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2018 NBA Draft: Top 5 point guard scouting reports

By Connor Harr

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Trae Young #11 of the Oklahoma Sooners drives on Jonah Mathews #2 of the USC Trojans in an 85-83 Sooner win during the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at Staples Center on December 8, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Trae Young #11 of the Oklahoma Sooners drives on Jonah Mathews #2 of the USC Trojans in an 85-83 Sooner win during the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at Staples Center on December 8, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski speaks with Trevon Duval #1 of the Duke Blue Devils during the second half of the game against the Portland State Vikings at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum on November 23, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. Duke won the game 99-81. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski speaks with Trevon Duval #1 of the Duke Blue Devils during the second half of the game against the Portland State Vikings at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum on November 23, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. Duke won the game 99-81. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

Trevon Duval, Duke

Big Board Rank: 27

Strengths: If you could build a prototypical NBA point guard body right now, it would look similar to Trevon Duval. Standing at 6-foot-3 with a 7-foot wingspan, Duval has been blessed with a great body for an NBA prospect.

On top of his great body, Duval is a high level athlete with very good speed and leaping ability. This helps Duval get his offense in transition where he can be a blur in the open court. His body and high level athleticism help him to be a very good finisher at the rim.

One of Duval’s main problems coming into the year was how he would be able to run this Duke offense. He started out the season on a tear rarely turning the ball over and making good decisions with the ball.

Then, Duval went through some growing pains when he turned the ball over 11 times in two games at the PK 80 tournament against Portland State and Texas. He’s slowly cleaned up his bad decision making, and is now averaging almost seven assists to about two turnovers a game.

Duval is also a very good on ball defender with his long arms and great lateral quickness. He has the potential to be a defensive stopper at the next level given his athletic ability. If Duval wants to sit down in a defensive stance and put his mind to it, he should be a great NBA defender.

Weaknesses: Duval can’t shoot. Like at all. It’s just that simple, it takes him a year to just get his jumpshot off on a pull up. When you can’t shoot it makes it hard to put you out on the court especially in today’s NBA.

He’s shooting 15 percent from the 3-point line. His free throw numbers aren’t much better only shooting 61 percent from the free throw line. Showing that Duval probably doesn’t have much natural touch to work with anyways.

For someone who finishes as well as Duval does he doesn’t get to the line nearly as much as he should. Part of this could come from all of Duke’s star power, but he needs to be more aggressive looking for his own shot.

Overall Outlook: Trevon Duval might be the best athlete at the point guard position in this class. He also might be the least skilled too. It’s been impressive how well Duval as been able to run the Duke offense. However, if you can’t shoot in today’s NBA you don’t play. Especially at the point guard position. It throws your entire offensive spacing out the window while a non shooter is playing. People are high on Trevon Duval, but those people think the jumpshot will translate. It would be hard to believe if it did. That’s why he’s barely a first rounder.