Duke basketball: Guard transfer 'in play' for Blue Devils

As Duke basketball fans anxiously waited on Wednesday night for Trevor Keels' eventual decision to keep his name in the 2022 NBA Draft, a buzz grew louder about one potential candidate to replace the 18-year-old as a starter in Durham next season.

That name is former Texas guard Courtney Ramey, a 22-year-old in the transfer portal with four years of Big 12 experience, including his third-team all-conference campaign as a junior.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound scoring guard — a noticeably different frame from the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Keels — removed his name from the NBA Draft pool on Wednesday. He has the option to play one more year of college ball due to the NCAA not counting the COVID-depleted 2020-21 season against anyone's eligibility.

And it looks as if Duke is one of the primary contenders for his services.

Stadium insider Jeff Goodman tweeted that Ramey is "in play right now at both Duke and Houston." He added that it "depends whether Trevor Keels returns to Durham and if Marcus Sasser comes back to Houston."

As it turns out, Sasser announced he's staying in college after going through the draft process, and again, Keels chose the opposite route. So assuming that freed-up playing time is a deciding factor in the Ramey sweepstakes, the Sasser and Keels news should translate into a clear advantage for the Blue Devils.

Solid stats from the Duke basketball transfer target

Courtney Ramey was a four-star recruit out of Webster Groves (Mo.) in 2018 and then went on to draw at least 20 starts in each of his seasons at Texas. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists as a Longhorn while shooting 39.2 percent from the field, 36.5 percent beyond the arc, and 73.7 percent from the charity stripe.

But first-year Blue Devil head coach Jon Scheyer might be most attracted to other Ramey numbers mentioned above: his age and four years of major-conference experience.

Remember, half or more of Duke's regular rotation next season will probably consist of the nation's top-ranked 2022 recruiting class.

A seasoned weapon like Ramey could be exactly what those young Blue Devils need.

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