Credit where credit is due, Jon Scheyer certainly has an eye for talent. Jared McCain, Cooper Flagg, and now the Boozer Twins? He knows how to assemble a roster— Duke has ranked as the no.1 ranked recruiting class for the second year in a row. However, converting talent into championships is an art that only a few have mastered. Things were meant to be different with the Maine Event joining their ranks; the Blue Devils were supposed to win the natty. But that was not meant to be. We saw the clock unwind, and an upset unfold, just like the year before.

During March Madness 2024, Duke made it past Houston in the Elite Eight, and a championship looked well within grasp. However, Scheyer and McCain’s NCAA Tournament heroics fell short, when NC State sent them packing with a 12-point loss. This time? They had momentum on their side. With a 31-3 record, they finished 1st in the ACC and atop the Top-25 rankings. They were even picked to win the title with 30.97 percent of Men’s BCG brackets. 

Cooper Flagg, Tyere Proctor, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach– Scheyer had them all, boasting the tallest team in the nation while every starter earned an All-ACC team selection. However, they couldn’t outdo Houston’s defense and composure under pressure, giving up a six-point lead in 34 seconds. Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68: After Dark knows that isn’t a sting easily forgotten. Especially when you were recovering from a Final Four loss from just the previous season. 

“The last two years have been excruciating. You lose to NC State with a Final Four berth, so you get through that, right, that’s eating at you all off-season a year ago,” he started. “Get through that, you have an unbelievable regular season. People are picking you to win the whole thing–it’s there for you. It’s there for the taking. They should have at least been in the final game.” And his words rang true. 

The fact of the matter is that Jon Scheyer was supposed to reach the promised land while he still had Cooper Flagg on his roster, but now, his legacy is in a state of limbo. Duke has some big names coming back this year in Isaiah Evans, Caleb Foster, and Maliq Brown, and even managed to snag four 5-star recruits! Their roster is promising, and a Final Four trip is fresh in everyone’s mind. So Goodman isn’t shying away from claiming a good season for the Blue Devils. 

“They’re gonna have a chance again this year,” he says. What is he banking his hopes on? Well, in his words, “the Boozer twins are special.” 

And the HC knows what he has on his hands– Cameron: a two-time recipient of the Florida Mr. Basketball award and the Gatorade National Player of the Year award, aged 15. A No. 2 player overall, having averaged 22.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 2023-24. Cayden: a top-five point guard in the country, having led the Nike EYBL with 6.5 assists per game. “He’s a guy that does whatever it takes to win,” the HC had said, speaking of the latter. For Cameron? “His feel for the game, combined with his talent and his size, is exactly what you look for in terms of a modern-day NBA player,” Scheyer asserted.

Moving past these Final Four failures will be tough for the coach, but the talent that he has accrued is sure to help him through the process! Cameron and Cayden Boozer are en route to Duke, but will Scheyer have more than one year with them? Or will they also follow in Cooper Flagg’s footsteps? 

Jon Scheyer’s new talent comes in a pair, but are they coming to stay? 

Everyone has known about the Boozer twins since they were little. Of course, being the sons of NBA legend Carlos Boozer would help, but their hooping prowess has always been known to us, Cameron playing the four, and Cayden, slightly under-sized, playing a combo guard position.

Of course, there was a question running through nearly everyone’s head, and Adam Gold put it to words. “Are they both one year players? Or is it just Cameron?” Because you never know. Cameron is taller, and has more tools that can immediately translate to the next level, but Cayden’s defense is something to marvel at. “I think Cameron most likely. But my comparison to Jon yesterday is Mike Conley to Cayden.” Goodman said, providing a bold comparison for the guard. 

Yes, there are many differences between Cayden Boozer and Mike Conley. First things first, Boozer stands at least three to four inches taller than Conley, and has the advantage defensively due to his wingspan. But what Conley had was a frightening amount of speed, and that is something that would benefit Cayden a lot.

One thing is for certain–the presence of both the twins is a boon for Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils. It will be interesting to see whether the Duke head coach can finally reach the pinnacle this year.