Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball to Battle Four Former Blue Devils Next Season

Duke basketball transfer Jaylen Blakes is heading to a new ACC school.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball guard Jaylen Blakes
Duke basketball guard Jaylen Blakes / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
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Duke basketball will encounter familiar faces galore during ACC regular season play in Jon Scheyer's third year at the helm. Add former three-year Blue Devil and recent Duke graduate Jaylen Blakes to that list, as the 21-year-old has decided to spend his final college campaign at Stanford, one of three new additions to the conference, alongside SMU and Cal, beginning next season.

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Blakes, who saw 84 appearances with the Blue Devils but averaged only 1.8 points across 9.2 minutes per outing this past season, entered the transfer portal in mid-April, one of seven outbound Duke transfers this offseason. And despite being in Durham for K Academy this week, the former three-star recruit from New Jersey revealed his commitment to the Cardinal on Instagram.

An hour or so later, the official Stanford basketball account confirmed the "impact addition" by announcing on social media that Blakes has put his pledge in ink:

Although the ACC has yet to announce dates for regular season matchups, each school has long known its opponents and venues for next season. Duke and Stanford will square off only once, as the Blue Devils will host the Cardinal, meaning Blakes will return to Cameron Indoor Stadium as a member of the visiting team.

The other three Duke basketball transfers signed on with ACC programs are guard Jaden Schutt (Virginia Tech), center Christian Reeves (Clemson), and forward TJ Power (Virginia). Schutt will be in Cameron for the only meeting between the Hokies and Blue Devils. As for Reeves and Power, Clemson and Virginia are each on tap to host Duke.

Jaylen Blakes and Jeremy Roach, who is now off to Baylor for his extra year of eligibility, were the only remaining Duke basketball scholarship players from the Mike Krzyzewski era on the 2023-24 roster.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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