College Basketball Transfer Portal: 5 sleepers Duke should target

Clifford Omoruyi and Brandon Garrison should be top targets for Duke in the transfer portal
Clifford Omoruyi and Brandon Garrison should be top targets for Duke in the transfer portal.

The Duke Blue Devils set their sights on next season after falling to NC State in the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Coach Jon Scheyer continues his quest for his first national championship since taking over for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski in 2022.

Duke will have some big names on the way out but has the nation's top recruiting class this year. With the new freshmen making their way onto the team, they could also need to resort to the transfer portal to find some veteran leadership they can bring to a young team.

Here's a look at five options the Blue Devils could target in the transfer portal.

Also read: Jeremy Roach transfer portal: Top 5 landing spots for Duke guard ft, Kentucky


Sleeper transfer portal targets for Duke

#1, Clifford Omoruyi

Rutgers vs. Maryland
Rutgers vs. Maryland

Rutgers center Clifford Omoruyi could be a great target for the Blue Devils as an experienced big man with size, athleticism and rim protection. The Blue Devils need to look for talented frontcourt players who aren't as ball-dominant.

Omoruyi has played four seasons at Rutgers and has shown his effectiveness as a rebounder and rim protector. He averaged 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks last season. He has the potential to be a double-double machine and an intimidation factor inside the paint.


#2, Jonas Aidoo

Texas vs. Tennessee
Texas vs. Tennessee

Tennessee forward Jonas Aidoo would be a perfect fit at Duke next season. The Blue Devils need to add size and someone who can serve as a replacement for Kyle Filipowski.

Aidoo has shown his ability to score, rebound and rim-protect during his three seasons with the Volunteers. He averaged 11.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 1.8 bpg last season, which were all career highs for him.

Aidoo is also a native of Durham, North Carolina, so another appeal for him to play for Duke could be returning home.


#3, Nick Pringle

Grand Canyon vs. Alabama
Grand Canyon vs. Alabama

Alabama forward Nick Pringle announced he would be entering the transfer portal, which drew the attention of many programs around the country. Pringle stepped up big for Alabama during the NCAA Tournament and showed flashes of extremely promising potential.

Pringle would fit perfectly on a Duke team as an athletic forward with size who doesn't need the ball in his hands to be dominant. Pringle started just 16 games last season and averaged 6.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 0.7 bpg.


#4, Brandon Garrison

Oklahoma State vs. Cincinnati
Oklahoma State vs. Cincinnati

Oklahoma State center Brandon Garrison may not have much experience on his side after just one season in college basketball, but he has a tremendously high ceiling. Garrison posted averages of 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks in 22.6 minutes per game during his freshman season.

The Blue Devils could use the size and low post ability of Garrison to help out the guard pairing of Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, along with incoming freshman forward Cooper Flagg.


#5, Amari Williams

Amari Williams is another player with decent size who the Blue Devils could bring into their frontcourt next season. The senior from Drexel has one year of eligibility remaining and could look to move to a bigger program for his final season.

Duke could be a decent fit, as Williams could ease into his role with the Blue Devils by having other ball-dominant players surrounding him as he anchors the post. Williams' numbers saw a slight drop last season, but he still averaged 12.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg and 1.8 bpg.


Who do you think Duke will target in the transfer portal? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: CBB Transfer Portal Rankings: Where will Jeremy Roach, Andrej Stojakovic and AJ Storr land?

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