5. Grayson Allen, Duke
Grayson Allen has had an interesting journey during his collegiate career. He was a Player of the year Finalist during his sophomore campaign two years ago – a season in which he averaged 21.6 points per contest on 46.6 percent shooting.
Since that year, Allen has (tried to) shed the label of being a troublemaker on the court, playing a key role in helping the Duke Blue Devils finish with a 26-7 record. On the down side, Allen’s numbers have dipped a bit from two seasons ago, as he averaged 15.7 points per game on 42.9 percent shooting from the field and 37.7 percent from 3-point range.
Additionally, Allen doesn’t possess the ideal size for a player at the 2-guard position. Although he converted over 85 percent of his free throws, he only attempts 3.5 per contest.
On the plus side, Allen is a versatile scorer who excels in catch-and-shoot situations as well as off the dribble. He isn’t known for being a guy who plays above the rim, but there have been occasions in which he has thrown down a dunk or two on the opposition.
Similar to Markkanen, if given any room, he knows how to make the opposition pay. Although Marvin Bagley III (21.1 points and 11.5 rebounds per contest) has gotten a lot of attention and will more than likely be top-five pick, don’t be surprised if Allen elevates his game to another level as the Blue Devils prepare to make another deep postseason run.