In the world of college basketball, it's never too early to be thinking ahead to next season.
That's certainly what Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer was thinking following Duke's 95-54 victory over Western Carolina on November 8 when he made the decision to redshirt freshman Sebastian Wilkins.
It's a move that caught many Duke fans by surprise, considering the buzz Wilkins' play generated over the summer. He looked the part in team scrimmages and appeared to be on his way to earning regular minutes.
As the season began however, Wilkins' role quickly diminished. He scored five points in the Blue Devils' exhibition victory over UCF but logged just two minutes in the following contest at Tennessee.
Fans' eyes were on Wilkins for the team's opener against Texas, but he didn't feature at all. Some figured the ensuing games against weaker opponents presented an opportunity for the freshman to make a name for himself, but based on the comments Scheyer made, it's clear he was always going in a different direction.
What redshirting freshman season means for Duke basketball's Sebastian Wilkins
Given that Wilkins reclassified to get to Duke sooner, there's bound to be a bit of initial disappointment on his part. Barring an injury crisis, there's no way for him to feature on the court this year, which basically renders that initial decision obsolete. It's no great leap to assume part of him is wondering why he bothered coming to Durham early in the first place.
However, it's clear that the team believes in his development, and he now has the freedom to hone his craft without the weight of worrying about what his role will be. Assuming Wilkins embraces this challenge, he should be a big part of what Jon Scheyer is planning for next season.
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The redshirt Wilkins will join incoming five-star recruits Bryson Howard and Cameron Williams. Wilkins' experience could be incredibly valuable on what figures to be another young team with a lot of roster turnover. Next year's team could be without all or most of its prolific wings from the current Duke squad, with Isaiah Evans, Dame Sarr, and Nik Khamenia recently projected to go in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, alongside the Boozer twins. Having someone who's seen what it's like to be a part of the team through a whole season of college basketball is vital to helping young players adjust to the college game.
That spells immediate opportunity for Wilkins next year, even with Howard and Williams already inked. He's talented and athletic, with defensive upside and the ability to shoot from beyond the arc. The rest of this season will be about refining his decision-making and overall offensive game to be an impact player on both ends of the floor next year.
That's assuming, of course, that he continues to feel that Duke is the right fit for him. With the potency of the transfer portal and NIL, players are persuaded more easily now than ever that better opportunities may lie elsewhere. Wilkins could be the latest player to take advantage.
However, Duke fans likely don't need to worry too much about that. Jon Scheyer proved he can navigate the transfer portal by not losing a single player this offseason. Plus, a program with the prestige of Duke is more likely to bring players in than lose them to other competition.
Assuming Wilkins capitalizes on this opportunity, he can be a real weapon for the Blue Devils next year.