Inside Duke’s 2025-26 Roster: The Rising Stars Ready to Rewrite Basketball History

A five-star prospect ranked No. 3 nationally, Cameron was the No. 1 power forward and top player in Florida, per ESPN. The son of Carlos Boozer and twin brother to fellow freshman Cayden, he’s a three-time Florida Mr. Basketball, two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year and 2025 ESPY winner as Gatorade Player of the Year. At Christopher Columbus High, he led his team to four state titles and a national championship, while also guiding Nightrydas Elite to three straight Peach Jam crowns. Internationally, he’s a two-time gold medalist with USA Basketball and was the MVP of the 2025 Hoophall Classic and the co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game. He is set to wear No. 12 for Duke.

Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at[email protected] or follow her@annaesnydr on X, formerly known as Twitter. An Oderzo, Italy native, the five-star prospect spent the last three years playing for FC Barcelona, first making his debut at 16 years old in January 2023, becoming the second-youngest player to do so. He played in 15 EuroLeague games for FC Barcelona in 2024-25, starting two games and shooting 58.3% from the field and 40% from 3. He broke onto the U.S. scouting scene at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit, posting 17 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes for Team World against Team USA. He will wear No. 7 for Duke.A Rice transfer, Ufochukwu played in two of his three seasons at Rice, averaging 3.5 minutes game before redshirting as a junior. The graduate student finished his Rice career with totals of 50 points and 29 rebounds, including a career-high seven points in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. He is a Benin City, Nigeria native that attended Covenant Day School and averaged 10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game as a senior. He is set to wear No. 15 for Duke.

Without further ado, here are the new faces that will make up the 2025-26 Duke basketball team:

Duke basketball freshmen in 2025-26

Cayden Boozer, G, 6-4, 205

Duke returns six members from its 35-4 season where it won both the ACC regular season and tournament titles, making its 18th appearance in the NCAA Final Four. It welcomes the nation’s top-rated recruiting class for the second-straight season and brings in two transfer portal additions.

Sebastian Wilkins, G/F, 6-8, 220

Scott played three seasons at Princeton, appearing in 67 games with four starts and averaging just over 10 minutes per contest. He finished his career with 147 points, 121 rebounds, and 47 assists, posting a career-high 13 points as a freshman and 12 rebounds as a sophomore. A Pelican Island, New Jersey native, Scott attended the Hun School of Princeton and was named the 2021–22 Trentonian Prep Player of the Year, earning multiple all-league honors, and averaging a double-double his junior and senior seasons while leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. He will wear No. 20 in Durham.

Dame Sarr, G/F, 6-8, 190

The son of former Duke and NBA star Carlos Boozer – and twin brother to fellow freshman Cameron – Cayden arrives in Durham as a five-star recruit ranked No. 16 nationally by ESPN, the No. 4-ranked point guard in the country and the third-best player in Florida. During his high school career at Christopher Columbus High in Miami, the McDonald’s All-American helped lead the program to four-straight state championships along with a national title in 2025. He averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game during his senior season. He helped lead his AAU program to three straight Peach Jam championships and led the 2024 Nike EYBL circuit with 6.5 assists per game. Internationally, he is a two-time gold medalist with USA Basketball. He is set to wear No. 2 for the Blue Devils.

Cameron Boozer, F, 6-9, 250

In the era of one-and-dones and constant roster turnover, Duke basketball fans have grown accustomed to learning a new set of names each fall.

Nikolas Khamenia, G/F, 6-8, 215

The Blue Devils’ 2025-26 season will be no different, as the entirety of Duke‘s starting five was selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, including three lottery picks: Cooper Flagg (1st overall), Kon Knueppel (4th overall) and Khaman Maluach (10th overall).

Duke basketball transfer portal additions in 2025-26

Ifeanyi Ufochukwu, C, 6-11, 240

Every season, Duke basketball fans brace themselves for a parade of fresh faces, a whirlwind of new talent stepping onto the storied court — it’s the rhythm of the sport in these days of swift changes and fleeting stardom. This fall, the Blue Devils continue that tradition with a roster turnover that’s nothing short of staggering: every player in last year’s starting lineup dashed off to the 2025 NBA Draft, including three coveted lottery picks. With this seismic shift, the 2025-26 Duke squad isn’t just a team; it’s a bold new chapter, blending seasoned returnees with the hottest prospects and notable transfers. The buzz around Durham is electric, the anticipation tangible, as Duke readies not just to compete, but to redefine what it means to take the hardwood. Curious to see who’s stepping up to fill those giant shoes? Dive in and get acquainted with the new Blue Devils aiming to carry Duke’s legacy forward. LEARN MORE

Jack Scott, G/F, 6-6, 220

A five-star recruit ranked No. 15 nationally and as the No. 4 player in California per ESPN, Khamenia helped Harvard-Westlake to back-to-back state titles and a 97-8 record over three years. A McDonald’s All-American, he’s also a three-time gold medalist with USA Basketball, earning MVP honors at the U18 3×3 World Cup and contributing to the 2025 U19 World Cup title. He will wear No. 14 for Duke.Wilkins comes to Durham as a four-star recruit ranked 25th nationally by ESPN and as the fifth-overall power forward in the class. He was originally a Class of 2026 recruit having reclassified to join the 2025 cycle. A Canton, Massachusetts native, Wilkins played high school basketball at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Playing for the Mass Rivals grassroots in the spring during the Adidas 3SSB circuit, Wilkins averaged 16.4 points and 6.1 rebounds. He will wear No. 5 for Duke.