Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
Duke (Projected: 1st in ACC)
Two 27-9 records in two seasons at Duke for Jon Scheyer, though progress was made in the NCAA Tournament as the Blue Devils reached the Elite Eight. Blue Devils fans will likely have wished the Blue Devils would have gotten past their in-state rivals NC State in the NCAA Tournament, but they should have a chance to get back to the Final Four this spring. With two impact returners, a few experienced transfers, and the top recruiting haul in the country, the Blue Devils will be among the nation’s best.
Eight players left following the Elite Eight loss to NC State, including the team’s top four scorers. The frontcourt lost Kyle Filipowski (16 ppg, 8 rpg), Mark Mitchell (12 ppg, 6 rpg), Sean Stewart (3 ppg), Ryan Young (3 ppg), and TJ Power (2 ppg). In the backcourt, the Blue Devils lost Jared McCain (14 ppg, 5 rpg), Jeremy Roach (14 ppg), and Jaylen Blakes (2 ppg).
There were just two holdovers for Duke this offseason, but both should play valuable minutes this season and will be the likely starting backcourt pair. Tyrese Proctor (11 ppg, 4 apg) was pegged as a breakout candidate going into last season, but his numbers didn’t jump the way many thought they would. Now a junior and the experienced leader in the backcourt, Proctor will have to take a jump, if not in his numbers at least in his shooting percentages. Being able to be an efficient scorer will being the primary ballhandler will be huge as Proctor looks to share the love with the talented incoming freshmen class. Caleb Foster (8 ppg) missed all of last March due to injury, but was a positive impact guy for Duke, sometimes in the starting lineup and sometimes off the bench. Foster is the guy I think is more likely to see a large jump in his numbers, already an efficient shooter from deep.
The freshman class for Duke will steal the headlines, but there’s a handful of transfers that should have roles within the Blue Devils rotation. Sion James (14 ppg, 5 rpg at Tulane) was a four-year starter at Tulane, breaking out as a star in the AAC last season. He can score from all three levels and has great length at 6-6, able to play any role in the backcourt or on the wing. Cameron Sheffield (8 ppg, 6 rpg at Rice in 2023) is another 6-6 wing that can shoot the three, but after missing all of 2023-24, it’s unclear what kind of impact he can have in a stacked Duke rotation.
Two transfers will join the frontcourt rotation for Duke, both transferring over from other high major schools. Maliq Brown (10 ppg, 7 rpg at Syracuse) stays in conference, having spent the last two seasons at Syracuse. Brown does everything you could ask from a power forward, impacting the game on both ends of the floor, and a tireless worker on the glass. Brown has a very good chance to start depending on how Scheyer wants to line up, but I think he fits in well as a starting four. Mason Gillis (7 ppg, 4 rpg at Purdue) has been a consistent contributor for four seasons at the power conference level, appearing in 132 games for the Boilermakers. He should be a great addition for the Blue Devils depth’ providing both experience and shooting, hitting 46.8% of his three-point attempts last season.
Duke’s freshman class was the best in the nation in all regards, headlined by the commitment of the #1 recruit, Cooper Flagg (5*, NAT 1). Flagg is a generational talent, with great offensive ability, terrific defensive instincts, and pro potential only matched in recent years by former Duke forward Zion Williamson. There’s no doubt about what Flagg will be able to do at the college level, already among the favorites to win National Player of the Year before even participating in a game. Flagg is a lock to start for this Duke team, and the other freshman likely to start in my eyes is Khaman Maluach (5*, NAT 10). Maluach participated in the Olympics this past summer with South Sudan, impressing as one of the youngest players in the competition. He has enough skill inside to compete right away in the paint against power conference competition, and he should only get better as the season rolls on.
Isaiah Evans (4*, NAT 15) continues the list of Duke freshmen, a talented wing that can do a bit of everything. He should be in the competition for minutes at the two in the three, competing with the likes of Foster, James, Flagg, and Sheffield. Kon Knueppel (4*, NAT 19) will likely have an impact on the wing as well, an elite shooter, hitting 46.7% of his three-point attempts in the Nike EYBL. Patrick Ngongba II (4*, NAT 25) and Darren Harris (4*, NAT 37) finish the list of Duke freshmen, both extremely talented, but likely covered up in the rotation in their first collegiate seasons.
Jon Scheyer looks to be figuring things out in Durham, and with one of the most stacked recruiting classes in recent years, pressure will be on the Blue Devils to accomplish big things this season. I’m not saying it would be a disappointment if this team doesn’t reach the Final Four, especially with how young the roster is, but the pressure would rise for Scheyer heading into year four.
Cooper Flagg should steal all of the headlines across college basketball all year long, hopefully bringing this great sport a large boost in popularity. He will be among the sport’s best, even though he doesn’t turn 19 until December and is competing with 22 to 23-year-old fifth-year seniors. Next to Flagg is plenty of other highly regarded talent, but I think the biggest X-factor is the guy that’s been there the longest, Tyrese Proctor. Proctor needs to be the experienced leader for this team in the backcourt and his ability to control the game and control his team will be important for the Blue Devils to get things done in March.
Duke looks to be a step ahead of the rest of the ACC on paper, the only real competition seeming to be their in-state rivals, North Carolina. Virginia, Wake Forest, Miami, and Louisville may look to keep things interesting in the conference race, and perhaps their experience can catch this young Duke team off guard in the midst of conference play. As crazy as this sounds, I think Duke claims the outright regular season title in the ACC this season for just the second time since 2006.