Duke Basketball Offseason Tracker: Recruits, Transfers, and NBA Draft Decisions
- John
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 9 hours ago
With the transfer portal wide open, players working through their options, and recruits coming in, there is still a lot going on in the college basketball world. This is everything you need to know, from a (mainly) Duke perspective. This article will be updated often with new news and updates.
RECRUITS
Cameron Boozer
The #3 recruit in the country, Cameron Boozer, is the son of former Duke basketball star and Olympic Gold medalist Carlos Boozer. As a forward, Boozer is a high-volume rebounder and an incredible frontcourt passer. One of the major achievements of the Duke Basketball offseason, Boozer excels as a ball-handler, particularly with his left hand. In his most recent AAU season, Cameron boasted an 84% free-throw percentage and 36% from behind the arc. Like his father, Boozer stands at 6'9", and though he is not typically described as a great shot blocker, Boozer provides great secondary rim protection. Boozer chose Duke after considering Miami and the University of Florida.
Nikolas Khamenia
Standing 6'8", Nikolas Khamenia is a McDonald's All-American who stands at #20 in his class. Khamenia is an exceptional passer who can throw very well off the dribble. He is a great three-point shooter and can make plays from pretty much anywhere on the floor, which is very similar to what we've seen from Kon Knueppel this year. Khamenia played for the United States at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup, averaging 7.7 PPG and 6.3 RPG in a Gold Medal performance from America. Nikolas also considered UCLA and Gonzaga before committing to Duke.
Cayden Boozer
Brother of Cameron, Cayden Boozer, is the #22 recruit in his class and stands at 6'4" as a point guard. A McDonald's All-American, Boozer is described as having a terrific ability to read the court with a great basketball mind. In his most recent AAU season, Cayden boasted a 3:1 assist-to-turnover rate, averaging 6.6 APG to 2.1 turnovers per game. Like Shelton Henderson, Cayden is called by scouts a great perimeter rebounder. Boozer reads off-ball screens well and is very creative while driving in the paint. Cayden is a great shooter, making 40% of his three-pointers while shooting nearly 80% from the free-throw line.
Nate Ament
As one of the last remaining question marks in this year's class, Nate Ament remains undecided about his decision for this upcoming year. Ament is the #4 recruit in the class, and standing at 6'9", he plans to make his decision in the next few weeks. Ament is classified as a sharpshooter, shooting 42% from behind the arc and 90% from the free throw line. Duke is in his top 5, along with Arkansas, Louisville, Kentucky, and Tennessee. 247 Sports has released their Crystal Ball Prediction, and has Ament going to Tennessee.
Shelton Henderson
Shelton Henderson decommitted from the Blue Devils on April 17.
UNDECIDED
Maliq Brown
Coming from Syracuse, Maliq Brown was by far the most underrated player on the lineup this year. Maliq was limited to only 26 of 39 games this year, as he sustained a shoulder injury for a good portion of the season. Maliq made such a huge difference this year on the defensive end, but you have to think Maliq wants a full season, non-injured, and will hopefully come back for round two.
Khaman Maluach
Averaging 8.6 PPG, Khaman Maluach is an incredible finisher around the rim, and his size makes him so hard to score on in the paint. Unfortunately, this makes him an incredible pro prospect, most likely a lottery pick.
Patrick Ngongba
Patrick Ngongba was one of the most valuable players on this roster, helping significantly down low, but he only averaged 10 minutes per game in 30 games played. With Ngongba's return, Duke would have an incredible big man, and his role would likely increase in year two. Given that, most people are very optimistic about Patrick's return.
Darren Harris
Darren Harris, who averages only 2 PPG in 21 games, would very likely see playing time much more often in his second year with Duke. However, there is a chance he wants guaranteed minutes at a different school, which is completely understandable.
RETURNING
Caleb Foster
Though Caleb Foster didn't get the minutes he had planned to receive in his sophomore year, Caleb Foster chose to remain at Duke for another year. Foster got limited minutes as the season progressed, but in a recent interview, he said his attitude about the team never faded, even when he went into games with little to no playing time. This upcoming year, Caleb should be a great addition to the team and should fit into the roster well!
Isaiah Evans
Isaiah Evans announced he will return to Duke on April 22!
DECLARED
Kon Knueppel
Kon Knueppel declared for the NBA Draft and became the first Blue Devil to make offseason moves. He declared on April 16.
Tyrese Proctor
Tyrese Proctor declared for the NBA Draft on April 18.
Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg declared for the NBA Draft on April 21.
PORTAL
Stanley Borden
Stanley Borden entered the transfer portal on April 18.
This article will be revised as new information becomes available.