Duke Makes Arguably Biggest Portal Splash in Jon Scheyer Era

Things keep looking up for the Duke basketball program heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

The Blue Devils have already gotten pledges from freshman guard Cayden Boozer and sophomore center Patrick Ngongba to return for next season, and made a big-time move in the transfer portal, landing former Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) celebrates with Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) after scoring 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: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

However, head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff have just cemented their biggest portal splash yet, and potentially the biggest portal addition in the Scheyer era.

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Braeden Carrington (0) and guard John Blackwell (25) react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Duke Lands Commitment From Star Wisconsin Transfer Guard John Blackwell

The Duke program has landed a commitment from former star Wisconsin guard John Blackwell, the No. 3 overall player in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports. The 6'4" guard is widely regarded as potentially the best backcourt piece in this year's portal cycle.

Blackwell's commitment timeline turned out to be much shorter than originally anticipated. It was reported that the Michigan native was considering Duke, Illinois, Alabama, Arizona, UCLA, and Louisville, and that he would take two visits before committing on May 4, a week before the NBA Combine.

BREAKING: Wisconsin transfer guard John Blackwell has committed to Duke, Todd Ramasar and Alexis Liatsos of Life Sports Agency told @On3.

The 6-5 junior averaged 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this season, earning Third Team All-Big Ten honors.https://t.co/RIAeB5l9iR pic.twitter.com/ESUsG636V8
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 21, 2026

Then, Blackwell paid a visit to Duke on Monday and was shortly thereafter given a crystal ball prediction that he would land with the Blue Devils. Just about 24 hours later, the elite backcourt piece has found a home in Durham.

Blackwell established himself as one of the top scorers in college basketball this past season, averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals a night on 43.0% shooting from the floor and 38.9% shooting from three-point range on 7.3 attempts.

Sources: Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell has committed to Duke.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 21, 2026

The junior went for 25 or more points in 15 games and over 30 points in five contests.

This is arguably the biggest development so far this offseason for Scheyer and Co., as they have now landed a huge veteran backcourt addition to lead the offensive charge next year.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts 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: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

What Duke's Backcourt Could Look Like

With Blackwell's commitment, Duke could boast the best overall backcourt in college basketball in 2026-27. So far, the Blue Devils have Boozer, Blackwell, and incoming 5-star freshman Deron Rippey Jr.

The general expectation is that Caleb Foster will be back with the Blue Devils for his senior year, giving Duke the deepest and potentially most talented backcourt in the nation. Will it be crowded? Yes. But with Boozer, Foster, and Blackwell at 6'4", Scheyer could put three on the floor at the same time. Rippey stands at 6'2".

Mar 31, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Deron Rippey Jr (0) during the McDonalds All American Boys Game at Desert Diamond Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Duke is gaining some serious momentum after a quiet start to the offseason.

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