After a long battle, this former Duke Blue Devils star has finally found an NBA home.
Many outstanding players have come and gone through Durham, so Duke Blue Devils fans would be forgiven if they somewhat forgot guard Trevor Keels.
The former five-star recruit spent just one season at Duke in 2021-22, averaging 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists over 30.2 minutes per game on 41.9/31.2/67.0 shooting splits.
While Keels certainly could have used another year of seasoning (much like Isaiah Evans), the Clinton, Md. native decided to declare for the NBA Draft and ended up falling to the New York Knicks with the 42nd overall pick.
Keels played just three games for the Knicks during his rookie campaign, representing the extent of his NBA experience.
But now, after battling in the G-League for most of the last several seasons, Keels has finally found a home with another squad, as he has signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat, with whom he spent some time during the preseason.
Keels had been playing for the Sioux Falls Sky Force, averaging 20.3 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 boards across 34.4 minutes a night while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor, 39.2 percent from three-point range and 73.5 percent from the free-throw line.
Trevor Keels. Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images.The 22-year-old poured in 46 points in a single game last month, setting a G-League record by going 12-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Keels was a member of Duke's 2022 Final Four squad that included Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero and definitely flashed significant potential, but it was also clear that he was still very raw.
Hopefully, the time Keels has spent in the G-League has helped him refine his game, and perhaps he could make an impact for the Heat here during the stretch run of the 2025-26 NBA campaign.
Across four G-League seasons, Keels logged 17.3 points, 3.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game on 44.0/37.7/76.3 shooting splits.
The 6-foot-5 swingman demonstrated the same sort of ability he displayed at Duke. Now, it's time to see if he is ready for legitimate minutes on the NBA level.
Keels will also represent the 27th Blue Devils alum currently in the NBA. Hopefully, he will stick around for the long haul this time.
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