2027 NBA Draft: Two Duke Sophomores Could Enjoy Breakout Seasons

The Blue Devils should be in for another good season and could see two sophomores take a leap.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Dame Sarr (7) warms up prior to the game against the UConn Huskies during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Duke Blue Devils are once again heading into the college basketball season with one of the sport's top rosters.

Duke hasn't won a national championship since 2015, but Jon Scheyer's team has made three consecutive appearances in the Elite Eight and produced multiple high-end draft prospects. Cooper Flagg was picked No. 1 in the 2025 NBA Draft after one season at Duke, and Cameron Boozer went No. 3 in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Bolstered by a strong group that will likely feature multiple 2027 NBA Draft picks, Sheyer's squad should compete for another ACC title and No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Alongisde potentially lottery picks Patrick Ngongba II and Cameron Williams, there are a pair of sophomore on the Blue Devils' roster who could also earn spots in the 2027 class.

Cayden Boozer

Boozer wasn't a star for Duke's 2026 squad like his brother, Cameron, but served as a key rotation player for the Blue Devils in his debut season.

The former five-star prospect averaged 7.7 points, three assists and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field and 30.3% from 3-point range, playing in 38 games and making 11 starts in 2025-26.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Boozer is a solid playmaker who could enter draft conversations once again with an increase in production and improvement as a perimeter shooter.

The rising sophomore will compete with Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, veteran guard Caleb Foster, and highly touted incoming freshmen Deron Rippey Jr. and Bryson Howard for minutes in what could be a crowded guard rotation.

Boozer was rated the No. 23 overall player and No. 4 point guard in the 2025 recuriting class by 247Sports.

Dame Sarr

The Italian wing averaged 6.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and a steal per game while shooting 40.4% from the field and 32.3% from beyond the arc in his first year at Duke.

Sarr was a regular starter for the Blue Devils in 2025-26, playing 23.5 minutes per game across 38 appearances and 30 starts.

Listed at 6-foot-8 and 200 pounds, Sarr offers ideal size on the wing and has the potential to be an intriguing "3 & D" prospect if he can improve as a 3-point shooter.

The rising sophomore should step into a larger role during the 2026-27 season, and could see a leap in production.

Sarr was rated the No. 32 overall prospect and No. 7 shooting guard in the 2025 recuriting class by the 247Sports composite rankings.