DukeBlueCentral

A guy who loves Duke | Coverage of all things Duke Basketball | Podcast “DukeBlueCentral” on all platforms

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

🚨 Podcast Launch Alert 🚨

I decided to jump in and join the community of Duke Podcasters! My first Episode just went live! Just search Duke Blue Central. Check it out!

Apple Podcast - https://t.co/95veWr4rQc

Spotify - https://t.co/WV0ioxSrx0

YouTube - https://t.co/CaATudITco

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

We’ve entered the quiet part of the college basketball off-season, but I can’t help acknowledge how NUTS this schedule is.

Like we should be able to lose like four of these games and still have a one seed 😂.

[Zion O. @DukeNBA]

Duke’s nonconference schedule

Michigan
Illinois
UConn
Michigan State
Gonzaga
Georgia
@ Florida

Rumored Exhibitions: Tennessee, @ Kansas

Duke doesn’t duck smoke.

[Zion O. @DukeNBA]

John Blackwell has OFFICIALLY pulled out of the NBA Draft.

He's a Duke Blue Devil. Yall can relax now.

(via @ChrisBHaynes)

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

Big pickup for us!! Feels like he will be a contributor for us THIS season, but will also be too young to go to the NBA after 1 year, so we’ll likely have him for at least 2 seasons!

Highlights on this guy are next level. Will take time to adjust, but when he does, watch out!!!

[Joe Tipton @JoeTipton]

NEWS: Duke has landed a commitment from 7-foot center Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje of FC Barcelona, he announced. 

The versatile big man won’t turn 17 years old until late-May and will be joining the Blue Devils in the 2026 class.

https://t.co/LKfwD0he7G

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

If this goes through, Imma NEED these announcers calling his games in Cameron 😂 ELECTRIC

[Blue Devils @BlueDevils]

OH MY GOODNESS 🔥🔥🔥

He’s only 16 and will need to stay in college for at least 2 years guaranteed

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

Was WRONG WRONG WRONG About a couple of these guesses, and I couldn’t be happier!

Gonna be a crowded roster next season, but it sounds like all the guys are some real dogs and want to get after it and compete every day!

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

If I had to GUESS what happens as of right now:

Cam: NBA
Isaiah: NBA
Dame: Stay
Cayden: Stay (Close call)
Caleb: Transfer
Pat: NBA (Close call)
Sebastian: Transfer

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

@hoops96358 @BlueDevils Made me laugh out loud 🤣 😂

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

Excellent news!!

If Dame improves ANY on the offensive side, watch out. More consistent driving ability + higher percentage from 3 is what we’d all like to see.

Excellent piece to next year’s team and fits in just right.

Next year’s team looking mighty DEEP.

[Duke Men’s Basketball @DukeMBB]

DAME TIME YEAR 2️⃣‼️😈

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

@dukebluesamurai I think this can be one of his primary roles. I see him as the backup at the 2 and 3. I think Scheyer wants to hand the PG reins to Cayden, Rippey, (and potentially Blackwell), so that leaves Caleb in the 2 and 3 spots. But who knows, having a lot of options wont hurt anything.

[Zion O. @DukeNBA]

WHEW…. Guard play will not be an issue for Duke next season.

What a group.

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

This guy’s legendary, absolute WARRIOR!!!

Should get the loudest cheers of any player at Countdown this season.

Don’t know how it all fits together, but bottom line is I couldn’t be more happy about getting a senior year out of Caleb Foster.

THE MAN!!!

[Duke Men’s Basketball @DukeMBB]

LET'S MAKE IT LEGENDARY 👿 @iamcalebfoster

[Duke Men’s Basketball @DukeMBB]

LET'S MAKE IT LEGENDARY 👿 @iamcalebfoster

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

Awesome news!!!

So…. is next year’s team gonna run like 11-12 deep?!? 😅

[Duke Men’s Basketball @DukeMBB]

Bass is back‼️👿

[John Blackwell @_Johnblackwell1]

Committed! #TheBrotherhood

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

HUUUUUGGGEEEEEE pickup for Duke!

The biggest name Duke has landed in the portal in sometime.

Blackwell will be a senior this upcoming season and will anchor one of the best backcourts in the country.

Fits SO well with the current roster, and I couldn’t be more pumped.

[Transfer Portal @TransferPortal]

BREAKING: Wisconsin transfer guard John Blackwell has committed to Duke, @JoeTipton reports😈

Blackwell averaged 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds this past season.

https://t.co/DaljuGjV7q

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

These stats are NUTS considering the company that Big Pat is in.

Very interested to see how these translate next season with Pat no doubt taking on a much larger role.

Personally, I’d love to see us run a lot of our offense through Big Pat.

[Evan Miyakawa @EvanMiya]

Many will undersell how big of a deal it is that Pat Ngongba is returning for Duke.

The list of players this season with a 90+ grade in scoring, 90+ in rebounding, 80+ in playmaking, 85+ in court impact:

Cam Boozer
Yaxel Lendeborg
Joshua Jefferson
Patrick Ngongba

[Evan Miyakawa @EvanMiya]

Many will undersell how big of a deal it is that Pat Ngongba is returning for Duke.

The list of players this season with a 90+ grade in scoring, 90+ in rebounding, 80+ in playmaking, 85+ in court impact:

Cam Boozer
Yaxel Lendeborg
Joshua Jefferson
Patrick Ngongba

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

BIG move! I love the idea of Duke playing through Pat a LOT more next season.

I also feel like this was the best move for his personal career as well.

He brings back with him a ton of experience and will raise the age/experience level of next years team significantly.

[Duke Men’s Basketball @DukeMBB]

BIG PAT. BIG BACK. 👿 @NgongbaPatrick

[KJ @KJScouting]

Belmont has one of the best longterm NBA Draft prospects in 6’9 Sophomore Big Drew Scharnowski.

For the season Scharnowski is averaging 11/6/3 along with 1.3 BPG in only 22 MPG. Scharnowski is also shooting 68% from the field.

Scharnowski is one of the best defensive and passing bigs In the country and has high level decision making on both ends. Scharnowski has great court vision as a passer and has the ability to make strong reads as a connective and top of the key passing hub. Scharnowski is also a strong rim runner who’s extremely efficient at the rim and uses his athleticism and length to get to his spots for dunks, or finish at the rim.

On the defensive end Scharnowski is a versatile and switchable defender who has strong instincts as a rim protector and can switch for steals. There’s not many players Scharnowski’s height and age with his mix of athleticism, passing, rim protection, efficiency, and defensive versatility, and he’s one of 4 players since 2008 to have 40 dunks, a BLK% of 7, and an AST% of 20.

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

Good start! This guy’s highlight tape is awesome!

Projects as a solid versatile player that can come off the bench and relieve several different positions. Great passing for his size and is an excellent defender.

[Transfer Portal @TransferPortal]

BREAKING: Belmont transfer forward Drew Scharnowski has committed to Duke, @JoeTipton reports.

https://t.co/JZR8BhboNa

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

@TheWagofMutombo Would be a different strategy for Duke. Typically we’ve got a guy that’s going for the number 1 pick in the draft which equals more minutes for him (not complaining).

But if you don’t have that guy next year you could opt for several players to average in 15-20 mpg mark.

[DukeBlueCentral @DukeBlueCentral]

If somehow Duke finesses keeping Foster, Cayden, Rippey AND can add Blackwell… that’s quite a roster…

I would think the selling point to them would be that some of them can slide over to the 3 and get playing time alongside the others.