Ayrton Oneill
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team has seen several changes in its lineup over the past few seasons. The 2024-25 season, led by coach Jon Scheyer, featured four returning starters from the previous year's squad that won the 2023 ACC Tournament. However, injuries plagued the team, and they finished with a 27-9 record, falling short of preseason expectations. Looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, the Blue Devils have a strong recruiting class ranked #1 overall, including five-star forward Cameron Boozer, the son of NBA legend Carlos Boozer. Cooper Flagg, a highly touted prospect, has declared for the NBA draft, while players like Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster are expected to return, providing experience and depth to the roster. With a mix of talented recruits and returning players, the Duke basketball lineup is shaping up to be competitive in the upcoming season.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 2024-25 |
| Coach | Jon Scheyer |
| Returning players | Isaiah Evans, Caleb Foster, Mark Mitchell |
| New players | Six unnamed freshmen, including Khaman Maluach and Cooper Flagg |
| Departing players | Ryan Young, Cooper Flagg, TJ Power, Sean Stewart |
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What You'll Learn
Cooper Flagg declares for the NBA Draft
Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg has declared that he will be entering the 2025 NBA Draft. The 18-year-old, who is considered the favourite to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick, made his announcement via social media. Flagg is the third Duke player to announce an early exit for the NBA in the past week, joining freshman wing Kon Knueppel and junior guard Tyrese Proctor.
Flagg, a forward, averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game in the 2024-25 season. He is the first Duke player to be named The Associated Press national player of the year and led the Blue Devils to the Final Four.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer praised Flagg in a social media video, saying: "His highlights, his statistics, the ways he impacted the game on both ends of the floor, really in every category, was off the charts — as good of a freshman season that a guy has had here... But to me, the separator and the joy of coaching Cooper is the person he was every day, the teammate that he was — never about statistics or anything other than creating an environment and helping his team to win."
Flagg's breakout tournament performance has drawn attention from NBA scouts, and he is expected to be a highly anticipated draft pick. He is known for his defensive skills, particularly as an off-ball defender, and his solid frame that can absorb contact. Offensively, he is an excellent passer with good shooting and handling skills that are continuously improving.
With Flagg's departure, Duke's 2025-26 roster will see the return of Isaiah Evans, who has been compared to former standout forward Brandon Ingram. Evans, a former five-star recruit, will be entering his sophomore season with the Blue Devils.
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Isaiah Evans returns for the 2025-26 season
Duke's 2025-26 basketball roster will see some significant changes, with star freshman Cooper Flagg declaring for the NBA draft. However, the Blue Devils can breathe a sigh of relief as Isaiah Evans has decided to return for his sophomore season, passing on the NBA draft. Evans, a former five-star recruit, will be looking to make a bigger impact this season after limited playing time in his freshman year.
Evans' return is crucial for Duke, especially with the potential departure of other key players like Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, who are facing stay-or-go decisions. Proctor, a junior guard, could enter the 2025 NBA draft, but his return for his senior season would provide valuable veteran leadership for a young Duke squad. Foster, a former highly touted recruit, saw his playing time reduced last season, and it is unclear if he will remain with the Blue Devils or explore other opportunities.
With the loss of Flagg, Evans will have the opportunity to step up and fill the void left by the National Player of the Year. During his freshman season, Evans averaged just 13.7 minutes, but he has been compared to former standout forward Brandon Ingram. With a full offseason of development, Evans could become a key contributor for Duke in the upcoming season.
Duke's 2025 recruiting class is highly touted, with five-star forward Cameron Boozer, the son of Duke and NBA legend Carlos Boozer, leading the way. Boozer, along with his twin brother Cayden, a point guard, will provide much-needed depth and talent to the Blue Devils' roster. Other notable recruits include Shelton Henderson, a two-way wing, and playmaker Nikolas Khamenia, who will both add versatility and depth to the team.
With a mix of returning players like Evans and Proctor, as well as an impressive incoming recruiting class, Duke is poised to make another deep run in the 2025-26 season. The Blue Devils, led by head coach Jon Scheyer, will be chasing their sixth national title and looking to end a decade-long drought.
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Cameron Boozer commits to Duke
Cameron Boozer, along with his twin brother Cayden Boozer, has committed to playing basketball for Duke University. The five-star twins, sons of Duke alumnus and two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, announced their decision in October 2024, choosing the Blue Devils over Miami and Florida.
Cameron, a 6-foot-9 power forward, is ranked as the No. 2 college prospect in the ESPN top 100. He is considered the most fundamentally sound player in high school basketball, with a high basketball IQ, impressive offensive skills, and relentless rebounding. His passing ability has drawn comparisons to Kevin Love. Cameron's dominant high school career includes two gold medals with USA Basketball, an MVP award at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in 2023, and another MVP award at the FIBA U17 World Cup.
