There just aren't many on Jon Scheyer's level when it comes to roster building.
Despite losing a National Player of the Year for the second consecutive offseason, Duke is poised to once again be among the most elite teams in college basketball next season.
Duke may not have a Cooper Flagg or Cameron Boozer in 2026-27, but the roster Scheyer has assembled has no weaknesses. It's also ridiculously deep at every level, giving Scheyer a million counters for every possible scenario.
Most experts believe that the two best teams for next season will be Duke and Florida. College basketball insider Jon Rothstein agrees that the Blue Devils and Gators stand head-and-shoulders above everyone else. But he's ready to take it one step further about Duke.
He also thinks this might be Scheyer's best team yet, and it could be the one that delivers his first national title as the Duke head coach.
“This could be Duke’s best team yet under Jon Scheyer. That is not hyperbole," Rothstein said.
Jon Rothstein believes this Duke team might be the one yet under Jon Scheyer
"Now, Duke is not going to have a player the caliber of Cooper Flagg like it did two years ago or Cam Boozer like it did a year ago," Rothstein added …But I firmly believe, looking at Duke’s roster this season, this could be the best Duke team we’ve seen yet under Jon Scheyer.
“Sooner or later, when you are continually at bat in sports, sooner or later you are going to break through, and this could be that season for Jon Scheyer.
Duke fans are well-versed in knowing that just because you have the best team, it doesn't mean that you are always going to win the National Championship. Not in a single-elimination tournament featuring so many teams. There is an argument that Duke had the best team in each of the last two seasons, but they came up short when it mattered most thanks to gut-wrenching collapses down the stretch to Houston in 2025 and UConn in 2026.
But as Rothstein points out, it's all about getting as many swings at the plate as you can. Scheyer has consistently built rosters capable of going all the way. Eventually, the odds say that Duke is going to break through and win the whole thing.
Perhaps it will be this coming season. They have all the ingredients. A veteran backcourt led by seniors Caleb Foster and John Blackwell, along with a pair of talented youngsters in Cayden Boozer and Deron Rippey Jr.
Then there's the breakout potential of Dame Sarr on the wing, alongside some intriguing young talent in Bryson Howard and Sebastian Wilkins.
Then there's a frontcourt that returned Patrick Ngongba II at center, and then added intriguing young talent in Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and Cameron Williams in the high school class, as well as Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski, who figures to fill in the Maliq Brown role.
This team is deep and talented. It's capable of cutting down the nets and delivering Scheyer his first title as the Duke head coach.
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