2024-25: Freshman \u2014 6.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg<\/strong><\/p>\n In early March, I\u2019d say there was no way Duke would return both Evans and Caleb Foster \u2014 or, for a brief moment, either one. But credit to Scheyer for having the necessary tough conversations \u2014 and making the appropriate financial commitments \u2014 to secure what should be his starting backcourt.<\/p>\n Of the two, Evans \u2014 a former five-star recruit \u2014 has the higher ceiling. Had the 6-foot-6 guard played enough minutes as a freshman to qualify for NCAA stats thresholds, his 41.6 percent 3-point mark would\u2019ve ranked top-5 nationally amongst all high-major players. Evans nailed a staggering 48.3 percent of his spot-up 3s, per Synergy, while ranking in the 99th percentile nationally as a spot-up shooter. Even with an expected uptick in volume, Evans should be one of the surest shooters in college hoops as a sophomore.<\/p>\n The real question is what else can Evans do, especially on the rare nights when his shot isn\u2019t falling? Offensively, expect Evans to handle secondary ball handling duties, alongside the likes of Foster or point forward Cam Boozer. Evans only had four multi-assist games (in 36 appearances) last season, and he\u2019s never going to be mistaken for a point guard, but any strides he makes as a creator will prevent defenses from hugging him as tightly on the perimeter.<\/p>\n What I\u2019m more interested in, though, is Evans\u2019 defensive growth. Defensive inconsistency is the biggest reason why Evans\u2019 role fluctuated the way it did last season, and given Scheyer\u2019s emphasis on defense to date \u2014 all three of his teams have finished top-16 in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom \u2014 he simply won\u2019t tolerate a glaring weak link. The North Carolina native has bulked up some this summer, but better buy-in on D is necessary for Evans to cement himself as a future first-round pick \u2014 and for Duke to reach its lofty ceiling.<\/p>\n Caleb Foster<\/strong><\/p>\n 2024-25: Sophomore \u2014 4.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.4 apg<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s no secret that Foster\u2019s confidence bottomed out last season after losing his starting role to Sion James. He had the worst on-off differential on the team, per CBB Analytics, and until the NCAA Tournament, he was essentially a non-factor most of his sophomore campaign. (That said, I thought Foster was one of Duke\u2019s best players in the first half against Houston \u2014 especially his defensive rebounding \u2014 and that he should\u2019ve gotten more second-half run than the 1:14 he saw.) But this offseason, Duke\u2019s staff has sung Foster\u2019s praises behind the scenes. Not only has the 6-foot-5 guard refined and toned his body, but apparently he\u2019s gotten back to more of the aggressive scoring tendencies that made him a top recruit out of high school.<\/p>\n Now, that doesn\u2019t mean Foster will average 20 points, nor does he have to be for the Blue Devils to be successful. Instead, he needs to be the one thing he hasn\u2019t been through two college campaigns: consistent. That\u2019s in every sense: his 3-point shooting (where he\u2019s hit 37.3 percent from his career), his playmaking \u2014 Foster had the third-best assist rate on the roster last season, per KenPom, behind Flagg and James \u2014 and especially his defense, where he\u2019s shown flashes of greatness.<\/p>\n Even on a team with multiple ballhandlers, Foster will be one of Duke\u2019s primary table-setters, especially out of ball-screens. Per Synergy, Foster was in the 86th percentile nationally in pick-and-roll handling scenarios last season, earning an \u201cexcellent\u201d rating, and he wasn\u2019t far off that mark when you include passing, too. This is an impressive read by anyone, but especially so in the Final Four, against the nation\u2019s best defense, by someone who\u2019d barely been in the rotation:<\/p>\n I believe Foster is the player who most determines Duke\u2019s ceiling this season. We know Cam Boozer will be good. Evans, too. But if Foster can develop into a reliable third scorer and lead guard, then the rest of Duke\u2019s pieces fall into place so much more easily.<\/p>\n Patrick Ngongba II<\/strong><\/p>\n 2024-25: Freshman \u2014 3.