With the Blue Devils getting knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by Houston in the Final Four, the program now looks at how its roster will be built next season. Several guys on the team will have intriguing decisions to make this offseason regarding the NBA Draft, the transfer portal, or the option to return to Durham. After the offseason, Jon Scheyer's group will likely look a lot different than it did this season.
But one decision has been made: freshman Darren Harris has announced his plans to return to Duke next season. He did so as quickly as his postgame locker room interview right after Duke lost to Houston.
" I think I'm a little bit shocked still," Harris said after the loss. "You know, the season just ended. But we gave it our all for, since May of last year. That's going to hurt especially for us as we're close by with these guys. And I was grateful to be some of these guys' teammates."
"Yes, that is the plan," Harris later said when asked if he will be back at Durham next season.
Darren Harris was happy to play with great teammates, very sad with the result but plans to work hard in the off season and return to Duke. pic.twitter.com/Inh5F5d5RK
— Blue Devil Nation (@BlueDevilNation) April 6, 2025
Harris struggled to find the court this season with the Blue Devils bringing in the #1 2024 recruiting class, headlined by Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach.
Harris appeared in 21 games this season, seeing double-digit minutes twice. He finished his freshman campaign averaging 2.0 points and 1.1 rebounds a game in six minutes of action.
Although Harris will have a year of experience under his belt, it's likely not a guarantee he'll be part of the rotation next season as Jon Scheyer is bringing in the #1 2025 recruiting class headlined by the Boozer twins, Cameron and Cayden.
Harris, a former four-star recruit, will need to impress throughout the summer and preseason to solidify himself a consistent role next season. Granted, most of Duke's incoming recruiting class consists of front court guys, with the only true guard coming in being Cayden Boozer.
There will be a lot of offseason decisions for other Blue Devils that could help or hurt Harris's case to play next season. Sion James will be gone, as he is out of eligibility. Then, there's Tyrese Proctor, Caleb Foster, and Isaiah Evans, who also have decisions to make regarding next season. It's been reported that Duke will have between $8-$10 million in NIL to spend in the portal this season, and Scheyer will probably be looking for a veteran guard.