John Blackwell, who announced his commitment to Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils on April 21 despite having already declared for the NBA Draft, was one of 73 players to receive an invite to the NBA Draft Combine, currently underway this week in Chicago. For now, although the three-year Wisconsin shooting guard seems likely to be in Durham next season, he’s focused on getting honest feedback from scouts about his standing among 2026 draft prospects.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the 21-year-old Blackwell expressed appreciation to college basketball insider Andy Katz for the opportunity that he’s taking full advantage at the moment. “It’s up in the air right now,” Blackwell told Katz on Monday afternoon. “I’m just trusting God through the process. I would love to play for a prestigious college like Duke. But I’m just chasing my dreams right now, weighing what’s best for me.
“Coach Scheyer’s been helpful through the process, and the whole coaching staff at Duke has been helpful through the process. In my opinion, it’s a win-win situation with both [options] because I either get to play at the best college in the country or live out my dreams and play in the NBA.”
Blackwell, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound versatile sharpshooter who became an All-Big Ten Third Team selection this past go-round while en route to posting career-high season averages of 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, has until May 27 to withdraw his name from the list of NBA Draft early entrants to maintain his final year of college eligibility. He will take part in the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages that are slated for Wednesday and Thursday in Chicago’s Wintrust Arena.
Three Duke Basketball Products at the NBA Draft Combine
Of course, 2025-26 Duke basketball centerpiece freshman forward Cameron Boozer, projected to be a top-five pick, is in Chicago for the NBA Draft Combine. The same goes for Blue Devil sophomore wing Isaiah Evans, popping up somewhere in the bottom half of the first round on most big boards and mock drafts. Both are 100 percent committed to remaining in the NBA Draft.
A third member of last season’s 35-3 Duke squad is also at the event in Maliq Brown, who has already exhausted his final year of eligibility and is aiming to move up big boards this week. He’s currently a potential late-second-round selection but isn’t appearing on most mock drafts just yet.
