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Social media is awash with transfer speculation.
Here are a few nuggets from the world of one-and-dones, transfers and NIL money. They all serve to prove how the college sports world has been turned on its axis and ready to tip over completely.
The biggest surprise is that one of Duke’s three top freshmen from last season is returning, and he was the one that seemed most likely to go pro until he had to have hip surgery in the off season.
Unlike Dariq Whitehead and Dereck Lively, who showed great promise but didn’t have great all-around numbers, Kyle Filipowski was the Blue Devils’ most valuable player, ACC Rookie of the Year and highest projected first-round NBA Draft pick all winter.
So, go figure. Whitehead and Lively have entered the NBA Draft pool, and Filipowski is returning for his sophomore season following his surgery.
Just like Drake Maye at UNC, Duke very likely upped the NIL to keep “Flip” from going to the NBA. Without disclosing the amount, Heels4Life awarded the Maye family basically “loyalty money” to offset some of the big bucks apparently being offered by other schools.
Duke is set up perfectly for NIL with wealthy alumni all around the globe now being able to pour money into the NIL bucket as it has been doing for years to support facilities, salaries, programs and research. And it is likely playing the graduation card, telling parents that their sons who stay will now only be two years away from coveted Duke degrees.
The problem for Jon Scheyer is that he has four 5-star recruits still coming in next season, but all of them are power or small forwards who can’t help protect the rim like Lively. And how will Scheyer divide up minutes among 9 or 10 veterans and 5-stars?
The hottest rumor on social media has 6-8 Mackenzie Mgbako, the highest-ranked signee in Duke’s incoming haul who decommitted after Filipowski’s announcement, possibly joining his high school teammate Simeon Wilcher in Carolina’s lean class of 2023. That is mostly wishful thinking since Mgbako has not said any such thing to this point.
Sure, it could happen. But so far there is zero validation to something that would stoke the Duke-Carolina rivalry like 60 years ago when prep superstar Art Heyman showed up in Durham instead of UNC, where he had been committed for more than a year.
Hubert Davis and staff are still at it to fill all eight roster spots lost to graduation and the portal. Two have committed, but neither is a lock to start and look more like reserves who will have to provide quality depth, something sorely missing last season.
Personally, I like R.J., Dunn, Bacot and Washington to start with one spot left to fill. Transfer season is still far from over, so social media guesswork needs to give it a rest until the facts are in.
Featured image via 247 Sports/Tommy Yarrish
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Washington is way way way too slow to play much 4 other than some spot min when he won’t have to defend an athletic 4. But the idea of him doing it a a starter is laughable. Go watch more film of him and look beyond the spot up shooting, kid is an iceberg side to side
He’s still on the mend from the injury, and improving. I see him as a much improved player this year.
I despise the new world of college sport. It’s semi pro at best. I may just begin pulling away from it. No loyalty to your school means I have no use for the sport.
Agree with your starting 4 though, Mr Chansky.