Columbia grad transfer Patrick Tape has decommitted from Duke, sources told ESPN, just nine days after he announced his commitment to the Blue Devils.
There was no reason immediately given for Tape reopening his recruitment.
He chose Duke over a final four that also included Syracuse, USC and Ohio State. The Blue Devils jumped into his recruitment late, as they had a need for a big man with experience. Tape would have been immediately eligible in Durham.
"[It was] really just being close to home and having my family come see me, the excellent tradition they have there and the opportunity to play for the best coach of all time," Tape told ESPN last week.
A 6-foot-10 Charlotte native, Tape sat out this past season while finishing up his coursework at Columbia. He tore a ligament in his toe over the summer and then aggravated the injury before the season began, which would have forced him to miss at least a few games. Instead of playing just a portion of his final season of college basketball, Tape decided to leave the team and preserve his final season of eligibility.
Tape averaged 11.3 points and 5.9 rebounds in the 2018-19 season. He's ranked in the top 10 of ESPN's graduate transfer rankings.