NY Knicks: 3 Strong options for the 58th Pick
By Avishai Sol
NY Knicks – Draft prospects with pick #58: David Duke
Player comp: Norman Powell
He’s a strong, athletic combo-guard at 6’5 with a 6’8 wingspan, an off-ball switchblade who can really get moving on the break. Despite the slightly unorthodox motion, his jumpshot is reliable from downtown. He’s been near 40% from 3-point land during his time at Providence.
Duke’s got great physicality in transition, and really all the athletic tools you want from your shooting guard, only he’s not so comfortable with the ball yet. That’s what saps a lot of Duke’s deadliness as a prospect, as of now he’s strictly a complementary piece, if a strong one. Duke’s athleticism disappears with the ball in his hands. His acceleration is nixed, he turns the ball over, and he becomes much more predictable scoring.
Still a bit raw, the lack of polish around Duke’s game becomes less forgivable once you check the dates and see that he’s already 22 years old. Shouldn’t more seasoned prospects have more seasoned games? Well, maybe not in this case.
Yes, he’s older, but Duke only started focusing on basketball full-time during his junior year in high school. Before that he was running track and field, playing soccer, football, etc. So while he is older, he’s had fewer reps than the next 22-year-old Draft Prospect.
With that in mind, Duke’s developmental pace starts to look a lot more promising. His numbers ballooned his junior year, and are now sitting pretty at about 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists a game.
If the Knicks want a nice 3-and-D guy with room to grow, this would be a good value pick-up at 58. You’re not going to get an all-star out of Duke, but you could very well get a strong role player or backup.