The best player at the Nike Global Challenge in DC last weekend was probably Tyus Jones, who most believe is the No. 1 recruit in the country. The co-MVPs of the event were Stanley Johnson and D’Angelo Russell. Johnson is the second-coming of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a 6-foot-5 junkyard dog that can play the point and can defend all five positions. Russell is a dynamic lefty that can score with the best of them when he gets into a rhythm.
As good as those three are, the best NBA prospect may actually be either Kelly Oubre or Rashad Vaughn, who are both 6-foot-6 wings that can score in bunches and project as two-guards in the league.
Perhaps the most intriguing player in the event, however, was Duke-bound Grayson, a 6-foot-3 wing from Jacksonville. He threw down a couple of dunks in traffic, had a couple of swooping finishes at the rim and spent the three days burying three after three.
Now, there are some things that Allen needs to work on in refining his game. He needs to be more aggressive, as he’s too talented to let the game come to him as often as he does. He also needs to develop his mid-range game, as his handle could use some work and he needs to learn to make a floater to avoid charges in the ACC.
Allen is a white guard that’s headed to Duke, which means that if he lives up to his potential, he’s got a chance to be an all-conference caliber player and one of the most hated athletes in the country.
But Allen is a different breed than the Jon Scheyers and Greg Paulus’s of the world.
It will be interesting to see who Duke brings back after next season, because a lineup where Allen teams with Rasheed Sulaimon, Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood would be fun.
(Image via Hoopmixtape)
You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.