ESPN’s Jeff Goodman is reporting that Duke PG Derryck Thornton will in fact transfer.

The freshman PG averaged 7.1 PPG and 2.6 assists during the 2015-16 season. The former five star signee is expected to transfer into a school closer to home on the west coast.

Duke currently has the #1 ranked recruiting class incoming for 2016 including Winston Salem native Forward Harry Giles, #1 ranked national player Jayson Tatum and 5 star guard Frank Jackson.

Sources told Goodman that Thornton knew that his minutes would decrease with the arrival of Jackson and decided it would be best to leave for a different situation. Thornton will have to sit out next year due to NCAA rules but will have 3 years of elgibility remaining.

The transfer will leave Duke without a pure Point Guard on the roster for 2016. However, it does open a scholarship for next year and Duke is in the running for the #2 rated center Marquis Bolden. It appears that the possiblity of Bolden coming to Duke has increased with the now open scholarship available.

Duke has opened as the odds on favorite to win the national championship in 2017.