With the NCAA tournament under way, a handful of former Blue Devils that led Duke in the postseason are performing well on the next level.
Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks
In his second year in the NBA, Parker has found his footing. The former ACC Freshman of the Year is averaging 19.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this month. The forward added a pair of solid performances this week with 23 points in a win against the Brooklyn Nets followed by 18 points on 7-fo-16 shooting in a loss to the Raptors Tuesday. With just 13 games remaining in the regular season and the Bucks far from playoff contention, Parker will look to use the remainder of his sophomore campaign to work on different aspects of his game.
Justise Winslow, Miami Heat
Although Winslow has seen a lot of playing time since the injury to Heat forward Chris Bosh, the rookie hasn't been relied upon as a scorer. But Monday against the Nuggets, Winslow displayed just how explosive he can be when he is in attack mode. The former Blue Devil scored a career-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and mixed in midrange jumpers with attacks to the basket.
Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers
The former Duke big man's rookie season has come to a close and not in the way he would've hoped. Okafor will undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee and miss the remainder of the 2015-16 season. The center finishes the year with averages of 17.5 points and seven rebounds per game, but came away with just eight wins for his team.
Tyus Jones, Minnesota Timberwolves
After an early-season stint in the D-League, Jones has put together a solid month of March—his first full month in the league. The point guard is averaging 5.1 points and three assists per game in his nearly 17 minutes of action per night. The former Blue Devil tied a career-high with 10 points Wednesday in a win against the Memphis Grizzlies. Jones will look to finish the season strong with an eye to next year for the rebuilding Timberwolves.
J.J. Redick, Los Angeles Clippers
The sharpshooter continued his strong campaign with a solid performance Wednesday against the Rockets. The guard put up 25 points on 7-of-15 shooting and hit five triples. Redick leads the league with his 48 percent clip from beyond the arc and has continued to pace the Clippers in the absence of star Blake Griffin. With Griffin set to return before the end of the regular season, Redick will need to continue his strong play to make his team a contender in the Western Conference.
Luol Deng, Miami Heat
Since moving to the power forward spot following the injury to Bosh, Deng has taken his play to a whole new level and continues to be a consistent performer for the Heat. In his 12th year in the NBA, Deng has adjusted to his new position and has averaged 19.6 points and 7.8 rebounds in his last five games. With the playoffs approaching, the duo of Deng and Winslow will be crucial for a Heat team looking to contend for the Eastern Conference crown.
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