Every player acquired is building toward something. With the Duke Blue Devils landing Drew Scharnowski out of the transfer portal, they were looking to get more versatile in the frontcourt. Scharnowski comes over from Belmont, where he certainly made the most of his limited minutes. He averaged 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game in 22 minutes per contest.
As no surprise, Scharnowski was one of the 100 top transfer portal additions in Jeff Borzello's latest for ESPN.com. Coming in at No. 74, the 6-foot-9 sophomore is expected to be a movable chess piece in the frontcourt for Jon Scheyer. His versatility and efficiency could be huge for Duke, especially when it comes to the shrinking rotations of March Madness. Scharnowski should play a part in that.
The big key Borzello came across in his evaluation of Scharnowski is his reserve minutes flexibility.
"This is a sharp add for Duke," Borzello wrote. "The Blue Devils are bringing back Patrick Ngongba II as the starting center, which enables Scharnowski to play in reserve or get minutes alongside Ngongba when Jon Scheyer wants more heft than incoming top-five recruit Cameron Williams at the power forward spot."
Scharnowski cannot only be a super-sub for starting center Patrick Ngongba II in the frontcourt, but he can also play alongside him at power forward. This will also enable Scheyer to gradually work Cameron Williams into the rotation, however he sees fit. Whenever Scharnowski was on the floor for Belmont, he found ways to make it happen. John Blackwell gets all the love, but this pickup is clutch!
For Duke to achieve all it can this season, the Blue Devils will need a bigger lift from key bench guys.
Drew Scharnowski gives Jon Scheyer major frontcourt flexibility for Duke
Duke adding both Blackwell and Scharnowski has given Scheyer more ingredients to work with in the kitchen. He was smart and methodical in building up this transfer portal class. While Scheyer will lean on Blackwell to get a bucket off the dribble, he anticipates Scharnowski to provide a similar lift in the frontcourt. Foul trouble is always a concern, but adding another reliable piece will alleviate pressure.
The big thing that Duke fans need to get their heads around is this year's team will play differently than last year's. Cameron Boozer is no longer on the team. He plays professionally in Memphis. While his identical twin, Cayden, remains in Durham, he too has to grow up in a hurry to help even out the rotation. Boozer is joined in the backcourt by Blackwell, Caleb Foster, and Dame Sarr, among others.
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Even if Ngongba and newcomer Williams marvel down low, they cannot do it all. Blackwell cannot do it all in the backcourt either. Duke needs glue guys like Scharnowski to hold the thing together. The fact that he is so productive whenever he is on the floor should bode well for his big move up into the ACC. It may take some time for him to get fully acclimated, but that is what the non-conference is for.
Ultimately, the basketball season is a grind, and teams that are chock-full of smart veterans usually go the furthest in March Madness. Scheyer is only in the early stages of his tenure running Duke, but it is never the wrong time to start winning national championships. Duke is on a shortlist of programs that could do that very thing. To go from Belmont to Duke and become a champion is a dream come true.
Give it time, but Duke fans will rave about the Scharnowski pickup as much as they are with Blackwell.
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