They thought he’d be a long-term project.
When Duke landed Sebastian Wilkins, there wasn’t much noise. No national headlines. No buzz about instant impact. In fact, early staff evaluations had him circled as a “year two breakout” type — the kind of player who’d need time to adjust, learn the system, and wait his turn.
But that projection didn’t survive the first week of practice.
According to multiple sources within the program, the unexpected standout of Duke’s summer workouts hasn’t been one of the headline-grabbing freshmen or returning stars — it’s Wilkins, the so-called development piece, who’s now turning heads daily with a relentless motor, improved shot mechanics, and surprisingly advanced defensive reads.
“He’s just not playing like a freshman who needs time,” one insider said. “Every drill, every scrimmage — he’s competing like someone who plans to be in the rotation right now.”
The impact has already sent ripples through the rest of the roster. Caleb Foster, once penciled in as a steady backcourt leader, is now adjusting to new competition. Dame Sarr, with his elite instincts, and Isaiah Evans, with his scoring touch, are both battling through intense reps. Even Nikolas Khamenia and Cameron Boozer have had to step up their physicality just to match the energy Wilkins brings on every possession.
Head coach Jon Scheyer has welcomed the shakeup, seeing it as a sign of the team’s evolving depth. “Iron sharpens iron,” one staffer said. “And Wilkins is turning into a blade no one saw coming.”
More than anything, this breakout is a testament to development — not over time, but during it. Wilkins clearly put in work before arriving in Durham, and now he’s forcing everyone to take notice.
“He’s playing with house money,” a former Duke player said. “No pressure, no expectations — and he’s flat-out hooping.”
The question now isn’t if he’ll see minutes. It’s how Duke balances a suddenly deep backcourt… and what that means for everyone else on the depth chart.
One thing is clear: this “low-hype” recruit is no longer flying under the radar.
He’s already rewriting the story — and the season hasn’t even started.
