North Carolina had Brady Manek. Kansas has Remy Martin. And almost every team that made it into the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight has had at least one, and sometimes several, key players in key roles who started their careers at other schools.
As with the beginning of the One-and-Done era, Duke has balked at using the NCAA transfer portal for anything more than secondary parts, but the coming season will test that practice and should change the approach.
Unlike previous seasons when Duke moved in Theo Johannes, patrick band, and other role players, there is a convergence of needs and opportunities in Durham for a number of high-level players. In the past, Duke could only offer the role of a projected reserve. Not since Seth Curry and Rodney Hood Was there an opening (and need) for a player to come in and be one of the team’s top options?
And as every year, players are already reaching out to Duke to let the Blue Devils know they’re interested in joining the program and proving they can perform on college basketball’s biggest stage.
Looking at Duke’s projected roster at this very early stage, the Blue Devils currently sit with the following projected depth chart:
PG – Jeremy Roach (Jr.), Jaylen Blakes (In order to.)
SG Jaden Schuett (Fri.)
SF – Dariq Weisskopf (Fri.)
PF – Kyle Filipowski (Mrs.), Mark Mitchell (Mrs.)
C – Dereck Lively II (Mrs.), Christian Reeves (Mrs.)*
*- Reeves is expected to be a red shirt
That’s a lot of talent on paper with five former five-star prospects and two four-star players, but also a squad that lacks experience.
and depth.
While Schutt is considered one of the best three-pointers in the country, how quickly will he adapt to the rigors of ACC basketball? The 6-foot-5 Illinois shooting guard could certainly surprise, but you’d be hard pressed to find a recruiting analyst who thinks he’ll be ready for starting minutes at Duke next November.
Similarly, Christian Reeves is considered a big man with a long-term project who could make his way into the rotation in a year or two but is unlikely to play as a red shirt in the 2022-23 season.
Those two situations leave Duke with a planned six-man rotation led by Roach, four freshmen and potential Blakes who, as mentioned above, haven’t played this season.
Given the projections, Duke will most likely be in the market for at least two guards — one a starting caliber shooting guard and another capable of hitting and handling the ball in a combo guard role. Duke also needs to find at least one other post player who, like John this season, is willing to challenge the two freshmen on a daily basis and who could deliver spot minutes within the rotation.
Of course, finding these three players is easier said than done. And Duke needs to balance the idea of short-term and long-term gain. Having already received commitments from three five-star recruits beginning in 2023, Duke will likely be looking for players who can step in and contribute, but also fit into the program’s anticipated roster builds going forward. An ideal transfer candidate would still be eligible to play for several years, but would also be a high-quality player who could not only make a contribution but become one of the team’s most reliable producers.
Finding pieces like this will be difficult, but as we’ve seen in the college basketball universe this season, it’s certainly possible. Duke (and Scheyer) just have to dive in.