The Duke Blue Devils could lose four of their best players, including top star Cooper Flagg, to the NBA Draft in June. However, a report suggests a new wave of stars arriving will make them an early Final Four contender again in 2026.
The 2024-25 college basketball season was a return to elite status for the Duke program. Iconic coach Mike Krzyzewski left some massive shoes to fill when he retired from the sport in 2022. His replacement, Jon Scheyer, did a good job in his first two seasons as head coach. But he showed his potential as a program head this past season.
He was able to recruit the top player in the nation late in 2023 and brought in several other special talents. That work paid off as the Blue Devils posted a 35-4 record. Won the ACC Tournament and were in position to reach tonight’s national championship game into the final seconds of their loss to Houston. However, there is doubt they can mirror that level of success next season.
Stars Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach could all declare for the NBA Draft in the coming days. And several other players could either join them or enter the transfers portal. Yet, despite losing major parts of their 2024-25 roster this spring, CBS Sports college basketball insider Cameron Salerno believes Duke is positioned to reach the Final Four again next season. Especially because of a big-time freshman debuting next season.
Cameron Boozer could be similar star for Duke as Cooper Flagg?
What made this year’s Duke team such a success was that they hit big time on their 2024 recruiting class, with Flagg as the star of the group. However, Salerno believes their 2025 class has the potential to be just as good. The group is led by Cameron Boozer. That surname will certainly be familiar to long-time Blue Devils and NBA fans. The high school star is the son of program great and two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.
However, along with Cameron Boozer, Scheyer also landed his brother, four-star recruit Cayden Boozer.
“The Blue Devils have two more signees in their star-studded class. Five-star forward Shelton Henderson and four-star forward Nikolas Khamenia,” Salerno added. “All four players should play significant roles next season, depending on what Duke does in the transfer portal.”
The school reportedly has a huge amount of money they could use in the transfer portal this spring if they so choose. But in the end, Boozer is what could get the school back to the Final Four next season. And the word about his potential is very high.
247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein called Boozer the “surest thing in high school basketball,” and Salerno claims the buzz is that he is an early favorite to be the No. 1 pick in next year’s NBA Draft.
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