Kennard honored as Parade Prep NPOY

[Olympic Fan]

Third straight year that a Duke recruit has won this honor. I know it's not necessarily that predictive (it's designed to honor the top high school player, not the best college or NBA prospect) -- Okafor obviously had a huge impact, Semi didn't. Still, a great honor for the kid:

Kennard Named Parade National Player of the Year



Ingram Joins Kennard on Parade All-America Team


DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke incoming freshman Luke Kennard was named the Parade National Player of the Year Friday, while Brandon Ingram joined him on the outlets All-America team.



Kennard is the third straight Duke recruit (Jahlil Okafor - 2014; Semi Ojeleye - 2013) to earn Parade National POTY honors, while he and Ingram are the 76th and 77th Blue Devil commits to receive Parade All-America accolades.



Kennard, a two-time Mr. Basketball selection from Ohio, concluded his career at Franklin High School ranked No. 2 in the state with 2,764 points. As a senior, he averaged 38.4 points per game, 10 rebounds and five assists while leading his team to a 26-2 record. Kennard, a 4.3 GPA student, shot 89 percent from the free throw line, 49 percent from three-point range and 59.3 percent from the field overall. He scored 50 points in a game five times this year, and his team went 86-11 in his four years at the school.



Ingram averaged 24.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, while leading Kinston High School to its fourth-straight North Carolina 2A state title. The five-star wing’s strong high school career earned him top-five rankings across each of the major recruiting services, including the No. 3 spot by ESPN.com.



Ingram joined Kennard in both the McDonald's All-American game and at the Nike Hoops Summit. The 6-foot-8 small forward served as the second-highest scorer for the West in this year’s McDonald’s All-American game, netting 15 points on 6-of-11 (.545) shooting from the field. Ingram also added five rebounds and two steals in the contest. He scored 12 points on 5-of-6 (.833) shooting from the field for the 2015 USA Basketball Junior National Select Team at the 18th annual Nike Hoop Summit.



Kennard and Ingram help comprise the top-rated recruiting class in the country. They are joined in the incoming class by fellow McDonald's All-America selection Chase Jeter, five-star point guard Derryck Thornton, center Antonio Vrankovic and forward Justin Robinson.

[MChambers]

Time to start the Luke Kennard NBA draft vigil?

[gam7]

It seems so strange to me that Parade Magazine of all publications (a) even selects a prep all-american team, and (b) people pay attention to it. Does Parade even have a dedicated sports writer, let alone a college/prep sports specialist? I'm not saying people shouldn't hold it in high regard. I mean, it's a nice honor, but it's just odd. Kind of like the Michelin Guide rating restaurants (although I do know how that phenomenon came to be).

[DukeFanSince1990]

Third straight year that a Duke recruit has won this honor. I know it's not necessarily that predictive (it's designed to honor the top high school player, not the best college or NBA prospect) -- Okafor obviously had a huge impact, Semi didn't. Still, a great honor for the kid:

Kennard Named Parade National Player of the Year



Ingram Joins Kennard on Parade All-America Team


DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke incoming freshman Luke Kennard was named the Parade National Player of the Year Friday, while Brandon Ingram joined him on the outlets All-America team.



Kennard is the third straight Duke recruit (Jahlil Okafor - 2014; Semi Ojeleye - 2013) to earn Parade National POTY honors, while he and Ingram are the 76th and 77th Blue Devil commits to receive Parade All-America accolades.



Kennard, a two-time Mr. Basketball selection from Ohio, concluded his career at Franklin High School ranked No. 2 in the state with 2,764 points. As a senior, he averaged 38.4 points per game, 10 rebounds and five assists while leading his team to a 26-2 record. Kennard, a 4.3 GPA student, shot 89 percent from the free throw line, 49 percent from three-point range and 59.3 percent from the field overall. He scored 50 points in a game five times this year, and his team went 86-11 in his four years at the school.



Ingram averaged 24.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, while leading Kinston High School to its fourth-straight North Carolina 2A state title. The five-star wing’s strong high school career earned him top-five rankings across each of the major recruiting services, including the No. 3 spot by ESPN.com.



