It's been an offseason of departures so far for the Blue Devils, but one key piece isn't going anywhere.
On Thursday afternoon, Adam Zagoria reported that sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor will neglect the opportunity to declare for the NBA Draft, instead opting for a third year at Duke. The 6-foot-5 sophomore captain has been a mainstay for the Blue Devils for two seasons and will continue to provide a steady hand for a young roster in 2024-25.
After re-classing to come to Durham a year early for his freshman campaign, Proctor started in 34 contests as a rookie, leading the Blue Devils to an ACC tournament title and the NCAA tournament round of 32. Instead of opting for the NBA Draft like fellow freshmen Dereck Lively II and Dariq Whitehead, however, Proctor elected to come back for his sophomore season alongside classmates Mark Mitchell and Kyle Filipowski, helping the Blue Devils to a preseason No. 2 ranking.
Proctor was an integral piece of head coach Jon Scheyer's rotation in 2023-24, starting all but six of the 32 games he played. Amid limited depth, Proctor answered the bell, averaging 10.5 points and 3.7 assists, both improvements from his freshman season. His field-goal rate and 3-point clip also increased by four and three percent, respectively, helping Duke to the NCAA Elite Eight.
Despite occasional streakiness in his scoring, the Sydney native is an elite on-ball defender and operates best as the offense's primary ball handler, a responsibility he will almost certainly hold next season.
Amid the departure of Mark Mitchell, Proctor's return is a welcome one. As it stands, Proctor, Caleb Foster and Jaylen Blakes are the only three proper guards on Duke's bench, while the incoming recruiting class features no out-and-out point or shooting guards. Proctor's remarkable eye for a pass will also be an invaluable asset to help unlock the likes of five-star forward Cooper Flagg and center Khaman Maluach — next year's marquee freshman talents.
Proctor is the only starter from 2023-24 to announce his return to Durham so far.
The program did not immediately respond to The Chronicle's request for comment.
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Andrew Long is a Trinity junior and sports editor of The Chronicle's 119th volume.