All-time All-ACC NBA Mock Draft
By Ynal Al-Ouri
Although he was undersized for his position, Johnny Dawkins managed to do a bit of everything whenever he took the floor for the Blue Devils. In his four seasons at the collegiate level, Dawkins averaged 19.1 points, 4.2 assists, 4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. Those are stellar numbers across the board for a guard, and he was also very efficient from the field with a career shooting clip of above 50 percent. Dawkins never let his slight frame interfere with his success, and he was a natural leader whenever he took the court with his teammates. He was certainly the main focal point on some talented Duke teams, and he has the third-most career points in the ACC, with 2558 points.
Although Dawkins seemed to be able to adjust to most situations during his college days, it will be a bit more difficult for him to match that same success in today’s NBA. He was talented and quick enough to still be able to score on most defenders, but staying consistent on the defensive end is where he may run into trouble. If he is not able to keep up with the high-flying, and ultra-deceptive guards of today, then he may have trouble remaining on the court consistently. But like many Duke players before him, he brings a polished game with loads of experience in college, which is very uncommon these days. Dawkins’ knowledge of the game and the ability to see things before they occur will be a major asset in mentoring teammates in the future.