Mass Departure: Duke Basketball Enjoys Plenty of Room for New Faces

Another former five-star recruit is set to transfer from the Duke basketball program.

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Just a year ago, Jon Scheyer and Duke basketball were able to be the only Power 6 school in the country to not have anyone depart via the transfer portal. Fast forward a year later, and the Blue Devils have now lost seven players from last year's team to the portal.

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Just a day after TJ Power entered his name into the portal, another highly touted freshman forward and member of the same recruiting class followed him out the door.

Sean Stewart announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Friday, releasing a statement where he thanked the coaches as well as Blue Devil fans:

Forever grateful for Duke University 💙 pic.twitter.com/jrWs2VFn6q

— Sean Stewart (@Sean13Stewart) April 19, 2024

A former five-star who ranked as the No. 17 prospect on the 247Sports 2023 Composite coming out of high school, Stewart played sparingly across 33 games for the Blue Devils this season.

He averaged 2.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while playing less than 10 minutes per contest. His best statistical outing came in the Blue Devils’ 95-66 victory over La Salle in November, where he finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds on 7-for-9 shooting.

Stewart’s decision will come as a bit of a shock for Duke fans, with the rising sophomore’s potential on full display in his limited minutes last season, not to mention he was a neighbor to Blue Devil legend Grant Hill as a kid and played alongside incoming Duke phenom Cooper Flagg as a senior at Montverde Academy (Fla.).

Scheyer and the Duke basketball staff will now have five open scholarships to work within the transfer portal, opening the door for a number of transfers to join the ranks in Durham.

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The Blue Devils will return just two players from this year’s team next season, with junior guard Tyrese Proctor and sophomore guard Caleb Foster being the only two players choosing to run it back in Durham. They'll welcome Flagg, six more heralded freshmen, and whichever transfers the coaches manage to add in the coming weeks.

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