ESPN released a list of its 100 best NBA draft prospects on Friday morning, and two Blue Devils appeared in the top 20.
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, two of the network’s leading NBA draft scouts and analysts, ranked Jared McCain as the 15th-best prospect in the class and Kyle Filipowski as the 20th.
McCain, the freshman who shot better than 41% from 3-point range with Duke, earned social media praise after he excelled at the shooting drills at the combine. He’s routinely commended by scouts for his form and repeatability, earning comparisons to Steph Curry in the fluidity of his shooting motion. Despite being 6-foot-3 and right around 200 pounds, his offensive skill makes him enticing anyway.
“Teams view McCain as the type of player who should be able to compensate for his average size and athleticism with skill and versatility in the long run,” Woo wrote.
Filipowski, the 7-footer who made the Second Team All-American squad last year, averaged nearly three assists last season and shot almost 35% from 3-point range. That skillset means he’s a lock for the first round despite questions about his frame and pre-draft workouts.
“Some teams have expressed skepticism after uneven showings in combine drills and private interviews,” Givony wrote. “Every NBA team is looking for a 7-footer who can handle, pass and space the floor while displaying defensive versatility, something that was on display all season at Duke.”
The NBA draft begins on June 26.