Longtime Duke starter Jeremy Roach, a member of the Final Four run in 2022 and the Elite Eight run this past season, declared for the NBA draft on Tuesday.
However, he also retained eligibility and entered the transfer portal, and the consensus seems to be that he’ll exercise his last year of college basketball with another school. But where?
College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton released an article on Wednesday detailing the five most likely landing spots for the four-year Blue Devil.
Patton first cited an Adam Zagoria report that said St. John’s, Arkansas, and Kentucky were the top options for Roach. The College Sports Wire writer had St. John’s first on his list because of the departures of Nahiem Alleyne and Glenn Taylor Jr., saying head coach Rick Pitino could make waves with Roach’s commitment.
After the Razorbacks and Wildcats, listed second and third in order, Patton had Dan Hurley and the Connecticut Huskies as a fourth potential suitor. The two-time defending national champions will lose Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, and more this offseason.
“Roach is the perfect veteran for Hurley to bring into the mix, with his combination of floor spacing and lead guard facilitation a great first addition for the Huskies to build around,” Patton wrote.
Rather than a fifth college team, however, Patton said that the NBA could be a likely suitor for Roach. The College Sports Wire writer believes a good pre-draft process could make the pros a possibility.
“While his age and size may limit his prospects, if he performs well during workouts, he could get a promise from a team as a second-round pick or priority free agent signing,” Patton concluded.