Chase Jeter Announces Transfer to Arizona After 2 Seasons at Duke

Arizona turned to the transfer market Tuesday and landed a once highly regarded recruit in Chase Jeter.

Jeter, who decided to transfer from Duke after the Blue Devils lost to South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament, chose the Wildcats for the next step in his basketball career.

Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com reported after Jeter left Duke, he would have to sit out the 2017-18 season but would still have two years of remaining eligibility.

Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski praised Jeter after his decision to leave his program, per the team's official website: "Chase has been an outstanding young man in our program for the last two years. ... We wish nothing but the absolute best for Chase and his family."

Jeter came to Duke with plenty of expectations as a 5-star recruit in the class of 2015, per Scout. Scout listed him as the No. 15 overall player and No. 6 center in his class, but he was quickly buried on the loaded Blue Devils' depth chart.

He averaged just 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per game in 2016-17 and missed the final 19 contests with a herniated disc. He was even less effective from a statistical perspective as a freshman with 1.9 points and 1.9 boards per game.

However, he was highly sought-after as a recruit for a reason and can serve as a matchup problem for opposing big men at 6'10" with athleticism.

If healthy, he will have a chance to thrive after leaving Duke, a la Semi Ojeleye, who transferred to SMU from the Blue Devils and proceeded to average a team-high 18.9 points a night for the 30-5 Mustangs during the 2016-17 campaign.

Arizona would gladly accept that type of contribution from Jeter when he is eligible to return to the floor. The Wildcats need to replace Kobi Simmons and Lauri Markkanen after they declared for the NBA draft.

Jeter never found his groove at Duke but has been given a second life to become the player he was expected to be coming out of high school with another basketball power in Arizona.