"Man I wish"- Duke transfer Jeremy Roach dismisses rumors of $1.5m offer to play for Baylor
Duke guard Jeremy Roach became one of the biggest names to declare for the NBA draft and enter the transfer portal after announcing his decision on Tuesday.
A senior for the Blue Devils, Roach is coming off a career year, averaging a personal best of 14.0 points per game. One team constantly linked to the guard was Baylor, with rumors of a massive offer swirling.
Thanks to a post on X, Jeremy Roach may have put an end to those rumors. The former five-star recruit reposted a post from X account "Duke Update" that claimed he had an offer from the Bears worth $1.5 million and wrote:
"Man I wish smh..."
The move to Baylor hasn't been completely put to rest. However, the valuation of his transfer and the amount offered might be up for debate. Per analyst Jeff Goodman, the Bears have "emerged as front-runners" to sign Roach. So the rumors might not be too off the mark.
How did Jeremy Roach fare with Duke?
A McDonald's All-American in 2020, Jeremy Roach came to Duke with much fanfare. Finding a spot in the lineup, he started 106 games over his four years.
But his real impact began to shine with an increased role in his junior year before his senior year explosion took him to an average of 14.0 points per game. Additionally, he also added a career-best 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals each night, good for third-team All-ACC.
His shooting became an invaluable asset for Duke, as his numbers hit 42.9% on the year from long range. However, he is the latest member of the current Blue Devils' core to potentially leave the team.
Roach joins Christian Reeves, Mark Mitchell, Jaylen Blakes and Jaden Schutt in entering the transfer portal from Duke. The team's top two scorers in 2023-24, Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain, have also declared for the NBA draft, signaling a new dawn under coach Jon Scheyer.
How would Jeremy Roach fare at Baylor?
If the move to Baylor does come to fruition, Jeremy Roach will join a guard rotation in need of some bolstering. Thanks to the departure of Ja'Kobe Walter, who has also declared for the 2024 NBA draft, the position is in prime need of filling.
Walter, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, was the leading scorer for the Baylor Bears with 14.5 points, and Roach would fit the archetype to a tee should he join the Bears this upcoming season.
He would be joining coach Scott Drew's men, who are gaining additional help in the form of VJ Edgecombe, ranked fourth overall in the nation and the best shooting guard in the current recruiting class.
If not Baylor, where do you think Jeremy Roach could end up next year? Let us know in the comments below.