Rankings Show Duke Miles Ahead of Rival UNC

The Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels have dealt with vastly different offseasons, and it’s no secret that the Blue Devils are in a much less chaotic place as the transfer portal chaos winds down.

Head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff approached this offseason differently, prioritizing continuity and veteran leadership. The Blue Devils are bringing back four of their top six scorers from a season ago in Patrick Ngongba, Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, and Dame Sarr. Redshirt freshman Sebastian Wilkins is also back.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) goes to the basket against UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) 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

Duke also landed two high-profile transfers in former Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski and former star Wisconsin guard John Blackwell. Add in the No. 2 overall 2026 recruiting class, and the Blue Devils are in for another deep run.

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However, since the firing of Hubert Davis and the appointment of Michael Malone, things haven’t been as smooth sailing in Chapel Hill.

Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts towards referee Danielle Scott (87) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Likely the most devastating blow for UNC came recently, when the program learned it would not retain star forward Henri Veesaar. Instead, the big man would enter the 2026 NBA Draft. After that move, the Tar Heels have lost eight of their top ten scorers from a season ago and incoming 5-star guard Dylan Mingo, who has since committed to Baylor after decommitting from UNC.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the…

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Publish date : 2026-04-28 19:56:00

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