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Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils are navigating a busy and pivotal offseason.
After losing key players Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor and Sion James, Duke is in urgent need of replenishing its talent pool.
Scheyer and his staff have been aggressive both in recruiting and in the transfer portal. With portal activity beginning to slow, the focus has shifted back to high school and international recruiting.
One of their top targets is Dame Sarr, a 6-foot-7 wing from Italy. Once considered a Kansas lean, Sarr now appears to be favoring Duke. Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68 reported Tuesday:
"Duke has emerged as the favorites to land Dame Sarr, source told @TheFieldOf68."
Duke has emerged as the favorites to land Dame Sarr, source told @TheFieldOf68.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 20, 2025
Sarr is a 6-7 wing from Italy.
Blue Devils anticipated Cedric Coward remaining in the draft, and ramped up their efforts to la’d Sarr - who had been a Kansas lean.
Goodman added more context, indicating Duke's renewed pursuit is tied to another player's decision.
"Blue Devils anticipated Cedric Coward remaining in the draft, and ramped up their efforts to land Sarr, who had been a Kansas lean."
Coward, a Washington State transfer, was expected to spend his final college season in Durham. However, his strong recent play has pushed him closer to staying in the NBA Draft, creating an opportunity for Duke to target Sarr more aggressively.
Sarr has a unique background. He played a few games for FC Barcelona this season before his contract was terminated after he chose to compete in the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit, a move he made against his team’s advice.
He had a big breakout game this spring with FC Barcelona, where he delivered an impressive performance, scoring 21 points and recording three assists.
The Nike Hoop Summit featured many elite prospects. A.J. Dybantsa and Darius Acuff led all scorers with 24 points, while future Blue Devil Cameron Boozer impressed with 22 points, six assists and three steals.
Sarr’s resume includes appearances in top European youth competitions, such as the 2022 U16 European Championship, the 2023 U18 European Championship and the 2024 U18 EuroBasket.
If Duke lands Sarr, it would be a significant loss for Kansas, which is also retooling its roster after considerable turnover. The Jayhawks do have some big names incoming, including five-star recruit Darryn Peterson, as well as Samis Calderon and Corbin Allen, all part of their 2025 class under head coach Bill Self.
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Troubling news emerges on Bears QB Caleb Williams’ workout with HC Ben Johnson
It might have been a good thing the Chicago Bears didn’t play Caleb Williams on Sunday. The Bears might need to hide their second-year quarterback as he irons out his wrinkles in the pre-snap process and with accuracy issues. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft struggled with timing and accuracy during the Bears’ joint practice with the Miami Dolphins on Friday. Caleb Williams was inaccurate in the red zone against no defenders On Sunday, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson chose not to play second-year quarterback Caleb Williams against the Dolphins in their first preseason game. Instead, Johnson led a workout with Williams and wide receivers Rome Odunze and DJ Moore before the game. Per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears ran a total of 87 plays during the workout. All of the plays were routes in the air with no defenders on the field for the scripted practice. Despite going against no defenders bringing pressure or guarding his receivers, Williams struggled to hit his targets in the red zone. "Williams would stand next to Johnson, who would give him the play," Biggs wrote. "Then, the quarterback simulated a huddle with the player (only one ran a route on each snap) and gave the play call. They’d break the huddle, go to the line of scrimmage, Williams would simulate pre-snap actions and then the play would be run… "Before ending the session with eight deep balls, there was a 25-play set of snaps in the red zone. One thing Williams struggled to connect on was out routes to Moore and Odunze near the goal line. Those throws were not close and Williams consistently led the receivers too much." A closed-door problem for the Chicago Bears The throws weren’t close during routes on air… in the red zone? Williams wasn’t ready to take the field for the preseason game. For all of the flak he’s been getting from practice reports, the quarterback would have been relentlessly mocked for having these issues shown during an NFL Network broadcast. Biggs’ report is troubling, with a month to go before the season. Williams has much to improve upon, and the Bears are very much trying to do so without cameras present for a reason.
