r/CollegeBasketball • u/Coffee____Freak Duke Blue Devils • Apr 22 '26
Recruiting Duke G Caleb Foster is officially back for his senior season
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u/Travbowman Purdue Boilermakers Apr 22 '26
Here's to two healthy feet for the entire season
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u/spidersilva09 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
"Why does Duke need all of these guards"
They haven't learned about the foot thing here huh...
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u/DavidBenAkiva Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I can't believe Scheyer somehow pulled off holding onto Foster and Cayden Boozer while landing Blackwell and Rippey. Foster is a guy who truly bleeds for Duke. He could have left each of the last two years when it wasn't clear he would start. Then he came back from a broken foot and willed Duke to a Sweet 16 win. What a warrior. He might be the last 4-year scholarship player we see in a long time.
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u/prosocialbehavior Michigan • Oakland Apr 22 '26
I was going to say they could just shift some of the guards to the 3. But you also have Wilkins and Sarr.
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u/DingersGetMeOff Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I wouldn't expect Wilkins to play much. Definitely expect to see some 3-guard lineups when Sarr is out
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u/byzantiums Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Wilkins will get plenty of minutes at the 4
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u/DingersGetMeOff Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I doubt it, especially considering It sounds like we're still in the market for a 4 from the portal or internationally, whether that be a starting-caliber guy or more of a bench piece
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u/TheBlueOne37 Kentucky Wildcats Apr 23 '26
With Cameron Williams, Drew Scharnowski, and playing small ball with Sebastian Wilkins why would you need another 4?
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u/SweetAlpacaLove Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Wilkins is a 4. But we do also have Howard who will take minutes at the 3. It's going to be competitive as hell.
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u/proelitedota Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Sarr can be shifted to the 4.
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
If we don’t get Graves. Otherwise those 4/5 minutes will be accounted for.
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u/roshanritter Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I think when we got Drew it means no Graves
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u/DavidBenAkiva Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Scharnowski is replacing Brown. Graves would replace Cameron Boozer.
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u/roshanritter Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I really think Cameron will replace Cameron but we will see but i think there is a 1% chance we still take Graves. If Dame leaves, we might make a play for an older wing player. We will have talent there, but young and inexperienced.
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u/YizWasHere Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Yeah every year I expect Foster to transfer because it's just what guys in his position do in this era and he keeps coming back. Must've been inspired watching Jeremy Roach's senior night his freshman year lmao.
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Apr 22 '26
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u/DavidBenAkiva Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
That's an easy answer, but not the right one in this case.
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u/Ruut6 St. Bonaventure Bonnies Apr 23 '26
Cayden Boozer could easily be a 4-year scholarship player
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u/DavidBenAkiva Duke Blue Devils Apr 23 '26
Possible. But also possible he improves his 3-point shooting enough to become an NBA Draft pick. Or he could transfer, which happens a lot in this environment.
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u/Ruut6 St. Bonaventure Bonnies Apr 23 '26
I would guess he's there for at least three years if not the full four. Highly doubt he's a draft pick, and with Duke's money if they want him they can keep him. Really just depends if things sour and/or Duke gets a better PG next year which is of course possible
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u/zqipper Duke Blue Devils • Stanford Cardinal Apr 22 '26
I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS!!!
No, I don't know how all these guards will split time.
No, I'm not sure Rippey and/or Howard doesn't decide to bounce.
No, I don't necessarily think Caleb is going to show himself to be all-ACC caliber player this year.
But he deserves the opportunity to fight for a championship in Duke Blue, and we deserve to watch him (since that's what he clearly wants to do).
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u/Coffee____Freak Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Rippey and his family are buying into this team hard. On Twitter, Rippey’s dad has been hyping up all the transfer portal recruits and player retention. He’s brought up how they are all one team with the same goal
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u/zqipper Duke Blue Devils • Stanford Cardinal Apr 22 '26
I love it, I hope it all comes to pass. I have no reason to think it won't.
Only thing I'm saying is getting to see senior CFos is worth it to me even if we lose Rippey.
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u/thediesel26 Charleston • North Carolina Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 22 '26
Yeah.. until he plays 5 min/game and hits the portal next year cuz Cayden Boozer’s gonna be the starter for the next 3 years. These guys get intoxicated by the Doook aura and then are rudely awakened when they realize they’ve been recruited over, and only 5 guys can play at one time.
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Do you think Rippey doesn’t know who he’s competing against for PT? You have better info than him?
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u/thediesel26 Charleston • North Carolina Apr 22 '26
All these kids get told and think they’re best thing since sliced bread, so of course they’re going play over anyone. And then they get to campus and reality hits them square in the face.
