The Duke Blue Devils enter the 2026-27 season with a ton of talent on the roster. Duke had a disappointing end to the year last season, losing in the Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament.
As they look to have a bounce-back year, the Blue Devils will be leaning on their top-tier talent. Duke had five players named to Bleacher Report’s 2027 NBA Draft Big Board: Bryson Howard, Patrick Ngongba II, Cameron Williams, Dame Sarr, and John Blackwell.
Howard could be very impactful in his freshman season, as he is one of the best players on the board. In his senior year in high school, he averaged 22.9 points per game along with 8.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks. The Blue Devils will be leaning on Howard’s scoring ability to spark the offense.
Ngongba II will also be a key piece as the anchor of Duke’s defense. He is entering his third season with the program and took a major step in his sophomore campaign.
In his freshman year, he had a smaller role, averaging 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds, shooting 71.9 percent from the field.
Ngongba II became a starter in the 2025-26 season, averaging 10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, two assists, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 60.6 percent from the floor and 25.8 percent from three. He will be a pivotal piece for the Blue Devils’ defense in the 2026-27 season.
Williams will be the other important big man for Duke as he enters his freshman campaign. In his senior year of high school, he averaged 24.6 points, 12 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game. Williams could be a quality piece in the rotation for Duke.
Dame Sarr will be a key wing for the Blue Devils as he enters his sophomore campaign. In his freshman year, he averaged 6.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and a steal per game, shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from deep. Duke will need Sarr to improve his efficiency on offense and continue to provide perimeter defense.
Blackwell will be the other wing that the Blue Devils will rely on as a transfer portal addition from Wisconsin. He is coming off a great 2025-26 season, as he averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 43 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from behind the arc.
With all of this talent on the roster, Duke has a legitimate shot at making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
