Category: Men’s Basketball

Jayson Tatum officially announced as member of the 2024 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team

Jayson Tatum will represent the United States at the 2024 Olympic Games, USA Basketball officially revealed on Wednesday.

The United States officially revealed its 2024 men’s basketball team on Wednesday morning, and former Duke star Jayson Tatum grabbed one of the 12 spots.

The idea that Tatum would make the team was by no means groundbreaking, as reports began to circulate about his spot on the team more than a day before the roster reveal. However, the social media announcement from USA Basketball made the idea official.

Tatum, the No. 3 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, averaged 26.9 points this season, his fourth consecutive season averaging at least 26.0 points per game, and he added 8.1 rebounds and a career-high 4.9 assists.

The 26-year-old has been named an All-Star in each of the past five seasons. He earned his first All-NBA First Team designation in 2022, an honor he repeated last season and seems like a contender for again in 2024.

Tatum’s Celtics, the only team with 60 wins this regular season, clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the upcoming playoffs. At 64-18, no team in the conference came within 13 games of them.

Paris will be Tatum’s second Olympic Games after he helped the United States win gold in Tokyo during the 2020 Olympics.

Florida basketball high in ESPN’s way-too-early rankings for 2024-25

Believe it or not, ESPN thinks the Gators are a top-15 team right now among their men’s basketball peers.

The college basketball season is well in the rearview mirror but that only means the next cycle of predictions and prognostications is ready to begin.

The Florida Gators had a successful campaign, earning its first NCAA Tournament appearance in three years while making it all the way to the Southeastern Conference Tournament Finals. The fans and media alike have gained a great deal of confidence in Todd Golden after he navigated his team through some dire straights in 2023-24.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello recently published his way-too-early rankings for the upcoming season that still lies many months away, surprisingly putting the Orange and Blue at No. 13 in the nation.

“Florida struck gold in the portal last spring and bringing in a few more reinforcements on the wing could be beneficial for the Gators again,” Borzello begins.

“But they should have an All-America candidate at the guard position in Walter Clayton Jr., one of the nation’s top scorers, and Will Richard is a double-figure scorer. Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh and a hopefully healthy Micah Handlogten form a terrific frontcourt group — but another perimeter piece or two would be huge.”

It seems pretty unlikely that Handlogten will contribute much — if anything — next season, but otherwise the roster does look very tidy with some room left for additions. A projected starting five consisting of Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, Denzel Aberdeen, Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon could bring some serious beef to the court this fall.

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Transfer from Chattanooga ready to get to work for Florida basketball

The Apopka, Florida, native is returning to his home state and thinks that UF will be his best chance to make it into the NBA.

Florida basketball welcomed its latest transfer over the past weekend, quickly taking the steps to make sure that the program returns with an upgraded team from last season.

Former Chattanooga power forward [autotag]Sam Alexis[/autotag] made an official visit to Gainesville and it seems like both parties are eager to get started for the 2024-25 campaign.

Alexis spoke with Swamp247, detailing his trip and why he made the rapid decision to join the Gators. The Apopka, Florida, native is returning to his home state and thinks that UF will be his best chance to make it into the NBA.

“I just want to compete at the highest level and show that I belong here,” Alexis said. “I have dreams and aspirations to play in the NBA, but I’m focused on what’s in front of me which is just getting better this offseason and getting stronger and more athletic. That SEC bounce is crazy.”

The 6-foot-9-inch power forward is also ecstatic about what head coach Todd Golden has to bring to the table and is looking for a coach that’s loud on the sidelines to keep him and the team in check.

“I feel like Todd the kind of coach that when I’m in the game, he’s going to give me energy to keep going,” Alexis said. “I don’t want no coach that’s going to be like quiet. Todd is about the game only. I wanted a coach that’s going to dap me up when I’m running down the floor and make me better and I think he can do that for sure.”

Alexis’ presence brings much-needed depth for the Florida bigs, especially after center Micah Handlogten suffered the unfortunate right-leg fracture in the SEC tournament in March.

The transfer also believes he can be more than a rebounding machine for Florida, something the team harped on numerous last offseason.

“That made a major impact on my decision,” Alexis said. “I’m only 6-foot-9 so I feel like I might be able to be versatile and do everything like shoot the 3, pass the ball, score in the post and defend all positions. That was a big factor in my decision.”

The Gators and Alexis will continue to prep for the team’s next campaign, but until then, it will be all eyes on how Golden builds another team after falling in the round of 64.

