Wearing Duke Basketball Jersey Is 'Blessing' to Players

The 2026-27 Duke basketball squad, aiming to capture the program's sixth national championship, has already appeared in its official home and away threads. However, those instances all came in preseason action, as the No. 2-ranked Blue Devils enjoyed their Blue-White scrimmage at Countdown to Craziness before picking up home exhibition blowouts over the Belmont Bruins and Tennessee Volunteers plus Sunday afternoon's gritty road exhibition win over the Kansas Jayhawks.

With the next Duke basketball outing being the regular season opener at home versus the Army Black Knights at 6:30 p.m. ET Monday (ESPNU), the talented bunch under fifth-year head coach Jon Scheyer anticipates feeling extra goosebumps when the Blue Devils put on their jerseys ahead of that contest in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Responding to a fan's question toward the end of the latest episode of The Brotherhood Podcast on Friday, junior big man Patrick Ngongba II, second-year forward Sebastian Wilkins, and senior transfer guard John Blackwell each described what it means to wear the storied Duke basketball jersey.

"It's just a special feeling," Ngongba, who is a Preseason All-ACC First Team selection alongside Blackwell, noted. "Every time I put it on, I just feel like an honor to put it on, just to know all the players who wore it before me and the history behind it. So, it's just a very special thing."

Blackwell and Wilkins Yet to Wear Duke Jersey in Regular Season Game

While Ngongba is the only one of three who appeared together on The Brotherhood Podcast to have experienced the feeling of donning the Blue Devil threads on the court during a game that counts toward the official record, there's no doubt that Wilkins and Blackwell are excited for the opportunity to do so themselves.

"For me, it's just a blessing," Wilkins, who redshirted last season but emerged as one of the first pieces off the bench for the Blue Devils in preseason play this go-round, explained to his teammates. "It's been my dream school. So, being able to put on that Duke uniform really means something...I also like seeing different players who wore No. 5 [his jersey number] at Duke and seeing what they've been able to accomplish."

Blackwell isn't as familiar with Duke lore — not yet, anyway — after arriving in Durham this offseason as one of the nation's top talents in the transfer portal following three years with the Wisconsin Badgers. So, he had to ask Wilkins who wore No. 5 before him, and it's no surprise Wilkins knew the answer right away in 2022-25 Blue Devil guard Tyrese Proctor.

"I just never would have thought I would be coming to Duke," Blackwell admitted to Wilkins and Ngongba. "So, it's just a blessing. And I'm still learning about the history and tradition, but the more I learn, I'm just honored to just go out there and play in Cameron and wear Duke and be able to represent this university."

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