Duke Basketball Recruiting: Derryck Thornton Scouting Report

Duke fans can finally take a deep breath as Coach K has found his point guard for next season. It was unclear who was ready to take up the mantle left by Tyus Jones as he departed for the NBA. Derryck Thornton will be your starting PG next year and boy did they get a good one. Originally a member a part of the 2016 class, Thornton announced today that he is committing to Duke and will be reclassifying to the 2015 class. After digging through the depths of YouTube, here is my scouting report on Derryck Thornton and how he compares to the recently departed Tyus Jones.

Thornton is almost the exact same height as Tyus Jones, both standing at 6’1, 180 pounds. Thornton is a very rangy prospect with longer arms than what Jones has as Thornton has a higher upside for physical development. A prospect with excellent vision and court awareness, Thornton makes flashy passes look routine. He sets up his teammates exceptionally well and players should love playing with him. His ball-handling is among the elite in the nation as he changes pace fluidly.

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Thornton is a prototypical point guard who excels at fundamentals and the little nuances of the game. Tyus Jones was similar in these aspects as his intangibles were among those of a 5th year senior. It still will be determined if Thornton can carry himself the same way Jones did.

Along with having elite handles, Thornton can slash to the rim and finish with either hand at the basket. His mid-range game is solid at this point while his perimeter shot has room for improvement but his shot mechanics are solid enough to were all his shot needs are more reps. There is no reason why he cannot be an above-average outside shooter. As with most prospects at this age, he will need to develop physically in the summer months in a college weight program so that he does not get pushed around at the next level.

Thornton has improved his jumping ability as well as his athleticism. He will not wow you a la someone like Russell Westbrook as Thornton compares quite favorably to Tyus Jones in his athletic ability. At this point, Thornton is a better athlete but Jones was a better pure point guard who knew how to take advantage of the defense’s weak points.

Player Comparison: A mix of Kyrie Irving and Tyus Jones

I say that he compares to Kyrie because of his excellent handles as well as his ability to finish at the rim with either hand. Kyrie was a better shooter at this point, but Thornton also compares to Irving in terms of their athletic ability. The Tyus Jones comparison comes from his feel for the game as well as his vision. A guy that you can put your faith in when it is money time because they will always make the right decision with the ball.

If Derryck Thornton can play to the level Irving or Jones did, then Blue Devils fans will be jumping with glee as they always do inside Cameron Indoor.

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