Duke Basketball fans can take comfort in the upcoming season, despite the significant turnover that has occurred on the team. Last year, seven players from the roster announced their intention to enter the transfer portal, including top-ranked recruit Sean Stewart. However, this season, only three players from last year’s Elite Eight team are expected to return – junior guard Tyrese Proctor, sophomore guard Caleb Foster, and senior walk-on Stanley Borden.
Despite the mass exodus of players, Duke’s incoming freshman class features some of the best recruits in the country. The top-ranked recruit is Cooper Flagg, who is projected to be a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Flagg is joined by several other five-star recruits, including Kon Kneuppel and Isaiah Evans. Additionally, Khaman Maluach is also expected to make an impact on the team as he is projected to be a lottery pick as well.
The Blue Devils have also recruited some four-star recruits to round out their class. Head coach Jon Scheyer will be coaching his first season without any players from the Mike Krzyzewski era, making it a crucial year for him and Duke basketball fans alike. Despite strong recruiting classes in recent years, Scheyer has yet to reach the Final Four in his tenure. However, with this talented incoming freshman class and active transfer portal strategy, Duke fans are hopeful for a deeper tournament run in 2022-23 season.