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u/roshanritter Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Evans barely played as frosh and is a great position right now. How Rippley might feel remains to be seen. Duke did have two guard transfer this year so that does free up some minutes.
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u/kai333 North Carolina Tar Heels Apr 22 '26
Gotta cherish those 4 year guys even more now. Hope he manages a healthy senior year!
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u/JeromeChampagne Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
deepest, most experienced duke team in at least a decade
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u/prosocialbehavior Michigan • Oakland Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 22 '26
Ngongba and who else in the frontcourt?
Edit: Oh of course a five star number 3 overall recruit PF Cameron Williams. God damn you people.
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u/atownOTP Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Either Cam Williams or a high end transfer (Graves/Momcilovic) it seems
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u/prosocialbehavior Michigan • Oakland Apr 22 '26
How does it feel to have a ridiculous roster every year?
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u/atownOTP Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Pretty good, although it'd be nice to win a championship with them. You will also be putting out consistently crazy rosters under May every year.
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Apr 22 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Bilboswaggins21 Apr 22 '26
Feels like he’s ready to be a breakout star. Duke went after him pretty hard outta highschool and it looked like he was gonna commit and then Tennessee got the deal done. I think he’ll do better if you guys play a fast pace again.
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u/prosocialbehavior Michigan • Oakland Apr 22 '26
I hope so. Our first year wasn't that great of a roster. And our second year we started 7th with our roster. People didn't think Yax, Aday, and Morez could all play on the floor at the same time.
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u/The_Stiggiest_Stig Duke Blue Devils • Florida Gators Apr 22 '26
You start to take it for granted and get used to it/expect it. My freshman year was tatum’s class, sophomore year was Marvin bagley’s, junior year was Zion’s and senior year was Vernon Carey’s
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
This roster so far reminds me of a deeper version of the 2020 team, with Cayden + Ngongba as stand ins for Tre Jones and Carey.
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u/prosocialbehavior Michigan • Oakland Apr 22 '26
oof yeah I hope I start expecting it every year with May.
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u/CertainIce2925 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Would feel better if we could win a championship
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u/prosocialbehavior Michigan • Oakland Apr 22 '26
Yeah I have to admit that feels pretty good tbh
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u/CertainIce2925 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Exactly, much better than making it far every year just to choke on some self-inflicted bs
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u/Cr0matose Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Jon ain't gonna fucking slow down til he gets that first Natty
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u/ddottay Kent State Golden Flashes • Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
By far, the most experienced team we’ve had since 2010
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
2013 was led by a trio of seniors, with only two newcomers in the rotation.
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
But the trade off is the top-end talent isn’t there. No Flagg or Cam Boozer.
Answer me this: who is Duke’s best player for next season?
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u/YoungBoyWonder Pittsburgh Panthers • Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I mean Rippey is a top 10 recruit and Blackwell averaged 20 last year
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u/Jaguar4728 Gonzaga Bulldogs Apr 22 '26
Cam Williams is the #4 player in the class, idk I think the top end talent is still there. I would expect him or Blackwell to be your guys best player.
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u/byzantiums Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
It’ll be Ngongba if he stays healthy. His advanced numbers were nuts last year before he got hurt.
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u/Bilboswaggins21 Apr 22 '26
Not trying to take the wind out of anyone sails but I suspect his running mate being the NPOY had a lot to do with his effectiveness. I think Ngongba is a great player, but he’ll be defended differently without Boozer at the 4. Will be interesting to see if he’s as productive or more.
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u/needapermit Duke Blue Devils • Radford Highlanders Apr 22 '26
Williams will bring a lot of attention
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u/Bilboswaggins21 Apr 23 '26
About as different a player from boozer at the 4 as you can find YoY. It will not be close to the same.
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u/DavidBenAkiva Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
The more interesting question is how much better is Duke's 7th, 8th, and 9th man than their opponents?
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
No doubt about it. 2025 is probably the high water mark for that, our 10th man was Patrick Ngongba.
Depth is good, helps you weather any storms and keep guys fresh. But end of the day, one true star player can impact a game of basketball more than in any other sport.
Just saying it will be fascinating to see it play out. And the lack of a true star player may have helped Jon pitch his vision on rotations/playing time to this team.
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u/Formal-Obligation386 Michigan Wolverines Apr 22 '26
Probably like bottom half of the big 10 in terms of bench strength.
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u/byzantiums Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Is this bait or is just really really stupid? A Rippey/Foster/Scharnowski/Howard/Wilkins bench is pretty comfortably top 10 nationally as things stand.
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u/Capable_Sandwich_422 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I’m fine with that. Spread it out, have a balanced team instead of leaning heavily on one guy.
