Duke men's basketball 2017-18 player previews: Trevon Duval

Trevon Duval

• Year: Freshman
• Height: 6’3
• Position: Guard

Game Breakdown

One of the most talented point guards to play for head coach Mike Krzyzewski, Duval came out of high school as the top point guard recruit in the country and absolutely oozes potential. A freakish athlete at 6-foot-3 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, he is going to be bigger, stronger, and faster than almost every guard he will face this season. 

His combination of elite athleticism and tight handles means he will be able to get to the rim at will and terrorize teams in the open court. However, it’s hard to survive on athleticism alone, and there are still serious questions about how polished he is. Defenses will be able to take advantage of his below-average jump shot, and even though he can get to the rim with ease, he will need to become a more consistent finisher in traffic. Decision-making may be the key to Duval’s season, and while he has displayed good court vision, making the right decisions could be the difference for this Duke team that has a lot of mouths to feed. 

Role on Team: Since Tyus Jones graduated in 2015, Duke has struggled to develop a true point guard— Duval will be thrust into that role from day one. While he certainly has the talent to thrive, Duval will need to adapt as well. Although his scoring ability is what makes him so special, the Hockessin, Del. native will need to evolve into more of a floor general if this team is going to win a a national championship. 

Between Grayson Allen, Gary Trent Jr., Marvin Bagley III, and Wendell Carter Jr., this team is stacked with scorers, and the Blue Devils need Duval to be more of a distributor. Duke has also had trouble defending talented guards in recent years, and Duval’s defense improvements may be vital for this team. If he can develop into an elite defender, he may end up providing more value on that end than he will on offense. 

NBA Comparison: While there is a long list of NBA guards who came into college as incredible athletes with shaky jumpers, Duval has much in common with one of the most famous—Derrick Rose. Like Duval, Rose has good size for the point guard spot, and both have a knack for getting to the rim and throwing down thunderous dunks. Rose managed to overcome his mediocre jump shot to lead Memphis to the NCAA championship game—Duval has the talent to do the same.