Five Blue Devils selected in NBA Draft
Five former Blue Devils were selected in the 2022 NBA Draft, including Paolo Banchero at No. 1 overall. We take a look at how well each fits in with their new teams.
Dreams came true Thursday night for five former Blue Devils. Paolo Banchero became the fifth Duke player to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick, while four others — Mark Williams, AJ Griffin, Wendell Moore Jr. and Trevor Keels — were chosen in the Draft. All but Keels, who was elected No. 42 overall, were picked in the first round.
So, how did each of the former Duke standouts fare when it comes to fit and being setup for a successful start to their NBA careers? Pretty well, actually.
This is particularly true for two of the Blue Devils selected.
Paolo Banchero - No. 1, Orlando Magic
The debate of who should be drafted with the first overall pick was all over the place since the conclusion of the college season. Would it be Jabari Smith? Could it be Chet Holmgren? Or, would it be Banchero? The general consensus is each of these three will have phenomenal careers in the NBA.
But, if you’re talking about the best prepared to make a major impact right now — you had to go with Banchero. Physically he’s more advanced than the other two. Skill-set wise, he has the most complete game at this stage. So, it only made sense for the Orlando Magic to take Banchero with the first overall pick. He is a complete package: In his lone year at Duke, Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and just over a steal per game. He impacts the game in a variety of ways.
The one major knock is he needs to improve his shooting percentage; he shot 48% from the field and 34% from 3-point range. Ultimately, though, Orlando got a player that can anchor the roster and be built around. There are already some really good pieces in place in Orlando with the likes of Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr., Jalen Suggs, Mo Bamba and R.J. Hampton, among others, so the addition of Banchero adds tremendous versatility to the roster and a guy that draw attention away from the others on the roster.
Mark Williams - No. 15, Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets give Williams the opportunity to play to his strengths. It’s great fit in terms of personnel. At the moment, the Hornets do not have a coach, which certainly makes it interesting in how me might mesh with the team. That said, Michael Jordan is looking for a coach that will utilize Lamelo Ball’s skill-set as the foundation. Pairing Williams with Ball and the run and gun style of play should put the former Duke center in a position to be successful on offense. His one liability is the inability to shoot, so he’ll be at his best in the open floor, which fits well with the NBA. I don’t foresee Williams ever becoming a major threat to shoot the basketball, but if he can improve his consistency from the mid-range, his staying power will increase dramatically.
That said, his ability to stick in the NBA will be based upon how well he runs the floor and finishes in transition and how well he impacts the game defensively. The good news for Williams is these are both strengths of his game. Defensively, he’ll have the ability to really lift the team. He is a rim protector. However, he has to add some weight and strength, because the NBA will be much more physical and guys will challenge him at the hoop a lot more than what he experienced in college.
The bottom line is Duke and Coach K really laid out a blueprint of how to best utilize Williams. If Charlotte can recreate that, you’re looking at a guy that shot 72% from the field because he lived at the rim, and he blocked 110 shots in 39 games (2.8 per game). In due time, he could become one of the NBA’s better defenders.
AJ Griffin - No. 16, Atlanta Hawks
Griffin probably could not have asked for a better situation than being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks. His best skill — shooting the ball — is exactly what the Hawks needed. He fits well with Trae Young. When we think of Young, we naturally tend to think scorer. BUT we can’t overlook his passing skills and his ability to see the floor. He creates and draws tons of attention, and that plays extremely well into AJ Griffin’s strengths — being a lights out shooter. Young averaged 9.7 assists last season for the Hawks. Griffin shot a team high 45% from 3-point range at Duke as a freshman. Almost 54% of Griffin’s field goal attempts came from beyond the arc, and one could expect to see something very similar in his first year in the NBA.
He can drive and attack the rim, but it’ll have to be in catch and go scenarios. He does not have a great handle — at least on a consistent level — but what he does have is great strength and power, so he will physically be able to get to the basket. And if we’re being honest, he won’t face guys on a consistent basis that place an emphasis on defense. He just won’t. That helps counter some of his deficiencies. The big question is can he stay healthy. He did for the most part at Duke, so that’s promising. He will also be a positive impact in that locker room.
Wendell Moore Jr. - No. 26, Minnesota Timberwolves (via Dallas Mavericks)
Fit probably isn’t as big of a thing for Moore. He’s a team first guy and really understands how to embrace a role, so that will be important for him to stick with the Timberwolves. The great thing with Moore is he has an ability to impact a game in a variety of ways — defensively, passing the ball, rebounding well for his position and driving to the basket. He shot the ball well last season at Duke (41% from 3 and 50% from the field overall), so that’s something he will need to continue doing. The key, though, will be whether he can establish an identity based around his defensive abilities and his high basketball IQ. If he does that, and can shoot at the level he did as a junior he will have a chance to be a solid role player in the NBA. A focus for him will be to find where the holes exist on the team, and work to fill those issues. He has the ability to do that — we saw it in Durham this last season.
Trevor Keels - No. 42, New York Knicks
Trevor Keels is another one that “fit” is probably not as big of a concern. He’s still very much a work in progress, particularly when it comes to consistency. Duke fans have seen how much he can impact a game when he’s locked in. Defensively he will be a bonus for the Knicks. He does a good job using his strength to help him defend, but the question will be how he adjusts to the quicker, more explosive guards in the NBA. Keels shot 31% from 3-point range as a freshman, and that number will need to improve. He shot more 3s (173) than any other player on the Duke roster, but finished fifth on the team in 3-point shooting percentage. That has to change for him to get consistent minutes in New York.