Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Another Big Man Joins 2025-26 Duke Basketball Roster

Originally posted on Duke Blue Devils on SI
By Matt Giles | Last updated May 7, 2025 10:48 AM ET

On Wednesday morning, 247Sports' Matt Zenitz first reported that former three-year Rice player Ifeanyi Ufochukwu has committed to fourth-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and signed his financial agreement with the Blue Devils for next season.

Ufochukwu is a 6-foot-11, 240-pound center from Nigeria who played his prep ball at Covenant Day School (N.C.) and was once a teammate to Duke basketball rising junior guard Caleb Foster in grassroots action. He redshirted last season after seeing limited minutes for the Owls as a freshman and sophomore.

6’11 C -Ifeanyi Ufochukwu @iffy_gramz

Rice Transfer

3 Year Graduate. 2 to Play due to Redshirt Year. LMs/MMs should look into Iffy.@Sim_Frazier @TopShotBB pic.twitter.com/L5v0XkcETu
— Nick Jones (@CoachJonesACS) March 27, 2025

Speaking of reuniting teammates, across his two seasons on the court at Rice, Ufochukwu played alongside Cameron Sheffield, who is now set to exhaust his final year of eligibility as a reserve wing for the Blue Devils after transferring to Duke last year.

Across 25 appearances between his two active seasons with the Owls, Ifeanyi Ufochukwu averaged only 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in 3.5 minutes per contest off the bench.

Chances are he'll be nothing more than a third-string option down low and an extra practice body for the Blue Devils next season.

He has two years of eligibility remaining.

This article first appeared on Duke Blue Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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