Duke basketball: Grading each Blue Devil through three games
By Matt Giles
Grading Duke basketball freshman Jalen Johnson through three games
Foul trouble and turnovers. Just take those two stains out of the mix, and the result would be a bonafide Duke basketball sensation in Jalen Johnson, who is the program’s likely one-and-done forward this go-round.
Nevertheless, Johnson’s early foul trouble against Michigan State cost the Blue Devils any real chance of getting the W. And his early foul trouble against Bellarmine again curtailed his minutes, leading to his going scoreless for the game until more than 11 minutes into the second half.
As for turnovers, the 6-foot-9, 220-pound former five-star from Milwaukee is responsible for 12 of them through three games, at a rate of 6.7 per 40 minutes. Yup, as is the case with Johnson’s foul totals within the opening minutes of the past two contests, that’s way too many.
Overall, though, it’s evident Johnson is a star-in-the-making. After all, we shouldn’t discount his stellar box score — minus the seven turnovers, obviously — from the season opener against Coppin State: 19 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and only two fouls in 35 minutes of action.
He is athletic. He is rhythmic with his sure steps. He is confident with the ball in his hands at any spot on the floor. He is shooting 74.7 percent from inside the arc and 33.3 percent from beyond it, and both those percentages are probably a bit better than many anticipated. Indeed, flaws and all, Johnson remains a Grade A Blue Devil, though he does not warrant the highest grade of all…
The grade for Jalen Johnson through three games: 91 (A-)