YouTube Gold: Shelden Williams’ Duke Highlights
Duke’s second great shot blocker, after Mike Gminski, and the first of the Krzyzewski era.
Shelden Wiliams was the first great Duke shot blocker of the Mike Krzyzewski era. You could say it was Robert Brickey, but Brickey was 6-5. Williams was a legitimate big man who could shut down the lane. One of the best chants ever at Duke, right up there with “Who’s Your Daddy” for Shane Battier, was “Pay Your Rent!” Williams, if you didn’t know was nicknamed the Landlord and the blocked shots were the rent he charged, according to the Crazies anyway.
He patrolled the lane with Shavlik Randolph, and only foul trouble for both of them prevented Duke from playing for the national championship (Duke couldn’t stop UCOnn’s Emeka Okafor when they both had foul trouble).
The Landlord was an inspired nickname. Williams left Duke with back-to-back NABC Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (2005 and 2006) and school records for blocked shots in a season and career and also the career rebounding record at Duke.
Okay. Now pay your rent and check out the Landlord!