Once again, Duke basketball has high expectations entering the 2026-27 season. Behind Jon Scheyer and another top recruiting class, many Blue Devils supporters are hopeful to see Duke make another deep NCAA Tournament run. Recently, college sports pundit Greg Waddell weighed in on Duke’s chances, citing a specific player as a catalyst to potential championship success.
“If Duke is going to win a national championship, my strong inclination is that it’s not going to be with Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje on the bench,” Waddell said.
As shown by his performances with Team USA this summer at the U17 FIBA World Cup, Boumtje-Boumtje has proven himself among some of the top players of his class. However, his role in Duke’s lineup against stronger collegiate defenders has yet to be seen.
Luckily for the Blue Devils, their deep roster will allow coach Scheyer to call on different parts and pieces, including Boumtje-Boumtje, Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell and the unbelievably athletic Deron Rippey Jr.
