Duke Basketball: What might the 2019-20 campaign hold?

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 22: The Duke Blue Devils mascot performs during the game against the North Dakota State Bison in the second half during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 29: Duke Blue Devils huddle. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Key departures this offseason

It’s no secret that Duke basketball is likely to lose a ton of talent this offseason. Similar to where the program was at a year ago, it seems as though the Blue Devils are going to have to replace almost their entire starting lineup from this season. This includes their four best players, who were all freshmen that are now more than likely heading to the NBA Draft. Of course, it is still possible that one or two of them return for their sophomore campaigns but that seems unlikely given their current draft status.

Williamson, R.J. Barrett, and Cam Reddish are first-round locks and Tre Jones saw his stock rise over the course of the season. These four players were integral to the success of the team this season and will be very difficult to replace. And while I understand that Coach K is an elite recruiter who can land the top players needed to fill out the rotation, it is going to be very difficult to replace players such as Williamson and Barrett. Both of them were tremendous in their lone collegiate seasons, earning First Team All-American honors and leading the Blue Devils through times of struggle.

It is hard to imagine that Duke will be able to truly replace either of those two stars. Additionally, Reddish and Jones were very solid in their own rights, especially defensively. Without them, the team would not have been nearly as dangerous as they were throughout the season. These two had the potential for huge scoring outputs while also more than holding their own defensively. In addition to the four starters, senior Antonio Vrankovic is also graduating.

In summary, this could be a very difficult offseason for Duke basketball. The 2018-19 team was extremely likable compared to most in the past and their superstars are going to be nearly impossible to replace. At this point in time, it’s hard to imagine that the Blue Devils will find a way to be better next season, although perhaps gearing recruiting more towards fit might make that happen.

(NOTE: Tre Jones could easily return to school and that would certainly change this section. He is currently projected to be selected in the latter half of the first round and his decision is yet to be made.)

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