This Duke Transfer Portal Pickup Flying Under the Radar

A move that has flown massively under the radar this offseason was Duke’s acquisition of Drew Scharnowski in the transfer portal.

Scharnowski is a 6-foot-9, 230-pound big man who spent the first two seasons of his college career playing at Belmont. In that span, he averaged 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Last season, he raised his averages in every category, averaging 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game for the Bruins.

Belmont's Drew Scharnowski (11) and Isaiah West (3) guard Bradley's Jaquan Johnson in the first half of their college basketball game Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves defeated the Bruins 95-84. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

He now brings his talent to Jon Scheyer’s program at Duke. His arrival in Durham has flown under the radar, as the Blue Devils also brought in one of the top transfer portal players available, John Blackwell, who averaged over 19 points per game with Wisconsin last season.

Duke’s Other Additions

Duke is also bringing in a handful of star freshmen as part of their recruiting class this offseason. Standouts such as Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and Cameron Williams have taken most of the spotlight so far, saving Scharnowski in the background along with the team’s other portal additions.

Mar 31, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Cameron Williams (1) during the McDonalds All American Boys Game at Desert Diamond Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He figures to be in a supporting role for Duke next season, providing energy off the bench as their loaded starting lineup does its thing.

Other Teams Taking Notice

However, other teams around college basketball noticed the Blue Devils picking up Scharnowski. CBS Sports’ Issac Trotter shared that the move caught the attention of many rival coaching staffs this offseason.

Bradley's Jaquan Johnson, left, tries to knock the ball away from Belmont's Drew Scharnowski in the first half of their college basketball game Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves defeated the Bruins 95-84. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“Scharnowski was one of the best mid-major big men in the portal. His combination of size, athleticism, nastiness and playmaking was very attractive, and he had a sterling market. But when Duke swooped in, it was a wrap. Duke was able to convince Scharnowski to buy into an off-the-bench role instead of taking a starting center gig at numerous other high-major schools,” Trotter said.

“Scharnowski is going to play the Maliq Brown role for Jon Scheyer. It was a double-edged sword in roster-building. Duke now has constructed one of the deepest and best frontcourts in the country, while forcing numerous other programs to go back to the drawing board in the overpriced big man market. Ironically, Duke's backup center would start for arch-rival North Carolina.”

Mar 8, 2025; St. Louis, MO, Belmont Bruins forward Drew Scharnowski (11) catches the ball in front of Drake Bulldogs guard Bennett Stirtz (14) during the first half at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Scharnowski will now look to prove that he shouldn’t be an overlooked pickup this offseason, as he looks to help the Blue Devils embark on yet another deep run in next year’s NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils have one of the deepest teams in the country heading into next season, and Scharnowski figures to be an important piece going forward.

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