Duke Heading To China, Dubai This Summer

The Duke Blue Devils will undertake one of the most ambitious foreign tours any college team has planned: to China and Dubai for a series of exhibition games in August.

“From my experience in China with the United States Olympic team in 2008, I know that this is a nation that absolutely loves basketball,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said in the school’s release. “I am thrilled that our players will have the chance to experience a country so rich in tradition first-hand. It should be a trip they remember for the rest of their lives.”

Duke is planning to depart Aug. 14 and has a game planned for Kunshan, outside Shanghai, on Aug. 17. The Devils will play at least three games in China, then another in Dubai. They will conduct clinics and visit various destinations, including the Great Wall of China.

Under the NCAA’s new rules for foreign tours, members of the Blue Devils’ elite 2011 recruiting class will be eligible to participate in the tour. Duke signed one of the top senior prospects, guard Austin Rivers of Florida, along with small forward Michael Gbinije, point guard Quinn Cook and big man Marshall Plumlee.

Duke’s returning players include Plumlee’s brothers, Mason and Miles, forward Ryan Kelly and guards Tyler Thornton, Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins.

The plan for a Blue Devils trip to China was conceived by Blair Sheppard, dean of the Fuqua School of Business, and Greg Jones, the university’s vice president for global strategy.

“This global tour presents Duke University with an extraordinary opportunity to expand our brand across the world, using one of its primary assets—Duke basketball—as the catalyst,” athletic director Kevin White said. “The planning process involved several significant university entities, and is yet another example of the incredibly strong collaboration that exists at Duke.”