Duke Basketball Appears Among Reported Finalists for Top Sharpshooter

Duke basketball has reportedly moved a step closer in its quest to land a highly sought-after mid-major guard.

Duke basketball transfer target Koby Brea / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

In the first few years of the modern transfer portal, Duke basketball has largely been uninvolved when it comes to top-shelf transfers. Blue Devil fans have seen veteran additions such as Theo John or Ryan Young, but their roles have mostly been limited to bench minutes and veteran leadership. All other transfers have been guys to fill out the roster.

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But what Duke basketball enthusiasts have yet to truly experience in this new era is the high-level impact transfer who can be a big part of Blue Devil lineups.

Things are beginning to change, with Jon Scheyer and his assistants heavily involved with a number of top names in this year's transfer portal. The Blue Devils have welcomed Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown on a recruiting visit, and it seems they may be a step closer to landing another potential contributor. 

On Thursday, transfer portal insider Zyavier Ricks reported that Dayton transfer guard Koby Brea will focus on a list of eight suitors, including the Blue Devils, as the two-time Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year decides where he'll play his final season of college eligibility.

Add St. John’s in there. Forgot them.

— Zyavier Ricks (@ZyavierR) April 18, 2024

In addition to Duke, the sharpshooting guard will continue to consider Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State, St. John's, Syracuse, UConn, and Villanova. According to Ricks, "The school he attends next year will come from this list above."

Brea was the best 3-point shooter in all of college hoops last season, hitting from beyond the arc at a 49.8 percent clip. Across 33 games in his fourth season with the Flyers, the 21-year-old averaged 11.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists despite primarily coming off the bench.

With the loss of Jared McCain to the NBA, as well as Jeremy Roach, Jared Schutt, and Jaylen Blakes to the transfer portal, the Blue Devils will almost certainly need at least one or two guards to come in and help out alongside returning junior Tyrese Proctor and sophomore Caleb Foster.

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On paper, Koby Brea seems to be a near perfect fit due to his ability to be a knockdown shooter off the bench paired with the four seasons of experience under his belt.

It remains to be seen if the Duke basketball staff can win the battle for Brea’s services, but Blue Devil faithful should be on the lookout for any further news regarding his recruitment.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI for more Duke basketball news.