Duke just sent three more players to the NBA, but the Blue Devils may already have another name worth filing away for later.
Cameron Boozer went No. 3 overall to the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2026 NBA Draft, while Isaiah Evans landed at No. 33 with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Maliq Brown came off the board at No. 44 to the San Antonio Spurs. That kind of haul only reinforces Duke’s reputation under Jon Scheyer, and it also leaves the 2026-27 roster stocked with more players who could raise their draft stock over the course of the season.
One of the quieter additions is forward Drew Scharnowski, who arrived from Belmont through the transfer portal. He didn’t arrive with the kind of buzz that usually follows a headline grab, but he brings the sort of steady, winning traits that coaches trust and NBA teams eventually notice.
As a sophomore with the Bruins last season, the 6'9" forward posted 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 68.1% from the field. That production earned him First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors and a spot on the All-MVC Defensive Team.
What makes Scharnowski interesting is the way his game can travel. He’s the kind of defender who can slide across multiple spots, switch comfortably, and hold up when asked to move his feet on the perimeter. He was also one of the MVC’s top shot blockers last season, and his active hands help him create steals, too.
The offensive profile is more specialized. Most of his scoring comes at the rim, and the shooting numbers back that up: he’s taken just seven three-pointers in his career and owns a 47.4% free-throw mark.
But that doesn’t mean he’s a one-dimensional piece. His value comes from how much he adds around the edges of an offense.
Scharnowski is effective as a roll man in pick-and-roll action, and he has real feel as a passer for a big. He processes the floor quickly, keeps his head up in the short roll, and makes the kind of simple reads that keep possessions alive.
He also has one performance that jumps off the page. Against Murray State last season, Scharnowski came within one assist of a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, two blocks, a steal, and only one turnover.
That’s the appeal here: not the loudest player on the floor, but one who can do a lot of useful things well. Maliq Brown showed how a limited offensive game can still lead to the NBA when the defensive versatility is real, and Scharnowski brings that kind of defensive profile with the added bonus of passing and roll-game skill.
There’s always a question when a player comes from a mid-major about how the production will carry over. Still, Scharnowski’s blend of size, skill, and impact fits cleanly into Scheyer’s system. If he keeps building on that foundation, he could grow into a legitimate NBA prospect in a year or two.
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