The first domino of Duke’s likley offseason overhaul fell on Wednesday when star freshman Kon Knueppel officially declared for the 2025 NBA Draft. Knueppel is the first Blue Devils player to announce his draft decision.
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. Tulane transfer Sion James has exhausted his eligibility, and veteran guard Tyrese Proctor has a decision to make about returning to school for another season or turning pro.
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Two other names who will have to decide their future with the program are Caleb Foster and Isaiah Evans. Foster, a former touted recruit from the 2023 recruiting cycle, played in 37 games and averaged just 5.1 points. 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 with a decision to make
Tyrese Proctor | G | Jr.
GP: 38 | PPG: 12.4 | RPG: 3.0 | APG: 2.2
Proctor has the most intriguing stay-or-go decision on this Duke roster. Proctor has already bypassed the draft cycle twice, which could be his chance to take his talents to the next level. Returning for his senior year would equip Duke with a steady presence in the backcourt. Proctor is likely a second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft if he goes that route.
Caleb 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 could return to Duke or explore his options in the transfer portal.
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.
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Khaman Maluach | C | Fr.
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 down low makes him tough to score on. 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 2025-26
Kon 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 the 3-point line. Knueppel officially declared for the NBA Draft on Wednesday.
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.
Duke’s incoming recruiting class
Duke’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 Boozer
Boozer 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. 14 Shelton Henderson
The five-star forward out of Bellaire, Texas, is a candidate to be in the starting lineup on opening night, depending on how the rest of the offseason shakes out. Henderson has great size for the forward position with a 6-foot-10 wingspan.
No. 15 Nikolas Khamenia
The 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 Boozer
The 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.
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