The Blue Devils got some much-needed reinforcements on Thursday, landing sharpshooting Rice guard Cameron Sheffield in the transfer portal.
Sheffield averaged 7.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Owls in 2022-23 while shooting 37.3% from beyond the arc. At 6'6" and 195 LBs, he's a rangy defender and complements the current Duke roster well. Sheffield missed last season with a foot injury but is a great pickup nonetheless.
He'll join Tulane transfer Sion James as backcourt additions for the Blue Devils as Jon Scheyer reworks his team around incoming No. 1 recruit Cooper Flagg.
Duke News: Blue Devils Land Rice G Cameron Sheffield in Transfer Portal
Duke picked up a crystal ball for 6’6 transfer guard Cameron Sheffield from Rice
— Duke Update (@UpdateDuke) May 16, 2024
7.6 PPG / 6.1 RPG in 2022-23
Career 37% shooter from three
Dealt with a foot injury last seasonpic.twitter.com/IyTI6AC72D
Suddenly, the Blue Devils have an exciting stable of guards. Tyrese Proctor is coming back with plenty of scoring acumen, so Sheffield and James will likely battle for a starting spot.
James likely has an advantage over Sheffield since he played last year, though Sheffield's defensive versatility should earn him a consistent role either way. Flagg is one of the most anticipated prospects in years and surrounding him with good shooters sounds like a successful strategy.
Duke currently has the third-best odds (+1200) to win the NCAA Tournament at FanDuel Sportsbook. They trail Kansas (+1000) and Connecticut (+1100), though the Blue Devils do boast the top recruiting class in the country. The Blue Devils hope to improve on last year's run to the Elite Eight that ended with a disappointing loss to NC State.
Getting players like Sheffield certainly helps and I'd bet Scheyer isn't done yet either.
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