Duke Basketball: 2022-23 season preview and outlook for Blue Devils

Season Outlook

We don’t know how Scheyer will fare as the new head coach of this program. It’s impossible to ignore that he’s one of the nation’s best recruiters, but there’s a stark difference in bringing great talent to campus and putting them in position to succeed as a team. If there’s any initial reason for hesitance when buying into the Blue Devils, it’s Scheyer’s inexperience, but does that really make that much of a difference?

Duke had the best offense in the nation last season and could be trending in that direction again. We could talk endlessly about Lively and Filipowski and those other new weapons in the frontcourt, but Roach’s importance to this team cannot be understated. It’s not just the fact that he’s the sole remaining piece from last year’s Final Four squad; it’s that he’s the junior point guard with talent and experience. Roach is the leader of this team.

Outside of Roach, the young talent on this team is otherworldly but there are some other important pieces here. Landing Grandison was a very important move for Scheyer, as the former Illini weapon gives the Blue Devils someone who can hit those outside shots and provide talent in the backcourt. Much of the freshman pieces are forwards and centers, so they’ll really be leaning on that leadership and experience in the backcourt this season.

Duke has talent, there’s no question about that, but what can we expect from this team? When you look at the roster and the young pieces they’ve added, it’s understandable why Duke will be considered a Top 10 team this season. They’ll likely battle with a strong North Carolina squad for ACC supremacy, but don’t be shocked to see a hiccup early in the year, especially as Scheyer adjusts to life in the head coach’s chair. However, could this be another Duke squad destined for a deep run through the postseason?