Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff are just about done with their offseason in terms of additions and departures. Aside from a few potential portal targets the Blue Devils have been reported to be involved with, next year’s rotation is nearly set in stone.
Simply put, it couldn’t have been much more of a success for Scheyer and Co.
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
Breaking Down Duke’s Full Offseason Upon Closure of Transfer Portal
Duke made two big-time portal additions with former Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski and former star Wisconsin guard John Blackwell.
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Scharnowski spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career with the Bruins, averaging 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 68.1% from the field. The 6’9″, 230-pound forward earned First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference and MVC All-Defensive Team honors this past season.
Blackwell established himself as one of the top scorers in college basketball as a junior with the Badgers, averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals a night on 43.0% shooting from the floor and 38.9% shooting from three on 7.3 attempts.
Additionally, the Blue Devils are bringing back Cayden Boozer, Patrick Ngongba, Caleb Foster, Dame Sarr, and Sebastian Wilkins, marking four of the team’s top six scorers from a season ago. Cap that off with the No. 1 overall 2026 recruiting class, and Duke might be the deepest team in college basketball heading into the 2026-27 campaign.
What’s Different About This Offseason for Duke
Scheyer and the rest of his staff are clearly adapting to this new era of college basketball, which favors roster continuity and veteran leadership over pure talent. Typically, over the last decade or so, the Blue Devils have revolved their teams with elite young talent, lost most of it after one season, and replenished the roster with new elite young talent. In seven of the past nine seasons, Duke’s leading scorer has been a rookie.
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However, this year is different. The Blue Devils will likely only have one freshman in the starting lineup, and the rookies will serve as complementary pieces rather than the only stars on the roster.
Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) handles the ball against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
A serious argument could be made that the Blue Devils could not have had a better offseason, as they will assuredly enter next year as a top-three team in the nation and a favorite to win the National Championship. This could be the year where Scheyer finally cuts down the nets.
Grade: A
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as Grading Duke’s Full Offseason So Far.
