Duke and Michigan State: There’s a blue blood in the middle of the transfer portal chaos.

Instead of John

College basketball broadcaster and reporter

More than a week removed from one of the scariest NCAA Tournament finals ever, College basketball Heavyweights are working to show off this year’s lineup of teams in the final four. Yukon – It was really distorted. And the programs that make the biggest headlines aren’t by poaching talent on the transfer portal, where more than 20% of the division’s players are, but by keeping the players they have.

Duke’s He is as strong as anyone for the pre-season No. 1 ranking heading into 2023-24, and it will be difficult to top where the Blue Devils currently stand. ACC Man of the Year Kyle Filovsky He made a special choice to return to school – even if it was a top-20 NBA Choosing a draft – join the guard Tyrese Proctor And in the future Mark Mitchell Deciding to return to Durham.

On top of that, the Blue Devils land four 5-star recruits, and that’s not counting Mackenzie Mamko (the No. 7 overall recruit for 2023 by 247Sports), who opened his recruiting following Filippowski’s decision to return. Averaging 15.1 points and 8.9 rebounds on 44% shooting last season, the 7-foot Filipowski stole the show in Durham and has become one of the best big men in college basketball.

What will be the next big story for Duke? Jeremy Roach He decided to do it. Following a junior year in which the 21-year-old averaged 13.6 points and 3.1 assists per game on 43% shooting, the Blue Devils’ point guard retained his college eligibility and declared for the draft.

My take on this decision: Roach is a very good college player and his value could not be greater if he returns to Duke for his senior season. In Durham, his chances for a career at the pro level could be extended, and Roach could cement his name in the history books by leading the program to a national championship. If Roach returns, Duke will be the clear preseason No. 1 heading into next season.

Regardless, in a world where blue bloods have been criticized for winning recruiting battles but not having the experienced horses to do the job come March, that won’t be the case as Scheer enters his second season at Duke. He’ll have the best of both worlds and if Proctor carries over the season he had in the backcourt next season, the Blue Devils could be a formidable unit.

But Duke isn’t the only big-name program getting big comeback news. Tom Izzo and his Michigan State Spartans They are a lock for a top-10 berth in the playoffs and should be considered a national title contender entering 2023-24. why? Because the Spartans are old, and the Hall of Famer will have his entire starting lineup going into next season.

The big news comes from Tyson WalkerIt announced Monday that it will return for a fifth season. Walker, who came to East Lansing after two years at Northeastern, has developed into one of the nation’s best backcourt players along with his guard credentials.

His return gives Izzo a closer and a star as Walker scored 15 points and three assists on 46% shooting from the floor. Big Ten Play and a total of seven games with 20 or more. Senior will join AJ Hoggard and junior Jayden Akins On the perimeter. Hoggard is a leading distributor, posting six rebounds per game this season, and is also adept at big-scoring performances, while Akins is down to himself with six double-digit rebounds in his last seven games.

The momentum continued for the Spartans as the 6-foot-8 small forward moved on Tuesday Malik Hall He announced that he will be back for a fifth season in East Lansing. Hall’s versatility and length make him a difficult matchup for opposing teams, and the biggest piece of the puzzle for him is staying healthy. A foot injury has limited him this season (8.9 PPG, 44%, 4.3 RPG), but games like his 20-point performance Kentucky At the Champions Classic last November, he showed just how much he can do when he’s 100% and on fire.

There is a sharp loss Joey Hauser It’s a key issue for Michigan State, where Izzo brought in the best practice class ever, ranked No. 3 in the nation according to 247Sports. Five-star prospect Xavier Booker, ranked No. 8 among all incoming freshmen, should serve as a significant addition to a frontcourt that needs Jolt. In addition, point guard Jeremy Fears to add another option to an already loaded backcourt, along with a pair of four-star recruits in power forward Coen Carr and wing Gehrig Normand.

Everything is looking up for the Spartans heading into next season, and this one matches up with a stunning loss. Kansas State In the NCAA Tournament, it’s the perfect thing that this team can use as fuel to advance to the Final Four for the first time in five years. At 68, Izzo will have the best chance to win a second national championship and break the Big Ten’s title curse.

