Duke Basketball Faces Backcourt Shakeup After Decommitment: Acaden Lewis Emerges as Potential Starter
Duke Basketball is facing a significant overhaul of its backcourt for the 2024-25 season. With Sion James out of eligibility and Tyrese Proctor likely heading to the NBA Draft, Duke is poised to lose much of its backcourt talent. Caleb Foster and Isaiah Evans are also contemplating their futures, with both having decisions to make regarding the transfer portal or a potential return to Durham. Evans, in particular, could declare for the 2025 NBA Draft.
As a result, Coach Jon Scheyer is looking to recruit fresh backcourt players. Cayden Boozer, one of the Boozer twins, is a four-star point guard committed to Duke and could step into a starting role, particularly if Scheyer is unable to land another top guard from the transfer portal. Darren Harris also plans to return for the upcoming season and could contribute significantly to the team’s rotation.
In a surprising turn of events, 2025 top-35 prospect Acaden Lewis has emerged as a potential solution to Duke’s backcourt needs. After decommitting from Kentucky, Lewis—who had originally chosen the Wildcats over Duke and UConn—has reopened his recruitment. Duke, UConn, and North Carolina are all competing for his commitment, and Lewis recently visited St. John’s as well.
Although there is no clear indication of where Lewis is leaning, his prior visit to Durham and inclusion of Duke in his final three schools suggests the Blue Devils have a legitimate chance at securing his commitment. If Duke were to land Lewis without adding additional transfers, the starting backcourt could consist of two freshmen: Lewis and Boozer—unless Foster or Evans decides to return.
Lewis is expected to monitor the situation with Duke’s current players, particularly Proctor, Foster, and Evans. If all three depart, Lewis would have a great shot at starting. However, if one or more players decide to return, the guard’s role could be less secure, potentially making Duke a less attractive destination.
In addition to Lewis, Duke remains in the running for other top 2025 prospects, including five-star recruit Nate Ament, with the Blue Devils seen as a slight favorite to land him.
With significant departures expected, Coach Scheyer faces a challenging task in rebuilding the backcourt, but there are promising developments as Duke looks to secure top talent in the late stages of the recruiting cycle.
Leave a Reply