Key Difference Between Incoming Duke Squad and Years Past

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff have had a hectic last week attempting to rebuild this Blue Devils squad for the 2026-27 campaign.

Simply put, the NCAA Transfer Portal entry period went about as well as it could have for Scheyer and Co. Duke is returning Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster, Patrick Ngongba, and Sebastian Wilkins. It also landed former Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski and former Wisconsin star guard John Blackwell via the transfer portal.

Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) blocks the shot of TCU Horned Frogs forward Xavier Edmonds (24) March 21, 2026 during the second half of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round East Region game at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The only rotation pieces the Blue Devils lost to the portal were sophomore Darren Harris (Indiana) and freshman Nik Khamenia (UConn), who both likely would not have seen vastly expanded roles next season if they came back to Durham. Scheyer is still awaiting a decision from Dame Sarr regarding his return or departure from the program, but it feels more likely than not that the Italian wing will be back.

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Isaiah Evans has also declared for the NBA Draft, and Cameron Boozer will almost definitely be doing the same.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer stands on the court during a practice session ahead 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

Duke Roster Nearly Finalized

With the portal entry period now closed, Duke’s rotation for the 2026-27 season now looks nearly set, or at least the players that Scheyer and Co. will have at their disposal. Although, it is clear to see how the Duke coaching staff is adapting to this new era of college athletics.

Typically over the years, Duke has sort of used the “rinse and…

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Publish date : 2026-04-24 10:00:00

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