New York Knicks: 5 Reasons To Select Luke Kennard In 2017 NBA Draft

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Feb 25, 2017; Coral Gables, FL, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Luke Kennard (5) drives to the basket as Miami Hurricanes guard Davon Reed (5) defends during the first half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Scoring Versatility

Luke Kennard may be an elite 3-point shooter, but he can be categorized as a scorer. He averaged 19.5 points per game and 22.0 points per 40 minutes during the 2016-17 campaign, and he did so as far more of a shot creator than a floor spacer.

Kennard may not become a No. 1 or No. 2 scoring option for the New York Knicks, but he has the tools to develop into a player who can provide a team with instant offense.

The versatility of Kennard’s offensive game is fairly displayed by his averages of 5.1 free throw attempts per game and 5.7 free throw attempts per 40 minutes. He does an outstanding job of playing the angles, which helps compensate for his average athleticism.

Kennard can split a double team and pull up for a jump shot in perfect form, sink his floater from 10-to-16 feet, and play through contact in the paint.

Kennard does an excellent job of moving without the ball and getting his shot off quickly in catch and shoot situations (1.14 points per shot). He’s a far better ball-handler than the average NBA sharpshooter, and has side-step, step back, and spin move jump shots that all tend to fall.

It’s possible that Kennard’s scoring versatility won’t translate to the NBA and he’ll be more of a pure shooter, but he scored in a dynamic variety of ways at Duke.

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