Duke Freshman Jalen Johnson Opts Out of 2020–21 Season
Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports
Duke freshman Jalen Johnson has opted out of the rest of the 2020–21 season, according to Stadium's Jeff Goodman.
Johnson joined the Blue Devils in 2020 as the No. 13 player in the class of 2020, per the 247Sports composite rankings. He averaged 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game with Duke, shooting 52.3 percent from the field. Johnson is one of Duke's four five-star freshman in 2020–21, though sophomore Matthew Hurt currently leads the Blue Devils in scoring.
Duke has struggled mightily in 2020–21. Mike Krzyzewski's squad enters Monday night at 8–8, in danger of posting its first sub-.500 season since 1994-95. Krzyzewski and Co. logged 24 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances before the 2019–20 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Johnson is a potential lottery pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He was tabbed as the No. 8 pick in Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo's latest mock draft.
