Duke University had a successful 2024–25 season. The Blue Devils won both the ACC regular-season title and the ACC Tournament. But despite reaching the Final Four, the team fell short of the national championship. That loss only made Jon Scheyer and the Devils hungrier for a comeback. Still, it won’t be easy. Majorly, as Duke is down six of its previous roster’s players. And while the team’s added five new commits, one decision still left fans questioning things.

We’re talking about Sebastian Wilkins. As the final commit in Duke’s 2025 class, the Boston native was a late addition after reclassifying to join the Blue Devils a year early. Ranked as the No. 25 overall prospect in ESPN’s Top 100, Wilkins looked ready to make an early impact. But was it the right decision?

Maybe. Maybe not. That’s because he’s redshirting this season. Head coach Jon Scheyer confirmed the news during his postgame press conference on November 9. “I just want to make sure you guys know – Sebastian Wilkins and I have had some great conversations. We’re planning on redshirting him, and we really believe in his development,” Scheyer said.

He added, “Obviously, there’s value to some game experience – like he would’ve gotten some tonight – but to save that eligibility, it’s the right thing for him and the right thing for our program. He can focus on his body, his game, everything – so he’s ready to go for it.”

Notably, Wilkins was a key player for Brewster Academy, one of New Hampshire’s premier prep programs. As a senior, he helped lead his squad to the Chipotle Nationals semifinals. He was primarily known as a defensive threat. He could switch across multiple positions while holding his own on the perimeter. Add in his rebounding ability and his reliable spot-up shooting. So overall, he’s a complete player, at least for some of his fans! 

A right decision for Sebastian Wilkins. Yes or no?

After Scheyer’s announcement, social media was filled with mixed reactions. As a netizen wrote, “I was wondering where he was during garbage time.” It’s a fair question. As one of Duke’s top commits, most expected him to play. But through the first two games – against Texas and WCU – Wilkins didn’t log a single minute.

Another fan commented, “Honestly, there was no point in him reclassifying.” Technically, Wilkins reclassified to join Duke as a part of the 2025 class, as initially he was a part of the 2026 class. So, yes, the decision to redshirt seems confusing. Though from a development standpoint, it makes sense.

During the preseason, Wilkins got some court time but mainly sat deep in Duke’s lineup, roughly the tenth option overall. The coaching staff looks pretty settled at power forward, leaning heavily on Cameron Boozer, with Maliq Brown and Nikolas Khamenia also rotating through that spot. Since those three are covering most of the minutes, Wilkins probably decided to push his eligibility back to the 2026 class while continuing to train with the team every day.

Looking ahead, he has a real chance to grow into a key player for Scheyer and the Blue Devils, someone who can make an impact on both ends of the floor. Because Wilkins is talented – no doubt. But refining his decision-making is key, especially after recording a negative assist-to-turnover ratio during his final high school season. And who better to learn from than someone like Maliq Brown? As one spectator put it, “Let him stick next to Maliq all season, and we gonna have a demon on our hands next year.”That line says it all. 

Well, Brown appeared in 26 games for Duke last season, bringing energy and toughness off the bench. He’s an elite defender, elevating the Devils with a two-way presence. After all, he posted a career-high five steals against Kansas while guarding all five positions last season. So, training alongside him will help Wilkins sharpen his defensive instincts.

“Seb Wilkins will redshirt this season, which explains him not getting into the blowout today. I like that for his development. I just hope in today’s transfer/NIL climate that he stays locked in with Duke,” penned another User. 

A valid concern. In today’s college basketball landscape, players often transfer if they don’t play early. It’s happened before – like redshirt freshman forward Jordann Dumont, who entered the transfer portal this April after limited minutes at Villanova. So, yes, Wilkins entering the transfer portal is a possibility. But will he? So far, that doesn’t seem to be the case. 

“This is big time! Having Seb next year with a full year under his belt is gonna pay dividends for next year’s roster!” said one user. Dividends? Absolutely. 

Sure, Wilkin already stands out for how smoothly he moves despite his frame and brings decent athletic lift to his game. Defensively, he’s versatile enough to switch across positions and shows effort on the boards, which adds to his overall reliability. On the offensive side, though, Wilkins’ consistency from deep range remains to be improved. His outside touch was sharp during the 2024 3SSB circuit, hovering around 40%, though it dropped to roughly 30% during his senior campaign at Brewster.

So, yes. We might have to wait a year to see Wilkins suit up in a blue devils’ jersey, but it’s going to be worth it.