Duke basketball teammates training for NBA together

Duke basketball teammates Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams, AJ Griffin, and Wendell Moore (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Duke basketball teammates Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams, AJ Griffin, and Wendell Moore (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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A pair of Duke basketball teammates are preparing for the NBA Draft together. 

Sometimes it’s easier to stick to what you are comfortable with, and that is what two former Duke basketball players are doing.

Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore are preparing for the NBA together as the Blue Devil duo have signed with the same agency, LIFT Sports, and are working out together in preparation for the NBA Draft Combine and various team workouts.

LIFT Sports is operated by former NBA guard and former University of Memphis assistant coach Mike Miller.

Banchero is the biggest name the agency represents while former Duke commit Boogie Ellis and former Blue Devil Alex O’Connell are also represented by Miller, according to RealGM.

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The ACC Rookie of the Year was named as a consensus All-American after his only season in Durham, averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 47.8-percent from the floor and an improving 33.8-percent from 3-point range.

Wendell Moore was arguably Duke’s most important player this season as the junior captain won the Julius Erving Award, given to the best small forward in the country.

Moore posted a career-high 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest on 50.0-percent shooting.

Mark Williams, AJ Griffin, and Trevor Keels also declared for the 2022 NBA Draft from the Blue Devils.

Duke basketball stars could see different draft nights

There is still over a month until the NBA Draft, but Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore could be looking at two very different evenings.

Banchero is projected to be a Top-3 pick and be heavily in the conversation for the No. 1 overall selection following the pre-draft process.

ALSO READ: Reporter mistakes Paolo Banchero for Patrick Mahomes

Moore seems to be a very likely first-round draft pick, but the 20-year-old could slide to the back end of the first 30 picks.

The latest CBS Sports NBA Mock Draft has Paolo Banchero as the No. 1 pick to the Houston Rockets and  Wendell Moore as the No. 22 overall pick to the Utah Jazz.

The NBA Draft Lottery is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17, while the NBA Draft is slated for Thursday, June 23.

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