Jazz draft Grayson Allen with No. 21 pick
With the No. 21 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz selected Duke shooting guard Grayson Allen.
Allen finally entered the NBA draft after what felt like an eternity of a career at Duke, during which he received J.J. Redick-levels of hatred from fans of opposing teams around the country. Now, Allen will look to carve out a career in the NBA as a scoring wing, despite his defensive shortcomings.
After averaging 15.5 points and 4.6 assists per game, Allen earned third-team All-ACC honors as the senior leader of a freshmen-laden Blue Devil team in 2017-18. Despite his underwhelming field-goal percentage of just 41.8 percent, he shot a more encouraging 37 percent from downtown and 85 percent at the free-throw line.
Position: SG
School: Duke
College Experience: Senior
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 198 lbs
Wingspan: 6-foot-7
Max vertical: 40.5 inches
What the analysts are saying
"He hit 38 percent of his threes at Duke and is a renowned shot-maker. Sure, there are worries defensively. But he’s a good athlete who works hard on that end and could develop to the point that he’s not a liability. Additionally, his potential to handle the point guard role on occasion should not be overlooked. He’s in play basically everywhere from Nos. 20 to No. 45." - Sam Vecenie, The Athletic
"His offensive role was somewhat reduced this season at times given the talent around him, but that’s probably what he'll end up doing long term anyway as a supporting player off someone's bench. Allen is strong and has enough ability to attack the basket off closeouts to keep defenders honest. His athletic ability doesn't totally translate defensively, but it's a fair bet that his experience and competitiveness can help split the difference." - Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated