The Blue Devils currently have a Top-20 transfer portal class after the most recent arrival.
This offseason, the Duke basketball team was looking for much more than simply talent from transfer candidates, and Jon Scheyer appears to have found it.
The Blue Devils received a commitment from Tulane guard Sion James on Friday morning, joining Syracuse center Maliq Brown and Purdue big Mason Gillis.
Prior to Jones’ announcement, Duke had the No. 45 transfer portal class in the country, according to 247Sports, but has since risen to No. 18.
Initially, the combination of Brown and Gillis placed Jon Scheyer at No. 27, but other clubs surpassed the Blue Devils after nearly three weeks without adding to their roster.
Early signs suggest that James will play an important role on Duke’s team next year, not just as a backup guard to Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, but also as another ball handler and top athlete capable of guarding several spots on the court.
Maliq Brown and Mason Gillis share some of the same attributes in their respective positions.
Despite having two open scholarships, the Blue Devils are unlikely to add any more impact players to their roster. Scheyer may provide a walk-on scholarship, as he did with Spencer Hubbard prior to the start of last season.
Duke now has the top ranked transfer class in the ACC, ahead of NC State, which is ranked 19th.
North Carolina, which has been silent in the portal despite the acquisition of Belmont guard Cade Tyson, is ranked 99th nationally and 15th in the league.
Newcomers California and SMU have higher-ranked transfer classes than the Tar Heels.
The rankings may alter as other programs conclude their transfer acquisitions, but all indicators point to Jon Scheyer performing admirably in the portal this offseason.
