Head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff had an eventful offseason, building a team ready to compete for a national title in 2027.
It was an overwhelming success for the Blue Devils on all fronts in roster building. In today's college basketball landscape, roster retention and key portal acquisitions tend to translate to winning. Duke boasts those two key traits and more.
Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer looks on from the bench against the UConn Huskies during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Scheyer and Co. returned three starters, brought in two big-time portal acquisitions, and one of the top high school recruiting classes. Duke is probably the deepest team in college basketball heading into the 2026-27 campaign.
However, with so many premier additions and retentions, some moves from Scheyer and Co. somewhat fell under the radar. Here are three key Blue Devils who aren't getting talked about enough heading into the year.
Belmont's Drew Scharnowski (11) and Isaiah West (3) guard Bradley's Jaquan Johnson in the first half of their college basketball game Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves defeated the Bruins 95-84. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Blue Devils brought in 6'10" big man Drew Scharnowski from Belmont. With Duke adding John Blackwell, the best backcourt player in the portal, Scharnowski didn't get as much buzz as he deserved.
In 2025-26 with the Bruins, Scharnowski averaged 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks a game on 68.1% shooting from the field, earning First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference and MVC All-Defensive Team honors.
Belmont's Drew Scharnowski (11) blocks a shot by Bradley's Jaquan Johnson in the second half of their college basketball game Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 at Carver Arena in Peoria. Johnson was fouled before the block. The Braves defeated the Bruins 95-84. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The forward will play a Maliq Brown-type role, but his versatility is very intriguing. Scharnowski is a versatile defender at a similar size to Brown with the ability to guard most positions on the court at any time and active hands to generate turnovers.
Additionally, he is a very talented passer and can run the floor in transition with the guards or with the ball in his hands. The majority of his scoring will come in the paint, but his prowess as a passer, switchable defender, and rebounder (averaged 2.1 offensive rebounds a game last season) could make him one of the most impactful two-way players on this team.
Scharnowski would probably start for most high-major teams. He is going to be a major sparkplug off the bench for Duke on both sides of the ball.
Feb 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Sebastian Wilkins (5) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Blue Devils returned four of their top six scorers from a season ago, but the retention that wasn't talked about was bringing back redshirt freshman Sebastian Wilkins. Wilkins reclassified to the 2025 recruiting class and was ranked as a 4-star prospect per 247Sports.
One area where Duke lacked last season was three-point shooting, ranking 132nd nationally in team three-point shooting percentage (34.7), according to KenPom . Wilkins could turn into a consistent 3-and-D piece off the bench.
Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Dame Sarr (7) reacts after a play against the UConn Huskies in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
At 6'8" and 220 pounds, the Boston native is a long, versatile defender with a ton of potential as a three-point shooter. His role with Duke next season will probably be a catch-and-shooter who can come off the bench and provide a spark defensively. Although it might not be overly flashy, rotation pieces like those are critical on a championship team.
Given the size all over the roster, Duke has the personnel to be a dominant squad in the paint. If guys like Wilkins, Dame Sarr , and Bryson Howard can develop into consistent three-point shooters at decent volume, the Blue Devils will be one of the scariest offensive teams in college basketball.
Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; UConn Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) loses the ball as he goes to the basket against Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21)in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now, it's not like Patrick Ngongba's return to Duke wasn't discussed, but how crucial his return was seems to go slightly unnoticed.
If Ngongba had remained in the 2026 NBA Draft, he probably would have been selected in the first round. The 6'11" center now returns to Durham as the defensive anchor for a Duke team with a huge defensive ceiling.
Ngongba was one of the more underrated impact defenders in the sport last season. He averaged over a block a night and rated ninth nationally in Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating, according to EvanMiya. He also averaged two assists a game.
Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) blocks the shot of TCU Horned Frogs forward Xavier Edmonds (24) March 21, 2026 during the second half of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament second round East Region game at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
I don't expect Ngongba's box score numbers to necessarily shoot up that much, but he will certainly be one of the most important pieces on the entire roster. He will anchor the defense inside, and if he can develop into a more dominant rim protector, he could be the best defensive center in the ACC.
Again, the weight of Ngongba's return is known, but his impact, especially on the defensive end, will play a massive role in Duke reaching its ceiling.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as 3 Key Blue Devils Not Getting Enough Attention .
