Duke NBA Draft Prospects Lead Blue Devils to Round of 32 Win

For the third consecutive season, the Duke Blue Devils are heading to the Sweet 16.

After reaching the Final Four in 2025 and the Elite Eight in 2024, the Blue Devils are in the midst of another NCAA Tournament run, this time with a few new faces.

After Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach and Sion James led Duke to the national semifinals last year, each of the aforementioned players were selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg, Knueppel and Maluach were all top 10 picks, with Flagg and Knueppel leading the Rookie of the Year race.

This year, Cameron Boozer, Isaiah Evans and others have starred for Duke, who has a chance to return to the Final Four. Against TCU in the Round of 32, Boozer, Evans and Dame Sarr were the key catalysts in a 23 point win.

Boozer led all scorers with 19 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field, 0-of-1 from 3-point range and 5-of-5 from the free throw line. The highly touted freshman added 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and a block.

After a lackluster performance against Sienna that saw the likely top-3 pick shoot 4-of-11 from the field, Boozer bounced back with a strong showing against the Horned Frogs. The son of NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer wasn't perfect in the victory, though, committing five turnovers for the second time in two games.

On the season, Boozer is averaging 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 56.3% from the field and 39.8% from beyond the arc. Listed at 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, Boozer was rated the No. 3 overall player and No. 1 power forward in the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports.

Alongside Boozer, Evans, a sophomore and potential first-round pick, notched 17 points, 3 rebounds, an assist and one turnover while shooting 6-of-14 from the field, 2-of-8 from deep and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. The former five-star recruit is averaging 15 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 42.5% from the field and 35.8% from 3-point range on 7.4 attempts per game.

Sarr was the final piece of Duke's trifecta against TCU, tallying 14 points, 8 rebounds, an assist, two steals, a block and one turnover while shooting 4-of-8 from the field, 4-of-7 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 from the free throw line.

Hailing from Italy, Sarr was also a five-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class and is averaging 6.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and a steal per game while shooting 39.5% from the field and 31.8% from beyond the arc.

Listed at 6-foot-8 and 190 pounds, the former FC Barcelona wing could be a premier prospect in the 2027 NBA Draft.

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