Grayson Allen
Guard, Duke
By their standards, Duke was eliminated early in the NCAA Tournament, falling to Oregon in the Sweet Sixteen. And Grayson Allen didn’t perform great, scoring 15 points on just 4-13 shooting. But prior to that he was spectacular, dropping 29 points against Yale in round two while catching fire in the first half.
Allen reminded NBA scouts why he is a perfect for today’s game. A great ball handler who creates his own shot and has deep range. Plus, he is big for a ball handler, at 6-foot-5 and 200-plus pounds, who uses his size to bully opposing guards, a trait on display in round one against UNC Wilmington. Allen hauled down 10 rebounds and got to the free throw line 17 times.
The big question around Allen entering the tournament, however, was his character. He was known for being “dirty” repeatedly tripping players during his two year stint at Duke. And he did. The tape doesn’t lie, just like the tape from a Donald Trump press conference showing a staff member grabbing a reporter. But Allen was gracious in the loss to Oregon, showing maturity. He also revealed incredible durability, playing all 40 minutes in each of Duke’s three tournament games.
Where does he go?
Allen is likely a late first-round pick, which is fine. He has great value there. Right now, Atlanta has the number 24 pick and could use a shooting guard. Allen would be a great system player, and be a nightmare paired with Kyle Korver.
Next: Kris Jenkins