“This Might Be the Deepest Duke Roster in Years — And Practice Is Proof”… The battles in Durham are real. From the vets to the freshmen, nobody’s safe. And that’s exactly how Jon Scheyer wants it…

This Might Be the Deepest Duke Roster in Years — And Practice Is Proof

The lights might not yet be on in Cameron Indoor Stadium for opening night, but the heat inside Duke’s practice facility is already at a midseason boil. It’s not the temperature. It’s the tension. The intensity. The sweat-soaked competitiveness that has turned daily workouts into fierce positional battles. And for Jon Scheyer, entering his third season as Duke’s head coach, that’s exactly the environment he envisioned — and demanded — when assembling this year’s roster.

Top to bottom, the Blue Devils are loaded. There’s no other way to put it. From savvy veterans returning to prove their worth, to blue-chip freshmen with NBA futures, Duke’s roster is a rare blend of experience and potential. And inside the closed doors of practice, where reputations mean nothing and depth charts are written in pencil, the competition has become the most accurate barometer of just how special this team might be.

The word out of Durham is simple: nobody’s safe. Not the upperclassmen who have played in ACC Tournament finals and March Madness heartbreakers. Not the five-star newcomers with mixtapes and McDonald’s All-American medals. In this gym, every possession is earned. Every minute is contested. And that’s by design.

The 2025 Duke roster is, in many ways, the culmination of Jon Scheyer’s vision for the program post-Krzyzewski. After a strong debut campaign and a second season that ended earlier than expected in the NCAA Tournament, Scheyer went into the offseason with clarity. He didn’t just want talent — Duke always has that — he wanted internal pressure. He wanted options. He wanted conflict. Not dysfunction, but the kind of competitive friction that makes everyone sharper. What he built is a team that might not just be the deepest in his tenure — it might be the deepest Duke team in the last decade.

It starts with the returners. Jeremy Roach’s decision to come back for a fifth season was more than just continuity — it was a statement. Roach, a battle-tested guard who’s been the steady hand through Duke’s transition era, is a coach on the floor. But even he is feeling the pressure. Sophomore Caleb Foster, who showed flashes of brilliance last season, has come back stronger, quicker, and more vocal. Tyrese Proctor, the Australian combo guard who could have gone pro, returned with clear intentions: take the reins. And he’s looked the part — more assertive, more confident, more in control.

But the guards aren’t alone in facing the daily crucible of competition. In the frontcourt, Kyle Filipowski, who shocked many by returning for his junior season, has embraced the challenge of leading by example. Last year’s ACC Rookie of the Year, who flirted with the NBA, came back to refine his game — and to win. Yet his minutes aren’t guaranteed either, not with the kind of size and skill Duke has brought in. Christian Reeves, who redshirted last season, has impressed with his length and improved footwork. Freshman Khaman Maluach, a 7’2” phenom from South Sudan, is already drawing comparisons to past Duke giants, and his motor hasn’t stopped since the first day of practice. The paint is crowded, and no one’s backing down.

On the wings, the story is much the same. Mark Mitchell’s return gives Duke an elite perimeter defender and slasher, but even he’s not immune to the pressure cooker. Freshman Isaiah Evans has turned heads with his scoring instincts and tenacity. Sean Stewart, once a role player, has transformed into one of the most dynamic athletes on the floor. T.J. Power has added muscle and range, making him a mismatch nightmare. The depth is not just impressive on paper — it’s proving lethal in practice, where scrimmages have taken on the look and feel of tournament games.

The beauty of this depth is in the daily battles. It’s in the full-court presses that go late into drills. It’s in the defensive rotations that are a step faster because every player knows there’s someone just as capable behind them. It’s in the film sessions where mistakes aren’t just corrected — they’re opportunities to climb or fall on the internal totem pole.

Scheyer isn’t playing favorites. The staff has made it clear: this season will be meritocratic. Minutes will be earned in the practice gym, not assumed from past performance or recruiting rankings. That message has been received loud and clear. Sources close to the program say the scrimmages have been some of the most intense they’ve seen in years. “It’s like a war every day,” one team insider shared. “Guys are fighting for everything — loose balls, touches, switches. There’s no let-up. And that’s the culture they want.”

That culture is a departure from some previous Duke squads, where thinner rotations led to overreliance on a select few players. This year, the challenge might be deciding who not to play. Scheyer could realistically go ten or eleven deep, a luxury few programs can afford. It also means Duke can be versatile — small-ball, big lineups, fast tempo, half-court grind. This team isn’t just deep; it’s malleable.

Off the court, the players have embraced the competitive ethos without fracturing their camaraderie. That balance — intense rivalry within a unified locker room — is the hallmark of great teams. It’s what Krzyzewski always preached: “Fight like hell in practice, love each other like brothers when it’s over.” Scheyer, a disciple of that philosophy, has modernized it. Practices now include more NBA-style concepts. Positionless drills, shooting contests, advanced analytics tracking — but the spirit remains: earn everything.

The key to managing this embarrassment of riches will be keeping egos in check and roles clearly defined. That’s not always easy with five-star freshmen used to starting, or veterans with pro dreams. But so far, the early signs are promising. Roach has taken on the mentor role without clinging to status. Filipowski is leading huddles, not just highlight plays. The younger players are responding with maturity and hunger.

For Duke fans, it’s an exciting — and tantalizing — situation. This roster doesn’t just aim to win the ACC; it’s built to win six games in March. Maybe even into April. The kind of depth Scheyer has curated isn’t just for insurance. It’s strategic. It’s designed to withstand the grind of a long season, the foul trouble in big games, the injuries that inevitably come. When you can plug in a four-star guard off the bench who might start on most other top-25 teams, you’re not just deep — you’re dangerous.

This might not be a team with a single superstar like Zion or Kyrie, but it may be more complete. In a modern college game that often prioritizes the one-and-done over continuity, Scheyer has managed to balance both. He has returners with years in the system. He has freshmen with upside. He has veterans willing to adapt, and newcomers ready to contribute from day one.

If practice is any indication, the season ahead will be filled with highlight moments — but it’s the unseen grind, the behind-closed-doors battles, that are forging this team into something greater. The message is clear: there are no guarantees, no gimmes. You want your spot? Win it. Every day. Every rep.

That’s the new Duke. Hungry. Unpredictable. And deeper than they’ve been in years.

And if you think this team is scary now, just wait until the lights come on.

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