The Duke men’s basketball program received some good news on Monday morning, as one of the program’s top players has decided to return to the team for another season. The Blue Devils had an uneven showing in the team’s first season in the post-Mike Krzyzewski era of basketball. Still, Duke finished third in the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC) and made it to the first weekend of the tournament before an untimely Round of 32 loss to Tennessee in Jon Scheyer’s first season as the program’s head coach.
That’s why point guard Tyrese Proctor is running it back for another season. The Australia native will make the NBA wait, as he has some unfinished business to attend to, and will return to Durham for his sophomore season in 2024, he announced on Twitter Monday.
“This is the best decision for my career, both present and future,” Proctor told ESPN. “Coach Scheyer and I share the same vision; we have unfinished business. We have the best staff in the country, and they will push me each and every day.”
Proctor, who was considered the No. 30 prospect in ESPN’s 2023 NBA draft projections, has a chance to become a lottery selection in next year’s draft. In his first season with the Blue Devils, Proctor averaged 9.3 points/per game with 3.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds/per game. With another season of collegiate experience under his belt, the 6-foot-5 Proctor can become one of the better players in the ACC in 2024 and perhaps a top draft pick.
The college basketball world reacted to the major Duke news on social media. as Proctor’s decision to return to school was met with huge approval.
[ESPN]