Pair of Duke stars headlines ACC-to-NBA pipeline during first round of NBA draft
The question was never if Marvin Bagley III was going to be picked in the first round of Thursday's NBA Draft.
Rather, it was a question of: How high would he go?
The answer: No. 2 overall to the Sacramento Kings.
That makes Bagley, who averaged 21 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in his lone season at Duke, the second straight Blue Devils big man to end up with the Kings. Last year the team selected Harry Giles, the oft-injured but talented forward, with one of its first-round picks.
Bagley will also link up with another former ACC Player of the Year in Justin Jackson, who won the award in 2017 for North Carolina. In addition to ACC Player of the Year honors, Bagley was named national freshman of the year and a consensus first-team All-America. His athleticism and scoring prowess made him a highly-coveted prospect from the time he arrived in Durham, and coupled with his room for growth as a 19-year-old, he was one of the top available prospects.
But Bagley wasn't the only ACC player selected in the first round. Wendell Carter Jr., the 6-foot-10, 259-pound forward from Duke, was selected No. 7 overall by the Chicago Bulls. Carter sacrificed his own statistics to some extent in playing alongside Bagley, but his refined offensive game, basketball IQ and calm demeanor kept him in the discussion as an elite prospect. This is the third time Duke has had two players selected in the top 10 of the same draft.
The next ACC player selected was Boston College's Jerome Robinson by the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 13 overall. Robinson, who led the conference in scoring with 20.7 points per game, is from Broughton High in Raleigh.
Another ACC player chosen in the first round was Miami's Lonnie Walker IV, who went No. 18 to the San Antonio Spurs. Walker, a 6-foot-5, 204-pound guard, played a single season with the Hurricanes, but flashed enough shot-making ability and quickness to warrant a first-round pick.
After Walker, Georgia Tech's Josh Okogie was selected No. 20 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Okogie is a 6-foot-4, 213-pound guard who was named to the All-ACC third team in 2018 — his status as a prospect hinges on his defense and all-around contributions, including a propensity for steals.
And then at No. 21, Duke's controversial and polarizing guard, Grayson Allen, was finally chosen by the Utah Jazz. Allen's on-court antics have made him a heavily-criticized prospect, but his leaping ability, reliability in regards to perimeter shooting, and strength in driving to the basket still made him a sought-after prospect.
Brendan Marks: 704-358-5889, @brendanrmarks
This story was originally published June 21, 2018 at 9:53 PM with the headline "Pair of Duke stars headlines ACC-to-NBA pipeline during first round of NBA draft."