And as an extra treat for college basketball fans: Duke and Michigan State will meet in the Tournament of Champions on Nov. 14 in Chicago. Kentucky–Kansas Being the other show.

Five more stories to follow…

1. Where is it? Hunter Dickinson Title? Sources tell FOX Sports that the Michigan transfer and Virginia native will visit both Maryland And Georgetown this week. The 7-foot-1 former All-American is arguably the biggest name to enter the portal, averaging 18 points and nine rebounds per game on his way to All-Big Ten honors. Will the Demat Catholic product choose to return to its homeland? At the end of the day, NIL plays a big role, and if there is a big offer from someone else, nothing should be taken away. Dickinson makes the Terrapins a lock in the top 20 in the preseason, if not 15. If he’s like the Hoya, he’ll be a key piece for Ed Cooley to build the team in year 1 at Georgetown. It’s a fluid situation, and it’s a fascinating recruitment to watch.

2. Mike Woodson and Indiana He returned with a big name on Monday, along with the former 5-star recruit Kelly WearAfter an underwhelming season on who passes to the Hosiers Oregon. The 18-year-old, 7-footer, averaged 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game under Dana Altman last season, averaging 16 minutes in 35 contests. Take one: Before we start declaring War the heir to the throne Trace Jackson-Davis, let’s wait and see if Woodson and staff can get Ware to play to his potential. The next chapter contains more questions than answers.

3. Where is it? Adam Sanogo Is it about to end? UConn’s rising sophomore decision Donovan Clingan To return to Storrs, the 7-foot-2 Bristol product figures to be taking over the starting center slot heading into the next chapter. But final four player Sanogo has yet to announce his next move. Will Sanogo, who is not expected to be a high draft pick, choose to turn pro? Will he enter the transfer portal and go to a new college destination? It will be difficult to predict his exit after winning the national championship, but in the world of NIL everything is on the table.

4. The moose bass keeps rolling. Eric Musselman has become one of the most consistent roster builders in college basketball, and he’s at it again. Houston transmission Tramon Mark, Washington transmission Keyon Menifield And Temple transmission Caliph War.

The big questions to watch for the Hogs in the coming days and weeks are: How is he doing? Jordan Walsh And Devo Davis? If both players come back Arkansas If not more, they’ll have the pieces to go on their fourth straight run to their second NCAA tournament.

5. Three other names should appear in the portal: Oral Roberts transmission Max Abmas, Cretan transmission Ryan Nembhardt And Stanford transmission Harrison Ingram …

A big decision is coming from one of the biggest names in the portal on Friday: Washington State transmission TJ BambaBut what will be decided in the NBA draft process Villanova And Georgia Tech If he stays in college next season.

The 6-foot-5 guard from Bronx, NY, produced massive amounts this past season, averaging 15.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game on 43% shooting. In particular, Bamba had a 36-point performance on 13-of-20 from the floor in the March 2 win over Washington.

What does it mean for each program to land Bamba?

For Villanova, Bamba would be a perfect addition to the side. Justin Moore On the perimeter and showing the momentum Kyle will need as Neptune and his staff head into a crucial second season on the main line. The expectations at Villanova have changed, and the Wildcats will have to find a path to the NCAA Tournament the hard way. Big East. The Cats still lost some key pieces last year, so Bamba will increase their chances.

For Georgia Tech, it will be first-year head coach Damon Stoudamire, who took over a Yellow Jackets program that went 15-18 last year and has gone to one NCAA Tournament since 2010. After two years as an assistant Boston Celtics. He has been in the college game for the past 10 years, serving as the head coach at Pacific from 2016-21. Getting Bamba is huge in the rebuild.

Stoudamire made headlines on Wednesday when he completed the hiring of associate head coach Carl Hobbs. RutgersHe has served in the same role for the past six years under Steve Pickle.

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers sports in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to commentating on the 68 Media Network field. Follow him on Twitter @John_instead.

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