Duke didn’t waste any time starting 2021 on the right foot.
On Friday afternoon, former Louisville guard Nyah Green announced that she was transferring to join the Blue Devils. Green redshirted last season with the Cardinals after being recruited to Louisville as the No. 23 recruit in the Class of 2019.
Green is easily the highest-profile Duke transfer since Lexie Brown in 2015, and could join the Blue Devils as soon as next semester. A highly-touted freshman redshirting is fairly unusual for Louisville head coach Jeff Walz, and Green was only at the back of the Cardinal bench this season, averaging 2.2 points on 10.4 minutes per game.
With all of 52 collegiate minutes under her belt, there’s little to scout on Green. However, she’s just a year removed from elite prospect status, and was known for her off-ball scoring and initiating, something Duke sorely lacked outside their point guards this season.
The most interesting part of this may be the timing. Green’s announcement comes less than a week after the Blue Devils opted out of the rest of the 2020-21 season, and just one day after Walz told Packer And Durham, “[Duke canceling its season] is up to them. All I can say is: my kids want to play.”
Green had entered the transfer portal Dec. 16, five days after Louisville paused team activities due to a positive COVID-19 test within the program. Following a game against the Cardinals Dec. 9, Duke was forced to suspend team activities following two positive COVID-19 tests within its own program, a little more than a week before opting out of the season.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.