Duke starting lineup: How many Blue Devils starters are transfers?

The Duke Blue Devils survived a predictable 35-point Caleb Love barrage to beat the Arizona Wildcats in the Sweet 16 and advance in March Madness. Few teams have looked more unbeatable in the NCAA Tournament to date.

All it takes is one cold shooting spell to end Duke's postseason, but Jon Scheyer's group feels built for the moment. Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, continues to dominate at a level we haven't seen from a freshman since Anthony Davis in 2012. He's doing it on both ends, logging 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks against Arizona.

What makes Duke so dangerous, however, is the quality of the supporting cast. It's not Flagg hero ball generating these wins — it's a balanced, collective effort, with genuine talent six, seven, or eight players deep into the rotation.

All five of Duke's current starters are on NBA radars for next season. In today's NIL environment, it can be difficult to keep the same group together for an extended period of time. Scheyer and the Blue Devils have embraced the new landscape, however, pinpointing the best available talent each offseason.

Of Duke's current starting five, only one player was on the team in 2023-24. Here is the origin story for all five members of the Blue Devils' imposing core lineup.

How many of Duke's starting five are transfers? Where each Blue Devils starter was last season

Tyrese Proctor is Duke's longest-tenured starter

Tyrese Proctor, the 20-year-old junior, arrived in Durham three years ago. He has since started in all but nine of his appearances for the Blue Devils, emerging as a stabilizing force in Scheyer's rotation. Proctor was once projected as a one-and-done freshman, but early shooting struggles prompted a return to school — and now, an extended stay.

Proctor has been around for plenty of regular-season success, and Duke's NIL fund has more than enough to keep Proctor in a Blue Devils uniform if he decides to return for a senior campaign. It's rare for stars to stick around their program so long, but Duke is Duke. Of course it's different.

Sion James is Duke's only transfer in the starting lineup

Sion James, Duke's 22-year-old, fifth-year senior, is the only transfer in the starting lineup. He spent the past four years at Tulane, where he averaged 14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on .514/.381/.683 splits a season ago. He also logged an AAC-leading 36.7 minutes per game.

James has seen his role and usage drop at Duke, but he's never been more prominent in the estimation of NBA scouts. Between his consistent 3-point shooting, strong drives, and active perimeter defense, there has been a lot to like about Jones in a more connective role. He was a huge transfer portal hit for Scheyer.

Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach were all top-rated freshmen recruited to Duke

Cooper Flagg has been the top recruit in his high school class ever since he reclassified in order to reach the NCAA (and the NBA) a year earlier. He arrived at Duke as a 17-year-old who trained with the U.S. men's national select team ahead of the Olympics. He's one of one, hailing from an established pipeline for top college and NBA talent at Monteverde Academy in Florida. Before that, he played his high school basketball in Maine, his home state.

Kon Knueppel spent four years at Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Mikwaukee. He was named Wisconsin Mr. Basketball as a senior after averaging 26.1 points and 5.1 assists, earning five-star status. He led his school to the D-II boy's state championship.

Khaman Maluach took an unconventional route to Duke, which will be replicated more and more in the years to come. A native of South Sudan who grew up in Uganda, Maluach spent the 2023-24 season with NBA Academy Africa, a new developmental program and league established to uncover and promote the next generation of basketball stars on the continent.