NCAA Basketball: Preseason Top-25 power rankings for 2020-21 season

Every offseason, the question always is how much talent the Blue Devils loses each offseason due to the NBA Draft and transfer portal. Time time, it was all three of their double-digit scorers, including ACC Player of the Year Vernon Carey, star guard Tre Jones, and Cassius Stanley, who also went pro. Sharpshooter Alex O’Connell also departed to Creighton as well.

But to no one’s surprise, Coach K has brought in another elite recruiting class, filled with four players rated as five-star prospects according to 247sportsComposite. The perimeter has been revamped with top guards Jeremy Roach and DJ Steward, both capable of handling the ball. Top-10 freshman Jalen Johnson has All-Conference talent and will play on the wing but can also be an off-guard.

"There’s no question that there’s some high-level talent on this team, but it’s all about how they gel and come together. The ACC is no joke, seeing as how Duke hasn’t even won the conference regular-season title since 2010. – Joey Loose (@jloose128)"

The frontcourt is more of a question. There certainly is depth, thanks to the return of sophomores Wendell Moore Jr. and Matthew Hurt, as well as junior wing Joey Baker. Then there are the incoming freshmen forwards Jaemyn Brakefield and Henry Coleman III. Also around is top-30 center, Mark Williams. To make sure there is depth at the five-spot, the Blue Devils added Columbia grad transfer center Patrick Tape.

Duke usually has a star player returning to provide experience and leadership but that’s not the case this time. They very well could start five freshmen, which would leave them with ups and downs throughout the season. But if these underclassmen can play to their potential early on, the Blue Devils will once again be in the Final 4 conversation.