Duke Adds Syracuse Transfer Maliq Brown

As the offseason for the Blue Devils rolls on Jon Scheyer and company in what can only be described as a complete reset of the program the Blue Devils have picked up another piece of their 2024 season with the addition of Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown. Brown is a rising junior who spent 2 season with the Orange where he averages 7.7 points pr game over 2 seasons 9.5 this past season. He averaged 7.2 rebounds in the 2023-24 campaign where he started 18 games and was named All-ACC Defense.

The reset for the Blue Devils has included a record number of departures including 7 transfers including starters Mark Mitchell and Jeremy Roach, key bench players in Jaylen Blakes, TJ Power and Sean Stewart and 2023 injury casualties for the Blue Devils in seldom used Christian Reeves and Jaden Schutt – both who exercised medical redshirts this past season. The Blue Devils lost 2 players to the NBA Draft in Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain and Super Senior Ryan Young to exhausted eligibility for a total (so far) of 9 departed rotational players.

The addition of Brown comes on the heels of rising sophomore Sean Stewart exiting the program meaning the only returning players are guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster. The Blue Devils have endeavored to get older and tougher, the addition of Brown is a step toward that end. Brown’s versatility will be a welcomed addition to the Blue Devils where he could be asked to play a number of positions. The ACC First Team All-Defensive player has 2 seasons of eligibility left and if the Blue Devils can manage to keep him for both seasons he provides a bridge and more age to the 2025 season as well.

Brown scored in double-figures 17 games this past season including scoring 14 against UNC and 26 against Duke in Cameron Indoor. He averaged just under double-figures at 9.5 points per game and 7.2 rebounds.

Rumors of Blue Devil interest quickly made the rounds on the internet fairly soon after Brown entered the portal . A visit beginning April 18th began and triggered a commitment from Brown soon thereafter. The Blue Devils will seek to add more players via the transfer portal and have been linked to several other players including Stanford’s Brandon Angel, Purdues Mason Gillis and Dayton’s Koby Brea. The one thing we know for sure is that next season’s Blue Devils will look completely different. In the age of the transfer portal being the biggest part of college basketball currently every season is open season and Jon Scheyer has learned quickly that in order to be successful on today’s game you have to embrace it fully. If the coaching staffs plan comes to fruition we’ll see a much more seasoned product on the floor in 2024 if not, well, I’m not sure where that leaves Duke in 2025.