Duke Blue Devils Give Fans First Look at 2025-26 Team With Free Open Practice Inside Historic Cameron Indoor Stadium Tuesday

For Duke basketball fans, anticipation is a season-long ritual. But every journey has a beginning, and for the 2025-26 Blue Devils, that moment arrives Tuesday, August 5. With the doors of iconic Cameron Indoor Stadium flung open to the public, fans will get their very first look at Jon Scheyer’s newest group — a team loaded with potential, personality, and pressure.

This open practice, free to the first 5,000 spectators, marks a rare and intimate peek into the early stages of team development. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., and practice tips off promptly at 5:30. And while it may just be a summer tune-up, there’s no mistaking the buzz swirling around Durham.

The Blue Devils are coming off a 2024-25 campaign that was defined by flashes of brilliance, tempered by inconsistencies and a Sweet 16 exit. That’s not enough by Duke standards, and Scheyer knows it. The third-year head coach has recruited aggressively and recalibrated the program with an eye toward winning now. And that starts with transparency and community — opening the gym and offering fans a front-row seat to the grind before the spotlight hits.

“It’s an opportunity to introduce this team the right way — not with hype videos or rankings, but with effort, sweat, and connection,” said Scheyer. “We want Duke fans to feel what we feel in the gym. This group has something special, and we’re ready to show that from day one.”

The roster will look both familiar and fresh. Returners like Caleb Foster and Jared McCain — who shocked many by pulling his name from NBA Draft consideration — headline a nucleus of veterans who’ve tasted the madness and now return wiser. McCain, in particular, brings national attention and All-American potential to the floor. His decision to return for another season signaled belief — in Scheyer, in the program, and in unfinished business.

Joining them are a crop of electrifying newcomers, including top-ranked recruits like 6’10” forward Zion Wallace and combo guard Marcus Doyle, both of whom chose Duke over a slew of blue-blood offers. Early practices suggest Wallace’s skillset as a stretch-four who can guard five positions is already changing the way Duke defends and transitions. Meanwhile, Doyle’s control and maturity at the point guard position have reportedly impressed coaches and veterans alike.

Then there’s the transfers — a new reality of modern college hoops. Scheyer dipped into the portal and came back with two proven high-major players: Dylan Andrews, a tough-nosed, two-way guard from UCLA, and Jaden Carr, a sharpshooting wing from Iowa State with more than 100 games of college experience under his belt. Both are expected to play major minutes and bring leadership to a team filled with rising stars.

“We have guys who can score, yes,” said Associate Head Coach Chris Carrawell. “But what makes this team exciting is the balance. There’s toughness, communication, guys who want to defend, guys who love to pass. That’s what wins in March.”

The open practice is more than a showcase. It’s a message. With NIL, the transfer portal, and player movement at an all-time high, programs are evolving. The bluebloods, even Duke, can no longer rely solely on tradition. Scheyer understands this new era and has leaned into creating genuine relationships with fans, players, and recruits. Letting 5,000 fans watch a preseason practice isn’t just smart — it’s necessary.

“We want people to see the work,” said McCain. “Everyone knows what Cameron feels like on game day. But this? This is what builds those nights. This is where chemistry is made.”

That chemistry will be tested early. Duke’s non-conference schedule is brutal, with neutral site games against Kansas and Arizona, plus a trip to play at UConn. But unlike last season, the Blue Devils feel better built for adversity. Depth is no longer a concern. They can go 10 deep. They have rim protection, floor spacing, and multiple ball handlers.

And, maybe most importantly, they have clarity. In year three under Scheyer, the system is fully installed, the expectations are understood, and the leadership is internal.

“We know who we are now,” said Foster. “The young guys coming in — they’re buying in fast. Nobody’s playing for themselves. We want to win together.”

Cameron Indoor will be electric Tuesday evening. There won’t be fireworks or halftime entertainment. Just basketball — raw, unrehearsed, and real. It’s an event designed for the purists, for the diehards, for the fans who live and breathe Duke hoops every day of the year.

The program is encouraging attendees to arrive early. Though seating is free, space is limited, and lines are expected to form well before doors open. Fans will be treated to introductions, full-court drills, shooting competitions, and likely a scrimmage — all with commentary from Scheyer and his staff. There may even be a few surprises.

For the players, it’s a chance to feel the heat before the season starts. For freshmen, it’s their first true taste of the Cameron Crazies. For returners, it’s a reminder of what they’re playing for.

And for Scheyer, it’s a chance to set the tone.

“We don’t want to ease into this season,” he said. “We want to attack it. That starts now.”

Duke enters the 2025-26 season with lofty expectations. They’re expected to open as a top-five team in most preseason polls. They have one of the nation’s most talented rosters, a top-five recruiting class, and a coach growing into his own skin. The program has weathered the transition from Mike Krzyzewski, and now it’s Scheyer’s Duke. Tuesday night, fans will see that evolution firsthand.

And there will be pressure. This is Duke. Winning is not just expected — it’s demanded. Every practice, every rep, every lineup decision will be scrutinized. But that’s exactly how this team wants it.

“You sign up for this when you come to Duke,” said Wallace. “Pressure means people care. It means what we do matters. I love that.”

That attitude has permeated the locker room. Multiple staffers have noted how vocal this group is — not just on the court, but off it. Group chats buzz at all hours. Film sessions stretch long past their scheduled end. The coaching staff isn’t pushing for energy anymore. It’s organic. It’s theirs.

And it’s contagious.

“You can feel it,” said Carrawell. “These guys are wired the right way.”

The open practice is a nod to Duke’s roots — back when fans lined up overnight just to get a glimpse of players like Laettner, Hurley, and Grant Hill diving for loose balls in October scrimmages. It’s also a glimpse into the future — a future where access, transparency, and relationships matter just as much as Final Fours and banners.

For one night, the stands and the court will be one. Old fans, new fans, students, families, alums — all watching together, all believing again.

It’s not a game. But it’s still Duke basketball. And for anyone lucky enough to find a seat, it’ll be a night worth remembering.

Because this team — this moment — feels like the beginning of something bigger.

The 2025-26 Blue Devils aren’t just chasing a title. They’re chasing an identity. And Tuesday night, they take their first collective step. Under the lights. In front of their people. Inside the cathedral of college basketball.

Cameron Indoor, once again, becomes the heartbeat of the sport.

And it all starts with an open door.