By ADAM ZAGORIA
Duke freshman forward Sean Stewart announced Friday he is transferring, making him the 7th Duke player to transfer our this season.
The 6-foot-9 Stewart joins Jeremy Roach, Mark Mitchell, Jaylen Blakes, TJ Power, Christian Reeves and Jaden Schutt in the portal.
Baylor is the favorite for Roach now, as we reported on ZAGSBLOG.
Stewart becomes the 7th Duke player to hit the portal this offseason, joining Jeremy Roach, Mark Mitchell, Jaylen Blakes, TJ Power, Christian Reeves and Jaden Schutt. https://t.co/SjTxuC8ylQ
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 19, 2024
Louisville had 12 players transfer out following their coaching change, while Rhode Island had nine.
Stewart initially chose Duke over Harvard, Howard, Kansas, Georgetown, Ohio State, Michigan and Stanford in December 2021.
The turnover at Duke is spurred in part by their incoming recruiting class, which features six players, including Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach, and is ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Flagg is the projected No. 1 pick in 2025, with Maluach at No. 3, per ESPN.
With so much talent coming, players on the current roster see their roles diminishing going forward.
“When you have a chance to bring in the freshmen that we did this year, or the freshmen for next year, we’re going to do that every day of the week,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said in response to a question from NJ Advance Media following No. 4 Duke’s 93-55 rout of No. 12 James Madison at Barclays Center that propelled them to the Sweet 16.
“I think anybody would, if they could, or they tried to. But you still need experience and returning players. So for me, you try to find that balance. But that’s the nature of being in college basketball in 2024.”
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