Duke Blue Devils Get Credit for the Development of a Transfer

Duke has had its share of transfers over the years but never have I ever heard anyone publicly acknowledge that their time in Durham improved their game.

That’s the case of Olek Czyz, a power forward that transferred to Nevada Wolf Pack midway through his sophomore year at Duke.

"I was really impressed with how much he had improved," Wolf Pack coach David Carter said according to the Reno-Gazzet Journal. "He really learned how to play the game. He was a much better shooter. In high school, his offense was mostly put-backs and transition dunks, but when he came back from Duke he was so much more well-rounded."

Well that’s a credit to Steve Wojciechowski, the long-time big-man coach at Duke who has had some negative whispers about his ability to coach post players.

Not to suggest Czyz learned all he could at Duke. He seemingly left because playing time was an issue.

Obviously, true credit goes to Czyz for his focus and hard work to make himself a better player. However, his coach did notice a remarkable difference in his game after he left Duke.

The Polish forward had an immediate impact on Nevada as a starter after becoming eligible. Apparently they were 2-7 without him and then went 11-12 with him.

"I haven't truly had a full season to play," Czyz said. "This is really the first and last full season that I'll play. It's kind of exciting, but it's kind of sad, too. I have to make the most out of it."

Czyz came to Duke in the same recruiting class as Elliot Williams and Miles Plumlee. Williams later transferred to Memphis to be closer to a sick relative.

That leaves Miles Plumlee as the only senior going into the coming season.