Cayden, a 6-foot-5 guard, is ranked No. 17 by ESPN. He is a strong and dependable point guard with excellent passing skills, ball security, and leadership qualities reminiscent of former NBA veteran Andre Miller. Cayden has also won two gold medals with USA Basketball, with a standout performance at the U17 World Cup, leading the tournament in assists.
The Boozer brothers are the first commitments in the 2025 recruiting class for Duke and their coach, Jon Scheyer, who took over after the 2021-22 season. Their commitment continues Duke's strong recruiting success, adding to their already impressive 2025 class, which includes the No. 1 recruit, Cooper Flagg.
With their talent, work ethic, and basketball pedigree, Cameron and Cayden Boozer are poised to make a significant impact at Duke and potentially follow in their father's footsteps to the NBA.
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Jon Scheyer pranks friend with 'X' account
Duke University's 2024–25 Blue Devils men's basketball team was led by third-year head coach Jon Scheyer. During the NCAA tournament in Brooklyn, NY, Scheyer pulled a prank on his high school teammate and long-time friend, Zach Kelly, using the Duke basketball 'X' account. Scheyer tweeted a clip of Kelly searching for someone to high-five during the game against James Madison, which Duke won 93-55. The tweet fell into Scheyer's hands as the game was played in Kelly's neighborhood, and he came to support his friend. Kelly approved of the tweet and said that Scheyer loves pranks.
This was not the first time Scheyer had pranked Kelly. In 2010, after winning the national championship as a Duke player, Scheyer tweeted a phone number, claiming it was his, and asked people to reach out. The number belonged to Kelly, who received a flood of calls and texts. Kelly still occasionally gets texts meant for Scheyer and the pair don't communicate often during the Duke basketball season. However, Scheyer was quick to call Kelly after seeing the clip from the game. While Kelly usually tries to get back at Scheyer for his pranks, the head coach can be quite elusive.
In other news, the Duke basketball roster for the 2025-26 season is taking shape. Cooper Flagg has declared for the NBA Draft, while Isaiah Evans will return for the upcoming season. Cameron Boozer, the son of Duke and NBA legend Carlos Boozer, is a highly-touted recruit who will provide valuable guard depth. The Blue Devils finished with the top-ranked recruiting class last cycle, and this year's class is also ranked number one by 247Sports.
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Caleb Foster and Mark Mitchell's return
Duke's 2025-26 basketball roster will see some changes, with Cooper Flagg declaring for the NBA Draft and players like Isaiah Evans, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Foster returning. Mark Mitchell, a highly touted player who committed to Duke in 2021, chose the Blue Devils over several other prominent programs, including Kansas, Missouri, and North Carolina.
Caleb Foster's Return
Caleb Foster will be returning to Duke for his junior year. Foster, a highly touted recruit from the 2023 cycle, saw a reduction in playing time last season, averaging 14 minutes per game compared to over 25 minutes as a freshman.
Mark Mitchell's Performance in 2022-23
Mark Mitchell, a freshman during the 2022-23 season, started all 35 games he played in, missing just one. He averaged 9.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, ranking as the team's fourth-leading scorer and third-leading field goal shooter with a .469 percentage. Mitchell's defensive skills were also notable, placing him in the 94th percentile in defensive metrics for the nation. He had several standout performances, including a career-high 18 points in the season-opening win over Jacksonville and 17 points each against Iowa and Virginia Tech.
Mark Mitchell's Expected Return
While a formal announcement of Mark Mitchell's return has not been made, his strong performance during the 2022-23 season and his commitment to the Duke program suggest he is likely to continue as a key contributor for the Blue Devils in the 2025-26 season. Mitchell's decision to return would provide Duke with valuable experience and depth as they navigate roster changes and aim for a successful season.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Duke Blue Devils will be back for the 2024-25 season. The team will be led by third-year head coach Jon Scheyer.
Some of the players on the 2024-25 roster include sophomore 7-footer Kyle Filipowski, freshman guard Jared McCain, freshman guard Caleb Foster, and sophomore Mark Mitchell.
Kyle Filipowski averaged 16.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for the Blue Devils, showing off his ability to facilitate with 100 assists. Jared McCain averaged 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds as one of Duke's most consistent scoring options, with a 41.4% accuracy rate for 3-pointers. Caleb Foster and Mark Mitchell were integral parts of Duke's rotation in the previous season.
Yes, the Blue Devils have six freshmen joining the team for the 2024-25 season, including highly-touted prospect Cooper Flagg.
The Duke Blue Devils are expected to perform well in the 2024-25 season. Their 2024 recruiting class is ranked No. 1 nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings. However, it is important to note that injuries plagued the team in the previous season, and they did not meet preseason expectations.
