After back-to-back seasons that ended in crushing fashion, Duke is loading up again with one goal in mind: getting to the top of college basketball this spring.
Jon Scheyer has built a roster that mixes proven returnees, impact transfers and a freshman class that arrives with real star power. Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell headlines the additions from the portal, while the recruiting class is led by Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, who comes in with National Player of the Year buzz.
The Blue Devils opened official practice on Monday, and even with all that talent, there are still some major questions Scheyer has to sort out before the games count.
The biggest one starts in the backcourt. Duke may have the deepest group of guards anywhere in the country, with Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer back, Blackwell joining from Wisconsin, and freshmen Deron Rippey Jr. and Bryson Howard entering the mix.
That kind of depth is a luxury - and a headache. Only two, maybe three, of those guys can be on the floor together at once, and every one of them will have a case for playing time.
Right now, the veterans appear to be ahead of the freshmen. Foster, Boozer and Blackwell seem to have the edge. But if Rippey Jr. brings the speed and athleticism Duke is expecting, and Howard shows the scoring touch and perimeter shooting that made him such an attractive recruit, Scheyer could be forced into some tough calls.
Up front, the picture is less crowded and a little more fragile. Patrick Ngongba is set to anchor the middle, but injuries have already interrupted his last two seasons. Duke added some insurance late in the transfer portal with Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski, a 6-foot-9 option who gives the Blue Devils another body to work with.
The frontcourt class is impressive on paper, too. Scheyer brought in 5-star 7-foot forward Cameron Williams and then added Boumtje Boumtje, a 7-foot-1 talent whose best fit is not necessarily as a traditional center.
Duke sees him more as a swing power forward, though his size means he could handle center duties if needed. If Ngongba gets sidelined again, Williams and Scharnowski could end up carrying more of the load.
And then there’s the group that already knows what Duke basketball feels like from inside the program. The sophomores may end up being the difference between a very good team and one that reaches its ceiling. Cayden Boozer and Dame Sarr both flashed last season, and the jump they make now could shape everything.
Sarr was a steady defensive presence throughout his freshman year, even if his offense still needs work. Boozer, meanwhile, showed at times that he can run the point effectively. If both players take another step after a summer of growth, Duke has the kind of roster that can make this season matter in a big way.
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That evaluation begins right away, with a schedule that should give Duke a few chances to learn before the pressure ramps up. Early matchups against Army, Coastal Carolina and SIU Edwardsville offer some room to test combinations and roles, but the bigger issue is what happens once the competition stiffens and Scheyer has to make the kind of minute-allocation decisions that can define a season. [Read more 🡒]