Former Duke wing Rasheed Sulaimon commits to Maryland basketball

Former Duke basketball player Rasheed Sulaimon will transfer to Maryland for the upcoming season, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports is reporting.

Sulaimon will be eligible to play for the Terrapins in 2015-16 after graduating from Duke, and will have one year of eligibility remaining. He was on campus for an unofficial visit last weekend.

Last winter, Sulaimon became the first player in Mike Krzyzewski's 35 years coaching the program to be dismissed from the team. The Duke Chronicle, the university's student newspaper, reported that two women had accused Sulaimon of sexually assaulting them. Sulaimon was never charged and denied the claims in an ESPN article published April 29. Terrapins coach Mark Turgeon has longstanding ties to Sulaimon, whom he recruited while he was head coach at Texas A&M five years ago.

On the court, Sulaimon is a compelling addition. A former five-star recruit, he had brilliant moments at Duke but had his development stalled when Krzyzewski added prospects like Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood, Justise Winslow, Grayson Allen and Tyus Jones over the last couple of seasons. He came off the bench in every appearance last season, but Sulaimon is a top-end talent for any college program.

Sulaimon's minutes fell each season in Durham, and his point averages declined from 11.6 as a freshman to 7.5 last year. But his per-40 minute stats held relatively constant – about 15 points, 4 to 5 rebounds and 3 to 4 assists. He's been an above-average shooter his entire career, including a 40-percent gunner on three-pointers, but his shot-making numbers haven't gotten appreciably better over time. Sulaimon is 6 feet 5 inches and will bring some of the slashing and athletic ability that Maryland lost when Dez Wells played his final game for the program.

Barring any transfers, Sulaimon figures to join sophomores Jared Nickens and Dion Wiley and senior Jake Layman in a rotation between the shooting guard and small forward positions.