The transfer portal remains a contentious issue in college sports, and Duke’s head coach Jon Scheyer further fueled the debate. During an interview on The Devils Den: A Duke Athletics Podcast, Scheyer shed light on the misuse of the transfer portal against the Blue Devils, implying potential violations of NCAA rules.
Despite this, it appears that transfer portal protocols have not been rigorously upheld. Scheyer also discussed the departure of seven players from the program, suggesting that they were approached by other programs even during the season.
“Tampering happens all the time in college basketball,” stated Scheyer, highlighting the pervasive nature of the issue. “I can tell you that throughout the season, all seven of the guys who transferred were contacted.”
Among Duke’s notable departures through transfer are highly-touted former five-star recruit Sean Stewart (Ohio State), third-team All-ACC point guard Jeremy Roach (Baylor), and former five-star player TJ Power (Virginia).
Fortunately for Duke, they have secured the 22nd-ranked transfer portal class, in addition to the top-ranked recruiting class featuring standout five-star player Cooper Flagg, who has garnered attention while training with the Olympic team. The Blue Devils’ recruiting class comprises six players, all of whom are ranked within the top 40 nationally, with five of them ranking in the top 20.
Regarding tampering through the transfer portal, the NCAA has demonstrated minimal ability to address the issue, indicating that halting it does not appear to be imminent.
