All members of the Duke Blue Devils’ starting five have left for the NBA, leaving the team with a completely new look for next season. Even if their biggest star has left, Duke still has the No. 1-ranked recruiting class for 2025, especially with the Boozer Twins arriving at Durham next season.
This has not stopped many people from questioning whether or not Duke will do well next season, especially as its core players all left for the NBA. Analyst Gary Parrish is not one of the people questioning whether or not the Blue Devils could continue their success next season, but he conceded that the team lost a lot of players.
“For decades, Duke has, one way or another, put out a quality basketball team,” Parrish said. “They will do that again, I have them pre-season Top 10, but as to your point, they lost a lot.”
“The Top five scorers from this past season’s team, all gone, three of whom were top ten picks,” he conceded.
Parrish also noted that even with the incoming class being undoubtedly good, he feels that they would not be as good as what the Blue Devils lost last season, especially with Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel.
This throws into question whether head coach Jon Scheyer can maintain his elite status. Though Parrish still believes that Duke will do well, explaining that they are still in his top ten despite the questions for next season.
The Boozer Twins, regarded as one of the greatest duos in high school basketball, have a long portfolio and may be able to fill Flagg’s shoes next season. Their supporting cast, however, may be the ones casting doubts for Scheyer’s squad.
What Will Duke Expect From Its Incoming Freshman Class?
After having Cooper Flagg lead the Duke Blue Devils to the Final Four, Cameron Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden Boozer, have some very big shoes to fill next season. However, the Boozer Twins are already adept at handling pressure, as, like Flagg before them, they led their team, the Columbus Explorers, to the Chipotle National Championship.
The twins have a history of winning championships together, winning a state championship in all four years of high school, as well as winning all three years of their time in Nike EYBL, leading the Nightrydas Elite to three straight Peach Jam championships. Both were also named McDonald’s All-Americans and two-time gold medalists for USA Basketball, which means that they have won championships wherever they go.
In addition, Duke also has Nik Khamenia, a versatile five-star forward who led Harvard Westlake to become one of the best teams in the country, as well as four-star Sebastian Wilkins, another good forward. At shooting guard, the Blue Devils have a five-star in Dame Sarr. The Italian impressed many when he played for Team World during last April’s Nike Hoop Summit.
They still have plenty to prove on the collegiate level, and it still remains to be seen if the Boozer Twins can replicate the success Cooper Flagg had over at Durham.
Related: Cooper Flagg Turns Heads at Duke Camp With Bold New Look Ahead of 2025 NBA Draft
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