Duke in Familiar Situation With Highly-Coveted Transfer Wing

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff have shown up in the mix for several top recruits in the NCAA Transfer Portal, but have yet to make any serious splashes.

Some of that has to do with the fact that the Blue Devils still don't know which key pieces from the 2025-26 squad will be back and which won't. Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba, Dame Sarr, Cayden Boozer, and Caleb Foster all have decisions to make regarding a return to Durham, declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft, or hitting the portal.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) shoots the ball past Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) in the second 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

Thus far, Duke has lost sophomore Darren Harris and freshman Nik Khamenia to the portal. Additionally, Maliq Brown is out of eligibility, and Cameron Boozer will almost definitely be declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft.

Recently, the Blue Devils have shown up on the radar for one of the portal's top overall talents.

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos forward Allen Graves (22) reacts after making a basket against Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Duke Reportedly in Mix for Santa Clara Transfer Allen Graves

Duke has emerged as a potential suitor for Santa Clara transfer Allen Graves, the No. 4 overall player in the portal, according to 247Sports.

This past season, Graves averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.9 steals a game on 51.2% shooting from the field and 41.3% from three on 2.6 attempts. Don't let the box score numbers fool you. The 6'9", 225-pound wing has all the skills to be a future NBA player.

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos forward Allen Graves (22) shoots the ball against Kentucky Wildcats forward Brandon Garrison (10) during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Graves is a great passer for his position and can score in a few different ways. He's impactful on both sides of the ball and can guard multiple positions. After he entered the portal, it was reported that Graves would prioritize the NBA Draft process, but if he were to return to college basketball, Duke and LSU would emerge as early leaders for his services.

So, if Graves were to hear good feedback from NBA scouts, odds are he would remain in the draft. However, Duke seems to be a clear leader if he decides to return to college.

Early Whispers on Allen Graves: Will go all in on NBA Draft process (dont let the stats fool you, he has first round tools and talent).

If not, expect Duke and LSU to get the strongest looks (hes originally from Louisiana) https://t.co/Ob9bfsdsgC
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) April 10, 2026

Allen Graves Situation Familiar With Duke

Duke fans don't have to look back too far to see the program in another predicament like this, as last year at this time, Scheyer and Co. were in the same spot with one of the top guards in the portal, Cedric Coward.

Similar to Graves, Coward prioritized the NBA Draft process while in the portal. In 2024-25 with Washington State, despite playing just six games, Coward averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game on 55.7% shooting from the floor and 40.0% shooting from three.

Nov 21, 2024; Spokane, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars guard Cedric Coward (0) controls the ball against the Eastern Washington Eagles in the second half at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

While in the portal, Coward committed to Duke, but announced he would still go through the draft process. In the end, the Blue Devils missed out on the elite guard, as Coward would remain in the 2025 NBA Draft and be selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 11th overall pick.

As of now, it looks like the Blue Devils, although they haven't come close to sealing a commitment from Graves, could be in a similar position.

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