Creighton got a commitment from Duke transfer Alex O’Connell on Wednesday.
The junior guard announced his decision on Twitter. O’Connell spent the past three seasons as a role player with the Blue Devils. The former top-75 consensus recruit might finally have a chance to earn consistent minutes. This will be a fresh start for O’Connell in the Big East.
O’Connell received, at most, 14 minutes per game at Duke. That came as a sophomore. O’Connell never cracked the main Duke lineup because talented freshmen often took opening spots. This past season, O’Connell lost confidence as a perimeter shooter. The 6-foot-6 wing put up 5.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per contest in 13.3 minutes of action per game. But O’Connell’s shooting numbers dipped. He was only at 40 percent from the floor and 27 percent from three-point range. That’s a huge drop from the 48 percent he shot from three as a freshman.
With Creighton, O’Connell gets a new opportunity. And his addition to the Bluejays could be an interesting fit. In head coach Greg McDermott’s offense, O’Connell could see a lot of open perimeter looks. Creighton often has a number of floor-spacing options on the floor. That should enable O’Connell to step in and play his part right away. If O’Connell can find his confidence again, he’s another dangerous weapon to space the floor with.
Although O’Connell never got going with Duke, he has a chance to finish his college career on a high note. And with Creighton coming off a Big East title, Alex O’Connell could be a strong fit as they try to stay among the league’s top teams.