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Known mostly for a handful of judgment-free moments, Grayson Allen played four years for the Duke Blue Devils — the final three as one of the primary offensive weapons for Mike Krzyzewski.
He became an NCAA champion as a freshman in 2015. And though he was not a starter at the time, he made a name for himself by scoring 16 points off the bench in Duke’s 68-63 win in the championship game over Frank Kaminsky’s Wisconsin Badgers.
College Numbers
- Per Game: 35.6 minutes, 15.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.1 blocks, 2.1 turnovers
- Per 40: 17.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.1 blocks, 2.4 turnovers
- Shooting: 41.8 % FG, 37.0% 3P, 85.0 FT%, 51.0 eFG%
- Advanced: 123.3 Off rating, 102.1 Def rating, 1.8 ORB%, 8.0 DRB%, 5.1 TRB%, 21.0 AST%, 2.8 STL%, 0.2 BLK%, 13.8 TOV%, 20.7 USG%, 5.9 WS (.180 WS/40) 9.4 BPM
per Basketball-Reference.com
Measurements
- Age: 22
- Height: 6’4”
- Weight: 195 lbs
- Wingspan: 6’7.25”
- Max Vertical: 40.5 inches
(Side note: When I initially searched for it, Google said Allen’s wingspan is 7’0” which is waaaaay off from reality. Allen’s height and weight were also lower than his listing at Duke, but not by that much).
Strengths
Allen’s most attractive attribute is his NBA-readiness. He played four years at Duke and has consistently been a solid player, with a four-year average of 14.1 points, 3.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds on .430/.380/.834 shooting splits.
He has passable length and athleticism for an NBA guard, allowing him to defend both guard spots and maybe some small forwards. He had great combine numbers posting a 10.31 in the lane agility drill (best at the event) with a 40.5” max vertical (sixth) and a 32.5 standing leap (seventh).
Weaknesses
In the modern era of one-and-dones, playing four years at a prestigious basketball school like Duke isn’t the greatest sign. He had a stellar sophomore season, where he averaged 21.6/4.6/3.5 on .466/.417/.837 shooting, but hasn’t lived up to that since (his junior year was REALLY bad, which forced him to return for a fourth year).
Despite Allen’s solid combine numbers, most people who watch him don’t see him as an elite athlete, which could limit his potential defensively. His lack of an elite first step to get past good NBA defenders is something that could force him to rely on screens and off-ball movement to get points at the next level.
Utah Jazz Fit
Utah’s bench could really use some good shooting and Allen will bring that to the table. He’s shown hustle on defense and all-around ability on offense, both of which the Jazz would want in a guard. Just have to make sure he’s past tripping people.
Likelihood of Jazz drafting him
Allen has snuck into the end of the first round in a couple of mock drafts, but some mocks have him as low as 45. Picking him at 21 is a reach and he likely won’t fall to the Jazz at 52, but if Utah moves back in the first or forward in the second, he could very well be a target.