Coach K’s grandson enters the transfer portal and will leave Duke basketball team
Duke guard Michael Savarino, the grandson of former Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski, has entered the transfer portal.
Savarino plans to complete classes at Duke this summer to earn his degree before transferring to a program where he can compete for playing time.
The move comes weeks after Duke’s season and Coach K’s career ended in a run to the Final Four. The Blue Devils’ season ended in a loss to rival North Carolina, 81-77, in New Orleans.
Savarino (6-foot, 182 pounds) didn’t play much in his final season in Durham. Formerly a walk-on who was put on scholarship this past August, he played in 11 games and scored 12 points this year.
Savarino made headlines early in the season when he and Duke freshman star Paolo Banchero were pulled over in November and Savarino was charged with a DWI.
Krzyzewski retired at the end of the 2021-22 season. His successor will be former player and assistant coach Jon Scheyer.
Savarino’s move will free up a scholarship for Scheyer and his staff to use, possibly for a transfer portal addition, for next season’s roster.
Duke has six incoming freshman players, who comprise the nation’s top-rated recruiting class. Sophomore center Mark Williams declared for the NBA Draft on Monday, with freshmen Paolo Banchero and A.J. Griffin, along with junior Wendell Moore, expected to follow this week.
Two seniors from this season’s team, reserve forwards Theo John and Bates Jones, have exhausted their eligibility.
Reserve forward Joey Baker plans to return for next season as a graduate student.
Staff Writer Steve Wiseman contributed to this story.
This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 10:20 AM.
.jpeg)