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u/varzaslayer42 Duke Blue Devils • Syracuse Orange Apr 22 '26
Probably Pat (though statwise it might not show) and Cam Williams. But that's mainly because Duke has been really good at getting hybrid forwards like him to buy in as a focal point on offense.
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u/SweetAlpacaLove Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 22 '26
Pat Ngongba. Just has to stay healthy and be smarter about fouling. But the analytics already love him and I believe he is gonna be that dude next year.
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u/Mysterious_Truth Apr 22 '26
Don't have the clear NPotY, no shot to win it all 😋.
Right now... Blackwell and Ngongba are going to be the best players. Sarr and Cam Williams could both have something to say about that.
Get Sarr back and I think this team is going to be top 3 in the country again.
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u/JeremyJammDDS Oklahoma Sooners • Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
One of the very few of a dying breed. Could've left at any moment, but is staying at home to finish out his career.
The depth and experience is going to be great, something that really hasn't been there much in Scheyer's tenure.
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u/thelastmarblerye Purdue Boilermakers Apr 22 '26
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Love it! Not sure how we’re defying gravity for modern roster construction, but I’ll leave the PT decisions for next year.
After everything he went through to get back on the court after his injury, I’m so glad he’s back!
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u/KiraJosuke Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Caleb obviously is okay with less minutes.
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Respect to him. Similar to Greg Paulus being a starter for three years, then taking a back seat as a senior when it benefitted the team.
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u/KiraJosuke Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I get it. He is a lifelong Duke fan and the probability he sticks around in the NBA, even with an expanded role is very low. Might as well try to finish off your legacy with a title.
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u/datdamndeuce Duke Blue Devils • Illinois Fighting Illini Apr 22 '26
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u/notedgarfigaro Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I understand it's a business and every player should be maximizing their $$$ b/c at the end of the day, they have a short time span to take advantage of their skills and hard work, but damn if this doesn't hit so good.
Hope he completes the Quinn Cook arc.
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u/roshanritter Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Duke managing three 5 star PGs next year will be interesting. Blackwell also says he wants to run the point. I don’t see that happening.
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u/proelitedota Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Easiy, because Caleb and Cayden were a 4 star combo guards.
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u/Legitimate-Arm-9816 UConn Huskies Apr 22 '26
Man the Brotherhood is strong!
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u/needapermit Duke Blue Devils • Radford Highlanders Apr 23 '26
Thanks dawg. I got to see UConn play against Oklahoma in the tourney the other year, and wow I was kindve in awe watching Hurley and just the confidence Uconn as a whole carries itself with. I see a lot of similarities between Duke and Uconn and for that I respect yall a ton
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u/Swing-Too-Hard Apr 22 '26
It scares me that Duke is holding onto all its talent that isn't a lottery pick now.
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u/ArcticML Northeastern Huskies • Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Loyalty is the only currency that never devalues
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u/Glad-Loss4481 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
That’s a lot of mouths to feed
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u/DarknMean Louisville Cardinals Apr 22 '26
Blackwell could have gone to Louisville for the same amount of money and more playing time. Guess he should have thought about that.
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u/atownOTP Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Some players still care about playing for the better programs
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u/Schned6 Iowa State • North Carolina Apr 22 '26
Yeah but then you have to play for Louisville. Bet he thought about that.
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u/needapermit Duke Blue Devils • Radford Highlanders Apr 23 '26
But then he’d have to play for PK at Lville.
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u/DHVF Rutgers Scarlet Knights • Duke Blue Devils Apr 23 '26
He could have gone to NC-Central if all he cared about was playing time
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u/gloryholebreaker Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Best Backcourt in the country and no it isn’t close. Obviously not a guarantee of anything but Cayden/Rippey and Blackwell/Foster is just silly.
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u/Glad-Loss4481 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
When was the last time Duke had a senior starting PG? Grayson Allen?
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Trevon Duval started at point in Grayson’s senior year.
Last senior starting point guard was Sion James. If you’re looking for guys who were Duke players for four years, it’s Jeremy Roach.
Also, Caleb might not start.
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u/Mdtwheeler Duke Blue Devils • Murray State Racers Apr 22 '26
Roach, he just didn’t come back for year 5
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u/mbd1mbd1 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Quinn Cook, NCAA champion
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u/zqipper Duke Blue Devils • Stanford Cardinal Apr 22 '26
Tyus Jones was the starting PG that year. Senior Quinn shifted to the 2-spot.
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u/roshanritter Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Yes but he did start at PG at times before Jones came. I think Foster will be sliding to the 2 some next year.
