The Cameron Boozer period at Duke is formally over after the reigning CBS Sports activities Nationwide Participant of the Yr declared for the 2026 NBA Draft final month. Boozer grew to become the second consecutive participant from Duke to win the highest particular person honor within the sport and is in line to hitch Cooper Flagg as the following top-three decide from this system later this summer time.
Duke had the posh of ushering in Boozer when Flagg departed for the NBA after producing one of many biggest one-and-done seasons in school basketball historical past. The Blue Devils haven’t got a participant of Flagg or Boozer’s caliber getting into this system, however they are going to have arguably the deepest roster within the sport, headlined by Wisconsin switch John Blackwell.
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The Blue Devils are bringing again a number of acquainted faces, together with Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster, Patrick Ngongba II and Dame Sarr to pair with one other top-ranked highschool recruiting class. Blackwell is the largest title Duke coach Jon Scheyer has landed by way of the switch portal since taking up as head coach, making it doubtless his group might be a preseason top-five group later this fall.
CBS Sports activities is monitoring the standing of the Duke roster and recruiting class in actual time. Here is the place each present Duke participant and commit at present stand.
Incoming transfers
John Blackwell (Switch from Wisconsin)
GP: 34 | PPG: 19.1 | RPG: 5.1 | APG: 2.3
Blackwell was the No. 3-ranked switch within the 247Sports rankings. He averaged 19.1 factors final season for Wisconsin and may complement among the offense that Boozer and Isaiah Evans generated final season. Blackwell had loads of suitors within the portal, together with Illinois, Louisville and UCLA. Scheyer successful that recruiting battle is a giant deal.
Drew Scharnowski (Switch from Belmont)
GP: 30 | PPG: 10.7 | RPG: 6.0 | APG: 2.6
Scharnowski might be Duke’s Swiss Military Knife this season. He doubtless will not be within the beginning lineup on opening night time, however he’s greater than able to taking part in 15-20 minutes off the bench. He averaged 10.7 factors. 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.8 minutes per recreation at Belmont.
Duke gamers returning for the 2026-27 season
Caleb Foster | G | Jr.
GP: 33 | PPG: 8.3 | RPG: 3.5 | APG: 2.8
Foster would be the most skilled returner on Duke’s roster. The previous four-star recruit from the 2023 recruiting class began 30 video games final season and averaged profession bests in virtually each statistical class. Foster suffered a proper foot fracture in opposition to North Carolina late within the season, however was nonetheless in a position to return for the second weekend of the NCAA Match.
Cayden Boozer | G | Fr.
GP: 38 | PPG: 7.7 | RPG: 2.3 | APG: 3.0
Boozer, a former four-star recruit within the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports, had an up-and-down freshman season at Duke. Nevertheless, he discovered a bigger function towards the top of the season — particularly, when Foster went down with an harm. Boozer ended up beginning in all three ACC Match video games and 4 NCAA Match video games. Business sources informed CBS Sports activities {that a} switch had been on the desk for Cayden earlier than deciding to return to Duke for his sophomore season.
Cayden Boozer bypasses switch portal, returns to Duke for sophomore season
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Patrick Ngongba II | C | So.
GP: 32 | PPG: 10.1 | RPG: 5.8 | APG: 2.0
Had Ngongba entered the NBA Draft, he would’ve doubtless been a late first-round decide. As an alternative, he’ll return to Duke for his junior season, the place a bigger function is predicted after averaging simply 21.9 minutes per recreation this previous season. Ngongba is a candidate to be a lottery decide subsequent summer time in a a lot weaker draft class.
Dame Sarr | G | Fr.
GP: 38 | PPG: 6.4 | RPG: 3.8 | APG: 1.1
Sarr is a possible breakout candidate subsequent season. He began 30 video games as a freshman and averaged 6.4 factors whereas capturing 32.3% from the 3-point line. I’d count on that quantity to extend subsequent season. Sarr was a late addition to Duke’s roster after former Duke commit Cedric Coward elected to maintain his title within the NBA Draft as an alternative of going again to school.
Duke gamers not returning in 2026-27
Cameron Boozer | F | Fr. (Declared for the NBA Draft)
GP: 38 | PPG: 22.5 | RPG: 10.2 | APG: 4.1
Boozer exited school basketball after being probably the most constant participant within the sport throughout his lone season. He’s a projected top-three decide within the NBA Draft. From Day 1 within the league, he’ll be probably the greatest passing bigs within the league. What made Boozer so efficient in school was his potential to make use of pump fakes to attract contact. There are query marks about what he might be defensively on the subsequent stage, and it is a massive cause why there is not a stronger case for him to go No. 1. Regardless, Boozer’s basketball IQ is off the charts. He has All-NBA potential in his future.
