Saturday, August 16, 2014

College basketball countdown: No. 59 North Carolina Central

 DURHAM, North Carolina  -- THE FIRST WORD: On the surface, coaching basketball at a university in Durham not named Duke could certainly have its pitfalls. Yet the way North Carolina Central coach LeVelle Moton sees it, playing in the shadow of two NCAA hoops titans — North Carolina being the other one — is something to embrace.

"Why hide from it? They aren't going anywhere," he said. "The analogy I use is this: If I was a start-up business and right next to me are Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, that's a blessing. I wouldn't have it any other way. Success at this level is earned, not given. Coach K began his career struggling. He's a nice guy, but he's a killer. I'm the same way."

STARTING FIVE: Previewing the 2014-15 season

If Mike Krzyzewski and Roy Williams are the Bill Gates and Steve Jobs of college basketball in North Carolina, then consider Moton the Mark Zuckerberg. And consider Moton's startup to have the best backyard of any mid-major on the map.

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