The Duke Blue Devils continued to make progress under head coach Jon Scheyer’s guidance this season.
Duke wrapped up the year with an impressive 35-4 record, securing NCAA Tournament wins over Alabama, Arizona, Baylor, and Mount Saint Mary’s before falling to Houston in the Final Four. As Scheyer and his coaching staff looked to regroup and strengthen the roster following that loss, they faced a setback on the recruiting front for the class of 2025.
Five-star recruit Nate Ament announced his commitment to Tennessee, turning down offers from both Duke and Kentucky, according to Joe Tipton. Throughout much of the recruiting process, Duke and Tennessee had been seen as the frontrunners for Ament, who made an official visit to Duke on January 31, per 247Sports.
Ament, the No. 4 overall player in the 2025 class, was also pursued by top-tier programs like Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and UConn.
Despite missing out on Ament, Duke still boasts a strong incoming class, ranked 15th nationally. The Blue Devils have secured commitments from five-star talents Cameron Boozer and Nikolas Khamenia, along with four-star guard Cayden Boozer.