The transfer portal officially opened Tuesday, and the Duke Blue Devils are looking to hit the ground running. They enter the offseason after a disappointing end in the NCAA Tournament. Entering as a No. 1 seed, they were eliminated by the UConn Huskies in an Elite Eight matchup.
Jon Scheyer and his staff have their work cut out for themselves. They've already lost two players to the portal, with Darren Harris and Nikolas Khamenia each searching for a new home. While the Blue Devils added just two players in last year's cycle, they're working toward making a big splash this time around.
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On3's Joe Tipton reported that the Blue Devils are making a push for former Alabama Crimson Tide center Aiden Sherrell, writing, "Duke is expected to make a trip to see him Saturday afternoon/evening."
Coming out of high school in the 2024 cycle, Sherrell was a four-star recruit and the No. 24 player in the nation, per Rivals Industry Rankings. He committed to Alabama, despite offers from the Michigan State Spartans, Ohio State Buckeyes and Oklahoma Sooners.
He was solid during his sophomore season with the Crimson Tide. In 34 starts, he averaged 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists, all three of which are career highs. He shot 53.9% from the field and 33.8% from the three-point line.
Sherrell's performance on the court has continued to increase his popularity and personal brand. His On3 NIL valuation of $1.8 million is tied for the 13th-highest in college basketball.
While Duke is making a push, it isn't the only program. Tipton also notes that the Michigan Wolverines, Missouri Tigers, LSU Tigers, Indiana Hoosiers and North Carolina Tar Heels are other teams linked to the sophomore.
If he does choose the Blue Devils, it could be the first transfer portal commitment Scheyer and his staff land this offseason.
