Grading each Duke men’s basketball star for the 2023-24 season

Jared McCain’s freshman season wasn’t perfect. He’s said himself it took him a little while to get going, and he shot 30% or worse from the floor in half of his first eight games. However, what more could you really ask for from a freshman? He tied program freshman records for points in a regular-season game (35 against Florida State) and points in an NCAA Tournament game (32 against NC State), tying Zion Williamson for both honors. Tying Zion in anything should be an automatic ‘A’.

He made a Duke tournament record eight 3-pointers against James Madison, six of which came in the first half, and he scored 20 points against tournament teams like Baylor, Clemson, and UNC in the regular season. There were some lulls down the stretch, but McCain even won over Duke haters on social media with his personality and 3-point prowess. The first-year guard and presumed first-round draft pick checked every box.

GRADE: A

The preseason All-American still made the Associated Press’s Second Team, and he led the Blue Devils with 16.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. His biggest highlights came as an interior facilitator, averaging 2.8 assists as he adjusted to being the focal point for opposing defenses. That wrinkle was most on display in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Vermont when he took one shot but dished four assists as the Catamounts double-teamed him constantly.

He also doubled his shot-blocking output from 0.7 to 1.5 per game, and he improved from a 28% 3-point shooter to a 34% 3-point shooter. The preseason national title expectations likely centered around Filipowski announcing himself as one of the most unstoppable players in the sport, but even grading on the curve of National Player of the Year, there was enough to be pleased with the 7-footer.

GRADE: A

In what will ultimately prove to be his last year with the Blue Devils, the senior captain had his most efficient season in a Duke uniform. Roach averaged a career-high 14.0 points per game after shooting a personal-best 42.9% from 3-point range. He spent most of the season above 45% from deep before a few bad games at the end, and he was named Third Team All-ACC for his efforts.

However, stellar efficiency and leadership aside, Roach looked off in the postseason. He shot 34/9% from the floor across Duke’s last six games, including a 3/12 game against North Carolina in the regular-season finale and a 1/6 game against the Wolfpack in the ACC Tournament. All that aside, however, he showed he was the guy Scheyer wanted with the ball in big moments. He took over at times against Houston in the Sweet 16, and his short sputs of five or seven points changed. a handful of losses into wins.

GRADE: A-

One of the more curious cases from Duke’s starting lineup this year, Mitchell’s 2023-24 season reflects expectations as much as anything else. One of the five-star prospects from Jon Scheyer’s first recruiting class, Mitchell finished fourth on the team with 11.6 points per game. He finished with five 20-point games and three double-doubles. However, he missed 21 of his 22 3-point attempts across his first 12 games. While he slowed his long-range output for the rest of the year (and shot a lot better), opposing defenses lost all respect for his jump shot, creating a spacing nightmare alongside Filipowski.

There were inconsistencies on the offensive end at times, but there were also stretches when it seemed Mitchell was the engine of Duke’s offense. However, basketball fans in Durham might have expected a larger leap from the sophomore.

GRADE: B-

One of three Blue Devils with NBA draft hype before the season began, the Cameron Crazies probably expected more from the Australian’s sophomore campaign. In fairness, he did increase his scoring average from 9.4 to 10.5, and his 35.2% 3-point shooting percentage is not a negligible improvement over 32% as a freshman. However, the 6-foot-5 guard seemed to disappear for games at a time. Over one four-game stretch in February, he went 5/21 from 3-point range, and he missed 21 of his 25 shots against the Wolfpack in the postseason, including all nine of his efforts in the Elite Eight loss.

I do think the box score can be unfair to Proctor at times. He’s still the best and most consistent defender on the team, and his range and effort on the other end of the court gave some opposing stars fits. However, while he nailed a few important shots in the spring, his deflating games on big stages were hard to ignore.

GRADE: C+

A stress fracture in his ankle cost Foster the last month of the year, but the 6-foot-5 freshman showed a lot of promise until then. When he went down against Wake Forest, he was one of three Blue Devils averaging more than 40% from beyond the 3-point line. He’s one of six players on the team to average more than 25 minutes per game, and he worked his way into the starting lineup 15 times. He provided a supporting role alongside Roach and McCain when he did play, making it hard for him to truly stand out at times. However, with both of those players gone next season, his increased spot in the backcourt will be an important storyline to watch.

GRADE: B

The former Northwestern Wildcat operated as Duke’s most common sixth man for the final month of the season, and he filled the role admirably. The 6-foot-10 senior won’t be confused for the best rim defender in the sport, and Blue Devils fans likely expected more from him and Filipowski in that department given their size. Still, however, he managed 0.5 blocks per game and pulled down 3.4 rebounds in his limited time. It can’t be easy, mentally, to share a backcourt with Filipowski for a second straight year after he was comfortably assumed to be a first-round pick as a freshman, and Young played a career-low 11..8 minutes per game, but he made them impactful where and when he could. His 23 minutes against Houston proved key in the Sweet 16 upset, too.

GRADE: B

I’m gonna cheat a little bit here because I’m the teacher and I say I can. The 6-foot-9 Stewart teased some giddy potential in year one, emphasized by his 12 points against NC State and a 9-point, 9-rebound game against Louisville. He’d also surely be Duke’s nomination for a dunk contest since he can jump into the upper deck. However, as a freshman on a team with Filipowski, Mitchell, and Young, Stewart didn’t get many chances to get experience. The raw edges of his development reared up a few times, as he coughed up a few turnovers late in the season and committed four personal fouls in five games. He only got double-digit minutes in 10 games after New Year’s, but the highs are too high to ignore.

GRADE: Pass

It’s almost impossible to fairly include Power. The 6-foot-9 freshman was brought in to do nothing but pull from long range, and pull from long range he did. 42 of his 51 attempts came from beyond the arc. His performance against the ACC left a lot to be desired, as he went 2/13 from the start of January through the end of February. He went 2/2 against Arkansas early in the year, but he only played 10 minutes in seven games. His frame and sharpshooting should complement the incoming freshman forwards, should Power choose to remain in Durham, but until we see it again, that’s kind of all there is to say.

GRADE: Inconclusive (Retaking the course recommended)