© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Projected Duke Basketball Starters for Jon Scheyer's Third Season
Duke basketball has a wealth of lineup options and could soon have several more.
Chances are, or at least so it seems, that Jeremy Roach won't be in Durham next season for a fifth Duke basketball campaign. Even if he was, given the recently announced returns of two proven backcourt weapons in sophomore-to-be Caleb Foster and junior Tyrese Proctor paired with the program's influx of five-star freshmen, it's conceivable Roach would have to embrace a role off the bench.
There are other pieces that must still fall into place for the Blue Devils.
As things stand, third-year head coach Jon Scheyer and his cohorts have up to three scholarship slots to fill, assuming Roach leaves. And they'll likely find that talent via the transfer portal throughout the next few weeks, potentially even landing a player or two worthy of a starting nod and thus adding more experience to the primary lineup.
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But even without any transfer commitments thus far, several lineup combinations look formidable, albeit relatively young.
On that note, here's a look at one projected Duke basketball starting five using only the 10 guys who are either part of the six-deep 2024 recruiting haul or among the four-deep bunch expected to return:
1. Junior guard Tyrese Proctor; 6-foot-5, 183 pounds; 10.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists per game last season
2. Sophomore guard Caleb Foster; 6-foot-5, 197 pounds; 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists per game last season
3. Freshman forward Cooper Flagg; 6-foot-9, 200 pounds; No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite
4. Sophomore forward Sean Stewart; 6-foot-9, 227 pounds; 12.7 points, 15.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 2.3 blocks per 40 minutes last season
5. Freshman center Khaman Maluach; 7-foot-1, 250 pounds; No. 6 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite
The above lineup could thrive, first and foremost as a defensive juggernaut, due to its notable size, length, and athleticism, not to mention the fact that all five were five-star preps.
That said, one could make an argument for any of the 10 scholarship players currently on tap to draw starting nods. They include elite shooters in incoming rookies Isaiah Evans, Kon Knueppel, and Darren Harris and projected returning sophomore TJ Power, plus another five-star center in freshman Patrick Ngongba II.
Depending on how it all shakes out with the transfer route and Roach's decision, Duke basketball could match its No. 2 preseason ranking last year.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI for more Duke basketball news.
