Grayson Allen has helped lead his Southern Stampede AAU team to seven straight wins where they'll advance to the EYBL Finals know as the Peach Jam this July in Augusta, South Carolina. Most recently, Allen attended the NBAPA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Virginia where he competed against some of the nation's top collegiate prospects. Blue Devil Nation caught up to the future Dukie and he shared how the recruiting process went down in detail. He also gave us his thoughts on his most recent camp experience and how it helps him moving forward, not to mention his rooming with another key Duke target Kavon Looney and what the staff has him working on. What I learned about Allen was that he's athletic. Standing around 6-3, he competed in an impromptu dunk contest and took off from the free throw line to flush one down. He has a good and improving handle is unselfish despite his ability to score. Anyhow, check out our latest interview from the NBA Top 100 Camp and join BDN Premium to read all of our past articles and the many to come.
What do you feel like you have learned or will take with you moving forward from this camp?
That it's tough competition. Every time down the court you can't just make a play and shoot it yourself. You definitely have to get your teammates involved and there are really good post men down low so you have to feed them. But mostly, you learn how to be professional on and off the court and you focus on how to carry yourself.
Wow! You rolled that right out and seem quite humble as well.
Yes sir. My parents instill in me to stay focused and humble.
Your tweets seem to reflect that you have a religious up bringing.
I was born and raised in a Christian home, so pretty much everything I see is what God has blessed me with. So I just perform on the platform given to me by him to show others Christ.
So when did Duke actually offer you and what was your reaction at the time to that?
Last summer, about April and then they saw me play in July. Coach Nate James came to my high school two or three times and watched me play and I stayed in contact with him after that. They called and set up an in home visit and I felt like we hit it off then.
How soon did you know after the offer you wanted to go to Duke?
When they scheduled the home visit I had a feeling that [private] the offer was going to come. So when it did come I had already thought about it a lot. Coach K, Coach Wojo and Coach Capel being in the house and the fact I had already thought about it a lot and after sitting and talking with them it was an easy decision. I just had a feeling Duke was where I wanted to go and after thinking and praying on it, I made the call.
Have you heard from the staff of late?
Yeah. I text Coach Wojo and Coach Scheyer.
So Jon Scheyer is getting involved already?
Yeah, yeah.
Are you happy to see a former Duke shooter on the staff now?
Oh yeah. It's gonna be cool. He's still a young guy and he was obviously a great player at Duke, so I feel like I can learn a lot from him.
Once in the fold, the staff will tell their future players what to work on. Can you share any of that with us?
They want me to work and try to be a lock down defender and guard multiple positions including the one, two and possibly the three because I will really have to do that at the next level while keeping an aggressive mind-set.
Let's talk about the impromptu dunk contest you guys had in between drills. You took off from the free throw line and flushed a dunk down. Can you talk a little bit about that?
It feels really good. (grinning) All I can say is that it was God-given because my parents weren't big athletes or anything. My Dad played a little football and basketball.
Is it me or do you have some big feet?
[Laughs] Yes.
I didn't know if it was just my vision or the yellow sneakers you were wearing.
Big feet and hands. I wear a size 16 shoe.
Wow! Does that mean you're still growing?
Yeah, that's what the doctors tell me. I have had some problems with my left knee. That's the knee I jump off and the doctor said it's (I tried to transcribe what it was called but never quite got the translation), so he thinks I could be 6-6 but I could be full-grown, I don't know for sure.
Will you be attending any skills academies? What are your plans for the rest of the summer?
I'm going to the Kevin Durrant one for sure. I will be going to the Peach Jam and the Super Showcase and then I am not sure what my team will be doing. We have a free week, but it's a live period for the college coaches so we'll do something.
The following are some additional comments when another site entered the interview -
On what he's currently working on ...
Right now, I continue to work on my ball handling and consistency on my shot. I had a little bit of an off weekend, so I need to work on consistency there. As a ninth grader I had that kind of chicken wing shot.
On playing with some NBA types ...
You might watch some of these players on T.V. and think I can take them, I can take them but being out here with them is a reality check. They are way, way, way ahead of us and we have a lot of work to do.
On his impending workouts ...
When I get a little bit of free time this summer I already have trainer and a workout program to start on and lift some weight to prepare for the next level and college.
On rooming with Kavon Looney ...
I've been in his ear a little bit concerning Duke, we talked about it some.
You said yesterday, you were trying to be low key.
Yeah, he's a great player who can stretch out the defense.
Thanks for your time.
Yes sir. Thank you.
Talk about this interview on the BDN Premium message board where I give my analogy on his game. [/private]
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