Fansided

Grayson Allen suspended indefinitely after latest tripping incident

By Dave Stevenson

Dec 21, 2016; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3) covers his head after getting called for a flagrant foul in the first half against the Elon Phoenix at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2016; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3) covers his head after getting called for a flagrant foul in the first half against the Elon Phoenix at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Duke Blue Devils have suspended star guard Grayson Allen indefinitely following his latest tripping incident 

Ever since the days of Christian Laettner, the Duke Blue Devils have been famous for having players who are fun to hate. On the 2016-17 team, Grayson Allen has fulfilled the role. He’s done it quite well too, getting under his opponents’ skin through his various antics, just as he has throughout his career. However, against Elon University on Dec. 21, Allen went a bit too far.

This was an obvious and blatant trip. Not only that, it’s the third time in two seasons Allen has tripped someone. Following the foul, he had a bit of a tantrum on the bench also.

For his actions, Allen has been suspended indefinitely by the Blue Devils.

Give credit to Mike Krzyzewski for holding his players accountable — yes, even the ones who are second on the team in scoring. Allen is averaging 16.0 points per game this season, second only to Luke Kennard’s 20.4. While he is an excellent player, his recent actions have been a bit over the top. It’s Allen’s job to annoy his opponents and it’s something he takes a lot of pride in doing. Sure, it gets you hated, but it’s a legitimate skill set and can be very valuable on the college basketball court.

Without Allen, look for the Blue Devils to turn to Frank Jackson more. The freshman guard is averaging over 10 points per game, though he hasn’t been the distributor Coach K wants him to be. With Allen out, he’ll have to learn his role as point guard on the job.

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Following their win over Elon, Duke has a 12-1 record this season. They have the depth necessary to hold Allen accountable while being able to effectively replace him. It remains to be seen how long his suspension will last.