Duke’s Trevon Duval Declares for NBA Draft
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke freshman guard Trevon Duval has announced that he will enter his name in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Duval is the 14th Duke freshman to declare for the NBA Draft. He joins a group that includes Corey Maggette (1999), Luol Deng (2004), Kyrie Irving (2011), Austin Rivers (2012), Jabari Parker (2014), Tyus Jones (2015), Jahlil Okafor (2015), Justise Winslow (2015), Brandon Ingram (2016), Jayson Tatum (2017), Harry Giles (2017), Frank Jackson (2017), and teammate Marvin Bagley III (2018).
Of the previous 12 Duke freshmen to declare for the draft before this season, 11 have been first-round selections, including nine lottery picks.
“We wish Trevon the very best,” said head coach Mike Krzyzewski. “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.”
Duval led Duke with 207 assists, fourth all-time by a Duke freshman. His average of 5.6 assists per game ranked third in the ACC, and is tied for the third-best mark in a season by a Duke freshman. The New Castle, Del., native had four games with 10 or more assists, and had five or more assists on 21 occasions. Duval averaged 10.3 points, reaching double figures 19 times, including a career-high 22 against Portland State.
“I loved my time here at Duke and I enjoyed every second of it,” said Duval. “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.”
Duval turned it on late in the season, averaging 9.8 points and 7.2 assists in six postseason games. He scored 19 points with eight assists in the NCAA First Round win over Iona, and followed that with 20 points and six assists in the Elite Eight versus Kansas. His 4-of-5 effort from three-point range against Iona set a Duke freshman record for three-point accuracy in an NCAA Tournament game. The 11 assists he collected in Duke’s ACC Tournament win over Notre Dame were one shy of his career high.
Duke has produced at least one first-round NBA Draft pick in each of the last seven years. Coach K has mentored 35 first-round picks, including a draft-record 23 lottery selections. The Blue Devils matched a school record with four draft selections last season, including three first-rounds and two lottery picks.
