Duke basketball: The most lethal defensive lineup next season
By Matt Giles
Duke basketball’s lethal defensive lineup: Jaylen Blakes at point guard
Blair (N.J.) point guard Jaylen Blakes is a four-star high school senior who committed to the Blue Devils on April 20 and then signed his national letter of intent a week or so later. Although the 6-foot-2, 195-pound is the lowest-ranked of the incoming Duke basketball freshmen at No. 102 on the 247Sports 2021 Composite, there’s no denying his go-go-gadget arms and hawkish style.
He probably won’t see many starting nods next season. That said, taking into account his highlights and various scouts’ takes, Blakes appears to boast enough wherewithal and passion to edge out sophomore-to-be point guard Jeremy Roach in this proposed defensive-minded lineup.
Sure, Roach is likely to improve upon his 2020-21 campaign. Yet bear in mind that the former five-star recruit snagged less than one steal per game last season despite averaging 27.4 minutes.
Plus, consider that Blakes must have become a Blue Devil with the understanding he’ll have to fight for playing time. Judging from his recent interviews, he seems willing to make his mark on the defensive end. And that mindset, of course, has proven over the years to be the quickest way to get on Mike Krzyzewski’s good side.