Duke Basketball: Impact of Proctor, Filipowski, and Mitchell back for 2023-24 season

Growing up a resident of the old North State, college basketball fervor has been a part of my DNA since I was young.

The source of many school cafeteria debates and family holiday party arguments, the passion this state has for the sport is unrivaled. While my home remains addicted to college hoops, the one-and-done era that had come to define the last decade of the sport have left many with feelings of nostalgia for what used to be.

“I just hate that every year it feels like I have to once again learn all the new faces of an entirely new team!”

This is a sentiment I’ve heard echoed far too often in recent years. The annual conveyor belt approach to roster construction has left many longing for the era of the sport defined by the likes of Michael Jordan, David Thompson, Christian Laettner, and Tim Duncan.

While things may never go back to being the way they were decades ago, one added effect of the new NIL era is that players who previously would have undoubtedly turned pro are finding reason to stick around for a little bit longer. Players for the game’s most prestigious programs are now able to clear nearly seven figures per season while improving their draft stock playing at the collegiate level.

So far this offseason, no team is reaping the benefits of this new trend more than the Duke Blue Devils. Jon Scheyer’s squad is officially keeping three key members from last year’s group, and the Blue Devils are now the early favorites to be the preseason No. 1 because of it.