Leading up to Duke basketball’s first game of the season Nov. 14 against Presbyterian, The Blue Zone will preview an expected contributor on this 2014-2015 squad each day, beginning with freshman Grayson Allen.
Grayson Allen
- Year: Freshman
- Height: 6-foot-4
- Position: Guard
Game Breakdown: One thing jumps out about Allen's game—his athleticism. The Jacksonville, Fla., native has always amazed crowds and players alike with his impressive athletic ability, and that is likely not going to change just because of his move to the college game. Allen should benefit from playing with point guards Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook and showed off his impressive skills around the rim by winning the American Family Insurance High School Slam Dunk Contest, the Beach Ball Classic Slam Dunk Contest, and the 2014 Powerade Jam Fest— which he won by jumping over 6-foot-11 teammate Jahlil Okafor. Even in his first appearance in front of the Blue Devil faithful at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Allen threw down a 360 one-handed dunk that had the entire stadium up on their feet.
But the first-year guard is more than just an athletic specimen. Allen is natural shooter with a fluid motion. Last year at Providence High School, the No. 21 player in his recruiting class averaged 22.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, and shot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc throughout his high school career. Allen's ability to operate efficiently from the perimeter and attack the rim allows him to put up points in bunches when he gets it going.
Role on the Team: Behind returners Matt Jones and Rasheed Sulaimon and fellow freshman wing Justise Winslow, Allen will almost certainly be coming off the bench with Duke's depth on the perimeter. He will be expected to provide the jolt of energy that the Blue Devils may need during slumps in games and use his athleticism to make plays on both ends of the court. Although Allen was deadly from the perimeter in high school, he will have to show he can knock down shots from the perimeter against stiffer competition. If he is able to knock down perimeter shots, the rest of his game will be set up because of the attention given to his teammates.
Given Duke's defensive struggles last season, Allen could also be used if the Blue Devils need someone to lock down an opposing guard for a brief period of time. But the main thing to keep in mind for the role of Allen and his teammates is that Duke's game plan this season is going to revolve around Jahlil Okafor. Although Jones, Sulaimon and Winslow have the slight edge on the wing at this point, if Allen shows he can compliment the dominant 6-foot-11 center more effectively, his role will only increase.
NBA Comparison: At this point, Allen's game compares favorably to that of Knicks guard Iman Shumpert, whose athleticism makes him a highlight reel waiting to happen when he's on the floor.
Like Allen, Shumpert is at his best when he's knocking down perimeter shots to set up the rest of his game. The 6-foot-5 guard is a career 34.2 percent shooter from beyond the arc and has also established himself as an elite perimeter defender with his athleticism, something Allen has the chance to do in his time at Duke.
Projected statline: 6.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.5 SPG
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