After the exit from the Final Four, it’s been a whole lot of waiting for Duke fandom. Like, a whole lot. Everyone’s been refreshing their feeds 24/7, hoping for that one big update—Cooper Flagg, what are we doing here? While his decision still feels like it’s stuck in a loading screen, fans have been eyeing a few others, too. Kon Knueppel already made his move, announcing he’s headed to the draft. But the suspense was still thick around names like Isaiah Evans, Maliq Brown, Khaman Maluach, Patrick Ngongba II, Darren Harris, and…Tyrese Proctor?

Well, no more waiting on him.

It’s official! Duke guard is entering the NBA draft and skipping his senior year. Proctor, the 6’6” Aussie who’s been with Duke since 2022, reclassified to hit the college scene early and became a key piece for Jon Scheyer’s squad from the jump.  The Sydney native joined what was already a power-packed freshman class with big names like Dereck Lively II, Dariq Whitehead, Kyle Filipowski, and Mark Mitchell.

And while he started off quietly, he found his groove in the second half of that freshman year, becoming a steady scorer and a pretty darn reliable defender. Also, you know what? A lot of folks thought he might bolt for the league after that. He was showing up on draft boards in 2023, but instead of heading out, Proctor decided to run it back for his sophomore season. He even earned captain status alongside Jeremy Roach and Ryan Young. 

But statistically, it didn’t go as planned. His numbers didn’t spike the way people expected, and his draft stock took a bit of a hit. Then came the mass exodus. Filipowski declared, Roach transferred to Baylor, and Proctor suddenly became the last man standing from that initial star-studded class.

Fast forward to his junior year, and Proctor finally played his best basketball. He averaged 12.4 points a game and shot 40.5% from deep. It was like the switch finally flipped. And in the NCAA Tournament, he cooked. The junior shot a combined 13-of-16 from three in the first two rounds, torching Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor in the process.

That’s the kind of performance that screams NBA-ready. So now, he’s looking like a real first-round or early second-round prospect, and his decision adds even more spice to what might be one of the most stacked Duke draft classes we’ve seen in a while. It could get even more loaded, though. While Ngongba II and Harris might run it back for a second year to earn bigger roles, Brown’s nursing an injury.

But it’s Maluach, Evans, and obviously Flagg who could take this draft class to a whole new level. Flagg (projected No. 1 pick) has been way more cagey than expected. All this while he has been dropping thoughtful answers and not-so-definitive statements when asked. Even stranger, Shelton Henderson recently decommitted, and let’s just say it raised a few brows, hinting that Flagg and Slim might actually be staying.

Still, if all those guys do end up bouncing for the NBA, Scheyer’s gonna have a lot of reshuffling to do. But there’s hope on the horizon. The 2025 recruiting class is straight-up loaded. The Blue Devils finished with the top-ranked recruiting class last cycle, and they’re sitting pretty again at No. 1 according to 247Sports. 

And the crown jewel is five-star forward Cameron Boozer, the son of Duke legend Carlos Boozer. His twin, Cayden, is also joining the party. So yes, reinforcements are coming. Not to forget, there’s still one Blue Devil making his way back.

Cooper Flagg’s teammate is running it back

Giving Duke hope, guard Caleb Foster has decided to stay for another season. It’s the kind of morale boost this team needed, especially with so many exits looming. His decision brings a sense of stability to Duke’s backcourt, and it’s much-needed right now. Foster announced his return during an episode of The Brotherhood Podcast, and he made his feelings pretty clear.

“I chose Duke. I’m 1,000 percent committed to Duke. I can’t really see myself playing anywhere else. I’m a loyal guy,” he said. That’s the kind of energy you want from a returning guard, especially one who’s already shown he is reliable. In his freshman year, Foster averaged 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. Plus, he shot a solid 40.6% from beyond the arc, which definitely caught some eyes. 

Unfortunately, Year 2 didn’t turn out the way he would have expected. His role and stats decreased. On top of that, his season was cut short by a stress fracture in his right ankle, which kept him out of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. But instead of dipping out, Foster is using this as a comeback story. 

His return means Duke will have at least one experienced voice in the locker room next year, and with the Boozer twins coming in, that leadership’s going to be crucial. And a possible bigger role might just boost his draft stock, too.

But we must highlight that Foster’s decision also sends a bigger message about the culture at Duke: loyalty, belief in the program, and unfinished business. He knows Scheyer’s system. He knows the expectations. And now, he’s in a position to help the incoming freshmen adapt and thrive. He might just be the glue that holds this next version of the Blue Devils together. 

But it still can’t really be analyzed how next season’s going to look until we get the confirmation on the others. So let’s all just hold tight, refresh social media a few more times, and wait it out.