Duke completed with the identical report in 12 months 2 beneath Jon Scheyer because it did in 12 months 1 (27-9). However the Blue Devils made strides by reaching the Elite Eight after flaming out within the second spherical of the NCAA Match throughout Scheyer’s debut marketing campaign. Now, Scheyer brings his most-hyped group but into his third season because the substitute for the legendary Mike Krzyzewski.
That might not be truthful for a group that returns solely two gamers who logged common minutes final season, but it surely’s the truth for a program that landed the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class. Duke’s six-man freshman haul is headlined by No. 1 general prospect Cooper Flagg, and the roster has been constructed to maximise Flagg’s influence.
The one scholarship participant with a couple of 12 months of expertise in a Duke uniform is junior guard Tyrese Proctor, which means Scheyer will face a problem in constructing cohesion. Whereas Duke is younger, it did add some veteran muscle through the switch portal. Transfers Sion James (Tulane), Mason Gillis (Purdue) and Maliq Brown (Syracuse) are every multi-year faculty gamers who will play complementary roles and convey management.
As faculty basketball’s offseason participant motion cycle stops, it is time to begin breaking down the rosters of the game’s high packages. For this installment, we’re looking on the Blue Devils and attempting to decipher what their lineup may appear like when the season begins.
USATSI
Projected beginning lineup
1. Tyrese Proctor
6-6 | 183 | Jr.
Proctor did not have the breakout sophomore season that some projected, and his 0 for 9 exhibiting in Duke’s Elite Eight loss to NC State marked an unattractive conclusion. However the Australian product did present indicators of progress. He improved his assist-to-turnover ratio and upped his taking pictures percentages throughout his second 12 months in this system. With Jeremy Roach gone, Proctor ought to tackle a management function and have the ball in his arms fairly a bit.
2. Caleb Foster
6-5 | 202 | So.
A top-25 freshman from the Class of 2023, Foster confirmed promise earlier than an ankle harm ended his season in late February. He hit 40.6% of his 3-pointers whereas averaging 7.7 factors as a part-time starter. The departures of Roach and Jared McCain give Foster a pure alternative to slip right into a showcase function within the backcourt. He went No. 10 in Gary Parrish’s preliminary 2025 NBA mock draft.
3. Cooper Flagg
6-9 | 205 | Fr.
The projected No. 1 general choose within the 2025 NBA Draft is the centerpiece of Duke’s roster. Flagg will not flip 18 till Dec. 21, however he is received the instruments to be the Blue Devils’ high all-around participant. Look no additional than his efficiency in opposition to Staff USA for proof. Flagg has the scale and flexibility to dominate each ends of the ground and is perhaps faculty basketball’s most-anticipated one-and-done prospect since Zion Williamson.
4. Maliq Brown
6-9 | 222 | Jr.
Brown ranked as Syracuse’s high general participant final 12 months, per evanmiya.com‘s Bayesian Efficiency Score. He is an environment friendly however offensively quiet 4 who thrives on the defensive finish. That makes him an excellent match for the Blue Devils, who will probably be getting their offensive punch from different sources. Brown earned ACC All-Protection honors as a sophomore whereas averaging 2.2 steals and 0.9 blocks per contest.
5. Khaman Maluach
7-2 | 250 | Fr.
It is by no means clever to put outsized expectations on freshman bigs, because the 12 months 1 hit charge is spotty at finest for such gamers within the trendy recreation. The hope for Maluach is that his sheer dimension and ability across the rim make will him efficient. Whereas he’s a viable candidate to begin on the 5 for the Blue Devils, it might be prudent to measure expectations for his general productiveness.
Bench
Mason Gillis
6-6 | 225 | Gr.
Gillis epitomized what it means to be a job participant for a high-caliber program throughout his 5 seasons at Purdue. He’ll present the identical veteran management and glorious floor-spacing on the 4 as he did for a Ultimate 4 group final season.
Sion James
6-6 | 220 | Gr.
James is the kind of savvy, veteran addition that may assist maintain an in any other case younger roster collectively. He averaged a career-high 14 factors per recreation on 38.1% 3-point taking pictures in his fourth season at Tulane and is an efficient perimeter defender.
Isaiah Evans
6-6 | 175 | Fr.
Evans is an offensively gifted perimeter participant. He is lean and wishes some bodily improvement, however the McDonald’s All-American ought to carve out a job off the bench.
Kon Knueppel
6-7 | 217 | Fr.
Roach and McCain every shot higher than 41% from 3-point vary final season because the Blue Devils ranked No. 15 nationally at 37.7%. With each departed, Knueppel may discover an offensive area of interest as Duke seeks to stay an upper-echelon exterior taking pictures group.
Depth
Darren Harris | 6-6 | 203 | Fr.
Patrick Ngongba II | 6-11 | 250 | Fr.
Cameron Sheffield | 6-6 | 204 | Sr.
Harris is the No. 38 prospect within the Class of 2024, which might make him a headline addition for many packages. At Duke, he is the sixth-highest-ranked participant in his personal recruiting class and must battle for enjoying time. Ngonba is a promising large man however he is on the mend from accidents and appears poised for a developmental season. Sheffield is a former starter at Rice who missed final season as a result of harm.