DURHAM, N.C. — Grayson Allen is returning to Duke for his senior season.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski and Allen announced the decision Tuesday, with the guard saying in a statement issued by the school that “the last few weeks have provided the opportunity for a lot of reflection and prayer.”
Allen averaged a team-best 3.5 assists during his junior season, but his scoring average was down more than seven points per game from his sophomore year. Still, he finished as Duke’s third-leading scorer at 14.5 points per game during a season spent under constant scrutiny.
The dominant storyline of Duke’s season centered around his antics: He received an indefinite suspension in December for tripping an Elon player — the third time in a calendar year that he was caught tripping an opponent.
The suspension wound up being for only one game, and when he returned, his role changed: Instead of being the primary option to score, he was asked to distribute the ball more often to freshman Jayson Tatum, sophomore Luke Kennard and the rest of his teammates.
Allen also missed a win over Maine in December with a toe injury and a loss at Miami with an injured ankle.
Allen and fellow guard Frank Jackson are the only players on the roster who averaged more than 8 minutes of court time. Tatum and Harry Giles turned pro after their freshman seasons, Kennard also entered the draft early and backup big men Chase Jeter and Sean Obi are transferring.