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg<\/strong><\/p>\n To be honest, I wasn\u2019t a huge fan of Ngongba\u2019s in high school. I worried about his injury history \u2014 big men with feet problems scare me \u2014 along with his work ethic and his frame. But during the ACC Tournament, after Maliq Brown went out with a shoulder injury, Ngongba forced me to do a complete about-face. I was thoroughly impressed not just with how the big man worked his way back into shape, but also by his footwork and post moves, which were more polished than I could have imagined. Per Synergy, albeit on a limited sample size Ngongba ranked in the 90th percentile or better nationally as a post-up scorer, cutter and roll man.<\/p>\n Clearly, the former five-star recruit has the offensive goods \u2014 especially another year removed from a foot injury that cost him most of his senior high school season \u2014 to contribute more than he did during his de facto redshirt season. Injury-wise, Scheyer said in July that Ngongba was in \u201cperfect health.\u201d All of that adds up to someone who should slot nicely into Duke\u2019s starting center role. But that doesn\u2019t mean there aren\u2019t questions about Ngongba, too. Even at 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, for example, can he make the defensive difference of predecessors Dereck Lively II and Khaman Maluach? Ngonba doesn\u2019t have the standout length or mobility those two did, and I\u2019d be surprised to see him switching onto the perimeter at any point this season. Ngongba should be fine in multiple ball-screen coverages, but I\u2019m fairly skeptical he\u2019ll be the (versatile) defensive deterrent that Lively and Maluach were. But I\u2019ve been wrong about the Virginia native before, clearly.<\/p>\n Maliq Brown<\/strong><\/p>\n 2024-25: Redshirt junior \u2014 2.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.5 apg<\/strong><\/p>\n Even on a team with Flagg and Maluach, I\u2019d argue Brown was Duke\u2019s most versatile defender last season. To me, he\u2019s a walking Naismith Defensive Player of the Year candidate\u2026 if he\u2019s healthy, that is. Unfortunately, after myriad injuries last season \u2014 including to his shoulder, which cost him most of the postseason \u2014 that\u2019s not always the case. Scheyer said in July that Brown was six to eight weeks away from being able to handle contact, and he didn\u2019t participate in any scrimmage portions during the team\u2019s final summer practice in August. That said, we\u2019re at the point now where Brown should be working his way back into full-go, 5-on-5 basketball action. It\u2019s been a long process, but one well worth the wait given Brown\u2019s defensive upside.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not sure if even Duke fans realize how special the 6-foot-9 Brown is defensively. He was fifth amongst all high-major players in steal percentage last season, per CBB Analytics \u2014 but with everyone ahead of him standing 6-foot-5 or shorter. That isn\u2019t just a credit to Brown\u2019s 7-foot wingspan; it\u2019s an innate understanding of timing, plus arguably the best hands in the sport. On this possession against UNC All-American guard RJ Davis, Brown doesn\u2019t technically get the steal, but he does everything to force the turnover. People his size simply aren\u2019t supposed to be able to move like this:<\/p>\n Brown\u2019s also an excellent shot-contester, and basically the ultimate Swiss Army knife for Scheyer. He\u2019ll split time at center with Ngongba, but Brown\u2019s versatility can unlock some ridiculously long lineups for Duke. I\u2019m fascinated to see him play alongside Ngongba as a four, which would in turn push the 6-foot-9 Boozer out to the wing. Beyond that, any offense Brown provides is gravy because his defense is that vital.<\/p>\n Darren Harris<\/strong><\/p>\n 2024-25: Freshman \u2014 2.0 ppg, 6.1 mpg<\/strong><\/p>\n Calling my shot here, especially after watching Harris in Duke\u2019s final summer practice: The former four-star recruit will play this season, and possibly quite a bit. Why? Simple: He\u2019s a knockdown shooter who, like Ngongba, is another year removed from a broken hand that cost him part of last offseason. Also, as his film illustrates, he can do more with the ball in his hands than you\u2019d think; Harris made 10 of his 19 2s last season, compared to only five of his 22 3s.<\/p>\n That 3-point clip might make some fans wary of Harris\u2019 shooting, but mechanically, his shot is as pure and repeatable as anyone\u2019s on Duke\u2019s roster. Also, he\u2019s the epitome of someone who realized he had to do more to earn minutes \u2014 and that attitude shows up whenever he takes the floor. Harris has no problem diving for loose balls, as he did during Duke\u2019s open practice, and has become a much more willing defender, even if he isn\u2019t as athletically gifted as some of his teammates. Harris should start the year near the back of Duke\u2019s nine or 10-man rotation, but it wouldn\u2019t surprise me at all if he forces Scheyer\u2019s hand and plays his way into a larger role.