We are firmly in the top five of our 82 in 72 countdown, meaning we are less than a week away from college basketball action! At number four in our 82 in 72 rankings, looking to avenge their loss in the Elite Eight last season…The Duke Blue Devils enter our rankings! 

Jon Scheyer has won both on and off the court in his first two seasons at the helm. The 2024-2025 season marks the culmination of his greatest off-the-court successes as Duke’s head coach, specifically on the recruiting trail. Duke’s current Freshman class is loaded with NBA talent, and their incoming Freshman class could be even more talented…Scheyer has demonstrated improvement in recruiting and on-court coaching and adjustments. Year one compared to year two was not starkly different, but it was definitely notable. Scheyer was much calmer and more collected on the sideline, and in the huddles, Duke’s in-game adjustments have improved under Scheyer year to year. This season is the first time under Scheyer that I can definitively say that Duke can win the National Championship. Jon Scheyer proved himself last season and now has the keys to the nicest sports car he’s ever seen, the 2024-2025 Duke basketball team, arguably the best roster in the sport, with the best player in the sport. Duke once again has a coach with a championship pedigree, and I believe Duke will reach the Final Four this season! 

For our Duke basketball preview, I wanted to do a small roster report on the Blue Devils and project what their starters and bench will look like in 2024-2025…Below is the Duke Basketball Roster Report and the TCH crew’s rankings for Duke heading into the new season!

Steven	Maxwell	Kam	Cody
6	5	2	7

*Please note that this report is a personal analysis and projection. The starters and roles listed are my personal preferences and what I think would be most effective for Duke on the hardwood! Starters are italicized!

Duke Basketball Roster Report:

Backcourt:

Tyrese Proctor(Starting Lead Guard); Junior: With Jeremy Roach now out of the fold, it will be up to Tyrese Proctor to be the catalyst for this Duke team. Proctor had an up-and-down sophomore season, never quite finding a defined role in the backcourt, but Proctor’s leadership and energy have always proved valuable to Duke basketball. In 2024-2025, I expect Tyrese Proctor to solidify himself as Duke’s primary floor general, and if Proctor can do that, he may be playing his last season in Durham…

Caleb Foster(Starting Off Guard); Sophomore: Even with a challenged Freshman campaign, there were plenty of positives from Caleb Foster’s first season in college basketball. Foster battled with rotation identity issues and injuries, but as a Sophomore, he seems poised for a healthy and heavy season when it comes to playing time. Foster is an above-average shooter, and playing alongside Proctor should allow him to thrive as a catch-and-shoot threat and a secondary creator in year two, especially playing off the frontcourt at his disposal!

Kon Knueppel(Sixth Man); True Freshman: Kon Knueppel may be starting sooner rather than later, but it seems that Knueppel is in line for starter-level minutes this season for the Blue Devils. The reigning Wisconsin Mr. Basketball, Kon Knueppel, is a straight bucket and will be Duke’s best shooter on the roster in 2024-2025. Deadly off the catch, Knueppel is able to shoot off the dribble and is a growing shot creator and attacker at the rim. Knueppel’s defensive ability will be the most significant question mark for the freshman heading into his first season for the Devils. Still, Knueppel’s athleticism and basketball IQ have allowed him to be effective on the defensive end. I currently have Knueppel projected as a top-ten pick on my latest 2025 NBA Draft big board. 

Sion James(Rotation Guard); Graduate Transfer from Tulane: Sion James is one of my favorite transfers from the previous cycle in the country. The combo guard from Tulane is one of the strongest guards in the nation and pairs a healthy shooting stroke with above-average play strength. For coach Scheyer and the Dukies, James brings two-way toughness and versatility that will be vital off the bench, and his experience for this Duke backcourt will be especially valuable come conference play. If Sion James has a strong year, a shot at the NBA wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest…

Isaiah Evans(Rotation Wing); True Freshman: Isaiah Evans has a trove of intriguing tools that he possesses both physically and in his basketball bag. Evans is one of the top bucket-getters in the 2024 class and brings Duke an element off their bench that will be much welcomed. Isaiah Evans possesses shiftiness and quickness at his size, which creates problems for defenders, and Evan’s jump shot is one of my favorite jumpers in the 2024 class. Evans was also known in high school for being able to create steals and blocks from the wing…If he can continue that in college, it will be tough for coach Scheyer to leave Evans off the floor…

Cameron Sheffield(Depth Guard); Graduate Transfer from Rice: Sheffield did not play last season at Rice due to a foot injury but could play a low-minute bench role for the Devils as the season progresses. Sheffield has over 50 career starts at Rice and is a quality glue guy in the backcourt for Duke.