Warriors' Big Man Target Could Pull Off Suprise Move Amid Passive Free Agency
The Golden State Warriors haven't made a move to improve their roster since free agency started. The Warriors lost one of their best players in Kevon Looney, who signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. The team has been stuck on coming up with a plan on how to deal with free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga. The team wants Kuminga to sign the deal that they've offered him, which was the two-year, $45 million contract. The Warriors believe the contract will allow them to officiate a sign-and-trade option later on. However, the forward sees himself as worthy of earning at least $30 million a year. Due to that, the Warriors haven't signed anyone in the free agent market. Even Horford, who's likely to sign a one-year deal. Horford Could Opt to Retire The Warriors are taking too long to address the Kuminga situation. Anthony Slater of ESPN speculates that if Horford doesn't make any headway, he might decide to give up basketball. "The Kuminga situation continues to hold up business for them, keeping Horford in a holding pattern," Slater wrote. "But Horford is comfortable waiting. Retirement remains on the table, sources said, though the Warriors appear to be operating as if he is a firm part of their plan next season. Horford's former team, the Boston Celtics, isn't planning on bringing him back. Due to that, he remains unsigned and available in the free agent market. Although Horford is past his prime, he provides the much-needed veteran leadership. However, given how experienced the majority of the Warriors' players are, that might not be necessary.
Patriots have big Drake Maye concern surface at Vikings' joint practice
Defense ruled the day during the joint practice between the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings. Per Chad Graff of The Athletic, the Patriots defense did a masterful job of disrupting Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy at Wednesday's practice. However, New England's offensive line was unable to allow Drake Maye to have enough time to finish plays. "Even with four new expected starters up front following last year’s debacle, Wednesday suggested that there will likely be some bumps ahead for this offensive line," Graff wrote. "Sure, going up against the Vikings was always going to be a difficult task. Greenard has been wrecking his own team’s practices in training camp, and everyone in New England knows how good Flores’ scheme can be. But the domination was so thorough by the Vikings’ front seven that three straight plays at one point would’ve resulted in a sack." Maye showed flashes of promise when he had time to throw downfield or was able to use his legs to buy time or scramble when pressure came. The concern is that the offensive line won't allow Maye enough time to even scramble so he can make throws. Graff has noticed the same issues that happened on Wednesday have been a constant at training camp against the Patriots defense. With a new-look offensive line that includes first-round pick Will Campbell at left tackle, the Patriots are expected to have some bumps at training camp and in September. New England's offense probably won't look great out of the gate while the offensive line develops in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' scheme. If and when the offensive line improves, Maye will have a chance to show off the arm that made him the No. 3 pick in 2024. For now, the offensive line is a concern much like it was last season.
Notre Dame believed to be trending toward surprise choice at quarterback
The quarterback battle for Notre Dame is set to come to an end shortly, and it might be a surprise considering how the national media predicted the race to finish. Per Eric Hansen of On3, head coach Marcus Freeman is set to name the starting quarterback by Sunday when he meets the media. The Irish are still letting the quarterback battle play out until then, but it appears sophomore quarterback Kenny Minchey is the favorite to start at Hard Rock Stadium against the Miami Hurricanes on Aug. 31. Minchey has shown improvement in numerous areas throughout camp, and he has the edge on freshman quarterback CJ Carr in what is believed to be the final week of the competition. "As of Wednesday, the line between 1 and 2 remained blurred," Hansen wrote. "The tiebreaker may eventually go to Minchey, per the source, because of his ability to be a true running threat and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock’s preference to have that element to put pressure on opposing defenses. "But he also has a preference for QBs who can transcend adversity, and the training camp phase was choreographed to test precisely that. While both contenders responded persistently in a manner that defies their inexperience, Minchey has been exceptional in that regard." Throughout the summer, ESPN writers such as Bill Connelly and Mark Schlabach have written as though it were a forgone conclusion that Carr would win the battle in training camp. However, Minchey appears to be a natural fit for how offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock likes to scheme against a defense. He helped dual-threat Jayden Daniels earn a Heisman Trophy in 2023 and took Notre Dame to a national championship appearance with Riley Leonard. The battle isn't over, but the edge appears to be running Minchey's way.
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