Duke basketball: Player comparisons for seven incoming Blue Devils
Pick Analysis. DJ Steward. 434. Scouting Report. 6-foot-3. 165 pounds. CG. player
- No. 24 overall recruit
- No. 5 combo guard
While only standing at 6-foot-3 and 165 pounds, DJ Steward is on the smaller side for combo guards, but trust me, he makes up for that with his play on the offensive end. A McDonald’s All-American prior to the event being canceled due to COVID-19, DJ is a certified bucket-getter, able to get his shot from pretty much anywhere on the court.
Back in January, Steward dropped 40 points and the game-winning layup in a notable matchup, outdueling North Carolina commit Caleb Love, something that should have Duke basketball fans grinning ear-to-ear and is hopefully a sign of things to come.
Steward’s ability to make shots will be a necessity on a team that will likely focus more on the drive-and-kick game than in years past. He may just challenge Matthew Hurt and Joey Baker for the title of the best 3-point shooter on the team. His ballhandling and passing are underrated in my opinion, due in large part to the focus on his game being his scoring ability.
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Steward likely isn’t a liability on defense next season, but he won’t be a stalwart either. A lot of the improvement in that area of his game will begin and end with him adding on some muscle to his slender frame.
On the offensive end for Steward, I see a more efficient Tyrese Maxey of Kentucky in his game. His ability on the defensive end of the court may determine how much run Coach K gives him each game, however, largely correlating to offensive output.