Which Duke Freshmen Could Potentially Make a Return?

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff are one of the best recruiting units in college basketball. The Blue Devils currently sit with the No. 1 overall 2026 recruiting class according to 247Sports. If that ranking holds, it would seal the third straight year that Duke owns the nation's top-ranked recruiting class.

The Blue Devils bring in a plethora of young talent each season, and most of these guys would start right away on the majority of Division I teams. But with the sheer amount of talent that a program like Duke has, not everyone can reap the benefits right away.

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Duke is a fairly young team this season, but it still gets contributions from veterans such as Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba, and Maliq Brown. With those four guys as the veteran leaders, there's only so much room for the star rookies.

5-star freshman Cameron Boozer has been the Blue Devils' best player and is the frontrunner for the National Player of the Year award. However, outside of the 6'9" forward, no other rookie has really stood out for the Blue Devils in terms of an NBA evaluation.

Guys like Nik Khamenia, Dame Sarr, and Cayden Boozer were the other freshmen a part of the top overall recruiting class, and they all entered their first seasons in Durham with serious 2026 NBA Draft buzz.

But as we stand here today, none of them have really raised their stock, which could mean a potential return for a sophomore season.

Feb 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts on the court against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half at Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Duke in Unique Situation With Potential Roster Continuity

Duke fans have grown accustomed to watching the Blue Devils' star rookies for a year, then they are off to the NBA. However, this season could be different, and fans could potentially see the majority of those highly-touted recruits return.

All of Khamenia, Sarr, and Boozer were viewed as potential first-round picks this summer before the season began, but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

sar — Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Dame Sarr (7) on the court in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In ESPN's latest big board of the top 100 prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft, Sarr came in at No. 50. Khamenia and Boozer were not listed.

It's not like they haven't been productive for Duke this season, but they haven't exactly shown they're ready for the jump to the NBA quite yet.

Feb 3, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Nikolas Khamenia (14) leaves the court after being hit in the nose during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Scheyer and Co. have done a great job at retaining talent in this NIL era, with little transfer portal trouble. There's reason to believe that a few of Duke's top rookies could be back in town a year from now, which could become a very exciting development for fans in the offseason.

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