I Hate Grayson Allen

          After the recent men's national championship game, in which Duke square off against Wisconsin, Duke-haters were given a new figure to focus their rage on: Grayson Allen. Grayson was part of the usual highly talented freshman class that Duke recruited this year. However, he never became a starter, averaging only four points per game on the season. His performance against Wisconsin did not reflect this, as he put up 16 points during crucial moments in the game to ultimately turn the tide in Duke's favor for the win. Allen has the potential to develop into a very good player over the next few years. He can shoot the ball well and also put it on the floor and drive. Many of these things combined with his confident attitude (including Duke's patented floor slap) have quickly turned him into a figure that all but the Duke fans will hate. He nay never take Christian Laettner's place as Duke's most hated player, but over the next several years he is sure going to try.


          No one but Duke likes Duke. That is just how it has been, and always will be. Chalk it up to their constant success, or image as a bunch of privileged boys coming from wealthy families. Grayson Allen, like many others coming before him, seems to fit the stereotypical image that Duke-haters view Duke in. It was different before last Monday night because he had never had any real success and struggled for playing time, but now things have changed. When Allen put up 16 points coming off the bench against a team that had just beaten undefeated Kentucky, he gained something that he had lacked all year: confidence. You could see that confidence manifesting itself throughout the game as Allen slapped the floor on defense and screamed and flexed his nonexistent muscles after an and-one. Everyone but the Duke fans were grinding their teeth as they watched this because they realized the potential for Allen to turn into a Laettner-like player. The similarities developing between the two are frightening. After Monday's game, Justice Winslow told reporters that Coach K often called Allen an "a*****e" in practice. If that doesn't sum up what Duke-haters are beginning to think of him as, then I don't know what does.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2422861-grayson-allens-title-game-shows-hell-be-next-most-loved-and-hated-duke-star