the head coach for the Duke Blue Devils Jonathan James Scheyer receive a wide suspension today…
The Duke basketball coaches appear to be promoting pure roster meritocracy. With Wednesday’s celebrated pledge from NBA Academy Africa five-star center Khaman Maluach, the Blue Devils boast six top-notch 2024 recruiting prizes. In addition, they have 11 current scholarship players with eligibility remaining beyond this year.
That totals 17. But only 13 can be on scholarship each season.
Granted, sophomore forward Kyle Filipowski is a projected lottery pick. There are several other candidates to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft in sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor, sophomore forward Mark Mitchell, and freshman guard Jared McCain.
And senior guard Jeremy Roach may opt not to use the extra year of eligibility that the NCAA granted everyone who played in the truncated 2020-21 campaign.
Meanwhile, without naming names, logic suggests a couple of current Blue Devils may seek more playing time elsewhere by entering the transfer portal shortly after this season ends.
Nevertheless, barring a surprise decommitment or two, Jon Scheyer and his assistants — the only high-major staff to neither add nor lose a scholarship talent via the transfer route last offseason — should have the luxury of practically ignoring the portal once again while other programs essentially rely upon it for their roster constructions.
