Duke basketball: Blue Devils expressing interest in talented transfer

Duke basketball has eyes on one experienced athlete in the transfer portal.

Let’s assume the 247Sports Crystal Ball proves correct on Friday with its forecast of five-star 2021 shooting guard Trevor Keels ending up as a Duke basketball weapon.

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With that in mind, while also factoring in all the expected returnees and newcomers — potentially equating to nine scholarship players who should be worthy of regular playing time — it seems the Blue Devils might just need to seek out one more versatile piece to adequately fill next season’s roster.

That piece could turn out to be Furman transfer Noah Gurley, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound combo forward who averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists as a junior for a 2020-21 Paladins squad that finished 16-9 overall and No. 3 in the Southern Conference standings.

According to a tweet this week from Stock Risers recruiting insider Jake Weingarten, Gurley listed Duke as one of several schools that have been in contact with him since he announced his transfer from Furman on Monday. Some other notable programs that have reached out are Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Virginia, and Wake Forest.

What Noah Gurley could provide as a Duke basketball player

Noah Gurley, a Georgia native who is now a two-time All-Southern performer but was unrated out of high school, is by no means a lights-out shooter. Yet he did manage to knock down 1.5 threes per game last season while shooting a respectable 33.9 percent from deep.

Furthermore, Gurley is not a ferocious defender. But thanks in large part to his above-average athleticism and length, he did average 1.1 blocks and 0.9 steals last season.

All in all, the seemingly unselfish, mature 21-year-old has a grown-man presence and appears to be adept at most facets of the game after averaging double-digit points in back-to-back seasons.

However, since his production mostly came against relatively mediocre competition and rarely on national television, Gurley still lacks the star power to consistently show up on the NBA’s radar. Apparently, per his recent chat with Travis Branham of 247Sports, he’s looking to change that at his next stop:

“I want an opportunity to play the way I want to. I want to go out there and hoop. I want to win and develop to become a pro.”

Finally, Travis Branham noted that Noah Gurley plans to decide on a destination at some point between late April and late May. It remains to be seen whether or not a Duke basketball offer is on its way.