Grading each Duke basketball player’s performance in season opener

Grading the play of Duke basketball freshman Jalen Johnson

The stat line of Jalen Johnson vs. Coppin State: In 35 minutes on the court, the freshman forward finished with 19 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, zero steals, four blocks, seven turnovers, and two fouls while shooting 8-for-8 from the field, including a 1-for-1 mark from the beyond the arc, plus 2-for-2 from the charity stripe.

The evaluation of Jalen Johnson vs. Coppin State: Jalen Johnson is as advertised — and then some. In fact, judging from his first college game, it seems that those who rank recruits seriously dropped the ball by letting the 6-foot-9, 220-pound five-star out of Wisconsin drop to No. 13 on the 247Sports 2020 Composite.

He can handle and dish the ball like a point guard. He can disrupt opponents on the perimeter and block shots down low like a premier small forward. Finally, Johnson can obviously snag rebounds and deliver exclamation-point blocks like a seasoned center.

Johnson’s athleticism, confidence, and finishing ability were on full display on Saturday. As a result, he now joins a Duke basketball legend, Danny Ferry, as the only Blue Devils who can say they ever tallied at least 19 points, 19 rebounds, and five assists in a game. And by taking only high-percentage shots, Johnson exhibited impressive patience for a heralded rookie making his debut.

Now, all Johnson needs to achieve bonafide one-and-done stardom in Durham is to cut down on the turnovers, which should happen as the college game slows down for the multifaceted sensation.

The final grade for Jalen Johnson vs. Coppin State: 95 (A)