With the college basketball season now officially over, the final wave of NBA Draft declarations is upon us and the Duke Blue Devils should contribute multiple lottery selections.
At least three freshmen from Duke, this year's national championship team, are expected to forgo up to three years' worth of NCAA eligibility to turn pro.
Jahlil Okafor was considered a high NBA Draft pick before he stepped on the court for Duke and could well be the top selection overall. He is a more traditional center, SB Nation noted, though not as good on defense as some teams may want from a seven-footer whose offense will come solely from the low post.
He did, however, display some terrific post-up moves this season and will be taken early regardless of his shortcomings. 17 points and eight rebounds per game cannot be ignored, even if his defense is a project.
Justise Winslow did not have the kind of hype surrounding him that Okafor did, but like his teammate, he will be taken early. SB Nation projected Winslow as an ideal fit for today's NBA because of his size and versatility. He will play on the wing and showcase a wide variety of abilities on the court, his high motor chiefly among them.
While he may be do several things well on the court, Winslow will need to improve his jump shot and free throw shooting, but his raw talent and work ethic is already encouraging evaluators.
Tyus Jones' NBA Draft stock is far more mysterious. With NBA point guards getting bigger and more athletic, Jones is beginning to fit into the mold of a "throwback" point guard. One factor not related to his output on the court was Jones' outstanding title game performance, capped by the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award.
As ESPN's Jeff Goodman noted, Jones has excellent instincts and will fearlessly take the game's biggest shots. But Jones will not be the guy to take the clutch shots on whatever team he ends up on in the NBA, at least not right away.
He may be undersized by today's standards, but Jones is a high-percentage free throw shooter and he is not afraid to drive to the basket if it means going to the line. More importantly, he has exhibited arguably the most important trait a point guard should have in setting teammates up.
