Our recruit and return series continues with a look at the Duke Blue Devils, who lost an overtime contest to Kansas in the Elite Eight. Here’s a look at what 2018-19 may bring:
Possible 2018-19 starting five:
PG Trevon Duval
SG Cam Reddish
SF R.J. Barrett
Who is lost: Duke finally bids farewell to Grayson Allen, who spent four years as a steadying force in the backcourt. Assuming Duval sticks, however, the Blue Devils remain strong at guard. It's the freshmen big men who figure to create the most buzz in NBA circles, with Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr. both likely lottery picks. Lucky for Duke, it figures to add a couple more future pros for next season.
Who is added: Ho-hum. Duke just figures to add the nation's top power forward in Williamson, the top overall player in Barrett, the No. 1-ranked point guard in Tre Jones and the No. 2 shooting guard in Reddish. The two big men, in particular, are huge acquisitions for Mike Krzyzewski, and both will be expected to play early and make impacts similar to that of Carter and Bagley this season.
What it means for next season: Duval could certainly depart for the draft, along with the rest of this season's starting five, and that creates some obvious questions about chemistry. The lingering concerns surrounding one-and-dones loom, too, but Duke is hardly alone there. The bottom line is the Blue Devils shouldn't miss a beat when it comes to talent on the roster, despite the potentially huge losses this year.
Trending: Neutral. There are likely to be a few growing pains as a new lineup adjusts and Krzyzewski figures out how the fresh faces fit, but the talent on this roster will again be among the best in the nation.
