How Duke basketball can attack 2025 recruiting after Boozer twins’ commitment

The twins were the first two commitments for Duke in their 2025 class, but it looks like the Blue Devils are just getting started.

The Duke Blue Devils kicked off their 2025 recruiting class with a bang last week when they landed commitments from five-stars Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer, the sons of former NBA great Carlos Boozer.

The twins were the first two commitments for Duke in their 2025 class that could start to pick up very shortly, as head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff look to put together yet another strong freshman class after landing the No. 1 class in the 2024 cycle.

After getting six freshmen in 2024, Duke isn’t expected to take as many players in their upcoming class, but they still have been extremely active in a number of top recruitments, with Cameron Boozer ranked as the No. 2 player in the entire class.

With the Boozer twins in the mix, how could the rest of Duke’s 2025 recruiting class shape out?

Current roster

As mentioned above, the Blue Devils added a whopping six freshmen to the mix for the upcoming season, led by No. 1 overall recruit Cooper Flagg.

Flagg headlines a class that has four five-star recruits (Flagg, Khaman Malauch, Kon Knueppel, Isaiah Evans) and two four-star recruits (Patrick Ngongba, Darren Harris) which will make up a good portion of Duke’s rotation.

When you project how the future could look for Duke, you first have to analysis the current mainstays on Duke’s roster and where turnover could originate from next year.

Currently, it seems like Duke will lose three of their six freshmen likely to the pros next year in Flagg, Knueppel, and Malauch.

Additionally, looking at the remainder of the roster, the Blue Devils will not retain seniors Mason Gillis and Sion James, who are both expected to be key rotational pieces this year.

That’s a lot of attrition for the Blue Devils, as Flagg, Knueppel and Malauch are all projected as starters for Duke. And that’s not even mentioning the chances of a potential transfer, which the Blue Devils saw first-hand this offseason with only two players returning from their rotation in 2023.

Looking ahead, Duke could have a few pieces to build around for 2025. It’s likely that at least one of their starting guards will return with Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor, although the pros loom ahead, while Evans, Harris and Ngongba are expected to be multi-year college players.

Then, add in junior Maliq Brown, who the Blue Devils landed in the transfer portal as a top reserve forward and there are a couple of key pieces for Duke. Still, there are a ton of holes to fill, which is why the 2025 class could be huge once again for the blue-blood program.

2025 class

Duke’s class was bolstered recently by the additions of the Boozer twins, who gave a huge boost to the team’s recruiting efforts in the cycle.

Cameron Boozer is the Flagg replacement, coming in as the team’s clear power forward next season and will be tasked with a lot on his plate as soon as he comes to campus.

Cayden Boozer projects as more of a multi-year college player, and could be waiting more in the wings in a role off the bench initially, depending on how Duke’s guard rotation fills out with Foster and Proctor.

On Tuesday, the Blue Devils got another commitment, landing four-star forward Nik Khamenia, who was down to three finalists: Duke, UCLA, and Gonzaga.

Khamenia will likely slot into a small forward role at Duke, standing 6’8”, 210 pounds, and adds good size and playmaking ability from the wing spot, while also being a capable enough shooter from three.

It’s unclear how the Duke roster will look next year, but Khamenia’s facilitating ability seems to be a good fit with the scoring threat that current freshmen Isaiah Evans and Darren Harris provide. Additionally, with the commitment of Cameron Boozer, the Blue Devils have added two good forwards to the roster, balancing out well as they likely will have some good center depth next year with Ngongba and Brown on the roster.

Khamenia’s frame will be something to monitor, as he is on the lighter end at 210 pounds and will be tasked to defend at a high level, which could be the determinant of how many minutes he earns as a freshman. But, if he plays more of the three and guards wings, there should be a good role for the four-star as Duke figures out its future plans.

Elsewhere, the Blue Devils are eyeing some of the biggest recruits in the 2025 class, as they’ve focused their efforts on five-star forward Nate Ament, a top-five player in the cycle.

Standing at 6’9”, 185 pounds, Ament is a player viewed highly by scouts and projects as a one-and-done player at the next level. A major riser this year on the recruiting trail, Ament is a talented scorer and would likely slot into the starting small forward role next to Boozer if the Blue Devils were able to land him.

Now, that will be a tall task, as the top-five recruit has a number of high-major teams after him, and he’s looking to take his time before finding the right fit in the late signing window.

Additionally, the Blue Devils have made the final three for five-star forward Shelton Henderson, who is expected to make a decision on his commitment in early November.

Henderson, a top-15 recruit in the class, stands at 6’6”, 220 pounds, and was recently at Duke for a visit, while Louisville and Texas round out his top three.

He would add to the forward depth that is expected to take a hit next year, and his role would be dependent on who else the Blue Devils are able to add in this upcoming recruiting class. Nonetheless, he’s a player Duke has prioritized and could be a key part of the future for the program.

Lastly, the Blue Devils are also in the mix for four-star guard Acaden Lewis, who has been recruited by some of the top schools in the country. UConn and Kentucky are among his finalists, and a decision could come soon from the talented guard.

However, with Cayden Boozer in the mix here, it seems more likely Duke would end up with some of the forward targets, as Lewis could be in a time crunch for minutes with the uncertainty around the Blue Devils’ backcourt for next year.

Overall, Duke has a talented board of recruits that they’re looking to target for the 2025 class. The Blue Devils are already off to a good start with three commits coming in the last week, including the No. 2 player in the cycle.