Last Wednesday, it was Marvin Bagley III announcing his NBA future. This week, it is Trevon Duval.
Duval will join the growing ranks of one-and-done Blue Devils after announcing Wednesday evening that he will declare for the 2018 NBA Draft in a team release. Although there was no specific information as to whether or not Duval will sign with an agent, the young floor general seemed to leave little doubt that his career in Durham is finished.
"I loved my time here at Duke and I enjoyed every second of it," Duval said. "I want to thank all of the Duke fans, thank each of my teammates—they’re all brothers to me, and each of the coaches that have helped me grow as a young man both on and off the court. I hope to be part of the Duke brotherhood the rest of my life."
The freshman point guard was highly touted as a recruit coming out of IMG Academy, ranking as the nation’s No. 1 point guard in his class. Duval delivered on that promise at times in an up-and-down year and finished the season strong.
The New Castle, Del., native scored 10.0 points and dished out 5.6 assists per game in his lone season in Durham, and he stepped up big-time in March. Duval led Duke with 20 points in a season-ending loss to Kansas and combined for 30 points and 15 assists in the first two games of the NCAA tournament.
Turnovers and controversy plagued Duval at times this season, none more evident than when he retweeted a clip of his own flashy dunk minutes after a Feb. 8 loss to North Carolina in which he coughed the ball up four times. He lost his starting job toward the end of conference play and closed ACC play on a six-game stretch in which he never scored in double figures, but was able to play well on the big stage.
“We wish Trevon the very best,” Blue Devil head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He showed unbelievable improvement, especially at the end of the year. His athleticism and his ability to guard at the next level will help him. We know that great things will happen for Trevon as he embarks on his pro career and will be watching and supporting him every step of the way.”
Boasting a 6-foot-9 wingspan while listed 6-foot-3 and 186 pounds, scouts value Duval for his athleticism and length. Lethal while driving to driving to the basket, Duval has significant upside, but has struggled with his shot, converting at just a 28.7 percent from deep this season for the Blue Devils.
Sports Illustrated ranked Duval as the No. 44 player in his draft class March 20, but others project him as a late first-round pick.
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