College Basketball

Duke Basketball: Jon Scheyer Pursuing Washington G Keyon Menifield In Transfer Portal

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated31 Mar 2023

Duke Basketball Jon Scheyer Pursuing Washington G Keyon Menifield In Transfer Portal

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer is targeting Washington guard Keyon Menifield in the NCAA transfer portal. The 6-foot-1 freshman made 32 appearances and 21 starts with the Huskies this past season. The Michigan native averaged 10 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 28.6 minutes per game.

Plus, the guard shot 41% from the field, 33% outside the arc, and 69.8% at the foul line. On Nov. 11, Menifield made his first career start against North Florida. He became the first freshman to lead the Huskies in scoring in consecutive games since Isaiah Stewart in 2020.

Per a few college basketball betting sites, after No. 5 Duke lost 65-52 against No. 4 Tennessee in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, sportsbooks increased No. 9 Florida Atlanta’s odds of winning the national championship.

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“I look forward to exploring all options and will still be considering Washington,” tweeted Menifield after entering the transfer portal on Tuesday. “I’m excited to see what my future has in store for me for the next chapter of my college basketball career.”

According to Tobias Bass of The Athletic, Duke is among the frontrunners to land Menifield. Other interested programs include Arkansas, Alabama, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Grand Canyon, Iowa State, Louisville, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, St. John’s, Tennessee, and Xavier.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer is targeting Washington guard Keyon Menifield in NCAA transfer portal

On Monday, Duke freshman guard Tyrese Proctor announced his plan to return next season. Duke coach Jon Scheyer has also recruited two 5-star incoming freshmen combo guards: Caleb Foster and Jared McCain. Scheyer added forwards Mackenzie Mgbako, TJ Power, and Sean Stewart to his roster as well.

Moreover, Washington head coach Mike Hopkins praised the high school standout last year. “Keyon is one of the most talented guards in the country and we feel really lucky to have him,” said Hopkins.

“He has the ability to score. He was one of the top scorers in Michigan the last two years and was the leading scorer of the Nike EYBL circuit, which not too many people can say. His ability as an explosive scorer is a huge addition.”

Before his freshman year with Washington, Keyon Menifield was the leading scorer in Nike’s EYBL last summer, averaging 22.6 points on 46.7% shooting for The Family. While at Flint Beecher High School in 2021, the guard led the Buccaneers to a 16-1 record and averaged 26 points, 4.7 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and 6.6 steals.

Additionally, Menifield was the Michigan Division 3 Player of the Year and ended the season with a 37-point outing to win the championship. So, Duke would be fortunate to recruit him. One famous alumnus from Flint Beecher is Washington Wizards guard Monte Morris. Morris and fellow Wizards teammate Kyle Kuzma both attended Dailey Elementary School together.

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