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Duke takes top overall seed in Joe Lunardi’s early 2025 bracketology

With Cooper Flagg leading the top recruiting class in the country, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi thinks the 2025 NCAA Tournament runs through Duke.

The 2023-24 basketball season is still fresh in everyone’s memory, but it’s never too early to gaze toward the 2024-25 campaign.

ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi certainly agrees as he released an early look at the projected 2025 NCAA Tournament field on Tuesday, and he slotted Duke in as his top overall seed.

Fresh off a run to the Elite Eight last season and an ACC Tournament title two years ago, head coach Jon Scheyer welcomes No. 1 overall recruit Cooper Flagg, projected lottery pick Khaman Maluach, and two other five-star prospects in an esteemed freshman class.

Combine the new pedigree with Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, two 2023-24 starters, already announcing their return, and it’s easy to see why so many experts think the team to beat next season plays in Durham.

The incredibly early bracket has Scheyer’s team atop the East region and playing the winner of Norfolk State and Central Connecticut from the First Four games.

Baylor, Connecticut, and Texas rounded out the top four seeds in Duke’s corner of the bracket. Kansas, Alabama, and Houston claimed the other three No. 1 seeds.

Will March Madness run through the Blue Devils next season? Duke fans will have to wait until the fall to get its first indications.

Florida basketball holds official visit with blue-chip combo guard this week

The Gators are hoping to make a big impression on this top combo guard this week.

A great deal of attention of late has been on Florida football’s recruiting effort but lost in the shuffle are what Todd Golden and the men’s basketball program have been up to when it comes to reloading a roster with some key departures from last season.

While there has also been a lot of focus on the NCAA transfer portal, the Gators have also been focused on prep prospects in the upcoming classes. One of the team’s focuses of late is four-star combo guard [autotag]Alex Lloyd[/autotag] out of Fort Lauderdale (Florida) Westminster Academy in the 2025 cycle, who is visiting campus early this week starting Monday, according to 247Sports.

The trip to Gainesville represents the second for the high school junior since receiving an offer from Golden and Co. in July of 2023. Lloyd’s first venture to the O’Connell Center came in November for the season-opener against the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds.

“That visit went well and they made me feel at home,” Lloyd said at the time. “The team felt like a great, family-oriented team. They’re very together and I like their program. I like how they push the ball, shoot threes, and play through their guards. That’s how I like to play.”

Florida currently has no commitments for the 2025 class.

Recruiting Summary

Lloyd is ranked No. 45 overall and No. 9 at combo guard nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at No. 51 overall and No. 13 at the small forward position.

On3’s recruiting prediction machine gives the Dayton Flyers a strong 70.7% chance of signing him, followed by the Florida State Seminoles (21.9%), Florida Atlantic Owls (1.7%) and Miami Hurricanes (1.4%).

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The Athletic weighs the odds of Jeremy Roach, TJ Power, and Sean Stewart entering the transfer portal

The Athletic’s Brendan Marks released a 2024-25 Duke roster breakdown on Tuesday, and he predicted at least two more Blue Devils will leave for a new school.

The Athletic’s Brendan Marks released a lengthy breakdown of Duke’s 2024-25 season on Tuesday morning, and he shared some predictions for whether some familiar faces would return to Durham next season.

Marks believes four-year starter Jeremy Roach will finish his collegiate career somewhere else. The Athletic writer also expects either TJ Power or Sean Stewart, two freshmen with consistent bench minutes this season to leave the program for a new home.

Roach, the last player who started for legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski still with the program, has an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 extension. He started in the Final Four two years ago and in the Elite Eight this season, but with Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor already confirmed to return, Marks thinks the veteran tests the market.

“(He) would be a hot commodity in the transfer portal,” Marks wrote. “His earning potential, depending on his next school, should be greater in college next season than somewhere overseas or in the G League.”

Marks emphasized that the Blue Devils have room for both Power and Stewart on a scholarship basis, especially if Roach doesn’t return, but said he expects at least one to depart.

“(Stewart) brings great athleticism and rebounding, and would be a valuable piece on most teams, but his fit next to Flagg and Maluach isn’t ideal,” Marks wrote. “Power would be the player I would prioritize between those two.”

None of the three have officially voiced their decision for next season, though with the end-of-season banquet in the rearview mirror, confirmations should be expected soon if they come.

Duke and Purdue transfer Mason Gillis following each other on social media

With four Duke players already in transfer portal, a few scholarship spots are open in Durham. Former Boilermaker Mason Gillis could be a name to watch.

