Duke got some bad Transfer Portal news on Sunday when Kansas center Flory Bidunga, who was scheduled to visit the Blue Devils soon, committed to Louisville after his visit with the Cardinals.
That has caused Jon Scheyer to have to pivot in search of his starting center for next season.
But amid the bad news, there was a silver lining that emerged with another top Duke portal target.
Wisconsin guard John Blackwell, who averaged over 19 points per game and shot 39% from three for the Badgers this season, is at the top of Duke's board. While his recruitment is a long way from over, and has gotten a little more complicated than originally thought, it has felt from the outset that it was a two-horse race for his services between Duke and Illinois.
And on Sunday, the Illini might have landed a commitment that takes them out of the running for Blackwell.
Providence transfer guard Stefan Vaaks committed to Illinois. While it doesn't immediately take them out of the running for Blackwell, it's a big portal domino that could push the Wisconsin transfer further toward Durham instead of Champaign.
Stefan Vaaks' commitment to Illinois could be good news in Duke's John Blackwell pursuit
Blackwell doesn't appear all that close to a decision. Reports indicate that the Wisconsin transfer plans to take his time, with an announcement not coming until early May, a week before the NBA Draft Combine. That will give Blackwell a chance to survey the landscape around the country and determine where he ultimately fits best after a lot of other dominoes have fallen.
While Duke and Illinois have been seen as the favorites in his recruitment, his list includes four other schools: Alabama, Louisville, Arizona, and UCLA. After Louisville landed Bidunga, along with Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstad, they are rumored to be preparing a big offer to try and land Blackwell to complete a trifecta of impactful portal additions.
Scheyer can't allow that to happen.
Regardless of who is going to return or leave this offseason for Duke, Blackwell can fit around anyone else on the roster. He's a special talent, and the kind of veteran guard that can help the Blue Devils solve their March Madness woes.