Duke in the NBA: Ball Durham’s First Round Mock Draft
No. 30: Atlanta Hawks (via Houston Rockets) – Omari Spellman, PF – Villanova
Spellman was instrumental in Villanova’s run to a National Championship and his skill set should translate perfectly to the NBA. After red-shirting in his first season at Villanova, Spellman finally saw the floor last season for the Wildcats and averaged 10.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. The Hawks are in a situation where they need talent and Spellman can provide that talent to a team that desperately needs a spark. Spellman combined with the other top picks the Hawks have in this draft could generate some buzz in Atlanta.
No. 29: Brooklyn Nets – Kevin Hueter, SG – Maryland
Hueter could be the perfect fit in Brooklyn. With one season under Head Coach Kenny Atkinson’s belt the Nets have emerged as a three-point shooting team and Hueter showed that he can knock down the triple in College Park last season. Listed at 6’7″, Hueter is one of the bigger guards in this year’s draft and shot 50.3% from the field and 41.7% from deep while averaging 14.8 points per game for the Terrapins last season. Hueter could come off the bench and be an instant offense type player in Brooklyn to add more shooting to an already deep three-point shooting team.
No. 28: Golden State Warriors – Grayson Allen, SG – Duke
The college career of Grayson Allen has been well documented all over the country and he’s yet to receive the benefit of the doubt. Now heading to the NBA, Allen is looking to put his past troubles behind him and begin a career in the NBA. Allen is known for his tenacious play on the court and three-point shooting abilities. With the Warriors having to make some room to keep their stars like Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, taking Allen at No. 28 could be a major steal for the back to back champions. Also, Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala aren’t getting any younger, despite playing at a very high level.
No. 27: Boston Celtics – Moritz Wagner, C – Michigan
Moe Wagner really burst onto the scene during the Big 10 Tournament and carried that momentum all the way to the National Championship Game. The Celtics have so many guards and wings that there are too many to name, but although Aaron Baynes exceeded expectations last season, Boston still needs a solid big man to pair with Al Horford. Wagner fits the bill as a 6’11” center that can work out of the post and can also step outside and drain the three-ball. Should LeBron James leave the Eastern Conference, Wagner could put the Celtics over the top as the favorite to come out of the East.
No. 26: Philadelphia 76ers – Aaron Holiday, PG – UCLA
It has been an interesting offseason in Philadelphia, to say the least, and this pick would add more questions to the status of the No. 1 Overall pick from last season, Markelle Fultz. Fultz played in 14 regular season games last year and only seven games in the postseason. While Fultz is a bigger guard than Holiday, there is no debating that Holiday was a playmaker at UCLA. Averaging 20.3 points per game, Holiday carried UCLA to the First Four of the NCAA Tournament and could be the next great point guard in Philly if the 76ers brass isn’t sold on Fultz and Ben Simmons moves to a full-time forward position like he should.