One Unique Trait Makes This Duke Basketball Team Different

Depth.

That's probably been the word most associated with this year's Duke basketball team. Head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff built a roster loaded with raw talent, length, defensive versatility, shooting, and more. You name a trait a championship-caliber college basketball team needs, Duke probably has it.

You could probably take the Blue Devils' sixth-to-tenth men, put them in a starting five, and it's a top-25 starting lineup in college basketball. However, the fact that the Blue Devils have sheer depth isn't what stands out most; it's that all these pieces fit together and drive winning.

Duke's Bench Production Plays Big Role in Win Over Army

Nov 2, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Army Black Knights guard Dillon Watt (13) drives to the basket as Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) defends during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Monday night, the Blue Devils took down Army 84-50 at Cameron Indoor Stadium to kick off the 2026-27 regular season. Defensively, Duke looked elite and way ahead of schedule. Offensively, there's some work to be done.

Throughout Duke's three preseason contests and opening regular-season bout against the Black Knights, its depth was on display. Not only can Scheyer and his staff sub in a bunch of really good players, but the guys who rotate in and out impact winning basketball in many different ways.

12 different guys logged minutes for the Blue Devils on Monday night. Every player who checked in scored. Additionally, the bench alone combined for 31 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, 11 steals, two blocks, and six offensive rebounds.

Interchangeable Pieces Everywhere

Duke will be such an interesting team to follow throughout the season because it has so many guys who can switch in and out with each other and play different roles to help the team win. Take Sebastian Wilkins, who went for six points, two rebounds, an assist, and four steals off the bench. Drew Scharnowski notched four points, two boards, an assist, and a steal in eight minutes.

Then take a guy like Caleb Foster. The senior point guard only tallied four points and a rebound, but he played tremendous perimeter defense when he was on the floor. The point is, the Blue Devils don't just have a bunch of talented players; they have a bunch of talented players who can come in and affect the game positively in a ton of different ways.

After the win over Army, Scheyer talked about the bench's potential impact this season.

"I feel like we got a bunch of guys that can really score. I mean, a bunch. I think the difference is our bench can make a big impact and not score. I think that's the thing that's unique about this team is we're not looking for more scoring, you know, we're looking for more impact. And that impact can show up in a bunch of different ways," Scheyer said.

This year's Blue Devils squad is certainly different from the past couple of years, but it's built to legitimately contend for a National Championship. This team still clearly has room to grow, but it's off to a great start. Next up, the Blue Devils will face Coastal Carolina at Cameron Indoor on Nov. 5.

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