All Signs Point to Duke Missing on Elite Portal Big

It seems like Duke will have to look elsewhere for a big man in the portal.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer looks on from the bench against the UConn Huskies 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

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff are trying to navigate the chaos of the NCAA Transfer Portal while also gauging which key rotation pieces from the 2025-26 squad could potentially return.

So far, the Blue Devils have lost sophomore Darren Harris and freshman Nik Khamenia to the transfer portal. Maliq Brown is also out, as he has exhausted all of his eligibility, and Cameron Boozer, in all likelihood, will be declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft.

Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Darren Harris (8) celebrates after a play against the Virginia Cavaliers during the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba, Dame Sarr, Cayden Boozer, and Caleb Foster all have massive decisions to make that will obviously pay dividends in how Scheyer and Co. attack the remainder of the offseason.

Duke has reportedly been in the mix for several talented big men in the portal, and recently lost out on Kansas transfer forward Flory Bidunga, the No. 1 overall player in the portal according to 247Sports. Bidunga ultimately committed to Louisville.

Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40) dunks against the St. John's Red Storm in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Now, it looks like the Blue Devils have missed on another of the portal's top centers.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer stands on the 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

Duke Likely To Miss Out on Alabama Transfer Aiden Sherrell

Reports never surfaced that Duke was aggressively pursuing Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell, but it was reported that it was at least interested in the 6'10", 255-pound big man.

Sherrell just wrapped up his sophomore campaign with the Crimson Tide, averaging 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 2.2 blocks a game on 53.9% shooting from the field. His 76 total blocked shots led the SEC last season.

Indiana remains the favorite to land Aiden Sherrell following his visit to Bloomington, source told @TheFieldOf68.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 14, 2026

Now, it seems all signs point to Indiana landing Sherrell. Darian DeVries and the Hoosiers have also landed Harris after he entered the portal from the Blue Devils.

In all reality, no serious reports emerged in terms of Scheyer and his staff being heavily interested in Sherrell, but he is no doubt one of the best forwards in the entire portal.

BREAKING: On3’s @JamieShaw5 has logged an expert prediction for 6’11 PF Aiden Sherrell ✍️

Alabama ➡️ Indiana

The #10 overall transfer averaged 11.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG & 2.2 BPG, shot 54% FG / 33% 3PT this season. The sophomore logged 24 mpg with the 2nd most blocks in the SEC.

🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/Ij7MhwDUJ7

— NCAA Recruiting Center 🌐 (@PortalPredict) April 14, 2026

Duke Interested in Another Talented Portal Center

Reports surfaced on Monday that the Blue Devils have expressed interest in Cincinnati transfer center Moustapha Thiam, the No. 13 overall player in the portal and No. 3 center, according to 247Sports.

Feb 24, 2026; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats center Moustapha Thiam (52) grabs a rebound in front of Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Marial Akuentok (13) in the first half at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

In addition to Duke, Thiam has received interest from St. John's, UConn, Gonzaga, Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan State, Texas A&M, Tennessee, and UCF. The seven-footer spent his sophomore season with the Bearcats after spending a year at UCF. He averaged 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per outing on 52.5% shooting from the field in 2025-26.