3 Players Who Won’t Be on Duke in 2026-27
The 1-seed Duke Blue Devils saw their season come to an end in heartbreaking fashion for the second season in a row. Despite holding a lead as big as 19 points on 2-seed UConn in the Elite Eight, the Blue Devils folded to ultimately fall 73-72.
With Duke up 72-70 with 10 seconds to go, all it needed to do was inbound the ball, break the trap, and wait to get fouled. Instead, freshman guard Cayden Boozer made a freshman mistake.
Boozer attempted to float the ball to Patrick Ngongba, but it was tipped back in UConn’s favor, and Braylon Mullins nailed a three-pointer from the logo to give the Huskies a 73-72 lead and the eventual win.
This offseason will be unique for Duke, as several players on the roster face intriguing decisions about returning to Durham, entering the NBA Draft, or transferring. Here are three Blue Devils who will not be back next season.
Cameron Boozer
Cameron Boozer will win the National Player of the Year award after putting together one of the most dominant rookie seasons in recent memory. The 6’9″ forward averaged 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals a night on 55.9% shooting from the field and 39.6% from three.
The star freshman tallied at least 13 points in every game this season and racked up 22 double-double efforts. Boozer went for 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists against UConn. He is a consensus top-three 2026 NBA Draft prospect.
Isaiah Evans
Isaiah Evans isn’t a for-sure exit, but his NCAA Tournament performances likely raised his stock. Across the Blue Devils’ four tournament games, the sophomore averaged 16.3 points on 49% shooting from the field and 9-of-28 (32.1%) shooting from three-point range.
At 6’6″, Evans projects as a consistent 3-and-D wing at the next level, and enhanced his scoring arsenal by showing a prowess at attacking and finishing around the basket as a sophomore with the Blue Devils.
Maliq Brown
Duke fans will be hurting to see Brown’s collegiate career end in such an awful fashion. The senior was the embodiment of what it meant to play for Duke and established himself as one of the best all-around defenders in college basketball.
Brown has exhausted his college eligibility, but he ended on a high note with the Blue Devils. With Patrick Ngongba missing extended time late in the season due to foot soreness, Brown entered the starting lineup and was fantastic in his extended minutes.
Through Duke’s four tournament games, the 6’9″ forward averaged 6.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks a game. Brown certainly boosted his draft stock down the stretch.
