Duke added another major piece to its future this week, landing Luke Paul from the NBL’s Next Star program and giving Jon Scheyer yet another recruiting win built on the Blue Devils’ long-running reputation.
Paul is expected to be a lottery pick in the 2028 NBA Draft, and he’ll arrive at Duke with plenty of attention attached. He is set to compete with the team during the 2027-28 season, and the expectation around him is straightforward: he’s supposed to make an impact quickly.
That fits the kind of player Scheyer has made it a priority to pursue. Paul was already playing professionally overseas, which made staying put an easy path. Instead, he chose Duke, a place whose track record continues to carry serious weight with elite prospects.
When Paul explained why he made the decision, he pointed directly to development and the program’s goals.
"I want to get to the NBA and be a lottery pick, and I trust in their player development to get me there," Paul said. "In saying that, winning a national championship at Duke is the ultimate goal for me."
He also said the atmosphere around the program helped push him toward Durham.
"The family aspect of the program appealed to me," he said, per ESPN. "I jumped on the call with Coach Scheyer and the rest of the coaching staff, and really got the feeling that it's going to be home for me.
I put trust in them, and they put trust in me, that we'd be able to do something special. I went away from that call with a lot of confidence that it was right for me."
For Duke, this is another reminder of how powerful that brand remains. The program keeps selling the same two things at a high level: a path to the NBA and a real chance to win big in college. Paul clearly bought into both.
Scheyer, meanwhile, keeps stacking wins on the recruiting trail, and this one fits the pattern. Duke’s history still matters, and recruits overseas know exactly what kind of pipeline the Blue Devils have built. That’s a big reason Paul is headed there.
In Other News...
Duke's Newcomers Already Created The Roster Battle Fans Wanted
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness scrimmage did exactly what fans hoped it would do: create a little early-season noise around a roster that suddenly looks a lot more interesting. The white team edged the blue team 29-24, and the event offered a first real glimpse at a mix of newcomers who already seem ready to push for minutes. Freshman Deron Rippey Jr., Patrick Ngongba and transfer John Blackwell all flashed in ways that should only sharpen the competition heading into the season.
There will be some growing pains along the way, especially for freshmen like Joaqim Boumtje Boumtje and Cameron Williams, who are still adjusting to the speed and physicality of college basketball. But that is part of the appeal of this group, too. Duke wanted roster tension, internal pressure and a reason for fans to lean in early, and the scrimmage suggested the Blue Devils may have all three before October is even over. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Season Kickoff Hinted At Two Dangerous ACC Contenders
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness did what it is supposed to do: turn an offseason showcase into an early look at a program that expects to matter. The men and women both got their moment in front of the Cameron crowd, with Jon Scheyer and Kara Lawson front and center as the school leaned into the kind of optimism that comes after recent NCAA tournament runs and enough returning buzz to make the ACC race feel very real.
The intrigue, though, is different on each side. Scheyers group looks built to be in the national conversation again, even if it does not have an obvious singular face yet, while Lawsons team arrives with a sharper edge after her latest international success with Team USA. Between the scrimmage flashes and the coach-driven confidence, Duke left the building looking less like a school opening a season and more like one with two teams already measuring themselves against the leagues best. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Fans Got Their First Real Clue About This Roster
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness offered the first real look at this years group inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, with the Blue-White scrimmage giving fans a chance to size up the rotation and get a feel for how the pieces fit. It was the kind of early October snapshot that does not answer every question, but it does at least start to show which players are ready to make an impression before the games count.
The scrimmage had the usual mix of energy and experimentation, and the evening ended with Team White coming out on top in the Elam ending format, thanks to a three-pointer from Deron Rippey Jr. Duke will not have long to sit on the exhibition notes, either, with a scrimmage against Belmont coming up as the next opportunity to see whether the early flashes translate into something more reliable. [Read more 🡒]