Duke was a very good team during the 2025-26 college basketball season, but unfortunately for Jon Scheyer and his guys, it didn't result in the year they were hoping for. While we can still take away a lot of good from what Duke did during the season, it's also important to recognize that anything short of a national championship, especially in this NIL era when teams are spending more than ever, then you are typically going to be viewed as a disappointment.
Looking ahead to what Duke needs, it'll be interesting to see how the transfer portal works out. When examining what the Blue Devils need, a lot of the talk right now is about who they can bring back. After it was posted, however, Cayden Boozer decided to return to college. We're still waiting on answers from Caleb Foster, as well as some other guys who could be drafted.
“Duke was not a Final Four team, but the Blue Devils came within a 35-foot Braylon Mullins 3-pointer of getting there. They're also facing a fascinating reload, so let's take a quick look at them too. Players leaving: Cameron Boozer will be a top-five pick in the NBA draft, so he's gone. Maliq Brown is out of eligibility. And Nikolas Khamenia and Darren Harris entered the transfer portal. Outside of that, nothing appears set in stone.
"Players staying or coming in: Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer are both trending toward a return, and Jon Scheyer is bringing in the nation's No. 1 recruiting class, led by three top-25 recruits: high-ceiling forward Cameron Williams, point guard Deron Rippey Jr. and shooter Bryson Howard. Players in limbo: Isaiah Evans has moved up draft boards and is well inside the first round, while Dame Sarr and Patrick Ngongba were in the second round of ESPN's most recent big board. There's some optimism that both Sarr and Ngongba will return to Durham,” Jeff Borzello of ESPN wrote.
Bringing back any two of them, Patrick Ngongba and Isaiah Evans, would be a great step in the right direction for the Blue Devils. Unfortunately, it might not be very likely to happen.
The NBA is still the NBA, and while these guys are getting paid now in college, some of them might want to start their new careers.