Written by Chris Stone at Fanside.com
Duke lost, so what will their players do next?
The Duke Blue Devils started the season as the preseason No. 1 team in the country and national title favorite. The ranking was understandable. The Blue Devils’ roster was loaded with talent, including a bevy of five-star recruits and a few experienced talents. On Sunday night, though, Duke’s season was cut short. The Blue Devils were upset in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by the South Carolina Gamecocks. Now, the question becomes what will happen with all the talent?
Let’s run through all of the potential early entrants for the NBA Draft and where they might land should they leave.
- Grayson Allen, junior – Allen was a potential first round pick last season and could sneak into the back end of it should he opt to leave this season, but he also surprise many by coming back to school. Allen projects to be an off-ball shooter in the NBA, which is valuable, but his lack of individual creation could hold him back from being more than a spark plug off the bench.
- Luke Kennard, sophomore – Kennard exploded onto the scene this season after a below average freshman campaign. The sophomore can fill it up from all three levels and has a crafty offensive game that makes up for his lack of athleticism. Given that he seems likely to be a first round pick — potentially in the top 20 — Kennard will probably at least test the waters.
- Jayson Tatum, freshman – Duke fans hopefully enjoyed Tatum while he was in Durham. The freshman wing is a surefire top 10 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, which means it’s a near certainty that he’ll leave school after just one season. Tatum’s ability to create from the wing is a highly prized skill among NBA franchises.
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