Duke working on contingency plans for roster in case of unexpected departures
The Blue Devil roster is still unsettled with the NBA Combine slated to begin next week
By
Kevin Connelly
|
14 hours ago
SentinelOne Classic: Illinois v Duke; Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and wing Isaiah Evans
SentinelOne Classic: Illinois v Duke; Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and wing Isaiah Evans | Lance King/GettyImages
The Duke basketball program is still in a holding pattern as it waits for more intel on its potential 2025-26 roster following the NBA Draft Combine.
The Blue Devils have two potential members of its team, Isaiah Evans and Washington State transfer Cedric Coward, participating in the event next week in Chicago and Jon Scheyer is already building contingency plans if the worst-case scenario hits and both players opt for the pros. Coward always said that he planned to go through the NBA Draft process but gave an indication in his interviews after committing to Duke that he would play for the Blue Devils next season.
In a potential plan to have options to pivot to, Duke hosted 2025 prospect Braydon Hawthorne and 2026 prospect Sebastian Wilkins on visits this weekend. Hawthorne is a decommit from West Virginia after its coaching change and Wilkins is a reclass candidate that could play college basketball next season.Neither recruit has given any indication on when a decision could be coming but it might be in the best interest of both to wait until the end of May when players must decide on whether to remain in the NBA Draft or return to college.
Scheyer and his coaching staff have also reached out to USC transfer Desmond Claude after he had been heavily linked to Florida in the last two weeks. The Gators are no longer in the running for Claude, and many are linking him to the Blue Devils after it was reported that the two sides have spoken.
Other schools like Gonzaga, Virginia, and Ole Miss are also involved with Claude, according to reports Other schools like Gonzaga, Virginia, and Ole Miss are also involved with Claude, according to reports.
