Cassius Stanley Drafted by Pacers
The Indiana Pacers selected Duke shooting guard/small forward Cassius Stanley with the 24th pick of the second round of the NBA Draft, number 54 overall. Stanley became the third Blue Devil chosen in this year’s draft, joining fellow one-and-done freshman Vernon Carey and sophomore point guard Tre Jones, who went to the Hornets and Spurs respectively.
Stanley made a splash at Duke before the season even began, breaking Zion Williamson’s school record for vertical leap at the team’s annual preseason NBA Combine testing. He went on to average 12.6 ppg and 4.9 rebounds, earning a spot on the ACC’s All-Freshman team.
Stanley, who turned 21 in August, chose to leave after his first year at Duke. His father, a sports agent, is representing him.
Stanley had been mocked as high as the bottom of the first round, but the consensus of draft projections had him going in the second round.
Stanley is the first Blue Devil taken by the Pacers in the draft since Miles Plumlee was selected with the 26th pick of the first round in 2011. The last Duke player taken by Indiana in the second round was Thomas Hill, in 1993.
This is the fourth straight season that at least three Duke players were selected in the NBA Draft. It’s the tenth straight draft where multiple Blue Devils were drafted.
Seniors Javin DeLaurier, Jack White and Justin Robinson were also draft eligible, but none of them were selected. Duke transfer Jordan Tucker, who completed his college career at Butler, was also eligible but not drafted
