Duke basketball loses another freshman to the NBA Draft
Despite not winning like they normally do this season, the Duke Blue Devils continue to send multiple freshmen players to the NBA Draft.
Count DJ Steward as the latest player.
Steward has decided to enter his name in the draft with plans to hire an agent and end his college career.
“Playing for Duke was an incredible experience, and I thank Coach K, Jon Scheyer and the entire Duke family and staff for trusting, believing and preparing me for the next level,” Steward said in statement he posted on Instagram and Twitter. “I appreciate my teammates pushing me every day and holding me accountable on and off the court. To the Cameron Crazies, although it was a weird year with COVID-19, I will never forget the love, support and energy you showed our team. Through all the trials and tribulations, it has allowed me to become a better person and player.”
The 6-2 guard from Chicago joins Jalen Johnson as Duke freshmen to leave for the NBA this year. Projected as a first-round pick, Johnson declared in February, leaving the team and school after playing in only 13 games.
Steward doesn’t have anything near those kinds of expectations after his lone season with the Blue Devils. NBA Draft projections have him as a second-round pick, at best, after he averaged 13 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists as Duke went 13-11 this season.
“DJ had an incredible freshman season and he has so much more potential,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. “He is going to keep getting better and better and I can’t wait to watch his professional career develop.”
Incoming recruiting class
While making the ACC’s all-freshman team, Steward made 42.6% of his shots from the field, including 43-of-126 (34.1%) on 3-pointers. He scored 24 points in his Duke debut against Coppin State last Nov. 24. That was one of three times he scored 20 points or more for the Blue Devils.
“DJ will be an asset to any NBA team with an attitude and energy that make him very easy and enjoyable to coach,” Krzyzewski said. “He came in every day with a smile on his face and he represented himself, his family and our program so well. I loved coaching DJ and wish him our best as he prepares for the next step in his career.”
This is the fifth consecutive season Duke has seen at least two freshmen enter in the NBA Draft.
Steward’s departure, along with senior Jordan Goldwire’s decision to play his super senior season at another school, leaves Duke with Joey Baker, Wendell Moore and Jeremy Roach as experienced guards returning for next season’s team.
Help could be coming with the incoming recruiting class, though. Trevor Keels, Roach’s former teammate at Paul VI Catholic School in Fairfax, Virginia, will make his college decision on Friday.
The 6-5 Keels, a shooting guard, is a five-star recruit with Duke, Kentucky, Virginia and Villanova among his four finalists.
Duke has already signed two other five-star players for next season in 6-9 center Paolo Banchero and 6-7 forward A.J. Griffin.
This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 7:02 PM with the headline "Duke basketball loses another freshman to the NBA Draft."