Duke basketball roster 2025-26: Cooper Flagg's NBA decision looms as Tyrese Proctor declares for the NBA Draft
One of the key stay-or-go decisions Duke would be monitoring this offseason was guard Caleb Foster. The former four-star recruit from the 2023 recruiting cycle entered the 2024-25 season as a starter before being replaced by Sion James in the starting lineup.
Foster announced on Thursday that he will be returning to school for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
This news comes just days after star freshman Kon Knueppel officially declared for the 2025 NBA Draft. Knueppel is the first Blue Devils player to announce his draft decision. Days after Knueppel announced his intention to enter the draft, star guard Tyrese Proctor also declared for the NBA Draft.
Duke has yet to make an addition via the transfer portal, but that is expected to change shortly. All eyes now turn to Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach to declare for the 2025 NBA Draft before the April 26 deadline. Flagg is the odds-on favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick this summer.
Heading into Year 4 of the Jon Scheyer era, Duke faces plenty of questions. With Flagg, Knueppel, and Maluach all likely heading to the NBA, the Blue Devils could be looking at a major overhaul of their starting lineup again. James has exhausted his eligibility, and Proctor will be turning pro.
The other name who will have to decide their future with the program is Isaiah Evans. Evans, a former five-star recruit who primarily came off the bench, averaged 7.0 points.
CBS Sports is tracking the status of the Duke roster and recruiting class in real time. Here's where every current Duke player and commit currently stand.
Duke players returning for the 2025-26 seasonCaleb Foster | G | Soph.GP: 38 | PPG: 4.9 | RPG: 1.7 | APG: 1.4
Foster was a starter entering last season but was replaced in the lineup by James. The former highly touted recruit from the 2023 recruiting cycle averaged just 14 minutes per game after playing over 25 minutes as a freshman. Foster will be returning to Duke for his junior year.
Duke players yet to announce future plans Maliq Brown | F | Jr.GP: 26 | PPG: 2.5 | RPG: 3.7 | APG: 1.5
His stats don't justify how valuable Brown was this past season. Brown was limited to just 26 games due to a shoulder injury but was one of Duke's best defenders when he saw the court. Brown was a key addition to Duke's portal class last spring.
Isaiah Evans | G/F | Fr.GP: 36 | PPG: 6.8 | RPG: 1.1 | APG: 0.5
Evans has been compared to former standout forward Brandon Ingram. The former star recruit from the 2024 recruiting cycle saw the floor sparingly in his freshman season and averaged just 13.7 minutes. Evans could return to Duke, declare the NBA Draft as a potential late first-round pick, or explore his options in the transfer portal.
Cooper Flagg | G/F | Fr.GP: 37 | PPG: 19.2 | RPG: 7.5 | APG: 4.2
It's only a matter of time until one of the best one-and-done players in college basketball history announces his intention to declare for the NBA Draft. The biggest question mark surrounding Flagg coming into the season was his offense, and he continued to improve throughout the year. Flagg is a no-brainer No. 1 overall draft pick, and the team that wins the lottery next month should celebrate for weeks.
GP: 39 | PPG: 8.6 | RPG: 6.6 | APG: 0.5
Maluach should be a lottery pick when it's all said and done. He is a fantastic finisher around the rim, and his size makes him tough to score on down low. He has one of the highest ceilings of any player in the 2025 NBA Draft class.
Patrick Ngongba II | C | Fr.GP: 30 | PPG: 3.9 | RPG: 2.7 | APG: 0.8
The former four-star recruit averaged 10.6 minutes per game and made 30 appearances for the Blue Devils. If Ngongba returns to Duke, his role should grow significantly in Year 2.
Darren Harris | G/F | Fr.GP: 21 | PPG: 2.0 | RPG: 1.1 | APG: 0.3
Harris was another member of Duke's star-studded 2024 recruiting class. Harris logged just 21 appearances this past season. He is a candidate for a larger role in the second season of his college career.
Duke players not returning in 2025-26Kon Knueppel (Declared for the NBA Draft)GP: 39 | PPG: 14.4 | RPG: 4.0 | APG: 2.7
Knueppel would be the best pro prospect on almost every team in the country ... outside of the school he committed to play for. Knueppel is a potential top-10 pick, and his 3-point shooting is his biggest strength. Knueppel shot 40.6% from beyond the 3-point line. Knueppel officially declared for the NBA Draft.
Sion James (Out of eligibility)GP: 39 | PPG: 8.6 | RPG: 4.2 | APG: 2.9
The former Tulane standout played just one season with Duke and certainly left his mark on the program. James connected on 41.3% of his 3-pointers and was one of the best on-ball defenders on the team.
Mason Gillis (Out of eligibility)GP: 37 | PPG: 4.1 | RPG: 2.6 | APG: 0.8
Gillis transferred to Duke last offseason after spending the first four seasons of his career at Purdue. Gillis joined elite company as one of just a handful of college basketball players to reach the Final Four with two different programs.
Tyrese Proctor (Declared for the NBA Draft)GP: 38 | PPG: 12.4 | RPG: 3.0 | APG: 2.2
Proctor had one the most intriguing stay-or-go decisions and elected to enter the NBA draft. Proctor is likely a second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Duke's incoming recruiting classDuke's 2025 recruiting class is loaded. The Blue Devils finished with the top-ranked recruiting class last cycle, and this upcoming class is also ranked No. 1 overall by 247Sports. The headliner of this class is five-star forward Cameron Boozer, the son of Duke and NBA legend Carlos Boozer. Cameron's brother, Cayden Boozer, is also a member of this upcoming recruiting class.
No. 3 Cameron BoozerBoozer is a projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and is one of the most accomplished players in high school basketball. Not many programs have the luxury of replacing the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft with another stud forward with future NBA Draft pedigree of their own, but the Blue Devils are on that shortlist.
No. 15 Nikolas KhameniaThe five-star forward out of Studio City, Calif., was a McDonald's All-American selection. He committed to Duke over UCLA, Arizona, North Carolina and Gonzaga, among others.
No. 24 Cayden BoozerThe brother of Cameron Boozer is a fantastic prospect in his own right. Boozer, the No. 24 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports, committed to Duke over Miami. Boozer should provide Duke with valuable guard depth next season.
Duke recruits no longer committedNo. 14 Shelton HendersonThe five-star forward out of Bellaire, Texas, has great size for the forward position with a 6-10 wingspan. It was reported on Thursday that Henderson will be seeking his release from his NLI.
cbssports
