3 Duke Players Might Transfer After NCAA Tournament Loss

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Holleran | Last updated Mar 30, 2026 2:32 PM ET

The offseason is here for Duke's men's basketball team.

Duke, the No. 1 seed in the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, suffered a stunning Elite Eight upset loss to No. 2 seed UConn. The Blue Devils led the game by 19 points at one point. Duke was leading, 72-70, and had the ball with 10 seconds to play. But freshman Cayden Boozer threw an errant pass that was stolen by the Huskies, who found first-year guard Braylon Mullins, who drilled the game-winning 3-pointer.

UConn is off to the Final Four, while Duke is going home early. It's the second straight year in which Duke has suffered a shocking blown lead loss in the NCAA Tournament. Last year, the Blue Devils coughed up a late lead to Houston in the Final Four.

Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Now, in the wake of that loss, Duke could reportedly lose three players to the NCAA's transfer poral.

According to Ball Durham, transfers are on the table for three Duke players:

Cayden Boozer
Sebastian Wilkins
Darren Harris

Harris, a former top recruit, is seen as the most likely transfer.

"The flashes were certainly there for Harris, but the consistency never came," the outlet reported.

"If Harris decides to seek a bigger role elsewhere this offseason, I wouldn't expect Scheyer to fight to keep him. It's probably best for both parties if Harris moves on."

A Cayden Boozer transfer is possible, too

Would Duke have taken a commitment from Cayden Boozer is he wasn't brothers with NBA Draft prospect Cameron Boozer?

It's a fair question.

While Cayden Boozer was a five-star recruit, he was not close to the caliber of player that his brother, Cameron Boozer, is.

"With Foster almost certainly returning, and Duke adding 5-star guard Deron Rippey Jr. in the 2026 recruiting class, perhaps Boozer could seek an opportunity for a guaranteed starting spot as a lead guard elsewhere," Ball Durham reported.

Who do you see returning to Duke in 2026-27?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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