The Duke basketball team has officially begun its roster movement, marking the departure of Christian Reeves as the first player to transfer out of the program during Jon Scheyer’s tenure as head coach. This news was initially reported by On3 on Wednesday.
Reeves, a 3-star center hailing from Oak Hill Academy (Va.), faced challenges during his two years at Duke, primarily due to health issues that limited his availability on the court. Standing at 7 feet tall, he underwent surgery on his left ankle last spring and was subsequently sidelined for the entire season after undergoing surgery on his right ankle during the current season./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24498477/usa_today_20210060.jpg)
As a result, Reeves only played in three games, none beyond November 29, and ultimately redshirted. Despite being with the program for 72 games, he saw limited action, appearing in just 16 games and averaging 3.5 minutes, 1.6 points, and 1.1 rebounds per game during his time in Durham.
In addition to health concerns, Reeves also faced challenges in securing playing time due to the depth of talent at the center position within the Duke roster. Despite hopes for him to develop into a role player, injuries and the emergence of other players hindered his progress.
With Duke welcoming a talented freshman class, including Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach, Reeves’ opportunities for playing time were expected to be further limited, with Maluach projected to start as the team’s center next season and Flagg as the opening night power forward.
Ultimately, Reeves’ decision to transfer is seen as beneficial for both him and the program, providing him with the opportunity for a fresh start elsewhere.
