The Duke basketball rotation for the 2025-26 season is taking shape after significant roster changes. The expected departure of star transfer shooting guard Cedric Coward, who officially announced he will remain in the 2025 NBA Draft, contrasts with the arrival of Jon Scheyer's No. 1-ranked 2025 recruiting class, featuring 5-star recruits Cameron Boozer, Nik Khamenia, and Dame Sarr.

A defining aspect of the upcoming season's Blue Devils is its youth. Caleb Foster is likely the sole upperclassman in the starting five, which will include at least two freshmen. This youthfulness makes Duke a challenging team to assess and rank preseason. While the roster boasts talent and potential, it lacks established high-level production. Foster, who was previously expected to have a breakout season, found himself benched during the 2024-25 campaign after initially starting.

Isaiah Evans, who played a role as a 3-and-D player as a rookie (with 81% of his shot attempts and 78% of his makes coming from three-point range), will have a more significant role as a sophomore. Pat Ngongba II is expected to start at center, and rising sophomore Darren Harris, who saw limited playing time as a freshman, will also receive solid minutes. Ngongba has shown the ability to defend the rim and transition, but his offensive skills will require further development.

The performance of the incoming freshmen remains uncertain until the season begins. Duke is ranked No. 6 in ESPN's "Way-Too-Early" top 25 rankings and No. 9 in CBS Sports insider Gary Parrish's "Top 25 and 1" rankings. Despite the potential for Duke to be a top-10 team, the lack of proven production introduces many uncertainties that will only be resolved once the 2025-26 season commences.