3 All-ACC Duke players for Knicks fans to watch in March Madness

Alright, New York Knicks fans, it’s time to direct your attention to March Madness. Sure, the Knicks still have 15 games left in the regular season but at 28-40, the team’s five games back from making it to the play-in tournament. With that being said, let’s direct our attention to the future.

As usual, New York desperately needs a point guard. Rookie Miles McBride could be the answer but Tom Thibodeau hasn’t granted him a fair shot. The second-round pick in the 2021 draft has appeared in 29 games this year and is averaging 8.4 minutes.

That isn’t to say that McBride doesn’t have a future with the Knicks. However, the Knicks will have a chance to draft a point guard with their first pick in the 2022 draft. Who will that be? Or better yet, will New York even opt for a point guard?

As of right now, New York has two former Duke players on its roster in RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish. There have been “rumors” about Zion Williamson joining his fellow Blue Devils in New York but we know how those types of situations have worked out for New York in the past.

Nonetheless, there’s a chance that Duke will have two players chosen as lottery picks come June. The draft order isn’t finalized but the Knicks are currently on a two-game losing skid and if that continues, New York will jump up in the lottery rankings.

Knicks fans, let’s look at 3 Duke players that New York could pick in the 2022 draft. After all, the one that was drafted in 2019 has turned out to be pretty good, huh?

3 Duke draft prospects for New York Knicks fans to watch during March Madness.

3: SG/PG Trevor Keels

Let’s start things out with one of the top shooting guards in the 2021 class and five-star recruit Trevor Keels. If the 18-year-old isn’t a top-10 pick in the draft, he’ll go in the top-20.

Keels is averaging 11.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals in the 31 games that he’s played in for the Blue Devils. The first year is shooting 41.3% from the field and 32.1% from the 3-point line.

Could Trevor Keels help ease the New York Knicks’ point guard woes?

At six-foot-four and 221 pounds, Keels has a very strong stature for a guard and because of that, his strength is unmatched. For his size, he’s an effective ball-handler which is something that the Knicks currently lack.

The biggest thing that Keels needs to work on is his shot and free-throw shooting, which is currently 67.8% on the year. His explosiveness and ability to drive to the basket is a plus but if he wants to be a threat in the NBA, he needs to work on his jump shot form.

In his past two games with the Blue Devils, Keels has struggled to score. He shot 1-of-7 (14.3%) from the field and 0-of-4 from behind the arc in both contests.

The potential is there but his game needs to be ironed out. If New York decides to choose Keels with its pick, the Knicks will be receiving an athletic playmaker who’s a force on defense.