5 things to know about Franklin’s Luke Kennard

Luke Kennard dribbles toward the basket Oct. 30 during Duke’s 112-68 exhibition victory over Florida Southern at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C.

Luke Kennard dribbles toward the basket Oct. 30 during Duke’s 112-68 exhibition victory over Florida Southern at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C.

Duke faces Troy tonight in a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament.

For many in the region, that means a chance to see Franklin native Luke Kennard take the court for the Blue Devils.

“He’s just one of those kids who is easy to root for,” said Brian Bales, a Franklin High School graduate and its boys basketball coach and athletic director. “He comes from a great family and people like rooting for him.”

MORE: Franklin ‘couldn’t ask for better ambassador’ than Luke Kennard

Here are 5 things to know about Franklin’s Luke Kennard:

1. He was a two-time Ohio's Ohio Mr. Basketball at Franklin High School

A file photoof  Luke Kennard’s Franklin High School days.

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2. He finished his high school career with 2,977 points, second most in state history

In this 2015 file photo, Franklin’s Luke Kennard stands next to one of the signs that have been installed on roads entering the city.

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3. He was a standout high school quarterback until he quit to concentrate on basketball

Luke Kennard #5 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after hitting a three point shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the Semi Finals of the ACC Basketball Tournament at the Barclays Center on March 10, 2017 in New York City.

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4.At Duke, his scoring average jumped from 11.8 as a freshman to 20.1 as a junior

In this 2015 file photo, Luke Kennard sits with young basketball players during an event at Kingdom Sports Center in Franklin. 

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5. One scouting service has Kennard as the No. 20 overall pick in the NBA draft

In this 2015 file photo, Franklin’s Luke Kennard, right, and Reds third baseman Todd Frazier smile after Kennard threw a ceremonial first pitch. 

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