The Duke basketball program has made another move via the transfer portal, adding former Rice big man Ifeanyi Ufochukwu. The 6'11 center from Nigeria redshirted the 2024-25 season, but played 16 games for the Owls through the 2023-24 season.
Ufochukwu, who is nicknamed "Iffy," averaged 1.8 points per game through his 16 appearances in the 2023-24 campaign.
The big man played high school basketball at Matthews Covenant Day School near Charlotte, North Carolina. He didn't even start playing basketball until 2017, but found an opportunity in the United States and now finds himself with one of the most historic college hoops programs in the country.
Ufochukwu's commitment comes from a position of need for the Blue Devils, as the only true center on the roster before his commitment was rising sophomore Patrick Ngongba II, who didn't consistently play significant minutes last season. Having Ufochukwu as another option gives Jon Scheyer a little more depth at the five spot.
As a high school prospect, the Nigerian was viewed as a three-star recruit per 247Sports and the #49 center in his class.
The addition of Ufochukwu gives the Blue Devils their second commitment via the portal, as the program sealed a pledge from highly-coveted transfer guard Cedric Coward from Washington State. Although, Coward is heavily considering the 2025 NBA Draft, and it's not a guarantee he will suit up for Duke next season.
As of today, there are lots of questions surrounding Duke's roster for next season. Isaiah Evans and Coward will both attend the NBA Draft Combine, creating a possibility that two starters could leave the program for the NBA. The Blue Devils will already lose their entire starting five from the 2024-25 season as Tyrese Proctor, Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg, and Khaman Maluach have all declared for this summer's draft, and Sion James is out of collegiate eligibility. In the scenario where Duke loses Evans and Coward, things could become a little dicey.
What the Blue Devils lack on the roster right now is proven production at an elite level. The majority of the Blue Devils' roster right now is built on potential, but not proven play. The deadline for players to withdraw from the NBA Draft is June 15th, leaving a lot of time on the table before the Blue Devils' roster for next season is set in stone.