Duke’s Employees Don’t Say Much However, their rotations suddenly became intriguing. The Blue Devils’ lineup is changing in unexpected ways as summer sessions heat up. Who’s getting up? Who is slipping? Locate
In Durham, North Carolina, the silence says more than words. Around the practice courts and inside the K Center, Duke’s men’s basketball team is speaking in glances, in sweat, in minutes quietly earned or lost. No big proclamations, no pressers filled with bravado. Just shifts—subtle but meaningful—in the Blue Devils’ summer rotations, offering clues to who might rise and who may recede as Jon Scheyer’s program recalibrates once again. This is the new language of Duke basketball: coded in hustle, revealed only in who gets the reps when nobody’s supposed to be watching.
It’s early August, and the summer sessions—once a mere formality—have become a crucible. For Scheyer, who enters the season still sculpting his identity as Coach K’s successor, every workout carries weight. The team is no longer dominated by the towering expectations that followed the one-and-done era’s peak. Instead, Duke is trying to build from a hybrid model: a blend of experienced returners, hungry freshmen, and a few transfers who understand what it means to earn your minutes, not be handed them. That makes every rep in the gym, every scrimmage possession, a referendum on where you stand.
At the center of it all is Caleb Foster. Last season, the sophomore guard flashed enough skill to intrigue, but lacked the consistency to carve out a definitive role. That’s changed this summer. According to program insiders, Foster has emerged as one of the most vocal and dynamic presences on the court. He’s reshaped his frame, tightened his handle, and, perhaps most importantly, started to lead. Scheyer has given him more ball-handling duties in recent scrimmages, even pairing him with fellow guard Tyrese Proctor in dual-lead backcourt looks. The chemistry between them is promising. Foster is no longer waiting for his moment; he’s taking it, quietly but clearly.
On the flip side, Jeremy Roach’s role is becoming less defined. The senior guard, once the clear captain of Duke’s ship, now finds himself battling not just younger talent but shifting expectations. Roach remains reliable—a steadying presence, especially in big moments—but there are whispers he may come off the bench more frequently this year. That’s not necessarily a demotion in Scheyer’s evolving system, but it is an indicator of how quickly things are changing. Roach is navigating this with poise, though those close to the program suggest he’s been more introspective than usual. He’s still practicing with intensity, but he’s not the focal point anymore. And he knows it.
Another name quietly ascending is freshman forward Isaiah Evans. The wiry 6’7″ wing wasn’t the most heralded recruit in the incoming class, but he’s turning heads with his motor and length. Evans has been earning minutes with the “first unit” in recent scrimmages—a sign that he’s adapting quickly to the speed and physicality of college hoops. His outside shot is still a work in progress, but he brings energy that’s impossible to ignore. Evans may not start in November, but his trajectory suggests he’ll be in the rotation from day one, especially if his defensive intensity continues to impress. Staff members have noted his willingness to guard older, more physical players without flinching—a trait Duke desperately needs in a roster that sometimes leans finesse over fight.
Then there’s TJ Power, another sophomore with a lot riding on this summer. He came to Durham as a sharpshooter, but last season saw inconsistent playing time and even more inconsistent shooting. This summer, however, Power has reportedly taken a leap in confidence. His release is quicker, and he’s hunting his shot in transition and half-court sets with more aggression. Power is also rebounding better, giving himself a path to minutes even when the three-ball isn’t falling. Sources close to the program have said Scheyer has pulled Power aside during sessions to praise his growing toughness. If he continues to rebound and defend with energy, he might sneak into a stretch-four role that Duke lacked last season. There’s quiet optimism that this could be his breakout year.
Among the newcomers, the one stirring the most buzz is freshman Khaman Maluach. The 7’2″ center arrived with tantalizing potential but raw instincts. Initially, many expected him to redshirt or play limited minutes while adjusting to the American game. That assumption is fading fast. Maluach’s mobility, timing, and ability to alter shots have made him a standout in summer scrimmages. He’s not scoring much yet, but he’s making plays that win possessions—blocking shots, switching onto guards, sealing off drives. Coaches are watching him closely, and the word is that Scheyer is considering lineups with Maluach as a weak-side rim protector alongside a more traditional big. It’s too early to say he’ll be a star, but he’s not just a developmental project anymore.
Of course, not every storyline is trending up. Mark Mitchell, the versatile junior forward, has seen his minutes reduced in certain scrimmage sets, and some wonder whether his role might be reimagined. Mitchell remains one of Duke’s best defenders, but his offensive limitations are hard to ignore. When the ball slows down, and Duke needs a half-court bucket, Mitchell often disappears. In open gym sessions, he’s been less assertive than others, and that’s not going unnoticed. His place in the starting lineup is no longer guaranteed—not with Evans and Power pushing hard and bringing a more consistent offensive threat. That said, Mitchell’s defensive versatility still makes him valuable, especially in matchups where Duke needs to switch everything. Whether that’s enough to keep him in the closing lineups remains to be seen.
In a surprising twist, sophomore center Sean Stewart, once expected to be a staple in Duke’s future frontcourt, is reportedly struggling to find rhythm. While his athleticism is unquestioned, Stewart hasn’t shown the polish necessary to thrive in Duke’s current system. He’s fouling too much in scrimmages and often looks a step slow on defensive rotations. Some insiders have floated the idea of Stewart being used situationally—an energy big off the bench—but barring a strong late-summer push, he could find himself buried behind Maluach and veteran Christian Reeves, who has quietly improved his footwork and rim protection this summer.
Reeves, for his part, has benefited from the shifting frontcourt picture. The former project big has grown into a more assertive presence, and his role as a screen-setter and defensive anchor in second-unit lineups has earned praise. While no one is projecting a breakout season, Reeves may have carved out enough of a niche to be more than just depth insurance. For a team that could find itself in bruising ACC battles, a guy like Reeves—who’s big, experienced, and knows his role—might become invaluable.
Another name drawing low-key attention is freshman guard Kon Kneuppel. A known shooter in high school, Kneuppel has shown a willingness to mix it up in these summer sessions. He’s not just camping at the three-point line; he’s attacking closeouts, making the right reads, and, perhaps most surprisingly, defending with grit. While his athletic ceiling isn’t as high as some of his peers, his floor is proving to be higher than expected. With Duke’s offensive schemes becoming more motion-based under Scheyer, a guy who moves well off the ball and makes smart cuts can find a place—even if he’s not blowing by defenders one-on-one. Kneuppel is making a quiet case for himself, and his steadiness could become his superpower.
Leadership-wise, the absence of a single dominant personality has created a vacuum. Foster is becoming more vocal, and Proctor leads by example, but there’s no singular figure commanding the locker room yet. That might be intentional. Scheyer appears to be fostering a culture where leadership is distributed, not concentrated—a break from the past where players like Zion, RJ, or even Roach in recent years took on the mantle. The result is a team where the hierarchy is constantly shifting. It’s more democratic, but it also means that spots in the rotation are up for grabs in a way that hasn’t been true in years.
Summer basketball doesn’t determine championships, but it does set trajectories. And right now, Duke’s rotation is anything but set. The minutes are being earned in August, not promised in October. The ones rising aren’t necessarily the names fans chanted last year. They’re the grinders, the ones who show up early, stay late, and say little. That’s the paradox of this year’s team: their silence speaks volumes.
As the weeks roll on and fall practice nears, one thing is certain—the Blue Devils aren’t coasting on pedigree. Every position is contested, every role fluid. This isn’t a team of anointed stars. It’s a roster full of players who know that nothing is guaranteed, and that intrigue doesn’t come from hype—it comes from hunger.
