If you were to examine Jon Scheyer's resume at his alma mater without knowing what school he was coaching, his tenure to this point would be viewed as a resounding success. However, Scheyer coaches at Duke, where a run to the final weekend of the college basketball season is expected, and anything less than a national title comes with questions year in and year out. Scheyer has come close to leading Duke to the title in back-to-back seasons.
The Blue Devils choked away a double-digit lead against Houston in the Final Four back in 2025, with former No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg leading the charge. With another national player of the year (Cameron Boozer) on the roster, Duke lost to UConn in the Elite Eight last season after blowing a double-digit second-half lead. Currently, Duke doesn't have a player on its roster who is a projected top-three pick in the NBA Draft like Flagg and Boozer were in the last two drafts.
However, the Blue Devils might have the deepest roster in the sport, with a player already drawing buzz for the 2028 NBA Draft in Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje. The good news for Duke is Boumtje Boumtje doesn't meet the draft's age requirement for 2027, meaning he will be playing at least two seasons of college basketball, during which he will be one of the top candidates to go No. 1 in 2028. He will likely compete with fellow freshman Cameron Williams for the right to start next to Patrick Ngongba II in the frontcourt, who is one of a handful of key rotation players returning for the 2026-27 campaign.
The point guard position battle between Foster and Cayden Boozer will be one to monitor heading into the season. Foster was a starter in Duke's lineup until a foot fracture sidelined him for nearly three weeks, after which he returned against St. He is far and away the most experienced returner on Duke's roster.
The former four-star recruit from the 2023 recruiting class started 30 games last season and averaged career bests in almost every statistical category. Regardless if his role is as a starter or off the bench, he will make an impact. Blackwell was the No. 3-ranked transfer in the 247Sports rankings.
Blackwell is coming off a season in which he averaged 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 34 games for Wisconsin. He should supplement some of the offense that Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans generated last season. Blackwell is the biggest name Scheyer has landed in the transfer portal since taking over Duke.
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