For many faculty basketball packages, touchdown a recruit of Cooper Flagg’s caliber could be monumental and a once-in-a-blue-moon incidence, and rightfully so. Flagg left Duke as among the best one-and-done gamers within the historical past of the game and was chosen with the No. 1 total decide within the NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks earlier this summer season.
Duke, nevertheless, is not a daily program. The Blue Devils have a participant on the roster in five-star ahead Cameron Boozer, who has emerged as one of many prime contenders to be chosen No. 1 total within the 2026 NBA Draft. Boozer is taken into account one of many prime contenders to go No. 1 alongside Kansas‘ Darryn Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa.
Boozer, alongside his brother Cayden Boozer, headlines one other star-studded recruiting class getting into this system that completed No. 1 total within the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports. The Boozer brothers and returning gamers Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, and Patrick Ngongba will make Duke one of many prime title contenders heading into the 2025-26 marketing campaign.
Duke completed two video games in need of a nationwide title with among the best freshmen to ever hit the scene in faculty basketball. What do Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils do for an encore? The Athletic’s Brendan Marks joins Matt Norlander to recap the disastrous ending to final season AND preview what Cameron Boozer appears to be like to do that season.
With faculty basketball’s participant motion all however accomplished, it is time to begin breaking down the rosters of the game’s prime packages. For this installment, we’re having a look at Duke and attempting to decipher what its lineup may appear to be when the season begins.
Projected beginning lineup
1. Caleb Foster | 6-5 | 205 | Jr.
The previous extremely touted recruit from the 2023 recruiting cycle is getting into his third yr with this system. After logging simply over 25 minutes per sport and recording 15 begins throughout his freshman season, Foster’s position shrank. He did seem in 38 video games, however averaged simply 4.9 factors in 14 minutes per sport. Heading into this season, Foster initiatives as Duke’s place to begin guard with ample runway for a bigger position on each ends of the ground.
2. Isaiah Evans | 6-6 | 180 | So.
Evans had an fascinating draft resolution to make earlier this offseason. As a substitute of getting into the draft — the place a staff would’ve definitely wager on his upside on Day 2 — he determined to return to Duke. Evans has been in comparison with former Duke standout Brandon Ingram. Evans was a knockdown shooter in his restricted position off the bench. He will likely be within the beginning lineup this yr and may get severe consideration as a first-round decide subsequent summer season if all goes nicely.
3. Dame Sarr | 6-8 | 190 | Fr.
Sarr was a late addition to Duke’s 2025 recruiting class. The Worldwide star from Italy dedicated to the Blue Devils over Kansas, Illinois and extra after most just lately enjoying for FC Barcelona in 2024-25. Sarr has a powerful probability to enhance his draft inventory at Duke. After Cedric Coward elected to remain within the draft as a substitute of preserving his dedication to Duke, Sarr made numerous sense.
4. Cameron Boozer | 6-9 | 250 | Fr.
Boozer is a top-three projected decide within the 2026 NBA Draft. On the highschool circuit, he had one of the vital achieved careers of anybody in his class. At 6-foot-9, he’s going to be a drive within the frontcourt for the Blue Devils. Boozer has the dimensions, athleticism, rebounding and offensive profile to be a contemporary energy ahead within the NBA.
5. Patrick Ngongba II | 6-8 | 231 | Sr.
After coming off the bench in all 30 of his appearances final season, Ngongba is projected to start out at heart for Duke. He averaged 3.9 factors, 2.7 rebounds and shot 71.9% from the ground on 2.1 makes an attempt.
Off the bench
Cayden Boozer | 6-4 | 205 | Fr.
Boozer ranked because the No. 23 total participant within the 2025 recruiting cycle. He initiatives as a key rotation piece for Duke, with the potential to get prolonged minutes at level guard with the starters.
Maliq Brown | 6-9 | 225 | Sr.
Brown was Duke’s glue man final yr. He averaged simply 2.5 factors and three.7 rebounds off the bench, however his affect went past the field rating. He was among the best defenders on Duke’s roster and supplied a distinct look when different starters went to the bench. He ought to play an analogous position this season.
Nikolas Khamenia | 6-8 | 215 | Fr.
The five-star ahead from Southern California was the second-highest-ranked recruit in Duke’s class behind Boozer. He ought to present taking pictures and playmaking off the bench for the Blue Devils.
Darren Harris | 6-5 | 195 | So.
Harris solely logged 6.0 minutes in 21 appearances final yr, however his position needs to be bigger with a number of key rotational items departing. Harris will present extra taking pictures off the bench.
Filling out the roster
Duke completed with the No. 1-ranked highschool recruiting class for the second consecutive yr underneath coach Jon Scheyer. Since taking on for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski, Duke has remained relentless on the recruiting path. The Blue Devils completed with the No. 2 class in 2023 and No. 1 in 2024 and 2025. The best-ranked participant from the listing beneath is Wilkins, who’s the No. 47 participant within the 2025 recruiting cycle. Duke has tended to maintain a decent rotation underneath Scheyer, however gamers exterior the every-night rotation ought to get a possibility to play sooner or later.
Market watch
Duke’s odds to win 2026 NCAA Match (by way of Fanduel): +1100
Duke is in the identical class as different faculty basketball blue bloods, the place the expectation each season is to compete for berths to the Last 4 and nationwide titles. This present Duke staff does not have the firepower as final yr, with three gamers drafted inside the highest 10 of the NBA Draft, however the Blue Devils are nonetheless greater than gifted sufficient to compete for a nationwide title this season.
Final season, Duke went so far as Flagg would take them. The Blue Devils this yr will depend on Yr 2 jumps from Evans and Ngongba, Foster increasing his position throughout his junior season and the top-ranked recruiting class contributing early and infrequently. Boozer additionally has an opportunity to solidify himself because the No. 1 decide with a powerful season. At minimal, this Duke staff needs to be enjoying throughout the second weekend of the NCAA Match, with a berth to the Last 4 on the road.