Where Duke NBA prospects stand ahead of this week's draft

Annually, Duke basketball has become a staple of the NBA Draft. In fact, the Blue Devils supply as much talent to the Association as almost any program in the country.

The NBA Draft has been a two-round affair since 1989. Overall, the Blue Devils have had 55 players taken in the first round. That includes 30 lottery picks.

What's more, in 12 of the last 13 years, a Duke player has been taken in the first round. The exception was in 2020.

Many will look back on the 2022 Duke class as being one to remember. That year, four Blue Devils (Palo Banchero, Mark Williams, AJ Griffin Jr., and Wendell Moore Jr.) were all taken in the first round.

This year, there won't be as many Duke products in the draft. In fact, only two Blue Devils, Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski will expect to be selected.

Jared McCain seems likely to keep Duke's first-round streak alive

Of the two Duke draft hopefuls, guard Jared McCain seems to be the most likely to be a first-round pick. After opening eyes in the NCAA Tournament, he's now projected to be a mid-to-late first-round selection.

NBAdraftroom.com has him slotted at No. 18 to the Orlando Magic. Were that to happen, he would be teammates with Banchero on a young up-and-coming squad.

According to their analysis, McCain is, "A sweet-shooting combo guard with a smooth game. Doesn’t have elite athleticism but has big time skills and is a great decision maker on the court. His 3-point shooting sets him apart but he’ll have to improve as a driver/finisher."

Meanwhile, TheSportingNews.com has a bit higher of a projection for McCain. They see him being taken 12th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder (after the Thunder trade with Houston).

Of McCain, they write, "He is a connective playmaker who can play on or off the ball with a skill set that should seamlessly translate to the NBA.  Even though he is only 20 years old, McCain plays with poise and confidence that is beyond his age, making him a strong fit for an OKC team that is ahead of schedule."

Kyle Filipowski might be a bordeline first-round pick

Duke's star forward in 2023-24, Kyle Filipowski, seems to have an NBA skillset. At 7 feet, he can score inside, put the ball on the floor, and hit from outside.

However, projections have him as a late first-round or second-round pick. That just shows how big the jump is from the college game to the NBA.

The Sporting News sees him going No. 29 overall to the Utah Jazz late in the first round after the Jazz trade with Oklahoma City.

"Filipowski's draft stock took a bit of a hit after a plateauing sophomore season," they write, "but this would be a great value pick this late in the first round. 

"The Duke star is a floor-stretching big man who can pick and pop, score with his back to the basket, handle and pass. If he can shoot the 3-ball with more consistency, he might project as a better NBA player than a college player."

NBA Draft Room also sees Filipowski as a late first-round pick going at No. 28 to the Denver Nuggets. That would put him as an understudy to reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

Their analysis of Filipowski says, "An excellent shooter and overall offensive talent with good passing vision for a 7-footer. Rebounds the ball well but can also get pushed around inside and will have to toughen up on defense."

It will be important for Filipowski to find his way into the first round. That's because in the NBA, only first-round picks receive guaranteed contracts.

The NBA Draft takes place on Wednesday, June 26, and Thursday, June 27 in Brooklyn, New York. It can be seen on ABC and ESPN.