Duke Basketball: NBA Scouts Eyeing Three Current Blue Devils

Two Duke basketball freshmen and a sophomore are training and competing alongside Cooper Flagg.

Matt Giles | Aug 8, 2023

Duke Basketball: NBA Scouts Eyeing Three Current Blue Devils /

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Duke Blue Devils

Duke basketball players Mark Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Caleb Foster are in Beaverton, Ore., for this week's Nike Skills Academy, showing off their talents for up to two scouts per NBA team each session. Those three potential 2024 first-round draft picks out of Durham account for almost 20 percent of the 16-deep college roster.

Kentucky, with Rob Dillingham and DJ Wagner in attendance, and Oregon, with Kwame Evans and Jackson Shelstad on hand, are the only other schools with multiple current players at the event.

Meanwhile, the 18-member high school roster includes one Duke basketball commit in North Meck (N.C.) wing Isaiah Evans, a bucket-getting five-star who ranks No. 19 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite.

And that's not to mention two top-shelf Blue Devil targets: Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) five-star combo guard Dylan Harper, No. 1 in 2024, and Montverde (Fla.) five-star small forward Cooper Flagg, No. 2 in 2025.

In other words, as is the case at most of these high-profile offseason showcases and training opportunities, the Duke basketball presence is as striking as any and lends itself to a behind-the-scenes recruiting opportunity by the Blue Devil representatives.

Spending the next three days at Nike Academy outside Portland, which features a loaded roster of elite high school and college prospects. Every NBA team limited to two reps only each session. @nikeeyb flagship event is back. pic.twitter.com/vaLmybfPEr
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) August 8, 2023

Mitchell, one of four returning starters from a Blue Devil squad that won 27 games (including the ACC Tournament) under first-year head coach Jon Scheyer, appears on several way-too-early 2024 mock drafts as a mid-to-late first-rounder.

The same goes for Duke basketball rookie guards McCain and Foster, although some leave them out with the anticipation that they'll likely stick around as Blue Devils for more than one season.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for daily doses of Duke basketball news.

Published Aug 8, 2023

MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.