Who is the best player on Duke?

We’ve reached the Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament and this is typically the part where raw talent starts to win out for the teams left standing.

The teams left in the field all have talented players who player a critical role but every team has that one go-to guy that they wouldn’t be here without. Here, we’ll take a look at the best player for the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils.

Duke’s best player: PF Paolo Banchero

Banchero will go down as the final elite power forward to play for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke. The 6’10”, 250-pound force was a consensus five-star prospect out of Seattle and made a considerable impact in his first year with the Blue Devils.

He has averaged 17 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, helping Duke post a 30-6 record up to this point. His skills have earned him ACC Rookie of the Year honors and the status as a consensus Second-Team All-American.

From an NBA Draft standpoint, some experts had him going as high as No. 1 overall heading into his freshman year. While he has moved a few spots down the board, he’s still projected as a top-five pick this June.