Duke Basketball: Alex O’Connell to transfer, Devils interested in Trevor Keels
Duke Basketball loses two players and still has some roster tweaking to do heading into the 2020-21 season.
Duke Basketball heads into the offseason needing to adjust its roster with 16 players vying for 13 scholarship spots. The Blue Devils got a break in that respect with star point guard Tre Jones declaring for the NBA draft and then reserve Alex O’Connell announcing that he was going to transfer on Saturday.
O’Connell, in somewhat shocking news, will leave Durham after three seasons. O’Connell said his goodbyes to the Duke faithful on Twitter.
"“These past three years have been filled with nothing but blessings and love from Duke. However, I will be opening my recruitment and exploring other options. I want to thank all of the Duke fans and crazies as well as the Duke coaches and staff.”"
O’Connell, known for his shooting prowess, struggled this season as he made just 27.3% of his shots from beyond the arc and averaged only 1.02 points per shot. The 6-6 wing scored in double-figures six times though he concluded the season by averaging 5.2 points on 40.2% shooting from the field along with 2.2 rebounds in 29 appearances, including six starts.
Meanwhile, it is not a surprise that Jones is departing for the NBA draft. The ACC POY and DPOY flirted with the idea of declaring for the draft last year but ultimately decided to return. Which eventually proved to be a fantastic decision. Jones is now projected to be a first-round draft pick by ESPN after entering the season as an early second-round selection. But just like college rosters, the NBA Draft is fluid as it depends on who else enters, and the coronavirus could have a significant impact on the draft process.
One thing is known for sure is that Joey Baker will be back for his junior campaign. Baker, a former four-star recruit, has seen sparse action in his first two seasons though he did see an uptick in action this past year. The 6-7 small forward averaged 5.0 points a game on 41% shooting from the field and 39.4% from the 3-point line in 12.1 minutes a game. He scored in double-figures in four of his 28 games though he only saw double-digit minutes in 18 of those games. His best game came against Wofford, where he poured in 22 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-7 from long-distance, as well as 5-for-5 from the free-throw line.
With the departures of O’Connell and Jones, the Blue Devils are now down to 14 scholarship players for 2020, which includes the addition of six freshmen. But it does not appear that the shuffling of the Devils roster is complete. Presumably, Vernon Carey Jr. will also take his talents to the NBA as he is also projected to go in the first round. Cassius Stanley also could depart though he is probably is only going to be a mid-to-late second-round draft choice, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns. Wendell Moore and Matthew Hurt also could follow suit and leave for 2020 NBA Draft, but that would be a major mistake on both players’ part. However, Matt Giles of Ball Durham is reporting that Hurt may also transfer, and Jordan Goldwire could go that route as well.
Roster as it stands now
Guards: Jordan Goldwire, Mike Buckmire, Jeremy Roach, DJ Soward, Cassius Stanley
Wings/Small Forwards: Wendell Moore Jr., Joey Baker, Jalen Johnson
Big Men: Vernon Carey Jr., Jaemyn Brakefield, Henry Coleman, Mark Williams, Mathew Hurt
Duke showing interest in Grad transfers
Duke has been linked to several grad transfers this offseason. The Blue Devils lost out on Harvard transfer Seth Towns to Ohio State on Saturday, but they are still expected to be in the mix for Columbia transfer Patrick Tape. Tape was on hand for the Blue Devils game against Syracuse on Feb 1. Maryland, Ohio State, and USC also received a visit from the 6-11 center — who produced 11.3 points along with 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 2018-19.
Evan Daniels of 247Sports is reporting that the Devils have now also expressed interest in Yale Grad transfer Jordan Bruner. Bruner entered the NCAA transfer portal on March 18 and immediately heard from several schools, including Kansas, Baylor, Maryland, Xavier, and Florida State. The 6-9 forward averaged 10.9 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting 44.3% from the floor and 32.3% from beyond the arc last season. He also had nine double-doubles.
A couple of 2021 prospects talk Duke visits
Before the coronavirus took a grappling hold of the nation, Duke received visits from a couple of five-star 2021 recruits. Trevor Keels took in Duke’s win over UNC in Durham a few weeks ago while Patrick Baldwin Jr. watched the Blue Devils easily handle Virginia Tech on Feb. 22.
Keels is a consensus top 25-player in the class with Rivals and 247Sports Composite giving him a five-star ranking. The 6-5 wing holds 17 offers and has also taken a visit to Virginia and Ohio State. He took the unofficial visit to Durham with Paul VI Catholic (Fairfax, Va.), and 2020 Duke signee, Jeremy Roach.
“The environment at Duke was crazy,” Keels told Jason Jordan of Sports Illustrated. “It was even better than people say. I talked to Coach K after the game, and he was just telling me about the game plan that night and talking to me about how I’d be used there. I had a great time.”
Keels is strong physically and while he can score on all three levels, he is a handful for smaller guards o defend him. He is also a solid rebounder and passer though his defense needs to be improved.
dark. Next. Impact of Seth Towns picking Ohio State
Baldwin, the son of Wisconsin-Milwaukee coach Patrick Baldwin, is one of the Blue Devils top targets. The 6-9 small forward holds 15 offers and also has visited Wisconsin and Northwestern, with all three visits being unofficial. The consensus five-star recruit is ranked as a top-3 prospect by all the primary recruiting services.