Duke is rolling into the new college basketball season with the kind of roster that keeps NBA scouts busy. Jon Scheyer’s team has become a draft factory in recent years, and the pipeline is still loaded as the Blue Devils chase another ACC title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The headline names are already familiar. Cooper Flagg went No. 1 in the 2025 NBA Draft after one season in Durham, and Cameron Boozer followed at No. 3 in the 2026 NBA Draft. Duke also has what looks like another strong batch of future pros on the way, with Patrick Ngongba II and Cameron Williams both projected as possible lottery picks.
But the 2027 class could also get a boost from a pair of sophomores already in the program: Cayden Boozer and Dame Sarr.
Boozer spent his first season as a useful rotation piece for Duke rather than the centerpiece many expected from a former five-star. In 2025-26, he averaged 7.7 points, three assists and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field and 30.3% from 3-point range. He appeared in 38 games and started 11 times.
At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Boozer brings real playmaking value, and the next step is clear: more production and a better perimeter stroke. If that comes, he could work his way back into the draft conversation. He enters a crowded backcourt battle, too, with Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, veteran guard Caleb Foster and incoming freshmen Deron Rippey Jr. and Bryson Howard all competing for minutes.
Boozer was ranked No. 23 overall and No. 4 among point guards in the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports.
Sarr’s case looks different, but the upside is just as interesting. The Italian wing put up 6.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and one steal per game as a freshman, while shooting 40.4% from the field and 32.3% from 3-point range. He played 23.5 minutes per game across 38 appearances and 30 starts, making himself a regular part of the rotation.
Listed at 6-foot-8 and 200 pounds, Sarr has the frame teams want on the wing and the profile of a potential "3 & D" prospect if the 3-point shot takes another jump. He should have a bigger role in 2026-27, and that increased workload could lead to a noticeable rise in production.
Sarr was rated the No. 32 overall prospect and No. 7 shooting guard in the 2025 recruiting class by the 247Sports composite rankings.
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Dukes Week 1 Receiver Battle Is Creating A Tough Reality For One Recruit
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Solomon appears to be the front-runner heading into Week 1, which makes the path a little more complicated for Moore, one of the more highly regarded names in the room. Rather than locking into an immediate every-down role on offense, Moore may be more valuable early as a return specialist and a rotational receiver, a reminder that even talented newcomers sometimes have to carve out production in layers before the bigger opportunities arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes ACC Title Defense Rests On A Few New Faces
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The bigger test may be how quickly the new pieces around him settle in. The receiver group has been reshaped by transfers Jared Richardson and Javen Nicholas, and on the other side of the ball linebacker Tyshon Reed is expected to be a key figure alongside Bryce Davis as Duke looks to get more out of its pass rush. For a team that just climbed to the top of the league, the margin for error is going to come down to how fast those fresh faces become reliable ones. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Rivals Just Got Hit By An ACC Roster Shakeup
The ACCs new roster rule has put another layer of uncertainty around how rival programs will build out their teams, even if Duke itself is untouched for the moment. The league has banned member schools from adding players who signed professional contracts or declared for drafts without withdrawing by the NCAA deadline, matching a broader trend already seen in the Big Ten, SEC and Big 12.
For Duke, the immediate impact is more about the opponents than the Blue Devils own depth chart. But the policy could matter in the weeks ahead for players such as Seth Trimble and Mark Mitchell, whose eligibility decisions are still being sorted out, and it adds another wrinkle to an offseason already shaped by roster movement and conference-wide adjustments. [Read more 🡒]