One of the more underrated roster moves Jon Scheyer made this offseason for Duke was retaining rising sophomore Dame Sarr.
Sarr could have entered the NBA Draft after an up-and-down freshman season. He probably would have been an early second-round pick in a similar range to where both Isaiah Evans and Maliq Brown went on day two of the draft.
Instead, Sarr decided to return for one more run with the Blue Devils. That was a significant roster retention move for Scheyer, and Sarr has been putting in the work to make the year-two leap he needs to fly up draft boards.
Sarr has been working on his three-point shot, one of the biggest attributes that could turn him into a lethal three-and-D wing. But he's also put in work to transform his body to get stronger and sturdier. He'll be tougher to push around defensively, and he'll have an easier time getting to the rim.
Can you spot the difference?
Year 2 Dame Sarr vs. Year 1 Dame Sarr pic.twitter.com/zdLJoCa44F
— Zion O. (@DukeNBA) July 17, 2026
Dame Sarr has bulked up significantly ahead of his sophomore season at Duke
That Duke strength-and-conditioning program ain't no joke, is it?
Sarr looks like a totally different player. He was already one of the best wing defenders in the country last season. Now that he's added all that muscle, he's going to be even more difficult to deal with on that end of the court.
If the shot comes around and creeps up closer to the 40% range, Sarr is going to be one of the most valuable players in college basketball next season. He'll also become a legitimate threat to see his draft stock skyrocket into the lottery range for the 2027 NBA Draft.
Sarr projects to start at the three for Duke next season, alongside John Blackwell and likely Caleb Foster in the backcourt. With Patrick Ngongba II penciled in at the five, freshmen Cameron Williams and Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje will battle it out for the other starting spot in the frontcourt.
Sarr will give Duke versatility. He can realistically play anywhere from the two through the four. If he slides down to the two, then Duke could play some really big lineups with Williams at the three alongside Boumtje Boumtje and Ngongba in the frontcourt. That would give Duke four players on the court who are all 6-foot-8 or taller. Good luck with that.
Sarr's potential impact for next season has been a bit overlooked due to everything Scheyer added via high school recruiting and the portal, but there's a world in which he becomes one of Duke's most important pieces.
He certainly looks the part.
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