NBA Draft 2017 Prospect Watch: Luke Kennard
One of the best shooters in college basketball a year ago, sophomore guard Luke Kennard has a lot of game he can bring to the table in the NBA.
Who is Luke Kennard?
A top-25 recruit across three of the major sites (ESPN – 24, Rivals – 25, Scout – 22), Luke Kennard came into his own during his sophomore season at Duke to assert himself as one of the country’s best young players.
During his senior year in high school, Kennard dropped over 50 points in five games en route to putting up 38.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. But in addition to basketball, Kennard was a three-year varsity quarterback in Franklin, Ohio, even being awarded the 2013 Offensive Player of the Year in Division II in his state.
In his freshman season at Duke, Kennard was a solid player. He held averages of 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. This past season, though, Kennard exploded on to the scene, starting 36 of 37 games for the Blue Devils and becoming an elite shooter from three-point land.
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After just shooting just 31.8 percent from three as a freshman on 4.8 attempts per game, Kennard shot a scorching 43.8 percent as a sophomore on 5.4 attempts per game. This improvement in consistency from deep made him an incredibly versatile scorer both beyond the arc and inside, which led him to nearly 20 points per game on the season.
As a reward for his play in 2016-17, Kennard was named to the second team All-America in addition to being a unanimous choice for the All-ACC team. In regard to his future in professional basketball, Kennard declared for the NBA Draft on April 6, and is regarded as a first round prospect.
He is listed at 6’6″ with a 6’5″ wingspan and will turn 21 years of age just two days after the NBA Draft.
| Season | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 2P% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 37 | 35.5 | 6.4 | 13.1 | .490 | .527 | 2.4 | 5.4 | .438 | 4.3 | 5.1 | .856 | 5.1 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 19.5 |
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
| Season | PER | TS% | eFG% | 3PAr | FTr | PProd | TRB% | AST% | TOV% | USG% | WS/40 | OBPM | DBPM | BPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 24.4 | .630 | .581 | .415 | .386 | 673 | 8.2 | 13.6 | 9.3 | 24.0 | .218 | 8.4 | 1.2 | 9.5 |
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table