Mason Gillis will be a crucial piece for Duke on the biggest stage.
As top-seeded Duke gets ready to face off against top-seeded Houston in tonight’s Final Four in San Antonio, most of the players are experiencing this stage for the first time—at least as athletes. Kon Knueppel has been here as a fan, as his mother, Chari, shared on X, but for the majority of the program, this is their first time competing at such a high level.
The only player on the Blue Devils’ roster with prior experience at this level is Mason Gillis, who played in last season’s National Championship with Purdue. The Boilermakers lost to UConn, who claimed their second consecutive national title.
Gillis’ previous experience on such a big stage makes him an invaluable asset to Duke, not just for his play on the court, but for his leadership off it—in the huddle and in the locker room. With a relatively young squad, Gillis’ understanding of the pressures of the biggest stage in college basketball will be crucial.
After Duke’s ACC Tournament win, many players were celebrating, as expected. However, Gillis took a different approach.
“There’s no reason to,” Gillis told 247sports’ Adam Rowe when asked if he celebrated the ACC win.
The day before the NCAA Tournament began, Gillis elaborated on his mindset: “We’ve said it all year. We haven’t done anything yet and we won’t have done anything until we win the National Championship.”
That kind of veteran leadership is essential for a young team in such a high-pressure environment. It’s easy to get caught up in the success a program is having, but Gillis wants his teammates to stay focused and remind themselves that their ultimate goal is to cut down the nets next week.
A graduate transfer from Purdue, Gillis contributes on the court with an average of 4.2 points per game and a 34.4% shooting rate from three-point range. But it’s his mentality off the court and ability to keep the younger players grounded that makes him one of the most valuable assets to this Blue Devils team.