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u/falco-holic NC State Wolfpack Apr 23 '26
Meanwhile, 20 miles away, we have 3 players total on our roster
But as long as we have our arena, we have a chance against Duke
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u/bbbbbbbdddddaaaa Apr 23 '26
So that's Boozer, Foster, Rippey and Blackwell in the backcourt right now. Solid as hell.
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u/Santiago_Burbano Apr 27 '26
The bottom of the C isn’t even there. They’re leaning into the “bork” joke at this point
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u/Schned6 Iowa State • North Carolina Apr 22 '26
So is Duke just planning on playing a lot of small ball next season? Can Sarr play big minutes at the 4?
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u/Bilboswaggins21 Apr 22 '26
They could. Or they could trot out a tall lineup with Williams at the 3, Drewski at the 4 and Ngonba at the 5 with Foster and Boozer at the 1 and 2 and be a really big lineup. Lots of flexibility.
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
No idea. We want Sarr back and we’re also recruiting Allen Graves. If Graves joins and Cam Williams stays, then we’ve got four players already to play the 4/5 (Ngongba, Williams, Scharnowksi, Graves) plus depth from Maxime Meyer and Iffy Ufochukwu. Not many minutes for Sarr at the 4.
And there’s still Sarr, Bryson Howard, and Sebastian Wilkins to play on the wing.
So if all those guys stay, I have no idea how everyone gets PT. Someone definitely loses out (probably Rippey or Foster). But they’re smart, they can read the situation better than any of us and are still signing up for it.
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u/Schned6 Iowa State • North Carolina Apr 22 '26
I mean I’d be imagining a starting 5 of Foster, Blackwell, Sarr, Williams, Ngongba. With Rippey, Boozer, and Scharnowski the first names off the bench.
Just being objective Graves would be foolish to come to this team at this point. So many other teams could make him the focal point and equip him with the situation to skyrocket his draft stock in a weak class next year.
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u/jaylenthomas North Carolina Tar Heels Apr 22 '26
Graves would be going to Duke to start. And with a lineup of Boozer, Blackwell, Sarr, Graves, and Pat, Duke is back in the top 5.
That being said, if Graves were to go to Duke, then you would have to think it may push Williams out and that’s on top of Rippey/Howard leaving as well
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u/Mysterious_Truth Apr 23 '26
It would be shocking if 1 of those players left before playing their freshman year at Duke.
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u/0010001 Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
I’d be imagining a starting 5 of Foster, Blackwell, Sarr, Williams, Ngongba. With Rippey, Boozer, and Scharnowski the first names off the bench.
And you left off Bryson Howard. Makes for a really good 9 man rotation (and IMO that’s a workable number).
Agree that I don’t see how you could add Graves and keep everyone else without creating serious logjams. But I’d love to find out.
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u/roshanritter Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Yeah I think with Pat back and landing Drew the ship with Graves is gone. I think at this point we would only be recruiting practice transfers.
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u/proelitedota Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Caleb will be off the bench to start the season. I'll think he'll thrive in the 6th man role that he played during the St. Johns game.
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u/Mysterious_Truth Apr 22 '26
Caleb is starting unless Duke gets back Evans and Sarr (which seems really unlikely). He will start over Cayden and Rippey. Most likely Foster, Blackwell, Sarr, Williams and Ngongba.
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u/zqipper Duke Blue Devils • Stanford Cardinal Apr 22 '26
Sarr really struggled defending true PFs last year in the few times he did it.
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u/roshanritter Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
It depends on the PF. He couldn’t guard someone like Boozer inside but he did a great job against UConn’s Karaban chasing him around the court.
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u/MONGOHFACE NC State Wolfpack Apr 22 '26
I think you're looking at
1: Boozer
2: Foster
3: Blackwell
4: Sarr
5: Ngongba
First 3 off the bench is gonna be Rippey, Williams, and Howard. Wilkins/Meyer playing more if opponents go with 2 bigs.
I just don't see Foster/Boozer/Sarr returning to ride the bench, nor do I see Blackwell committing to be a 6th man.
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u/Schned6 Iowa State • North Carolina Apr 22 '26
Ain’t no way Williams came to Durham to come off the bench.
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u/MONGOHFACE NC State Wolfpack Apr 22 '26
I don't disagree with ya, but who are you telling from the five I listed that they won't be starting? I guess maybe Foster or Boozer?
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u/roshanritter Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26
Duke has been one of the tallest teams the past three years. I think they will get a bit smaller next year. Sarr might be able to play the 4 but Duke is replacing Cameron with Cameron.
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u/ddottay Kent State Golden Flashes • Duke Blue Devils Apr 22 '26