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NO: Duke Just Played the Portal Like a Pro—And the ACC Is Shook
The Blue Devils are building a basketball powerhouse once again—and the 2025–26 season might be their most exciting yet under Jon Scheyer. Following Cooper Flagg’s early departure to the NBA, many wondered how Duke would fill such massive shoes. The answer? A monster recruiting class, savvy portal poaching, and a culture that keeps the championship mentality alive in Durham.
Welcome to the new age of Duke Basketball—where the Blue Devils are not rebuilding, but reloading.
Cooper Flagg was not just a superstar—he was a phenomenon. A once-in-a-generation talent who brought national attention back to Duke after a few transitional years under Jon Scheyer. His departure for the 2025 NBA Draft was expected but still sent a jolt through the program. How do you replace a player like that?
Turns out, you don’t replace him with one player. You build a team that is deep, hungry, and versatile—and you start by going hunting in the transfer portal like your legacy depends on it.
If the NCAA transfer portal is the wild west of college basketball, then Duke just rolled into town like seasoned gunslingers. They didn’t just dabble—they dominated. Scheyer and his staff landed not one, not two, but four immediate-impact transfers, each bringing high-level experience, positional flexibility, and star potential.
Let’s break down Duke’s portal haul:
1. Aiden Holloway – Guard, Auburn
The former five-star point guard and Auburn standout entered the portal looking for a bigger stage—and there’s no brighter spotlight than Cameron Indoor. Holloway brings slick ball-handling, creative passing, and improved perimeter shooting. He averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 assists per game last season and looks primed to run the show in Durham.
2. Samson Johnson – Forward, UConn
A key member of UConn’s 2024 Final Four run, Johnson is an athletic, rim-running big who can defend multiple positions. His decision to transfer shocked many in the Big East, but Duke’s pitch of expanded minutes and a featured role in their motion-heavy offense sealed the deal.
3. Koby Brea – Guard, Dayton
The Atlantic 10’s top shooter is now Duke’s top weapon off the bench. Brea shot an absurd 46.9% from deep on high volume last season and is widely considered one of the most dangerous catch-and-shoot threats in the country. Instant offense, veteran poise—exactly what the Blue Devils needed.
4. Derik Queen – Center, Maryland (via decommitment)
In one of the most shocking moves of the offseason, Derik Queen decommitted from Maryland and entered the transfer portal after just one year. Duke pounced. Queen, a former McDonald’s All-American, averaged 11.9 points and 7.6 rebounds as a freshman and brings brute strength and footwork that give Duke a traditional low-post threat—something they lacked in the Flagg era.
While the portal drew headlines, Duke’s incoming freshman class might be even more dangerous. Jon Scheyer secured a Top 3 national recruiting class, loaded with versatility, size, and defensive toughness.
Headliners:
- Jalen Haralson (5-star SG): A two-way menace with a 6-foot-6 frame, Haralson has drawn comparisons to former Blue Devil Wendell Moore Jr.—but with more offensive polish.
- Isaiah Evans (5-star SF): A North Carolina native with a silky jumper and bounce to spare, Evans could emerge as a fan favorite by midseason.
- Peyton Marshall (4-star C): A 7-footer with a massive frame and soft hands, Marshall is a long-term project who can spell Queen in stretches.
This blend of portal veterans and blue-chip freshmen gives Duke a rare balance—veteran know-how with youthful energy. That combination could be lethal in March.
Let’s give credit where it’s due: Jon Scheyer has grown as a head coach. Inheriting the program from Mike Krzyzewski was never going to be easy, but after a rocky first year and a respectable sophomore campaign, Scheyer has found his identity. He’s not trying to be Coach K—he’s building something that’s uniquely his.
This offseason showed it. He recognized the need for physicality, leadership, and shooting. He adjusted his staff. He changed recruiting priorities. He attacked the portal like a seasoned pro. And now, he enters Year 4 with his most complete roster yet.
Duke’s projected 2025–26 starting five is a dream mix of size, scoring, and switchability:
- PG: Aiden Holloway – Sophomore; dynamic creator, steady floor general
- SG: Jalen Haralson – Freshman; strong frame, elite defender
- SF: Isaiah Evans – Freshman; rangy scorer with 3-level game
- PF: Samson Johnson – Senior; athletic defender, lob threat
- C: Derik Queen – Sophomore; back-to-the-basket bruiser
Off the bench, Brea provides instant shooting, while returners like Tyrese Proctor (should he stay) and Caleb Foster add continuity. Peyton Marshall will be eased in, and the coaching staff is reportedly high on sophomore wing TJ Power, who flashed during the 2024–25 campaign.
Depth, size, skill—they’ve got it all.
Let’s be honest: the ACC hasn’t been the powerhouse it once was. But this version of Duke could change that. They’ll be ranked in the Top 5 preseason, and they’ll carry the conference on their back as the national face of the league.
And let’s not overlook that this season, for the first time in over a decade, the ACC Tournament will return to Charlotte—a city packed with Blue Devil faithful. Momentum is already building.
Duke’s sights are set on the Final Four in Phoenix. And this time, they’re not an underdog story. They’re contenders.
In fact, early odds from FanDuel and Caesars list Duke as a Top 3 favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament, trailing only Kansas and Alabama. That’s a sign of just how highly this revamped roster is regarded.
But it’s not just about titles. This season is about reclaiming an identity—about restoring the fear that used to come with playing Duke. No longer are they a “young team learning on the fly.” They’re built to win now.
This offseason could become a blueprint for blue blood programs trying to navigate the chaos of the modern era. In the past, Duke lived off one-and-dones. Now, it’s portal veterans and top freshmen. It’s NIL savvy and four-year development. It’s not Coach K’s Duke—but it’s something just as dangerous.
Scheyer has proven he can recruit, develop, and now—most critically—he can adapt.
And that’s how dynasties are built in this new age of college basketball.
There are no guarantees in college basketball—just ask last season’s No. 1 seeds who flamed out in March. But when you combine high-end talent, veteran depth, and program tradition, you get something close to a juggernaut.
That’s what Duke has heading into the 2025–26 season.
The ACC has been warned.
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