The bell of the Blue Zone stock exchange has just rung again, meaning it's time for another taking a look at who is rising and falling with their performances for Blue Devil sports teams. Each week The Blue Zone will look at whose stock is on the rise and whose stock has taken a hit from the week in the world of Duke athletics.
Bull Market—Trending Up
Laken Tomlinson: Duke's right guard has cemented his legacy as one of the best Blue Devil football players ever with his impressive haul of postseason awards. Tomlinson became the first Duke player to be named an AP first-team All-American in 25 years after being named a second-team All-American by USA Today last week and was named to the AllState Good Works Team for his work off the field as well. In total, the anchor on the offensive line was named to five All-American teams by various media outlets.
The Jamaica native is also trending up on draft boards across the country and is currently tabbed the fifth best guard by NFLDraftScout. After trying to lead the Blue Devils to their first bowl win in 53 years Dec. 27 in the Sun Bowl, Tomlinson will play in the Reese's Senior Bowl Jan. 20, 2015, alongside teammate Jamison Crowder to keep boosting his draft stock.
David Helton: Like Tomlinson, the linebacker has been gathering big-time recognition for his work on and off the field. Helton was a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy with his 3.63 grade point average and has racked up several other accolades for his impressive work in the classroom.
But his on-field accomplishments that earned him first-team All-ACC should not be overlooked as Helton and Duke's defense look to slow down a potent Arizona State offense in its bowl game. The linebacker led the ACC in tackles for the second straight year despite making the switch to the Mike linebacker position and will also need to have a big game if the Blue Devils are to prevail.
Bear Market—Trending Down
Health of former Duke players in the NBA: The favorite to earn Rookie of the Year honors in the NBA is now out for the season, as Bucks rookie Jabari Parker tore his ACL on a nasty fall Monday at Phoenix and will now miss the rest of the season. Parker was the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft and was averaging 12.3 points per game for a team in the thick of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. The Chicago native was also named Rookie of the Month for his performance the first month of the season.
Parker's injury came after Cavaliers star guard Kyrie Irving recently suffered a scare with a fall against the Oklahoma City Thunder and has battled injuries throughout his young career after being the No. 1 overall pick in 2011. Injuries have historically plagued former Duke stars in the NBA, most notably Grant Hill, who after being a top-three pick saw his productivity decline after his sixth season due to a major ankle injury. Fans can only hope that Parker can avoid the injury bug and bounce back after successful ACL surgery.
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