2018 NBA mock draft: The NCAA season is here
Grayson Allen
G, Duke
Why can’t Grayson Allen be CJ McCollum?
Certainly, Allen will need to improve his accuracy at those shots which so many other guards avoid taking and rarely make. Yet their college numbers are wildly similar: at each player’s best, they peaked around a 9.0 offensive box plus-minus, shot over 40 percent from three, and provided enough playmaking to keep defenses honest.
Allen is confident and comfortable rising for deep threes off the bounce, an ability McCollum has watched decimate defenses through his first half-decade in the league. Simply knocking down that shot at an above-average rate is a valuable enough weapon to keep Allen in the draft conversation throughout the next seven months.
However, we know a lot more about Allen than his shotmaking. He has had (overblown and over-discussed) issues with on-court behavior, but four years at Duke ought to have had a positive impact on his demeanor as a leader and professional. It will be interesting to watch Allen go out with this year’s team full of super freshmen.