Duke men's basketball 2017-18 player preview: Grayson Allen

 Grayson Allen

• Year: Senior
• Height: 6-foot-5
• Position: Guard
• Last year's statline: 14.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.5 APG

Game breakdown: After being unable to escape the headlines last year for his scandals on the court, not play on it, a fully healthy Allen looks to recapture the magic he flashed in his sophomore season. In that year, Allen was one of the best scorers in the country, from beyond the arc and creating off the dribble.

Last year, his field goal percentage was the lowest of his career, and wasn't the consistent force that Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski needed to lead a young team. The tools are all there for Allen—he's a hyper-athletic guard that can make shots from anywhere and plays with a motor like no other. That aggressive play helps him act as a force on the boards—for a guard—and while that fire sometimes leads to carelessness with the ball, it also helps him play stronger defensively.

Role on team: On one of the youngest Blue Devils teams in the Krzyzewski era, Allen will be the team's leader and captain. After losing several key players to graduation, Allen accumulated more than 70 percent of the returning minutes on the roster and will be asked to take on the responsibility of developing another top recruiting class.

Duke players gave him a ringing endorsement when he was reinstated as captain, and Allen has said he has learned to control his emotions on the court—but time will tell whether that is just talk.

NBA Comparison: At the NBA level, Allen projects as a shooting guard—and could turn into someone like the Raptors’ DeMar Derozan at the next level. Although DeDozan is a bit taller at 6-foot-7, both DeRozan and Allen are lethal beyond the arc and play with a certain level of grit and explosiveness. Allen might not take as big of a role as DeRozan does at the next level, but could be an effective spot starter or first man off the bench. 

Projected statline: 17.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.2 APG

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