Stanley Borden, the last basketball player who is still at the University to have played for Mike Krzyzewski, has announced that he is being transferred to UTSA from Duke.
The 7 -foot Board was a walk for the Blue Devils, joining the team in 2021, the last of the coach of the Hall of Fame. He stayed for four years and, despite not getting to the court, he had good memories of his time under coach K.
“Everything that everyone has heard or said in terms of aura and energy are there,” Borden said Thursday in a telephone interview in Istanbul, where his family lives. “He jokes a lot and curses a lot and it never knew if he was joking or taking seriously. Learning the best as a young man of 18 or 19 years at the end of his career was something that I will never forget.”
Borden had a year of eligibility after he did not play his third year due to injuries in the elbow in the preseason and a finger that had to join again after an accident in the weight room. He wanted to find a school where he could play in his last season of university basketball, so he entered the portal.
“I was talking to a group of schools at the end of the process and many of them were starting their summer training at this time,” said Borden, who had some dozen schools interested in him. “There is the opportunity to compete for time and also develop. They want to help you improve and make a better player.”
He played in three games for the Blue Devils last season, grabbing a rebound and blocking a shot. He is still looking for his first points at the University, after having played in five games in total during his career in Duke. Even so, he learned a lot in his time at school where he obtained a computer title and played with some of the best players in the country in practice every day.
“Being close to Letck Lively II, Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flag, as well as other great university players, made me immensely better,” said Borden.
Despite not playing, Borden was a type of glue in the team and fans' teams. He made a name as a second year student when he captivated the Cameron Crazies during his Midnight Madness type event. He entered the stage with sunglasses and a raincoat that opened to reveal a saxophone. Borden borrowed the instrument, which he learned to play when he was younger, from the music band. He put a show to delight the crowd and his teammates. The performance went viral.
Borden said he didn't know if UTSA had some type of opening event to start the basketball season, but he would be happy to find another musical number if the school did.
