Duke's offseason has been relatively quiet so far, with only a handful of roster moves as Jon Scheyer begins shaping next year's group. The Blue Devils have seen Darren Harris and Nik Khamenia enter the portal, with Khamenia ultimately landing at UConn - the same team that ended Duke's season in the Elite Eight.
Duke did get some stability back, however, with freshman point guard Cayden Boozer officially announcing his return for his sophomore season. While that is a significant piece for the Blue Devils to retain, there is still plenty left to sort out before the roster is finalized, with plenty of time to go this offseason.
One area where Jon Scheyer and staff have been relatively quiet so far is the frontcourt. While Duke has been loosely connected to a few names, there is still very little clarity on what that group will look like next season.
Cameron Boozer is widely expected to head to the NBA Draft, though he has yet to make that decision official. Maliq Brown was initially set to be ineligible, but a new eligibility window proposal introduced the possibility of a return. Meanwhile, Patrick Ngongba II remains one of the bigger question marks, still weighing his options between returning to Durham or testing the draft waters.
With all that uncertainty in the frontcourt, Duke has begun exploring additional options in the Transfer Portal, picking up multiple Crystal Ball predictions for another potential addition.
Duke picks up Crystal Ball for Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski
Enter Belmont's Drew Scharnowski. The 6'9" forward is coming off a productive sophomore season, where he earned First-Team All-Missouri Valley honors and a spot on the conference's All-Defensive Team. For Belmont, he averaged 10.7 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, showing his ability to impact the game in multiple areas as a versatile frontcourt piece.
While he may not be viewed as a marquee portal addition, his size and skill set make him an intriguing depth option. With Maliq Brown likely done in college unless the eligibility window proposal is approved in time and includes those with expiring eligibility, Scharnowski would be a strong depth piece for Duke to add. That scenario appears increasingly realistic, as Duke has already received multiple Crystal Ball projections in his recruitment.
While he is a solid option on offense, Scharnowski also brings defensive production that could help offset the potential loss of Maliq Brown. He averaged 1.3 blocks and 0.8 steals per game last season, showing he has active hands and the ability to make things difficult around the rim. If Brown is unable to secure another year of eligibility, Scharnowski fits that type of defensive role off the bench, giving Duke another physical option who can make an impact without the ball.
For now, Scharnowski is simply the latest name to surface in Duke's portal search, as the Blue Devils continue sorting through their frontcourt options. With the Transfer Portal set to close on April 21, more clarity on the roster is expected to come in the days ahead.
Add us as a preferred source on Google