This offseason has been a stark contrast for Duke head coach Jon Scheyer compared to last year, when seven players entered the transfer portal following the team’s Elite Eight run.
Despite that major roster shakeup, Duke bounced back impressively winning another ACC Tournament title and reaching the Final Four. Notably, the Blue Devils were one of just four programs this offseason that didn’t lose a single scholarship player to the transfer portal.
While the new additions to Duke’s roster thrived, showing record levels of efficiency according to modern analytics, the same couldn’t be said for many of the players who left the program.
Of the seven who transferred out, three have already entered the portal again, two used up their eligibility, and two remained with their current teams.
Jeremy Roach and Jaylen Blakes
Former Duke captain Jeremy Roach wrapped up his college career at Baylor, though his final season didn’t go as planned. He averaged 10.0 points per game, the lowest since his sophomore year at Duke, and started just 18 of the 29 games he played. Despite high hopes and a strong supporting cast, Baylor underachieved, and Roach’s season ended with a loss to his former team in the NCAA Tournament. Now, he’ll look to begin a professional career, whether in the NBA, G League, or overseas.
Jaylen Blakes arguably had the most productive season of any recent Duke transfer. After moving to Stanford, he posted career-best numbers, averaging 13.1 points in 31.1 minutes per game, and also made academic progress. While Stanford struggled overall, Blakes delivered one of the season’s highlights with a buzzer-beating win over North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
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