3 Players Who Won’t Be on Duke in 2026-27

The 1-seed Duke Blue Devils saw their season come to an end in heartbreaking fashion for the second season in a row. Despite holding a lead as big as 19 points on 2-seed UConn in the Elite Eight, the Blue Devils folded to ultimately fall 73-72.

With Duke up 72-70 with 10 seconds to go, all it needed to do was inbound the ball, break the trap, and wait to get fouled. Instead, freshman guard Cayden Boozer made a freshman mistake.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer looks on against the UConn Huskies in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Boozer attempted to float the ball to Patrick Ngongba, but it was tipped back in UConn’s favor, and Braylon Mullins nailed a three-pointer from the logo to give the Huskies a 73-72 lead and the eventual win.

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This offseason will be unique for Duke, as several players on the roster face intriguing decisions about returning to Durham, entering the NBA Draft, or transferring. Here are three Blue Devils who will not be back next season.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) and UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) go for a loose ball in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Cameron Boozer

Cameron Boozer will win the National Player of the Year award after putting together one of the most dominant rookie seasons in recent memory. The 6’9″ forward averaged 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals a night on 55.9% shooting from the field and 39.6% from three.

The star freshman tallied at least 13 points in every game this season and racked up 22 double-double efforts. Boozer went for 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists against UConn. He is a…

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Publish date : 2026-03-30 21:32:00

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