Luke Kennard
- Year: Sophomore
- Height: 6-foot-6
- Position: Guard
- Last year's statline: 11.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.5 APG
Game Breakdown: In a backcourt with preseason All-American Grayson Allen and McDonald’s All-American MVP Frank Jackson, Kennard may be the Blue Devils’ best pure shooter. The Franklin, Ohio, native leads Duke's returning guards in 2-point field goal percentage and led the team in free-throw percentage last season. His sweet stroke allows him to score from beyond the arc, from midrange and from the inside.
Kennard developed into a capable offensive threat for the Blue Devils last season, scoring more than 20 points seven times, ranking eighth in the ACC in offensive rating and finishing the season averaging 11.8 points per game. He did so by stretching the floor and creating off the dribble with strong, crafty moves.
Unlike most freshman, Kennard played an efficient brand of basketball last season and led the ACC in turnover percentage. But on the other end of the floor, Kennard was merely an average defender at the guard position, posting just 0.3 defensive win shares last season.
Role on the Team: Entering the season, with the addition of highly-touted recruits like Jackson and Jayson Tatum to veteran guards Allen and Matt Jones, some expected Kennard’s role to be diminished in such a crowded backcourt. However, Kennard’s potent play thus far has led Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski to dub him the Blue Devils' best player in practice.
In two exhibition games, the southpaw has overshadowed Allen on offense, averaging 23.5 points per game on 15-of-30 shooting. There are many mouths to feed in this offense, but Kennard will be one of Krzyzewski’s primary offensive weapons this season. As the season continues, it will be intriguing to see how Krzyzewski uses all four of his ball-handlers, but it is certain that he will lean on Kennard’s three-point shooting and disciplined game a lot.
NBA Comparison: Kennard fits the bill of a prototypical shooting guard, with strong shooting from anywhere on the court and efficient play, limiting mistakes. Optimists could cast Kennard’s game as similar to that of Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal. The fourth-year guard has averaged 16.0 points per game in his NBA career, shooting 39.4 percent from beyond the arc and 42.5 percent from the field. Like Kennard, Beal is a talented scorer that can create his shot and put the ball in the basket whenever his team needs him.
Projected stats: 13.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.2 APG
Stay tuned to the Blue Zone for our continuing player previews with redshirt junior Sean Obi tomorrow. Previous players previewed include Jack White, Javin DeLaurier, Frank Jackson, Marques Bolden, Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, Justin Robinson, Antonio Vrankovic and Chase Jeter.
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Managing Editor 2018-19, 2019-2020 Features & Investigations Editor
A member of the class of 2020 hailing from San Mateo, Calif., Ben is The Chronicle's Towerview Editor and Investigations Editor. Outside of the Chronicle, he is a public policy major working towards a journalism certificate, has interned at the Tampa Bay Times and NBC News and frequents Pitchforks.