Duke’s week has been moving fast on two fronts: the recruiting trail and the preseason stage.
The biggest buzz came Monday when 2028 No. 1 overall recruit Colton Hiller made his official visit to Durham. The 5-star forward’s recruitment is lining up as a Duke vs.
Florida battle, and there’s already chatter that Hiller could end up reclassing into the 2027 class. His trip followed another important stop for Jon Scheyer’s program over the weekend, when 5-star 2027 small forward Asa Montgomery took his official visit and showed up for Saturday’s Countdown to Craziness event.
Duke appears to have real momentum with Montgomery coming out of that visit.
That surge on the recruiting front came right after Australian point guard Luke Paul surprised with his commitment to the Blue Devils, where he’ll join Kager Knueppel in the 2027 class.
On the court, Duke rookies Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans got their first taste of NBA preseason action Monday night, and the contrast between the two debuts was pretty clear.
Boozer looked right at home. In 18 minutes, the reigning National Player of the Year posted 11 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Atlanta Hawks by nine. He already showed a more expanded offensive package, and he looked like a seasoned player in his first preseason run.
Evans had a tougher night. The Minnesota rookie played eight minutes, took six shots and didn’t make any of them, including four misses from beyond the arc.
He still found his way onto the scoreboard by hitting both of his free throws for two points. The adjustment figure will be tougher for Evans, but he has time to sort things out on a deep and talented Minnesota team.
Meanwhile, Duke men’s soccer picked up a much-needed lift Tuesday night with a 3-0 home win over Wofford. Sol Arbib, Ethan Congleton and Jack Ottley each scored, and Max Deisenhofer collected his first career shutout. The Blue Devils moved to 5-7 overall, though they’re still searching for their first ACC win at 0-4.
Next up is a major conference test Saturday on the road against No. 1 SMU, which enters at 9-0-1 overall and a perfect 4-0 in ACC play.
In Other News...
Kyrie Irving Update Gives Duke Fans A New Reason To Watch Preseason
Cooper Flagg is already settling into year two with the Dallas Mavericks, and even in the early preseason stretch he is keeping Duke fans plugged into the NBA conversation. The 2025-26 Rookie of the Year recently unveiled the logo for his signature shoe line with New Balance, another sign that his profile keeps rising fast after his first pro season.
Kyrie Irvings situation is the one Blue Devils fans will keep watching most closely as preseason rolls on. His return to the court is still uncertain and will hinge on his physical condition and travel-related factors, which gives Duke supporters another reason to track the exhibition schedule with interest. Cam Boozer has also jumped out early, scoring in double figures in each of his first two preseason games, adding more Duke flavor to a fall full of familiar names. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Faces Its First Real ACC Road Test At Georgia Tech
Dukes early progress is about to meet a different kind of exam. After opening conference play with a win, the Blue Devils head to Georgia Tech for their first ACC road game, a setting that should say plenty about how far this group has come through its first four contests. The offense has found a steady rhythm around running back Nate Sheppard, while the defense has given the team a firm base to build on.
Georgia Tech brings the sort of challenge that can expose whether improvement has really taken hold, especially away from home. Duke has been strong in the second half of games and has carried momentum from week to week, but the next step is proving that same formula travels in conference play. For a team trying to establish itself in the ACC, this is the kind of road test that starts to separate a good opening from something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Faces One Big Test As Jon Scheyer Reloads Again
Jon Scheyer is heading into his fifth season with Duke, and the program hardly looks like it needs a reboot. The Blue Devils have gone 70-7 over the past two seasons, stacked three straight Elite Eight runs and reached the Final Four in 2025, all while Scheyer has kept the standard at a level that feels familiar for Durham.
The challenge now is that the next version has to prove itself almost immediately. Dukes roster mix is tilted toward continuity, with four of last seasons top six scorers back and nine newcomers joining the fold, but the schedule is loaded with high-end tests and the margin for another deep March run may be thinner than it has looked in recent years. [Read more 🡒]