The 2022 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the Trevor Keels 2022 NBA Draft Profile.
Position: Guard
Size: 6-foot-4, 223 pounds
Class: Freshman
School: Duke
2021-22 stats: 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.1 blocks per game, 41.9% FG, 31.2% 3FG, 67% FT
Keels was one of the many talented players at Duke last season. After one season in Durham, he decided to take his game to the next level.
Out of high school, Keels was a five-star prospect who decided to leave the state of Virginia to suit up for the Blue Devils. He averaged 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game during his freshman campaign. Keels helped the Blue Devils reach the Final Four of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Following the season, Keels declared for the 2022 NBA Draft. He is a projected late first-round pick or early second-round pick.
Keels is one of the few prospects who doesn’t need to hit the weight room before suiting up for an NBA game. He stands at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds with a well-built frame. Keels is able to outmuscle smaller players and guard taller players because of his strength. His body already being ready for the NBA level will allow him to work on other aspects of his game early in his career.
At Duke, Keels showed the ability to play on or off the ball. He can run an offense and sets his teammates up decently. Keels can also operate the pick and roll. He can get to the basket for himself or get mid-range jumpers. With Malcolm Roach running the point at Duke sometimes, Keels was able to stay active and hit some catch and shoot 3-pointers.
Defensively, he is a threat to get steals, as he sneaks up on players with the ball. His ability to jump passing lanes or pick the pocket of a player is very good. Continuing to produce on the defensive end of the floor when he gets to the NBA could be the easiest path to regular playing time.
Keels is not a consistent enough shooter for the NBA level. He shot just 31.2 percent from deep at Duke. To go with that, he was only able to shoot 67 percent from the free-throw line. Keels showed some ability in catch-and-shoot situations, but there were plenty of dry spells in his shooting. Becoming a consistent deep threat can help him stay on the floor longer in the NBA.
While having the versatility to play on or off the ball is a strength, it also highlights a potential problem. He likely doesn’t have the skills to be a full-time point guard at the next level and didn’t get used as such at Duke. For an off-ball player, he will be a little shorter than other players he could be matched up with.
He has the athleticism to be a solid defender, but he needs to stay locked in. His footspeed isn’t the greatest, but he can use his strength to his advantage. Staying in front and fighting to get around screens will help him be a much better on-ball defender and not just a defender who has an upside with steal production.
Projected Draft Range: Late First Round Pick-Early Second Round Pick
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