Duke

Duke’s Luke Kennard heading to NBA

By Steve Wiseman

swiseman@heraldsun.com
Duke guard Luke Kennard (5) fires up a first half three pointer as South Carolina guard Sindarius Thornwell (0) defends. South Carolina upset the Blue Devils 88-81at the Second Round of the NCAA tournament Sunday, March 19, 2017, at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
Duke guard Luke Kennard (5) fires up a first half three pointer as South Carolina guard Sindarius Thornwell (0) defends. South Carolina upset the Blue Devils 88-81at the Second Round of the NCAA tournament Sunday, March 19, 2017, at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. Chuck Liddy cliddy@newsobserver.com

DURHAM -- Following an All-American season as a sophomore, Luke Kennard is leaving Duke for the NBA.

The school announced on Thursday that Kennard, a 6-5 guard who averaged 19 points per game last season, is declaring for the NBA Draft and plans to hire an agent.

"I'm confident that I'm ready and have a great foundation for success,” Kennard said in a statement.

Kennard joins freshmen Jayson Tatum and Harry Giles as Duke underclassmen who are leaving early for the NBA. All three are projected as first-round picks.

Steve Wiseman: 919-419-6671, @stevewisemanNC

This story was originally published April 6, 2017 at 2:44 PM with the headline "Duke’s Luke Kennard heading to NBA."

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