Duke basketball, which has not lost any players to the transfer portal this offseason, made its first potential acquisition on Monday night. He is a former Washington State guard who declared for the NBA Draft, announced on Instagram that he would commit to Duke if he decides to stay in college for another year. “I’m excited to be joining the Duke family,” He wrote in his post. “Thank you to Coach (Jon) Scheyer and the entire staff for believing in me. I truly believe God has led me to Duke, just as He has led Duke to me.”
Standing 6-6, Coward had narrowed his transfer options to Duke and Alabama, and visited Duke’s campus on Monday. While he plans to keep his name in the draft and go through the evaluation process, he has until June 15 to decide whether to withdraw and join the Blue Devils for the upcoming season.
Limited to just six games last season due to a rotator cuff injury, Coward averaged 17.7 points and 7 rebounds per game for Washington State, shooting 40% from three-point range and 55.7% from the field. His addition would help fill the void left by Sion James, a 6-6 starting guard for Duke’s Final Four team, who has finished his NCAA eligibility.
Duke is aiming to replace its entire starting lineup from last season’s 35-4 team, following the NBA Draft declarations of freshmen Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, and Kon Knueppel, along with junior guard Tyrese Proctor’s decision to turn professional. The Blue Devils return 6-5 guard Caleb Foster for his junior season and 6-6 guards Isaiah Evans and Darren Harris for their sophomore campaigns. The incoming freshmen include 6-9 forward Cameron Boozer, 6-11 power forward Nik Khamenia, and 6-4 guard Cayden Boozer, Cameron’s twin brother.