Projected Duke basketball roster following major moves

Duke basketball's 2023-24 roster construction might need a finishing touch.

Five-star 2023 forward and former Duke basketball signee Mackenzie Mgbako is out after requesting a release from his national letter of intent. But reigning ACC Rookie of the Year and potential Preseason ACC Player of the Year Kyle Filipowski is returning to the Blue Devils despite being a projected first-round draft pick.

Those two highly impactful official announcements popped up on Tuesday morning within 30 minutes of each other. The news comes one day after junior guard Jeremy Roach revealed his plan to declare for the NBA Draft while keeping his college eligibility intact (he has until May 31 to decide whether he'll remain in the draft).

With all of that in mind, not to mention "unfinished business" proclamations from 2022-23 Blue Devil starters Tyrese Proctor and Mark Mitchell two weeks ago, it's time again to take stock of which players look to be on the 2023-24 Duke basketball roster for Jon Scheyer's second year at the program's helm.

Let's start with what we know. Barring any transfers out of Durham (players have until May 11 to enter the portal), the following 11 scholarship players are now on tap for next season:

• Freshman guard Caleb Foster
  
• Freshman guard Jared McCain
• Freshman forward TJ Power
• Freshman forward Sean Stewart
• Sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor
• Sophomore guard Jaden Schutt
• Sophomore forward Mark Mitchell
• Sophomore forward Kyle Filipowski
• Sophomore center Christian Reeves
• Junior guard Jaylen Blakes
• Graduate center Ryan Young

That 11-deep crop alone (with a solid mix of experienced Blue Devils and heralded newcomers) would likely ensure Duke begins its 2023-24 campaign among the top five in preseason rankings. Therefore, some would argue there's no need for Scheyer and his gang to land any top-shelf talents from the overflowing transfer portal.

However, to fill out the roster and ensure centerpiece Kyle Filipowski doesn't have to risk foul trouble and exhaustion by playing significant minutes at the five-spot, the Duke basketball staff will likely seek out a formidable big-man transfer and perhaps a promising wing capable of earning considerable playing time.

Respect my decision‼️ pic.twitter.com/qFxB7PefDI

— Kyle “Flip” Filipowski (@kylefilipowski) April 11, 2023

There's no telling yet who will occupy the final two spots on the roster, although there is plenty of chatter surrounding Scheyer's pursuit of former Virginia center Kadin Shedrick.

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Again, one of the two open scholarship spots could go to then-senior and returning captain Jeremy Roach.

In other words, the roster probably won't be set in stone for at least another month or two. Nevertheless, there's no doubt enough pieces are already in place for a legitimate title run.

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