Ingram joined Kennard in both the McDonald's All-American game and at the Nike Hoops Summit. The 6-foot-8 small forward served as the second-highest scorer for the West in this year’s McDonald’s All-American game, netting 15 points on 6-of-11 (.545) shooting from the field. Ingram also added five rebounds and two steals in the contest. He scored 12 points on 5-of-6 (.833) shooting from the field for the 2015 USA Basketball Junior National Select Team at the 18th annual Nike Hoop Summit.



Kennard and Ingram help comprise the top-rated recruiting class in the country. They are joined in the incoming class by fellow McDonald's All-America selection Chase Jeter, five-star point guard Derryck Thornton, center Antonio Vrankovic and forward Justin Robinson.




:eek:

[duke79]

Time to start the Luke Kennard NBA draft vigil?

LOL, LOL......Let's wait a few weeks until he is (at least) officially enrolled at Duke

[jimsumner]

It seems so strange to me that Parade Magazine of all publications (a) even selects a prep all-american team, and (b) people pay attention to it. Does Parade even have a dedicated sports writer, let alone a college/prep sports specialist? I'm not saying people shouldn't hold it in high regard. I mean, it's a nice honor, but it's just odd. Kind of like the Michelin Guide rating restaurants (although I do know how that phenomenon came to be).

They've been doing it a long time, longer than McDonalds. And they have a panel that makes the selections. Probably many of the same people who select McDonalds.

But, unlike McDonalds, they don't have a game. So, McDonald's has become the default prep A-A team.

But I am holding out hope for that Michelin Guide Prep All-America team. :)

[duke blue brewcrew]

They've been doing it a long time, longer than McDonalds. And they have a panel that makes the selections. Probably many of the same people who select McDonalds.

But, unlike McDonalds, they don't have a game. So, McDonald's has become the default prep A-A team.

But I am holding out hope for that Michelin Guide Prep All-America team. :)

Congrats to Luke, that's impressive and to Brandon as well. Job well done by those two future Blue Devils, it makes me smile! And as always, thanks for the insight Jim. I am curious about something though. How much deviation has there been historically between the Michelin Guide team and the Parade & McDonald's teams?

[Tripping William]

LOL, LOL......Let's wait a few weeks until he is (at least) officially enrolled at Duke

I agree with this completely. Because Shaun Livingston.

[Stray Gator]

. . . But I am holding out hope for that Michelin Guide Prep All-America team. :)

And the all-time leader in votes for the Michelin Guide All-American Team could only be . . .Tyler Hansbrough.

[brevity]

But I am holding out hope for that Michelin Guide Prep All-America team. :)

They kind of have one.

5150

Michelin has given high school basketball seniors the Michelin Man Award for years. I'm not sure of the criteria, but some recent winners include BeeJay Anya and Kennedy Meeks (tie, 2013); Matt Stainbrook (2010); Glen Davis (2004); Sean May (2002); Nigel Dixon (1999); Khalid El-Amin (1997); Jerome James (1995); Bryant Reeves (1991); and Oliver Miller (1988).

[Indoor66]

They've been doing it a long time, longer than McDonalds. And they have a panel that makes the selections. Probably many of the same people who select McDonalds.

But, unlike McDonalds, they don't have a game. So, McDonald's has become the default prep A-A team.

But I am holding out hope for that Michelin Guide Prep All-America team. :)

The Parade Basketball All American Team (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parade_All-America_Boys_Basketball_Team) began in 1957 - when McDonald's sold burgers in CA only and Ray Kroc was barely involved. It is probably the grandaddy of the Prep AA teams.

[Tripping William]

They kind of have one.

5150

Michelin has given high school basketball seniors the Michelin Man Award for years. I'm not sure of the criteria, but some recent winners include BeeJay Anya and Kennedy Meeks (tie, 2013); Matt Stainbrook (2010); Glen Davis (2004); Sean May (2002); Nigel Dixon (1999); Khalid El-Amin (1997); Jerome James (1995); Bryant Reeves (1991); and Oliver Miller (1988).

You forgot shooting guard Dennis Scott (1987). I suspect some on this board have the Twinkies to prove it.

[aanndd888]

I'm extremely excited for Kennard to get on campus. Obviously he'll have his freshman struggles, but you can't teach that natural scoring ability. He has a great stroke from three point range. Also, he's the type of guy who won't leave after one year, so it will be good to see how he grows during his career.