Blue Devils All Over 2026 NBA Draft Boards

Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans are both projected first-round picks.

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer is awarded the Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Award presented by the US Basketball Writers Association and the Associated Press during the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Duke's season ended in heartbreak, but even in the offseason, there is reason for Blue Devils fans to feel encouraged.

Jon Scheyer has continued the tradition Coach K established in Durham, consistently developing players into NBA talent and sending them to the league at the highest level. This year could be no different. ESPN's Jeremy Woo recently released his top 100 prospects for the 2026 NBA Draft, and two Blue Devils landed inside the top 25.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer looks on against the UConn Huskies in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Freshman Cameron Boozer and sophomore Isaiah Evans, who led Duke in scoring and helped carry the program to a No. 1 overall seed and an Elite Eight appearance, are both on the board as projected first-round picks.

Both players now face one of the most significant decisions of their young careers.

Cameron Boozer

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) dribbles the ball as UConn Huskies guard Malachi Smith (0) defends in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Boozer was the best player in college basketball this season by nearly every measure. He won the National Player of the Year award, becoming only the fifth freshman to claim the honor and the third Duke freshman to do so, joining Zion Williamson and Cooper Flagg.

Woo's assessment of Boozer is glowing. On his body of work and production, Woo writes that Boozer led college basketball with a 17.1 box plus-minus score while shooting 39.1 percent from three, and that he brings an impeccable offensive feel that has drawn scout comparisons to players such as Domantas Sabonis and Kevin Love.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) stands on court during a practice session ahead of the east regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Woo does note areas of evaluation that give some NBA teams pause. Boozer is not an elite athlete in terms of quickness or vertical explosiveness, and there is some concern about whether he can be exploited defensively in certain matchups. Even so, Woo concludes there is little doubt that Boozer will find ways to raise a team's floor at the next level.

The debate in NBA circles is less about whether he will be a first-round pick and more about where his ceiling ultimately lands relative to other options at the top of the board.

Isaiah Evans

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) dribbles the ball against the St. John's Red Storm in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Evans arrived as a highly touted freshman and used his sophomore season to validate the projection. He is a supremely confident shooter with the size and release to create looks from range in a variety of ways, and he continued to develop as a defender, becoming a more reliable presence on that end of the floor even if he is not yet an elite stopper.

His March performance was uneven. He struggled to make an impact in the Elite Eight loss to UConn, but he stepped up in several key moments earlier in the tournament and showed the kind of all-around improvement that has scouts taking notice.

Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) drives to the basket Saturday, March 21, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Woo describes Evans as a player with real long-term scoring upside, crediting his frame, his ability to shoot off movement, and the positive flashes he has shown using his length on defense. The path forward has two legitimate options. Entering the draft now would give Evans a chance to rise on the board, but Woo also notes there is potentially more for him to show at the college level, suggesting another season at Duke could further strengthen his stock.