Duke Basketball: How impressive are the improvements made by Luke Kennard?
Luke Kennard is Duke basketball’s leading scorer and best player through 10 games.
On a team that features four potential NBA lottery picks, Grayson Allen, Marques Bolden, Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum, and a fifth year senior in Amile Jefferson, no one would’ve expected Luke Kennard to be the Duke Blue Devils’ best player through 10 games.
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But Kennard is not only Duke’s leading scorer, he is also one of the top contenders to win ACC Player of the Year, is a potential National Player of the Year candidate and is one of the most improved players in the entire nation through three weeks of the season.
The 6’6″, 202 pound Franklin, OH native is averaging 20.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He is also shooting an efficient 52 percent from the field, 41 percent from downtown and 88 percent from the free throw line.
Those are remarkable jumps across the board.
Kennard came to Duke as a four-star recruit who had offers from some of the elite programs across the nation. Kentucky, Indiana, Louisville, Michigan State, West Virginia and Xavier were just six of the many teams that were in the mix for the guard’s services.
But did anyone truly expect Kennard to be this good? He was ranked 24th in ESPN’s top 100 and made the McDonald’s All-American team, but he certainly didn’t have the hype of guys like Bolden, Giles and Tatum coming out of high school, or even Allen, who was a five-star talent.
Kennard had the reputation as a sharp shooter, solid ball handler and a high IQ player. However, there was no talk about elite physical attributes, athleticism and natural talent.
Even though Kennard showed flashes of brilliance in his freshman season, he never provided consistent stardom status. In 27 minutes per game, the guard averaged 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He shot 42 percent from the field, but just 32 percent from deep.
While he had six games where he scored 20+ points (one 30 point game versus Notre Dame), he also threw in some shaky outings, notably against Virginia (0 points), Syracuse (0 points) and UNC Wilmington (five points).
A year later, Kennard is playing with a much higher level of efficiency, is picking his spots on the floor and has developed his all-around game. He can take defenders off the bounce and pull up into a smooth mid-range jumper. He can finish around the rim, distribute the basketball and doesn’t turn it over.
He’s also the third best rebounder on the team at only 6’6″.
Some have questioned what will happen to Kennard’s minutes once everyone gets fully healthy in Durham. However, there is no possible way that Coach K can limit the guard’s minutes if he’s averaging over 20+ points, is shooting lights out and is the best player on the floor ever night.
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Kennard has gone from a four-star sharp shooter, to a solid freshman piece, to a dynamic sophomore who is the top current player on the overwhelming favorite to win the national title. The rise of Kennard has been incredible to watch.