Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils can't afford to take any time off after their unfortunate early exit from the NCAA Tournament.
Despite advancing to the Elite Eight, a whole lot more is expected of the Blue Devils and their head coach: winning the National Championship.
With the No. 1 recruiting class in the country heading to Durham, Scheyer has one focus right now, and that's bringing in the finishing pieces for his roster from the transfer portal.
John Blackwell, an elite guard who just finished an impressive season with the Wisconsin Badgers, could be exactly what Scheyer and the Blue Devils are looking for.
Duke Blue Devils projected starting lineup
- Point guard: Caleb Foster
- Shooting guard: John Blackwell
- Small forward: Dame Sarr*
- Power Forward: Cameron Williams
- Center: Flory Bidunga*
Of course, Blackwell would have to commit to Duke over a slew of other programs that are interested in landing the shooting guard. Also notable in the projected starting lineup are a few question marks that are hovering overhead:
- Will Dame Sarr return for another season, or will he declare for the 2026 NBA Draft?
- Can Scheyer and his staff land five-star transfer portal player Flory Bidunga?
Small forward Dame Sarr started nearly every game for the Blue Devils this season but still has a lot of room for growth, pointing to his need to return for another season at Duke. However, with professional experience overseas and a year at a blue-blood, it wouldn't be surprising if he decided to head to the league.
Another transfer portal focus for Scheyer is former Kansas Jayhawks big man Flory Bidunga, who has already expressed a lot of interest in Duke.
If Scheyer can land both Blackwell and Bidunga from the portal, the Blue Devils would look as unstoppable as ever, and the starting lineup would just be the start.
Duke Blue Devils notable depth in 2026-27
- Guard:s Cayden Boozer, Deron Rippey Jr.
- Forwards: Bryson Howard
- Center: Maxime Meyer
Cayden Boozer just filled in as the starting point guard in the NCAA Tournament, as Caleb Foster flew through his injury recovery, so he is going to be an excellent PG2 for the Blue Devils to lean on.
Then, Deron Rippey Jr., Bryson Howard, and Maxime Meyer are all blue-chip prospects rounding out Duke's No. 1 recruiting class of 2026, adding to Scheyer's elite depth at every single position on the court.