Jeremy Roach on transfer from Duke: 'Personally, I wanted to stay'
Jeremy Roach was one of several transfers who left Duke this offseason. However, if things had worked out, he would have preferred to remain in Durham.
Roach addressed his transfer decision to leave the Blue Devils in an interview with Jeff Goodman at The Field of 68. He described it as agreed upon choice for him and the program to move on with how things turned out. Still, had it been solely up to him, staying at Duke was his hope.
“It was kind of like a mutual thing,” said Roach. “I mean, (Jon Scheyer) already kind of knew what was, what I was kind of expecting.”
“Personally, I wanted to stay. I wanted to stay but just like stuff didn’t meet up,” Roach said. “It was just my time to go.”
Roach spent the last four seasons as a near full-time starter at Duke. He made 130 appearances while lettering there, with 108 of those being starts, as he posted 11.3 points and 3.1 assists over his career there. That included his best year as a senior last season with averages of 14 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals on career-best percentages across the board.
Still, following that season, Roach was one of seven players to leave the program in the transfer portal. He was the most significant loss too as the No. 2 PG and the No. 11 overall player per On3’s 2024 Transfer Portal Top Players.
With that, Roach committed to the Baylor Bears for his fifth collegiate year. He was the second highest-rated addition of their trio behind only Norchad Omier (Miami – No. 1 SF, No. 2 overall).
Now, in Waco, Roach is finding his game again from his true position at the one spot.
“Imma let the whole world know right now. I’m not a two, I’m not a three, I’m not a scoring guard. I’m a point guard. Like, it’s – cut all the two-guard. No, no, no, no. That was just what I had to do at Duke,” said Roach. “Right now, I’m a point guard and it’s great to get back to what I do.”
“Just feel more comfortable, getting back to myself,” Roach said. “There’s nothing like it.”
In the end, both sides seem to have gotten what they wanted based on Roach’s recalling of it. That’s certainly so for him as he prepares for his upcoming season as the point guard at Baylor.