By Alec Millender
Sports Capital Journalism Program
SAN ANTONIO — Teams always talk about being connected, about playing for each other. But the Duke Blue Devils truly live that message.
Ask any player on the roster who the unsung hero is, and you’ll get a different answer every time. That’s not just a testament to Duke’s depth. It’s a reflection of the humility and unselfishness that defines this squad.
Duke’s depth is its secret weapon. As the Blue Devils prepare for their national semifinal against Houston with a chance to extend a 35-3 season, two victories from a sixth national championship, they don’t have a single rotation player under 6 feet 5 inches, with an average height of 6 feet 7 inches. More impressively, they’ve had contributions from all across the board.
Junior guard Tyrese Proctor has scored in double figures in 26 games, providing leadership and stability. Off the bench, freshman swingman Isaiah Evans has posted double figures in 10 games and has already drawn comparisons to Devin Booker, who was drafted 13th overall in 2015 without starting a single college game.
“I just stay ready,” Evans said Thursday. “To be in conversations with people like that I’m just humble. I just show up and work every day. When people talk about me like that, I’m just humble.”
That word – humble — comes up often around this Duke team. No egos. No sense of entitlement. Just guys doing what’s needed to win.
Sophomore guard Caleb Foster has hit double figures eight times this year. Graduate forward Mason Gillis has done it five times. Graduate guard Sion James, who averages 8.7 points, doesn’t light up the stat sheet, but he made the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Defensive First Team and is widely considered the connector of the group.
“Everyone is ready to contribute when their number is called,” Foster said. “This is the best team I’ve ever played on. One through 11, everybody can hoop.”
Freshman swingman Kon Knueppel echoed the sentiment, giving credit to James for doing the dirty work.
“Sion does all the little things,” Knueppel said. “He’s as impactful as anyone on the team. We’ve got a really deep group, maybe 10 or more guys who could start anywhere, and they’re all unselfish, always ready.”
Freshman swingman Darren Harris pointed to Proctor as a quiet force.
“I think we have the deepest team in the country,” Harris said. “Whether it’s freshmen, transfers, or guys with big high school resumes, we’ve all had our moments. But Tyrese coming back for his junior year, after the adversity he faced last year and his freshman year, I think he’s had some really big games.
“The balance of the team helps,” Harris went on. “We’ve got guys who’ve played a lot of college ball. Off the court, we all hang out. After practice, we’ll just sit in the locker room for an hour talking.” When asked how everyone balances the personalities and problems that come with disparities between Name Image and Likeness opportunities and media attention Harris, credited the guys who get the attention. “They don’t act like projected draft picks or how you would expect people in that position to act,” he said.
That chemistry is real.
Graduate forward Neal Begovich also praised James. “He’s the ultimate glue guy,” Begovich said. “You’ve got guys like Cooper and Kon scoring, Tyrese shooting — but Sion connects us all. He plays super hard, and any team would be lucky to have him.”
Begovich also marveled at the culture. “We have so many highly recruited guys, but they’re incredibly selfless,” he said. “Everyone wants each other to succeed, and it shows in how competitive our practices are. Everyone stays ready.”
Graduate swingman Cameron Sheffield highlighted Foster’s resilience: “He’s had ups and downs, but whenever he’s called on, he sparks us,” Sheffield said. “Our depth is real — five-star prospects, NBA talent. Everyone brings an edge in practice. And when it comes to NIL and all the outside noise? Nothing ever comes up. We just love each other and want to win.”
This is Duke’s 47th NCAA Tournament appearance, with a staggering 126–41 overall tournament record. Saturday’s Final Four matchup against No. 1 seed Houston (34–4) marks Duke’s 18th Final Four appearance, tying UCLA for the second-most all time.
With a roster that includes four graduate students, two seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and six freshmen, this might be the most balanced Duke team in recent memory. The Blue Devils welcomed the nation’s top recruiting class, including two of the five youngest players in Division I men’s basketball. Still, their veteran core brings invaluable experience, combining for over 500 games, 300 starts, and more than 13,000 minutes played.
Duke is the only Division I team this season to average over 80 points per game while holding opponents under 63. That blend of offense and defense, youth and experience, star power and humility, has turned them into a complete team.
The program has long been called The Brotherhood. This year’s group has brought that name to life: together, selfless, and ready for the moment.
