The dust had barely settled on Duke’s Final Four heartbreak when head coach Jon Scheyer faced a challenge few in college basketball could imagine: rebuilding a roster stripped of its entire starting five.
With NBA departures and the transfer portal reshaping the landscape, Scheyer was tasked with reimagining Duke basketball in record time. The question on everyone’s mind: Could the Blue Devils reload and contend, or would this be a rare step back for one of the sport’s bluebloods?
Jon Scheyer’s Calculated Approach to the Transfer Portal
Scheyer’s strategy was anything but reactionary. As highlighted in the tweet, Duke’s entire starting lineup—Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor, and Jared McCain—departed after the 2024-25 season, leaving the program with a blank slate.
Rather than panic, Scheyer leaned into the new realities of college basketball: the transfer portal and NIL.
Armed with a reported $8–10 million NIL “war chest,” Scheyer moved quickly to secure both elite high school talent and proven college veterans. He brought in top-25 recruits Cameron Boozer, Cayden Boozer, and Nikolas Khamenia.
Duke lost their entire starting 5, how will Scheyer respond?
Scheyer: pic.twitter.com/5utrWTfLn4
— JonPow (@JonScheyerMuse) May 25, 2025
“Coach [Jon] Scheyer believes in me and my abilities. Duke is a special place that has put out a lot of great players and ultimately helped them develop,” Scheyer said.
But Scheyer didn’t stop at youth. He targeted transfers who fit specific needs, not just the highest-ranked names, echoing his philosophy:
“There wasn’t going to be promises or assurances for anybody in terms of guaranteed minutes or guaranteed starting,” Scheyer said. “Our programs are built on competition, and we’re doubling down on that at a time where the environment makes you or puts you in a position to promise things”.
The result was a roster blending high-upside freshmen with experienced transfers like Maliq Brown and Mason Gillis, ensuring Duke retained its trademark size and defensive versatility. As the tweet noted, this was a full-scale rebuild, but one executed with precision and vision.
Building a Contender: The Scheyer Blueprint
Scheyer’s approach wasn’t just about plugging holes—it was about constructing a team culture. He emphasized honest conversations with players about their roles and futures.
“We had incredibly honest, heartfelt conversations with each one of them, whether they were going pro, coming back, leaving – here’s where you are, here’s where we see you, how can I help you, where are you at?” Scheyer said.
This transparency helped retain key returners like Caleb Foster and Isaiah Evans, who now anchor the new-look Blue Devils alongside the incoming class.
Duke’s NIL resources allowed the program to compete for top portal talent, but Scheyer remained selective, focusing on roster fit and mental toughness.
“It was about putting together the best team, not to win your transfer portal rankings or to win any of that. It was about putting together the best team,” Scheyer told ESPN.
The Blue Devils’ recruiting and portal work resulted in a roster with no player under 6-foot-4, maintaining the size advantage that has become a Duke hallmark.
As the season approaches, Scheyer’s rebuilt squad is viewed as a legitimate contender, with analysts noting that “Duke is catching up and getting past the learning curve. There’s simply no need to worry, Blue Devil fans. Scheyer is proving he can evolve as the sport evolves.”
KEEP READING: From Cooper Flagg to the Boozer Twins: Why 2025–26 Has To Be Duke’s Redemption Year
In an era of unprecedented roster turnover, Scheyer has shown that adaptability and vision are essential. By blending elite freshmen, strategic transfers, and a culture of competition, he’s positioned Duke to remain at the forefront of college basketball—even after losing an entire starting five.
As Scheyer himself put it, “Ultimately, we needed a group that was completely all in to Duke basketball and to winning and to competing at the level that we needed to in order to accomplish what we want this year”.
The Blue Devils’ future, once uncertain, now looks as promising as ever.
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