Like Everywhere Else, Duke’s Roster Is In Flux But A Lot Favors The Blue Devils Right Now

So where is Duke heading next season roster wise?

It’s impossible to say but here’s a list of who could be there. There are 16 guys who could conceivably be there but we all now they won't all be. It’s just a question of who.

Obviously, between the NBA and potentially the transfer portal, it’s impossible to say. We’re sure you can mark out Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams and AJ Griffin, all of whom will likely enter the NBA.

Moore? Maybe the draft. Probably? Have to wait.

We would expect Roach to be back although he could certainly try the NBA. Baker has already committed to returning. We hope Blakes returns because he is one of those guys you can see making a big improvement.

Other than Baker though, we don’t know anything for sure and we have heard that Duke is looking at portaling various guys like Johni Broome from Morehead State and Charlotte’s Jahmir Young.

Last year we got an idea of how NIL would influence college basketball but it became a reality in the summer and never had an impact on recruits on last year’s class, at least as far as influencing their choices.

That’s not the case anymore.

NIL is a bit of a land rush and it’s been amazing to watch it unfold. Kansas used it to get money to the guys who probably wouldn’t see much, HBCUs have been able to capitalize, no pun intended, which could be a game changer.

But schools like Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Kansas and a few others are going to be in a different orbit.

Duke alone though is a global basketball brand. Part of this is because Mike Krzyzewski has always been conscious of branding and relentlessly pushed Duke. A lot of times when you see Duke basketball in the media it’s Duke Basketball. Remember when everyone thought the Olympics would hurt Duke? We thought it might but also that he had earned that right.

But Coach K never agreed. He constantly said that it was more of an opportunity and he was right.

No one then saw NIL coming because of a Supreme Court decision, but that happened.

Jon Scheyer is an immensely promising coach. Everyone who has been around him talks about how impressive he is and experienced coaches rave about his talent. He’s not recruiting the way he is by random chance.

We don’t know for sure, but we’d assume that part of Scheyer’s lights-out recruiting is because of what NIL means for anyone playing at Duke.

It’s going to be a major asset for Duke going forward.