Duke basketball: Ranking all 27 Blue Devils in the NBA this season

Ranking Duke basketball’s NBA players this season: No. 7 Gary Trent Jr.

• Age: 22
• Current team: Toronto Raptors (26-37)
• Games played this season: 55
• Games started: 35
• Season averages: 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.2 blocks
• Shooting percentages: 41.5 from the field, 38.9 beyond the arc, 78.0 from the foul line

Former Duke basketball one-and-done Gary Trent Jr. (2017-18) bet big on himself prior to the season by turning down an extension with the Portland Trail Blazers that could have banked him more than $50 million over the next four seasons. And it looks as if the former second-round draft pick’s risk is a few months from paying off, perhaps to a considerable degree.

Now with the Toronto Raptors since the trade deadline, Trent continues to exceed expectations as the 6-foot-5, 210-pound shooting guard gears up to become a restricted free agent this summer. Increasing his scoring average by more than six points per game since last season, the Minnesota native has seen the biggest one-year jump of any Blue Devil here (was No. 19).