3 Transfers Duke Should Target To Replace Jeremy Roach
By Cem Yolbulan
Jeremy Roach shocked the college basketball world on Tuesday when he announced that he plans to enter the transfer portal and the NBA Draft. He became the fifth Duke player to enter the portal after Christian Reeves, Mark Mitchell, Jaylen Blakes, and Jaden Schutt. This also meant that the Blue Devils were losing four of their five starters ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Roach will certainly be remembered in Durham fondly. A captain who led the Blue Devils to a Final Four, an Elite Eight, and an ACC Tournament championship, Roach always played hard and improved his game throughout his four years with Duke. It would have been nice to see him play his fifth year of eligibility in a Duke uniform but the constantly evolving NIL landscape may have made his decision for Roach.
Now, the Blue Devils need to find a replacement for the point guard. Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor are returning for another year but Roach's true playmaking ability and skill set to play both on-ball and off-ball will surely be missed. Considering that Duke isn't bringing any true point guards in the incoming freshman class, Jon Scheyer needs to turn to the transfer portal to fill this need.
Let's take a look at the best options there.
Kerr Kriisa, West Virginia
If Duke is looking for a true point guard to replace Roach, it's hard to see them do better than Kerr Kriisa. The Estonian point guard transferred to West Virginia before the 2022-23 and had a solid season with 11 points and 4.7 assists per game for the Mountaineers. He increased his three-point shooting percentage to 42.4, making him an excellent on and off-the-ball threat, similar to Roach.
Kriisa has only one season of eligibility left. He will likely play professionally overseas after his fifth year of NCAA basketball. If he wants to maximize his NIL earnings and compete for an NCAA championship, Duke would be an excellent decision for both sides. He would come off the bench, play significant minutes, and be a steady, veteran hand for this young team without too many upperclassmen.
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