The current state of Duke basketball’s 2025–26 roster is unusually fluid due to multiple players navigating the NBA Draft process.
Most notably, Isaiah Evans and Cedric Coward—both projected by some analysts as potential late first-round picks—have been invited to the NBA Draft Combine, a strong indicator that professional teams are seriously evaluating their readiness for the next level.
While both players are preserving their college eligibility and could still return to Durham, their Combine invites create uncertainty for Duke head coach Jon Scheyer. The program is already preparing to lose three one-and-done stars (Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach), as well as veteran guards Tyrese Proctor and Sion James. If Evans and Coward also depart, that would leave Duke with a roster heavy on incoming talent but short on experience and continuity.
Evans has hinted at returning for his sophomore season, though nothing is confirmed. Coward, meanwhile, entered the draft before committing to Duke as a graduate transfer, making his intentions harder to predict.
With three five-star freshmen arriving and no returning full-time starters, the Blue Devils’ lineup construction hinges on draft decisions still weeks away from resolution.
