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Duke guard Andre Dawkins will redshirt in 2012-13

Andre Dawkins

Duke’s Andre Dawkins reacts following after losing an NCAA tournament second-round college basketball game against Lehigh in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, March 16, 2012. Lehigh won 75-70. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

AP

After some speculation that this would happen earlier this spring, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski made it official during his press conference on Wednesday that guard Andre Dawkins will redshirt in 2012-13.

Dawkins, who enrolled at Duke a season earlier than expected, will play as a fifth-year senior in 2013-14.

But according to Jack Daly of the Raleigh News & Observer, Dawkins’ father wasn’t aware that a final decision had been made.

“It’s a time for him to step away,” Krzyzewski said according to the Fayetteville Observer. “It’s the right thing. We’re doing the right thing.”

Dawkins averaged 8.4 points and 2.1 rebounds for the Blue Devils last season, but similar to his first two seasons in Durham the 6-4 guard alternated between hot streaks and shooting slumps for much of the campaign.

A native of Chesapeake, Virginia, Dawkins averaged 12.5 minutes per game as a freshman on Duke’s 2010 national title team.

It was during that season that his sister passed away in a car accident on her way to Durham to watch the Blue Devils take on St. John’s.

Dawkins played 21 minutes in that game and didn’t sit out a contest until Duke’s 60-47 win over Clemson on January 23rd of that season.

Andre’s father spoke to the Raleigh News & Observer back in April about the situation, saying that Andre was still grieving and due to the pace associated with being a Division I athlete didn’t have much time to address his pain.

“He’s dealt with a lot,” Dawkins’ father said. “It’s been tough. It hasn’t been easy at all. With the fast pace of playing high-level basketball, you don’t really get the time to deal with things like that.

“Everyone is different and so everyone might handle that situation differently. I appreciate the fact that’s an option for him if that’s going to be the case. That’s been really great.”

Clearly Duke and his family believe that some time away from the daily grind will help Andre, and hopefully that will be the case.

Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.