KU Basketball: Who Gets Left out of PG Musical Chairs?
By Kyle Abbott
Trevon Duval: #1 Point Guard, #5 Overall
What he brings
Simply put, Duval is a monster. He’s 6’3” or a little shorter, and has a 6’8” wingspan. He’s also a plus, plus athlete. Duval is a true lead guard with terrific ballhandling ability and has solid court vision and passing ability. He’s the best point guard in the class at getting to, and finishing at the rim. I’m not sure there’s anyone capable of keeping him out of the lane in high school or college basketball.
Duval has to improve a couple things to reach his potential. He needs to become a better decision maker, and is turnover-prone. That’s not uncommon for high school guards. Duval has a decent shot, but it’s not consistent yet. If he improves shooting, and becomes more polished as a point guard, the sky is the limit.
Where will he land?
Coincidently (or not?) Duval tweeted out his top five schools on the night of the Champions Classic, right before the Duke vs. Kansas game. His top five are Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Kansas, and Seton Hall. Duval hasn’t taken any official visits yet, though he told several outlets that he will visit all five before making a decision. He’s taken unofficial visits to three schools: Kansas, Kentucky, and Maryland. Of the three, he’s only still considering the Jayhawks.
Duval’s recruitment has been a long and winding one, but seems to have taken shape since cutting his list. Duke and Kansas have gotten the most buzz since then, and for good reason. Both are perennial powerhouses with a need at point guard. Like we said in the last slide, Duke is looking to bring in a monster class, and give the keys to either Coleman or Duval. If Coleman announces for Duke in a couple weeks, we will probably write off the Blue Devils for Duval.
Duke is also closer to Duval’s native home in Delaware, and a terrific educational institution. If Duval’s main goal is to get to the NBA, which it seems to be, then Duke has the better record than Kansas of getting point guards to the NBA. Duke has received much of the buzz lately, especially after being offered last weekend. The Duke offer should clear up any questions about Duval’s eligibility or ability to qualify, after he spent a year at non-NCAA accredited school Advanced Prep in Dallas.
What about Kansas?
Even though Duke is getting most of the buzz, and rightly so, given their recent run on the recruiting trail, Kansas is still Kansas. Bill Self has taken the KU program to new heights, and is recruiting at a high level in his own right. The Jayhawks also offer plenty of playing time. KU stands to lose both starting guards after the season. Frank Mason will graduate, and Devonte Graham seems much more likely than not to declare for the NBA Draft. Even with Malik Newman and Marcus Garrett in the fold, Kansas needs a point guard. Duval fits the bill perfectly. He unofficially visited Kansas for Late Night in the Phog this fall, and the Jayhawks are right there with Duke. Look for Duval to visit for a game at Allen Fieldhouse sooner rather than later.