Jon Scheyer has built one of the deepest and most talented rosters in college basketball at Duke for the 2026-27 season. There's a legitimate argument to be made that you could build an ACC contender from just Duke's bench.
The talent level in Durham is insane. This is the deepest team Scheyer has had yet, and it could ultimately be the team that delivers his first national title as the Blue Devils head coach, snapping what will be a 12-year drought come the next NCAA Tournament.
This team's strength will be in its depth. There's high-end talent, but there may not be another team from one through 15 that can stack up with Duke next year.
3 under-the-radar players who could make a huge impact for Duke in 2026-27
3. Sebastian Wilkins
Wilkins took a redshirt during his freshman season, and some expected that he might enter the Transfer Portal with an uncertain role facing him as a sophomore in Durham.
But Wilkins chose to trust the process with Scheyer. He'll have to make a significant leap in order to earn playing time on the wing, but he's got the potential to be a valuable bench piece for Duke next season, potentially growing into an even bigger role as a junior in 2027-28.
Wilkins is a big wing at 6-foot-8 and could be a nice backup to Dame Sarr with his 3-and-D ability.
2. Bryson Howard
The forgotten-about 5-star in Scheyer's elite 2026 signing class has been Bryson Howard. That's strange considering Howard is the son of former NBA player Josh Howard.
But he's flown under the radar, particularly in the aftermath of Duke's late addition of Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje. He was already a bit underrated in a class that included Cameron Williams and Deron Rippey Jr., but that was amplified in recent months.
But Howard shouldn't be slept on. He's got the potential to be a game-changer on both ends of the floor for Duke. The easiest way to gain Scheyer's trust and earn playing time is by busting your butt on the defensive end of the floor.
Howard will do that.
1. Drew Scharnowski
Another player who has flown under the radar more because of the addition of Boumtje Boumtje, Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski is a player who could make a significantly outsized impact from national expectations.
He'll have to earn his minutes in a frontcourt that will include Boumtje Boumtje, Patrick Ngongba II, and Williams. He projects to fill the Maliq Brown role for the Blue Devils next season and should serve as Ngongba's backup at the five.
Every roster needs glue guys, and that's what Scharnowski is likely to be. He won't lead Duke in any statistical category, but he's going to make the winning plays necessary for a championship team.
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