we'll know what's going to happen.'" Dyche, in a chat on the Footy Accumulators No Tippy Tappy Football podcast in partnership with BOYLE Sports, added: "And if he's a good professional, which he seems fantastic to me, he doesn't want to go out there and start saying all that. "But at one point, he might have to go, 'Hang on a minute, they told me that if we do this, this, and this, then they'll let me have my chance.' "I've done it, and most managers have done it. "You say to the agent, 'We both know if they do that, we'll get them.' "Because there has to be some kind of negotiation, especially when I was at Burnley, because they're not a giant in football, so if a player does well, we couldn't just keep them there."
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Alan Shearer hits out at Alexander Isak over 'f------ mess' and tells him to fire his agent
Alan Shearer has urged Alexander Isak to sack his agent over his botched Newcastle United exit plan. The striker is desperate to move to Liverpool before the transfer window closes on September 1, but it now appears highly unlikely that the transfer will materialize, leaving Isak facing the prospect of either returning for the Magpies with his tail between his legs or sitting out until January at the earliest. Shearer said: "I mean, oh my God, what a f------ mess his agent has made of this, honestly," Shearer told Betfair. "If I was him, I'd get his agent in a room and sack him on the spot immediately, because he is meant to be giving him the advice to sign that six‑year deal and there's no get‑out clause. READ MORE: Alexander Isak could use little-known FIFA rule to force Newcastle transfer exit READ MORE: Liverpool transfer target revealed role in Caoimhin Kelleher exit amid Man Utd battle "I mean, it's ridiculous. And to take anyone's word in football… it's nonsensical to say that someone said, 'Oh, I'll be able to get out at the end of the season.' Really? I mean, come on." Isak and Newcastle exchanged statements on the situation on Wednesday — Isak went first, explaining his absence from the PFA awards night in Manchester as he accused Newcastle of "breaking promises" by standing in his way of an exit from the club. The North East outfit then hit back with a statement of its own, claiming the conditions of a summer sale have not been met. Shearer addressed Newcastle's statement and, unsurprisingly, came out in support of his boyhood club. "Newcastle have also released a statement saying that promises were not broken, or promises were never made. "I've always said there are two sides to every story, but my feelings are exactly the same: he (Isak) has gone about it in the wrong way. "I get that he might want to join a huge football club in Liverpool. I understand that, and I understand that they're regularly going to be competing for trophies. "But we also need to know, who promised him? What did they promise him? When did they promise him, if that is the case? Newcastle have totally denied that. "I'd also ask the question, who's advising him? He signed his six‑year contract without a release clause in it. That is his doing, that is his agent's doing. "Now, if they foresaw someone trying to get out early, then before they signed that they were in a really strong position. They should have had a get‑out clause in it. That would be my take on it. "Everything sort of boils down to: I think he's being given bad advice and the way he's going about it is wrong, I really do."