Darren Harris(Depth Wing); True Freshman: While it may be difficult for Darren Harris to see minutes this season, he surely has a chance. Harris is one of the more complete guards to come out of Virginia and the DMV this decade, and Harris is a gamer…he seems to always be in the right spot when I watch him or always putting his teammates in advantageous situations to succeed. I really enjoy Darren Harris as a prospect and hope he gets a real chance to crack this Duke rotation.

Frontcourt:

Cooper Flagg(Starting Forward); True Freshman: I feel very comfortable stating that Cooper Flagg will be the number one pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Defensively, one could argue that no freshman has broken into college basketball with this level of ability on that end since Anthony Davis…While some question the offensive prowess of Flagg, I do not. Cooper Flagg has shown improvement over the last 500 days with his shot form, perimeter shooting, shooting off the dribble, and his creation for teammates. Flagg is a dangerous cutter, a battering ram of a crasher on the glass, and a high-IQ mover on the court; he is almost always in the right place when he is involved directly in offensive action. Flagg’s leadership and infectious energy are also significant parts of his game and parts that have been proven at lower levels to impact his teammates and the result of the game positively; it is something special; Flagg possesses a rare motor for a teenager. As Cooper Flagg goes, Duke will go, and they could go late into April…

Maliq Brown(Starting Forward), Junior Transfer from Syracuse: Maliq Brown is a proven player in the ACC and is one of the best defenders in the conference, leading the conference in steals last season. Brown is an intriguing fit alongside Flagg and Maluach in the frontcourt; that trio defensively could be the most imposing frontcourt in the nation. Per KenPom, Brown was third in the country last season in eFG%(71.3), and his field goal percentage is also at the top in the ACC. Brown was also one of the top rebounders in the ACC last season. Maliq Brown is efficient on both ends of the floor and should fit seamlessly into Jon Scheyer’s system and alongside Duke’s prized frontcourt Freshmen.

Khaman Maluach(Starting Big); True Freshman: Khaman Maluach is a problem down low, and college basketball doesn’t even realize the severity of the problem. As a true freshman, Maluach might be the best rim protector in college basketball (Ryan Kalkbrenner would like a word)…Maluach poses a difficult challenge for opposing teams; at 7 ‘2 with a 7’ 6 wingspan, he moves with quickness, and his recovery on the defensive end is NBA level already… when he plays with energy, it is infectious to teammates, and quite damaging to opponents. Khaman Maluach is currently projected as a top-ten pick on my latest 2025 NBA Draft big board, and he could very well enter the top-five conversations once the season is over. With Flagg and Maluach, Duke has the two most skilled defensive prospects in the upcoming NBA draft.

Mason Gillis(Rotation Forward); Graduate Transfer from Purdue: Experience is paramount for this young and talented team. Mason Gillis has the most experience on this Duke roster; there is nothing in the college game that Mason Gillis hasn’t seen… This season, Gillis will be a counted-on, back-end rotation piece for the Devils. His defensive versatility and catch-and-shoot ability will be needed next to the countless shot-creators and play-makers that surround Gillis on this Blue Devils roster…underrated and unselfish transfer addition for the Devils this offseason, oftentimes those players are found in more vital situations than you would initially expect…

Patrick Ngongba II(Rotation Big); True Freshman: Patrick Ngongba has the most mystery for me out of any player on this Duke roster. Ngongba had a couple of injuries at the end of his high school career but still finished as a five-star prospect and a player many top programs coveted. With Duke’s lack of size and depth in the frontcourt, Ngongba will need to play this year, and he will need to provide valuable end-of-rotation minutes off the bench, especially if Khaman Maluach gets early fouls. Ngongba has an NBA future ahead of him in some capacity with his combination of size, instincts, around-the-rim ability, and physical tools. Hopefully, that future will be realized in the next six months…