Duke's Frank Jackson to remain in NBA draft

Duke guard Frank Jackson will remain in the 2017 NBA Draft instead of returning to the Blue Devils for his sophomore season, the school confirmed Friday.

Jackson is the fourth underclassman to leave Duke for the NBA this year, following in the footsteps of Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, and Luke Kennard. Whereas the other three are projected first-round picks, Jackson has been pegged as a likely second-round selection.

Jackson averaged 10.9 points in his freshman season, shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Duke has a fairly empty backcourt and two open scholarship spots on its 2017-18 roster, which could help the program attract five-star point guard prospect Trevon Duval.