247Sports slots Duke in at seventh in 2024-25 men’s basketball power rankings

Most questions around Duke’s star-studded roster revolve around its many freshmen, but 247Sports’ Isaac Trotter cast his spotlight elsewhere.

247Sports’ Isaac Trotter released an updated power rankings for the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season on Tuesday, and he slid a stacked Duke roster down to seventh.

After a stacked recruiting class led by No. 1 prospect Cooper Flagg had the Blue Devils atop many early power rankings right after the national championship, head coach Jon Scheyer’s team has slid down to somewhere between sixth and 10th in most post-draft withdrawal rankings.

Trotter did explain that the Blue Devils have the talent to be one of the best teams in the country, particularly praising the defense.

Most rankings question Duke’s reliance on first-year players, saying that Flagg and projected lottery pick Khaman Maluach offer too many question marks. Trotter, however, had a different question.

“All eyes are on whether Duke’s two returners can flex their muscles as All-League guards,” Trotter wrote. “Sophomore Caleb Foster will be a big breakout candidate, and it’s now or never for junior Tyrese Proctor to put it all together. There are no excuses. This Duke roster is loaded with just about everything it needs to go banner-hunting, but Proctor and Foster have to hold up their end of the bargain.”

Foster, who played 27 games as a freshman before an ankle injury cut his debut season short, averaged 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists last year while shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc.

Proctor, as a sophomore, averaged 10.5 points and led the team with 3.7 assists per game but shot just 42.3% from the floor.

The Blue Devils were the last of seven teams included in Trotter’s highest tier in the country.