Duke Basketball Alum Boasts One of NBA's Best 3-Point Percentages

Following a three-game absence due to a groin strain, veteran guard Grayson Allen returned to action for the Phoenix Suns (13-12) in their 139-122 home loss to the New York Knicks (14-10) on Friday night. The Duke basketball product tallied 13 points without missing a shot.

Allen was 5-for-5 from the field, 2-for-2 from three, and 1-for-1 at the charity stripe, adding two rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block across his 36 minutes as a starter. Meanwhile, the Knicks' NBA Blue Devil, starting guard RJ Barrett, recorded 21 points, two rebounds, three assists, and one block in 29 minutes on the floor.

Entering Saturday's slate of NBA games, the 28-year-old Allen's 47.9 season 3-point percentage ranks No. 4 in the league and trails the marks of Phoenix's Kevin Durant and the Philadelphia 76ers' Nicolas Batum by only 0.1 percent. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace stands atop the list with his 52.0 percent.

For Allen, who got drafted No. 21 overall in 2018 following his four Duke basketball campaigns, he's on track to post a career-high 3-point percentage. The same goes for his 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game in his first year with the Suns.

In each of the past two seasons, former Blue Devil sharpshooter Luke Kennard, now with the Memphis Grizzlies, finished with the NBA's best 3-point percentage: 44.9 in 2021-22 and 49.4 last go-round.

There's a long way to go. But Grayson Allen, a volume weapon from deep at 2.3 makes per outing, has put himself in position early to have a shot at extending Duke's streak in this department.

His 40.1 career 3-point percentage sits No. 15 among active players, below two fellow Blue Devils in Kennard (No. 2 at 43.5 percent) and Dallas Mavericks guard Seth Curry (No. 3 at 43.4 percent).

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