Isaiah Evans | G | So. (Declared for the NBA Draft)
GP: 38 | PPG: 15.0 | RPG: 3.2 | APG: 1.3
Evans had one of many largest stay-or-go choices to make. Finally, Evans determined to enter the NBA Draft, the place he initiatives as a late first-round decide. Evans went from virtually strictly a pure catch-and-shoot 3-point specialist at Duke throughout his freshman 12 months to a legit No. 2 scoring choice on the No. 1 total seed in school basketball. Evans virtually doubled the quantity of 3-pointers he took from this 12 months to final and nonetheless knocked them down at a 36.1% clip.
Nikolas Khamenia | G | Fr. (Transferred to UConn)
GP: 38 | PPG: 5.7 | RPG: 3.3 | APG: 1.0
Khamenia’s ultimate recreation at Duke was an Elite Eight loss in opposition to UConn. The subsequent time he fits up for a school basketball recreation, he might be taking part in for … UConn. Khamenia has an opportunity to be a starter for the Huskies this season. He shot 34% from the 3-point line on 2.7 makes an attempt per recreation. He is an ideal match for Dan Hurley’s system.
Darren Harris | G | So. (Transferred to Indiana)
GP: 36 | PPG: 3.3 | RPG: 0.8 | APG: 0.4
Harris appeared in 36 video games for Duke however was a deep bench choice, averaging simply 9.7 minutes per recreation. The previous four-star recruit transferred to Indiana.
Maliq Brown | F | Sr. (Out of eligibility)
GP: 38 | PPG: 4.9 | RPG: 5.2 | APG: 1.6
Brown was one of the crucial underrated gamers within the sport. The previous Syracuse switch was a key rotational participant on Duke’s Closing 4 group in 2025 and began 10 video games this previous season. His defensive versatility is what Duke will miss probably the most.
Duke’s incoming recruiting class
Scheyer has accomplished it once more with one other stud recruiting class. Duke’s 2026 recruiting class ranks No. 2 within the 247Sports group rankings, solely behind Arkansas. The Blue Devils’ recruiting class options 4 five-stars and is headlined by Cameron Williams, the No. 4 total participant within the recruiting cycle. Underneath Scheyer, Duke has completed within the prime two of the final 4 recruiting lessons.
No. 4 Cameron Williams
Wlliams is the crown jewel of Duke’s recruiting class. The McDonald’s All-American dedicated to Duke over Arizona, SMU, Purdue and Texas, amongst others. Out of all of the newcomers on this recruiting class, Williams can have the most effective probability to begin from Day 1. He might be a projected prime 10 decide within the 2027 NBA Draft.
No. 10 Deron Rippey Jr.
Rippey is becoming a member of a deep Duke backcourt rotation that already contains Foster, Boozer and Blackwell. Rippey nonetheless hasn’t (formally) signed with Duke, however his dedication provides the Blue Devils one other priceless depth piece. In accordance with his 247Sports scouting report, Rippey is an “explosively athletic lead guard who can set the tone on the defensive finish of the ground.”
No. 15 Bryson Howard
In accordance with his 247Sports scouting report, Howard is a “lengthy and athletic southpaw wing who adjustments the sport on each ends of the ground.” He dedicated to Duke over Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas A&M and Houston.
No. 84 Maxime Meyer
The 7-foot-1 massive man out of IMG Academy ranked because the No. 10 heart within the 247Sports rankings. He dedicated to Duke over Stanford, Vanderbilt, Florida and SMU.
5-star Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje
Boumtje Boumtje was a late addition to Duke’s 2026 recruiting class. The 7-foot massive man who not too long ago performed for FC Barcelona was a five-star recruit within the 247Sports rankings. One thing notable is that Boumtje Boumtje is not going to flip 17 till Could 30, which implies he is not going to be eligible for the 2027 NBA Draft. It is a comparable state of affairs to what Kentucky massive man Jayden Quaintance handled. He was ineligible for the NBA Draft after his freshman season at Arizona State as a result of he did not meet the NBA’s age requirement. Boumtje Boumtje might be a multi-year improvement mission for Duke, however his upside is effectively well worth the swing.