Duke coach Mike Elko preaches academics, athletics when recruiting through transfer portal
Duke head coach Mike Elko won’t sacrifice the academic integrity of the university when he recruits players through the transfer portal.
Some might consider recruiting to Duke more difficult than other Power Five schools. In addition to the moniker of “basketball school,” Duke has elite academic standards.
But Elko didn’t view the recruiting process for high schoolers or transfers any harder than others.
“I don’t view it as harder,” Elko said on Sirius XM’s ACC Radio. “I think we look at everything around here very similarly, we understand what Duke is or what Duke stands for. And every athlete that we’re trying to bring in here has to be in line with that in some way shape or form. And so we’re not trying to utilize the portal as a way to supplant admissions and get kids in that may not fit what we’re trying to build here at Duke.
“And so to me, it just all goes hand in hand. The way we recruit high school kids is no different than the way we recruit portal kids. We want kids who truly want the best of both worlds. And if we can go out and find them, it really doesn’t matter where we find them. We have opportunities to get them in either arena.”
Elko, 45, took over Duke as head coach last season and went 9-4 in his debut. The Blue Devils won the Military Bowl to cap off a successful fall.
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It was the first head coaching gig for Elko and he didn’t disappoint. Recruiting is tough for sure, but Duke has a top-50 (No. 46 overall) recruiting class in the 2024 cycle, per the On3 Industry Ranking.
As far as the transfer portal rankings, Duke fared a little better in the current crop of players. Duke is No. 40 overall under Elko, ahead of some schools like Missouri, Ohio State and Mississippi State.
The biggest position Duke hammered home was the offensive line. Elko and Duke landed Dustyn Hall, Ben Hoitink, Jake Hornibrook and Michael Purcell via the transfer portal over the last few months.
The ACC could be wide open again, despite favorites such as Clemson, North Carolina and Florida State.
But Elko and Duke winning nine games last season could bode well for a special 2023.