The Improvements Duke’s Returning Players Need Next Season

Jon Scheyer has finished building Duke’s roster for next season. He retained key players from last year’s squad, secured the No. 1 recruiting class for the third consecutive year, and added two impactful pieces through the transfer portal.

Five players from last year’s team are coming back. Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, Dame Sarr, Sebastian Wilkins, and Patrick Ngongba all chose to return. Sarr and Ngongba were both viewed as potential first-round picks heading into last season.

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

Sarr’s stock dropped significantly over the course of the year, while Ngongba had a strong enough season to generate legitimate draft interest but ultimately decided that returning to Duke made more sense given how loaded this year’s draft class is compared to next year’s.

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With the roster finalized, here is what each returning player needs to improve to help Duke make a run at a national championship.

Caleb Foster: Becoming a True Playmaker

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) dribbles the ball as UConn Huskies guard Malachi Smith (0) defends 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

Foster enters his senior season coming off the best year of his Duke career, averaging eight points per game on 44 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent from three. He is also one of the more underrated perimeter defenders in the country, a quality that tends to go unnoticed on a team with bigger names commanding attention.

The area that needs the most attention is his playmaking. Foster averaged a career-high 2.8 assists per game last season, which is…

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Publish date : 2026-04-27 14:00:00

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