<\/p>\n Cameron Boozer<\/strong><\/p>\n 2024-25: Senior, Christopher Columbus (FL) High School<\/strong><\/p>\n Onto the newcomers! Starting with the crown jewel of Duke\u2019s incoming recruiting class. Boozer, the No. 3 player in his class, will be the Blue Devils\u2019 best player right out of the gate. That\u2019s not conditional on anything; he\u2019s that good, already. I\u2019ve had a lot of people ask me this summer if I expect Boozer to have a Flagg-esque impact, and while I don\u2019t know that he\u2019s going to lead Duke in every major statistical category \u2014 Flagg was the first freshman to do so for an NCAA Tournament team for good reason \u2014 the Blue Devils will undoubtedly go where Boozer leads them.<\/p>\n At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, he\u2019s built differently than Flagg, but he\u2019ll similarly have his fingerprints on everything the team does. Boozer can score inside with poise, belying his age, shoot it consistently from 3 \u2014 better than Duke\u2019s staff expected him to, for what it\u2019s worth \u2014 handle and distribute the ball, and match up defensively with multiple positions. He\u2019s a future top-5 pick, at minimum.<\/p>\n Cameron Boozer is the Blue Devils\u2019 marquee recruit coming into this season. (Soobum Im \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n But for as good as Boozer is, talk to Duke\u2019s staff, and they\u2019ll tell you he\u2019s been even better than they anticipated. Some of that is the shooting, yes, but it\u2019s also his playmaking. For example, expect Boozer to operate as a passing hub out of the high post, where he can initiate big-to-big actions with Ngongba or hit cutting guards. That\u2019s a little different from Flagg operating as a (ball-dominant) de facto point guard, but the impact should be just as pronounced.<\/p>\n The one significant difference between Flagg and Boozer \u2014 and something I\u2019m interested to see how Scheyer handles \u2014 is their personalities. Flagg\u2019s work ethic and competitiveness were very out in the open, to the point where they trickled down to the rest of the roster; I\u2019m not saying Boozer can\u2019t instill the same, but he\u2019s definitely more reserved. Boozer has all the talent to be an All-American in what should be his only college season, but how he rallies older teammates around him will be just as critical as what he does on the court.<\/p>\n Nikolas Khamenia<\/strong><\/p>\n 2024-25: Senior, Harvard-Westlake (CA) High School<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for this year\u2019s version of Kon Knueppel \u2014 someone relatively under-the-radar who becomes a star \u2014 then Khamenia (the K is silent) is your leading candidate. In fact, if Duke\u2019s season started today, I bet the 6-foot-8, 215-pound wing would be the Blue Devils\u2019 fifth and final starter, over fellow newcomer Dame Sarr. Khamenia won gold with the US at the U-19 FIBA World Cup this summer, which cost him some of the preseason in Durham, but Scheyer and his staff are enamored with Khamenia nonetheless.<\/p>\n Khamenia\u2019s two calling cards as a player? Shooting and passing, with the latter being his most standout skill. Khamenia is a true dime-dropper and might be the best passer on this roster. Now, how much of that skillset he gets to show off in the open court versus as a halfcourt hub remains to be seen, but the California native will be one of Duke\u2019s top setup men regardless. Admittedly, Khamenia struggled from 3 in the one practice I saw this summer, but there\u2019s good reason to believe he can at least be a dependable college marksman, in the 35 percent ballpark. Khamenia does have some positional overlap with Boozer, but as long as the shooting is somewhat reliable, Scheyer can easily find ways for them to coexist.<\/p>\n Cayden Boozer<\/strong><\/p>\n 2024-25: Senior, Christopher Columbus (FL) High School<\/strong><\/p>\n In a vacuum, Cayden Boozer\u2019s shot looks\u2026 interesting, to put it kindly. But it goes in, which is what matters most, and associate head coach Chris Carrawell can tweak the mechanics of it \u2014 namely, reducing Boozer\u2019s push motion \u2014 as the season progresses. As it stands now, Cayden should open the year as Foster\u2019s backup and a top reserve on the perimeter, but obviously, the potential is there to grow into something more.