After securing transfer commitments from two forwards in Malik Brown and Mason Gillis, the next logical step for head coach John Scheyer and the Duke basketball team is to work toward securing a transfer guard. It seems to be about strengthening.
Related: Duke named Elite Transfer Guard finalist
With only two backcourt talents returning in Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, the Blue Devils appear to be in the market for another ball handler with extensive college basketball experience.
On Thursday afternoon, FOX Sports' Aaron Torres reported that Scheyer and the Blue Devils have been in contact with San Diego State transfer guard Lamont Butler. He is one of the many teams he has offered to help, along with the Blue Devils, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Southern California, Washington, and Virginia.
The 6-foot-2 senior spent the past four seasons with the Aztecs, starting a total of 100 games over the past three seasons at SDSU. He played in 37 games last season, averaging 9.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 26 minutes per game.
The numbers don't jump off the page, but Lamont Butler is a multi-year starter who won the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year award as a senior and was the “San Diego State Miracle'' buzzer-beater to beat Florida Atlantic. I hit. Final 4 in 2023.
He will bring a wealth of experience and a lockdown defensive presence to the Blue Devils' backcourt. And Caleb Foster could be a starter early on, especially with Caleb Foster recovering from offseason surgery on his foot.
It remains to be seen how genuine the level of interest is between Butler and the Blue Devils. But John Scheyer and his friends will continue to work with Portal.
Duke University Basketball still has three scholarships available for next season.
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