As of Tuesday morning, the Duke men’s basketball Instagram account and former Purdue guard Mason Gillis began following each other.

The former Boilermaker announced his intention to enter the transfer portal through a social media post on Monday, declaring for the NBA draft but retaining his college eligibility.

No official news has come out about official visits to Durham or meetings with Duke, but quick searches indicate Gillis isn’t following any other teams (other than Purdue).

Gillis, a 23-year-old senior, averaged 6.5 points and 3.9 rebounds last season. The 6-foot-6 guard helped make up one of the best shooting backcourts in the nation, and he averaged a career-high 46.8% from 3-point range. He has a career field-goal percentage of 47.5%, he’s an 82% free-throw shooter, and he’s averaged at least one assist in all four seasons of his career.

With Jared McCain headed to the NBA draft and Jeremy Roach’s 2024-25 fate still unannounced, Gillis could slot into a Blue Devils backcourt currently expected to feature Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor.

Former Syracuse forward Maliq Brown scheduled to visit the Blue Devils

Maliq Brown, the former Syracuse Orange forward, will visit Duke later this week. He averaged 9.5 points and 7.2 rebounds as a sophomore last season.

Former Syracuse forward Maliq Brown will visit Durham from Wednesday through Friday, according to On3’s Joe Tipton.

Brown, a 6-foot-8 player who just finished his sophomore season, averaged 9.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 2023-24. He tallied five double-doubles over the season, and his most productive game on the offensive end came against the Blue Devils.

Brown scored 26 points, his only 20-point game of the season after he made 11 of his 16 attempts, but Duke won the game by 20 points.

According to EvanMiya’s portal tracker, Brown is a five-star portal prospect, and he’s the 12th-best player available. He’s solid on both ends of the floor, with an Offensive Bayesian Performance Rating of 3.17 (31st among available players) and a Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating of 2.09 (26th among available players).

Only 11 other players have a rating above 2.00 on both ends.

Brown would help add depth to a frontcourt that lost Kyle Filipowski to the NBA draft and Christian Reeves and Mark Mitchell to the transfer portal since the end of the season.

Sophomore guard Jaden Schutt intends to transfer from Duke

Redshirt sophomore Jaden Schutt becomes the third Duke player to enter transfer portal.

Following a trend of Duke players who were in reserve roles or didn’t play at all, sophomore Jaden Schutt has announced his decision to enter the transfer portal and find a new school to play for.

On3’s Joe Tipton first reported the news on Monday afternoon.

Schutt becomes another member of Jon Scheyer’s first recruiting class to enter the portal after Mark Mitchell and Christian Reeves also announced they would leave the program.

Schutt, a former four-star recruit from Jon Scheyer’s home state of Illinois and part of Scheyer’s inaugural seven-deep recruiting class in 2022, saw limited action for the Blue Devils in his time.

This past season was supposed to be a breakthrough moment for the esteemed sharpshooter, but injuries again derailed him. After Duke’s opening game this season, Scheyer confirmed that Schutt would redshirt and sit out the rest of the year.

With Schutt entering the transfer portal, Duke will have yet another scholarship available to try and fill via the transfer portal. With Jared McCain headed to the NBA draft, Duke will be in the portal for a veteran sharpshooter.

Two former Blue Devils listed on CBS Sports’ top 100 college football players for 2024

CBS Sports released its top 100 college football players for the 2024 season on Monday, and while no current Blue Devils made the cut, two recent Duke players who transferred to Notre Dame appeared.

CBS Sports released its top 100 college football players ahead of the 2024 season, and while no Blue Devils made the cut, two former Duke players did.

Quarterback Riley Leonard and edge rusher R.J. Oben, who both left Durham for Notre Dame this offseason, appeared on the list. Oben came in first at 89th before Leonard at 98th.

Oben spent five seasons with the Blue Devils before he left to take his last year of eligibility in South Bend. He’s put up at least four sacks in each of the last three seasons, with 62 total tackles and 14 sacks across that time frame. His 27 pressures and 73.8 PFF pass-rush grade were the highest totals on the Duke team last season.

Leonard threw for 2,967 yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022, and he compiled 1,102 yards and three touchdowns during his junior year. After helping the Blue Devils win their first four games of the year, he suffered an ankle injury during a game against, coincidentally, the Fighting Irish in Week 5. He only threw 39 passes for the rest of the year.

The third-year quarterback still finished with a QBR of 72.2 for the 2023 season.