You probably hate Grayson Allen. If you’re a Louisville or FSU fan, you definitely hate Grayson Allen. But, if you’re a Duke fan, Grayson Allen is the big man on campus. And you love it. This average-looking guy has become one of the NCAA’s most lethal scorers, and he’s going to play heartbreaker during this year’s tournament.
Wisconsin fans already know what Allen can do when the spotlight is on, as he dropped 16 points in 21 minutes in the National Championship game. He has the makeup of a super-villain, controversial, audacious, all negative-sounding adjectives, and his game will rise during the tournament this year.
When Allen was a senior in high school, we caught a glimpse of what a great athlete he was when he won the Powerade Slam Dunk contest. That athleticism allows him to get great elevation on his jump shot, and it’s even deadlier because he can shoot at all three levels. His tFG% is 68.3, good for fourth in the conference, and his three-point percentage is also top-10 at 42%
Getting to the cup off the bounce is another great piece of Allen’s game. While he’s not the biggest kid (around 6’5 and 205) he’s long and can hang in the air. When he dribbles it’s all north and south, he doesn’t dance too much and is very efficient with his handle.
Oh, and he can throw it down every once in a while.
Earlier I said how Allen was audacious, his expression on the court adds to why people dislike him so much. He has no problem fist pumping or starting at his own bench after a thunderous jam or clutch three. Something that I love seeing from big time stars.
Undoubtedly, a majority of Duke’s success in the tournament is going to related to how well both Allen and Ingram play. Regardless of how well Allen is playing during the tournament games, Coach K is going to want him to lead his team down the stretch. There’s a good chance he can make a lot of people very upset and turn into the next Christian Laettner.