ACC

New York Knicks select Duke’s Trevor Keels in second round of 2022 NBA draft

Duke’s Trevor Keels (1) drives as Virginia’s Kihei Clark (0) defends during Duke’s game against Virginia at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., Monday, Feb. 7, 2022.
Duke’s Trevor Keels (1) drives as Virginia’s Kihei Clark (0) defends during Duke’s game against Virginia at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. ehyman@newsobserver.com

The last Duke basketball player to firm up his NBA draft plans, Trevor Keels saw his decision to turn pro pay off on Thursday night.

After one season with the Blue Devils, the freshman guard was selected in the second round, No. 42 overall, by the New York Knicks in the NBA draft.

The 6-4, 223-pound Keels started most of Duke’s games as the Blue Devils won the ACC regular-season championship for the first time since 2010. In the NCAA tournament, Keels came off the bench as the Blue Devils rolled to the West Region championship and made the Final Four for the first time since 2015.

Having averaged 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists, Keels made the ACC’s all-freshman team and entered his name for NBA draft consideration in April. He mulled returning to school but, two hours prior to the 11:59 p.m. deadline on June 1 for players to retain their college eligibility, he opted to stay in the draft.

Keels’ selection means Duke saw five players selected in this year’s draft. That’s the most draft picks the program has produced in a single draft.

Four of Keels’ Duke teammates, Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams, AJ Griffin and Wendell Moore, were selected in the first round.

This story was originally published June 23, 2022 at 11:51 PM with the headline "New York Knicks select Duke’s Trevor Keels in second round of 2022 NBA draft."

Steve Wiseman
The News & Observer
Steve Wiseman was named Raleigh News & Observer and Durham Herald-Sun sports editor in May 2025. He covered Duke athletics, beginning in 2010, prior to his current assignment. In the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest, he placed in the top 10 in beat writing in 2019, 2021 and 2022, breaking news in 2019, event coverage in 2025 and explanatory writing in 2018. Before coming to Durham in 2010, Steve worked for The State (Columbia, SC), Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, S.C.), The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.), Charlotte Observer and Hickory (NC) Daily Record covering beats including the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, University of South Carolina athletics and the S.C. General Assembly. He’s won numerous state-level press association awards. Steve graduated from Illinois State University in 1989. 
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