Duke basketball and football fans have been gifted a pretty great 2025. Blue Devil football won its first ACC Championship since 1989 and will bring back star quarterback Darian Mensah and star wide receiver Cooper Barkate. The Blue Devils also have yet to be hit by any major Transfer Portal announcements, although a few depth pieces have declared their intentions to enter.
As for the basketball team, despite a recent sour taste in Duke fans' mouths after a brutal 82-81 loss to No. 15 Texas Tech at Madison Square Garden, the Blue Devils have still begun the season at 11-1, are a perennial national title contender, and have the National Player of the Year favorite for the second season in a row in star freshman Cam Boozer.
However, there are certainly some things that the Blue Devil faithful want to see heading into the football offseason and the remainder of the college basketball campaign. Here's what the fans should have at the top of their Christmas lists this year.
Here are the top things Duke fans have on their Christmas lists this year
1. Duke basketball finds a consistent second scoring option
There's a good chance this is the most popular pick from Duke fans around the nation, and for good reason. Boozer has likely been the most dominant player in the entire country, but the Blue Devils won't reach their fullest potential unless the guys around him step up. That has to start with Isaiah Evans, who's been widely inconsistent after entering the 2025-26 season regarded as a top breakout candidate on a national scale. Evans went scoreless in the first half against Texas Tech before finishing with four points, tallied nine points on 3-of-10 (30%) shooting against No. 18 Arkansas, and was 0-of-7 from three against No. 22 Florida before knocking down the dagger to win it. Duke's leading scorer is Boozer at 23.3 points per game, and the next guys up are Isaiah Evans at 11.8 points per contest and Pat Ngongba at 11.1. Duke's been leading with defense and has been able to squeak out four victories over ranked opponents already, but it needs more from its wings around Boozer if it's going to get back to the Final Four.
2. Duke football keeps Nate Sheppard in Durham
Duke football bringing back Mensah and Barkate is massive news, and getting former 3-star recruit Nate Sheppard back for his sophomore year will cement the Blue Devils with potentially the best offensive three-headed monster in the ACC in 2026. After beginning the season at the bottom of the depth chart, Sheppard quickly turned into Duke's workhorse back in Chris Foster's scheme. In 2025, Sheppard finished second in the ACC in rushing yards (962), fourth in rushing touchdowns (10), sixth in rushing yards per game (74.0), and seventh in average yards per carry (5.4). It'd be a surprise if he isn't garnering major interest from big-time programs, but Duke has to do everything it can to bring him back.
3. Duke basketball sweeps North Carolina
This one's a staple for Duke fans every year, but this could be the best series between the Blue Devils and Tar Heels in quite some time. Jon Scheyer is 5-2 against UNC, and Duke went 3-0 against the Heels last year. But this is probably the most talented unit Hubert Davis has had, and in a hot-seat year, he needed it. Caleb Wilson is in the conversation for best rookie in the sport outside of Boozer, as the 6'10" big man has already tallied nine double-doubles. Wilson and Henri Veesaar are likely the best frontcourt unit in the ACC, and UNC will definitely give the Blue Devils a run after they were dominated a season ago.