<\/p>\n Cayden is a true point guard, the only one on Duke\u2019s roster, but his feel goes beyond his unspeakable connection with his twin, Cameron. He has arguably the best vision on the roster, and he\u2019ll immediately give Scheyer someone in the second unit who can initiate offense with ease. Plus, at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Cayden has above-average size for a college point guard, and should be able to hold his own defensively against both guards and leaner wings. That all said, the range of outcomes for Cayden this season is probably as wide open as that of any other Duke player. I could reasonably see him playing his way into the starting lineup at some point\u2026 or falling back into even more of a reserve spot, depending on how the Blue Devils\u2019 other perimeter players emerge. Of everyone on Scheyer\u2019s fourth team, I have the least certainty about projecting Cayden\u2019s season-long role.<\/p>\n Dame Sarr<\/strong><\/p>\n 2024-25: FC Barcelona (Spain)<\/strong><\/p>\n Duke moved heaven and earth to land Sarr over Kansas late in the offseason, but now it needs him to step up accordingly. The Italian wing has been good, not great, thus far this summer, and while he\u2019s had some terrific flashes \u2014 he really impressed recently against Duke\u2019s current pros, who were back on campus visiting \u2014 there needs to be better consistency. Sarr can have tunnel vision when driving to the hoop, and his 3-point shot remains a work in progress, too. Given his athleticism and how he thrives in space, it wouldn\u2019t at all surprise me if he\u2019s a better NBA player than college one, although he\u2019ll certainly still be a big piece of what Duke does this season.<\/p>\n At 6-foot-8 and 190 pounds, Sarr is definitely on the leaner side, but he\u2019s the clear best athlete on the team. We\u2019re talking jump-out-the-gym athleticism. That shows up in his defensive mobility, his drives, his rebounding, and his effort in transition, all of which will help Duke from day one. There\u2019s usually a learning curve for foreign-born players making the jump to college \u2014 ask Tyrese Proctor or Maluach \u2014 strictly in terms of rules, but there\u2019s also an adjustment in play style. Sarr\u2019s only going to keep getting better, and like Maluach last season, might not be the best version of himself until December or even January. But if his shot stabilizes, and he learns how not to sell out 100 percent when going to the rim, Sarr has the potential to become the two-way wing Duke realistically needs him to be.<\/p>\n Sebastian Wilkins<\/strong><\/p>\n 2024-25: Junior, Brewster Academy (NH)<\/strong><\/p>\n Wilkins \u201creclassified\u201d to join Duke this summer, but in reality, he was rejoining his original high school class. Plus, given Wilkins\u2019 physical build \u2014 he\u2019s a sturdy 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds \u2014 there shouldn\u2019t be any concerns about him being able to handle the college level of physicality. What\u2019s more pressing is if Wilkins\u2019 skills are polished enough to contribute to a team with national title aspirations\u2026 and that\u2019s where he might have to adjust more. Wilkins can seemingly provide some defensive minutes today, and could feasibly contribute as a cutter or straight-line driver, but he\u2019s probably a year away still from being well-rounded enough to fully be in Duke\u2019s rotation. Look for him to be Duke\u2019s 10th man to begin the year, and don\u2019t be surprised if his minutes wane as the season progresses. But the value of that \u2014 like Duke had with Harris last season \u2014 is still tremendous, and helps to keep the Blue Devil machine rolling.<\/p>\n (Top photo: Alex Slitz\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DURHAM, N.C. \u2014 Basketball talk, in September? With a program like Duke, you betcha. That\u2019s because five months…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":212675,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[1339,1372,1385,1317,1337,1338,62,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-212674","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-basketball","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-duke-blue-devils","10":"tag-mens-college-basketball","11":"tag-ncaa","12":"tag-ncaa-basketball","13":"tag-ncaabasketball","14":"tag-sports","15":"tag-united-states","16":"tag-unitedstates","17":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115174071734123892","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=212674"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212674\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/212675"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=212674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=212674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=212674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2210007242-scaled.jpg\")
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