By ADAM ZAGORIA
Duke’s loaded freshmen class will yield three of the top five picks in the 2019 NBA Draft, according to the latest mock from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
R.J. Barrett is the projected No. 1 pick to Philadelphia, Zion Williamson goes No. 3 to Phoenix and Cam Reddish No. 5 to the Knicks.
Barrett and Williamson both impressed NBA personnel during Duke’s recent 3-0 trip to the Bahamas.
As for Kentucky, freshman Keldon Johnson is projected at No. 8 to Memphis, while sophomore forward P.J. Washington is at No. 21 to Indiana.
Duke and Kentucky square off Nov. 6 in the Champions Class in Indianapolis.
Syracuse and St. John’s also figure prominently in the mock.
Syracuse junior wing and New Jersey native Tyus Battle, who averaged 19.2 ppg, is now the projected No. 29 pick, while Syracuse sophomore Oshae Brissett is the projected No. 35 pick .
Darius Bazley, who committed to Syracuse and will now train for the NBA without playing organized ball, is at No. 26.
St. John’s junior Shamorie Ponds, who tested the NBA Draft waters, is projected at No. 27.
Among schools with the most projected draft picks:
**Duke has has three.
**Kansas has two with No. 7 Quentin Grimes and No. 53 Udoka Azubuike.
**Gonzaga has two with No. 14 Rui Hachimura and No. 51 Killian Tillie.
**Kentucky has two with No. 8 Keldon Johnson and No. 21 P.J. Washington.
**North Carolina has two with No. 3 Nassir Little and No. 54 Cam Johnson.
**Syracuse has two with No. 29 Tyus Battle and No. 35 Oshae Brissett.
**Maryland has two with No. 16 Jalen Smith and No. 57 Bruno Fernando.
**Western Kentucky has one with No. 18 Charles Bassey now that he has reclassified and enrolled.
