Nov 4, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer watches the play against the Texas Longhorns during the first half of the Dick Vitale’s Invitational game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

How Duke Basketball is Producing NBA Prospects

Originally posted on Duke Blue Devils on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Nov 12, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Duke Blue Devils are having a good start to the season. They are looking like a team that is well prepared and well coached. A lot of credit has to go to head coach Jon Scheyer and the rest of the coaching staff. They have put their players in the starting best position to be successful this season so far.

This group is looking to bring a National Championship to Duke. That is the main goal, and they have the right players all around to do it. This season, Duke is rolling with another talented freshman group and also has a good group of returning players that will be huge for them, especially early in the season.

Duke has produced good NBA talent over the years, and it will not be any different this season. They are the one team that is going to turn a lot of their players into NBA players.

Duke NBA Prospects

Jeff Borzello and Jeremy Woo of ESPN ranked Duke No. 1 with NBA Prospects.

Top-50 players: Cameron Boozer (No. 3), Dame Sarr (No. 10), Isaiah Evans (No. 20), Patrick Ngongba II (No. 27), Nikolas Khamenia (No. 34)

Other pro prospects: Cayden Boozer, Sebastian Wilkins

While we might not see the Blue Devils produce three lottery picks after sending Cooper Flagg (No. 1), Kon Knueppel (No. 4) and Khaman Maluach (No. 10) to the NBA at the top of this past summer's draft, Jon Scheyer's team is built around a new prodigious freshman centerpiece in Cameron Boozer.

Boozer is arguably the most college-ready player in the freshman class and could be in the running for National Player of the Year as he jockeys for the No. 1 pick. His mix of physical strength, advanced skill and sublime basketball IQ make him an excellent long-term prospect.

The rest of Duke's roster is plenty talented, but still developing. Sarr has lottery potential and long-term pro appeal as a jumbo wing with real defensive chops. Khamenia brings 3-point shooting and size to the frontcourt, but it's unclear exactly how fast his NBA track will be. Boozer's twin brother, Cayden, projects as more of a multiyear college player and opens the season behind Caleb Foster in the guard rotation.

There's returning talent as well, with Evans looking to prove he can score with more consistency as he steps into a starting role. His bucket-getting ability creates a pathway to the NBA with continued improvement. Ngongba should build on the flashes he showed as a freshman, with an attractive mix of size, offensive skill and versatility.

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This article first appeared on Duke Blue Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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