The hype machine is heating up in Durham, but not everyone is buying in.
While oddsmakers have the Duke Blue Devils among the top favorites to win the 2026 national championship, one college basketball analyst just hit the brakes HARD — and his doubts are echoing through the hoops world.
CBS Sports’ college basketball insider Isaac Trotter dropped his latest preview column, highlighting the biggest storylines and betting angles for the upcoming season. But when it came to Duke’s 11-1 national title odds?
He didn’t just pass… he said SELL. Fast.
“Sell. I just can’t get there at this price because of the reservations at lead guard,” Trotter wrote. “Can Caleb Foster find his groove? I’m hopeful, but we still need to see it. Is Cayden Boozer ahead of schedule? I have too many super important qualms to bite at this number. Let’s revisit in December.”
Let that sink in — one of the top analysts in the sport wants no part of Duke’s national championship bet. Not because he thinks they’ll flop entirely, but because there are too many unknowns heading into the season.
And he’s not alone.
Trotter’s skepticism mirrors a growing national sentiment that, while Duke may look like a juggernaut on paper, they’re still more of a “potential powerhouse” than a proven contender. Even though Jon Scheyer’s squad holds the third-best betting odds in the country, they were only ranked No. 12 in ESPN’s latest preseason Top 25.
That kind of disconnect raises eyebrows — and questions.
So what’s the problem?
It all starts at the point guard position, where there’s no clear answer… yet.
Sophomore Caleb Foster has the tools to be a breakout star, but he struggled to find consistency last season and now enters a crucial role with massive expectations. Behind him? Talented freshman Cayden Boozer, who may be the future — but isn’t a lock to run the show this early.
Add in a roster full of high-ceiling but low-experience talent — and suddenly, Duke’s sky-high odds feel more like a gamble than a guarantee.
Yes, Cameron Boozer, the top incoming freshman in the country, gives the Blue Devils an elite cornerstone. The comparisons to Cooper Flagg aren’t hyperbole — he’s that good. But even a generational one-and-done can’t carry an entire team if the supporting cast isn’t ready.
And that’s the core of Trotter’s take: there’s just too much guesswork right now.
“We still need to see it,” he emphasized — a phrase that keeps popping up across analyst circles when discussing Duke.
It’s not about hating on the Blue Devils. It’s about waiting. Waiting to see if the pieces truly fit. Waiting to see if the stars align. Waiting to see if this team is more than just hype.
After all, Duke will face one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country. That early gauntlet could either expose their flaws or forge them into the real deal.
So maybe Trotter’s not crazy. Maybe he’s just cautious. Because in a season filled with uncertainty, he’s saying what a lot of people are thinking — let’s check back in December.
By then, we’ll know if the Blue Devils are title-ready titans… or just another overhyped team that wasn’t built to last.
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