Luke Kennard follows Grayson Allen‘s footsteps
Before the Pistons drafted him last year, Luke Kennard was a college teammate of Duke’s Grayson Allen, arguably the biggest villain college basketball had seen since … well, since Duke’s Christian Laettner in the 1990s.
Allen was a great player (prerequisite for being a memorable sports villain) for a blue blood program, but Duke has had plenty of those over the years. What really made Allen the bad guy was his track record of allegedly dirty plays, such as tripping and taking cheap shots at opponents. His temper tantrums and reportedly punch-able face also helped him earn that reputation.
Whatever Kennard may have picked up from Allen, from Coach K, or from that campus in Durham, N.C., should he unlock it in the NBA, the Pistons would have a villain on their roster unlike any they’ve had since Bill Laimbeer during the “Bad Boys” era.
It’s not even specifically about being dirty. The point is to be polarizing. When half the crowd hates you and the other half loves you, the biggest takeaway is that you’re getting strong reactions and people are paying attention.
Take it from LeBron James, or from LaVar Ball. Polarization pays off in the sports world.