3. Duke
Replacing a legend is never easy but Jon Scheyer has done a fare job succeeding Mike Krzyzewski over these last three years. He continues bringing elite recruits to Durham as evident by Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel this past year, as they helped take the Blue Devils back to the Final Four this past April. Those two may be gone but another impressive class has come to town and has Duke as a top contender again.
Cameron and Cayden Boozer are both Top 25 prospects, with Cameron a 5-star power forward and Cayden a savvy point guard. Nikolas Khamenia is another 5-star who boosts the frontcourt alongside Top 50 recruit Sebastian Wilkins. Many faces aren’t returning from that Final Four team, but you’ll see Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster back in this backcourt, with those former top recruits hoping to show more promise this season.
The talent level for these Blue Devils is once again off the charts even if there isn’t a single generational prospect like Flagg around. Cameron Boozer in particular is an impressive talent, though there’s a question about the lack of experience on this roster. Still, if all these young pieces can gel then Duke should have themselves another ACC title and a deep run at postseason glory.