Duke Blue Devils: Derryck Thornton lands at USC
One former Duke Blue Devils player announced a move to the West Coast over the past week.
Former Duke Blue Devils point guard Derryck Thornton landed at USC this past week. The USC Trojans will be getting a former five star recruit but only after he sits out next year as transfers must. The Trojans will be happy to add a player of his caliber, but part them probably wishes he could take the court this season.
Thornton will join a program run by former Florida Gulf Coast coach Andy Enfield. Hopefully the dunk city mentality will fit with Thornton. He did average seven points and almost three points at Duke last year. He was overshadowed by the shooting prowess of fellow freshman Luke Kennard and Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s willingness to play the offense through sophomore Grayson Allen.
How good is Thornton? It is really hard to say. The coaching staff did everything they could to bring him campus early. Then they went and recruited Frank Marshall over him anyway. Thornton saw the writing on the wall when Allen stayed. That meant that Allen and Marshall would likely be Duke’s primary ball handlers, exiling Thornton to the bench for at least as long as Marshall was there.
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So Thornton left. It still doesn’t feel right to me personally. Thornton gave up his senior year of high school and another year to develop in order to address a shortfall at point guard for Coach K right then with apparently no guarantee beyond the first year.
Now he will get to start over and perhaps get his true follow through with the Trojans. He will his three years and sort of gain back the lost year of high school by his transfer year.
On the other hand, Duke is not hurting for talent. They have seen a whole swarm of new freshmen show up and the analysts have all handed Duke the trophy for next year on paper.