Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Sophomore Named Nation's No. 2 Breakout Star

Duke basketball's Tyrese Proctor seems destined for the national spotlight.

Matt Giles

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Australian sensation Tyrese Proctor, one of four returning starters in Durham, began his "breakout" as a Duke basketball freshman roughly midway through the 2022-23 campaign when he started serving as the team's primary floor general.

But seeing that the 19-year-old is now a co-captain for Jon Scheyer's second batch of Blue Devils and their projected starting point guard, full-fledged stardom is at Proctor's fingertips. At least that's what The Almanac implied by predicting him to be among the nation's top five "Breakout Stars" this season.

National basketball analyst Jeff Goodman revealed that they have Tyrese Proctor at No. 2 below the sophomore center for reigning national champion UConn in Donovan Clingan. Florida sophomore guard Riley Kugel, UCLA sophomore forward Adem Bona, and Texas sophomore forward Dillon Mitchell round out the top five.

Proctor, one of four Duke basketball players who saw action in all 36 games last season, averaged 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per outing for the 2022-23 Blue Devils, earning a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team.

Expect those numbers to rise as the on-court leader for what he believes will be an uptempo group.

"I think we're going to play a lot faster than last year," Proctor said at Duke basketball media day in late September. "We're going to be able to space the floor a lot more. Having all five guys on the court that can shoot and be a threat offensively, I think that's going to be big as well."

Again, the 6-foot-5 smooth playmaker had his fair share of struggles early in the 2022-23 campaign, but he drew a start in all but two contests and emerged as one of the squad's top weapons. He'll look to build on that when the Blue Devils open their regular season at home against Dartmouth on Nov. 6.

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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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