Duke Basketball: 10 biggest storylines heading into 2020-21 season

6. Future of Joey Baker with Duke Basketball

I have to admit, if you told me which player from Duke would transfer this offseason, I wouldn’t have guess O’Connell. But rather Joey Baker, a former top-35 overall prospect with a reputation of being a sharpshooter wing. Yet so far, things haven’t worked out in a great way.

Baker basically had to burn a redshirt season in 2018 after Zion Williamson got hurt the team needed him potentially to play. But he barely got onto the court and wasted a whole year of eligibility. The 6’7 forward did play this past season but only 12 mpg and averaged five points a night. Outside of the 22-point effort against Wofford, there weren’t many bright spots for him.

Baker’s elite three-point shooting (39% on 71 attempts) will make him an asset on next season’s roster. With the current shooting concerns among the perimeter players, there will be a need for Baker to play on the wing and be able to spread the floor. But in order to stay on the court outside being just a specialist, he’ll have to help rebound and defend at a proficient level. Of course, improved shooting by Moore will hurt Baker’s future minutes as well.

Likely as a reserve player, Baker will have to take advantage of any opportunity that comes his way. Now as an upperclassman, his experience will be valuable off the court and warrant him minutes on the court. But as a former top-40 talent, I’m sure the forward expected more when he committed to Duke. If the production/minutes don’t increase as a junior, Baker may end up in the portal himself.