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Early 2017 NBA Draft Board Projects Five Blue Devils Drafted in First Round

By Chris Brown

Dec 3, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) is introduced as one of the Duke Blue Devils starting five before the start of their game against the Maine Black Bears at Cameron Indoor Stadium. This was the first game Tatum has played in this season. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) is introduced as one of the Duke Blue Devils starting five before the start of their game against the Maine Black Bears at Cameron Indoor Stadium. This was the first game Tatum has played in this season. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports /
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Five Duke Basketball players were recently projected to be selected in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at the end of this season.

CBS Sports released their early 2017 NBA Draft Big Board, and the Blue Devils are predicted to play a major role in the next draft with five first round picks led by the talented freshmen.

Related Story: Duke Players Named Early Player of the Year Candidates

Despite missing the first eight games of the season, forward Jayson Tatum was projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The 6-8 freshman is starting to get back into shape and display his talent for the Blue Devils averaging 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game since returning.

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    • Freshman forward Harry Giles has yet to appear in a game this season, but is expected to return soon. Giles was projected to be the No. 5 pick in the next NBA Draft Lottery as a versatile forward who can dominate in the post or on the perimeter.

    Center Marques Bolden is still feeling his way in the NCAA and trying to earn playing time, but the 6-11 freshman was projected to be 19th in the upcoming draft.

    Bolden is only averaging 4.3 points and 1 rebound per game, but came in to Duke as one of the top centers in his recruiting class and will be a huge factor once he finally gets healthy.

    Grayson Allen has been limited to start the season with a toe injury, but is starting to heat up this season. He is projected to be drafted at No. 22 in the 2017 NBA Draft but after a career performance against UNLV expect his stock to rise as the season continues.

    Finally, sophomore guard Luke Kennard has become one of the most improved players in the country. After being an afterthought in the upcoming NBA Draft, the 6-6 guard has played his way to possibly being a late first round draft pick at No. 29 overall. Kennard leads the team in scoring and was named a surprise candidate for NCAA Player of the Year.

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    This list also doesn’t include other players on this year’s Duke roster with NBA talent. The draft stock for Frank Jackson and Amile Jefferson have been rising with their performance this season and both could definitely make an impact at the next level.

    We’ll have to wait to see how the rest of the season plays out to see how these draft projections change, and be sure to stay tuned to Ball Durham for all your Duke Basketball news and updates.

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