In an age where college basketball rosters are constantly shifting due to the transfer portal, Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils have pulled off an impressive accomplishment — retaining nearly their entire scholarship roster this offseason.
Duke is one of only three programs in the country — alongside Tennessee and Boston University — that didn’t lose a single scholarship player to the transfer portal. That’s a dramatic improvement from last offseason when Scheyer was forced to rebuild his team after losing seven players, including team captain Jeremy Roach.
Key returners for the 2025-26 season include Isaiah Evans, Maliq Brown, Darren Harris, Caleb Foster, and Patrick Ngongba. Meanwhile, Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Tyrese Proctor have all declared for the NBA Draft. Veterans Mason Gillis and Sion James have exhausted their eligibility, and freshman center Khaman Maluach is expected to join the NBA Draft pool, though he has yet to make an official announcement.
Scheyer’s success in maintaining the core of his team provides much-needed stability, especially after last season’s chaos. With a talented returning group and another strong recruiting class, the Blue Devils are poised for a promising season.
Incoming freshman star Cameron Boozer headlines the next wave of talent, but much of Duke’s success next season will depend on the offseason development of returning players like Evans, Foster, and Ngongba.
So far, Duke has not added any players from the transfer portal, though that could change soon. The program is currently pursuing Washington State transfer Cedric Coward, but finding a late addition who fits well may prove difficult.
For now, Duke is banking on roster continuity to fuel their 2025-26 campaign rather than seeking splashy additions from the portal.
