In a move that should leave Blue Devils fans seeing the red, Duke’s first year star Jalen Johnson will not play for the rest of the season and is declaring himself for the NBA draft, according to a team release.
“My family, coach [K] and I made the decision not to play the rest of this season, to be 100% healthy in preparation for the NBA Draft, ”said Johnson in the statement. “It was not easy, but we feel that it is better for my future. I have nothing but love for the Brotherhood and I thank my teammates and everyone associated with the program. Duke will always have a special place in my heart and will always be a part of me. “
Classified as the 13th recruit in the country, Johnson lost just over a month to a foot injury starting in mid-December, but returned on January 12 against Virginia Tech and has appeared in every game since, so his decision choosing to leave the rest of the 2020-21 season is probably not about your health or concerns about COVID-19.
In fact, it probably has to do with the Blue Devils having 8-8 in the season and risking losing their first NCAA tournament since 1995. Also probably helping the 19-year-old’s decision is that part of the reason Duke thinks if in such a precarious position in relation to March Madness is that Johnson has been a bit of a failure.
Still projected as a lottery pick, Johnson averages just 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds in the season after announcing himself with a 19 point and 19 rebound performance against Coppin State at the start of the season.
One of the best debuts for a Duke freshman, the performance jumped Johnson into the national spotlight and made him the star of the nation’s highest profile team.
Now, thanks to the opt-out, that star has fallen and could have a big impact on Johnson’s future in the NBA.
“I don’t think it helps the way he is seen by NBA offices in any way, shape or form,” writes NBA draft expert at The Athletic, Sam Vecenie. “Right or wrong, there will be some skepticism about whether the foot injury is real or not. Rumors have been circulating since December about his severity and his maturity at Duke. Unfortunately for Johnson, the decision to quit now will be seen by some executives as an exit from an 8-8 team because it is not good enough to be worth their time. ”
While Johnson’s decision to forgo the season is justified as he is not being paid to play, there are certainly some people in the NBA who will see his exclusion as a withdrawal – which is not the best option for a young player who is already falling short expectations.
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