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Duke point guard Derryck Thornton intends to transfer
Before Duke's Sweet 16 loss to Oregon last month, point guard Derryck Thornton reflected on the challenge of graduating high school in three years, enrolling at one of the nation's most tradition-rich programs and trying to fill the void left by Tyus Jones' early departure.
"It's definitely tough, but you can do it if you're mentally focused," Thornton told Yahoo Sports. "This season has been so great for me and for my team and I've learned so much. It was a great opportunity for me to come here and I'm really happy with my decision. I've learned so much from Coach [Mike Krzyzewski]. There's a lot I wouldn't have learned if I were still in high school."
At that time, Thornton certainly didn't sound like someone who intended to leave when the season ended, but that's not the case any longer. Duke announced Sunday that the sophomore-to-be is transferring.
“We wish Derryck the best and appreciate his contributions to our team this season,” Krzyzewski said in the statement. “We support his decision and want only what is best for him in the future.”
Thornton played in all 36 of Duke's games as a freshman and averaged 7.1 points and 2.6 assists in 26 minutes per game. He made 20 starts for the Blue Devils, but he did not start any of Duke’s ACC or NCAA tournament games despite being the only true point guard on the roster.
Playing time might have been more scarce for Thornton next season had he returned with guards Grayson Allen, Matt Jones and Luke Kennard all returning and McDonald's All-American point guard Frank Jackson and wing Jayson Tatum joining the roster. Not only would Thornton likely have competed with Jackson for playing time at point guard, there also surely will be possessions that the Blue Devils put Allen on the ball with Kennard, Jones or Tatum at the wings.
Thornton's departure opens a scholarship for Marques Bolden, the five-star center Duke is currently pursuing. Bolden is expected to decide between the Blue Devils and Kentucky in the coming weeks.
As for Thornton, he said in Duke's release that he intends to transfer closer to his native Chatsworth, Calif. The former five-star recruit will have three years eligibility remaining and will undoubtedly look for a program where he can be more of a focal point of a high ball screen-heavy offense.
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
