The latest Duke Chronicle player preview is of Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell.
Blackwell chose Duke over UCLA, Illinois, and Louisville. At Wisconsin last season, he averaged 19.1 ppg, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He also shot 85.9 percent from the line, which is a nice added bonus.
Blackwell joins a talented backcourt with Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, and Deron Rippey. You could probably include Dame Sarr and Bryson Howard to at least a limited extent, although their skills will help the frontcourt as well.
Yet he’s good enough to earn his minutes.
From the Chronicle: “The 6-foot-5 guard became a star during his time in Madison, Wisconsin, ending his Badger career with an impressive 1,505 career points — 11th in program history. Having recorded 24 career 20-point performances and five 30-point games, Blackwell will certainly elevate Duke’s offensive capability on the floor. The Cameron Crazies could even expect a boost to Blackwell’s productivity as he now finds himself surrounded by the elite talent that head coach Jon Scheyer has attracted. With past experience as a leader on a competitive Big Ten team, the senior should adjust nicely to the fast pace of ACC basketball.”
Another nice bonus about Blackwell is that he has demonstrated an instinct for the clutch. He really came through for Wisconsin last season. It’s hard to imagine that he won’t earn his minutes.
Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line