3 Most Important Returning Players for Duke

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff are nearing the end of their offseason efforts to rebuild the program heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Simply put, this offseason has been a resounding success for the Blue Devils.

Scheyer and Co. prioritized veteran presence and continuity over pure freshman talent this time around, which is a bit different from what the Blue Devil faithful are used to seeing. In seven of the last nine years, Duke’s leading scorer has been a rookie.

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 men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils are returning four of their top six scorers from a season ago, along with redshirt freshman Sebastian Wilkins. With the No. 2 overall recruiting class and a few highly-touted transfers, Duke might be the deepest team in college basketball heading into the year.

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In regard to continuity, let’s break down the three most important returning players for the Blue Devils.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) and UConn Huskies forward Jayden Ross (23) go for the 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

Caleb Foster

Caleb Foster enters his senior season after a revived campaign in which he tallied career highs in points per game (8.3), rebounds per game (3.5), assists per game (2.8), and field goal percentage (44.7), while shooting nearly 40% from three on 3.0 attempts per contest.

However, it’s not the box score that makes Foster’s return so crucial, but his leadership, poise, and understanding of the program. Duke might boast the deepest backcourt in the sport next year with Foster, Cayden Boozer, incoming 5-star freshman…

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Publish date : 2026-04-30 12:00:00

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