Duke's Luke Kennard declares for 2017 NBA Draft
Star Duke guard Luke Kennard announced he will enter the 2017 NBA Draft and sign with an agent, thus ending his collegiate career, the school announced.
Named a consensus Second Team All-America following the 2016-17 season, Kennard led the Blue Devils in scoring with 19.5 points and shot 43.8 percent from behind the arc.
“After considerable reflection, prayer, and consultation with my family and coaches, I have decided to take the next step in pursuing my basketball dreams by entering the NBA Draft,” Kennard said in a statement. “Being a member of the Duke basketball brotherhood is always going to be special to me. I have nothing but love and respect for everyone in the Duke program."
The 6-foot-6 former Mr. Basketball Ohio improved on his freshman season to become the team's most consistent player as Grayson Allen dealt with his tripping incidents and a handful of prized freshmen recruits failed to pan out.
| Year | Minutes | FG% | 3PT% | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 35.5 | 48.9 | 43.8 | 19.5 | 5.1 | 2.5 |
| 2015-16 | 26.7 | 42.1 | 32 | 11.8 | 3.6 | 1.5 |
Kennard scored in double figures in 35 of Duke's 37 games this season, going over the 20-point mark on 19 occasions. His 86.7 percent free-throw rate ranks second-best in program history.
Named ACC tournament MVP this year, Kennard will look to become the seventh consecutive first-round pick out of Duke, and 33rd overall under head coach Mike Krzyzewski.