Potential Portal Target Snubs Blue Devils, Will Remain in NBA Draft

This top portal player won’t consider a transfer to Duke this offseason.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer speaks with the media during a press conference 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

The Duke Blue Devils are going to miss out on one of the transfer portal targets this offseason, as Santa Clara’s Allen Graves is opting to keep his name in the draft.

Graves entered his name in the draft earlier this offseason, while also entering the portal. Early in the process, he indicated that Duke and LSU were the only two schools with which he had been in contact. Instead of heading back to school and playing for one of those teams, Graves will stay in the draft. 

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos forward Allen Graves (22) reacts after making a basket against the Kentucky Wildcats 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

Graves Last Season

The blow does hurt a bit for the Blue Devils, as Graves would’ve likely been a welcome addition to an already loaded squad. As a freshman last season, he averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Broncos, shooting 51 percent from the floor and 41 percent from beyond the three-point arc. At 6-foot-9, 225 pounds, Graves offers a versatile game on both ends of the floor at either forward position. 

Graves was also a key part of Santa Clara’s thrilling run to the NCAA Tournament, where they barely lost to Kentucky in overtime in the first round. Graves scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the loss, but the Broncos nearly became a part of one of the more wild NCAA Tournaments in recent memory. 

Mar 19, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos forward Allen Graves (22) reacts during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

Most mock drafts project Graves to be anywhere from an early-second round pick to even some as high as just outside of the lottery in the first round. For Graves, that’s a risk worth taking rather than coming back to college, and potentially damaging his stock. Many NBA teams could benefit from Graves’ versatility, and he should help a franchise immediately with his skill set. 

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 Without Graves

As for the Blue Devils’ outlook, they’ll be just fine without Graves, though he would’ve been a very solid addition. Duke has already snagged perhaps the best available transfer portal player from this year’s cycle, as Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell is making the move to Durham next season. He averaged over 19 points per game last season with the Badgers and figures to be Duke’s go-to offensive option next season. 

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) reacts 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

The Blue Devils are also seeing the return of key players such as Dame Sarr, Patrick Ngongba, and Caleb Foster, along with incoming freshmen Deron Rippey and Cameron Williams. Equipped with a roster this loaded with talent, the Blue Devils have a very good chance of making the 2026-27 season a memorable one.