FRANKLIN, Ohio -- Luke Kennard and the Duke men’s basketball team are only at the midpoint of the season.
But the former Franklin High School standout is already being mentioned as a possible first-round pick in the NBA Draft this June.
ESPN.com draft expert Chad Fordreleased his second mock draft last week and has Kennard predicted at No. 20 to the Charlotte Hornets.
Whether or not the 6-foot-6 sophomore guard would declare is an entirely different issue. Staying at Duke would make any 2017 mock drafts irrelevant for Kennard. But the way he’s been playing shows he’s a legitimate All-America candidate for the Blue Devils (14-2).
Of course, the mock draft is just a prediction. It figures to be revised and updated several times over going into the spring.
Kennard has been impressive in workouts in front of NBA scouts. He has been compared to San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili.
"The NBA guys I think love his vision and love his skill set," Franklin coach Brian Bales told WCPO.com before the season.
Kennard averages 20.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists and has started all 16 games for Duke, ranked No. 7 nationally in the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll.
Duke plays at Florida State at 8 p.m. Tuesday before it travels to Louisville for a noon tipoff Saturday on ESPN.
