John Blackwell is entering his senior season at Duke with the kind of buzz that usually comes attached to freshmen phenoms, not seasoned veterans. He’s drawing preseason All-American attention, lottery-level draft chatter, and a clear expectation that he’ll be the Blue Devils’ main scoring threat.
That’s no small thing on a roster loaded with talent, freshmen included. But Blackwell is the name everyone keeps circling. After averaging 19.1 points per game last season, he has a chance to push that number close to 20 and position himself for first-team All-American consideration.
The real question is how his role will look in Durham. At Wisconsin, he was getting 13.6 shots per game, and it remains to be seen whether Duke’s deeper roster will give him the same volume. The Blue Devils are expected to spread touches around more than the Badgers did, but based on what people have seen from Duke in practice, Blackwell is viewed as the leading scorer.
That reputation is backed up by the preseason rankings. The Athletic placed Blackwell eighth among the top players in college basketball entering the season.
“The top-rated guard in the transfer portal, Blackwell is the most talented transfer Jon Scheyer has had and one of the best players on a championship-caliber team. Blackwell shot 42.5 percent on spot-up 3s last season, per Synergy, and should see more of those playing beside Duke’s dominant bigs.
“Blackwell’s postseason experience should also be a boon for a team that has melted late in consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 20.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in three March Madness games the last two seasons,” Brendan Marks wrote.
Duke won’t have much time to ease him in. The Blue Devils are facing the toughest schedule in college basketball, with Michigan State, Illinois, UConn, Florida, Texas Tech, and others all on the nonconference slate before ACC play begins.
There’s little doubt Blackwell can handle that kind of stage. The concern, if there is one, is less about his ability and more about how quickly he and Duke’s other pieces can sync up offensively. That’s the part that will determine whether this group becomes what people think it can be.
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The timing adds to the buzz, too, with former Duke standouts Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer off to strong starts in the NBA and the football program gearing up for a key home game against Boston College during a demanding stretch. Still, for basketball fans, Montgomerys announcement is the headline worth circling, because it could give Duke another major piece to build around and keep the programs talent pipeline rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Freshmen Just Gave Jon Scheyer A Real Rotation Problem
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The upside is obvious, but so is the uncertainty that comes with freshmen learning the pace and demands of college basketball. Some of those roles figure to change from game to game as Duke settles in, which gives the staff flexibility but also creates a tricky balancing act once the games start counting. The opener should offer a first real look at how much trust Scheyer is willing to place in that young group right away. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Faces A Real Test As Boston College Brings New Momentum
Boston College is showing up to this Atlantic Coast Conference matchup with a little more life than its record might suggest, and Duke will have to be ready for it. The Eagles have pieced together back-to-back comeback wins, leaning on the kind of late-game resilience that can change the feel of a season, and now they get their first meeting with Duke since 2022 in a game that should tell both teams something.
For the Blue Devils, the timing is interesting after a close win over Virginia, the kind of game that can either sharpen a team or leave it vulnerable if the edge slips. Duke will be watching its own health as well, with Walker Eget expected to play despite a recent finger injury, while Boston College brings Mason McKenzie, Bo MacCormack III and a bit of momentum into a matchup that suddenly looks more demanding than it might have a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]